relevant_id
large_string | earliest_claim_jusrisdiction
string | jurisdiction
list | ipcr_codes_str
string | earliest_claim_date
timestamp[ms] | earliest_claim_year
string | classifications_ipcr_list_first_three_chars_list
list | title_en
string | abstract_en
string | claims_text
string | description_en
string |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
124-016-398-388-095
|
US
|
[
"US",
"EP"
] |
C22C1/04,B22F1/14,B22F1/142,B22F1/16,B22F9/16,C22C1/05,C22C1/10,C22C32/00
| 2015-04-14T00:00:00 |
2015
|
[
"C22",
"B22"
] |
methods of producing dispersoid hardened metallic materials
|
methods of forming dispersoid hardened metallic materials are provided. in an exemplary embodiment, a method of producing dispersoid hardened metallic materials includes forming a starting composition with a base metal component and a dispersoid forming component. the starting composition includes the base metal component in an amount from about 50 to about 99.999 weight percent and the dispersoid forming component in an amount from about 0.001 to about 1 weight percent, based on the total weight of the starting composition. a starting powder is formed from the starting composition, and the starting powder is fluidized with a fluidizing gas for a period of time sufficient to oxidize the dispersoid forming component to form the dispersoid hardened metallic material. the dispersoid forming component is oxidized while the starting powder is a solid.
|
1. a method of forming a dispersoid hardened metallic material comprising: forming a starting composition comprising a base metal component and a dispersoid forming component, wherein the starting composition comprises the base metal component in an amount of from about 50 weight percent to about 99.999 weight percent and the dispersoid forming component in an amount from about 0.001 weight percent to about 1 weight percent based on the total weight of the starting composition; forming a starting powder from the starting composition; fluidizing the starting powder with a fluidizing gas for a period of time sufficient to oxidize the dispersoid forming component within the starting powder and to form the dispersoid hardened metallic material, wherein the dispersoid forming component is oxidized while the starting powder is a solid. 2. the method of claim 1 wherein fluidizing the starting powder comprises fluidizing the starting powder at an oxidizing temperature for a period of time sufficient to oxide about 50 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component while about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component is present in a reduced state, wherein the fluidizing gas is at an oxidizing temperature below a melting point of the base metal component. 3. the method of claim 1 wherein forming the starting composition comprises forming the starting composition with the base metal component, wherein the base metal component is selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, copper, or a combination thereof. 4. the method of claim 1 wherein forming the starting composition comprises forming the starting composition comprising an alloy material. 5. the method of claim 1 wherein forming the starting composition comprises forming the starting composition with the dispersoid forming component, wherein the dispersoid forming component has an affinity to oxygen greater than or equal to that of aluminum. 6. the method of claim 1 wherein forming the starting composition comprises forming the starting composition with the dispersoid forming component, wherein the dispersoid forming component is selected from the group consisting of hafnium, zirconium, yttrium, scandium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, and a combination thereof. 7. the method of claim 1 wherein oxidizing the dispersoid forming component comprises selecting an oxidizing temperature and an oxidizing agent partial pressure such that about 30 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component is oxidized and about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component is in a reduced state. 8. the method of claim 7 wherein selecting the oxidizing temperature comprises selecting the oxidizing temperature such that about 50 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component is oxidized within about 16 hours or less while about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component is in the reduced state. 9. the method of claim 1 wherein oxidizing the dispersoid forming component comprises forming a plurality of dispersoids, wherein about 95 weight percent or more of the plurality of dispersoids have an average particle size of about 1 micron or less. 10. the method of claim 1 wherein oxidizing the dispersoid forming component comprises forming a plurality of dispersoids, wherein the plurality of dispersoids are randomly positioned within the dispersoid hardened metallic material. 11. a method of forming a dispersoid hardened metallic material comprising: forming a starting composition comprising a base metal component and a dispersoid forming component, wherein the base metal component comprises from about 50 weight percent to about 99.999 weight percent of the starting composition and the dispersoid forming component comprises from about 0.001 weight percent to about 1 weight percent of the starting composition; forming a starting powder from the starting composition, wherein the starting powder comprises starting particulates; fluidizing the starting powder with a fluidizing gas; diffusing an oxidizing agent into the starting particulates while fluidizing the starting powder, wherein the oxidizing agent is within the fluidizing gas, and where the oxidizing agent is diffused into the starting particles while the starting particulates are in a solid state; and oxidizing the dispersoid forming component within the starting particulates with the oxidizing agent while the starting particulates are in the solid state to form the dispersoid hardened metallic material. 12. the method of claim 11 wherein forming the starting powder comprises forming the starting particulates with an average particle size of about 50 microns or less. 13. the method of claim 11 wherein oxidizing the dispersoid forming component within the starting particulates comprises oxidizing about 50 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component within the starting particulates. 14. the method of claim 11 wherein oxidizing the dispersoid forming component comprises forming a dispersoid, wherein about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component is present in a reduced state. 15. the method of claim 11 wherein oxidizing the dispersoid forming component comprises forming a dispersoid with an average particle size of about 1 micron or less. 16. the method of claim 11 wherein forming the starting composition comprises selecting the base metal component from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, copper, and a combination thereof, and selecting the dispersoid forming component from the group consisting of hafnium, zirconium, yttrium, scandium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, and a combination thereof. 17. a method of forming a dispersoid hardened metallic material comprising: forming a starting composition comprising a base metal component and a dispersoid forming component, wherein the base metal component comprises from about 50 weight percent to about 99.999 weight percent of the starting composition and the dispersoid forming component comprises from about 0.001 weight percent to about 1 weight percent of the starting composition; fluidizing the starting composition with a fluidizing gas, wherein the fluidizing gas comprises an oxidizing agent partial pressure selected to preferentially oxidize the dispersoid forming component over the base metal component; and preferentially oxidizing about 50 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component within the starting composition while the starting composition is in a solid state, wherein about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component is present in a reduced state. 18. the method of claim 17 further comprising: forming the starting composition into a starting powder having an average particle size of about 50 microns or less. 19. the method of claim 17 , wherein: preferentially oxidizing the dispersoid forming component comprises converting the starting powder into a dispersoid hardened metallic material; the method further comprising; forming the dispersoid hardened metallic material into an article. 20. the method of claim 17 wherein forming the starting composition comprises selecting the dispersoid forming component with an affinity to oxygen equal to or greater than that of aluminum.
|
technical field the present disclosure generally relates to methods of forming dispersoid hardened metallic materials, and more particularly relates to methods of forming dispersoids in metallic powders in solid form. background many metals can be hardened by including dispersoids within a matrix of the metal. dispersoid strengthened metallic materials include a metal matrix, which may be an alloy, with dispersoids distributed throughout the matrix. dispersoids are typically oxides of a metallic component, where the metallic component that is oxidized is different than the bulk of the metal material. the dispersoids increase the strength and hardness of the metallic matrix. dispersoid hardened metallic materials have been formed mechanically, where a dispersoid (such as yttrium oxide (y 2 o 3 )) is extensively milled and then blended with a base metal component, such as iron (fe) and chromium (cr) powders. the milling and blending process may proceed for days to produce the desired product, in part because the desired size of the dispersoids is quite small, such as 1 micron or less. after milling and blending, thermo-mechanical treatments may be used for secondary recrystallization that can produce a stronger microstructure. the thermo-mechanical treatment may be hot rolling with high temperature treatment, for example, but other treatments are also possible. the cost to mechanically produce dispersoid hardened metallic materials is prohibitive, and this high cost has prevented wide-spread use of dispersoid hardened metallic materials. accordingly, it is desirable to provide methods for producing dispersoid hardened metallic materials that are economically viable. in addition, it is desirable to provide methods of forming dispersoid hardened metallic materials in a reasonable time period, where the dispersoids have a particle size of about 1 micron or less. furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present embodiment will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention. brief summary methods of forming dispersoid hardened metallic materials are provided. in an exemplary embodiment, a method of producing dispersoid hardened metallic materials includes forming a starting composition with a base metal component and a dispersoid forming component. the starting composition includes the base metal component in an amount from about 50 to about 99.999 weight percent and the dispersoid forming component in an amount from about 0.001 to about 1 weight percent, based on the total weight of the starting composition. a starting powder is formed from the starting composition, and the starting powder is fluidized with a fluidizing gas for a period of time sufficient to oxidize the dispersoid forming component to form the dispersoid hardened metallic material. the dispersoid forming component is oxidized while the starting powder is a solid. a method for forming dispersoid hardened metallic materials is provided in another embodiment. the method includes forming a starting composition with a base metal component and a dispersoid forming component. the base metal component is from about 50 to about 99.999 weight percent of the starting composition, and the dispersoid forming component is from about 0.001 to about 1 weight percent of the starting composition. a staring powder is formed from the starting composition, where the starting powder includes starting particulates. an oxidizing agent is diffused into the starting particulates while in a solid state, and the dispersoid forming component is oxidized within the starting particulates while in the solid state to form the dispersoid hardened metallic material. a method for forming dispersoid hardened metallic materials is provided in yet another embodiment. the method includes forming a starting composition with a base metal component and a dispersoid forming component. the base metal component is from about 50 to about 99.999 weight percent of the starting composition, and the dispersoid forming component is from about 0.001 to about 1 weight percent of the starting composition. about 50 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component within the starting composition is preferentially oxidized while the starting composition is in a solid state, and about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component is present in a reduced state. brief description of the drawings various embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the figure, which is a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus and method for producing dispersoid hardened metallic materials. detailed description the following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the various embodiments or the application and uses of the invention. furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary, or the following detailed description. referring to the figure, a method for producing a dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 is provided in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. in this description, a “metallic material” is a material that has the physical properties of a metal, and wherein a majority of the chemical bonds in the metallic material are metallic bonds. as such, a metallic material may include metalloids or non-metals, as long as the metallic properties and metallic bonding are present. the method includes providing a starting composition 12 that includes a base metal component 14 , a dispersoid forming component 16 , and optionally an alloy material 18 , all of which are in a reduced state. the base metal component 14 is a metallic material that forms about 50% or more of the starting composition 12 . as used herein, the term “reduced state” means a small percentage or no oxide-bound material of the composition is present, such that about 0 up to a maximum of about 10 weight percent of the material is chemically bound to an oxygen atom. in an exemplary embodiment, the base metal component 14 consists of nickel (ni), cobalt (co), iron (fe), copper (cu), or a combination thereof, and the base metal component 14 is present in the starting composition 12 at from about 50 to about 99.999 weight percent, where the weight percent is based on the total weight of the starting composition 12 . in alternate embodiments, the base metal component 14 is present in the starting composition 12 at from about 60 to about 99.999 weight percent, or about 70 to about 99.999 weight percent. the starting composition 12 may also include oxides of the materials within the base metal component 14 at low concentrations, such as from about 0 to about 10 weight percent, or from about 0.001 to about 10 weight percent, or from about 0.001 to about 5 weight percent in various embodiments. the starting composition 12 also includes a dispersoid forming component 16 at from about 1 to about 0.001 weight percent, or at from about 0.5 to about 0.001 weight percent, or at from about 0.2 to about 0.001 weight percent in various embodiments. the dispersoid forming component 16 includes an element that is more easily oxidized than the base metal component 14 . in an exemplary embodiment, the dispersoid forming component 16 may include a metal that is as easy or easier to oxidize than aluminum. for example, the dispersoid forming component 16 may be selected from the group consisting of hafnium, zirconium, yttrium, scandium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, and combinations thereof. in an alternate embodiment, the dispersoid forming component 16 includes aluminum. in yet another embodiment, the dispersoid forming component 16 is selected from the group consisting of hafnium, zirconium, and yttrium. as with the base metal component 14 , oxides of the dispersoid forming component 16 may be present in the starting composition 12 at low concentrations, such as from about 0 to about 0.1 weight percent, or from 0.0001 to about 0.1 weight percent, or from about 0.0001 to about 0.01 weight percent in various embodiments. the starting composition 12 may optionally include an alloy material 18 at from about 0 to about 50 weight percent, where the alloy material 18 may be almost any compound. as used herein, the term “alloy” means a metallic material formed with the base metal component 14 and one or more alloy materials 18 , where the alloy has one or more improved properties over the base metal component 14 . in alternate embodiments, the alloy material 18 is present in the starting composition 12 at from about 5 to about 50 weight percent, or from about 10 to about 40 weight percent, or from about 10 to about 30 weight percent. the starting composition 12 may also include other compounds in some embodiments, such as carbon or impurities. the dispersoid forming component 16 is also more easily oxidized than the alloy material 18 , in embodiments where an alloy material 18 is present. the dispersoid forming component 16 , the base metal component 14 , and the optional alloy material 18 are selected such that the dispersoid forming component 16 is more easily oxidized than either of the base metal component 14 or the alloy material 18 , so the selection of the base metal component 14 and the alloy material 18 may influence the selection of the dispersoid forming component 16 . for example, if the alloy material 18 is aluminum, the dispersoid forming component 16 is a material that is more easily oxidized than aluminum. however, if the base metal component 14 and the alloy material 18 are both more resistant to oxidizing than aluminum, then the dispersoid forming component 16 may include aluminum. the components of the starting composition 12 may be combined and melted to form a melt, so the components of the starting composition 12 can be thorough mixed. for example, the molten starting composition 12 may be mixed with an impeller 20 , as illustrated, but many other mixing techniques may also be used, including but not limited to a magnetic mixing bar, a static mixer, or simple addition where combining and pouring the material provides adequate mixing. in an alternate embodiment, the components of the starting composition 12 may be combined and mixed as a powder, or the starting composition 12 may be acquired with the various components already present, such as from a recycling process, so no additional mixing is required. in some embodiments, the starting composition 12 is formed into a starting powder 22 , where the starting powder 22 includes a plurality of starting particulates 24 . the starting composition 12 may be formed into the starting powder 22 in a wide variety of manners, including but not limited to crushing (as illustrated) and atomizing. many apparatuses are available for crushing the starting composition 12 , such as hammer mills, ball mills, rollers, etc., and the starting composition 12 may be formed into a sponge-like material or other forms conducive to powder formation prior to the crushing process. in an alternate embodiment, liquid starting composition 12 is formed into small droplets and rapidly frozen to form the starting powder 22 , such as by exposing a small stream of molten starting composition 12 to high energy gaseous or liquid jets. other options are possible for forming the starting composition 12 into the starting powder 22 . in an exemplary embodiment, the starting particulates 24 of the starting powder 22 have an average particle size of about 50 microns or less, or about 30 microns or less, or about 10 microns or less in various embodiments, where the average particle size is the d50 particle size, or the median value of the particle size distribution. the starting powder 22 may be passed through a screen such that starting particulates 24 larger than the desired size are excluded. the larger particles may then be reprocessed and reduced in size, disposed of, or otherwise used. the shape of the starting particulates 24 is not critical. the dispersoid forming component 16 , the base metal component 14 , and any other components of the starting composition 12 are randomly distributed within the starting particulates 24 , because the various components were evenly mixed and distributed within the starting composition 12 before it was formed into a powder. the dispersoid forming component 16 is preferentially oxidized to form a dispersoid within the starting particulates 24 , while little to none of the base metal component 14 and the optional alloy material 18 are oxidized. in an exemplary embodiment, about 50 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component 16 is oxidized while about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component 14 and about 95 weight percent or more of the alloy material 18 (if present) are present in the reduced state. in alternate embodiments, about 40 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component 16 is oxidized while about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component 14 and about 95 weight percent or more of the alloy material 18 (if present) are present in the reduced state, or about 30 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component 16 is oxidized while about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component 14 and about 95 weight percent or more of the alloy material 18 (if present) are present in the reduced state. the dispersoid forming component 16 is oxidized with an oxidizing agent, such as oxygen, carbon monoxide, water, or other materials that include oxygen. without being bound by any particular theory, it is believed that the oxidizing agent oxidizes the dispersoid forming component 16 on the surface of the starting particulates 24 , and the oxidizing agent diffuses into the starting particulates 24 and oxidizes some or all of the dispersoid forming component 16 positioned within the interior of the starting particulates 24 . in an exemplary embodiment, to preferentially oxidize the dispersoid forming component 16 , the starting powder 22 is fluidized with a fluidizing gas 26 for a period of time sufficient to oxidize the dispersoid forming component 16 , where the fluidizing gas 26 includes the oxidizing agent. as such, the oxidizing agent is external to the starting particulates 24 prior to exposure to the fluidizing gas 26 , so the oxidizing agent must diffuse into the starting particulates 24 to oxide much of the dispersoid forming component 16 . the fluidizing gas 26 may also include an inert component, such as nitrogen, argon, helium, etc. in many embodiments, the majority of the fluidizing gas 26 is inert. the particle size of the starting particulates 24 may be selected such that the oxidizing agent is capable of diffusing into the starting particulates 24 within a reasonable period of time at the oxidizing conditions employed. therefore, the particle size may vary for different compositions of the starting composition 12 , because different compositions may have different diffusivities at the oxidizing conditions in use. in some embodiments, the oxidizing agent may not diffuse to the core of the starting particulates 24 , so some of the dispersoid forming component 16 may remain in a reduced state. the low concentrations of dispersoid forming component 16 in a reduced state generally does not impair the properties of the final product, and a majority of the dispersoid forming component 16 is generally oxidized to form dispersoids. the starting particulates 24 are in the solid state while the dispersoid forming component 16 is oxidized. the starting powder 22 is maintained at an oxidizing temperature, or within an oxidizing temperature range, while the dispersoid forming component 16 is oxidized. the oxidizing temperature is below the melting point of the base metal component 14 , and the starting particulates 24 remain in the solid state while the dispersoid forming component 16 is oxidized. in an exemplary embodiment, the oxidizing temperature is below the solidus temperature of starting composition 12 . if the oxidizing temperature were at or above the melting point of the base metal component 14 , some or all of the starting powder 22 may melt during the oxidation of the dispersoid forming component 16 . if the starting powder 22 melts, the dispersoid forming component 16 may tend to agglomerate or grow in size, which produces larger dispersoids. smaller dispersoids are generally desired, so the oxidizing temperature is kept below the melting point of the base metal component 14 to limit agglomeration. as such, the average particle size (d50, as described above) of the dispersoids formed is about 1 micron or less, or about 0.5 microns or less, or about 0.3 microns or less in various embodiments. if the starting particulates 24 were liquid (i.e., liquid droplets of the starting composition 12 ), the different components may tend to segregate somewhat, such as due to varying densities resulting in denser material accumulating near the outer surface of the starting particulates 24 due to centrifugal force from spinning. other properties may also cause segregation of the components, such as different electronegativity, etc. however, since the starting particulates 24 are maintained in the solid state, the position of the dispersoid forming component 16 remains random, so the resulting dispersoids remains random within the dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 . in some embodiments, there is a migration temperature below the melting point of the starting composition 12 where the dispersoid forming component 16 begins to migrate within a starting particulates 24 before the bulk of the starting particulates 24 melts. in such a case, the dispersoid forming component 16 may agglomerate somewhat, which produces larger dispersoids. therefore, the oxidizing temperature may be controlled at less than the migration temperature where the dispersoid forming component 16 becomes mobile within the starting powder 22 , such as about 10° c. below the melting point of the base metal component 14 or the alloy material 18 with the lowest melting point. the oxidizing agent within the fluidizing gas 26 is present at a partial pressure that aids in selectively oxidizing the dispersoid forming component 16 over the base metal component 14 or the alloy material 18 . thermodynamic principles can aid in selecting an oxidizing temperature and a partial pressure of the oxidizing agent that will oxidize the dispersoid forming component 16 while minimizing the oxidation of either the base metal component 14 or the alloy material 18 . such thermodynamic principles can be calculated, and are readily available in many embodiments, such as ellingham diagrams. higher oxidizing temperatures and the higher partial pressures of the oxidizing agent can increase the rate of oxidation of the dispersoid forming component 16 , but higher oxidizing temperatures and partial pressures of the oxidizing agent also increase the likelihood of oxidation of the base metal component 14 and/or an alloy material 18 . as such, the oxidizing temperature and partial pressure of the oxidizing agent are selected to provide good selectivity to oxidize the dispersoid forming component 16 over the base metal component 14 and the alloy material 18 , and this is balanced with providing a favorable rate of oxidation of the dispersoid forming component 16 . in an exemplary embodiment, the oxidizing temperature influences the movement of the oxidizing agent into the starting particles 24 , as well as influencing the oxidizing selectivity of the dispersoid forming component 16 and the base metal component 14 . the oxidizing temperature may be selected to provide sufficient oxidizing agent movement within the starting particles 24 such that about 50 weight percent or more of the dispersoid forming component 16 is oxidized within about 16 hours or less while about 95 weight percent or more of the base metal component 14 and about 95 weight percent or more of the alloy material 18 (if present) are present in the reduced state. oxidation of the dispersoid forming component 16 to form the dispersoids converts the starting powder 22 into the dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 . the dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 is collected, and may be kept below the melting point of the dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 to prevent any agglomeration or segregation of components. the dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 in the powder form can be used in a wide variety of manners. for example, the powdered dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 can be formed into an article by a wide variety of methods, such as forging, sintering and forging, extrusion, three dimensional printing (such as direct metal laser sintering, direct metal laser melting, electron beam printing, etc.), plasma spraying, cladding, etc. the dispersoids remain randomly positioned within the dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 , so an article formed by extrusion or other methods may not have any directionality in its properties. extrusion often produces an article with different shear strengths, hardness, or other properties in different directions, such as parallel with the axis of extrusion compared to perpendicular to the axis of extrusion. the random nature of the dispersoid positioning may avoid directional aspects of the article properties formed from the dispersoid hardened metallic material 10 . while at least one embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description of the invention, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. it should also be appreciated that the embodiment or embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
|
125-848-977-554-607
|
JP
|
[
"DE",
"EP",
"US",
"JP"
] |
G01N27/419,G01N27/407,G01N27/409,G01N27/41,G01N27/413,G01N27/416,G01N27/417
| 1986-09-27T00:00:00 |
1986
|
[
"G01"
] |
electrochemical gas sensor.
|
a gas sensor for dealing with a measurement gas in an external space, having (a) an electrochemical pumping cell including a porous solid electrolyte body (2), and first and second electrodes (10,12) which are disposed on opposite sides of the porous solid electrolyte body (2), (b) a gas-tight ceramic body (4) cooperating with the porous solid electrolyte body (2) of the electrochemical pumping cell, to define therebetween an internal space (5), such that the first electrode (10) substantially communicates with the internal space, and (c) a gas-tight solid electrolyte layer (8) formed on or within the porous solid electrolyte body (2) such that the first electrode (10) substantially entirely overlaps the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer (8), as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the first electrode. the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer (8) is formed to permit a portion of the porous solid electrolyte body to communicate with the internal space in the above-indicated direction.
|
1. a gas sensor for dealing with a measurement gas in an external space, comprising: an electrochemical pumping cell including a porous solid electrolyte body, and a first and a second electrode which are disposed on opposite sides of said porous solid electrolyte body; a gas-tight ceramic body cooperating with said porous solid electrolyte body of the electrochemical pumping cell, to define therebetween an internal space, such that said first electrode substantially communicates with said internal space; a gas-tight solid electrolyte layer formed on or within said porous solid electrolyte body such that said first electrode substantially entirely overlaps said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a plane of said first electrode, said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer permitting a portion of said porous solid electrolyte body to communicate with said internal space in said direction. 2. a gas sensor according to claim 1, wherein said second electrode substantially entirely overlaps said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a plane of said second electrode. 3. a gas sensor according to claim 1, or claim 2 wherein said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is formed between said first electrode, and one of opposite major surfaces of said porous solid electrolyte body, said first electrode being disposed on said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer. 4. a gas sensor according to claim ,1 or claim 2 wherein said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is formed between said second electrode, and one of opposite major surfaces of said porous solid electrolyte body, said second electrode being disposed on said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer. 5. a gas sensor according to claim 1, or claim 2 wherein said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is formed between said first electrode and one of opposite major surfaces of said porous solid electrolyte body, said gas sensor further comprising another gas-tight solid electrolyte layer formed between said second electrode and the other of said opposite major surfaces of said porous solid electrolyte body, said first and second electrodes being disposed on said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer and said another gas-tight solid electrolyte layer, respectively. 6. a gas sensor according to claim 1, or claim 2 wherein at least a portion of said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is embedded within said porous solid electrolyte body, and said first electrode is disposed in contact with one of opposite major surfaces of said porous solid electrolyte body. 7. a gas sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprising another gas-tight solid electrolyte layer formed on or within said porous solid electrolyte body. 8. a gas sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said internal space is a thin flat space having a predetermined diffusion resistance. 9. a gas sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said first electrode has an annular shape, and said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer has a central aperture which is located radially inwardly of an inner periphery of said annular first electrode. 10. a gas sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said first electrode, said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer, and said internal space are rectangular in shape, said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer being formed on an inner surface of said porous solid electrolyte body so as to partially define said internal space, and to define an opening through which said porous solid electrolyte body communicates with said internal space, said first electrode being formed on a portion of said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer which is exposed to said internal space. 11. a gas sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer has an aperture, and a portion of said gas-tight solid electrolyte layer defining said aperture is embedded in said porous solid electrolyte body such that said aperture communicates with said internal space through a portion of said porous solid electrolyte body in said direction, said first electrode being disposed on a portion of an inner surface of said porous solid electrolyte body which is exposed to said internal space.
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the present invention relates generally to a gas sensor which uses a solid electrolyte for determining the concentration of a component in a gaseous fluid, and more particularly to such a gas sensor which is capable of stably providing a sharp characteristic curve and thereby effecting the measurement with significantly improved accuracy. there has been known a device which incorporates an electrochemical cell using a solid electrolyte. for example, such an electrochemical device is used as an oxygen sensor having an electrochemical cell which consists of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte such as zirconia ceramics, and a pair of porous electrodes, for determining the concentration of oxygen in an exhaust gas produced by an internal combustion engine of an automotive vehicle. in this type of sensor, an electrochemical pumping action is performed based on the reaction of the electrodes which occurs while an electric current is applied between the pair of electrodes. in the meantime, one of the porous electrodes is held in communication with a measurement gas in an external measurement-gas space, via suitable diffusion-resistance means such as a pin hole, a thin flat space or a porous ceramic layer, which provides a predetermined resistance to a diffusion of the measurement gas. the sensor provides an output in the form of a pumping current which corresponds to the oxygen concentration of the external measurement gas. also known are electrochemical devices or gas sensors or detectors adapted to detect hydrogen, carbon dioxides, fuel gases, etc., by utilizing the principle based on the electrochemical pumping action and the diffusion resistance, as practiced in the oxygen sensor discussed above. in one type of gas sensor using such an electrochemical cell (pumping cell) capable of performing an electrochemical pumping operation, the solid electrolyte body constituting the electrochemical cell is made porous so that it may function as a porous ceramic layer or diffusion-resistance means having a predetermined diffusion resistance. in this case, the porous solid electrolyte body is formed as a comparatively bulky mass on which a pair of electrodes are integrally formed. accordingly, the measurement gas which diffuses through the interior of the bulky solid electrolyte mass to one of the electrodes takes different diffusion paths, whereby there arises a gradient in the concentration of the diffused measurement gas on the electrode. this gradient indicates an undesirable polarization characteristic, that is, insufficient sharpness of a characteristic curve (pumping current-pumping voltage curve) obtained by a pumping operation of the pumping cell, which results in a problem of inaccurate measurement of the measurement gas by the gas sensor. further, since the measurement gas diffuses also through the porous first and second electrodes of the electrochemical cell, the overall diffusion resistance of the cell is influenced by the gas permeability of the electrodes which may vary from time to time. this is an another problem experienced in the known gas sensor discussed above. the present invention was made in the light of the foregoing situations of the prior art. it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a gas sensor which is easy to manufacture and which includes a gas-tight solid electrolyte layer for restricting or defining a path of diffusion of a measurement gas through diffusion-resistance means in the form of a porous solid electrolyte body of an electrochemical pumping cell, so that the gas sensor is stably operable to provide a sharp polarization characteristic curve that permits accurate determination of concentration of a desired component in the measurement gas. the present invention provides a gas sensor for dealing with a measurement gas in an external space, comprising (a) an electrochemical pumping cell including a porous solid electrolyte body, and a first and a second electrode which are disposed on opposite sides of the porous solid electrolyte body, (b) a gas-tight ceramic body cooperating with the porous solid electrolyte body of the electrochemical pumping cell, to define therebetween an internal space, such that the first electrode substantially communicates with the internal space, and (c) a gas-tight solid electrolyte layer formed on or within the porous solid electrolyte body such that the first electrode substantially entirely overlaps the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the first electrode. the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer permits a portion of the porous solid electrolyte body to communicate with the internal space in the above-indicated direction. in the gas sensor of the present invention constructed as described above, the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer functions to restrict or limit a path of diffusion of the measurement gas through the porous solid electrolyte body between the exernal space and the internal space, so that the path of diffusion leads to the internal space, whereby the components of the measurement gas are mixed with each other within the internal space before the measurement gas contacts the first electrode. therefore, the atmosphere adjacent to the first electrode can be effectively homogenized. in other words, the first electrode is less likely to be subject to an abnormal distribution of concentration of a certain component in the surrounding atmosphere. accordingly, the instant gas sensor is stably operable to provide a sharp polarization characteristic curve necessary to assure accurate determination of the concentration of a desired component in the measurement gas. according to the instant arrangement, at least the first electrode, or preferably the first and second electrodes overlaps or overlap the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the first electrode. consequently, the instant arrangement substantially prevents the measurement gas from diffusing through the first electrode or first and second electrodes. that is, the overall diffusion resistance of the gas sensor is not influenced by a timewise variation in the permeability of the electrode or electrodes, which affects the measuring accuracy of the sensor. according to a preferred feature of the invention, the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is at least partially embedded in the porous solid electrolyte body of the electrochemical pumping cell. alternatively, the solid electrolyte layer is formed between the first or second electrode and one of the opposite major surfaces of the porous solid electrolyte body. in this case, the first or second electrode is disposed on the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer. further, it is possible that the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer may be formed between the first electrode and one of the major surfaces of the porous solid electrolyte body, while another gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is disposed between the other surface of the porous solid electrolyte body and the second electrode. however, this second gas-tight solid electrolyte layer may be embedded within the porous solid electrolyte body. the internal space to which the first electrode of the electrochemical pumping cell of the instant gas sensor is substantially exposed may be a thin flat space which has a predetermined diffusion resistance. in this case, bulk diffusion of the measurement gas within the thin flat space, in combination with the diffusion through the porous structure of the porous solid electrolyte body, makes it possible to adjust the dependence of a limit current to be obtained in the electrochemical pumping cell, upon the temperature and pressure of the measurement gas, over relatively wide ranges of the temperature and pressure. according to a further optical feature of the invention the first electrode has an annular shape, and the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer has a central aperture which is located radially inwardly of an inner periphery of the annular first electrode. according to a still further optional feature of the invention, the first electrode, the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer, and the internal space are all rectangular in shape, as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the planes of these members. further, the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is formed on an inner surface of the porous solid electrolyte body so as to partially define the internal space, and to define an opening through which the porous solid electrolyte body communicates with the internal space, and the first electrode is formed on a portion of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer which is exposed to the internal space. according to a yet further optional feature of the invention, the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer has an aperture, and a portion of this solid electrolyte layer which defines the aperture is embedded in the porous solid electrolyte body such that the aperture communicates with the internal space through a portion of the porous solid electrolyte body, in the direction perpendicular to the porous solid electrolyte body. in this case, the first electrode is disposed on a portion of an inner surface of the porous solid electrolyte body which is exposed to the internal space. in the gas sensor of the present invention, the concentration of a desired component in the measurement gas is determined according to the principle based on the diffusion resistance to the molecules of the component, and based on an electrochemical pumping of ions of the component through the porous solid electrolyte body between the first and second electrodes of the electrochemical pumping cell, upon application of an electric current between these two electrodes. however, it is possible to provide the gas sensor with another electrochemical cell (electrochemical sensing cell), which is operated according to the principle of a concentration cell, for detecting the atmosphere adjacent to the first electrode of the pumping cell which communicates with the internal space. this electrochemical cell provided in addition to the electrochemical pumping cell includes a second solid electrolyte body (gas-tight solid electrolyte), and a third and a fourth electrode which are formed on the second solid electrolyte body, such that the third electrode substantially communicates with the above-indicated internal space. this arrangement having the two electrochemical cells described above is advantageous for widening the range of applications of the sensor, and is one of preferred embodiments of the invention. in the case where the second electrochemical cell is provided, the second solid electrolyte body may constitute at least a portion of the gas-tight ceramic body which partially defines the internal space. alternatively, the second solid electrolyte body may constitute a portion of the porous solid electrolyte body of the electrochemical pumping cell, or a portion of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer. in either case, it is preferred that the third electrode be spaced apart from an inlet of the internal space, by a larger distance than the first electrode, in the direction parallel to the plane of the first or third electrode. the gas tightness of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is determined such that an amount of diffusion of the measurement gas through the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is almost negligible, as compared with an amount of diffusion of the same through the porous solid electrolyte body from the external space to the internal space. in other words, the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer is not required to be perfectly gas-tight. the above and optional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: figs. 1 through 4 are elevational views in transverse cross section of different examples of simplest construction of a gas sensor according to the present invention; figs. 5, 7 and 9 are perspective explanatory views of different embodiments of the gas sensor of the invention; and figs. 6, 8 and 10 are elevational views in cross section taken along line vi-vi of fig. 5, line viii-viii of fig. 7 and line x-x of fig. 9, respectively. to further clarify the present invention, the several presently preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail, by reference to the accompanying drawings. referring first to the transverse cross sectional views of figs. 1 and 2, there are shown examples of basic construction of a gas sensor in the form of an oxygen sensor according to the principle of the present invention. in these examples, the oxygen sensor includes a one-piece mass consisting of a planar porous solid electrolyte body 2 having a predetermined resistance to a diffusion of a flow of a gas, and a generally planar gas-tight or dense zirconia ceramic body 4 superposed on the porous solid electrolyte body 2. the solid electrolyte body 2 and the ceramic body 4 cooperate with each other to define therebetween an enclosed, cylindrical internal space 5. the porous solid electrolyte body 2 may be a porous zirconia ceramic mass which is formed by firing a green or unfired mixture of a powdered zirconia ceramic material and a powdered sublimable material which sublimes at a firing temperature, as disclosed in u.s. patent no. 4,610,741 to mase et. al. in the oxygen sensor of fig. 1, a gas-tight or dense solid electrolyte layer 8 is formed on one of opposite surfaces of the planar porous solid electrolyte body 2 which is exposed to the internal space 5. an annular first electrode 10 is formed on the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8, while an annular second electrode 12 is formed on the outer surface of the porous solid electrolyte body 2 such that the first and second electrodes 10, 12 are in concentric relation with each other. the two solid electrolyte members 2, 8, and the first and second electrodes 10, 12 constitute an integral electrochemical pumping cell. in the oxygen sensor of fig. 2, the second electrode 12 is disposed on the porous solid electrolyte body 2 via another gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8ʹ (outer gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8ʹ), like the first electrode 10. the inner and outer gas-tight solid electrolyte layers 8 and 8ʹ disposed between the first electrode 10 or second electrode 12 and the porous solid electrolyte body 2 are made of a material similar to that of the solid electrolyte body 2. the solid electrolyte layers 8, 8ʹ take the form of an annular shape which has a larger outside diameter than the first and second electrodes 10, 12, and a central aperture 14 which is concentric with the cylindrical internal space 5 and which is located radially inwardly of the inner periphery of the electrodes 10, 12. the electrodes 10, 12, gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 (fig. 1) or layers 8, 8ʹ (fig. 2), and porous solid electrolyte body 2 form an integral one-piece construction. in this arrangement, the first electrode 10 is covered by or overlaps the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8, as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the major surfaces of the first electrode 10, since the diameter of the central aperture 14 of the solid electrolyte layer 8 is smaller than the inside diameter of the first electrode 10. however, the aperture 14 permits a portion of the porous solid electrolyte body 2 to communicate with the internal space 5, in the direction specified above. in the oxygen sensors constructed as described above, a measurement gas in an external measurement-gas space diffuses through the interior of the porous solid electrolyte body 2 under the predetermined diffusion resistance, and enters the internal space 5 through the central aperture 14 formed in the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 (inner gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 in the arrangement of fig. 2). the measurement gas introduced through the aperture 14 of the inner gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 then diffuses in the internal space 5 in the radial direction (right and left direction in figs. 1 and 2), whereby the introduced gas reaches the first electrode 10. in the present arrangement, the components of the introduced gas are effectively mixed evenly with each other in the internal space 5, whereby the concentration of the measurement gas contacting the first electrode 10 may be made even over the entire surface area of the electrode 10. accordingly, the electrochemical pumping cell (2, 8, 8ʹ, 10, 12) is stably operable to provide a sharp polarization characteristic curve necessary to effect accurate determination of the measurement gas. stated differently, a path in which the measurement gas diffuses through the porous structure of the solid electrolyte body 2 is restricted or limited by the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8, such that the measurement gas is permitted to communicate with the internal space 5 only through the central aperture 14 of the inner gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8. therefore, the introduced measurement gas adjacent to the first electrode 10 is less likely to have an uneven distribution of concentration of the component to be measured, since the measurement gas diffuses through substantially the same portion of the porous solid electrolyte body 2, which substantially defines the restricted path of diffusion of the gas leading to the central aperture 14 communicating with the internal space 5. as a result, the electrochemical pumping cell may maintain a comparatively constant or uniform polarization characteristic, which is advantageous to improve the sensing accuracy of the sensor. in the present sensor, a dc current from an external power source is applied between the first and second electrodes 10, 12 of the electrochemical pumping cell, as is well known in the art, so that ions of a desired component (oxygen ions in the illustrated embodiments) of the measurement gas are moved from the first electrode 10 to the second electrode 12, or vice versa, whereby the component from the external measurement-gas space diffuses through the porous solid electrolyte body 2 and the internal space 5, and reaches the first electrode 10. the concentration of the component whose ions are moved between the electrodes 10, 12, or the concentration of a component which chemically reacts with the diffused component, is detected in an ordinary manner, by means of an ammeter or a potentiometer. while the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 of the oxygen sensors described above is formed on the inner surface of the porous solid electrolyte body 2, the solid electrolyte layer 8 may be embedded within the porous solid electrolyte body 2 such that the layer 8 is positioned relatively adjacent to the first electrode 10, as illustrated in figs. 3 and 4. in this embodiment, too, the central aperture 14 of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 is located radially inwardly of the inner periphery of the annular first electrode 10, that is, the entire area of the first electrode 10 overlaps the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8, as viewed in the vertical direction of figs. 3 and 4, i.e., in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first electrode 10. in these modified sensors, too, the diffusion path of the measurement gas through the porous solid electrolyte body 2 is restricted or limited by the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8, so that the measurement gas is introduced into the internal space 5 primarily through the central aperture 14 of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8. therefore, the concentration of the introduced measurement gas whose components are mixed within the space 5 and which contacts the first electrode 10 is effectively made even over the entire area of the first electrode 10, as in the preceding embodiments. in the present modified embodiments, the first electrode 10 directly contacts the porous solid electrolyte body 2 as a result of the embedding of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 within the solid electrolyte body 2. this arrangement provides the following advantage. namely, the instant arrangement is advantageous for preventing or alleviating a problem of deterioration of the solid electrolyte due to otherwise possible blackening which may occur during an electrochemical pumping operation to move ions from the first electrode 10 toward the second electrode 12. this advantage can be enjoyed because of a reduced possibility that the electrode (10) has a concentration gradient of the measurement gas within its interior structure in the direction of thickness, and a reduced possibility of an extremely low concentration at a certain local point within the electrode, in the case where one of the major opposite surfaces of the electrode communicates with the internal space (5) while the other major surface contacts the porous solid electrolyte body (2), as compared with the case where the electrode contacts the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer (8). even if the porous solid electrolyte body (2) is more or less blackened, the solid electrolyte body may be easily restored since the porous body (2) has a comparatively large surface area. in the present arrangement wherein the first electrode (10) contacts the solid electrolyte (2) which is 10 porous, the first electrode has a higher degree of activity, than in the case where the electrode contacts a gas-tight solid electrolyte. unlike the preceding embodiments, the present modified embodiments having the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 embedded in the porous solid electrolyte body 2 tends to have reduced evenness of concentration of the atmosphere adjacent to the first electrode 10, since the atmosphere surrounding the first electrode is influenced by a measurement gas stream (a) which diffuses through the porous solid electrolyte body 2 in the lateral direction (horizontal direction in figs. 3 and 4) and reaches the first electrode 10, without passing through the internal space 5, and a measurement gas stream (b) which passes through the central aperture 14 of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 and directly reaches the back surface of the first electrode 10 which contacts the porous solid electrolyte body 2. however, the influence of the stream (a) can be diminished by reducing a distance ℓ between the first electrode 10 and the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8. if the sensor is constructed as described below such that the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 directly contacts the gas-tight ceramic body 4, the influence of the gas stream (a) can be completely eliminated. further, the influence of the gas steam (b) can be reduced to a negligible extent by providing a relatively large distance l between the inner peripheries of the first electrode 10 and the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 (between the inside diameters of these annular members) in the direction parallel to the plane of the electrode 10, in relation to the above-indicated distance ℓ. as illustrated in fig. 4, the oxygen sensor may have at least one second gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 16 with a central aperture 18, in addition to the first gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 which serves to restrict the path of diffusion of the measurement gas into the internal space 5. in this instance, it is not necessary that the entire area of the first electrode 10 overlaps the second gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 16, as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first electrode. in other words, the diameter of the central aperture 18 of the second gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 16 may be larger than the inside diameter of the first electrode 10. the gas sensor of the present invention is by no means limited to the above-illustrated constructions, but the principle of the invention may be effectively embodied as the gas sensor having other constructions as illustrated in figs. 5 through 10. the gas sensor shown in figs. 5 and 6 is a modification of the basic embodiment of fig. 1. in this modified embodiment, the first and second electrodes 10, 12 have a rectangular shape, and the first electrode 10 is disposed on the inner surface of the porous solid electrolyte body 2 via the rectangular gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8. the second electrode 12 is formed directly on the other or outer surface of the porous solid electrolyte body 2. thus, an electrochemical pumping cell is provided. the gas-tight ceramic body 4 is an integral body consisting of a first dense ceramic layer 4a having a cutout, and a second dense ceramic layer 4b on which the first ceramic layer 4a is superposed. the cutout formed in the first ceramic layer 4a gives an internal space in the form of a rectangular thin flat space 6 having a predetermined diffusion resistance. the first electrode 10 and the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 are formed on the porous solid electrolyte body 2 such that the first electrode 10 communicates with the thin flat space 6, while the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 partially closes the above-indicated cutout in the first ceramic layer 4a, so as to partially define an opening 14 through which the porous solid electrolyte body 2 communicates with the thin flat space 6. in this embodiment, too, the entire area of the first electrode 10 is covered by or overlaps the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8, as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first electrode. in the present gas sensor, the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 determines the width of the opening 14 of the thin flat space 6, and the measurement gas which has diffused through the porous solid electrolyte body 2 is introduced into the thin flat space 6 through the opening 14. the introduced measurement gas then moves through the thin flat space 6 in the horizontal direction (in fig. 6), and reaches the first electrode 10. the gas sensor shown in figs. 7 and 8 is characterized in that the sensor has an electrochemical sensing cell in addition to an electrochemical pumping cell. the pumping cell is constituted by an integral laminar structure consisting of a planar porous solid electrolyte body 2, two gas-tight or dense solid electrolyte layers 8, 8, and first and second electrodes 10, 12 formed on the respective solid electrolyte layers 8, 8. the sensing cell consists of a gas-tight solid electrolyte plate 20 which forms a part of a gas-tight ceramic of the sensor, and third and fourth electrodes 22, 24 which are integrally formed on the opposite surfaces of the solid electrolyte plate 20. the third electrode 22 communicates with a thin flat space 6 which has a predetermined diffusion resistance. the thin flat space 6 is formed in a planar spacer layer 26 which is interposed between the sensing and pumping cells and which is made of a gas-tight ceramic material. the third electrode 22 functions as a measuring electrode exposed to an atmosphere adjacent to the first electrode 10, which also communicates with the thin flat space 6. on one side of the electrochemical sensing cell on which the fourth electrode 24 is disposed, a planar spacer member 28 and a covering member 30 which are both formed of a gas-tight ceramic material are superposed on the gas-tight solid electrolyte plate 20. the spacer member 28 has a cutout which cooperates with the plate 20 and the covering member 30 to define an air passage 32. the fourth electrode 24 is positioned so as to communicate with this air passage 32, and to function as a reference electrode exposed to an ambient air as a reference gas, which is introduced into the air passage 32 through its open end. on the outer surface of the covering member 30, there is formed heater means which consists of a heating element 36, and electrically insulating layers 34, 34 formed of alumina or similar ceramic material so as to embed the heating element 36. thus, the instant gas sensor or its sensing cell has the built-in heater means. further, the electrochemical pumping cell has a porous ceramic protective layer 38 formed on the outer surface of the porous solid electrolyte body 2 on which the second electrode 12 is disposed. the protective layer 38 protects the second electrode 12 against direct exposure to the measurement gas in the external measurement-gas space, while permitting the same electrode 12 to communicate with the external measurement gas. in the gas sensor constructed as described above, a dc current is applied between the first and second electrodes 10, 12 of the electrochemical pumping cell, so that the external measurement gas diffuses through the porous solid electrolyte body 2 into the thin flat space 6, while the diffusion path is restricted by the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8, and the atmosphere adjacent to the first electrode 10 is controlled by the pumping action of the pumping cell. in the meantime, the concentration of a desired component of the thus controlled atmosphere adjacent to the first electrode 10 is detected by the electrochemical sensing cell, in a manner knonw in the art. briefly, an electromotive force is induced between the third and fourth electrodes 22, 24, due to a difference in the concentration of the component between the atmospheres to which these two electrodes 22, 24 are exposed. the induced electromotive force is applied to an external detecting device to determine the concentration of the component near the fourth electrode 24. in the present embodiment, the heating element 36 is energized by an external power source, to maintain the solid electrolyte material (2, 8, 20) and the electrodes (10, 12, 22, 24) of the electrochemical oxygen sensor (gas sensor) at optimum operating temperatures to assure a precise sensing operation, even when the temperature of the measurement gas is relatively low. the gas sensor shown in figs. 9 and 10 is different from the gas sensor of figs. 5 and 6, in that the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 of figs. 9 and 10 is embedded in the porous solid electrolyte body 2. described more specifically, the porous solid electrolyte body 2 includes as an integral part thereof a porous solid electrolyte layer 40 made of the same solid electrolyte material. the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 has a rectangular aperture 14, and the porous solid electrolyte layer 40 is formed so that a portion of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 surrounding or defining the aperture 14 is embedded in the porous solid electrolyte body 2 such that the aperture 14 communicates with the internal space 5 through a portion of the layer 40 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the layer 8, as indicated in fig. 10. the first electrode 10 is formed on a portion of the porous solid electrolyte layer 40 exposed to the internal space 5, so that the first electrode 10 communicates with the internal space 5, and such that the first electrode 10 entirely overlaps the embedded portion of the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8. in the present embodiment wherein the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 is partially embedded in the porous solid electrolyte body 2, the porous solid electrolyte layer 40 between the first electrode 10 and the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 is protected from direct exposure to the external measurement gas. that is, the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8 directly contacts the gas-tight ceramic body 4 (more precisely, the dense ceramic layer 4a) at the end of the porous solid electrolyte layer 40 (left-hand side end as seen in fig. 10) . this arrangement substantially eliminates otherwise possible introduction of the measurement gas into the porous solid electrolyte layer 40 through its end face, and consequent diffusion of the measurement gas through the layer 40 to the first electrode 10. in the gas sensors which have been illustrated, the porous or gas-tight solid electrolyte members of the electrochemical pumping and sensing cells, and the gas-tight solid electrolyte layers are made of known ion-conductive solid electrolyte materials, for example, oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolytes such as zirconia ceramics or a solid solution of bi₂o₃-y₂o₃, proton-conductive solid electrolytes such as srce 0.95 yb 0.05 o 3-α , or halogen-conductive solid electrolytes such as caf₂. the electrodes 10, 12, 22, 24 of the electrochemical cells are made of metals such as platinum, rhodium, palladium, gold and nickel, or conductive compounds such as tin oxide. preferably, the electrodes have a porous structure. according to one preferred method of forming the electrodes, a material consisting principally of a metal or conductive compound indicated above is applied by printing to the respective solid electrolyte, and the applied material is fired into the suitably formed electrodes, and leads or conductor strips extending from the electrodes. to avoid flake-off or separation of the electrodes and their leads from the solid electrolyte bodies or members, or disconnection or breakage of the leads, it is desirable that the material of the electrodes and leads contains a powdered ceramic material such as zirconia, yttria or alumina, so that the fired electrodes and leads may be integrally bonded to the contacting surface of the solid electrolyte, with an increased adhesive force. a green laminar structure of the gas sensors according to the invention may be prepared in a known lamination or screen-printing process, and the prepared green laminar structure may be co-fired in a suitable process also known in the art. the porous solid electrolyte body 2 of the electrochemical pumping cell is made of a solid electrolyte material whose sintering or firing temperature is different from that of the materials of the gas-tight ceramic body 4 and gas-tight solid electrolyte layer 8. it is possible that the material of the porous solid electrolyte body 2 may contain a substance which disappears upon firing thereof. while the present invention has been illustrated by the present embodiments or examples, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise details of construction of the illustrated embodiments. as is apparent from the foregoing description, the gas sensor constructed according to the present invention is capable of stably producing a sharp polarization characteristic curve which permits highly precise determination of concentration of a desired component in the measurement gas, owing to even distribution of concentration of the measurement gas which contacts the first electrode communicating with the internal space. this advantage is conducive to the gas-tight solid electrolyte layer which serves to restrict or define the path of diffusion of the measurement gas through the porous solid electrolyte body of the electrochemcal pumping cell, so that the measurement gas which has diffused through the solid electrolyte body is once introduced into the internal space before the measurement gas reaches the first electrode. although the gas sensor according to the invention is suitably used as a sensor for dealing with rich-burned or lean-burned exhaust gases emitted from an engine of an automotive vehicle, the instant gas sensor may also be used as an oxygen sensor for determining the oxygen concentration of exhaust gases produced as a result of combustion of an air-fuel mixture having a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio. further, the instant gas sensor may be used as other sensors, detectors or controllers adapted to detect hydrogen, carbon dioxides and other components of a fluid which are associated with electrode reaction.
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126-469-963-274-010
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US
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[
"WO"
] |
A61K9/00,A61K38/00,A61K38/08,A61K47/02,A61K47/26,A61P27/02
| 2022-05-12T00:00:00 |
2022
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[
"A61"
] |
formulation for treating dry eye disease
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the present disclosure relates to among other things, an ophthalmic formulation of a lipidated chemerin composition comprising (a) chemerin or a fragment or analog thereof and (b) a lipid entity linked to the chemerin or fragment or analog thereof, that is stable in terms of ph, osmolality, physical appearance, and purity of the chemerin composition, when stored under normal storage conditions. one aspect of the present disclosure also relates to use of the said ophthalmic formulation for treating an inflammatory condition including, but not limited to, ocular inflammation, dry eye disease, and ocular neuropathic pain.
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what is claimed is: 1. an ophthalmic formulation comprising: (a) about 0.1% to about 0.5% w/v of nacl; (b) about 25 mm to about 100 mm of phosphate buffered saline; and (c) about 0.05% to about 0.1% w/v of a lipidated chemerin composition that includes a chemerin fragment consisting of the sequence of y-f-p-g-q-f-a-f-s (seq id no: 2) or a chemerin analog consisting of the sequence of y*-f-l-p-s*-q-f-a*-tic-s (seq id no: 3), wherein * denotes d amino acids and tic represents l,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog being linked to a lipid entity via a linker; wherein the formulation has a ph of about 6.5 to about 8.5, and an osmolality of about 200 to about 450 mosm/kg. 2. the formulation of claim 1, wherein the ph of the formulation changes by no more than 1.5% over a period of one to six months when stored at 25°c to 40°c and 60% to 75% relative humidity. 3. the formulation of claim 1 or 2, wherein the formulation comprises nacl at a concentration of about 0.1% to about 0.3% w/v. 4. the formulation of claim 3, wherein the formulation comprises nacl at a concentration of about 0.3% w/v. 5. the formulation of any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the formulation comprises phosphate buffered saline at a concentration of about 25 mm to about 50mm. 6. the formulation of claim 5, wherein the formulation comprises phosphate buffered saline at a concentration of about 50 mm. 7. the formulation of any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the formulation comprises the lipidated chemerin composition at a concentration of about 0.05% w/v. 8. the formulation of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the formulation comprises the lipidated chemerin composition at a concentration of about 0.1% w/v. 9. the formulation of any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the formulation has a ph of about 7.4 to about 7.6. 10. the formulation of any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the formulation has a ph of about 7.2 to about 7.4. 11. the formulation of any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the formulation has an osmolality of about 313 to about 322 mosm/kg. 12. the formulation of claim 11, wherein the formulation has an osmolality of about 314 to about 319 mosm/kg 13. the formulation of any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the ph of the formulation changes by between 1% and 1.5% over a period of six months, when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. 14. the formulation of any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the ph of the formulation changes by between 1% and 1.5% over a period of six months, when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. 15. the formulation of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the ph of the formulation does not change over a period of six months, when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. 16. the formulation of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the ph of the formulation does not change over a period of six months, when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. 17. the formulation of any one of claims 1-12, wherein the osmolality of the formulation changes by no more than 10% over a period of one to six months when stored at 25°c to 40°c and 60% to 75% relative humidity. 18. the formulation of any one of claims 1-13 and 15, wherein the osmolality of the formulation changes by between 0.25% to 2% over a period of six months, when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. 19. the formulation of any one of claims 1-12, 14 and 16-17, wherein the osmolality of the formulation changes by between 1% and 8% over a period of six months, when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. 20. the formulation of any one of claims 1-13 and 15, wherein the osmolality of the formulation does not change over a period of six months, when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. 21. the formulation of any one of claims 1-12, 14 and 16-17, wherein the osmolality of the formulation does not change over a period of six months, when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. 22. the formulation of any one of claims 1-21, wherein the purity of the lipidated chemerin composition used for making the formulation determined by hplc is > 94.6% and peptide content is > 95.9 23. the formulation of claim 22, wherein the purity of the lipidated chemerin composition used for making the formulation is 95% to 98%. 24. the formulation of any one claims 1-23, wherein tic represents 25. the formulation of any one of claims 1-24, wherein the linker is selected from the group consisting of: 26. the formulation of any one of claims 1-24, wherein the linker comprises polyethylene glycol, gg, kgg, or a combination thereof. 27. the formulation of any one of claims 1-26, wherein the lipid entity is linked at or near the n-terminus of the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog. 28. the formulation of any one of claims 1-26, wherein the lipid entity is linked at or near the c-terminus of the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog. 29. the formulation of claim 1, wherein the lipidated chemerin composition has the following structure: 30. the formulation of any one of claims 1-29, formulated for topical administration as eye drops. 31. a method of treating an inflammatory condition in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to an eye of the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation of any one of claims 1-30. 32. the method of claim 30, wherein the inflammatory condition is dry eye disease, uveitis, allergic conjunctivitis, or a retinal inflammatory disease. 33. a method of treating pain in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to an eye of the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation of any one of claims 1-30. 34. the method of any one of claim 31 to 33, wherein the formulation is administered once a day, twice a day, or thrice a day. 35. the method of any one of claims 31 to 34, wherein the subject is human. 36. the method of claim 35, wherein the formulation is administered twice daily. 37. the method of any one of claims 31 to 36, wherein the efficacy of the treatment is measured by a total corneal fluorescein staining and/or ocular discomfort relative score relative to a pre-treatment score. 38. a kit for administration to a subject in need thereof, wherein the kit comprises one or more ampoules, and wherein the ampoules contain about 0.3 ml of the formulation of claim 30, and instructions for use. 39. the kit of claim 38, comprising one or more foil pouches, wherein each pouch contains two ampoules. 40. the kit of claim 38 or claim 39, wherein the ampoules are single use blow-fill seal (bfs) ampoules. 41. a method of making the formulation of claim 30 comprising: (a) adding water for injection at a temperature of about 30°c to about 80%-90% bulk batch weight of the formulation; (b) dissolving sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate and sodium phosphate water free in the water to form a buffer solution; (c) dissolving a lipidated chemerin composition that includes a chemerin fragment consisting of the sequence of y-f-p-g-q-f-a-f-s (seq id no: 2) or a chemerin analog consisting of the sequence of y*-f-l-p-s*-q-f-a*-tic-s (seq id no: 3), wherein * denotes d amino acids and tic represents l,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog being linked to a lipid entity via a linker; (d) dissolving sodium chloride; (e) adjusting the temperature of the formulation to about 25°c; (f) adjusting the ph as needed to about 7.4 to about 7.6 with 2n h3po4 or 2n naoh; (e) filtering the formulation with a sterile filter; and (f) filling a batch container aseptically. 42. the method of making of claim 41, wherein any one of steps (b), (c), (d), or (f) produce a clear formulation. 43. the method of making of claim 41 or claim 42, wherein the sterile filter is a redundant 0.2 pm sterilizing grade polyethersulfone (pes) filter.
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formulation for treating dry eye disease cross-reference to related applications [0001] this application claims priority to u.s. provisional patent application nos. 63/341,205 filed on may 12, 2022, and 63/434,042 filed on december 20, 2022, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. incorporation by reference of sequence listing [0002] the contents of the electronic sequence listing (okyo_008_001wo_seqlist_st26.xml; size: 6,273 bytes; and date of creation: april 19, 2023) are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. background of the disclosure [0003] there are a variety of inflammatory conditions that affect the eye, including, but not limited to, ocular inflammation, dry eye disease (ded), and ocular neuropathic pain. ocular inflammation can be caused by a microbial infection of the eye. such infection may be fungal, viral, or bacterial. ocular inflammation can also be caused by trauma, bum, autoimmune disease, chemical injury, contact lens, or other external stimuli. neuropathic pain is a major health problem that occurs in as much as 7% of the general population. up to 50% of patients do not respond to standard therapy. [0004] ded is a multifactorial disease of the tears and the ocular surface with inflammation playing a part in its pathogenesis. dry eye is a common and often chronic problem, particularly in older adults. in 2000, its prevalence in the us has been estimated around 17% in females and 12% in males but it has been increased in recent years and estimated to be more than 50%. people with dry eyes either do not produce enough tears or their tears are of a poor quality. tears are produced by several glands in and around the eyelids. tear production tends to diminish with age, with various medical conditions or as a side effect of certain medicines. environmental conditions, such as wind and dry climates, can also decrease tear volume due to increased tear evaporation. when the normal amount of tear production decreases or tears evaporate too quickly from the eyes, symptoms of dry eye can develop. as for the quality of tears, tears are made up of three layers: oil, water and mucus. each component protects and nourishes the front surface of the eye. a smooth oil layer helps prevent evaporation of the water layer, while the mucin layer spreads the tears evenly over the surface of the eye. if the tears evaporate too quickly or do not spread evenly over the cornea due to deficiencies with any of the three tear layers, dry eye symptoms can develop. the common form of dry eyes occurs when the water layer of tears is inadequate. this condition is also called keratoconjunctivitis sicca (kcs). [0005] current therapies for dry eye are only palliative, focusing on replacement of tears to reduce symptoms. five approved products are available in the united states are: restasis®, xiidra®, cequatm, eysuvis™ and tyrvayatm. restasis® (cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion, 0.05%) a calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant, is a topical immune-modulator with anti-inflammatory effects. although approved for use in treatment of ded in the us, most of these products cause adverse side effects including ocular irritation, dysgeusia, instillation site pain and conjunctival hyperemia. [0006] ok-101 is a lipidated chemerin peptide designed to bind with high affinity to chemr23 receptors. binding of ok-101 to chemr23 has been shown to produce antiinflammatory activity in mouse models of ded. ok-101 was developed using a membrane- anchored-peptide (map) technology to produce a novel long-acting drug candidate for treating ded. ok-101 is also designed to combat washout through the inclusion of a lipid ‘anchor’ within its molecular structure to enhance residence time of ok-101 within the ocular environment. ok-101 has also been shown to resolve the inflammation in animal models of asthma and modulate the inflammation environment in autoimmune diseases by recruiting regulatory t cells (tregs), as well as attenuating neuropathic pain in mice. (stevenson, chauhan et al. 2012, doyle, krishnaji et al. 2014). okyo’s studies demonstrated significant reduction in corneal permeability with topical application of ok-101 (0.04%) vs vehicle in an experimental model of dry eye disease in mice. in addition, ok-101 normalized goblet cell density and reduced count of cd4+ t cells, (biomarkers of inflammation) and increased t regulatory cells in the draining lymph node of ok-101 treated mice compared to vehicle in in the dry eye mice model. in addition, in a separate set of animal model experiments, ok-101 was shown to exhibit potent ocular pain-reducing activity in a mouse model of corneal neuropathic pain. with potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic characteristics, ok-101 is currently developed by okyo pharma us, inc. for the treatment of dry eye disease. [0007] there is a need for a therapeutic formulation for treatment of ocular inflammatory conditions like ded, with fewer to no adverse effects and that is well tolerated by the patient’s eye. for this the stability of such ophthalmic formulations in terms of variability in ph, osmolality etc., is important. [0008] the present disclosure addresses this need of patients suffering from various inflammatory conditions including, but not limited to, ocular inflammation, ded, and ocular neuropathic pain, by providing an ophthalmic formulation of ok-101 that in composition is close to human tears and is stable in terms of ph, osmolality, physical appearance, and purity, over at least one to 6 months. summary of the disclosure [0009] the present disclosure provides an ophthalmic formulation comprising: (a) about 0.1% to about 0.5% w/v of nacl; (b) about 25 mm to about 100 mm of phosphate buffered saline; and (c) about 0.05% to about 0.1% w/v of a lipidated chemerin composition that includes a chemerin fragment consisting of the sequence of y-f-p-g-q-f-a-f-s (seq id no: 2) or a chemerin analog consisting of the sequence of y*-f-l-p-s*-q-f-a*-tic-s (seq id no: 3), wherein * denotes d amino acids and tic represents 1,2, 3, 4 tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog being linked to a lipid entity via a linker; wherein the formulation has a ph of about 6.5 to about 8.5, and an osmolality of about 200 to about 450 mosm/kg. [0010] the present disclosure also provides a method of treating an inflammatory condition in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to an eye of the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation disclosed herein. [0011] the present disclosure also provides a method of treating pain in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to an eye of the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation disclosed herein. [0012] the present disclosure also provides a kit for administration of the ophthalmic formulation disclosed herein to a subject in need thereof. also provided are a method of making the ophthalmic formulation disclosed herein. [0013] any aspect or embodiment described herein can be combined with any other aspect or embodiment as disclosed herein. while the disclosure has been described in conjunction with the detailed description thereof, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. other aspects, advantages, and modifications are within the scope of the following claims. [0014] the patent and scientific literature referred to herein establishes the knowledge that is available to those with skill in the art. all united states patents and published or unpublished united states patent applications cited herein are incorporated by reference. all published foreign patents and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference. all other published references, documents, manuscripts and scientific literature cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference. brief description of the drawings [0015] figs. 1a-1b are charts showing change in ph and solubility of the lipidated chemerin composition of the present disclosure (ok-101) inloo mm sodium phosphate buffer (fig. 1 a) and 50 mm sodium phosphate buffer (fig. ib). the ph values and concentration of ok-101 achieved are as indicated. [0016] figs. 2a-2d show the accuracy and detection limits of the hplc assay used for detecting ok-101. fig. 2a shows the concentration of ok-101 (mg/ml) plotted against the detection signal peak area. fig. 2b shows the detection signal peak area for the repeat injections (input) of the first standard of fig. 2a, to show consistency and accuracy of detection. fig. 2c is the standard curve representative of fig. 2a. fig. 2d shows the different 0.2 pm membranes tested and considered for use in the hplc assay. [0017] fig. 3 is a chart showing the conditions and schedule of testing the formulations containing 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 0.3% nacl and 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 1.4% mannitol. specific testing are indicated as follows: a-testing to be performed for a include appearance, ph, osmolality, color, assay/potency, and impurities by hplc; and s- storage only. [0018] fig. 4a-4e show change in appearance, ph, osmolality, purity of formulations of ok- 101 product over a storage period of one month. fig. 4a is a picture showing the clear and colorless appearance of the formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 0.3% nacl and the formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 1.4% mannitol, stored under 40°c/75%rh and 25°c/60%rh storage conditions. fig. 4b is a chart showing the change in ph, osmolality, % assay purity and the % area values for each formulation and storage condition corresponding to each related retention time (rrt), for t=0 and t=1 month, for each formulation and storage condition are as indicated. fig. 4c, 4d and 4e are charts showing the purity of the ok-101 product and the formulation as determined using hplc assay, at t=0, t=1 month under 40°c/75%rh storage condition and t=1 month under 25°c/60%rh. the % assay purity levels and the % area values for each formulation and storage condition corresponding to each related retention time (rrt) are as indicated. [0019] fig. 5a-5c show change in appearance, ph, osmolality, purity of formulations of 0.05% w/v ok-101 product over a storage period of two months, three months, and 6 months. fig. 5a shows the change in appearance, ph, osmolality, purity of formulations of 0.05% ok- 101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 0.3% nacl and the formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 1.4% mannitol, stored for t=2 and t=3 months, under 40°c/75%rh and 25°c/60%rh storage conditions. the ph values, osmolality values (mosm), % assay purity levels and the % area values for each formulation and storage condition corresponding to each related retention time (rrt), for each formulation and storage condition are as indicated. fig. 5b is a chart showing the change in appearance, ph, osmolality, % assay purity levels of formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 0.3% nacl, and the formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 1.4% mannitol, stored for t=6 months, under 40°c/75%rh and 25°c/60%rh storage conditions. fig. 5c is a picture showing the clear and colorless appearance of the formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 0.3% nacl, and the formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 1.4% mannitol, stored under 40°c/75%rh and 25°c/60%rh storage conditions, for a period of 3 months. [0020] fig. 6a-6b show change in appearance, ph, osmolality, purity of formulations of 0.1% w/v of ok-101 product over a storage period of one month and two months. fig. 6a is a chart showing the conditions and schedule of testing the formulations containing 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 0.3% nacl and 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 1.4% mannitol. specific testing are indicated as follows: a-testing to be performed for a include appearance, ph, osmolality, color, assay/potency, and impurities by hplc; and s- storage only. fig. 6b is a chart showing the change in appearance, ph, osmolality, % assay purity levels of formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 0.3% nacl, and the formulation of 0.05% ok-101 product in a 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 1.4% mannitol, stored for t=1 months and t=2 months, under 40°c/75%rh and 25°c/60%rh storage conditions. the ph values, osmolality values (mosm) and % assay purity levels for each formulation and storage condition, are as indicated. detailed description of the disclosure [0021] the present disclosure provides an ophthalmic formulation comprising: (a) about 0.1% to about 0.5% w/v of nacl; (b) about 25 mm to about 100 mm of phosphate buffered saline; and (c) about 0.05% to about 0.1% w/v of a lipidated chemerin composition that includes a chemerin fragment consisting of the sequence of y-f-p-g-q-f-a-f-s (seq id no: 2) or a chemerin analog consisting of the sequence of y*-f-l-p-s*-q-f-a*-tic-s (seq id no: 3), wherein * denotes d amino acids and tic represents 1,2, 3, 4 tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog being linked to a lipid entity via a linker; wherein the formulation has a ph of about 6.5 to about 8.5, and an osmolality of about 200 to about 450 mosm/kg. [0022] in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 0.1% to 0.5% w/v of nacl (e.g., 0.1% to 0.2%, 0.2% to 0.3%, 0.3% to 0.4% or o.4% to 0.5% w/v of nacl). in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 0.1% to 0.3% w/v of nacl (e.g., 0.1% to 0.2% or 0.2% to 0.3% w/v of nacl). in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 0.3% w/v of nacl. [0023] in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 0.05% to 0.1% w/v (e.g., 0.05% to 0.075%, 0.075% to 0.1% w/v) of a lipidated chemerin composition disclosed herein. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises about 0.05% of a lipidated chemerin composition disclosed herein. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 0.05% of a lipidated chemerin composition disclosed herein. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises about 0.1% of a lipidated chemerin composition disclosed herein. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 0.1% of a lipidated chemerin composition disclosed herein. [0024] in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 25 mm to 50 mm (e.g., 25 mm to 30 mm, 30 mm to 35 mm, 35 mm to 40mm, 40 mm to 45 mm or 45 mm to 50 mm,) phosphate buffered saline. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 50 mm to 100 mm (e.g., 50 mm to 55 mm, 55 mm to 60 mm, 60 mm to 65 mm, 65 mm to 70 mm, 70 mm to 75 mm, 75 mm to 80 mm, 80 mm to 85 mm, 85 mm to 90 mm, 90 mm to 95 mm or 95 mm to 100 mm) phosphate buffered saline. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 50 mm phosphate buffered saline. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises 100 mm phosphate buffered saline. [0025] in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure has a ph of 6.5 to 8.5 (e.g., 6.5 to 7.0, 7.0 to 7.5, 7.5 to 8.0 or 8.0 to 8.5). in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure has a ph of about 7.2 to about 7.4. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure has a ph of 7.3 to 7.4. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure has a ph of 7.4 to 7.6. [0026] in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises an osmolality of 200 to 450 mosm/kg (e.g., 200 to 250, 250 to 300, 300 to 350, 350 to 400 or 400 to 450 mosm/kg). in some embodiments, the formulation has an osmolality of about 290 to about 320 mosm/kg (e.g., 290 to 300, 300 to 310, 310 to 315, 315 to 320, 320 to 325, 325 to 330, 330 to 335, 335 to 340, 340 to 345 or 345 to 350 mosm/kg). in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises an osmolality of 290 to 325 mosm/kg (e.g., 290 to 295, 295 to 300, 300 to 305, 305 to 310, 310 to 315, 315 to 325 mosm/kg). in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises an osmolality of 313 to 322 mosm/kg (e.g., 313 to 315, 315 to 317, 317 to 319 or 319 to 322 mosm/kg). in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure comprises an osmolality of 314 to 319 mosm/kg (e.g., 314 to 315, 315 to 316, 316 to 317 or318 to 319 mosm/kg). [0027] in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by no more than 1.5% (0% to 0.25%, 0.25% to 0.5%, 0.5% to 0.75%, .75% to 1%, 1% to 1.25% or 1.25% to 1.5%) over a period of one month to 6 month (e.g., one month to two months, two months to three months, three months to four months, four months to five months or five months to six months) when stored at 25°c to 40°c and 60% to 75% relative humidity. [0028] in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by 1% to 1.5% over a period of one month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by 1% to 1.5% over a period of two months when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by 1% to 1.5% over a period of three months when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by 1% to 1.5% over a period of six months when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. [0029] in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of one month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of two month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of three month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of six month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. [0030] in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by 1% to 1.5% over a period of one month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by 1% to 1.5% over a period of two months when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by 1% to 1.5% over a period of three months when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure change by 1% to 1.5% over a period of six months when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. [0031] in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of one month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of two month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of three month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the ph of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of six month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. [0032] in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by no more than about 8% over a period of one months to six months when stored at 25°c to 40°c relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 0.3% to 10% (e.g., 0.3% to 0.5%, 0.5% to 1.0%, 1.0% to 1.5%, 1.5% to 2%, 2% to 2.5%, 2.5% to 3%, 3% to 3.5%, 3.5% to 4%, 4% to 4.5%, 4.5% to 5%, 5% to 5.5%, 5.5% to 6%, 6% to 6.5%, 6.5% to 7%, 7% to 7.5%, 7.5% to 8%, 8% to 8.5%, 8.5% to 9%, 9% to 9.5% or 9.5% to 10% ) over a period of one months to six months (e.g., one month to two months, two months to three months, three months to four months, four months to five months or five months to six months) when stored at 25°c to 40°c and 60% to 75% relative humidity. [0033] in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by no more than 2% (e.g., 0.1% to 0.25%, 0.25% to 0.3%, 0.3% to 0.5%, 0.5% to 0.75%, 0.75% to 1.0%, 1.0% to 1.25% or 1.25% to 1.5%) over a period of one months to six months (e.g., when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 0.25% to 2% (e.g., 0.25% to 0.3%, 0.3% to 0.5%, 0.5% to 0.75%, 0.75% to 1.0%, 1.0% to 1.25% or 1.25% to 1.5%, 1.5% to 2%) over a period of one months to six months (e.g., when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 0.25% to 2% over a period of one month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by no more than 0.25% to 2% over a period of two months when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 0.25% to 2% over a period of three months when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 0.25% to 2% over a period of six months when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. [0034] in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of one month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of two month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of three month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of six month when stored at 25°c and 60% relative humidity. [0035] in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by no more than 8% (e.g., 1% to 1.5%, 1.5% to 2%, 2% to 2.5%, 2.5% to 5% or 5% to 5.5%, 5.5% to 6%, 6% to 6.5%, 6.5% to 7%, 7% to 7.5% or 7.5% to 8%) over a period of one months to six months (e.g., one month to two months, two months to three months, three months to four months, four months to five months or five months to six months) when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 1% to 8% (e.g., 1% to 1.5%, 1.5% to 2%, 2% to 2.5%, 2.5% to 5% or 5% to 5.5%, 5.5% to 6%, 6% to 6.5%, 6.5% to 7%, 7% to 7.5% or 7.5% to 8%) over a period of one months to six months (e.g., one month to two months, two months to three months, three months to four months, four months to five months or five months to six months) when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 1% to 8% to over a period of one month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 1% to 8% over a period of two month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 1% to 8% over a period of three month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation changes by 1% to 8% over a period of six month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. [0036] in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of one month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of two month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of three month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. in some embodiments, the osmolality of the formulation of the present disclosure does not change over a period of six month when stored at 40°c and 75% relative humidity. [0037] in some embodiments, the purity of the lipidated chemerin composition used for making the formulation determined by hplc is >94.6% (e.g., 94.6% to 95%, 95% to 96%, 96% to 97%, 97% to 98%, 98% to 99% or 99% to 100%) and the peptide content is >95.9% (e.g., 95.9% to 97%, 97% to 98% or 98% to 99% or 99% to 100%). in some embodiments, the purity of the lipidated chemerin composition used for making the formulation is 95% to 98% (e.g., 95% to 96%, 96% to 97% or 97% to 98%). [0038] in some embodiments, in the lipidated chemerin composition used for making the formulation of the present disclosure, the tic represents: [0039] in some embodiments, in the lipidated chemerin composition used for making the formulation of the present disclosure, any of a variety of lipid entities may be utilized in accordance with the present disclosure. according to various embodiments, a lipid entity can comprise an entity capable of insertion into a lipid bilayer (e.g., a cell membrane). in some embodiments, a lipid entity is capable of incorporating into a lipid raft in a lipid bilayer (e.g., a cell membrane). [0040] in some embodiments, the lipid entity can comprise a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid. the numbers in the lipid name are used to describe the fatty acid chains on the lipid. the numbers are generally presented in the format (number of carbons in fatty acid chain) : (number of double bonds in fatty acid chain), e.g., 16:0 would be 16 carbons in the fatty acid chain with zero double bonds. the saturated or unsaturated fatty acid can include at least 4 carbons, at least 5 carbons, at least 6 carbons, at least 7 carbons, at least 8 carbons, at least 9 carbons, at least 10 carbons, or at least 15 carbons in the fatty acid chain. in some embodiments, the saturated or unsaturated fatty acid can include about 4-24 carbons in the fatty acid chain. the number of double bonds in the fatty acid chain can be in the range of 0-10, e.g., 0-8, 0-6, 1-8, 1-6. for example, the lipid entity can be c22:0, c22:l, c22:2, c22:3, c22:4, c22:5, c22:6, c20:0, c20:l, c20:2, c20:3, c20:4, c20:5, c20:6, c18:0, c18:l, c18:2, c18:3, c18:4, c18:5, c18:6, c10:0, c10:l, c10:2, c10:3, c10:4, etc. [0041] for example, the lipid entity can be selected from the group consisting of a-linolenic acid, y-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, linoleic acid, dihomo-y-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, docosatetraenoic acid, palmitoleic acid, vaccenic acid, paullinic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, gondoic acid, erucic acid, nervonic acid, mead acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, l,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphoethanolamine (dppe), gm1 ganglioside, gm2 ganglioside, gm3 ganglioside, 1,2- dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3 -phosphocholine (dppc), l,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine (dops), l,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3 -phosphocholine (dopc), a glycosphingolipid, a sphingolipid, phosphatidylinositol 4, 5 -bisphosphate (pip2), a ceramide, cholesterol, ergosterol, phytosterol, a hopanoid, a steroid, fluorinated-gml, fluorinated-gm2, and fluorinated-gm3. in some embodiments, the lipid entity can be a-linolenic acid. in some embodiments, the lipid entity can be y-linolenic acid. in some embodiments, the lipid entity can be palmitic acid. in some embodiments, the lipid entity can be vaccenic acid. in some embodiments, the lipid entity can be oleic acid. in some embodiments, the lipid entity can be elaidic acid. [0042] the attachment of a lipid entity to a polypeptide is referred to as lipidation. in some embodiments, lipidation may comprise n-myristoylation. as used herein, “n-myristoylation” refers to the attachment of a myristate to an n-terminal glycine. [0043] in some embodiments, lipidation may comprise palmitoylation. as used herein “palmitoylation” refers to the creation of a thioester linkage of long-chain fatty acids on one or more cysteine residues present in a peptide or protein. [0044] in some embodiments, lipidation comprises gpi-anchor addition. as used herein “gpi- anchor addition” refers to the linkage of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (gpi) to the c-terminus of a protein. [0045] in some embodiments, lipidation comprises prenylation. as used herein “prenylation” refers to the creation of a thioether linkage of an isoprenoid lipid (e.g., famesyl (c-15) or geranylgeranyl (c-20)) to a cysteine present in a peptide or protein. in some embodiments, lipidation comprises geranylation. in some embodiments, lipidation includes geranylgeranylation. in some embodiments, lipidation comprises the association of a ligand entity with any compound that is soluble in a cellular membrane (e.g., 10: 1 in equilibrium constant kassoc^lo). [0046] in some embodiments, lipidation may comprise one or more of the following: attachment of diacylglycerol to the side chain of an n-terminal cysteine of a peptide or protein via the sulfur atom; attachment of o-octanoyl to a serine or threonine of a peptide or protein; and attachment of s-archaeol to a cysteine of a peptide or protein. in some embodiments, lipidation may occur, for example, at any lysine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine, threonine, cysteine, and/or tyrosine. in some embodiments where a chemerin analog comprises one or more ornithine, lipidation may occur at any ornithine. [0047] in some embodiments, the lipid entity can be linked at or near the n-terminus of chemerin or fragment or analog thereof. in some embodiments, the lipid entity can be linked at or near the c-terminus of chemerin or fragment or analog thereof. [0048] in some embodiments, lipidation may include fluorination. fluorination can include the addition of one or more c6f13 chains. without wishing to be bound by theory, it is thought that the presence of one or more c6f13 chains may allow a lipid entity to segregate from hydrocarbon lipid membrane components (see j. am. chem. soc. 2007, 129, 9037-9043; j. phsy. chem. b, 2008, 112, 8250-8256; j. am. chem. soc., 2009, 131, 12091-12093). [0049] in some embodiments, the presence of at least one alkene in the structure of a lipid entity provides increased fluidity in a membrane (i.e., greater ability to move within the membrane) as compared to similar lipid entities lacking at least one alkene. in some embodiments, a lipid entity with greater fluidity is able to provide enhanced activity towards targets (e.g., receptors, ion channels, or enzymes) with a low density in a membrane. without wishing to be bound by theory, it is possible that lipid entities with increased ability to move within a membrane are able to encounter a low-density target faster than a lipid entity with less mobility within a membrane. [0050] in some embodiments, the lipidated chemerin composition used for making the formulation of the present disclosure, can optionally comprise a linker that links the lipid entity to chemerin or the fragment or analog thereof. for example, the linker can have a length of between about 2 a and 175 a, inclusive. in some embodiments, a linker is between 30 a and 150 a, inclusive. [0051] in some embodiments, the linker can comprise a peptide. in some embodiments, a peptide linker is between about 2 and 20 amino acid residues in length. in some embodiments, a peptide linker is between about 5 and 10 amino acid residues in length. according to various embodiments, peptide linkers can be designed such that one or more a-helices are formed between chemerin or a fragment or analog thereof and a lipid entity. in some embodiments, a peptide linker may comprise a plurality of a-helices. in some embodiments, the plurality of a- helices is consecutive. in some embodiments, a plurality of a-helices is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, or more a-helices. [0052] in some embodiments, a peptide linker can comprise repeating units, for example a plurality of repeating glycine-asparagine (gn) units. in some embodiments, a peptide linker can comprise an epitope tag (e.g., a c-myc tag) or other marker to allow for identification and/or characterization of provided agents and their fate in vitro and/or in vivo. [0053] in some embodiments, the linker can comprise a non-peptide entity. in some embodiments, non-peptide linkers may be a synthetic polymer. according to various embodiments, the synthetic polymer may be any of a variety of lengths. in some embodiments, a linker comprising a synthetic polymer comprises a monomeric unit of the polymer. in some embodiments, a linker comprising a synthetic polymer comprises two or more monomeric units of a synthetic polymer (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100 or more monomeric units). [0054] in some embodiments, a linker can comprise at least one molecule of polyethylene glycol (peg). specific, non-limiting examples of suitable polymeric linkers include linkers with one or more monomeric units according to one of the following formulas: where n represents an integer greater than or equal to 1. in some embodiments, n is an integer between 2 and 50, 4 and 24, and/or 8 and 24, inclusive. [0055] in some embodiments, in the lipidated chemerin composition used for making the formulation of the present disclosure, the linker is selected from the group consisting of: [0056] in some embodiments, the linker comprises polyethylene glycol, gg, kgg, or a combination thereof. [0057] in some embodiments, the lipid entity is linked at or near the n-terminus of the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog. in some embodiments, the lipid entity is linked at or near the c-terminus of the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog. [0058] in some embodiments, a linker can comprise l-ethyl-3 -(3 -dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (ed ac), benzophenone-4-isothiocyanate, bis-((n- iodoacetyl)piperazinyl)sulfonerhodamine, succinimidyl 2-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (spdp), 4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzoic acid (atfb), (n-((2-pyridyldthio)ethyl)-4- azidosalicylamide), succinimidyl trans-4-(maleimidylmethyl)cyclohexane- 1 -carboxylate (smcc), and/or n-(t-boc)-aminooxyacetic acid. those of skill in the art will be able to identify additional candidate linkers according to known methods. [0059] in some embodiments, a linker can comprise both a peptide and a non-peptide entity. [0060] in some embodiments, a linker is formed, at least in part, as a result of a click reaction as further described below. in some embodiments, the click reaction is an azide-alkyne huisgen cycloaddition reaction. [0061] additional examples of lipid entities, linkers, and methods of lipidation can be found at us20160052982, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [0062] in some embodiments, the lipidated chemerin composition has the following structure: [0063] in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure is formulated for topical administration as eye drops. [0064] cmklr1 is a g protein-coupled receptor which has been shown to modulate nociception. this receptor is expressed in glia, dorsal root ganglion neurons, and immune cells. the endogenous ligand (agonist) for cmklr1 is chemerin, a 163 amino acid protein. chemerin, also known as retinoic acid receptor responder protein 2 (rarres2), tazarotene- induced gene 2 protein (tig2), or rar-responsive protein tig2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the rarres2 gene. the amino acid sequence of chemerin (homo sapiens) is shown below in seq id no: 1. [0065] ncbi reference sequence: np_002880.1 mrrlliplal wlgavgvgva elteaqrrgl qvaleefhkh ppvqwafqet svesavdtpf pagifvrlef klqqtscrkr dwkkpeckvr pngrkrkcla ciklgsedkv lgrlvhcpie tqvlreaeeh qetqclrvqr agedphsfyf pgqfafskal prs (seq id no: 1). [0066] chemerin is inactive as pre-prochemerin (having seq id no: 1) and is activated through cleavage of the c-terminus and n-terminus to form a chemerin fragment having an amino acid sequence from position 21 to 157 of seq id no: 1, which can function as an agonist for cmklr1. this chemerin fragment has the following amino acid sequence: elteaqrrgl qvaleefhkh ppvqwafqet svesavdtpf pagifvrlef klqqtscrkr dwkkpeckvr pngrkrkcla ciklgsedkv lgrlvhcpie tqvlreaeeh qetqclrvqr agedphsfyf pgqfafs (seq id no: 4). [0067] in one aspect, the present disclosure provides a composition comprising (a) chemerin or a fragment or analog thereof and (b) a lipid entity linked to the chemerin or fragment or analog thereof. without wishing to be bound by theory, the pharmacological properties of chemerin or a fragment or analog thereof can be modulated by the choice of the lipid entity. in some embodiments, the composition of the present disclosure can function as an agonist of cmklr1. [0068] in some embodiments, the lipidated chemerin composition that includes a chemerin fragment consists of the sequence of yfpgqfafs (seq id no: 2). in some embodiments, the lipidated chemerin composition that includes a chemerin fragment consists of the sequence of y*-f-l-p-s*-q-f-a*-tic-s (seq id no: 3). [0069] the chemerin analog of seq id no: 3 is found to be resistant to proteolysis. see shimamura et al., “identification of a stable chemerin analog with potent activity toward chemr23,” peptides 30, 2009, 1529-1538, the contents of which are incorporated by reference. [0070] the opthalmic formulation of the present disclosure can be a pharmaceutical composition, which can further comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. techniques for formulation of the disclosed compositions can be found in remington: the science and practice of pharmacy, 19 th edition, mack publishing co., easton, pa (1995). the pharmaceutical composition can be formulated for a variety of administration routes. [0071] formulations for topical administration may further comprise one or more additional ingredients. methods of treatment [0072] the present disclosure also provides a method of treating an inflammatory condition in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to an eye of the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation disclosed herein. [0073] the present disclosure also provides a method of treating pain in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising topically administering to an eye of the subject a therapeutically effective amount of the formulation disclosed herein. [0074] the formulation of the present disclosure can be used to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions including, but not limited to, ocular inflammation, dry eye disease (ded), uveitis, allergic conjunctivitis, or a retinal inflammatory disease and ocular neuropathic pain. [0075] in some embodiments, the inflammatory condition is ocular inflammation. in some embodiments, the ocular inflammation is uveitis. uveitis is a wide range of inflammatory diseases of the eye, specifically the uvea. there are 3 basic layers of the eye - the sclera and cornea on the outside, the retina on the inside, and the uvea in between. the uvea is comprised mostly of blood vessels and connective tissue, including pigmented cells. the different parts of the uvea are the iris in the front, the ciliary body in the middle, and the choroid located behind these, which lies around most of the eye. sometimes uveitis can affect parts of the eye other than uvea, such as retina, vitreous, or optic nerve. types of uveitis are based on what part of the eye is affected. for example, anterior uveitis is the inflammation in the front of the eye, called iritis or iridocyclitis; intermediate uveitis is the inflammation in the middle part of the eye, or pars planitis or vitritis; posterior uveitis is the inflammation of the back of the eye, such as choroiditis, retinal vasculitis, retinitis, neuroretinitis, retinochoroiditis, or chorioretinitis. [0076] symptoms of uveitis commonly include redness, blurry vision, pain, light sensitivity, and floaters and flashes. [0077] ocular inflammation can be diagnosed through a review of illness history, slit lamp examination, blood work, or any combination thereof. [0078] current therapies for treating ocular inflammation include locally administered anticytokine or anti-inflammatory agents. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure can be administered in combination with an anti-cytokine or anti-inflammatory agent for treating ocular inflammation. [0079] anti-cytokine or anti-inflammatory agents include, but are not limited to, nf kappa b inhibitors, for example corticosteroids, glucocorticoids such as flucinolonone; nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (nsaids) such as sulindac and tepoxalin; antioxidants such as dithiocarbamate; and other compounds such as sulfasalazine [2-hydroxy-5-[-4-[c2- pyridinylamino)sulfonyl]azo]benzoic acid], clonidine, and autologous blood-derived products such as orthokine. [0080] in some embodiments, the inflammatory condition is ded. ded is primarily caused by the break-down of the pre-ocular tear film which results in dehydration of the exposed outer surface. people with ded may experience irritated, gritty, scratchy or burning eyes; a feeling of something in their eyes; excess watering; and blurred vision. the definition and classification of ded can be found at “the definition and classification of dry eye disease: report of the definition and classification subcommittee of the international dry eye workshop (2007),” the ocular surface 2007, vol. 5, 75-92, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [0081] ded can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. testing, with emphasis on the evaluation of the quantity and quality of tears produced by the eyes, may include: (a) patient history to determine the patient's symptoms and to note any general health problems, medications or environmental factors that may be contributing to the dry eye problem; (b) external examination of the eye, including lid structure and blink dynamics; (c) evaluation of the eyelids and cornea using bright light and magnification; and (d) measurement of the quantity and quality of tears for any abnormalities. special dyes may be put in the eyes to better observe tear flow and to highlight any changes to the outer surface of the eye caused by insufficient tears. [0082] without wishing to be bound by theory, there is a rationale that ocular inflammation as a result of pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors plays a major role in the underlying causes of ded. as such, locally administered anti-cytokine or anti-inflammatory agents are often used in the treatment of ded. in some embodiments, the pharmaceutical composition of the present disclosure or a composition comprising chemerin or a fragment or analog thereof can be administered in combination with an anti-cytokine or anti-inflammatory agent for treating ded. [0083] in some embodiments, the inflammatory condition is ocular neuropathic pain. ocular neuropathic pain can be caused by inflammation. therefore, it can be treated by the pharmaceutical composition of the present disclosure, optionally in combination with an anticytokine or anti-inflammatory agent. neuropathic pain has typical symptoms like dysesthesias (spontaneous or evoked burning pain, often with a superimposed lancinating component), but the pain may also be deep and aching. other sensations like hyperesthesia, hyperalgesia, allodynia (pain due to a normoxious stimulus), and hyperpathia (particularly unpleasant, exaggerated pain response) may also occur. [0084] methods of diagnosing inflammation in the eye can be found in teoh and dick, “diagnostic techniques for inflammatory eye disease: past, present and future: a review,” bmc ophthalmology 2013, 13:41, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [0085] with respect to combination therapies involving a first therapeutic agent (e.g., a formulation of the present disclosure comprising chemerin or a fragment or analog thereof) and a second therapeutic agent (e.g., an anti-cytokine or anti-inflammatory agent), the first therapeutic agent can be administered concurrently with the second therapeutic agent; the first therapeutic agent can be administered before the second therapeutic agent; or the first therapeutic agent can be administered after the second therapeutic agent. the administrations of the first and second therapeutic agents can be separated by minutes or hours, e.g., about one hour, two hours, three hours, four hours, five hours, or six hours. [0086] the therapeutically effective amount of a composition according to this disclosure can vary within wide limits and may be determined in a manner known in the art. for example, the composition can be dosed according to body weight. such dosage will be adjusted to the individual requirements in each particular case including the specific compound(s) being administered, the route of administration, the condition being treated, as well as the patient being treated. in another embodiment, the drug can be administered by fixed doses, e.g., dose not adjusted according to body weight. in general, a daily dosage of from about 0.5 mg to about 1000 mg should be appropriate, although the upper limit may be exceeded when indicated. the dosage can be from about 5 mg to about 500 mg per day, e.g., about 5 mg to about 400 mg, about 5 mg to about 300 mg, about 5 mg to about 200 mg. the daily dosage can be administered as a single dose or in divided doses, or for parenteral administration it may be given as continuous infusion. the formulation of the present disclosure can be administered once a day, or several times a day, e.g., twice a day, or thrice a day. in some embodiments, the formulation of the present disclosure is administered twice a day. [0087] in some embodiments, a therapeutically effective amount of an ophthalmic solution comprising a lipidated chimerin composition provided herein is about 0.1 ml, about 0.2 ml, about 0.3 ml, about 0.4 ml, about 0.5 ml, or about 0.6 ml. in some embodiments, a therapeutically effective amount of an ophthalmic solution as provided herein is about 0.3 ml. [0088] the dosage regimen utilizing the formulation of the present disclosure can be selected in accordance with a variety of factors including species, ethnicity, age, weight, sex and medical condition of the patient; the severity of the condition to be treated; the route of administration; the renal and hepatic function of the patient; and the particular composition employed. an ordinarily skilled physician or veterinarian can readily determine and prescribe the effective amount of the drug required to prevent, counter, or arrest the progress of the condition. [0089] a therapeutically effective amount of a composition is that which provides an objectively identifiable improvement as noted by the clinician or other qualified observer. [0090] in some embodiments, a therapeutically effective amount for treating ocular inflammation is an amount that reduces the extent of inflammation in the subject by at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or at least 95% compared to a placebo. [0091] in some embodiments, a therapeutically effective amount for treating ded is an amount that increases the production of tears in the subject by at least 10%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 100%, or at least 150% compared to a placebo. [0092] in some embodiments, the efficacy of a formulation provided herein is measured according to total corneal fluorescein staining score of one or more eyes using the ora calibra® scale relative to the pre-treatment score. [0093] in some embodiments, the efficacy of a formulation provided herein measured according to ocular discomfort score of one or more eyes using the ora calibra® scale relative to the pre-treatment score. [0094] the formulation disclosed herein can be included in a container, pack, or dispenser together with instructions for administration. the compositions described herein can be administered topically. for example, the composition is administered in the form of eye drops. one skilled in the art will recognize the advantages of the storage and dispensing/administering methods of formulation disclosed herein. [0095] in some embodiments, a formulation provided herein can be included in a kit containing 1 or more ampoules. in some embodiments, a kit may contain 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 ampoules. in some embodiments, a kit may contain about 3 ampoules. in some embodiments, each ampoule contains about 0.1 ml, about 0.2 ml, about 0.3 ml, about 0.4 ml, about 0.5 ml, or about 0.6 ml. in some embodiments, an ampoule may contain about 0.3 ml. in some embodiments a kit may contain one or more pouches, each with one or more ampoules. in some embodiments, a kit may contain one or more pouches, with two ampoules per pouch. in some embodiments, the ampoules are single use blow fill seal (bfs) ampoules. in some embodiments, the ampoules are for direct administration to the eye. [0096] the present disclosure also provides a method of making the ophthalmic formulations described herein. in some embodiments, the method of making the ophthalmic formulations described herein comprises: (a) adding water for injection at a temperature of about 30°c to about 80%-90% bulk batch weight of the formulation; (b) dissolving sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate and sodium phosphate water free in the water to form a buffer solution; (c) dissolving a lipidated chemerin composition that includes a chemerin fragment consisting of the sequence of y-f-p-g-q-f-a-f-s (seq id no: 2) or a chemerin analog consisting of the sequence of y*-f-l-p-s*-q-f-a*-tic-s (seq id no: 3), wherein * denotes d amino acids and tic represents l,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid, the chemerin fragment or chemerin analog being linked to a lipid entity via a linker; (d) dissolving sodium chloride; (e) adjusting the temperature of the formulation to about 25°c; (f) adjusting the ph as needed to about 7.4 to about 7.6 with 2n h3po4 or 2n naoh; (e) filtering the formulation with a sterile filter; and (f) filling a batch container aseptically. in some embodiments, the method of making produces a clear ophthalmic formulation at any of the above steps, e.g., step (b), (c), (d), and/or (f). in some embodiments, the sterile filter is a redundant 0.2 pm sterilizing grade polyethersulfone (pes) filter. definitions [0097] unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. although other methods and materials similar, or equivalent, to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, the preferred materials and methods are described herein. it is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. [0098] the terms “peptide,” “polypeptide,” and “protein” are used interchangeably herein and typically refer to a molecule comprising a chain of two or more amino acids e.g., most typically l-amino acids, but also including, e.g., d-amino acids, modified amino acids, amino acid analogs, and amino acid mimetic). peptides may be naturally occurring, synthetically produced, or recombinantly expressed. peptides may also comprise additional groups modifying the amino acid chain, for example, functional groups added via post-translational modification. examples of post-translation modifications include, but are not limited to, acetylation, alkylation (including methylation), biotinylation, glutamyl ati on, glycylation, glycosylation, isoprenylation, lipoylation, phosphopantetheinylation, phosphorylation, selenation, and c-terminal amidation. the term peptide also includes peptides comprising modifications of the amino terminus and/or the carboxyl terminus. modifications of the terminal amino group include, but are not limited to, des-amino, n-lower alkyl, n-di-lower alkyl, and n-acyl modifications. modifications of the terminal carboxy group include, but are not limited to, amide, lower alkyl amide, dialkyl amide, and lower alkyl ester modifications (e.g., wherein lower alkyl is c1-c4 alkyl). the term peptide also includes modifications, such as but not limited to those described above, of amino acids falling between the amino and carboxy termini. the term peptide can also include peptides modified to include one or more detectable labels. [0099] the phrase “amino acid residue” as used herein refers to an amino acid that is incorporated into a peptide by an amide bond or an amide bond mimetic. [0100] the terminal amino acid at one end of the peptide chain typically has a free amino group (z.e., the amino terminus or n terminus). the terminal amino acid at the other end of the chain typically has a free carboxyl group (ie., the carboxy terminus or c terminus). typically, the amino acids making up a peptide are numbered in order, starting at the amino terminus and increasing in the direction of the carboxy terminus of the peptide. [0101] as used herein, the term “analog” refers to a variant or mutant polypeptide having one or more amino acid modifications compared to the wild type. [0102] as used herein, an “amino acid modification” refers to a change in the amino acid sequence of a predetermined amino acid sequence. exemplary modifications include an amino acid substitution, insertion and/or deletion. an “amino acid modification at” a specified position, e.g. of chemerin or a fragment thereof, refers to the substitution or deletion of the specified residue, or the insertion of at least one amino acid residue adjacent the specified residue. by insertion “adjacent” a specified residue is meant insertion within one to two residues thereof. the insertion may be n-terminal or c-terminal to the specified residue. [0103] an “amino acid substitution” refers to the replacement of at least one existing amino acid residue in a predetermined amino acid sequence with another different “replacement” amino acid residue. the replacement residue or residues may be “naturally occurring amino acid residues” (i.e. encoded by the genetic code) and selected from the group consisting of: alanine (ala); arginine (arg); asparagine (asn); aspartic acid (asp); cysteine (cys); glutamine (gin); glutamic acid (glu); glycine (gly); histidine (his); isoleucine (lie): leucine (leu); lysine (lys); methionine (met); phenylalanine (phe); proline (pro); serine (ser); threonine (thr); tryptophan (trp); tyrosine (tyr); and valine (vai). substitution with one or more non-naturally occurring amino acid residues is also encompassed by the definition of an amino acid substitution herein. a “non-naturally occurring amino acid residue” refers to a residue, other than those naturally occurring amino acid residues listed above, which is able to covalently bind adjacent amino acid residues(s) in a polypeptide chain. examples of non-naturally occurring amino acid residues include norleucine, ornithine, norvaline, homoserine and other amino acid residue analogues such as those described in ellman et al. meth. enzym. 202:301-336 (1991). to generate such non-naturally occurring amino acid residues, the procedures of noren et al. science 244: 182 (1989) and ellman et al., supra, can be used. briefly, these procedures involve chemically activating a suppressor trna with a non-naturally occurring amino acid residue followed by in vitro transcription and translation of the rna. in some embodiments, an l amino acid can also be substituted by a d amino acid. [0104] an “amino acid insertion” refers to the incorporation of at least one amino acid into a predetermined amino acid sequence. while the insertion will usually consist of the insertion of one or two amino acid residues, the present application contemplates larger “peptide insertions”, e.g. insertion of about three to about five or even up to about ten amino acid residues. the inserted residue(s) may be naturally occurring or non-naturally occurring as disclosed above. [0105] an “amino acid deletion” refers to the removal of at least one amino acid residue from a predetermined amino acid sequence. [0106] the term “pharmaceutical composition” refers to a mixture of a compound disclosed herein with other chemical components, such as diluents or carriers. the pharmaceutical composition facilitates administration of the compound to an organism. pharmaceutical compositions can also be obtained by reacting compounds with inorganic or organic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, salicylic acid and the like. [0107] as used herein, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” refers to any of the standard pharmaceutical carriers, such as a phosphate buffered saline solution, water, emulsions (e.g., such as an oil/water or water/oil emulsions), and various types of wetting agents. the compositions also can include stabilizers, preservatives, and adjuvants. [0108] as used herein, the terms “treat,” “treating,” “treatment,” and the like refer to reducing or ameliorating a disorder and/or a symptom associated therewith. it will be appreciated that, although not precluded, treating a disorder or condition does not require that the disorder or symptom associated therewith be completely eliminated. the terms “treat,” “treating,” or “treatment,” do not include prevention. [0109] the term “therapeutically effective amount” refers to the amount of a compound that, when administered, is sufficient to prevent development of, or alleviate to some extent, one or more of the symptoms of the disorder, disease, or condition being treated. the term “therapeutically effective amount” also refers to the amount of a compound that is sufficient to elicit the biological or medical response of a cell, tissue, system, animal, or human that is being sought by a researcher, veterinarian, medical doctor, or clinician. [0110] as used herein, a "subject" can be any mammal, e.g., a human, a non-human primate, mouse, rat, dog, cat, cow, horse, pig, sheep, goat, camel. in a preferred embodiment, the subject is a human. [ohl] as used herein, a “subject in need thereof’ is a subject having an inflammatory condition. [0112] as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. thus, for example, reference to “a solvent” includes a combination of two or more such solvents, reference to “a peptide” includes one or more peptides, or mixtures of peptides, reference to “a drug” includes one or more drugs, reference to “a device” includes one or more devices, and the like. unless specifically stated or obvious from context, as used herein, the term “or” is understood to be inclusive and covers both “or” and “and”. [0113] throughout the specification the word “comprising,” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising,” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. [0114] as used herein, the term “about,” unless indicated otherwise, refers to the recited value, e.g., amount, dose, temperature, time, percentage, etc., ± 10%, ± 9%, ± 8%, ± 7%, ± 6%, ± 5%, ± 4%, ± 3%, ± 2%, or ± 1%. [0115] unless specifically stated or obvious from context, as used herein, the term “about” when used in conjunction with numerical values and/or ranges generally refers to those numerical values and/or ranges near to a recited numerical value and/or range. in some instances, the term “about” can mean within ± 10% of the recited value. for example, in some instances, “about 100 [units]” can mean within ± 10% of 100 (e.g., from 90 to 110). examples [0116] the studies described herein provide the development of an optimal formulation of the lipidated chemerin product of the present disclosure (referred to as ok-101 hereafter), that exhibits long term stability and shelf-life. example 1: determining solubility and ph stability of ok-101 in sodium phosphate buffer. [0117] study design and objective: the solubility and ph stability of ok-101 at a target concentration of 0.05% w/v, was tested in either 50 mm or 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer. for each concentration of sodium phosphate buffer, the solubility and ph stability were determined in three separate buffer batches, each with a different starting ph. [0118] results and observations: the results showed that >30 mg/ml concentration of ok- 101 was observed in three batches of 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer, wherein the ph dropped slightly based on the high concentration (fig. 1 a). a concentration of >25 mg/ml of ok-101 was observed in three batches of 50 mm sodium phosphate buffer, wherein the ph dropped slightly more compared to the 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer, based on the high concentration (fig. ib). [0119] conclusion: the results showed that a sodium phosphate buffer concentration range of 50 mm to 100 mm is suitable develop a stable formulation of ok-101. example 2: determining effect of adding osmogens on stability and solubility of ok-101 formulation. [0120] study design and objective: in the study described herein the effect of adding different osmogens (sodium chloride (nacl) and mannitol) were tested to meet the criteria for osmolality, ph, and solubility, for generating a stable formulation of ok-101. any adjustments needed, were done with naoh or increasing buffer concentration. [0121] results and observations: the linearity and precision of ok-101 in the buffer against a standard as determined and found to be valid, using hplc (fig. 2a-2c). the various 0.2- micron membrane filters that were tested for compatibility using one of the standards, for the hplc assays us depicted in fig. 2d. the appearance and purity criteria of the ok-101 product used for developing the formulation of the disclosure is provided in table 1 below. table 1 [0122] the informal stability of ok-101 in a solution with preferred osmogens was further determined based on the conditions and schedules provided in fig. 3. the formulation was scaled up to 200 ml and filtered through a 0.22 mm pes filter, and assay results were compared. no issues were observed between unfiltered and filtered solutions. stability was evaluated using a glass vial as one of the container closure. two formulations of 0.05% ok-101 w/v, in 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with two different osmogens, a0018302-1 (formulation with 0.3% nacl) and a0018302-2 (formulation with 1.4% mannitol) were tested, as depicted in fig. 4b. both formulations were a clear colorless solution, as shown in fig. 4a. the formulation was maintained over a period of one month, two month, three months, or six months, at either of the culture conditions: 25°c and 60% relative humidity (25°c/60%rh) or 40°c and 75% relative humidity (40°c/75%rh) (figs. 4b and 5a-5b. as shown in fig. 4b, a variation of about 0.4% was observed in the activity of the ok-101 product in the formulation comprising 0.3% nacl. also, no significant change in ph was observed in the formulation comprising 0.3% nacl under any of the above stated culture conditions. observations regarding change in ph and activity, was similar in the formulation with 1.4% mannitol. a minimal variation in relative retention time, relative to the standard was observed for both the 0.3% nacl and 1.4% mannitol formulations under both culture conditions (fig. 4b), over a period of one month, further indicating towards the stability of the ok-101 in the formulations. similar observations regarding relative changes in % assay purity, ph for the 1.4% mannitol formulation. [0123] a further analysis of the both the 0.3% nacl and 1.4% mannitol formulations with 0.05% ok-101 w/v in 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer was done under 40°c/75%rh or 25°c/60%rh, where the samples were kept at 5°c for one month before analysis. the results showed a change in % assay purity of 1% to 1.9% depending on the culture conditions for the 0.3% nacl formulation, as indicated in figs. 4c-4e. also, there was minimal change in the rrt of the ok-101 in the 0.3% nacl with 0.05% ok-101 w/v in 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer, stored under 40°c/75%rh or 25°c/60%rh. [0124] conclusion: the results disclosed herein showed that a formulation comprising the concentration of nacl as disclosed herein, is stable over long periods of storage under different storage conditions, in terms of changes in ph, drug stability and purity. example 3: effect of different osmogens on the change in osmolality of the formulations. [0125] study design and objectives: the study described herein further studied the effect of the osmogene types and concentrations (i.e., 0.3% nacl or 1.4% mannitol) on the stability and purity of the 0.05% ok-101 in 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer containing formulations over periods of 2, 3 and 6 months of storage period, under storage condition of 40°c/75%rh or 25°c/60%rh. [0126] results and observations: the results described herein showed a change: a) in ph of the 0.3% nacl formulation from 0% and 1.3% over storage periods of 2 months and 3 months, respectively, under both storage conditions. the change in osmolality was observed to be about 1.25% and 0.3% at the 25°c/60%rh storage condition at 2 months and 3 months, respectively, and 1.8% and 1.2% at the 40°c/75%rh storage condition, at 2 months and 3 months, respectively (fig. 5 a). a change in osmolality of about 1.8% at the 25°c/60%rh and 8% at the 40°c/75%rh storage conditions was observed for the period of 6 months, for the 0.3% nacl formulation (fig. 5b). the formulations were observed to be clear and stable, as evident from the vial pictures in fig. 5c. purity of the ok-101 in the formulations tested remained >90% from 2-6 months storage period under both storage conditions, with purity ranging between 95% to 98%. [0127] the study was further extended to determine the stability of ok-101 formulations a0019492-1 comprising 0.1% ok-101 product, in 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 0.3% nacl (0.1% ok-101/0.3% nacl formulation) or a0019492-2 comprising 0.1% ok-101 product, in 100 mm sodium phosphate buffer with 1.4% mannitol (0.1% ok-101/1.4% mannitol formulation), stored under either 25°c/60%rh or 40°c/75%rh storage conditions, based on the conditions and schedules provided in fig. 6a the results described herein showed that the 0.1% ok-101/0.3% nacl formulation remained colorless and clear at 1 and 2 months of storage under both the 25°c/60%rh and 40°c/75%rh storage conditions. the change in ph of the 0.1% ok- 101/0.3% nacl formulation was observed to be not more than 1.5% in ph of the formulation under at 1 and 2 months of storage both storage conditions. the change in osmolarity was observed to be about 0% and 1.2% at 1 and 2 months, respectively, under the 40°c/75%rh storage condition, and about 0.3% at both 1 and 2 months, under the 25°c/60%rh storage condition. at all time points, under both storage conditions, the purity of the 0.1% ok- 101/0.3% nacl formulation was observed to be >95%. [0128] conclusion: the results disclosed herein showed that a formulation comprising the concentration of nacl as disclosed herein, is stable over long periods of storage under different storage conditions, in terms of changes in osmolality of the formulation. [0129] the results of the studies described herein conclude that the lipidated chemerin composition of the present disclosure when formulated in the disclosed concentration ranges of nacl and phosphate buffered saline (sodium phosphate buffer) and at the disclosed ph and osmolality ranges, remains stable in terms of ph and osmolality variation, appearance, and purity, for over one month to six months of storage under standard storage conditions. example 4: clinical study protocol evaluating the efficacy and safety of an example ok- 101 ophthalmic solution compared to a placebo, in subjects with dry eye disease. [0130] the objective of this clinical study is to compare the safety and efficacy of an example ok-101 ophthalmic solution, hereinafter “ok-101 ophthalmic solution” to placebo for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of dry eye. [0131] the clinical hypothesis for this study is that 0.1% ok-101 ophthalmic solution twice daily (bid) and 0.05% ok-101 ophthalmic solution bid are superior to ok-101 placebo ophthalmic solution (vehicle) for the hierarchical primary endpoints of signs and symptoms of dry eye, as follows: • sign: total corneal fluorescein staining score of the study eye using the ora calibra® grading scale, measured by mean change from baseline (visit 2, pre-controlled adverse environment [cae®]) to visit 6. • symptom: ocular discomfort score of both eyes using the ora calibra® grading scale, measured by mean change from baseline (visit 2, pre-cae®) to visit 6. synopsis of clinical study [0132] approximately 240 subjects will be randomly assigned to one of the three groups (1 : 1 :1) to receive either ok-101 ophthalmic solution or placebo solution as topical ophthalmic drops administered bilaterally bid for 12 weeks. subjects, sponsor, contract research organization (cro), and site personnel will be masked to treatment assignment. [0133] during the 14-day study run-in period prior to randomization, all subjects will receive ok-101 placebo ophthalmic solution (vehicle) in each eye bid. [0134] during the screening period, two 90-minute exposures to the cae® will be conducted to ascertain eligibility to enter the study at visit 1 (day -14 ± 1 day) and visit 2 (day 1). subjects who qualify after the initial screening visit will enter the run-in phase, where they will self-administer vehicle bid for approximately 14 days. those who qualify at visit 2 (day 1) will be randomized to receive the study drug in a double-masked fashion for 12 weeks. subjects will self-administer drops bid and will complete daily diary assessments as instructed. [0135] the cae® exposure will occur at every visit with pre-cae®, during cae® and postcae® assessments of ocular signs and symptoms. [0136] study drug will be discontinued at visit 6. subjects will exit from the study at this visit. [0137] a study design chart is provided below: efficacy endpoints [0138] for efficacy endpoints, the unit of analysis will be the study eye, or the “worst eye,” as defined by the following: [0139] worst eye: eyes are eligible for analysis if they meet all of the inclusion criteria. at least one eye (the right eye or the left eye) must meet all of the criteria. in the case that both eyes are eligible for analysis, the eye with the worst total corneal fluorescein staining score (ora calibra® scale) at pre-cae® baseline will be selected as the study eye. if both eyes have the same total corneal fluorescein staining score at baseline, the right eye (od) will be selected as the study eye. safety measures [0140] the safety measures being evaluated are: visual acuity, slit-lamp evaluation, adverse event query, intraocular pressure, and dilated fundoscopy. study treatments [0141] ok-101 ophthalmic solution will be formulated as a sterile solution at ph 6.5 for topical ophthalmic administration and is intended for clinical use. the study drug will be supplied in blow-fill seal ampoules, which allow for product administration directly to the eye. each ampoule will contain a nominal volume of 0.3 ml. [0142] the excipients which will be used to manufacture ok-101 ophthalmic solution will be standard excipients for use in ophthalmic solutions that comply with their respective united states pharmacopeia (usp) / european pharmacopoeia (ep) monographs. [0143] the placebo for ok-101 ophthalmic solution contains all the same excipients used in the active formulation without the peptide. description of route of administration, dosage, dosage regimen, and treatment period [0144] the dosage and dosage regimen were selected based on positive efficacy results in the proof-of-concept nonclinical studies. the proposed treatment period is 12 weeks. instructions for use and administration [0145] subjects will receive ok-101 placebo ophthalmic solution (vehicle) at visit 1, and assigned study drug kit at visits 2, 3, 4, and 5. [0146] subjects who are randomized must administer study drug in each eye bid. at visit 2, subjects will self-administer one dose of study drug in office. labeling/packaging [0147] investigational product (ip) will be packaged and labeled into clinical kits. the primary packaging of the ok-101 ophthalmic solution will be blow-fill-seal ampules with a fill volume of 0.3 ml. the secondary packaging is a foil pouch that contains three ampules in each pouch. screening run-in period [0148] for the run-in screening period, 12 pouches of 3 ampoules will be packaged in a 2- week clinical kit. each subject will receive 1 kit. treatment period [0149] bid dosing: for the treatment period, 12 pouches of 3 ampoules will be packaged in a 2-week clinical kit. each subject will receive 6 kits total, with each subject receiving 1 kit per visit on visit 2 (day 1) and visit 3 (day 15) and 2 kits per visit at visit 4 (visit 29) and visit 5 (day 57). treatment groups [0150] subjects will be stratified by the following signs and symptom: [0151] total corneal fluorescein staining score of the study eye (ora calibra® scale) at visit 2, pre-cae (<=5; >5). [0152] ocular discomfort score using the ora calibra® scale at visit 2, pre-cae (<=2; >2). study duration [0153] an individual subject’s participation will involve 6 visits over approximately a 99-day period (14 days pre-screening, 85 days of treatment). example 5: description of manufacturing process and process controls of an example ok-101 ophthalmic solution. [0154] as described in table 2, the example ok-101 ophthalmic solution, hereinafter “ok- 101 ophthalmic solution,” is manufactured aseptically via sterile filtration utilizing redundant 0.2 pm sterilizing grade polyethersulfone (pes) filters. the solution has a ph of 7.4 - 7.6, which is suitable for topical ophthalmic administration. [0155] ok-101 ophthalmic solution is filled/primary packaged in single use blow-fill seal (bfs) ampoules, which enable the product to be administered directly to the eye. each ampoule contains a nominal volume of 0.3 ml. the secondary packaging is a foil pouch that contains two ampoules in each pouch. the development batch finished drug product was stored at 25±2°c/60±5% relative humidity (rh). based on available stability data the clinical batch finished drug product is stored at 2-8°c. [0156] the manufacturing process and controls for ok-101 ophthalmic solution are performed in compliance with current good manufacturing practices. the manufacture of each active drug concentration is similar except the amount of drug substance added. the manufacture of placebo drug product is similar to that of both active drug product concentrations except the drug substance is omitted. table 2: ok-101 ophthalmic solution manufacturing process flow aql = acceptable quality limit; hc1 = hydrochloric acid; naoh = sodium hydroxide; qs = quantum sufficit or quantitate sufficiently; wfi = water for injection. [0157] throughout the specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word ‘comprise’, and variations such as ‘comprises’ and ‘comprising’, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer, step, group of integers or group of steps but not to the exclusion of any other integer, step, group of integers or group of steps. [0158] all patents, patent applications and references mentioned throughout the specification of the present invention are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference. [0159] the invention embraces all combinations of preferred and more preferred groups and suitable and more suitable groups and embodiments of groups recited above.
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126-970-152-801-250
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US
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[
"US"
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G06Q30/06,G06Q50/00,G06V10/58,G06Q30/00
| 2015-12-21T00:00:00 |
2015
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[
"G06"
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personalized expert cosmetics recommendation system using hyperspectral imaging
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various embodiments provide a customized cosmetics recommendation for a specific user. in one embodiment a method comprises capturing an image that includes the face of the specific user, producing a set of hyperspectral images from the image, analyzing the hyperspectral images to determine a set of spectral components of the face, and providing a recommendation for one or more cosmetics customized for the specific user based on the set of spectral components and cosmetician expert judgement. the image may be captured using a hyperspectral imaging camera. the set of spectral components is compared to a plurality of previous sets of spectral components to find a match and one or more cosmetics mapped to the match are provided as the recommendation. additionally, a set of conditional options may be received and one or more cosmetics mapped to the set of conditional options and the set of spectral components are provided as the recommendation.
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1 . a method for providing a customized cosmetics recommendation, the method comprising: capturing an image including a face of a specific user; producing a set of hyperspectral images from the image; analyzing the hyperspectral images to determine a set of spectral components of the face; and providing a recommendation for one or more cosmetics customized for the specific user based on the set of spectral components and cosmetician expert judgement. 2 . the method of claim 1 , wherein capturing the image comprises capturing a photograph of the face using a hyperspectral imaging camera. 3 . the method of claim 1 , further comprising mapping each set of a plurality of previous sets of spectral components to one or more cosmetics based on expert opinion. 4 . the method of claim 3 , wherein providing the recommendation for one or more cosmetics comprises: comparing the set of spectral components to the plurality of previous sets of spectral components to find a match; and providing the one or more cosmetics mapped to the match as the recommendation. 5 . the method of claim 3 , further comprising mapping each set of the plurality of previous sets of spectral components along with each set of a plurality of sets of conditional options to one or more cosmetics based on expert opinion. 6 . the method of claim 5 , further comprising: receiving a set of conditional options; comparing the set of spectral components and the received set of conditional options to each set of the plurality of previous sets of spectral components along with each set of the plurality of sets of conditional options to find a match; and providing the one or more cosmetics mapped to the match as the recommendation. 7 . the method of claim 5 , wherein each set of the plurality of conditional options comprises one or more of customer selections, demographic data, fashion data, regional data, feature data and environmental data. 8 . the method of claim 5 , further comprising updating the mapping using at least one of user feedback and social media polling. 9 . the method of claim 5 , wherein providing the recommendation for one or more cosmetics comprises: simulating use of the recommended one or more cosmetics on the face of the image; and displaying the simulated image. 10 . an information processing system for providing a customized cosmetics recommendation, the information processing system comprising: a memory; a processor operably coupled to the memory; and a recommendation engine operably coupled to the memory and the processor, the recommendation engine configured to perform a method comprising: capturing an image including a face of a specific user; producing a set of hyperspectral images from the image; analyzing the hyperspectral images to determine a set of spectral components of the face; and providing a recommendation for one or more cosmetics customized for the specific user based on the set of spectral components and cosmetician expert judgment. 11 . the information processing system of claim 10 , wherein capturing the image comprises capturing a photograph of the face using a hyperspectral imaging camera. 12 . the information processing system of claim 10 , further comprising: a database storing a plurality of previous sets of spectral components and a plurality of sets of one or more cosmetics, each set of the plurality of sets of one or more cosmetics mapped to a previous set of spectral components based on expert opinion. 13 . the information processing system of claim 12 , wherein providing the recommendation for one or more cosmetics comprises: comparing the set of spectral components to the plurality of previous sets of spectral components to find a match; and providing the one or more cosmetics mapped to the match as the recommendation. 14 . the information processing system of claim 13 , wherein the database further stores a plurality of sets of conditional options, each set of the plurality of sets of conditional options along with each set of the plurality of previous sets of spectral components mapped to one or more cosmetics based on expert opinion, the method further comprises: receiving a set of conditional options; comparing the set of spectral components and the received set of conditional options to each set of the plurality of previous sets of spectral components along with each set of the plurality of sets of conditional options to find a match; and providing the one or more cosmetics mapped to the match as the recommendation. 15 . the information processing system of claim 14 , wherein each set of the plurality of conditional options comprises one or more of customer selections, demographic data, fashion data, regional data, feature data and environmental data. 16 . the information processing system of claim 14 , further comprising updating the mapping using at least one of user feedback and social media polling. 17 . the information processing system of claim 14 , wherein providing the recommendation for one or more cosmetics comprises: simulating use of the recommended one or more cosmetics on the face of the image; and displaying the simulated image. 18 . a computer program product for providing a customized cosmetics recommendation, the computer program product comprising: a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising: capturing an image including a face of a specific user; producing a set of hyperspectral images from the image; analyzing the hyperspectral images to determine a set of spectral components of the face; and providing a recommendation for one or more cosmetics customized for the specific user based on the set of spectral components and cosmetician expert judgment. 19 . the computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises mapping each set of the plurality of previous sets of spectral components along with each set of a plurality of sets of conditional options to one or more cosmetics based on expert opinion. 20 . the computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises: receiving a set of conditional options; comparing the set of spectral components and the received set of conditional options to each set of the plurality of previous sets of spectral components along with each set of the plurality of sets of conditional options to find a match; and providing the one or more cosmetics mapped to the match as the recommendation.
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background the present disclosure generally relates to hyperspectral imaging, and more particularly relates to using hyperspectral imaging to analyze skin tones and recommend cosmetics. the cosmetics industry has devoted considerable time and effort to the design of products targeted to distinct skin and hair colors. the considerable amount of investment and the research and development by these companies has yielded a broad range of product choices aimed at satisfying the diversity of the customer base. choosing the right color combination is a daunting task for the average consumer and an on-demand expert currently may not be economical nor feasible. moreover, a cosmetic choice identified for a given consumer is for a fixed moment in time and is not customized based on environmental or temporal factors. brief summary in one embodiment, a method for providing a customized cosmetics recommendation is disclosed. the method comprises capturing an image including a face of a specific user, producing a set of hyperspectral images from the image, analyzing the hyperspectral images to determine a set of spectral components of the face, and providing a recommendation for one or more cosmetics customized for the specific user based on the set of spectral components and cosmetician expert judgement. in another embodiment, an information processing system is disclosed. the information processing system comprises memory and a processor that is operably coupled to the memory. the information processing system further comprises a recommendation engine operably coupled to the memory and the processor. the recommendation engine is configured to perform a method comprising capturing an image including a face of a specific user, producing a set of hyperspectral images from the image, analyzing the hyperspectral images to determine a set of spectral components of the face, and providing a recommendation for one or more cosmetics customized for the specific user based on the set of spectral components and cosmetician expert judgement. in yet another embodiment, a computer program product for providing a customized cosmetics recommendation is disclosed. the computer program product comprises a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. the method comprises capturing an image including a face of a specific user, producing a set of hyperspectral images from the image, analyzing the hyperspectral images to determine a set of spectral components of the face, and providing a recommendation for one or more cosmetics customized for the specific user based on the set of spectral components and cosmetician expert judgement. brief description of the several views of the drawings the accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present disclosure, in which: fig. 1 is a block diagram of an example operating environment for a cosmetics recommendation system using hyperspectral imaging according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; fig. 2 is a pictorial diagram illustrating one example of a hyperspectral camera operating according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; fig. 3 is an operational flow diagram illustrating one process of training a neural network on images according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; fig. 4 is an operational flow diagram illustrating one process of matching hyperspectral images with training set data to recommend a cosmetic according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; fig. 5 is an operational flow diagram illustrating one process of recommending a cosmetic using an expert system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; and fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating one example of an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. detailed description in this disclosure, a method is presented that utilizes the power of hyperspectral imaging (hsi) technology to generate a conduit of a large array of data to a cognitive computing environment to generate rules for producing customized cosmetic product recommendations at the individual level on demand. the terms “cosmetics,” “cosmetic products” and “make-up” are used interchangeably within this disclosure. operating environment fig. 1 shows one example of an operating environment for a cosmetics recommendation system 100 using hyperspectral imaging according to one embodiment of the disclosure. the operating environment is based on new developments in hyperspectral imaging (hsi) cameras 102 which, due to versatility and low cost, can provide application in the consumer market. a person's perception of colors is a subjective process whereby the brain responds to stimuli produced when incoming light reacts with the different types of cone photoreceptors in the eye. as such, different people may see the same illuminated object or light source in different ways. the cosmetics recommendation system 100 assists a user in making decisions about colors and application techniques based on the context of their face and the perceptual apparatus of a cosmetician whose expert input has been formalized in the system and by which the color will emerge as a subjective experience or quality of consciousness. the system maps: 1. components of the face 2. components of an expert cosmetician's perceptual apparatus 3. components of the viewer's cognitive context to: 1. the mixture of wavelengths corresponding to a cosmetician's desired color 2. the mixture of cosmetics corresponding to a desired wavelength of light sufficient to produce the cosmetician's desired color 3. the application techniques for cosmetics necessary to provide additional context for the subjective experience to emerge the use of hyperspectral imaging has been pioneered by satellite imaging and has been allowing atmospheric characterization based on analysis of the spectral components of the reflected sun light by the earth's surface. concepts of hyperspectral imaging are applied herein to intelligently recommend cosmetic products customized for a particular user. the cosmetics recommendation system 100 maps measures of the face to which cosmetics will be applied, an expert cosmetician's perception of different colors, and the cognitive context of the viewer (usually the customer), into the space of desired colors recommended by the cosmetician and then into the space of pigments specifically chosen to produce this color in the targeted cognitive and environmental context. because the number of measures far exceed the number of observed percepts or preferences of any given user, a method is proposed which performs sparse regression (lasso) from measures into a standard color space such as a color wheel, targeting these colors with cosmetics that the system learns are capable of generating the cosmetician's desired color in the environment. the example cosmetics recommendation system 100 comprises one or more hsi cameras 102 to capture a hyperspectral and structural image at a customer accessible location (e.g., cosmetic counters in department stores). the hsi camera 102 produces an array of images of an object, which in most cases, is a facial portrait of a particular customer. the images may be transferred to a client computer 104 which may include a user interface 106 for collecting customer information from the customer (e.g., personal history, personal cosmetic favorites, event and location descriptions, preferred color of clothing for the event, etc.) and displaying a simulation image illustrating the application of the cosmetics in the image. the simulated image portrays the effect of using the selected cosmetic product, including direct and mirror image pictures to promote costumer confidence in the predicted appearance. images may be created for specific environments or events, such as a concert hall where illumination, settings and other patrons may be visualized in a mockup setting such that the impact of the recommended cosmetics may be quantified based on the surroundings. color choices for make-up best suited for the customer can be made based on predicted best color on one or more criteria, such as matching a cosmetic database 112 containing a multiset of expert generated decisions, objective measures based on mathematical models for prevailing principles of color matching in cosmetics and clothes, past purchases and associated satisfaction levels, pooled data from other customers similar in appearance or other demographics, colors that align better with the prevailing fashion, colors that reflect regional preferences, colors that may concentrate a personal vision on a certain features, like eye or chin of the person wearing the make-up, intended lighting and environment for which the product will be used, and the expected time the make-up should remain intact. the color matching can also minimize the variance in a certain spectral bands where skin color and applied makeup will blend to minimize contrast or it could increase contrast in some parts of the face, like eye, where high difference is achieved between eyes and face color. the client computer 104 sends the images and customer information to the recommendation server 108 via a wired or wireless network. the recommendation server 108 comprises an image matcher 110 and a recommendation engine 111 which access a cosmetic database 112 containing historical data including expert matching decisions 114 , mathematical models 116 , customer selections 118 , demographic data 120 , fashion data 122 , regional data 124 , feature data 126 , environmental data 128 , cosmetic data 130 and any other relevant data 132 . the image matcher 110 matches the information received from the client computer 104 to the historical data from the cosmetic database 112 and the recommendation engine 111 recommends a particular cosmetic or set of cosmetics to the customer based on the images taken with the his camera 102 and the customer information provided. in some embodiments, the cosmetic database 112 may be located within the recommendation server 108 . in other embodiments, the cosmetic database 112 may be located remotely. the expert matching decisions 114 include details of past cosmetic recommendations from cosmetician experts based upon an historical sampling of images acquired from a variety of sources. the expert matching decisions 114 may also include measures of the expert cosmetician's color discrimination and perception. the mathematical models 116 may be used to apply color matching principles to hsi images captured with the hsi camera 102 to obtain objective best match results. customer selections 118 may include measures of the user's cognitive context including historical data of the particular customer's past purchases and interests (e.g., purchase history of, or interest in, art and design goods, music, reading, etc.), favorite brands, cosmetics for which the customer has a personal aversion or dislike, personal allergens, “wish list” cosmetics, etc. demographic data 120 may include details of best matches or favorite cosmetics of prior customers/test subjects with similar factors such as age, ethnicity, etc. fashion data 122 may include information concerning current trends in fashion styles and cosmetics currently associated with such styles. fashion data 122 may change according to season. regional data 124 may include cosmetics commonly recommended for a particular region, such as cosmetics having a sunscreen element in warm, tropical areas, or those having a moisturizing component in cold or dry areas. regional data 124 may also include information indicating a general preference for a certain brand or specific make-up in a particular area. feature data 126 may include data for specific cosmetics that enhance or downplay a particular facial feature. for example, if the customer indicates that she would like to enhance her eyes, the feature data 126 may indicate specific cosmetics that have been determined to enhance or draw attention to a particular eye color or shape. environmental data 128 may include information regarding recommended cosmetics based on factors associated with specific events, such as lighting (e.g., natural or artificial, lighting level, etc.), degree of event formality (e.g., wedding, award ceremony, picnic, business meeting, etc.), indoor/outdoor setting, time of day, time of year, etc. cosmetic data 130 may include information related to specific cosmetics, such as the brands and shades carried by a retailer where the cosmetics recommendation system is installed, current inventory, ingredients of each cosmetic, etc. cosmetic data 130 may include data for cosmetic products originating from a number of different vendors. other data 132 includes any other data that may be relevant in providing a recommendation for a particular customer. as shown in fig. 2 , a hsi camera 102 provides a plurality of images 202 a, 202 b, 202 c, 202 d, 202 e (referenced collectively as image 202 ) of an object 204 , where each image 202 is a wavelength filtered version of the incoming luminous information so that the image 202 contains only the spectral components of the object 204 comprised in a narrow wavelength interval, where the full width at half maximum (fwhm) wavelength is typically 4-15 nm. although fig. 2 is presented in grayscale, one skilled in the art would understand that the illustration is meant to represent the color spectrum. recent snap-shot type cameras provide sufficient spatial pixel arrays (e.g., about 250×250 pixels) and a plurality of about 20-25 different filters. by using one of these cameras 102 , the hsi platform is able to instantly produce a “hypercube” of 20-25 different portraits of the same human face, each portraying a narrow spectral information of that face. this hypercube information can be easily extracted using the appropriate software for analytics purposes. additional embodiments for a mobile platform which, mediated by the use of an id, allows the customer to access the analysis and diagnostic results through a cellular phone for immediate advice based on stored costumer information and incidental picture taken and sent by the cellular phone. data acquisition phase turning now to fig. 3 , an operational flow diagram 300 is provided illustrating an example data acquisition phase for the cosmetics recommendation system 100 . the data acquisition phase allows for training the recommendation engine, at step 302 , to match original images acquired from a hsi camera 102 using the array of spectral images and their associated layers of data to specific cosmetics using the information contained in the cosmetic database 112 . skin color analyses is performed on a variety of input images. for example, at step 304 , images are acquired from trial volunteers utilizing a hyper spectral camera system. these images may include hsi images of test subjects prior to application of make-up, after application of a variety of specific cosmetic shades and/or brands and under various illumination conditions. additionally, images may be acquired, at step 306 , and from scanning high quality facial pictures from catalogs such as fashion and store catalogs and analyzing the spectral images. other input source may include, at step 308 , acquiring images of various people, including the aforementioned test subjects, from the internet and social media outlets, such as facebook™ instragram™, twitter™, etc. additional images may be obtained, at step 310 , from cosmetic manufacturers either directly, such as from a website, or by scanning make-up catalogs using a hsi camera 102 . make-up experts evaluate and validate the images, at step 312 , of the volunteer test subjects including application of best, chosen, and available products. the experts may assign an optimum make-up and additional favorable colors based on their expert opinion derived from interview or professionally acquired color pictures. additional validation data may be considered during the data acquisition phase by polling social media opinions, at step 314 , to prioritize make-up selection according to public opinion. objective data, such as sales volumes for particular brands and shades, may be obtained from retail stores and online outlets, at step 316 , and used to train the recommendation engine 111 . other training data may include cosmetic information from media coverage regarding make-up used by celebrities at prime events, such as award shows like the oscars, grammys, etc. additional images taken after make-up is applied, along with recording of color spectrum and facial expressions, may be used to fine tune the training. a set of images on a large group of people where specific cosmetics can be identified and rated by an expert for matching and first impression (e.g., using a surprise factor rating) are particularly beneficial for training purposes. cognitive phase during the cognitive phase, the cosmetics recommendation system 100 associates and correlates hsi data, expert opinions and images of faces using certain cosmetic products and/or their components. referring to fig. 4 , a flow diagram 400 is provided which illustrates a process for the cosmetics recommendation system 100 to be trained to correlate data and recommend cosmetics for a particular customer. using sparse regression, the cosmetics recommendation system 100 maps the measures gathered during the data acquisition phase together with cosmetic mixtures to a standard color space, such as a color wheel. the sparse feature matrix is learned by the cosmetics recommendation system 100 for multiple users and applied for the given user to the problem of assisting him or her to choose a set of cosmetics and application techniques. beginning at step 402 , a picture of the particular customer wearing make-up from a previous event in which the customer finds their appearance appealing is uploaded along with available information related to that picture (e.g., type of event, season, cosmetic type, etc.). a hyperspectral image is acquired from the picture, at step 404 , using the hsi camera 102 . the hsi data and related information are added to the training data set, at step 406 , and the recommendation engine 111 is trained using the new data, at step 408 . if a recommendation matching the new data currently exists, at step 410 , a make-up product is recommended for the customer, at step 412 , and the new data set is validated, at step 414 , by experts, such as retail store cosmeticians. if there is no current recommendation matching the new data, at step 410 , expert advice is obtained, at step 416 , and the expert advice is added to the training data set and used to continue training the recommendation engine 111 . continuous utilization stage referring to fig. 5 , a flow diagram 500 illustrates an example process for continuous utilization of the cosmetics recommendation system 100 . the continuous utilization phase includes retrieving information generated by the cosmetics recommendation system 100 and generating a targeted cosmetic product for a particular customer. the continuous utilization phase also involves providing advice for incidental changes of the customer's cosmetic and wardrobe palette. this phase allows customers to continuously receive advice based on an upgradable customer personal file and communication, for example, via mobile phone or tablet acting as a client computer 104 . for example, a customer may send a message query to the cosmetics recommendation system 100 which includes an identifier (id) and a planned social activity or event, such as location description, time of the day, mood, expectations, etc. furthermore, the customer sends a picture of planned attire taken by cellular phone. the query may also include an educated guess for make-up at her disposal, attire and accessory palette. beginning at step 502 , the client computer 104 submits a query for a make-up recommendation. in a similar fashion as discussed above, the query may include personal information about the customer, including a unique identifier associated with the customer, images taken using the hsi camera 102 , information relating to an event that the customer will be attending (e.g., event type, location, etc.), data about environmental factors relating to the event (e.g., time, date, lighting factors, etc.), and so on. the query is received at the recommendation server 108 , at step 504 , which begins processing the query. processing includes identifying prior matches corresponding to the data received in the query and recommending a cosmetic product based on the query. for example, the recommendation engine 111 may search the cosmetic database 112 for historical hyperspectral images that correspond to the location of the event from the query, at step 506 . in addition, the recommendation engine 111 may also search for the event type to determine proper attire and expected dress coloring and make-up for that particular event, at step 508 . the recommendation engine 111 may also determine illumination levels, at step 510 , from previous similar images and events. if similar conditions may not be met, the recommendation engine 111 may simulate the illumination level based on expected event type and adjust previous recommendation based on the change in perceived makeup color under expected illumination level. the recommendation engine 111 uses the information retrieved from the searches of step 506 , 508 and 510 to generate a personalized recommendation for the customer identified in the original query, at step 512 . the customer may provide feedback information, at step 514 , indicating a satisfaction rating with the recommended cosmetics. customer provided recommendation can be the level of contrast between applied cosmetics and color of skin, hair or eyes. the recommendation can be either high contrast in some part of the face or low contrast. the hyperspectral images of the face and the color recommendations can be used to minimize or maximize the contrast across a part of the face. in one embodiment, prior to use of the trained cosmetics recommendation system 100 described above, a cosmetician may be presented with an artificial context of a color wheel (or other color presentation) on device such as a hand held touch screen or heads up display, to select a color or colors that the cosmetician likes to use on a certain category of face, as described above. this selection allows the cosmetics recommendation system 100 to fit a mathematical model 116 , such as a linear model, to data where the number of observations (i.e. observations of cosmetics purchases followed by either approval or disapproval ratings on the resulting color) to variables (i.e. measures of a user's perceptual/cognitive/environmental (p/c/e) context, and the cosmetician's system determined indicated target color in the artificial context of the color wheel, collected at the time the original system was trained). the cosmetics recommendation system 100 selects a color from the color wheel, and using the previously learned sparse regression model, maps the selection, together with the user's p/c/e back to the cosmetics space, where it is presumed the cosmetics will produce the desired color in order to minimize returns and dissatisfaction with the outcome. thus, the cosmetics recommendation system 100 ensures that the user's p/c/e context creates a qualitative experience of the chosen and desired color, since sparse regression is designed to fit all of the user's p/c/e inputs and all available cosmetics to the space of desired colors. information processing system referring now to fig. 6 , this figure is a block diagram illustrating an information processing system that can be utilized in embodiments of the present disclosure. the information processing system 602 is based upon a suitably configured processing system configured to implement one or more embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., recommendation server 108 ). any suitably configured processing system can be used as the information processing system 602 in embodiments of the present disclosure. the components of the information processing system 602 can include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 804 , a system memory 606 , and a bus 608 that couples various system components including the system memory 606 to the processor 604 . the bus 608 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. by way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include industry standard architecture (isa) bus, micro channel architecture (mca) bus, enhanced isa (eisa) bus, video electronics standards association (vesa) local bus, and peripheral component interconnects (pci) bus. although not shown in fig. 6 , the main memory 606 includes the image matcher 110 , and recommendation engine 111 and their components, and the various types of data 114 , 116 , 118 , 120 , 122 , 124 , 126 , 128 , 130 , 132 , shown in fig. 1 . one or more of these components can reside within the processor 604 , or be a separate hardware component. the system memory 606 can also include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (ram) 610 and/or cache memory 612 . the information processing system 602 can further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storage media. by way of example only, a storage system 614 can be provided for reading from and writing to a non-removable or removable, non-volatile media such as one or more solid state disks and/or magnetic media (typically called a “hard drive”). a magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk such as a cd-rom, dvd-rom or other optical media can be provided. in such instances, each can be connected to the bus 808 by one or more data media interfaces. the memory 606 can include at least one program product having a set of program modules that are configured to carry out the functions of an embodiment of the present disclosure. program/utility 616 , having a set of program modules 618 , may be stored in memory 606 by way of example, and not limitation, as well as an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data. each of the operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data or some combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networking environment. program modules 618 generally carry out the functions and/or methodologies of embodiments of the present disclosure. the information processing system 602 can also communicate with one or more external devices 620 such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display 622 , etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact with the information processing system 602 ; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system/server 602 to communicate with one or more other computing devices. such communication can occur via i/o interfaces 624 . still yet, the information processing system 602 can communicate with one or more networks such as a local area network (lan), a general wide area network (wan), and/or a public network (e.g., the internet) via network adapter 626 . as depicted, the network adapter 626 communicates with the other components of information processing system 602 via the bus 608 . other hardware and/or software components can also be used in conjunction with the information processing system 602 . examples include, but are not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, raid systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems. non-limiting embodiments as will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present disclosure may be embodied as a system, method, or computer program product. accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit”,” “module”, or “system.” the present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. the computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. the computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. the computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. a non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (ram), a read-only memory (rom), an erasable programmable read-only memory (eprom or flash memory), a static random access memory (sram), a portable compact disc read-only memory (cd-rom), a digital versatile disk (dvd), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. a computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire. computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. the network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and/or edge servers. a network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device. computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (isa) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as smalltalk, c++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “c” programming language or similar programming languages. the computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. in the latter scenario, the remote computer maybe connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (lan) or a wide area network (wan), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the internet using an internet service provider). in some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (fpga), or programmable logic arrays (pla) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention. aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. these computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. these computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. the computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. the flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. in this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. for example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. it will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. as used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. it will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. the description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. the embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
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127-792-428-726-560
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US
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[
"US"
] |
H04N5/765,H04N5/775
| 2010-10-20T00:00:00 |
2010
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[
"H04"
] |
portable video player
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a portable video player includes: a data input coupled to a memory module to store at least one video file, a video decoder coupled to the memory module via a memory interface to decode the video file, and a video interface connector to output to a display the decoded video file.
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1 . a video player comprising: a data input configured to be coupled to at least one memory module configured to store at least one video file; a video decoder configured to be coupled to the memory module via a memory interface, the video decoder configured to decode the at least one video file; and a video interface connector configured to be physically coupled to a display and further configured to output to the display the decoded at least one video file. 2 . the video player as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory module is further configured to receive the at least one video file via the memory interface. 3 . the video player as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the memory module is releasably coupled to at least one of the video decoder and the data input. 4 . the video player as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the memory module comprises at least one of: a flash memory module; a random access memory module; a read only memory module; and a copy protected memory module. 5 . the video player as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the data input further comprises a data interface connector configured to be coupled to at least the at least one memory module via the memory interface. 6 . the video player as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the data interface connector comprises a universal serial bus interface connector configured to be coupled to at least one apparatus for receiving the at least one video file. 7 . the video player as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the universal serial bus interface connector coupled to the at least one apparatus is configured to receive the at least one video file, wherein the at least one video file is configured to be stored on the at least one memory module. 8 . the video player as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the universal serial bus interface connector coupled to the at least one apparatus is configured to receive electrical power from the at least one apparatus when coupled. 9 . the video player as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video interface connector comprises at least one of: a high definition multimedia interface connector; a displayport connector; and a digital visual interface connector. 10 . the video player as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the video interface connector is configured to receive electrical power from the display when coupled. 11 . the video player as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a regulator configured to supply electrical power, wherein the regulator is configured in a first mode of operation to supply electrical power only to the data input, and in a further mode of operation to supply electrical power to the video decoder and video interface connector. 12 . the video player as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising a battery configured to supply electrical power to the regulator. 13 . a video player system comprising the video player as claimed in claim 1 and an infra-red controller configured to control the video player. 14 . a method for video playback comprising: receiving at least one video file on at least one memory module; decoding the at least one video file; and outputting to a display the decoded at least one video file using a video interface connector configured to be physically coupled to a display. 15 . the method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein receiving at least one video file comprises coupling via a memory interface the at least one memory module. 16 . the method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein coupling the memory module comprises releasably coupling the memory module. 17 . the method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the memory module comprises at least one of: a flash memory module; a random access memory module; a read only memory module; and a copy protected memory module. 18 . the method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein receiving the video file further comprises coupling a data interface connector to at least the at least one memory module. 19 . the method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein coupling the data interface connector comprises coupling a universal serial bus interface connector to at least one apparatus for receiving the at least one video file. 20 . the method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein coupling the universal serial bus interface connector to the at least one apparatus comprises receiving the at least one video file from the at least one apparatus, and wherein receiving the video file further comprises storing the video file on the at least one memory module. 21 . the method as claimed in claim 19 , wherein coupling the universal serial bus interface connector to the at least one apparatus comprises receiving electrical power from the at least one apparatus when coupled. 22 . the method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein outputting to a display the decoded at least one video file using a video interface connector comprises outputting to the display the decoded video file via at least one of: a high definition multimedia interface connector; a displayport connector; and a digital visual interface connector. 23 . the method as claimed in claim 22 , further comprising receiving electrical power from the display when coupled via the video interface connector. 24 . the method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising supplying electrical power for video playback in a first mode of operation only to the apparatus performing receiving at least one video file, and in a further mode of operation only to the apparatus performing decoding the at least one video file; and outputting to a display the decoded at least one video file. 25 . a chipset comprising: a data input configured to be coupled to at least one memory module configured to store at least one video file; a video decoder configured to be coupled to the memory module via a memory interface, the video decoder configured to decode the at least one video file; and a video interface configured to be physically coupled via a connector to a display and further configured to output to the display the decoded at least one video file. 26 . a processor-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for video playback comprising: receiving at least one video file on at least one memory module; decoding the at least one video file; and outputting to a display the decoded at least one video file using a video interface connector configured to be physically coupled to a display.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to a video player. the invention further relates to, but is not limited to, a video player in a battery powered electronic device. 2. background of the invention over the last twenty years video has been stored on physical media such as magnetic tape (video tape) in formats such as vhs, betamax, or on optical discs in formats such as digital versatile disc (dvd) and blu-ray discs (bd). such physical media has required specific physical players to read the media and output a decoded image to a display. such physical players are typically fixed on manufacture and therefore cannot handle video encoded using different encoding methods than those pre-programmed into the physical player. furthermore ‘digital’ format video has become more popular as the cost of memory storage decreases and the transfer speed from memory increases. many display units on sale today are equipped with ports for inserting memory with image and video data. for example, television displays can be supplied with a universal serial bus port suitable for receiving a ‘pen drive’ or usb-flash memory device from which can be read video images to be displayed on the television. however these are typically only available on ‘high-end’ or premium cost televisions and typically play a limited number of video formats. furthermore, although acceptable for current formats. the interfaces employed may not have the bandwidth to transfer data to the display quickly enough for future formats. video playback devices have thus to date been relatively large devices, the ‘pen drive’, video cassette and dvd requiring a dedicated and typically fixed player, tv, media centre or pc to operate. the video playback device is therefore typically not only relatively expensive compared to the cost of the media played but logistically relatively inflexible also. what is desired, therefore, is a solution to address the above problems with the prior art. summary of the invention according to the present invention, a video player comprises: a data input configured to be coupled to at least one memory module configured to store at least one video file; a video decoder configured to be coupled to the memory module via a memory interface, the video decoder configured to decode the at least one video file; and a video interface connector configured to be physically coupled to a display and further configured to output to the display the decoded at least one video file. the at least one memory module may be further configured to receive the at least one video file via the memory interface. the memory module may be releasably coupled to at least one of the video decoder and the data input. the memory module may comprise at least one of: a flash memory module; a random access memory module; a read only memory module; and a copy protected memory module. the data input may further comprise a data interface connector configured to be coupled to at least the at least one memory module via the memory interface. the data interface connector may comprise a universal serial bus interface connector configured to be coupled to at least one apparatus for receiving the at least one video file. the universal serial bus interface connector coupled to the at least one apparatus may be configured to receive the at least one video file, wherein the at least one video file may be configured to be stored on the at least one memory module. the universal serial bus interface connector coupled to the at least one apparatus may be configured to receive electrical power from the at least one apparatus when coupled. the video interface connector may comprise at least one of: a high definition multimedia interface connector; a displayport connector; and a digital visual interface connector. the video interface connector may be configured to receive electrical power from the display when coupled. the video player may further comprise a regulator configured to supply electrical power, wherein the regulator is configured in a first mode of operation to supply electrical power only to the data input, and in a further mode of operation to supply electrical power to the video decoder and video interface connector. the video player may further comprise a battery configured to supply electrical power to the regulator. a video player system may comprise the video player as described herein and an infra-red controller configured to control the video player. according to a second aspect there is provided a method for video playback comprising: receiving at least one video file on at least one memory module; decoding the at least one video file; and outputting to a display the decoded at least one video file using a video interface connector configured to be physically coupled to a display. receiving at least one video file may comprise coupling via a memory interface the at least one memory module. coupling the memory module may comprise releasably coupling the memory module. the memory module may comprise at least one of: a flash memory module; a random access memory module; a read only memory module; and a copy protected memory module. receiving the video file may further comprise coupling a data interface connector to at least the at least one memory module. coupling the data interface connector may comprise coupling a universal serial bus interface connector to at least one apparatus for receiving the at least one video file. coupling the universal serial bus interface connector to the at least one apparatus may comprise receiving the at least one video file from the at least one apparatus, and wherein receiving the video file may further comprise storing the video file on the at least one memory module. coupling the universal serial bus interface connector to the at least one apparatus may comprise receiving electrical power from the at least one apparatus when coupled. outputting to a display the decoded at least one video file using a video interface connector may comprise outputting to the display the decoded video file via at least one of: a high definition multimedia interface connector; a displayport connector; and a digital visual interface connector. the method may further comprise receiving electrical power from the display when coupled via the video interface connector. the method may further comprise supplying electrical power for video playback in a first mode of operation only to the apparatus performing receiving at least one video file, and in a further mode of operation only to the apparatus performing decoding the at least one video file; and outputting to a display the decoded at least one video file. according to a third aspect there is provided a chipset comprising: a data input configured to be coupled to at least one memory module configured to store at least one video file; a video decoder configured to be coupled to the memory module via a memory interface, the video decoder configured to decode the at least one video file; and a video interface configured to be physically coupled via a connector to a display and further configured to output to the display the decoded at least one video file. according to a fourth aspect there is provided a processor-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for video playback comprising: receiving at least one video file on at least one memory module; decoding the at least one video file; and outputting to a display the decoded at least one video file using a video interface connector configured to be physically coupled to a display. according to a fifth aspect there is provided a video player comprising: input means for coupling to storage means configured to store at least one video file; processing means configured to be coupled to the storage means, the processing means for decoding the at least one video file; and an interface means for outputting to the display the decoded at least one video file via a connector means. the storage means may be further configured to receive the at least one video file via a memory interface. the storage means may be releasably coupled to at least one of the processor means and the input means. the storage means may comprise at least one of: a flash memory module; a random access memory module; a read only memory module; and a copy protected memory module. the input means may further comprise a data interface connector configured to be coupled to the storage means via the memory interface. the data interface connector may comprise a universal serial bus interface connector configured to be coupled to at least one apparatus for receiving the at least one video file. the universal serial bus interface connector coupled to the at least one apparatus may be configured to receive the at least one video file, wherein the at least one video file may be configured to be stored on the storage means. the universal serial bus interface connector coupled to the at least one apparatus may be configured to receive electrical power from the at least one apparatus when coupled. the connector means may comprise at least one of: a high definition multimedia interface connector; a displayport connector; and a digital visual interface connector. the connector means may be configured to receive electrical power from the display when coupled. the video player may further comprise regulator means for supplying electrical power, wherein the regulator means is configured in a first mode of operation to supply electrical power only to the input means, and in a further mode of operation to supply electrical power to the processing means and interface means. the video player may further comprise a battery configured to supply electrical power to the regulator means. a video player system may comprise the video player as described herein and an infra-red controller configured to control the video player. brief description of the drawings for better understanding of the present application, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: fig. 1 shows schematically a system suitable for employing a video player according to some embodiments of the application; fig. 2 shows schematically a video player in further detail according to some embodiments of the application; and fig. 3 shows a method of operating the video player according to some embodiments of the application. detailed description the following describes in further detail suitable apparatus and possible mechanisms for the provision of video playback by a video player. with respect to fig. 1 an example system employing an electronic device or apparatus 3 is shown within which embodiments of the application can be implemented. the system shown in fig. 1 shows a display 1 . the display can be any suitable electronic display apparatus, for example, but not exclusively, a television display, computer monitor, or touch-screen personal computer display. furthermore the display can employ any suitable display technology including liquid crystal display (lcd) technology and variants, plasma display technology and variants, and organic light emitting display technology and variants. the display in some embodiments is configured to employ a port or connector port suitable for receiving video image data in a suitable (and in some embodiments uncompressed) form to be displayed on the display 1 . for example, in some embodiments the display implements at least one female high-definition multimedia interface (hdmi) port suitable for receiving hdmi specified data via an associated male hdmi connector. the system shown in fig. 1 further shows a video player or video player device or apparatus 3 . in some embodiments video player 3 can have a ‘pen-drive’ or usb-flash drive physical format. in some other embodiments the video player apparatus 3 can be any suitable physical size or shape. in some embodiments the video player 3 comprises a high-definition multimedia interface (hdmi) connector 5 . the hdmi connector 5 is configured to be releasably coupled to a display with a suitable associated hdmi port. for example, as shown in fig. 1 , the hdmi connector 5 is capable of being coupled to a television or suitable display 1 via a hdmi coupling 2 . in some embodiments the hdmi connector can be a type-a male connector suitable for coupling to an associated type-a female connector electronic device. however it would be appreciated that in some other embodiments any other suitable physical connector suitable for coupling to a display or television display and transferring video and audio-video data in a format suitable for display on the display 1 can be employed. in some embodiments the hdmi connector 5 is configured to be retractable within the physical form of the video player 3 . in such embodiments the physical hdmi connector 5 can be moved in and out of a recess of the physical video player 3 by force applied to a slider, or from a resilient member such as a spring loaded hdmi connector 5 with a latch. although herein the hdmi connector 5 is used it would be understood that in some embodiments a displayport connector can be implemented either in combination with the hdmi connector 5 or to replace the hdmi connector 5 . the displayport physical connector can, in some embodiments, be a mini-displayport connector. in some embodiments the video player 3 further comprises a memory port which can couple to a connector on a memory module 9 . the memory port can, for example, be a compact flash (cf) memory port suitable for receiving compact flash physical memory cards. however the memory port can, in some other embodiments, be any suitable memory port suitable to receive any suitable memory card or module, such as but not exclusively secure digital (sd) memory cards and the high capacity variants (sdhc, sdxc), mini sd and the high capacity variants (minisdhc), micro sd and the high capacity variants (microsdhc), smart media, multimedia card (mmc), memory stick and xd cards. the memory module 9 can be any suitable memory configured to be coupled to the apparatus 3 via the memory port. the memory module can, as described herein, be any suitable memory module suitable for storing video files in a suitably encoded format. in some embodiments the memory module 9 can be a memory other than flash memory. for example, in some embodiments the memory module 9 can be read only memory (rom) or be memory configured to be only read only accessible. although the examples shown in figs. 1 and 2 show a removable memory module connected to the memory port, in some embodiments the memory module 9 can be at least in part fixed in position. for example in some embodiments the memory module 9 can be surface mounted onto a wiring board or circuit board assembly on which other components of the system are electronically coupled. in some embodiments the memory module 9 can have a first part which is removable and a further part which is fixed in position to provide a basic memory configuration with possible expandable memory options. in some embodiments the removable memory module can be secured within the physical form of the video player 3 by a cover or by, in some embodiments, a releasable catch. in some embodiments the video player 3 further comprises a data connector 7 . the data connector 7 is configured to permit the transfer of data, such as video files or coder decoder (codec) files or applications to the video player 3 . in some embodiments the data connector 7 can be a universal serial bus (usb) connector suitable for being releasably coupled to a further electronic device such as, for example, a personal computer (pc) with a suitable associated usb port. in some embodiments the data connector 7 can be a type-a usb connector, however it would be appreciated that the data connector 7 can be any suitable physical format such as type-b, mini-a, mini-b, micro-ab and micro-b format. in some embodiments the data connector 7 is configured to be retractable within the physical form of the video player 3 . in such embodiments the data connector 7 can be moved in and out of a recess of the physical video player 3 by force applied to a slider, or from a resilient member such as a spring loaded data connector 7 with a latch. in some embodiments, as shown in fig. 1 , the video player 3 is controllable remotely via a wireless coupling 13 from a remote control 15 . in some embodiments the remote control 15 can be any suitable infra-red transmitter and can be, for example, the display 1 remote control which is configured to furthermore be capable to supply the video player with suitable control signals. although the following examples describe a remote control 15 wireless coupling control mechanism, it would be understood that in some embodiments the video player 3 can employ a control interface on the video player 3 casing. for example in some embodiments the video player could employ a series of buttons with associated control functions such as play, pause, fast forward and rewind. in some embodiments the video player 3 can employ a touch interface configured to provide the control interface functions. with respect to fig. 2 the video player 3 is shown in further detail. the video player 3 in some embodiments employs a battery 103 . the battery 103 in some embodiments is a rechargeable battery such as a lithium ion (liion) battery. however it would be appreciated that in some other embodiments the battery 103 can employ any suitable battery technology or electrical power generator technology. in some embodiments the battery 103 can be an integrated battery and battery charger apparatus. in other embodiments the battery 103 can be any suitable electrical charge storage means and/or portable electrical generating means, for example an ultra capacitor, a fuel cell, a solar voltaic power device, etc. in some embodiments the video player 3 further implements a charging port 101 for receiving a suitable connector configured to provide current to power the battery charger for charging the battery 103 . for example the charging port can be a direct current charging port suitable for receiving a direct current (dc) connector. in some other embodiments the battery 103 can be charged from other sources. for example, as described herein the battery charger can derive suitable electrical charge from the usb or data connector 5 or from the hdmi connector 7 . in some embodiments the video player 3 can comprise a usb interface 113 . the usb interface 113 can be coupled to the physical usb connector 5 . the usb interface 113 coupled to the physical usb connector 5 can couple signals to and from the usb connector 5 . for example, in some embodiments the battery charger and battery 103 can be coupled via the usb interface 113 to the +5 v signal from the physical usb connector 5 . in such embodiments the battery charger and battery 103 can therefore be configured to receive the usb +5 v signal while the video player 3 is connected to a suitable usb port capable of supplying power and use the +5 v current to charge the battery 103 . in some embodiments the video player 3 can comprise a hdmi interface 119 . the hdmi interface 119 can, in some embodiments, be coupled to the physical hdmi connector 5 . the hdmi interface 119 coupled to the physical hdmi connector 7 can couple signals to and from the hdmi connector 7 . for example in some embodiments the battery charger and battery 103 can be coupled via the hdmi interface 113 to the signal sink from the physical hdmi connector 7 . in such embodiments the battery charger and battery 103 can therefore be configured to receive the signal sink current while the video player 3 is connected to a suitable hdmi port capable of supplying power and use the signal sink current to charge the battery 103 . in some embodiments the video player 3 can comprise a power regulator 105 / 111 . as shown in fig. 2 the power regulator can be implemented as more than one regulator, for example a battery regulator 105 and a usb regulator 111 . the battery regulator 105 can, in some embodiments, be coupled to the battery charger and battery 103 and be configured to receive a suitable charge to produce a regulated power output suitable for operating the electrical components of the video player 3 . in some embodiments as described herein the usb regulator 111 can be configured to be coupled to the usb interface 113 and configured to receive, when the usb physical connector 5 is coupled to a suitable usb port, the +5 signal to be regulated and used to operate the electrical components of the video player 3 to supplement or replace the power supplied by the battery 103 . in some further embodiments as described herein the power regulator 105 / 111 can be configured to be coupled to the hdmi interface 119 and configured to receive, when the hdmi physical connector 7 is coupled to a suitable hdmi port, the signal sink current to be regulated and used to operate the electrical components of the video player 3 to supplement or replace the power supplied by the battery 103 . the hdmi signal sink can, for example, provide 40 ma of current. in some embodiments the power regulator 105 / 111 can be configured to regulate electrical power to specific components dependent on the mode of operation of the video player 3 . for example, in some embodiments the regulator 105 / 111 can determine when the video player is operating in a usb or data mode and regulate power to the components used only during the usb mode such as the usb interface 113 and the flash memory interface 115 . in some further embodiments the regulator 105 / 111 can determine when the video player 3 is operating in a video playback mode and regulate power to the components used during video playback mode such as the flash memory interface 115 , the video decoder 117 , the ir sensor 125 , the ir controller and processor 123 and the hdmi interface 119 . in some further embodiments the regulator 105 / 111 can determine when the video player 3 is operating in an idle or low power mode and regulate power to the components used during an idle mode such as the ir remote sensor 125 and ir controller and processor 123 . in some embodiments the video player 3 comprises a crystal (xtal) 107 . the crystal 107 is configured to generate a stable clock frequency and can be coupled to a clock generator 109 . in some embodiments the video player 3 furthermore comprises a clock generator (ck gen) 109 , which can be coupled to the crystal (xtal) 107 and is configured to generate the clock signal of a suitable frequency for synchronising the components of the video player 3 from the crystal oscillations. the clock generator 109 , for example, can supply clock signals and be coupled in some embodiments to the hdmi interface 119 , the video decoder 117 , the flash memory interface 115 , the usb interface 113 , and the flash memory 9 . in some embodiments the video player 3 comprises an infrared (ir) remote sensor (ir remote sensor) 125 . the ir remote sensor 125 can, in some embodiments, be configured to receive infrared remote signals, for example, from the infrared remote control 15 over the infrared coupling 13 , convert the received signals into a suitable electronic format and pass the converted electronic signals to the infrared controller and processor 123 . although the previous examples have described the use of an ir wireless coupling to provide control signals to the video player 3 , it would be understood that in some other embodiments any suitable wireless control interface could be implemented. for example the remote sensor can, in some embodiments, be any suitable electromagnetic frequency receiver such as a bluetooth receiver, a wi-fi receiver, or a cellular network receiver. the video player 3 can, in some embodiments, comprise an infrared controller and processor 123 . the infrared controller and processor 123 can in some embodiments, be coupled to a video decoder 117 and, dependent on the electrical signals received from the infrared remote sensor 125 control the video decoder 117 when the video decoder is operating in a video playback mode. in some embodiments the ir controller and processor 123 furthermore can be configured to switch the video player between an idle or standby mode and a video playback mode. in such embodiments the ir controller and processor 123 can be maintained in a standby condition awaiting a ‘wake-up’ signal from the remote control. in such embodiments the ir controller and processor 123 furthermore can be coupled to the regulator 105 / 111 and, in some embodiments, supply an indicator to the regulator 105 / 111 to enable the regulator 105 / 111 to determine in which mode of operation the video player is operating and therefore to actively power up the components of the video player in the current mode of operation. in some embodiments the video player 3 can further comprise flash memory interface 115 . the flash memory interface 115 can, in some embodiments, be configured to be coupled via a memory port to a flash memory 9 . as described herein, the flash memory 9 can be at least partially removable or detachable. for example in some embodiments the flash memory as described herein can, in some embodiments, be partially formed from a flash memory card or memory module of a suitable format. however in some embodiments as described herein the flash memory or memory 9 can be fixed in position and coupled directly to the flash memory interface 115 . the flash memory interface 115 can, in some embodiments, be further coupled to the usb interface 113 and configured to be capable of transferring data between the usb interface 113 and the flash memory interface 115 . furthermore the flash memory interface 115 can be configured, in some embodiments, to be coupled to a video decoder 117 . the flash memory interface 115 coupled to the video decoder 117 can be configured to transfer data between the flash memory interface 115 and video decoder 117 . the flash memory interface 115 therefore in the example shown in fig. 2 , can be implemented by any suitable flash memory interface 115 enabling transfer of data to and from a flash memory 9 and to and from other components such as the video decoder 117 and the usb interface 113 . in some embodiments the video player 3 comprises a video decoder 117 . the video decoder 117 can be coupled to the flash memory interface 115 and request and receive data from a flash memory. furthermore the video decoder 117 can be configured to be coupled to a further memory, for example a random access memory 121 , on which the video decoder 117 can temporarily store data being processed by the video decoder and/or store operating code or programs for controlling the video decoder 117 . for example in some embodiments the video decoder can operate using the random access memory 121 as a scratchpad. in some embodiments the video player 3 comprises a memory such as the random access memory 121 . the decoder memory, which in fig. 2 is shown as a random access memory, can, in some embodiments, comprise an instruction code section suitable for storing program code implementable upon the video decoder or processor operating the video decoder 117 . furthermore in some embodiments the decoder memory 121 can comprise a stored data section for storing data to be processed or being processed. in some embodiments the video decoder 117 can furthermore comprise both processor and decoder memory within a single component. in some embodiments the video decoder 117 can comprise suitable rewritable but stable memory configured to store instructions such as various decoding algorithms for handling various video formats. the video decoder 117 can, in some embodiments, be configured to receive a video data file via the flash memory 9 and the flash memory interface 115 , decode the video data file using suitable decoder code and output the video file to the hdmi interface 119 . the video decoder 117 , as described herein, can further be controlled in respect to the playback or decoding of the video file by the infrared controller and processor 121 to perform actions such as ‘play’—decoding and outputting the video data image frame by frame at real time, ‘fast forward’—decoding and outputting selected frames only, ‘rewind’—decoding and outputting frames in a reverse order, pause—outputting the same frame, ‘stop’—stopping processing and outputting image date, and ‘next file’—selecting the next file to decode. the video decoder 117 can be configured to decode any suitable video file format. for example, in some embodiments the video decoder 117 can be configured to process mpeg-4 part 2 encoded video data files such as divx pro, xvid, ffmpeg. furthermore, in some embodiments the video decoder 117 can process other video data in formats such as h.264/mpeg-4 avc, which also can be known as quicktime h.264. in some embodiments the video decoder can handle video data files encoded using wmv (windows media video) codec families. the video decoder 117 can furthermore be configured to handle or process files with any suitable resolution and format. in some embodiments the video decoder 117 can be configured to determine whether the video data file is encoded in a format which is able to be processed by the video decoder 117 . where the video decoder 117 determines that the video data file has been encoded using a codec not stored by the video decoder 117 , the video decoder can be configured to output an error or fault message asking the user of the video player to upload a suitable decoder program or code. the user can then, in some embodiments, upload the video player with the suitable decoding algorithm via the memory module 9 or from the usb connector 5 and the usb interface 113 to be stored in memory on the video player 3 . in some embodiments the video decoder 117 furthermore comprises at least one suitable audio decoder for example a dolby digital (ac-3) or digital theatre system (dts) format. in some embodiments the video decoder 117 is configured to handle or process multiple channel audio signal files. furthermore the video decoder 117 can be configured to process any suitable audio encoded file. in some embodiments the video decoder 117 can be configured to perform decoding using purely software based decoding. however it would be appreciated that in some embodiments the video decoder 117 can employ hardware which is optimised to perform at least some decoding operations. in some embodiments the video player 3 comprises a hdmi interface 119 . in such embodiments the hdmi interface 119 can be a total hdmi physical transmitter connection (phy transmitter). the hdmi interface 119 can be configured to receive data (such as video and audio data) from the video decoder 117 and output the data in a suitable hdmi format to be received by the display 1 . the hdmi interface 119 can, for example, output a signal according to the hdmi protocols, signals, and electrical interfaces to the hdmi connector 7 which follows the mechanical requirements of the hdmi standard. the hdmi connection can, for example, be a single-link (using a type a/c connector) or dual-link (using a type b connector) type and can have a video pixel rate of 25 mhz to 340 mhz (for a single-link connection) or 25 mhz to 680 mhz (for a dual-link connection). in some embodiments the hdmi interface 119 can output video using a cea-861-b video standard, cea-861-d video standard or any suitable video standard. in some embodiments the hdmi interface 119 can be configured to output up to 8 channels of uncompressed audio at sample sizes of 16-bit, 20-bit, and 24-bit, with sample rates of 32 khz, 44.1 khz, 48 khz, 88.2 khz, 96 khz, 176.4 khz, and 192 khz. the hdmi interface in some embodiments can also output any iec 61937-compliant compressed audio stream, such as dolby digital and dts, and up to 8 channels of one-bit dsd audio. in some embodiments the hdmi interface 119 can be configured to output lossless compressed audio streams such as, for example, dolby truehd and dts-hd master audio. in such embodiments where a displayport connector is implemented a suitable displayport interface can similarly be configured to receive the output of the video decoder 117 and output a suitable signal to the displayport connector. furthermore in some embodiments any suitable video connector and suitable connector interface can be implemented. for example in some embodiments a digital visual interface (dvi) connector and associated dvi circuitry can be implemented. it can be understood that in some embodiments the components described herein can be implemented within a system on chip (soc) implementation where, for example, the battery charger 103 , usb interface 113 , regulator 105 / 111 , flash interface 115 , video decoder 117 , infrared controller and processor 123 , memory 121 , hdmi interface 119 , and clock generator 109 are implemented on a single chip. in some embodiments the components can be implemented upon a printed wiring board (pwb) or circuit board (pcb). in some further embodiments the system can be implemented using surface mounted components on a surface mounted board (smb). with respect to fig. 3 a flow diagram is shown of the video player 3 in operation according to some embodiments of the application. the video player 3 is shown operating according to a data loading or usb connection mode from the loading of the video files onto the video player 3 to the display of the video file to the display 1 . in a first series of embodiments the user is supplied with a memory module, for example the flash memory 9 , with the video and audio files stored on the flash memory 9 . in some embodiments the flash memory can be operated as a read only memory (rom). furthermore in some embodiments the flash memory 9 can be configured with a suitable copy protection algorithm to prevent unauthorized copying of the data. for example, in some embodiments the flash memory or memory module 9 can be configured to only operate when inserted into a suitable flash memory or memory module port connected to the flash memory interface 115 . in some further embodiments the files such as video and audio files stored on the memory 9 can be configured with any suitable copy protection algorithms preventing the copying of the files from the memory module 9 to other memory modules or furthermore from the memory module 9 to a further device. the user of the video player 3 can insert the memory module, such as the flash memory 9 , into the flash memory interface 115 memory port to load the video file onto the video player 3 . the operation of loading the video file by inserting the memory module into the video player 3 can be seen in fig. 3 by step 201 . furthermore, in some embodiments, such as where the flash memory or memory module 9 is permanently attached to the video player 3 or where a flash memory or memory module 9 is writable, the video player 3 can be connected to a further device such as a pc via the data port or usb connector 5 . the video player 3 , when detecting that the usb connector 5 has been inserted into a further device, can initialise the usb interface 113 , flash memory interface 115 and flash memory 9 to operate the device in a usb mode of operation. the further device, such as a pc, may have a suitable display and/or data input or user interface permitting the user to select suitable video/audio files to be uploaded to the video player 3 . in some embodiments the further apparatus and video player 3 communicate or cooperate in such a way that the user can only select suitable files which are small enough to fit on to the memory module 9 space available. where the flash memory or memory module 9 does not have sufficient available space, the further apparatus can be configured to notify the user that there is not sufficient space to store the selected video files on the video player 3 and whether or not space on the memory module 9 can be created by deleting already stored files on the memory module 9 . the operation of connecting the usb connector 5 into a socket of a further device is shown, for example, in fig. 3 by step 202 . the user can, after determining whether there is available space, select the files to be uploaded to the memory module 9 via the usb interface 113 and flash memory interface 115 . the performing of a write operation on the memory module 9 is shown in fig. 3 by step 203 . the video player 3 , once the files have been uploaded to the memory module 9 , can be disconnected from the data port or usb port. the video player 3 , when disconnected, can then switch the video player 3 into an idle mode (also known as standby) or an off state to preserve battery charge. in some embodiments the video player 3 can remain in an idle or off state until the video player hdmi connector 7 is inserted into the display hdmi port. in some embodiments the video player 3 is configured to operate in a fully off or dormant mode when not connected to either the hdmi port or usb port, and when the hdmi connector 7 is inserted into the display hdmi port to switch into an idle or standby mode whereby the ir remote sensor 125 and ir controller and processor 123 are powered up to detect an ‘operate’ or ‘on’ command from the remote control and therefore to operate the video player 3 in a playback or video player mode. the operation of the video player in a video player mode can be implemented, for example, as described herein by receiving an infrared signal from the remote control 15 over the remote control coupling 13 . the infrared controller and processor 123 can receive the electrical signal converted from the ir signal and control the video decoder. for example, in some embodiments the video decoder 117 is configured to begin decoding a selected file. in some embodiments the video decoder 117 furthermore comprises a graphical user interface (gui) application which, when initialised, determines which files are stored on the memory module 9 and enables the user to select at least one of the available files to be displayed. on selection of a file the video decoder 117 can request from the flash memory interface 115 the file to be read from the memory 9 and passed via the flash memory interface 115 to the video decoder 117 . the video decoder 117 , in some embodiments, can determine or check whether or not the video data file and/or the audio data (file) associated with the video data file is in a suitable format for decoding. the opening and checking of the video data file is shown in fig. 3 by step 205 the video decoder 117 can, for example, output to the display an error message requesting the video and/or audio codec required. the error message requesting the video codec operation is shown in fig. 3 by step 206 . where the video decoder 117 determines that the video/audio coding within the selected file is one of the suitable codec versions the video decoder 117 performs a suitable video decoding operation and a suitable audio decoding operation passing both decoded audio and video signals to the hdmi interface 119 . the decoding of the file is shown in fig. 3 by step 207 . the hdmi interface 119 furthermore is configured to receive the decoded audio/video file data and perform a suitable hdmi protocol conversion. for example the hdmi performs a transition minimized differential signalling (tmds) conversion operation. the performance of a tmds conversion operation is shown in fig. 3 by step 209 . furthermore the hdmi interface 119 is further configured to output the converted signal via the hdmi connector 7 to a suitable display 1 . the outputting of the file on a suitable hdmi connector is shown in fig. 3 by step 211 . in such embodiments it can be possible to implement a video player with a physical form similar to a usb pen drive or usb flash drive which has a multi gigabyte (gb) memory. in such embodiments it is possible to output video onto a digital television or display video without the need of a video decoder within the display. furthermore the video player is not limited to the current data speeds, for example the current operating speed of the usb connector of 480 mbps. in such embodiments it would be possible to load or buy video through the usb connector or using flash or read-only memory memory cards and plug and play the video player capable of outputting full high-definition video onto a television using the hdmi interface; in other words using only the physical format of the video player. furthermore as writing and erasing the memory module 9 is carried out whilst the video player is connected to the data port for the usb socket of a further device, the power hungry operations of writing and erasing to the memory 9 can be carried out using power drawn from the data port such as the usb 5 v signal line as the infrared controller/video decoder/hdmi interface elements need not be operated or powered when in usb or video loading mode. furthermore, embodiments as described herein indicate data from the memory module such as flash memory 9 can be transferred via a hdmi interface and hdmi connector to the display enabling full high definition (hd) compatibility. in some embodiments operating in hdmi mode requires only the hdmi interface to be operable. furthermore, in such embodiments, by the video player comprising a display interface, which can be directly coupled to the display rather than via a cable, the video playback does not require the use of additional coupling cabling which can be misplaced or lost if detachable or if fixed to the player is difficult or bulky when stowed. furthermore, as described herein, using power harvesting from the hdmi interface 119 the battery can be charged while the player is operating in playback mode. thus in some embodiments a compact portable video player can store and playback at least one video file. in general, the various embodiments of the invention may be implemented in hardware or special purpose circuits, software, logic or any combination thereof. for example, some aspects may be implemented in hardware, while other aspects may be implemented in firmware or software, which may be executed by a controller, microprocessor or other computing device, although the invention is not limited thereto. while various aspects of the invention may be illustrated and described as block diagrams, flow charts, or using some other pictorial representation, it is well understood that these blocks, apparatus, systems, techniques or methods described herein may be implemented in, as non-limiting examples, hardware, software, firmware, special purpose circuits or logic, general purpose hardware or controller or other computing devices, or some combination thereof. the embodiments of this application may be implemented by computer software executable by a data processor of the mobile device, such as in the processor entity, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware. further in this regard it should be noted that any blocks of the logic flow as in the figures may represent program steps, or interconnected logic circuits, blocks and functions, or a combination of program steps and logic circuits, blocks and functions. the software may be stored on such physical media as memory chips, or memory blocks implemented within the processor, magnetic media such as hard disk or floppy disks, and optical media such as, for example, dvd and the data variants thereof, cd. the memory may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory and removable memory. the data processors may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (dsps), application specific integrated circuits (asic), gate level circuits and processors based on multi-core processor architecture, as non-limiting examples. embodiments of the inventions may be practiced in various components such as integrated circuit modules. the design of integrated circuits is by and large a highly automated process. complex and powerful software tools are available for converting a logic level design into a semiconductor circuit design ready to be etched and formed on a semiconductor substrate. programs, such as those provided by synopsys, inc. of mountain view, calif. and cadence design, of san jose, calif. automatically route conductors and locate components on a semiconductor chip using well established rules of design as well as libraries of pre-stored design modules. once the design for a semiconductor circuit has been completed, the resultant design, in a standardized electronic format (e.g., opus, gdsii, or the like) may be transmitted to a semiconductor fabrication facility or “fab” for fabrication. the foregoing description has provided by way of exemplary and non-limiting examples a full and informative description of the exemplary embodiment of this invention. however, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. however, all such and similar modifications of the teachings of this invention will still fall within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.
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127-814-491-547-885
|
KR
|
[
"KR",
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B60K6/26,B60K6/36,B60K6/38,H02K5/24,F16D3/12,F16D3/76,F16F15/12,B60K17/02,B60K6/40
| 2016-10-24T00:00:00 |
2016
|
[
"B60",
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motor coupling structure of engine clutch for hybrid transmission
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disclosed is a motor coupling structure of an engine clutch for a hybrid transmission. the disclosed motor coupling structure of an engine clutch for a hybrid transmission couples a rotor of a motor to a retainer of an engine clutch by a spline in a hybrid transmission, and can comprise a damping unit coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the retainer inside the rotor in an axial direction of the rotor, and supporting the outer circumferential surface of the retainer, the inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and a spline coupling portion of the retainer.
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1 . an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission, the motor connection configured for coupling a rotor of a motor and an engine clutch retainer in the hybrid transmission, the motor connection structure comprising: a damping unit coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the retainer in an axial direction of the rotor on an inner side of the rotor and supporting each of (i) the outer circumferential surface of the retainer, (ii) an inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and (iii) a coupled portion of the retainer. 2 . the motor connection structure of claim 1 , wherein the damping unit includes: a support ring inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the retainer; and a damper provided in the support ring. 3 . the motor connection structure of claim 2 , wherein the damper is composed of rubber. 4 . the motor connection structure of claim 2 , further comprising: a snap ring supporting an axial directional compression repulsive force of the damper positioned in the coupled portion of the rotor. 5 . the motor connection structure of claim 1 , wherein: the retainer includes a cylindrical retainer body positioned on an inner side of the rotor and a plate-shaped retainer cover fixed to one side of the retainer body and coupled to the rotor, and a plurality of crown portions protruding from the coupled portion of the rotor in an axial direction of the rotor, and a plurality of radial protrusions protruding from a coupled portion of the retainer cover in a radial direction of the retainer cover and inserted between the plurality of crown portions. 6 . the motor connection structure of claim 5 , wherein: the damping unit is coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the retainer body in the axial direction of the rotor on the inner side of the rotor and is configured to support each of (i) the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body, (ii) the inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and (iii) the plurality of radial protrusions of the retainer cover. 7 . the motor connection structure of claim 5 , wherein the damping unit includes: a support ring inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body; and a damper provided in the support ring. 8 . the motor connection structure of claim 7 , wherein the damper is composed of rubber. 9 . the motor connection structure of claim 7 , wherein the support ring is formed of steel. 10 . the motor connection structure of claim 9 , wherein the support ring includes: a first portion supporting the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body; and a second portion bent from the first portion in a radial direction of the retainer body and supporting the plurality of radial protrusions of the retainer cover. 11 . the motor connection structure of claim 9 , wherein: the damper is vulcanized-bonded to one or more adhesion surfaces of the first and second portions corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor. 12 . the motor connection structure of claim 9 , wherein: the support ring has a band shape, is inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body, and supports the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body and the plurality of radial protrusions of the retainer cover, and the damper is vulcanized-bonded to an adhesion surface of the support ring corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and the damper supports the inner circumferential surface of the rotor and the plurality of radial protrusions. 13 . the motor connection structure of claim 7 , further comprising: a snap ring supporting an axial directional compression repulsive force of the damper positioned in the plurality of crown portions of the rotor. 14 . an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission, the motor connection configured for spline-coupling a rotor of a motor and an engine clutch retainer in the hybrid transmission, the motor connection structure comprising: a plurality of crown portions protruding from a coupled portion of the rotor in an axial direction of the rotor and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction; a plurality of radial protrusions protruding from a coupled portion of the retainer in a radial direction and inserted between the plurality of crown portions; a support ring coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the retainer in an axial direction of the rotor and supporting the outer circumferential surface of the retainer and the plurality of radial protrusions; and a damper provided on the support ring and supporting an inner circumferential surface of the rotor. 15 . the motor connection structure of claim 14 , wherein the damper is composed of rubber. 16 . the motor connection structure of claim 14 , wherein: the retainer includes a cylindrical retainer body positioned on an inner side of the rotor and a plate-shaped retainer cover having the plurality of radial protrusions and coupled to one side of the retainer body, the support ring includes a first portion supporting the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body and a second portion bent from the first portion in a radial direction of the retainer body and supporting the plurality of radial protrusions, and the damper is vulcanized-bonded to one or more adhesion surfaces of the first and second portions corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor. 17 . the motor connection structure of claim 14 , wherein: the retainer includes a cylindrical retainer body positioned on an inner side of the rotor and a plate-shaped retainer cover having the plurality of radial protrusions and coupled to one side of the retainer body, the support ring has a band shape and supports the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body and the plurality of radial protrusions, and the damper is vulcanized-bonded to an adhesion surface of the support ring corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and the rubber damper supports the inner circumferential surface of the rotor and the plurality of radial protrusions. 18 . the motor connection structure of claim 14 , further comprising: a snap ring supporting an axial directional compression repulsive force of the rubber damper positioned in the plurality of crown portions. 19 . the motor connection structure of claim 17 , further comprising: mounting recesses formed in the plurality of crowns, into which the snap ring is inserted.
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cross-reference to related application this application claims priority to and the benefit of korean patent application no. 10-2016-0138370 filed in the korean intellectual property office on oct. 24, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. background (a) technical field an example embodiment according to the present disclosure relates to a hybrid transmission for a vehicle, and more particularly, to an engine clutch motor connection structure to selectively transfer power from an engine to a hybrid transmission that provides torque conversions required to drive a vehicle using power from the engine and a motor. (b) description of the related art in general, a transmission of a hybrid vehicle using power from an engine and an electric motor is configured to appropriately convert power from the engine and power from the motor and transfer the converted power to driving wheels. the hybrid transmission has an engine clutch to switch between a first state in which power from the engine is transferred to the inside of the hybrid transmission and a second state in which power from the engine is cut off. for example, the engine clutch may have a multi-plate clutch between a hub connected to the engine and a retainer connected to the transmission. the engine clutch retainer is coupled to an input shaft of the transmission, and the hub of the engine clutch is connected to the engine. thus, the engine clutch may vary a power transmission state between the hub and the retainer by the multi-plate clutch. in addition, the engine clutch retainer may be spline-connected to a rotor of the motor, and power from the motor may be transferred to the transmission through the retainer. that is, the engine clutch retainer may transfer power from the motor to the transmission all of the time, or power from the engine may be selectively transferred to the transmission according to an operation of the engine clutch. however, as the engine clutch retainer for a hybrid transmission is coupled with the rotor of the motor, the engine clutch retainer for the hybrid transmission has a spline serration gap between the retainer and the rotor, and thus, the retainer collides with the rotor due to a vibration of the engine and makes a rattling noise. therefore, an improved engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission may be desired. matters described in the background art section are provided to promote understanding of the background of the present invention, which may include matter that is not prior art known to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. summary the present disclosure addresses the issues raised above by providing an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission having the advantages of absorbing a rotationally-directional vibration of a retainer due to a vibration of an engine, thereby reducing or eliminating rattling noise of the retainer and a rotor. an example embodiment provides an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission, the motor connection configured for coupling a rotor of a motor and an engine clutch retainer in the hybrid transmission, including: a damping unit coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the retainer in an axial direction of the rotor on an inner side of the rotor and supporting each of (i) the outer circumferential surface of the retainer, (ii) an inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and (iii) a coupled portion of the retainer. the damping unit may be disposed at a 90-degree interval along a rotational direction of the rotor. the damping unit may include: a support ring inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the retainer; and a rubber damper provided in the support ring. the motor connection structure may further include a snap ring supporting an axial directional compression repulsive force of the rubber damper positioned in the coupled portion of the rotor. the retainer may include a cylindrical retainer body positioned on an inner side of the rotor and a plate-shaped retainer cover fixed to one side of the retainer body and coupled to the rotor. a plurality of crown portions may protrude from the coupled portion of the rotor in an axial direction of the rotor. a plurality of radial protrusions may protrude from a coupled portion of the retainer cover in a radial direction of the retainer cover and inserted between the plurality of crown portions. the damping unit may be coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body in the axial direction of the rotor on the inner side of the rotor and may be configured to support each of (i) the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body, (ii) the inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and (iii) the plurality of radial protrusions of the retainer cover. the damping unit may include: a support ring inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body; and a rubber damper provided in the support ring. the support ring may be formed of steel. the support ring may include a first portion supporting the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body; and a second portion bent from the first portion in a radial direction of the retainer body and supporting the plurality of radial protrusions of the retainer cover. the rubber damper may be vulcanized-bonded to one or more adhesion surfaces of the first and second portions corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor. the support ring may have a band shape, may be inserted to the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body, and may support the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body and the plurality of radial protrusions of the retainer cover. the rubber damper may be vulcanized-bonded to an adhesion surface of the support ring corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and support the inner circumferential surface of the rotor and the plurality of radial protrusions. the motor connection structure may further include a snap ring supporting an axial directional compression repulsive force of the rubber damper positioned in the plurality of crown portions of the rotor. another example embodiment provides an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission, the motor connection structure configured for spline-coupling a rotor of a motor and an engine clutch retainer in the hybrid transmission, including: (a) a plurality of crown portions protruding from a coupled portion of the rotor in an axial direction of the rotor and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction; (b) a plurality of radial protrusions protruding from a coupled portion of the retainer in a radial direction and inserted between the plurality of crown portions; (c) a support ring coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the retainer in an axial direction of the rotor and supporting the outer circumferential surface of the retainer and the plurality of radial protrusions; and (d) a rubber damper provided on the support ring and supporting an inner circumferential surface of the rotor. the retainer may include a cylindrical retainer body positioned on an inner side of the rotor and a plate-shaped retainer cover having the plurality of radial protrusions and coupled to one side of the retainer body. the support ring may include a first portion supporting the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body and a second portion bent from the first portion in a radial direction of the retainer body and supporting the plurality of radial protrusions. the rubber damper may be vulcanized-bonded to one or more adhesion surfaces of the first and second portions corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor. the support ring may have a band shape and may support the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body and the plurality of radial protrusions. the rubber damper may be vulcanized-bonded to an adhesion surface of the support ring corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor, and may support the inner circumferential surface of the rotor and the plurality of radial protrusions. a snap ring supporting an axial directional compression repulsive force of the rubber damper may be positioned in the plurality of crown portions. mounting recesses may be formed in the plurality of crowns, into which the snap ring is inserted. according to example embodiments of the present invention, a rotational directional vibration of the retainer due to vibration of the engine may be absorbed through the damping unit between the retainer and the rotor, and rattling noise of the retainer and the rotor may be minimized. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission, according to an example embodiment. fig. 2 is a partially coupled cross-sectional view illustrating an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission, according to an example embodiment. fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission, according to another example embodiment. detailed description of the embodiments hereinafter, example embodiments are described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. as those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive, and like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification. in the drawings, sizes and thickness of components are arbitrarily shown for the description purposes, so the present invention is not limited to the illustrations of the drawings and thicknesses are exaggerated to clearly express various parts and regions. in the following descriptions, terms such as “first” and “second,” etc., may be used only to distinguish one component from another as pertinent components are named the same, and order thereof is not limited. throughout the specification, unless explicitly described to the contrary, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated elements but not the exclusion of any other elements. the terms “unit”, “means”, “part”, “member”, and the like, described in the specification refer to units of comprehensive configuration performing at least one function or operation. fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission according to an example embodiment, and fig. 2 is a partially coupled cross-sectional view of fig. 1 . referring to figs. 1 and 2 , an engine clutch motor connection structure 100 for a hybrid transmission according to an example embodiment may be applied to a transmission (hybrid transmission) of a hybrid vehicle using power from an engine and an electric motor. for example, the hybrid transmission has an engine clutch 1 transferring power from the engine or cutting off power transfer from the engine. the engine clutch 1 has a hub (not shown) connected to the engine, a retainer 5 connected to the transmission, and clutch components (not shown) positioned between the hub (not shown) and the retainer 5 . here, the retainer 5 of the engine clutch 1 is coupled to an input shaft of the transmission and the hub (not shown) of the engine clutch 1 is connected to the engine. the retainer 5 of the engine clutch 1 is coupled to a rotor 4 of a motor 2 , and power from the motor 2 is transferred to the transmission through the retainer 5 . the rotor 4 described hereinafter may be defined as a cylindrical rotor shaft or rotor sleeve into which the engine clutch 1 is inserted. in an example embodiment, the retainer 5 includes a cylindrical retainer body 7 and a plate-shaped retainer cover 9 coupled to one side of the retainer body 7 . the retainer body 7 is inserted into an inner side of the rotor 4 such that an outer surface thereof is spaced apart from the inner side of the rotor 4 . multi-plate clutch components (not shown) including a clutch plate and a clutch disk are positioned on an inner side of the retainer body 7 . the multi-plate clutch components (not shown) are coupled to an inner circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 . the retainer cover 9 is provided as a disk plate extending in a radial direction, while blocking one side of the retainer body 7 , and connected to an end portion of the rotor 4 such that the retainer cover 9 and the rotor are connected to be mutually rotated and restrained. the retainer cover 9 has a retainer boss 9 a coupled to the input shaft (not shown) of the transmission. here, the end portion of the rotor 4 is coupled to the retainer cover 9 , and the portion extending from the retainer cover 9 in a radial direction is a portion coupled to the end portion of the rotor 4 . the retainer body 7 and the retainer cover 9 of the retainer 5 are components of a retainer of an engine clutch for a hybrid transmission of a known art, and thus, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted in the present disclosure. in an example embodiment, a plurality of crown portions 11 are formed in the end portion of the rotor 4 , that is, in the portion coupled to the retainer cover 9 . the crown portions 11 protrude from the end portion of the rotor 4 in an axial direction, and are spaced apart from each other in a concave-convex shape in a rotational direction of the rotor 4 . in an example embodiment, a plurality of radial protrusions 21 are formed in an edge portion of the retainer cover 9 , that is, the portion extending in a radial direction and coupled to the end portion of the rotor 4 . the radial protrusions 21 protrude from the edge portion of the retainer cover in a radial direction, and are spaced apart from each other in a concave-convex shape along the edge direction. the radial protrusions 21 are inserted into spaces between the crown portions 11 of the rotor 4 and thus retainer 5 mutually rotates with the rotor 4 . an axial directional limiting portion 13 acting as a stopper supporting the radial protrusion 21 is formed in a recess portion between the crown portions 11 . the axial directional limiting portion 13 limits an axial directional insertion depth of the retainer 5 with respect to the rotor 4 . in the connection structure of the retainer 5 of the engine clutch 1 and the rotor 4 of the motor 2 as stated above, as the rotor 4 and the retainer 5 are coupled through the crown portions 11 and the radial protrusions 21 , a spline serration gap is present between the crown portions 11 and the radial protrusions 21 . the spline serration gap is a major factor leading to the generation of rattling noise as the retainer 5 hits the rotor 4 due to vibration of the engine when the engine clutch 1 rotates due to a rotational motion of an engine crank shaft in a state in which driving torque of the motor is zero and the engine clutch 1 is on. the engine clutch motor connection structure 100 for a hybrid transmission according to an example embodiment is capable of absorbing the vibration of the retainer in a rotational direction due to engine vibration and removing rattling noise of the retainer 5 and the rotor 4 . the engine clutch motor connection structure 100 for a hybrid transmission according to an example embodiment includes at least one damping unit 50 for removing rattling noise of the retainer 5 and the rotor 4 . in an example embodiment, the damping unit 50 serves to absorb a vibration of the retainer 5 in a rotational direction generated when the retainer 5 hits the rotor 4 due to a serration gap between the retainer 5 and the rotor 4 . the damping unit 50 is provided between the rotor 4 and the retainer 5 . also, the damping unit 50 is coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the retainer 5 in an axial direction of the rotor 4 on an inner side of the rotor 4 . the damping unit 50 supports the outer circumferential surface of the retainer 5 , an inner circumferential surface of the rotor 4 , and a coupled portion of the retainer 5 . also, the damping unit 50 is coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 in an axial direction on an inner side of the rotor 4 . the damping unit 50 supports the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 , the inner circumferential surface of the rotor 4 , and the radial protrusions 21 of the retainer cover 9 . the damping unit 50 includes a support ring 51 inserted into the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 and a damper 71 provided on the support ring 51 . in an example embodiment, the support ring 51 is coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 in an axial direction of the rotor 4 , and supports the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 and the radial protrusions 21 of the retainer cover 9 . the support ring 51 may be formed of steel, for example. the support ring 51 includes integrally connected first and second portions 61 and 62 . the first portion 61 has a band shape and supports the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 . the second portion 62 is bent from the first portion 61 in a radial direction of the retainer body 7 and supports the radial protrusions 21 of the retainer cover 9 . that is, the second portion 62 is bent from an edge of the first portion 61 corresponding to the radial protrusions 21 of the retainer cover 9 in a radial direction of the retainer body 7 . in an example embodiment, the damper 71 is formed of rubber with elasticity, has an annular shape, and is provided on the support ring 51 . the damper 71 may be vulcanized-bonded to one or more adhesion surfaces of the first and second portions 61 and 62 of the support ring 51 corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the rotor 4 . the damper 71 elastically supports the one or more adhesion surfaces of the first and second portions 61 and 62 and elastically supports an inner circumferential surface of the rotor 4 . in a further example embodiment, a snap ring 91 may be positioned in the crown portions 11 of the rotor 4 to support a compression repulsive force of the damper 71 in an axial direction. the snap ring 91 may be mounted on the crown portions 11 of the rotor 4 on an outer cover surface of the retainer cover 9 and supports the radial protrusions 21 . the snap ring 91 may have a “c” shape, may correspond to the radial protrusions 21 of the retainer cover 9 , and may be mounted on the crown portions 11 of the rotor 4 on an outer cover surface of the retainer cover 9 . in an example embodiment, the snap ring 91 is inserted and mounted on mounting recess 17 formed in the crown portions 11 . an assembling process for and operation of the engine clutch motor connection structure 100 for a hybrid transmission according to an example embodiment is described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. referring to an assembling process of the engine clutch motor connection structure 100 for a hybrid transmission according to an example embodiment, first, in an example embodiment, the damping unit 50 is coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 in an axial direction of the rotor 4 . here, in an example embodiment, the damping unit 50 is coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 up to the radial protrusions 21 of the retainer cover 9 . next, in an example embodiment, the retainer body 7 of the retainer 5 is inserted into the inner side of the rotor 4 such that an outer surface of the retainer body 7 is spaced apart from an inner surface of the rotor 4 . accordingly, the radial protrusions 21 of the retainer cover 9 are inserted between the crown portions 11 of the rotor 4 and an axial directional insertion depth thereof is limited by the axial directional limiting portion 13 between the crown portions 11 . thus, in an example embodiment, the retainer 5 and the rotor 4 may be coupled to be mutually restrained by the crown portions 11 and the radial protrusions 21 . in the damping unit 50 , the first portion 61 of the support ring 51 supports the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 , and the second portion 62 supports the radial protrusions 21 of the retainer cover 9 . the damper 71 elastically supports the adhesion surfaces of the first and second portions 61 and 62 and elastically supports an inner circumferential surface of the rotor 4 . in an example embodiment, the snap ring 91 is mounted on the crown portions 11 of the rotor 4 on an outer cover surface of the retainer cover 9 , and here, the snap ring 91 is mounted on the mounting recesses 17 of the crown portions 11 . here, the snap ring 91 supports the radial protrusions 21 on an outer cover surface of the retainer cover 9 . as the damping unit 50 is positioned between the rotor 4 and the retainer 5 through the process as described above, in an example embodiment, when the engine clutch 1 rotates due to a rotational motion of an engine crank shaft in a state in which driving torque of the motor is zero and the engine clutch 1 is on, a vibration of the retainer 5 in a rotational direction may be absorbed by the damper 71 bonded to the support ring 51 of the damping unit 50 . in other words, when a vibration is applied to the retainer 5 in the rotational direction due to engine vibration, in an example embodiment, the vibration is absorbed through the damper 71 of the damping unit 50 , and the vibration may be absorbed while compressing the damper 71 between the retainer 5 and the rotor 4 . a compression repulsive force in an axial direction acting on the damper 71 may be restrained through the snap ring 91 . accordingly, in an example embodiment, rattling noise of the retainer 5 and the rotor 4 generated as the retainer 5 hits the rotor 4 due to the explosion vibration of the engine may be reduced. fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an engine clutch motor connection structure for a hybrid transmission according to another example embodiment. in fig. 3 , the same components as those of the previous example embodiment will be given the same reference numerals. referring to fig. 3 , a motor connection structure 200 of an engine clutch for a hybrid transmission according to another example embodiment may include a damping unit 150 including a band-shaped support ring 151 and a damper 171 provided on the support ring 151 , structured as describe in the previous example embodiment. in another example embodiment, the support ring 151 is inserted to an outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 of the retainer 5 , and supports the outer circumferential surface of the retainer body 7 and the radial protrusion 21 of the retainer cover 9 . also, the damper 171 may be vulcanized-bonded to an adhesion surface of the support ring 151 corresponding to an inner circumferential surface of the rotor 4 , and may support the inner circumferential surface of the rotor 4 and the radial protrusion 21 of the retainer cover 9 . other components and operational effects of the motor connection structure 200 of an engine clutch for a hybrid transmission according to another example embodiment as described above are the same as those of the previous example embodiment, and thus, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. hereinabove, example embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. however, the ideas of the present disclosure are not limited thereto and those skilled in the art who understand the ideas of the present invention may easily propose any other embodiments within the scope of the present invention through addition, change, deletion, and the like, and those embodiments will also be within the scope of the present invention.
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128-482-818-098-97X
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JP
|
[
"CN",
"US",
"JP",
"ES",
"EP"
] |
H01L35/34,H01L35/02,H02N11/00,H01L37/00,H02N3/00,H01J45/00,H01L45/00
| 2017-05-22T00:00:00 |
2017
|
[
"H01",
"H02"
] |
power generation element, power generation module, power generation device, and power generation system
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according to one embodiment, a power generation element includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a first member, and a second member. the first member includes a first crystal and is provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. the first crystal has a wurtzite structure. the second member is separated from the first member and is provided between the first member and the second conductive layer. a<000-1> direction of the first crystal has a component from the first member toward the second member.
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1 . a power generation element, comprising: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer; a first member including a first crystal and being provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the first crystal having a wurtzite structure; and a second member separated from the first member and provided between the first member and the second conductive layer, a<000-1> direction of the first crystal having a component from the first member toward the second member. 2 . the element according to claim 1 , wherein the first member has a first surface opposing the second member, and the first surface is a (000-1) plane. 3 . the element according to claim 1 , wherein the second member includes a second crystal having a wurtzite structure, and a<000-1> direction of the second crystal has a component from the second member toward the first member. 4 . the element according to claim 3 , wherein the second member has a second surface opposing the first member, and the second surface is a (000-1) plane. 5 . the element according to claim 3 , wherein the second crystal includes nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. 6 . the element according to claim 3 , wherein the second crystal includes at least one selected from the group consisting of zno and znmgo. 7 . the element according to claim 1 , wherein the first crystal includes nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. 8 . the element according to claim 1 , wherein the first crystal includes at least one selected from the group consisting of zno and znmgo. 9 . a power generation element, comprising: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer; a first member provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; and a second member separated from the first member and provided between the first member and the second conductive layer, an orientation from negative to positive of a polarization of the first member being from the first member toward the second member. 10 . the element according to claim 9 , wherein an orientation from negative to positive of a polarization of the second member is from the second member toward the first member. 11 . the element according to claim 10 , wherein the second member includes at least one selected from the group consisting of batio 3 , pbtio 3 , pb(zr x , ti 1-x )o 3 , knbo 3 , linbo 3 , litao 3 , na x wo 3 , zn 2 o 3 , ba 2 nanb 5 o 5 , pb 2 knb 5 o 15 , and li 2 b 4 o 7 . 12 . the element according to claim 10 , wherein the second member includes a second crystal, and the second crystal includes nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. 13 . the element according to claim 9 , wherein the first member includes at least one selected from the group consisting of batio 3 , pbtio 3 , pb(zr x , ti 1-x )o 3 , knbo 3 , linbo 3 , litao 3 , na x wo 3 , zn 2 o 3 , ba 2 nanb 5 o 5 , pb 2 knb 5 o 15 , and li 2 b 4 o 7 . 14 . the element according to claim 13 , wherein a thickness of the first member along a direction from the first member toward the second member is 5 nm or less. 15 . the element according to claim 9 , wherein the first member includes a first crystal, and the first crystal includes nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. 16 . the element according to claim 1 , further comprising: a first terminal electrically connected to the first conductive layer; and a second terminal electrically connected to the second conductive layer, a load being electrically connectable between the first terminal and the second terminal. 17 . the element according to claim 1 , wherein when a temperature of the first member is higher than a temperature of the second member, electrons are emitted from the first member, and the electrons reach the second member. 18 . a power generation module, comprising a plurality of the power generation elements according to claim 1 . 19 . a power generation device, comprising a plurality of the power generation modules according to claim 18 . 20 . a power generation system, comprising: the power generation device according to claim 19 ; and a drive device, the drive device causing the power generation device to follow a movement of the sun.
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cross-reference to related applications this application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from japanese patent application no. 2017-101164, filed on may 22, 2017; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. field embodiments described herein relate generally to a power generation element, a power generation module, a power generation device, and a power generation system. background for example, there is a power generation element including an emitter electrode and a collector electrode, wherein heat from a heat source is applied to the emitter electrode, and the collector electrode captures thermal electrons from the emitter electrode. it is desirable to increase the efficiency of the power generation element. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a power generation element according to a first embodiment; fig. 2a to fig. 2e are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the power generation element; fig. 3a to fig. 3d are schematic views illustrating characteristics of the power generation element; fig. 4a to fig. 4c are schematic views illustrating the characteristics of the power generation element; fig. 5 is a graph illustrating a characteristic of the power generation element; fig. 6a and fig. 6b are graphs illustrating characteristics of the power generation element; fig. 7a to fig. 7e are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the method for manufacturing the power generation element according to the second embodiment; fig. 8a and fig. 8b are schematic cross-sectional views showing a power generation module and a power generation device according to the embodiment; and fig. 9a and fig. 9b are schematic views showing a power generation device and a power generation system according to the embodiment. detailed description according to one embodiment, a power generation element includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a first member, and a second member. the first member includes a first crystal and is provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. the first crystal has a wurtzite structure. the second member is separated from the first member and is provided between the first member and the second conductive layer. a<000-1> direction of the first crystal has a component from the first member toward the second member. according to another embodiment, a power generation element includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a first member, and a second member. the first member is provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. the second member is separated from the first member and is provided between the first member and the second conductive layer. an orientation from negative to positive of a polarization of the first member is from the first member toward the second member. according to another embodiment, a power generation module includes one of a plurality of the power generation elements described above. according to another embodiment, a power generation device includes a plurality of the power generation modules described above. according to another embodiment, a power generation system includes the power generation device described above and a drive device. the drive device causes the power generation device to follow a movement of the sun. various embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. the drawings are schematic and conceptual; and the relationships between the thickness and width of portions, the proportions of sizes among portions, etc., are not necessarily the same as the actual values thereof. further, the dimensions and proportions may be illustrated differently among drawings, even for identical portions. in the specification and drawings, components similar to those described or illustrated in a drawing thereinabove are marked with like reference numerals, and a detailed description is omitted as appropriate. first embodiment fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a power generation element according to a first embodiment. as shown in fig. 1 , the power generation element 110 according to the first embodiment includes a first conductive layer e 1 , a second conductive layer e 2 , a first member 11 , and a second member 12 . the first member 11 is provided between the first conductive layer e 1 and the second conductive layer e 2 . the first member 11 includes, for example, a first crystal having a wurtzite structure. the second member 12 is provided between the first member 11 and the second conductive layer e 2 . the second member 12 is separated from the first member 11 . for example, the second member 12 includes a second crystal having a wurtzite structure. the first crystal and the second crystal are, for example, aln. a gap 20 is provided between the first member 11 and the second member 12 . the gap 20 is in a reduced-pressure state. for example, a container 70 is provided. for example, the first member 11 and the second member 12 are provided in the interior of the container 70 . the interior of the container 70 is caused to be in a reduced-pressure state. thereby, the gap 20 is in a reduced-pressure state. for example, the first member 11 is electrically connected to the first conductive layer e 1 . the second member 12 is electrically connected to the second conductive layer e 2 . a first terminal 71 and a second terminal 72 are provided. the first terminal 71 is electrically connected to the first conductive layer e 1 . the second terminal 72 is electrically connected to the second conductive layer e 2 . a load 30 is electrically connectable between the first terminal 71 and the second terminal 72 . for example, the temperature of the first conductive layer e 1 (and the first member 11 ) is taken as a first temperature t 1 . the temperature of the second conductive layer e 2 (and the second member 12 ) is taken as a second temperature t 2 . for example, the temperature (the first temperature t 1 ) of the first member 11 is caused to be higher than the temperature (the second temperature t 2 ) of the second member 12 . for example, the first conductive layer e 1 (and the first member 11 ) are connected to a heat source, etc. thereby, the first temperature t 1 becomes higher than the second temperature t 2 . thereby, electrons 51 are emitted from the first member 11 . the electrons 51 are, for example, thermal electrons. the electrons 51 travel toward the second member 12 . the electrons 51 reach the second member 12 . the electrons 51 that reach the second member 12 flow into the load 30 via the second conductive layer e 2 and the second terminal 72 . the flow of the electrons 51 corresponds to a current. thus, in the power generation element 110 , the temperature difference between the first conductive layer e 1 (and the first member 11 ) and the second conductive layer e 2 (and the second member 12 ) can be converted into a current. the first conductive layer e 1 (and the first member 11 ) is, for example, an emitter. the second conductive layer e 2 (and the second member 12 ) is, for example, a collector. a direction from the first member 11 toward the second member 12 is taken as a z-axis direction. the z-axis direction corresponds to the direction from the first conductive layer e 1 toward the second conductive layer e 2 . one direction perpendicular to the z-axis direction is taken as an x-axis direction. a direction perpendicular to the z-axis direction and the x-axis direction is taken as a y-axis direction. in the example, the first member 11 and the second member 12 have film configurations spreading along the x-y plane. in the embodiment, the configurations of the first member 11 and the second member 12 are arbitrary. at least one of the first crystal or the second crystal includes, for example, nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. at least one of the first crystal or the second crystal may include at least one selected from the group consisting of zno and znmgo. in the case where the first member 11 is a semiconductor, a thickness t 1 of the first member 11 is, for example, not less than 100 nm and not more than 1000 nm. in the case where the first member 11 is insulative, the thickness ti of the first member 11 is, for example, 5 nm or less. in the case where the first member 11 is insulative, it is favorable for the thickness t 1 to be not less than 1 nm and not more than 2 nm. in the case where the second member 12 is a semiconductor, a thickness t 2 of the second member 12 is, for example, not less than 100 nm and not more than 1000 nm. in the case where the second member 12 is insulative, the thickness t 2 of the second member 12 is, for example, 5 nm or less. in the case where the second member 12 is insulative, it is favorable for the thickness t 2 to be not less than 1 nm and not more than 2 nm. the thickness ti and the thickness t 2 are lengths along the z-axis direction. a distance t 3 between the first member 11 and the second member 12 is not less than 0.1 μm and not more than 50 μm. it is more favorable for the distance t 3 to be 10 μm or less. the distance t 3 is the length along the z-axis direction. the distance t 3 corresponds to the distance of the gap 20 . in the embodiment, the <000-1> direction of the first crystal of the first member 11 has a component from the first member 11 toward the second member 12 . for example, the first member 11 has a first surface 11 a . the first surface 11 a opposes the second member 12 . the first surface 11 a is, for example, the (000-1) plane. the first surface 11 a may be a semi-polar plane. in the embodiment, for example, the <000-1> direction of the second crystal of the second member 12 has a component from the second member 12 toward the first member 11 . for example, the second member 12 has a second surface 12 a . the second surface 12 a opposes the first member 11 . the second surface 12 a is, for example, the (000-1) plane. the second surface 12 a may be a semi-polar plane. it was found that a high power generation efficiency is obtained by the first member 11 (and the second member 12 ) having polarities such as those recited above. an example of simulation results of the characteristics of the power generation element will now be described. fig. 2a to fig. 2e are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the power generation element. these drawings show the configuration that is used in the simulation. in the simulation, the first conductive layer e 1 and the second conductive layer e 2 are mo layers. the first member 11 and the second member 12 are aln. the thickness of the aln is 2000 nm. the distance of the gap 20 (the length along the z-axis direction, i.e., the distance t 3 ) is 1 μm. in a first configuration cf 1 shown in fig. 2a , the first member 11 and the second member 12 do not have polarizations (spontaneous polarizations). for example, the first configuration cf 1 corresponds to the case where the first member 11 and the second member 12 are amorphous. in a second configuration cf 2 shown in fig. 2b , the first member 11 has a polarization. the first member 11 has the first surface 11 a on the second member 12 side, and a surface 11 b on the first conductive layer e 1 side. the polarization is positive (+σ) at the first surface 11 a . the polarization is negative (−σ) at the surface 11 b . the first surface 11 a is the −c plane (the (000-1) plane). the surface lib is the +c plane (the (0001) plane). in the second configuration cf 2 , the second member 12 does not have a polarization. in a third configuration cf 3 shown in fig. 2c , the second member 12 has a polarization. the second member 12 has the second surface 12 a on the first member 11 side, and a surface 12 b on the second conductive layer e 2 side. the polarization is positive (+σ) at the second surface 12 a . the polarization is negative (−σ) at the surface 12 b . the second surface 12 a is the −c plane (the (000-1) plane). the surface 12 b is the +c plane (the (0001) plane). in the third configuration cf 3 , the first member 11 does not have a polarization. in a fourth configuration cf 4 shown in fig. 2d , the first member 11 and the second member 12 have polarizations. the orientations of the polarizations are mutually-reversed. the polarization is positive (+σ) at the first surface 11 a . the first surface 11 a is the −c plane (the (000-1) plane). the polarization is positive (+σ) at the second surface 12 a . the second surface 12 a is the −c plane (the (000-1) plane). in a fifth configuration cf 5 shown in fig. 2e as well, the first member 11 and the second member 12 have polarizations. the orientations of the polarizations of the fifth configuration cf 5 are the reverse of the orientations of the polarizations of the fourth configuration cf 4 . fig. 3a to fig. 3d are schematic views illustrating characteristics of the power generation element. these figures are energy band diagrams of the first to fifth configurations cf 1 to cf 5 . for these configurations, the first temperature t 1 and the second temperature t 2 are 300 k (kelvin). in these drawings, the horizontal axis is a position pz (μm) along the z-axis direction. the vertical axis is an energy eg (electron volt (ev)). a fermi level fl 1 of the first configuration cf 1 , a conduction band level cb 1 of the first configuration cf 1 , a fermi level fl 2 of the second configuration cf 2 , and a conduction band level cb 2 of the second configuration cf 2 are shown in fig. 3a . it can be seen from fig. 3a that compared to the first configuration cf 1 , the energy eg at the surface of the first member 11 (the surface between the first member 11 and the gap 20 ) is different for the second configuration cf 2 . in fig. 3b , a fermi level fl 3 of the third configuration cf 3 and a conduction band level cb 3 of the third configuration cf 3 are shown in addition to the fermi level fl 1 of the first configuration cf 1 and the conduction band level cb 1 of the first configuration cf 1 . it can be seen from fig. 3b that the energy eg at the surface of the second member 12 (the surface between the second member 12 and the gap 20 ) of the third configuration cf 3 is different from the energy eg of the first configuration cf 1 . in fig. 3c , a fermi level fl 4 of the fourth configuration cf 4 and a conduction band level cb 4 of the fourth configuration cf 4 are shown in addition to the fermi level fl 1 of the first configuration cf 1 and the conduction band level cb 1 of the first configuration cf 1 . it can be seen from fig. 3c that the energy eg of the fourth configuration cf 4 is different from the energy eg of the first configuration cf 1 at the surface of the first member 11 and the surface of the second member 12 . a fermi level fl 5 of the fifth configuration cf 5 and a conduction band level cb 5 of the fifth configuration cf 5 are shown in addition to the fermi level fl 1 of the first configuration cf 1 and the conduction band level cb 1 of the first configuration cf 1 in fig. 3d . it can be seen from fig. 3d that compared to the first to fourth configurations cf 1 to cf 4 , the energy eg is markedly large for the fifth configuration cf 5 . it can be seen from fig. 3a to fig. 3c that in the case where the surface of the first member 11 or the second member 12 is the −c plane (the (000-1) plane), the energy eg of the conduction band level is low at these surfaces. on the other hand, as shown in fig. 3d , the energy eg of the conduction band level is markedly high in the case where the surfaces of the first member 11 and the second member 12 are the +c plane (the (0001) plane). therefore, it is considered that the thermal electrons (the electrons 51 ) are not emitted easily for the fifth configuration cf 5 . an example of characteristics when the first temperature t 1 is set to be higher than the second temperature t 2 will now be described. fig. 4a to fig. 4c are schematic views illustrating the characteristics of the power generation element. these figures are energy band diagrams of the first to fourth configurations cf 1 to cf 4 . for these configurations, the first temperature t 1 is 800 k; and the second temperature t 2 is 300 k. a simulation of the characteristics of the fifth configuration cf 5 was attempted; but the calculated values did not converge; and the characteristics of the fifth configuration cf 5 were not obtained. in these drawings, the horizontal axis is the position pz. the vertical axis is the energy eg. as shown in fig. 4a , the conduction band level cb 2 of the second configuration cf 2 is lower than the conduction band level cb 1 of the first configuration cf 1 at the surface of the first member 11 (the surface between the first member 11 and the gap 20 ). as shown in fig. 4b , the conduction band level cb 3 of the third configuration cf 3 is lower than the conduction band level cb 1 of the first configuration cf 1 at the surface of the second member 12 (the second member 12 and the gap 20 ). as shown in fig. 4c , the conduction band level cb 4 of the fourth configuration cf 4 is lower than the conduction band level cb 1 of the first configuration cf 1 at the surface of the first member 11 and the surface of the second member 12 . thus, the energy eg at the surface is low due to at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 having the polarization of the polarity recited above. fig. 5 is a graph illustrating a characteristic of the power generation element. fig. 5 shows simulation results of the power generation characteristics of the first to fourth configurations cf 1 to cf 4 . the horizontal axis of fig. 5 is the first temperature t 1 (kelvin (k)). the vertical axis is a current density jc (arbitrary units). in the example, the second temperature t 2 is 300 k. as shown in fig. 5 , the current density jc of the third configuration cf 3 is higher than the current density jc of the first configuration cf 1 . the current density jc of the second configuration cf 2 is higher than the current density jc of the third configuration cf 3 . the current density jc of the fourth configuration cf 4 is higher than the current density jc of the second configuration cf 2 . thus, a high current density jc is obtained by at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 having the polarization of the polarity recited above. in particular, a particularly high current density jc (the second configuration cf 2 and the fourth configuration cf 4 ) is obtained by the first member 11 of which the temperature is caused to be relatively high having the polarization of the polarity recited above. for example, a particularly high current density jc (the fourth configuration cf 4 ) is obtained by both the first member 11 and the second member 12 having the polarizations of the polarities recited above. the high current density jc corresponds to a high efficiency. a high efficiency is obtained by at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 having the polarization of the polarity recited above. for example, it is considered that such a high current density jc is caused by the characteristics of the conduction bands described in reference to fig. 4a to fig. 4c . the characteristics of the conduction bands are the characteristics of the barrier height at the surfaces of the first member 11 and the second member 12 . it is considered that the barrier height has a relationship with the electron affinity. in the power generation element, it is considered that the electron affinities of the materials of the first member 11 and the second member 12 themselves have a relationship with the power generation efficiency. an example of the power generation efficiency of the first configuration cf 1 and the fourth configuration cf 4 when changing the electron affinity will now be described. fig. 6a and fig. 6b are graphs illustrating characteristics of the power generation element. fig. 6a corresponds to a characteristic of the first configuration cf 1 . fig. 6b corresponds to a characteristic of the fourth configuration cf 4 . in these figures, the horizontal axis is the first temperature t 1 . the vertical axis is a power generation efficiency ef (arbitrary units). in the simulation of these figures, the second temperature t 2 is 300 k. in the simulation, electron affinities χ of the first member 11 and the second member 12 are modified to 0.3, 0.45, or 0.6. as shown in fig. 6a and fig. 6b , the power generation efficiency ef of the fourth configuration cf 4 is higher than the power generation efficiency ef of the first configuration cf 1 for the same first temperature t 1 when the electron affinity χ is 0.3, 0.45, or 0.6. in particular, the improvement effect of the power generation efficiency ef due to the fourth configuration cf 4 is large when the electron affinity χ is high. in the embodiment as described above, at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 includes a crystal having a wurtzite structure. at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 includes, for example, a nitride semiconductor. or, at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 includes at least one selected from the group consisting of zno and znmgo. in the embodiment, at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 may include an insulative material. for example, at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 may include at least one selected from the group consisting of batio 3 , pbtio 3 , pb(zr x , ti 1-x )o 3 , knbo 3 , linbo 3 , litao 3 , na x wo 3 , zn 2 o 3 , ba 2 nanb 5 o 5 , pb 2 knb 5 o 15 , and li 2 b 4 o 7 . pb(zr x , ti 1-x )o 3 is pzt (lead zirconate titanate). in such a case, for example, the orientation from negative to positive of the polarization of the first member 11 is from the first member 11 toward the second member 12 . for example, the orientation from negative to positive of the polarization of the second member 12 is from the second member 12 toward the first member 11 . even in such a case, a high efficiency is obtained. in the case where the first member 11 and the second member 12 include an insulative material, the thicknesses of the first member 11 and the second member 12 are thin. thereby, the current flows easily. for example, the thickness t 1 of the first member 11 (the length along the direction from the first member 11 toward the second member 12 ) is 5 nm or less. the thickness t 1 may be not less than 1 nm and not more than 2 nm. for example, the thickness t 2 (the length along the direction from the second member 12 toward the first member 11 ) of the second member 12 is 5 nm or less. the thickness t 2 may be not less than 1 nm and not more than 2 nm. at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 may have an island configuration or a mesh configuration. in the embodiment as described above, at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 may include a semiconductor crystal. the semiconductor crystal includes, for example, nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. or, at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 includes at least one selected from the group consisting of zno and znmgo. even in such a case, the orientation from negative to positive of the polarization of the first member 11 is from the first member 11 toward the second member 12 . for example, the orientation from negative to positive of the polarization of the second member 12 is from the second member 12 toward the first member 11 . a high efficiency is obtained. second embodiment a second embodiment is related to a method for manufacturing a power generation element. for example, the power generation element 110 according to the first embodiment can be manufactured by the manufacturing method. fig. 7a to fig. 7e are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the method for manufacturing the power generation element according to the second embodiment. as shown in fig. 7a , a first film 11 f is formed on a base body 50 s . the first film 11 f is used to form at least one of the first member 11 or the second member 12 . for example, a si substrate, an al 2 o 3 substrate, a sic substrate, or the like is used as the base body 50 s . for example, crystal growth of the first film 11 f is performed by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (mocvd), etc. the first film 11 f may be formed by crystal growth using molecular beam epitaxy (mbe), etc. the first film 11 f is, for example, a crystal of a nitride semiconductor. the surface (the upper surface) of the first film 11 f is the +c plane. the lower surface (the surface on the base body 50 s side) of the first film 11 f is the −c plane. as shown in fig. 7b , a conductive layer e 0 is formed on the first film 11 f. the conductive layer e 0 is at least one of the first conductive layer e 1 or the second conductive layer e 2 . the conductive layer e 0 includes, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of mo and w. for example, the conductive layer e 0 is formed by vapor deposition. for example, the conductive layer e 0 may be mo or w having a wafer configuration. in such a case, for example, the conductive layer e 0 is bonded to the first film 11 f. the base body 50 s is removed as shown in fig. 7c . as shown in fig. 7d , the surface of the first film 11 f is the −c plane. such a structure body including the conductive layer e 0 and the first film 11 f is multiply prepared. in one of the multiple structure bodies, the conductive layer e 0 is used as the first conductive layer e 1 ; and the first film 11 f is used as the first member 11 . in another one of the multiple structure bodies, the conductive layer e 0 is used as the second conductive layer e 2 ; and the first film 11 f is used as the second member 12 . as shown in fig. 7e , the first member 11 and the second member 12 are assembled so that the first member 11 and the second member 12 oppose each other. thereby, the power generation element 110 according to the embodiment is made. fig. 8a and fig. 8b are schematic cross-sectional views showing a power generation module and a power generation device according to the embodiment. as shown in fig. 8a , the power generation module 210 according to the embodiment includes the power generation element 110 according to the first embodiment. in the example, multiple power generation elements 110 are arranged on a substrate 120 . as shown in fig. 8b , the power generation device 310 according to the embodiment includes the power generation module 210 recited above. multiple power generation modules 210 may be provided. in the example, the multiple power generation modules 210 are arranged on a substrate 220 . fig. 9a and fig. 9b are schematic views showing a power generation device and a power generation system according to the embodiment. as shown in fig. 9a and fig. 9b , the power generation device 310 according to the embodiment (i.e., the power generation element 110 or the power generation module 210 according to the first embodiment) is applicable to solar thermal power generation. as shown in fig. 8a , for example, the light from the sun 61 is reflected by a heliostat 62 and is incident on the power generation device 310 (the power generation element 110 or the power generation module 210 ). the light causes the first temperature t 1 of the first member 11 and the first conductive layer e 1 to increase. the first temperature t 1 becomes higher than the second temperature t 2 . heat is changed into current. the current is transmitted by a power line 65 , etc. as shown in fig. 8b , for example, the light from the sun 61 is concentrated by a concentrating mirror 63 and is incident on the power generation device 310 (the power generation element 110 or the power generation module 210 ). the heat due to the light is changed into current. the current is transmitted by the power line 65 , etc. for example, the power generation system 410 includes the power generation device 310 . in the example, multiple power generation devices 310 are provided. in the example, the power generation system 410 includes the power generation devices 310 and a drive device 66 . the drive device 66 causes the power generation devices 310 to follow the movement of the sun 61 . by following the movement of the sun 61 , efficient power generation can be performed. highly efficient power generation can be performed by using the power generation element 110 according to the embodiment. the embodiments may include the following configurations (technological proposals). configuration 1 a power generation element, comprising: a first conductive layer;a second conductive layer;a first member including a first crystal and being provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the first crystal having a wurtzite structure; anda second member separated from the first member and provided between the first member and the second conductive layer,the <000-1> direction of the first crystal having a component from the first member toward the second member. configuration 2 the power generation element according to configuration 1, wherein the first member has a first surface opposing the second member, andthe first surface is the (000-1) plane. configuration 3 the power generation element according to configuration 1 or 2, wherein the second member includes a second crystal having a wurtzite structure, andthe <000-1> direction of the second crystal has a component from the second member toward the first member. configuration 4 the power generation element according to configuration 3, wherein the second member has a second surface opposing the first member, andthe second surface is the (000-1) plane. configuration 5 the power generation element according to configuration 3 or 4, wherein the second crystal includes nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. configuration 6 the power generation element according to configuration 3 or 4, wherein the second crystal includes at least one selected from the group consisting of zno and znmgo. configuration 7 the power generation element according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the first crystal includes nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. configuration 8 the power generation element according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the first crystal includes at least one selected from the group consisting of zno and znmgo. configuration 9 a power generation element, comprising: a first conductive layer;a second conductive layer;a first member provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; anda second member separated from the first member and provided between the first member and the second conductive layer,an orientation from negative to positive of a polarization of the first member being from the first member toward the second member. configuration 10 the power generation element according to configuration 9, wherein an orientation from negative to positive of a polarization of the second member is from the second member toward the first member. configuration 11 the power generation element according to configuration 10, wherein the second member includes at least one selected from the group consisting of batio 3 , pbtio 3 , pb(zr x , ti 1-x )o 3 , knbo 3 , linbo 3 , litao 3 , na x wo 3 , zn 2 o 3 , ba 2 nanb 5 o 5 , pb 2 knb 5 o 15 , and li 2 b 4 o 7 . configuration 12 the power generation element according to configuration 11, wherein a thickness of the second member along a direction from the second member toward the first member is 5 nm or less. configuration 13 the power generation element according to configuration 11, wherein the second member has an island configuration or a mesh configuration. configuration 14 the power generation element according to configuration 10, wherein the second member includes a second crystal, andthe second crystal includes nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. configuration 15 the power generation element according to any one of configurations 9 to 14, wherein the first member includes at least one selected from the group consisting of batio 3 , pbtio 3 , pb(zr x , ti 1-x )o 3 , knbo 3 , linbo 3 , litao 3 , na x wo 3 , zn 2 o 3 , ba 2 nanb 5 o 5 , pb 2 knb 5 o 15 , and li 2 b 4 o 7 . configuration 16 the power generation element according to configuration 15, wherein a thickness of the first member along a direction from the first member toward the second member is 5 nm or less. configuration 17 the power generation element according to configuration 15, wherein the first member has an island configuration or a mesh configuration. configuration 18 the power generation element according to configuration 9, wherein the first member includes a first crystal, andthe first crystal includes nitrogen and at least one selected from the group consisting of b, al, in, and ga. configuration 19 the power generation element according to any one of configurations 1 to 18, further comprising: a first terminal electrically connected to the first conductive layer; anda second terminal electrically connected to the second conductive layer,a load being electrically connectable between the first terminal and the second terminal. configuration 20 the power generation element according to any one of configurations 1 to 19, wherein when a temperature of the first member is higher than a temperature of the second member, electrons are emitted from the first member, andthe electrons reach the second member. configuration 21 a power generation module, comprising a plurality of the power generation elements according to any one of configurations 1 to 20. configuration 22 a power generation device, comprising a plurality of the power generation modules according to configuration 21. configuration 23 a power generation system, comprising: the power generation device according to configuration 22; anda drive device,the drive device causing the power generation device to follow a movement of the sun. according to the embodiments, a power generation element, a power generation module, a power generation device, and a power generation system can be provided in which the efficiency can be increased. in the specification, “nitride semiconductor” includes all compositions of semiconductors of the chemical formula b x in y al z ga 1-x-y-z n (0≤x≤1, 0≤y≤1, 0≤z≤1, and x+y+z≤1) for which the composition ratios x, y, and z are changed within the ranges respectively. “nitride semiconductor” further includes group v elements other than n (nitrogen) in the chemical formula recited above, various elements added to control various properties such as the conductivity type and the like, and various elements included unintentionally. hereinabove, exemplary embodiments of the invention are described with reference to specific examples. however, the embodiments of the invention are not limited to these specific examples. for example, one skilled in the art may similarly practice the invention by appropriately selecting specific configurations of components included in power generation elements such as conductive layers, members, terminals, etc., from known art. such practice is included in the scope of the invention to the extent that similar effects thereto are obtained. further, any two or more components of the specific examples may be combined within the extent of technical feasibility and are included in the scope of the invention to the extent that the purport of the invention is included. moreover, all power generation elements, power generation modules, power generation devices, and power generation systems practicable by an appropriate design modification by one skilled in the art based on the power generation elements, the power generation modules, the power generation devices, and the power generation systems described above as embodiments of the invention also are within the scope of the invention to the extent that the spirit of the invention is included. various other variations and modifications can be conceived by those skilled in the art within the spirit of the invention, and it is understood that such variations and modifications are also encompassed within the scope of the invention. while certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. the accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.
|
128-807-527-333-020
|
US
|
[
"EP",
"JP",
"US",
"ES",
"CN",
"KR"
] |
A61B17/12,A61B17/00,A61M25/00,A61M25/01,A61M25/098,A61M25/06,A61F2/95,A61F2/962
| 2019-07-03T00:00:00 |
2019
|
[
"A61"
] |
medical device delivery member with flexible stretch resistant distal portion
|
a delivery member is provided for delivering and deploying an intravascular medical device. the delivery member includes a flexible distal portion including a wound wire coil surrounded by a flexible sleeve and inhibited from extending lengthwise by a stretch resistant member positioned through the lumen of the coil. the delivery member can include hypotubes positioned on either side (distally and proximally) from the wound wire coil to which the stretch resistant member and the wound wire coil can be attached.
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a delivery member (10) for delivering an implantable medical device to a target location of a body vessel, the delivery member comprising: a distal hypotube (300) comprising a distal end shaped to receive the implantable medical device; a support coil section (200) affixed to a proximal end of the distal hypotube; a proximal hypotube (100) affixed to a proximal end of the support coil section; a lumen (108, 208, 308) extending through the distal hypotube, the support coil section, and the proximal hypotube; a stretch resistant member (600) extending through a portion of the lumen, the stretch resistant member affixed to the proximal hypotube; characterised in that the delivery member further comprises a flexible sleeve (500) covering at least a majority of an outer surface of the support coil section; and in that the stretch resistant member is affixed to the distal hypotube. the delivery member of claim 1, further comprising: an engagement system movable to engage and deploy the implantable medical device engaged at a distal end of the distal hypotube, the engagement system comprising: a loop wire (400) extended through an opening in the implantable medical device thereby engaging the engagement system to the implantable medical device and movable to retract from the opening in the implantable medical device to deploy the implantable medical device, and a pull wire (140) extended through the lumen, engaged to the loop wire thereby engaging the engagement system to the implantable medical device, and movable to retract proximally to disengage the loop wire to deploy the implantable medical device. the delivery member of claim 2, wherein the distal hypotube comprises a compressible portion (306) movable from a compressed condition to an elongated condition, and wherein the engagement system maintains the compressible portion in the compressed condition when engaged to the implantable medical device. the delivery member of claim 1, wherein the support coil section comprises: a non-radiopaque proximal coil (212) extending from the proximal end of the support coil section; a non-radiopaque distal coil (214) extending from the distal end of the support coil section; and a radiopaque central coil (216) extending between the non-radiopaque proximal coil and the non-radiopaque distal coil. the delivery member of claim 1, where in the support coil section comprises: a wire wound to form the support coil section and defining a portion of the lumen, the wire comprising a diameter measuring from about 0,02032 mm (0.0008 inch) to about 0.0127 mm (0.005 inch). the delivery member of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve comprises a polymer, and wherein the flexible sleeve comprises additives effective to increase the lubricity of the polymer. the delivery member of claim 1, wherein the flexible sleeve is affixed to the proximal hypotube and the distal hypotube. the delivery member of claim 1, wherein the stretch resistant member is an extruded tube. the delivery member of claim 1, wherein the delivery member comprises a length measurable from the proximal end of the support coil section to the distal end of the distal hypotube, and wherein the length measures about 40 cm. the delivery member of claim 1, wherein the proximal hypotube comprises a spiral cut portion approximate a distal end of the proximal hypotube. a method of constructing a delivery member for delivering an implantable medical device, the method comprising: selecting (810) a first hypotube comprising a first lumen therethrough; selecting (810) a second hypotube comprising a second lumen therethrough; forming a wire coil section extending from a distal end of the second hypotube to a proximal end of the first hypotube such that the wire coil section defines a third lumen therethrough; extending a stretch resistant member (600) through the third lumen; affixing (840) the stretch resistant member to the first hypotube and second hypotube; selecting a flexible sleeve (500); covering (850) at least a majority of the outer surface of the support coil section with the flexible sleeve; and detachably attaching (860) the implantable medical device to the delivery member approximate a distal end of the first hypotube. the method of claim 11, wherein the step of forming the wire coil section further comprises: forming a non-radiopaque proximal coil (212) extending distally from the distal end of the second hypotube; forming a non-radiopaque distal coil (214) extending proximally from the proximal end of the first hypotube; and forming a radiopaque central coil (216) extending between the non-radiopaque proximal coil and the non-radiopaque distal coil. the method of claim 11, wherein the step of forming the wire coil section further comprises: selecting a wire comprising a diameter measuring from about 0,02032 mm (0.0008 inch) to about 0,0127 mm (0.005 inch); and winding the wire to form the wire coil section and define the lumen therethrough. the method of claim 11, wherein the step of selecting the flexible sleeve further comprises: selecting the flexible sleeve comprising a polymer and additives effective to increase the lubricity of the polymer. the method of claim 11, wherein the step of extending a stretch resistant member through the third lumen further comprises: extending the stretch resistant member that is substantially tubular through the third lumen. the method of claim 11, wherein the step of detachably attaching the implantable medical device to the delivery member approximate a distal end of the first hypotube further comprises: compressing the first hypotube; and detachably attaching the implantable medical device to the delivery member approximate the distal end of the compressed first hypotube. the method of claim 11, further comprising: positioning a loop wire (400) within the first lumen; and positioning a pull wire (140) to extend through the first lumen, third lumen, and first lumen wherein the step of detachably attaching the implantable medical device to a distal end of the first hypotube further comprises: extending the loop wire through an opening in the implantable medical device; and engaging the pull wire to a portion of the loop wire extended through the opening in the implantable medical device. the method of claim 17, wherein the step of detachably attaching the implantable medical device to a distal end of the first hypotube further comprises: positioning the pull wire to extend proximally from a proximal end of the second hypotube.
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field of invention this invention generally relates to intravascular medical device systems that navigable through body vessels of a human subject. more particularly, this invention relates to delivery systems and delivery members for delivering and deploying an implantable medical device to a target location of a body vessel and methods of using the same. background the use of catheter delivery systems for positioning and deploying therapeutic devices, such as dilation balloons, stents and embolic coils, in the vasculature of the human body has become a standard procedure for treating endovascular diseases. it has been found that such devices are particularly useful in treating areas where traditional operational procedures are impossible or pose a great risk to the patient, for example in the treatment of aneurysms in cranial blood vessels. due to the delicate tissue surrounding cranial blood vessels, e.g. brain tissue, it can be difficult and often risky to perform surgical procedures to treat defects of the cranial blood vessels. advancements in catheter-based implant delivery systems have provided an alternative treatment in such cases. some of the advantages of catheter delivery systems are that they provide methods for treating blood vessels by an approach that has been found to reduce the risk of trauma to the surrounding tissue, and they also allow for treatment of blood vessels that in the past would have been considered inoperable. typically, these procedures involve inserting a delivery catheter into the vasculature of a patient and guiding it through the vasculature to a predetermined delivery site. a vascular occlusion device, such as an embolic coil, can be attached to an implant engagement/deployment system (referred to herein equivalently as an "engagement system" or "deployment system") at a distal end a of a delivery member (e.g. micro-catheter) which pushes the coil through the delivery catheter and out of the distal end of the delivery catheter into the delivery site. example delivery members and engagement/deployment systems are described in u.s. patent application number 15/850,993 and u.s. patent application number 15/964,857 some of the challenges that have been associated with properly executing such treatment procedures include ensuring the delivery member and engagement system remain in a stable position throughout a treatment. for example, in some aneurysm treatment applications, as the aneurysm becomes increasingly packed with embolic material, the delivery member can tend to shift due to increasing pushback from the embolic material being implanted. if the delivery member shifts during treatment, a physician may not be able to accurately control placement of embolic material and may choose to cease packing the aneurysm. in such an example, the aneurysm may not be sufficiently packed, which can lead to recanalization. further, excessive movement or stretching of the delivery member and/or engagement system thereon can result in premature detachment of the embolic coil. us2019192162 a1 discloses a detachment system for delivering an implantable medical device to a target location of a body vessel has a generally hollow distal tube. the distal tube includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a compressible portion of the tube itself, between the proximal and distal ends which is axially movable from a compressed to an elongated condition. a generally hollow proximal tube has a proximal end and a distal end. us2008097462 a1 discloses an implantable medical device detachment system is provided with a carrier member having a compressible portion at a distal end thereof. the compressible portion is moved to a compressed condition to allow an engagement member of the system to releasably engage an implantable device, such as an embolic coil. there is therefore a need for improved methods, devices, and systems to provide an implant delivery member and implant engagement system with increased stability. summary it is an object of the present invention to provide systems, devices, and methods to meet the above-stated needs. generally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a delivery member for delivering and deploying an implantable medical device having a flexible distal portion. the present invention is defined by appended claims 1 and 11. specific embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims. stiffness of the distal portion of the delivery member can cause the microcatheter used for delivery of the embolic material to pull back out of the aneurysm as the distal end of the delivery member is advanced through the tortuous distal anatomy. if the microcatheter pulls back while advancing the embolic material, the microcatheter may come out of the aneurysm and the physician may lose control of the embolic coil and not be able to accurately control placement of embolic material and may not be able to complete treatment. flexibility can be provided by incorporating a length of wound coil along the distal portion of the delivery member. the wound coil can be protected by a flexible polymer sleeve positioned around the outside of the coil. the wound coil can be inhibited from elongating by a stretch resistant tube affixed to hypotubes on either end of the wound coil. a delivery member for delivering an implantable medical device to a target location of a body vessel according to an embodiment of the invention includes j a distal hypotube, a support coil section, a proximal hypotube, a flexible sleeve covering the support coil section, and a stretch resistant member extending across the support coil section. the distal hypotube, support coil section, and proximal hypotube forms a contiguous tubular structure having a lumen therethrough. the flexible sleeve can cover some or all of the support coil section to prevent radial expansion of the support coil section and to promote the ability of the support coil section to slide through vasculature. the stretch resistant member is affixed to the proximal hypotube and the distal hypotube, thereby extending across the entirety of the support coil section. the delivery member can also include an engagement system that can move to engage and deploy the implantable medical device. the engagement system can include a loop wire and a pull wire. the loop wire can extend through an opening in the implantable medical device and the pull wire can be engaged to the loop wire, thereby engaging the engagement system to the implantable medical device. the pull wire can be positioned within the lumen of the delivery member and can be retracted proximally to disengage the loop wire. once disengaged from the pull wire, the loop wire can be movable to retract from the opening in the implantable medical device, thereby deploying the implantable medical device. at least a portion of the distal hypotube can be compressed and can elongate upon movement of the engagement system, when the engagement system is moved to deploy the implantable medical device. the support coil section can include a non-radiopaque proximal coil, a non-radiopaque distal coil, and a radiopaque central coil positioned between the non-radiopaque coils. the support coil section can be made from a wire wound to define a portion of the lumen of the delivery member. the wire from which the support coil is made can have a cross-sectional diameter measuring from about 0.8 mil to about 5 mil (about 20320 nm to about 127000 nm). the flexible sleeve can include a polymer. the flexible sleeve can include additives to increase lubricity of the polymer. the flexible sleeve can be affixed to the proximal hypotube and the distal hypotube. the flexible sleeve configured thusly can thereby cover the entirety of the coiled section and at least a portion of the proximal hypotube and/or at least a portion of the distal hypotube. the stretch resistant member can be an extruded tube. the support coil section and the distal hypotube can have a length measured from the proximal end of the support coil to the distal end of the distal hypotube that measures between about 30 cm and about 50 cm, or more specifically, about 40 cm. the proximal hypotube can include a spiral cut portion near its distal end. a method for designing or constructing a delivery member according to an embodiment of the invention includes the steps of selecting a first hypotube and a second hypotube, forming a wire coil section between the two hypotubes, extending a stretch resistant member through the lumen of the wire coil section, affixing the stretch resistant member to the first and second hypotubes, selecting a flexible sleeve, covering the support coil section with the flexible sleeve, and attaching the implantable medical device to the distal end of the first hypotube such that the implantable medical device is detached from the first hypotube during a treatment. the step of forming the wire coil section can include forming a non-radiopaque proximal coil, forming a non-radiopaque distal coil, and forming a radiopaque central coil extending between the non-radiopaque proximal coil and non-radiopaque distal coil. alternatively, the wire coil section need not include a radiopaque section. the step of forming the wire coil section can additionally or alternatively include selecting a wire having a diameter measuring about 0.8 mil to about 5 mil (about 20320 nm to about 0.127 mm) and winding the wire to form the wire coil section and to define the lumen of the wire coil section. the step of selecting the flexible sleeve can include selecting a polymer sleeve having additives to increase lubricity of the polymer. the step of extending the stretch resistant member through the wire coil lumen can include extending a substantially tubular stretch resistant member through the wire coil lumen. the step of attaching the implantable medical device to the first hypotube can include compressing the first hypotube and attaching the implantable medical device to the distal end of the compressed first hypotube. the example method for designing or constructing a delivery member can further include positioning a loop wire within the lumen of the first hypotube and positioning a pull wire to extend through lumens of the first hypotube, wire coil section, and the second hypotube. the step of attaching the implantable medical device can additionally or alternatively include extending the loop wire through an opening in the implantable medical device and engaging the pull wire to a portion of the loop wire extended through the opening of the implantable medical device. the step of attaching the implantable medical device can additionally or alternatively include positioning the pull wire to extend proximally from a proximal end of the second hypotube. brief description of the drawings the above and further aspects of this invention are further discussed with reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate like structural elements and features in various figures. the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating principles of the invention. the figures depict one or more implementations of the inventive devices, by way of example only, not by way of limitation. fig. 1 is an illustration of a cross section of a delivery member according to aspects of the present invention; fig. 2a is an illustration of a cross section of a flexible sleeve according to aspects of the present invention; fig. 2b is an illustration of a cross section of a stretch resistant tube according to aspects of the present invention; fig. 2c is an illustration of a cross section of a wire coil affixed to a distal hypotube and a proximal hypotube according to aspects of the present invention; figs. 3a through 3d are illustrations of an engagement system illustrating a sequence for deploying an implant according to aspects of the present invention; fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for designing or constructing a delivery member according to aspects of the present invention; and fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for using a delivery system including an example delivery member according to aspects of the present invention. detailed description during an intravascular treatment, for instance, an aneurysm occlusion treatment, lack of flexibility of a distal portion of a treatment device delivery member can cause the delivery member to pull back from the treatment site or otherwise move out of position while an implant or other medical treatment device is being placed in an aneurysm or other treatment site. a delivery member and engagement system having a more flexible distal portion can therefore provide a stable system for delivering medical devices in neurovascular anatomy in addition to other applications facing a similar challenge. flexible structures, however can tend deform, extend, or expand when navigating tortuous anatomy. deformation of the delivery member can inhibit the delivery member's ability to navigate to a treatment site and/or effectively deploy the medical device. elongation of the delivery member can result in premature deployment of the medical device. an object of the present invention is to provide a delivery member having a highly flexible distal portion that is stretch resistant and structurally stable throughout delivery and deployment of a medical treatment device. for ease of discussion, medical treatment devices are generally referred to herein as an "implant" although, as will be appreciated and understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art, aspects of the present invention can be applied to deliver and deploy medical treatment devices that are not left implanted. according to the present invention, in some examples, the highly flexible distal portion of the delivery member can include a coiled wire, an outer sleeve, and an inner stretch resistant member. the coiled wire can be formed of a substantially linear wire that is wound in a coil shape and/or a hypotube that is laser cut in a spiral pattern. if the coiled wire is formed from a laser cut hypotube, the spiral can be absent interference cuts connecting windings in the coil so as to provide a more flexible coil. the outer sleeve can inhibit the coiled wire from deforming radially and/or provide a smooth surface against which vascular walls can slide during delivery of an implant. the stretch resistant member can inhibit elongation of the coiled wire during delivery of the implant. the combination of the coiled wire, outer sleeve, and stretch resistant member can therefore provide a distal portion of a delivery member having greater flexibility and greater stability than at least some known delivery members. turning to the figures, as illustrated in fig. 1 , an example delivery member 10 can include a proximal tube 100, a coiled section 200, a distal tube 300, a sleeve 500 surrounding the coiled section, and a stretch resistant member 600 within the lumen of the coiled section 200. the proximal tube 100 can extend a majority of the length of the delivery member 10 with the coiled section 200 and distal tube 300 forming a length sufficient to absorb a majority of push-back that can occur during placement of an implant at a treatment site. in some examples, the length can measure between about 30 cm and about 50 cm, or more specifically, about 40 cm. the proximal tube 100 can have a distal end 104 that is connected to a proximal end 202 of the coiled section 200, and the coiled section 200 can have a distal end 204 that is connected to a proximal end 302 of the distal coil 300. fig. 2a is a cross sectional view of the sleeve 500. fig. 2b is a cross sectional view of the stretch resistant member 600. fig. 2c is a cross sectional view of the assembled proximal tube 100, coiled section 200, and distal tube 300. the coiled section 200 can be formed separately from the proximal hypotube 100 and/or the distal hypotube 300. the separately formed coiled section 200 can be affixed with welds 712, 714 or other appropriate attachment to the proximal tube 100 and/or the distal tube 300. alternatively, or additionally, at least a portion of the coiled section can be formed from a spiral laser cut portion of a hypotube. a separately formed coiled section 200 can be made more flexible compared to a spiral cut tube by selecting a wire with a particular cross section (e.g. circular) with a particular diameter d, or by selecting a wire with material properties to increase flexibility. conversely, a laser cut portion can be more easily fabricated by cutting a single hypotube to form the proximal tube 100, coiled section 200, and distal hypotube 300, reducing or eliminating welds 712, 714 or other attachments. in either case, the wire of the coil 200 can have a diameter d measuring within a range including about 0.8 mils and 5 mils (about 20320 nm to about 127000 nm). the coiled section can be formed primarily of a non-radiopaque material such as steel and can include a radiopaque section 216 made of a radiopaque material such as platinum and/or tungsten. the radiopaque section 216 can be positioned between a proximal, non-radiopaque section of the coil 212 and a distal, non-radiopaque section of the coil 214. the radiopaque section 216 can be positioned a predetermined distance from a distal end 304 of the delivery member 10 so that a physician can readily visualize the placement of the distal portion of the delivery member during a treatment procedure. the proximal section 212, radiopaque section 216, and distal section 214 can be concentrically welded. the coiled section 200 can be surrounded by a flexible sleeve or fused jacket 500, referred generically herein as a "sleeve". the sleeve can inhibit the coil 200 from expanding radially and/or from engaging vascular walls during navigation. the sleeve 500 can include a polymer. the polymer can include additives to increase the lubricity of the sleeve 500 so that the sleeve can easily slide through a body vessel. as illustrated in fig. 2a , the sleeve 500 can have a wall thickness t measuring within a range including about 0.5 mils and about 2 mils (about 0.0127 mm to about 0.0508 mm). the sleeve 500 can further be coated with a hydrophilic coating to further minimize friction during intravascular navigation. the sleeve 500 can be fused or glued to the coil 200, the proximal hypotube 100, and/or the distal hypotube 300. the stretch resistant member 600 can be positioned to inhibit elongation of the coil 200 during intravascular navigation. the stretch resistant member 600 can include a tube sized to fit within the lumen 208 of the coil 200. the stretch resistant tube 600 can also be sized to extend through the entirety of the length of the coil 200, extend with a lumen 108 of the proximal tube 100 and within the lumen 308 of the distal coil 300. the stretch resistant member 600 can be attached to the proximal tube 100 and the distal tube 300 at adhesive joints 702, 704 or other appropriate attachment. the stretch resistant member 600 can remain unattached to the coiled section 200 such that the stretch resistant member 600 and coiled section 200 are able to move independently from each other to some extent. the delivery member 10 can include a mechanical engagement system for engaging a medical treatment device during delivery to a treatment site that can be actuated mechanically to deploy the treatment device. mechanically actuated engagement systems often include one or more inner elongated members or pull wires extending through the delivery member that can be manipulated at the proximal end by a physician to deploy a medical treatment device. such a wire or inner elongated member is referred to herein generically as a "pull wire". figs. 3a through 3d illustrate the delivery member 10 including a mechanical engagement system including a pull wire 140 and a loop wire 400 that can be positioned to secure an implant or other medical treatment device to the delivery member 10 and can be moved to release the medical treatment device from the delivery member 10. the loop wire 400 can be affixed to the distal tube 300 with a weld 408 or other or other suitable attachment (see fig. 1 ). the stretch resistant member 600 can be sized to allow a pull wire 140 to pass through the lumens 108, 208, 308 of the proximal tube 100, coiled section 200, and distal tube 300. for instance, the stretch resistant member 600 can be tubular, having a lumen therethrough, and the pull wire 140 can extend through the lumen of the tubular stretch resistant member 600. during manufacture of the stretch resistant member 600, the stretch resistant member 600 can be extruded over the pull wire 140. the combination of the coil 200, sleeve 500, and stretch resistant member 600 can provide a highly flexible distal portion of a delivery member 10 suitable for navigating tortuous anatomy, including neurovascular blood vessels. the stretch resistant member 600 can support the coil 200 to prevent the coil 200 from significantly extending during navigation of a blood vessel, thereby reducing tension on a pull wire 140 extending therethrough and reducing the likelihood of premature deployment of an attached medical treatment device. the proximal tube 100 can include a flexible section 106 having material removed to increase flexibility of the flexible section 106. the flexible section 106 can be cut in a spiral pattern. the spiral pattern of the flexible section 106 can lack interference cuts connecting windings within the spiral. the stretch resistant member 600 can extend through the flexible section 106 and be attached to the proximal tube 100 in the proximal direction from the flexible section 106. the stretch resistant member 600 can thereby inhibit elongation of the flexible section 106 of the proximal tube 100 and coiled section 200. the sleeve 500 can cover at least a portion of the flexible section 106 to inhibit deformation of the flexible section and/or reduce friction with vasculature and the flexible section 106 during intravascular navigation. in some examples, the sleeve 500 can cover about 10 cm of the proximal tube 100 approximate and/or including the distal end 104 of the proximal tube 100. the distal tube 300 can include a compressible portion 306. the compressible portion 306 can be axially adjustable between an elongated condition and a compressed condition. the compressed portion 306 can be formed from a spiral-cut portion of the tube 300, formed by a laser cutting operation. additionally, or alternatively, the compressible portion can be formed of a wound wire, spiral ribbon, or other arrangement allowing axial adjustment according to the present invention. preferably, the compressible portion 306 is in the elongated condition at rest and automatically or resiliently returns to the elongated condition from a compressed condition, unless otherwise constrained. figs. 3a-3d , illustrate the detachment of the medical device 12 using a mechanical engagement/deployment system. fig. 3a illustrates the engagement system 140, 400 locked into the locking portion 18 of the medical device 12. the compressible portion 306 of the distal tube 300 can be compressed and the loop wire 400 opening 405 at a distal end 404 of the loop wire 400 can be placed through the locking portion 18. when the pull wire 140 is put through the opening 405 the medical device 12 is now secure. fig. 3b illustrates the pull wire 140 being drawn proximally to begin the release sequence for the medical device 12. fig. 3c illustrates the instant the pull wire 140 exits the opening 405 and is pulled free of the loop wire 400. the distal end 404 of the loop wire 400 falls away and exits the locking portion 18. as can be seen, there is now nothing holding the medical device 12 to the detachment system 10. fig. 3d illustrates the end of the release sequence. here, the compressible portion 306 has extended/returned to its original shape and "sprung" forward. an elastic force e is imparted by the distal end 304 of the distal tube 300 to the medical device 12 to "push" it away to ensure a clean separation and delivery of the medical device 12. illustrations in the above-described figures depict generally hollow or tubular structures 100, 200, 300, 500, 600 according to the present invention. when used herein, the terms "tubular" and "tube" are to be construed broadly and are not limited to a structure that is a right cylinder or strictly circumferential in cross-section or of a uniform cross-section throughout its length. for example, the tubular structure or system is generally illustrated as a substantially right cylindrical structure. however, the tubular system may have a tapered or curved outer surface without departing from the scope of the present invention. fig. 4 is a flow diagram including method steps for constructing or designing a delivery member such as the example delivery members described herein. referring to the method 800 outlined in fig. 4 , in step 810, a first hypotube, a second hypotube, a flexible sleeve, a wire coil, and a stretch resistant member can be selected. the first hypotube can be a proximal hypotube 100 as described herein or as would otherwise be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. the second hypotube can be a distal hypotube 300 as described herein or as would otherwise be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. the flexible sleeve can be a sleeve or fused jacket 500 as described herein or as otherwise known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. the wire coil can include the support coil, coiled section 200 as described herein or as otherwise known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. the stretch resistant member can be a stretch resistant member 600 as described herein or as otherwise known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. in step 820, the stretch resistant member can be positioned in the lumen of the wire coil. in step 820, the stretch resistant member that is positioned can be substantially tubular. in step 830, the first hypotube, wire coil, and second hypotube can be attached to each other. in step 840, the stretch resistant member is attached to the first hypotube and the second hypotube. the first hypotube, wire coil, and second hypotube can be attached as illustrated and described herein or by other means as would be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. steps 820, 830, and 840 need not be performed in that order and can be performed simultaneously. for instance, the stretch resistant member can be attached to one of the first and second hypotubes as indicated in step 840, then the hypotube to which the stretch resistant member is attached can be attached to the wire coil as indicated in step 830, then the stretch resistant member can be positioned through the wire coil as indicated in step 820, then the other of the hypotubes can be attached to the wire coil as indicated in step 830, then the stretch resistant member can be attached to that other hypotube as indicated in step 840. in step 850, the wire coil can be covered with the flexible sleeve. the flexible sleeve can cover some or all of the outer surface of the wire coil. step 850 can also include the step of fusing the flexible sleeve to the wire coil and/or otherwise affixing the flexible sleeve to the delivery member. if the second hypotube has a flexible section, in step 850, the flexible sleeve can also be positioned to cover at least a portion of the flexible section. in step 860, an implant can be detachably attached to the distal end of the first hypotube. in step 860, the implant can be attached by positioning a loop wire within the first hypotube, positioning a pull wire to extend through the first hypotube, coiled wire, and second hypotube, and securing the implant with the loop wire and the pull wire. the pull wire can be extended from the proximal end of the second hypotube. if the first hypotube has a compressible portion, in step 860, the compressible portion can be compressed, and the implant can be attached to delivery member while the compressible portion is compressed. fig. 5 is a flow diagram including method steps for administering an intravascular treatment using a system including a delivery member such as the example delivery members described herein. referring to the method 900 outlined in fig. 5 , in step 910 a system having a distal hypotube, proximal hypotube, coiled section co-axially positioned in between the hypotubes, a flexible sleeve covering the coiled section, a stretch resistant member positioned within the coiled section, and a medical treatment device attached to or near the distal hypotube can be selected. the system can be suitable for intravascular treatments such as described and illustrated herein or as otherwise known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. in step 920, the system can be moved through a catheter to a treatment site such as the site of an aneurysm or other abnormality in a blood vessel. in step 930, the system can be flexed as it is moved through the catheter. in step 940, the coiled section of the system can be prevented from deforming by the flexible sleeve and the stretch resistant member; the flexible sleeve can inhibit the coiled section from deforming radially while the stretch resistant member can inhibit the coil from extending longitudinally. in step 950, the medical treatment device can be deployed. in the case that the medical treatment device is an implant, in step 950 the implant can be detached. in step 960, the distal tube can extend to push the medical treatment device away from the distal tube. in the case that the medical treatment device is an implant detached in step 950, in step 960, the detached implant can be ejected away from the distal tube in response to the expansion of the distal tube. the descriptions contained herein are examples of embodiments of the invention and are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the invention. as described herein, the invention contemplates many variations and modifications of the delivery system, delivery member, and engagement system, including alternative configurations of components, alternative materials, alternative medical treatment devices, alternative means for deploying the medical treatment device, alternative geometries of individual components, alternative means for attaching component parts, etc. these modifications would be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention relates and are intended to be within the scope of the claims which follow.
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128-869-914-162-624
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US
|
[
"US"
] |
G06F19/00,E04B5/04
| 2005-07-13T00:00:00 |
2005
|
[
"G06",
"E04"
] |
identification of terrestrial foliage location, type and height for scaled physical models
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a method for identifying modeling characteristics of items of foliage on a piece of real property so that the property's foliage can be accurately modeled on a site model portion of an architectural model. the characteristics determined for each item of foliage is its location (in longitude and latitude within the property), type (evergreen tree, deciduous tree, shrub), and height. the determinations of characteristics are carried out via automated analysis (including spectral analysis) of satellite imagery or aerial imagery of the selected piece of real property. the height information and type information is used to select appropriate miniature foliage to model each identified foliage item, and the location information is used to place the selected miniature foliage accurately on the site model.
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1. a method for identifying modeling characteristics of foliage items on a predetermined real property and placement of model foliage in an architectural model, the method comprising: identifying location of the real property relative to objective coordinates; collecting imagery data corresponding to the identified location of the real property; georeferencing the imagery data to the identified location of the real property; analyzing the imagery data to identify the foliage items on the real property; analyzing the imagery data to determine, for each of the identified foliage items, location information and type information; georeferencing each identified foliage item to the identified location of the real property; and modifying a cam program that produces a computer numerically controlled (cnc) data file corresponding to the real property to include instructions to drill holes for placement of model foliage based upon modeling characteristics and georeferenced information identified for the foliage items and stored in the respective foliage item data files. 2. the method of claim 1 , wherein the imagery data is digital data collected from a source selected from the group comprising: satellite imagery and aerial imagery. 3. the method of claim 1 , wherein the determined location information indicates, for each respective foliage item, a longitude and latitude. 4. the method of claim 1 , wherein the determined type information indicates, for each foliage item, whether the foliage item is a shrub, an evergreen tree, or a deciduous tree. 5. the method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of type information is made substantially based upon spectral analysis. 6. the method of claim 1 , wherein the determined type information comprises height information. 7. a method for integrating model foliage into a site model corresponding to a predetermined real property, the method comprising: identifying location of the real property relative to objective coordinates; collecting imagery data corresponding to the identified location of the real property; georeferencing the imagery data to the identified location of the real property; analyzing the imagery data to identify the foliage items on the real property; analyzing the imagery data to determine, for each of the identified foliage items, modeling characteristics comprising location information and type information and storing the determined modeling characteristics in a foliage item data file corresponding to the respective foliage item; georeferencing each identified foliage item to the identified location of the real property and storing georeference information in the respective foliage item data file; modifying a cam program that produces a computer numerically controlled (cnc) data file corresponding to the real property to include instructions to drill holes based upon modeling characteristics and georeferenced information identified for the foliage items and stored in the respective foliage item data files; commanding a subtractive manufacturing device to fabricate the site model based upon the modified computer numerically controlled (cnc) data file; and placing model foliage items on the site model corresponding to the real property based upon the identified modeling characteristics. 8. the method for integrating model foliage into a site model according to claim 7 , wherein the cnc data file is selected from the group consisting of: a g-code file, an m-code file, a dnc conversational, and an apt-code file. 9. the method for modeling foliage items according to claim 7 , wherein the imagery data is digital data collected from a source selected from the group comprising: satellite imagery and aerial imagery. 10. the method for modeling foliage items according to claim 7 , wherein the determined location information indicates, for each respective foliage item, a longitude and latitude. 11. the method for modeling foliage items according to claim 7 , wherein the determined type information indicates, for each foliage item, whether the foliage item is a shrub, an evergreen tree, or a deciduous tree. 12. the method for modeling foliage items according to claim 7 , wherein the determination of type information is made substantially based upon spectral analysis. 13. the method for modeling foliage items according to claim 7 , wherein the modeling characteristics further comprise height information. 14. a method for integrating model foliage into a site model corresponding to a predetermined real property, the method comprising: identifying modeling characteristics of foliage items on the real property based substantially on spectral analysis and georeferencing of the foliage items; modifying a computer aided manufacturing (cam) program corresponding to the real property to include instructions to drill holes based upon modeling characteristics identified for the foliage items; commanding a subtractive manufacturing device to fabricate the site model based upon programming code generated by the modified cam program; and placing model foliage items on the site model corresponding to the real property based upon the identified modeling characteristics. 15. the method for integrating model foliage into a site model according to claim 14 , wherein the identifying of modeling characteristics comprises: identifying location of the real property relative to objective coordinates; collecting imagery data corresponding to the identified location of the real property; georeferencing the imagery data to the identified location of the real property; analyzing the imagery data to identify the foliage items on the real property; analyzing the imagery data to determine, for each of the identified foliage items, modeling characteristics comprising location information and type information; and georeferencing each identified foliage item to the identified location of the real property. 16. the method for integrating model foliage into a site model according to claim 15 , wherein the imagery data is digital data collected from a source selected from the group comprising: satellite imagery and aerial imagery. 17. the method for integrating model foliage into a site model according to claim 15 , wherein the determined location information indicates, for each respective foliage item, a longitude and latitude. 18. the method for integrating model foliage into a site model according to claim 15 , wherein the determined type information indicates, for each foliage item, whether the foliage item is a shrub, an evergreen tree, or a deciduous tree. 19. the method for integrating model foliage into a site model according to claim 15 , wherein the determination of type information is made substantially based upon spectral analysis. 20. the method for integrating model foliage into a site model according to claim 15 , wherein the modeling characteristics further comprise height information.
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cross reference to related applications this application claims priority benefit under 35 u.s.c. § 119(e) from provisional application no. 60/698,707, filed jul. 13, 2005. the 60/698,707 application is incorporated by reference herein, in its entirety, for all purposes. this application also relates to co-pending applications by the same inventor of this application and entitled “building of scaled physical models” (application no. 11/484,945, filed jul. 12, 2006), “applying foliage and terrain features to architectural scaled models” (application no. 11/484,944, filed jul. 12, 2006; now issued as u.s. pat. no. 7,343,216), and “determination of scaling for architectural models” (application no. 11/485,084, filed jul. 12, 2006). field of the invention the invention relates generally to architectural processes of building physical models to develop and communicate building design concepts. in particular, the invention relates to a process for identification and placement of miniature foliage (trees and/or shrubs) on scaled physical models that are reflective of the actual foliage on an actual building site. background of the invention architects, builders, and real estate developers have been building physical representations (models) of their design concepts for centuries to help them both develop their design and communicate that design to their clients. these models typically involve the fabrication of a building model (typically a residential house or commercial building), the fabrication of a site model of the property's terrain, and the placement of miniature facsimile trees and/or shrubs on the site model. the building model is a scaled three dimensional model that represents the architect's design of the proposed building. these building models have traditionally been fabricated by hand using cardboard-type materials (“chipboard” is a popular medium) by architects and/or model builders using x-acto® knives and glue to manufacture a miniature scaled model of the building design. other materials can also be used such as plastics or metals, which are often cut to size using laser cutters. the site models are typically scaled topographical representations of the land on which the building is to be constructed. the typical approach to constructing these site models is to cut out and stack-up cardboard layers, with each cut out layer representing a land elevation contour. once the building model and site model have been integrated together to form a combined model, the final assembly stage of the combined model is the placement of miniature foliage representing trees and/or shrubs. the miniature foliage may be simply decorative (i.e., randomly place on the site model with no correlation to the actual location of plants), or it may be a representation of the actual positioning of foliage that is intended to occupy the site with the building as part of an architect's landscape design. in situations where the placement of foliage items on the site model needs to reflect the actual foliage existing on the property, the traditional approach has been to send a survey team to go to visit the property and survey each foliage element for location, type, trunk diameter and possibly height. this approach, although highly accurate, is time consuming, labor intensive, and expensive. what is needed is a way of obtaining a reasonably accurate survey of the location, type, and size of foliage existing on a particular property without the delay and expense of an onsite survey by a survey team. summary of the invention according to various embodiments of the present invention a method identifies the location, type and height of foliage on a selected property. the identified information is useful for placement of miniature foliage in site model representing the selected property. the method comprises identifying the location of the property and collecting imagery data relating to the property. the imagery data is analyzed to determine location, type, and height of the foliage. one aspect of the present invention is that it utilizes airborne and/or satellite imagery to identify a property's foliage location, type (i.e. evergreen tree vs. deciduous tree) and height in an automated fashion for use in the placement of miniature foliage in the site model. this invention significantly reduces the time and cost associated with gathering information about foliage location, type and height and the resulting placement for representation of that foliage in architectural models. one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for identifying modeling characteristics of foliage items on a predetermined real property and placement of model foliage in an architectural model. this method includes identifying the location of the real property relative to objective coordinates and collecting imagery data corresponding to the identified location of the real property. the imagery data is georeferenced to the identified location of the real property. the imagery data is then analyzed to identify the foliage items on the real property, and is further analyzed to determine, for each of the identified foliage items, location information, type information, and height information. each identified foliage item is georeferenced to the identified location of the real property. a computer numerically controlled (cnc) data file corresponding to the real property is modified to include instructions to drill holes for placement of model foliage based upon modeling characteristics and georeferenced information identified for the foliage items and stored in the respective foliage item data files. another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for integrating model foliage into a site model corresponding to a predetermined real property. this method includes identifying the location of the real property relative to objective coordinates and collecting imagery data corresponding to the identified location of the real property. the imagery data is georeferenced to the identified location of the real property. the imagery data is then analyzed to identify the foliage items on the real property, and is further analyzed to determine, for each of the identified foliage items, location information, type information, and height information. each identified foliage item is georeferenced to the identified location of the real property. a computer numerically controlled (cnc) data file corresponding to the real property is modified to include instructions to drill holes for placement of model foliage based upon modeling characteristics and georeferenced information identified for the foliage items and stored in the respective foliage item data files. a subtractive manufacturing device is commanded to fabricate the site model based upon the modified computer numerically controlled (cnc) data file. model foliage items are then placed on the site model corresponding to the real property based upon the identified modeling characteristics. a further embodiment of the present invention is directed to a method for integrating model foliage into a site model corresponding to a predetermined real property. this method includes identifying modeling characteristics of foliage items on the real property based substantially on spectral analysis and georeferencing of the foliage items, and modifying a computer aided manufacturing (cam) program file (using any of various programming codes, e.g., g-code, m-codes, dnc conversational, or apt code) corresponding to the real property to include instructions to drill holes based upon modeling characteristics identified for the foliage items. a subtractive manufacturing device is commanded to fabricate the site model based upon the modified cam program file. model foliage items are then placed on the site model corresponding to the real property based upon the identified modeling characteristics. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 illustrates a reproduction of a land plat useful in practice of the present invention. fig. 2 illustrates an aerial image of land corresponding to the land plat of fig. 1 , which is useful in practice of the present invention. fig. 3 illustrates a flowchart showing the process flow of a method for determining model foliage items according to the present invention. fig. 4 illustrates a conceptual view of a foliage item data structure according some embodiments of the present invention. fig. 5 illustrates a flowchart showing the process flow of a method for determining model foliage items according to an embodiment of the present invention. detailed description one embodiment of the present invention is a process by which satellite and/or aerial imagery is used to identify the location, type and height of trees and/or shrubs (collectively, foliage) on a given property. this identified information is useful for building an accurate scaled physical site model of that property for use in an architectural model. referring to fig. 3 , the process flow of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. identification and location of the property of interest is first established 310 . to do this, the property location's boundaries are geo-referenced. this provides the boundaries of the property of interest in terms of longitude and latitude. this information is typically obtainable from civil government agencies responsible for keeping track of land records in the form of a land plat, an example of which is shown in fig. 1 . referring to fig. 5 , a flowchart for a process by which architectural electronic design data can be used to build scaled physical models is illustrated, including identification of foliage according to the present invention. the process has a process flow 460 for making the building model, which is mostly separate from a process flow 500 for making the site model. the building model process flow 460 and the site model process flow 500 are conceptually parallel to one another and may be executed substantially contemporaneously with one another. the building model process flow 460 begins with the reception 470 of building model data from an architect or designer. the format the building model data is received in is any format known to those skilled in the art so long as it can be transformed or translated into a format that is compatible with cad software. for example paper format blueprints can be scanned and captured to be placed into an electronic form. non-3d formats are translated into a 3d format either by conversion or design translation. thus, 2d cad files, 3d cad files, and .stl files can all be received into and utilized for a process according to this invention. for ease of description, the process as described below will presuppose that the building model data has been either delivered in, or has been converted into, the standard stereolithography output format which is known in the cad art and for which the files have the file extension “.stl” (a standard output format for almost all 3d cad software programs). a building model .stl file received from the architect or designer contains a complete description of the building model design, and is output from the architect's 3d cad software package. once received, the .stl file is examined to ensure suitability for manufacturing in additive manufacturing equipment 200 (refer to fig. 1 ), which is commonly referred to as “rapid prototyping” equipment. three dimensional printers are additive manufacturing machines 200 suitable for implementing the invention, and are commercially available as products manufactured by z corp, stratasys, and 3d systems. a search of the data file is conducted for anomalies that would prevent successful manufacturing of the building model “part.” any such anomalies identified are modified or repaired 480 so that manufacture of the model can be accomplished. examples of repairs that are typically effected include making parts be “water tight” (i.e., no gaps, holes, or voids in the model), and insuring that no features are below minimal manufacturing tolerances. commercially available software programs are available for this purpose, such as materialise's magics, or proprietary analysis software may be used. additional changes to the electronic model (e.g., changing the size of railings or fence posts) may be useful and can be accomplished with the use of 3d cad programs. examples of 3d cad programs that can be successfully used to do this are rhino, formz, autocad, and solidworks. as an alternative, .stl manipulation programs (such as magics) can be used to make the changes to revise the building model data file. once the building model .stl file is determined to be suitable for manufacturing, a check 630 is made to ensure that the site model and the building model are of the same scale. for example, a check is made to confirm that both are “16th scale,” which means that 1 inch represents 16 feet at full scale. additionally, a fit check 640 is made to make sure that they building model can be attached to the site model. if both these checks are met, the building model .stl file is submitted 490 to the additive manufacturing equipment to be built. the process this equipment performs is referred to as an “additive” process, since the part (in this case the building model) is typically built up one layer at a time by the rapid prototyping manufacturing equipment. various types of media (e.g., plastic or plaster) can be used by the equipment to make the building models, and the media may be colored depending on the manufacturer and rapid prototype equipment selected. various post processing efforts are performed, depending on the additive manufacturing equipment selected. for example, when using a z510 model three dimensional printer manufactured by z corp., once the building model is built up and has had suitable time to dry, the part is excavated from the z510 machine and “de-powdered” to remove all excess material. the de-powdering is done because the z510 uses a plaster-like powder material as its medium to build the parts it makes. the de-powdered building model can then be “infiltrated” with any of a variety of waxes, urethanes, or resins, depending on the desired surface characteristics for the building model. once infiltrated, the building model may be hand finished as necessary to ensure the desired look, quality and finish. after the post processing efforts have been completed, the fabricated building model is ready to be attached 660 to the site model. the site model process flow 500 can be performed in parallel to the building model process flow 460 to minimize overall process completion time. the site model process flow 500 begins with the reception 510 of site model data from the architect, designer, or survey engineer. the site model data can be in various formats. either paper format (e.g., plats) or electronic format (e.g., 2d cad files, 3d cad files, .stl files, etc.) can be utilized in the process. in order to be manufactured, non-3d formats must be translated into 3d formats, either by conversion or design translation. for ease of description, the process as described below will presuppose that the site model data has been either delivered in, or has been converted into, the standard stereolithography output format which is known in the cad art and for which the files have the file extension “.stl”. once ready, the .stl file is converted 520 into a cam program which can ouput a programming language (i.e., g-code) that is used by subtractive manufacturing equipment, such as a cnc machine tool (e.g., a cnc milling machine or a cnc routing machine). this conversion can be done with off-the-shelf cam (computer aided manufacturing) software programs such as artcam by delcam plc (www.artcam.com). before being sent to the subtractive manufacturing equipment to fabricate the site model, the cam program file (such as a g-code file) will be further modified to accommodate information regarding foliage. based on site data, foliage item data is prepared 355 to be used in modifying the cam program. collection of satellite or aerial data covering the property of interest is then accomplished 320 (refer to fig. 3 ). data sources of satellite imagery and/or aerial imagery for the selected property are identified. examples of data sources that are useful to provide such data can be found on readily accessible internet web sites are: earth.google.com, www.terraserver.com, and www.airphotousa.com. government agencies responsible for agriculture or mapping are also useful sources of such data, for example at geography.usgs.gov/partners/viewonline.html. other public and private sources may be used. the preferred sources of imagery data (either satellite or aerial) are digital, have a resolution of less than 1 meter per pixel, are in color, and are taken with lidar (light detection and ranging) technology. these preferred image characteristics are not required for practice of the invention. however, in general the better the resolution, the better will be the quality of foliage analysis. an example of aerial imagery is seen in fig. 2 , which data corresponds to a site delineated on the land plat shown in fig. 1 . once collected, the satellite or aerial data is geo-referenced 330 to define its existence in physical space. georeferencing as used in this application is the process of scaling, rotating, translating and de-skewing the image to match a particular size and position in space by methods known in the art. for example, physical locations such as cross roads, building corners and the like are frequently stored in various databases in the form of geo coordinates. further, many points are georeferenced in the land plat ( fig. 1 ) and can be compared to and associated with physical features imaged in image data that is acquired over a site. when performing georeferencing, one can initially start with an image in raster from. a raster image, such as a digital satellite photo, is made up of pixels and has no particular size. without georeferencing, the vectorised cad/gis drawing size is determined by the raster's pixel dimensions (the width and height of the raster in pixels). this is in turn determined by the image resolution (dpi). this image sizing will usually bear no relationship with the dimensions of the drawing that the raster represents. hence georeferencing is needed in order to make the determination of foliage and its location meaningful and accurate. in practice a pixel of a digital image is selected, which is to be used as a control point. this is typically a feature on the image for which a specific coordinate location can be identified. once this control point is selected, one usually establishes the desired coordinate for this pixel which is then stored. this is repeated typically for three control points which are then used for image transformation and for accounting for any image distortion. in this fashion, any subsequent determination of the position of foliage or other features will have a georeferenced set of coordinates that can be provided to cad, cam or other systems for use in the present invention. a computer implemented algorithm is used to analyze the collected imagery data to identify foliage type 340 , location 350 , and height. identification of location of the foliage means that each foliage item is independently georeferenced 350 . referring to fig. 4 , when the collected imagery data is analyzed to identify foliage type 340 , location 350 , and height, a foliage item data structure 400 is established for each distinct piece of foliage that is identified. as each distinct piece of foliage is identified, it is provided a unique identifier string 410 . upon identification of the type of the piece of foliage, a type indicator 420 is stored in the foliage item 400 . upon identification of the location of the piece of foliage within the image, a location indicator 430 is stored in the foliage item 400 . upon identification of the height of the piece of foliage, a height indicator 440 is stored in the foliage item 400 . when the foliage item is georeferenced 350 , this data regarding the location in space 450 of the piece of foliage is stored in the foliage item data structure 400 . together the foliage items 400 are aggregated as foliage data to be used for integrating 360 with the cam program of the site model. either proprietary or commercially available software is useful to analyze the imagery data in order to determine foliate location, type and height. algorithms for the identification of foliage from satellite or airborne images have been developed by pollock (1994), gougeon (1995), brandtberg and walter (1999), wulder et al. (2000) and mccombs et al. (2003). in general, these algorithms perform digital image classification using the spectral information from digital imagery, and classify each individual pixel based on spectral information. this type of classification is generally termed “spectral pattern recognition.” the objective is to assign all pixels in the image to particular classes or themes (i.e. coniferous forest, deciduous forest, etc.). commercial software packages that provide some of the functionality described herein include ecognition forester by definiens and feature analyst® by visual learning systems. this automated approach described above is the preferred mode of practicing the invention. an alternate method is to visually inspect the satellite or airborne imagery and make a visual determination of location, type and height estimates of the foliage. this personal visual inspection approach can be assisted with mapping programs like mapinfo which can place the geo-referenced imagery into the mapping program and place grid lines or other visual aids to help make the analysis of location, type and height more accurate. as an alternative, a landscape plan identifying location, type and size of foliage may be used. model foliage is integrated into the site model based on the location, height, and type information obtained from imagery analysis. for an architectural model being built by hand, the location can be mapped onto the model manually for the placement of miniature trees and/or shrubs (foliage) on the site model. for an architectural model being built according to an automated process, the georeferenced location information for the foliage items is integrated 360 with the georeferenced existing cam program for the site model (refer to fig. 3 ). any discrepancies between the foliage location data and the contour of the site according to the existing cam program can be reconciled via interpolation or other methods. for an architectural model being built according to an automated process, once the location and type information has been integrated into the site file, the location and type information is then automatically incorporated 370 into the cam program (e.g., programmed g-code language) site model which can generate programming code for commanding operation of a computer numerically controlled (cnc) machine so that a site model produced by the cnc machine is adapted to accommodate the placement of miniature foliage. the location information is used to specify placement of where the cnc machine is to drill a hole and the type information is used to specify the size of the hole to be drilled. hole depth may also be included in the program. once the site model cam program is determined to be suitable for manufacturing and has been modified to include placements for foliage, a scale check 630 (refer to fig. 5 ) is made to ensure that the site model and the building model are of the same scale. for example, if one is sized at “16 th scale” (which meaning 1 inch on the model corresponds to 16 feet at full scale) the other will also need to be sized at that same 16 th scale. additionally, a fit check 640 is made to ensure that the building model can be attached to the site model. if these checks are met, the site model cam program generates the programming codes which are in turn submitted 550 to the subtractive manufacturing equipment for building. in a situation where only a site model is being made, without integration of a building model, the cnc machine creates 380 the physical model of the location as a site model once the location and type information for the foliage items has been integrated into the site data file and corresponding instructions have been added to the cam program. this includes drilling of holes for model foliage to be placed (see fig. 3 ). this manufacturing equipment is described as performing a “subtractive” process in that the part (in this case the site model) is created by taking material away from a block of material with milling or routing machinery. the site models can be made from various types of material, such as plastic modeling boards, styrofoam, medium density fiberboard, or blocks of wood. when the subtractive manufacturing equipment completes formation of the site model, it can then be hand finished as necessary to ensure the desired look, quality, and finish, after which the site model is ready to be physically integrated 660 with the building model (refer to fig. 5 ), in the case where a building model is to be included. regardless of whether a building model is to be integrated to the site model or not, foliage may be placed 390 , 670 on the site model after the site model has been fabricated. miniature trees and shrubs are selected based on type and height information obtained from the imagery analysis and place the selected foliage items on the site model based on the location information. selection based on plant type enables differentiation between evergreen (conifer) trees and deciduous trees, for example. selection based on height is made in proportion to the scale of the architectural model so that the size of the model foliage accurately represents relative size with respect to the building model. each selected foliage item (tree, bush, etc.) is then placed 390 , 670 in a pre-formed hole in the site model. if the site model is produced automatically according to the disclosure of the co-pending “building of scaled physical models” application, the pre-formed hole will have been milled by a cnc machining process using the longitude and latitude determined for that identified foliage item. each foliage item is preferably secured either with glue or simply by a friction fit of the foliage item's base fitting snugly in its designated hole in the site model. a benefit of the present invention is that it takes significantly less time and cost less than a traditional survey team approach, while providing high-quality information about foliage location, type and height. a method for identifying foliage location, type and height on a particular property has been described. it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed and that the examples and embodiments described herein are in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. those skilled in the art of the present invention will recognize that other embodiments using the concepts described herein are also possible. further, any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” or “the” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular. references to a specific time, time interval, or instantiation are in all respects illustrative and not limiting.
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129-489-340-339-057
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US
|
[
"US"
] |
B21D31/02,B21D37/10,B29B7/00,B32B3/00
| 2008-11-16T00:00:00 |
2008
|
[
"B21",
"B29",
"B32"
] |
method and apparatus for forming bend-controlling straps in sheet material
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a substantially two-dimensional sheet material is configured for bending along a bend line to form a three-dimensional article. the sheet material includes a sheet of elastically and plastically deformable material, one portion of the sheet material located on one side of the bend line and another portion located on the opposing side of the bend line, one portion being displaced relative to the another portion in the direction of the thickness of the sheet material, and/or a plurality of shear lengths extending along the bend line separating the one and another portions of the sheet material. at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths define a strap interconnecting the one and another portions of the sheet material. a tooling assembly is configured for forming the bend-controlling straps and includes a punch assembly and a die assembly dimensioned and configured to move relative to one another, a punch block having a continuous shear edge, the punch block removably secured on the punch assembly, and/or a die block having an interrupted shear edge broken into shear edge segments by one or more recesses, the die block removably mounted on the die assembly, wherein moving one of the punch assembly and the die assembly toward the other, the continuous shear edge of the punch block cooperates with the shear edge segments for impart shear lengths upon the sheet material along the predetermined bend line. a method of using the tooling assembly and forming the sheet material is also described.
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1 . a method for bending a substantially two-dimensional sheet material along a bend line to form a three-dimensional article, the method comprising the steps: selecting a sheet of elastically and plastically deformable material; displacing one portion of the sheet material on one side of the bend line relative to another portion of the sheet material on the other side of the bend line; forming a plurality of shear lengths along the bend line, wherein at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths define a strap interconnecting the one and another portions of the sheet material; and bending the sheet material substantially along the bend line and across the strap. 2 . the method of claim 1 wherein, the displacing step includes displacing the one portion of the sheet material relative to the another portion of the sheet material a displacement distance (d) that is greater than approximately 60% of the thickness of the sheet material. 3 . the method of claim 1 wherein, the displacing step includes displacing the one portion of the sheet material relative to the another portion of the sheet material a displacement distance (d) that is approximately equal to the thickness of the sheet material. 4 . the method of claim 1 wherein, the displacing step includes displacing the one portion of the sheet material relative to the another portion of the sheet material a displacement distance (d) that is greater than the thickness of the sheet material. 5 . the method of claim 1 wherein, the forming step includes forming one or more of the plurality of shear lengths with a substantially straight central portion. 6 . the method of claim 1 wherein, the forming step includes forming at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths with adjacent curved ends which define the strap. 7 . the method of claim 6 wherein, the forming step includes forming the curved ends with a radius of curvature (r) that is greater than the thickness (t) of the sheet material. 8 . the method of claim 7 wherein, the forming step includes forming the curved ends with a radius of curvature (r) that is greater than three times the thickness (t) of the sheet material. 9 . a substantially two-dimensional sheet material configured for bending along a bend line to form a three-dimensional article, the sheet material comprising: a sheet of elastically and plastically deformable material; one portion of the sheet material located on one side of the bend line and another portion located on the opposing side of the bend line, one portion being displaced relative to the another portion in the direction of the thickness of the sheet material; and a plurality of shear lengths extending along the bend line separating the one and another portions of the sheet material, wherein at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths define a strap interconnecting the one and another portions of the sheet material. 10 . the sheet material of claim 9 wherein, the one and another portions of the sheet material are displaced relative to one another a displacement distance (d) that is one of: greater than approximately 60% of the thickness of the sheet material; approximately equal to the thickness of the sheet material; or greater than the thickness of the sheet material. 11 . the sheet material of claim 9 wherein, one or more of the plurality of shear lengths include a substantially straight central portion. 12 . the sheet material of claim 9 wherein, at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths include adjacent curved ends which define the strap. 13 . the sheet material of claim 12 wherein, the curved ends have a radius of curvature (r) that is greater than the thickness (t) of the sheet material, or is greater than three times the thickness (t) of the sheet material. 14 . a tooling assembly for forming bend-controlling straps in a sheet material suitable for bending along a predetermined bend line, the tooling assembly comprising: a punch assembly and a die assembly dimensioned and configured to move relative to one another; a punch block having a continuous shear edge, the punch block removably secured on the punch assembly; and a die block having an interrupted shear edge broken into shear edge segments by one or more recesses, the die block removably mounted on the die assembly; wherein moving one of the punch assembly and the die assembly toward the other, the continuous shear edge of the punch block cooperates with the shear edge segments for impart shear lengths upon the sheet material along the predetermined bend line. 15 . the tooling assembly of claim 14 wherein, wherein at least one of the punch block and the die block are formed of hardened steel. 16 . the tooling assembly of claim 15 wherein, wherein the at least one of the punch block and the die block is removably secured to a portion of the punch assembly or the die assembly that is not formed of hardened steel. 17 . the tooling assembly of claim 14 wherein, wherein at least one of the punch block and the die block has a symmetric profile having a plurality of continuous shear edges or interrupted shear edges, wherein upon wear of one of the plurality of shear edges, the at least one block may be rotated 180° for continued use of the at least one block. 18 . the tooling assembly of claim 14 wherein, wherein at least one of the punch block and the die block is received within a channel of a respective punch or die assembly. 19 . the tooling assembly of claim 14 wherein, wherein at least one of the punch block and the die block is formed of a plurality of modular chips, each chip being substantially square-shaped and having a shear edge extending along each side thereof. 20 . the tooling assembly of claim 19 wherein, wherein a portion of the plurality of modular chips are identical, each identical modular chip including a centrally located indentation forming a respective recess of the die block. 21 . the tooling assembly of claim 19 wherein, wherein a portion of the plurality of modular chips are identical, each identical modular chip including a corner notch, wherein adjacent corner notches of adjacent identical modular chips form a respective recess of the die block. 22 . the tooling assembly of claim 19 wherein, wherein a portion of the plurality of modular chips are identical, each identical modular chip including sloped edges providing a rooftop configuration for reducing the tonnage to effect shearing along the sheet material. 23 . the tooling assembly of claim 14 wherein, the punch blocks includes a plurality of continuous shear edges, and the die block includes at least one corresponding interrupted shear edge and at least one corresponding continuous shear edge. 24 . the tooling assembly of claim 14 wherein, at least one of the punch block and die block are electrical-discharged-machined hardened steel. 25 . the tooling assembly of claim 14 wherein, both the punch block and the die block are electrical discharged machined from a single plate of pre-hardened steel plate. 26 . the tooling assembly of claim 14 wherein, a plurality of punch blocks and a plurality of die blocks are electrical discharged machined from a single plate of pre-hardened steel plate. 27 . the tooling assembly of claim 26 wherein, a supplemental component is electrical discharged machined from the single plate of pre-hardened steel plate. 28 . the tooling assembly of claim 27 the supplemental component is selected from the group consisting of a bench supporting an ejector, a bench supporting a lance blade, a bench including a lance cavity, and a corner trimmer. 29 . the tooling assembly of claim 28 wherein, one of the punch assembly and the die assembly includes a shoe to which the corresponding punch block or die block are removably mounted, and wherein the tooling assembly further comprises one or more shims to space a corner trimmer from the shoe. 30 . a punch press machine including the tooling assembly of claim 14 . 31 . a method for forming bend controlling straps in a sheet material, the method comprising the steps: providing the tooling assembly of claim 14 ; inserting a sheet material between the punch strips and the die block; and forming straps on the sheet material. 32 . a sheet material formed by the method of claim 31 . 33 . a three-dimensional article formed from the sheet material of claim 32 . 34 . the three-dimensional article of claim 33 , wherein the article is selected from the group consisting of: electronic components, automotive components, transport components, construction components, appliance parts, truck components, rf shields, hvac components, and/or aerospace components.
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cross-references to related applications this application claims priority to u.s. provisional patent application no. 61/115,095 filed nov. 16, 2008, entitled method and apparatus for forming bend-controlling straps in sheet material, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. background of the invention 1. field of the invention this invention relates, in general, to methods and apparatus for forming bend-controlling straps in sheet materials. 2. description of related art various techniques or manufacturing processes for forming slits, grooves, displacements and other means in a wide variety of sheet materials that precisely control bending of the sheet materials are known. such means include laser cutting, water jet cutting, stamping, punching, molding, casting, stereo lithography, roll forming, machining, chemical-milling, photo-etching and the like. such means may be applied to numerous structures which are formed from sheet materials. an example of one type of structure which can be formed from sheet metal and yet require precision and complex bending is an electronic component chassis of the type used for computers. other types of structures may include electrical enclosures, automotive components, transport components, construction components, hvac components, appliances, airplane components, tracks, audio receivers, television sets, dvd players, and the like. for example, u.s. pat. no. 7,152,449 discloses the slitting and/or grooving of sheet materials and mounting components to the flat sheets using “pick-and-place” techniques in which the components are mounted to the flat sheets prior to folding of the sheets. the sheets may then be folded into enclosures or housings in which all of the components are spatially related in the desired positions inside the housing. the “pick-and-place” techniques greatly reduce cost, as does the ability to fold a flat sheet into a precisely dimensioned enclosure using relatively low-force bending techniques. while such sheet materials can be formed using laser cutting or water jet cutting processes, such processes are typically relatively expensive. other techniques can be employed either in place of, or in addition to, the foregoing. such other processes include displacement-forming techniques such as punching, stamping, roll-forming and the like. the displacement-forming processes are well suited for use with sheet materials and are typically, but not necessarily, less expensive than the cutting processes. a tool press may be utilized to produce displacements in the sheet materials. for example, u.s. pat. no. 7,152,450 discloses various methods and devices for stamping such displacements into sheet materials. for example, turret presses and other soft-tooling means are generally conducive to relatively low-volume production including prototyping and other lower volume applications. relatively high production tooling is often configured with stamping presses and other means, specifically designed for and dedicated to the production of a specific part or parts. in either case, the tool press includes tooling that includes one or more male punches with one or more corresponding female dies. the punch and die sets of such tooling are often formed of hardened steel or other hardened metals that are relatively expensive to fabricate. the precision of the tool press fabrication decreases due to the number of discrete hits which leads to punched parts of lesser quality. dull punches and dies may also wear out in terms of alignment and further lead to “dull” parts, that is, parts in which the finished geometry and dimensions are less precise than the desired or designed geometry and dimensions. the punches and dies may be sharpened, however, such sharpening is generally expensive and time consuming, which may leads to down time of the tool press further contributing to increased expense and decreased throughput. in light of the foregoing, it would be beneficial to have methods and apparatuses utilizing simplified tooling which overcomes the above and other disadvantages of known tool presses. brief summary of the invention one aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for bending a substantially two-dimensional sheet material along a bend line to form a three-dimensional article, the method including the steps selecting a sheet of elastically and plastically deformable material, displacing one portion of the sheet material on one side of the bend line relative to another portion of the sheet material on the other side of the bend line, forming a plurality of shear lengths along the bend line, wherein at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths define a strap interconnecting the one and another portions of the sheet material, and/or bending the sheet material substantially along the bend line and across the strap. the displacing step may include displacing the one portion of the sheet material relative to the another portion of the sheet material a displacement distance (d) that may be greater than approximately 60% of the thickness of the sheet material. the displacing step may include displacing the one portion of the sheet material relative to the another portion of the sheet material a displacement distance (d) that may be approximately equal to the thickness of the sheet material. the displacing step may include displacing the one portion of the sheet material relative to the another portion of the sheet material a displacement distance (d) that may be greater than the thickness of the sheet material. the forming step may include forming one or more of the plurality of shear lengths with a substantially straight central portion. the forming step may include forming at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths with adjacent curved ends which define the strap. the forming step may include forming the curved ends with a radius of curvature (r) that may be greater than the thickness (t) of the sheet material. the forming step may include forming the curved ends with a radius of curvature (r) that may be greater than three times the thickness (t) of the sheet material. another aspect of the present invention is directed to a substantially two-dimensional sheet material configured for bending along a bend line to form a three-dimensional article, the sheet material including a sheet of elastically and plastically deformable material, one portion of the sheet material located on one side of the bend line and another portion located on the opposing side of the bend line, one portion being displaced relative to the another portion in the direction of the thickness of the sheet material, and/or a plurality of shear lengths extending along the bend line separating the one and another portions of the sheet material, wherein at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths define a strap interconnecting the one and another portions of the sheet material. the one and another portions of the sheet material may be displaced relative to one another a displacement distance (d) that may be one of: greater than approximately 60% of the thickness of the sheet material; approximately equal to the thickness of the sheet material; or greater than the thickness of the sheet material. one or more of the plurality of shear lengths may include a substantially straight central portion. at least a pair of adjacent shear lengths may include adjacent curved ends which define the strap. the curved ends may have a radius of curvature (r) that may be greater than the thickness (t) of the sheet material, or may be greater than three times the thickness (t) of the sheet material. a further aspect of the present invention is directed to a tooling assembly for forming bend-controlling straps in a sheet material suitable for bending along a predetermined bend line, the tooling assembly including a punch assembly and a die assembly dimensioned and configured to move relative to one another, a punch block having a continuous shear edge, the punch block removably secured on the punch assembly, and/or a die block having an interrupted shear edge broken into shear edge segments by one or more recesses, the die block removably mounted on the die assembly, wherein moving one of the punch assembly and the die assembly toward the other, the continuous shear edge of the punch block cooperates with the shear edge segments for impart shear lengths upon the sheet material along the predetermined bend line. at least one of the punch block and the die block may be formed of hardened steel. the at least one of the punch block and the die block may be removably secured to a portion of the punch assembly or the die assembly that may be not formed of hardened steel. at least one of the punch block and the die block may have a symmetric profile having a plurality of continuous shear edges or interrupted shear edges, wherein upon wear of one of the plurality of shear edges, the at least one block may be rotated 180° for continued use of the at least one block. at least one of the punch block and the die block may be received within a channel of a respective punch or die assembly. at least one of the punch block and the die block may be formed of a plurality of modular chips, each chip being substantially square-shaped and having a shear edge extending along each side thereof. a portion of the plurality of modular chips may be identical, each identical modular chip including a centrally located indentation forming a respective recess of the die block. a portion of the plurality of modular chips may be identical, each identical modular chip including a corner notch, wherein adjacent corner notches of adjacent identical modular chips form a respective recess of the die block. a portion of the plurality of modular chips may be identical, each identical modular chip including sloped edges providing a rooftop configuration for reducing the tonnage to effect shearing along the sheet material. the punch blocks may include a plurality of continuous shear edges, and the die block may include at least one corresponding interrupted shear edge and at least one corresponding continuous shear edge. at least one of the punch block and die block may be electrical-discharged-machined hardened steel. both the punch block and the die block may be electrical discharged machined from a single plate of pre-hardened steel plate. a plurality of punch blocks and a plurality of die blocks may be electrical discharged machined from a single plate of pre-hardened steel plate. a supplemental component may be electrical discharged machined from the single plate of pre-hardened steel plate. the supplemental component may be selected from the group consisting of a bench supporting an ejector, a bench supporting a lance blade, a bench including a lance cavity, and a corner trimmer. one of the punch assembly and the die assembly may include a shoe to which the corresponding punch block or die block may be removably mounted, and the tooling assembly further may include one or more shims to space a corner trimmer from the shoe. a punch press machine may include any of the above-mentioned tooling assemblies. a method for forming bend controlling straps in a sheet material may include the steps providing the tooling assembly described above, and may further include inserting a sheet material between the punch strips and the die block, and/or forming straps on the sheet material. a sheet material may be formed by any of the above-described methods. a three-dimensional article by any of the above-described methods. any of the above-described three-dimensional articles may be selected from the group consisting of: electronic components, automotive components, transport components, construction components, appliance parts, truck components, rf shields, hvac components, and/or aerospace components. the methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following detailed description of the invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. brief description of the drawings fig. 1a is an isometric view of an exemplary sheet material, and enlarged detail thereof, having bend-controlling straps in sheet material in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. fig. 1b and fig. 1c are side elevations of exemplary sheet material having displacements of approximately the thickness of the sheet material, and less than the thickness of the sheet material, respectively. fig. 1d , fig. 1e , fig. 1f , and fig. 1g are enlarged details of other exemplary bend-controlling straps with corresponding schematic views of the shear edges for producing the same. fig. 2a , fig. 2b , and fig. 2c are side cross-sectional views of an exemplary apparatus for forming bend-controlling straps in the sheet material of in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, the apparatus shown in progressive stages of the forming process. fig. 3 is an exploded isometric view of shear components of the apparatus of fig. 2 . fig. 4 is an isometric view of another exemplary apparatus having shear components similar to those shown in fig. 2 , the shear components having modular shear chips. fig. 5 is an isometric view of various modular shear blocks similar to those shown in fig. 4 . fig. 6 is an isometric view of the modular shear chips of fig. 5 arranged in segments to form punch and die blocks for forming a corresponding bend line. fig. 7 is an isometric view of shear components of another exemplary apparatus having shear components similar to those shown in fig. 2 . fig. 8 is an isometric view of shear components of another exemplary apparatus similar to that shown in fig. 2 , schematically illustrating bend-controlling straps formed into a two-dimensional sheet material. fig. 9a , fig. 9b , and fig. 9c are isometric views of monolithic plates used to form the shear blocks for the apparatus of fig. 8 in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. fig. 10a and fig. 10b are cross-sectional views of portions of an exemplary plate similar to that shown in fig. 9 . detailed description of the invention reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. while the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. on the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. turning now to the drawings, wherein like components are designated by like reference numerals throughout the various figures, attention is directed to fig. 1a which illustrates an exemplary substantially two-dimensional (2d) sheet material work piece 30 having bend-controlling straps 32 formed by interrupted lengths of shear or near-shear lines of weakness (“shear length”) 33 to facilitate bending the 2d sheet material into a three-dimensional (3d) shape. fig. 2a through fig. 2c illustrate an exemplary tool press, generally, designated by the numeral 35 , that may be used to form the bend-controlling straps in the sheet material in to facilitate bending the sheet material into 3d shapes. as used herein, the terms “tool press” and “punch press” are largely synonymous in that they are used to refer to a machine or system which includes tooling that having one or more punches with one or more corresponding dies which have cooperating shear edges configured to punch, stamp or press shapes into the sheet material work piece. such machines or systems may include stamping presses, hydraulic presses, pneumatic presses and other suitable tooling. the exemplary system is particularly well suited to be used to form sheet materials having engineered fold lines which facilitate low-force and/or precision bending along predetermined fold lines. in this regard, the apparatus of the present invention is particularly forming for bend-controlling displacements in 2d sheet materials to form engineered fold lines of various fold geometries and configurations which may be used instead of, or in addition to other engineered fold lines including, but not limited to, those disclosed by u.s. pat. no. 6,481,259, u.s. pat. no. 6,877,349, u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/180,398 (now u.s. patent application publication no. 2006/0021413 a1), u.s. pat. no. 7,152,449, u.s. pat. no. 7,152,450, u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/821,818 (now u.s. patent application publication no. 2005/0005670 a1), u.s. pat. no. 7,263,869, u.s. pat. no. 7,222,511, u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/357,934 (now u.s. patent application publication no. 2006/0261139 a1), u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/952,357 (now u.s. patent application publication no. 2005/0064138 a1), u.s. patent application ser. no. 12/028,713, u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/384,216 (now u.s. patent application publication no. 2006/0207212 a1), u.s. pat. no. 7,350,390, u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/374,828 (now u.s. patent application publication no. 2006/0213245 a1), the entire contents of which patents and patent applications are incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. as described in the above-mentioned applications, some applications for the precision bending of sheet materials is in connection with the production of 3d articles including, but not limited to, electronic component chassis, automotive components, transport components, construction components, appliances parts, truck components, rf shields, hvac components, aerospace components, and the like. since laser cutting and water jet cutting may be somewhat more expensive, it may be particularly desirable to be able to form various 3d articles, such as a chassis for electronic equipment, and numerous other lower cost housings and the like, using-relatively lower cost, high-production displacement forming techniques such as punching, stamping, roll forming and the like. depending on the particular context of the manufacturing application, the displacement forming techniques may be used as either an alternative to, or as an adjunct to, the cutting and/or other forming techniques. the present application, therefore, illustrates how these displacement forming processes can be applied to sheet materials, which sheet materials may be later bent to form various 3d articles such as those mentioned above. with reference to fig. 1a , the bend-controlling straps 32 may be formed along one or more predetermined or desired bending lines 37 . in contrast to the slits, tongues, and displacements discussed in the above-mentioned patents and patent applications, the bend-controlling straps of the present invention are generally formed as one portion 30 ′ of the sheet material is displaced relative to another portion 30 ″ of the sheet material to form interrupted lengths of shear 33 are formed along bend line 37 extending between the two portions 30 ′, 30 ″ of the sheet material. as can be seen in fig. 1a , the two portions 30 ′, 30 ″ of the sheet material are displaced a distance d that is greater than the thickness of the sheet material. one will appreciate, however, that the displacement distance may vary depending upon application. for example, the displacement distance may be approximately equal to the thickness of the sheet material, as shown in fig. 1b , or the displacement distance may less than the thickness of the sheet material, as shown in fig. 1c . preferably, the displacement distance is sufficient to cause of least partial shear through the sheet material, or sufficient to produce near-shear, that is, sufficient to produce a line of significant weakness that will shear upon bending. for example, with some materials, a displacement distance of approximately 60% the thickness of the material will cause partial shear. in such instances, there is no shear through the sheet material while sheet material remains in its unfolded 2d state, however, upon folding the sheet material into a 3d article in sheet material will effectively break along the lengths of partial shear. accordingly, one will appreciate that the tolerances of vertical displacement necessary to effectively form the bend lines of the present invention may be less than those necessary to form prior engineered bend lines. having the displacement distance approximately equal to, or less than the sheet material thickness may have certain advantages. generally, the shear lengths 33 have opposing shear faces 39 and opposing shear edges 40 (e.g. sharp corners) as shown in fig. 1a . in instances where the displacement distance is approximately equal to, or less than the sheet material thickness may provide for engagement between a shear edge 40 ′ and a corresponding opposed shear face 39 ′ to produce edge-to-face engagement during bending in a manner similar to that described in the above-mentioned patents and patent applications. one will appreciate that the straps may have various geometries as shown in fig. 1d through fig. 1g . in various embodiments, the ends of the shear lengths are provided with relatively large-radii curved ends 42 , however, one will appreciate that curved ends are not essential. in such embodiments, the radii of the curved ends are greater than the thickness of the sheet material, preferably two or three times greater than the thickness of the sheet material, and more preferably more than three times the thickness, and even several times as thick in certain instances. such a configuration facilitates “strap” behavior that subjects portions of the sheet material immediately adjacent to large-radii ends to tension and torsion, as is described in u.s. patent application publication no. us 2008/0098787 a1, the entire contents of which patent application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. these portions or half straps 44 immediately adjacent the ends generally experience greater stress and deformation during bending. using the half straps serves to realign such stresses and deformations to reduce, minimize, and/or prevent propagation of shear through strap 32 during bending, as well as during subsequent vibrations and cyclical or simple loading. the half straps may also serve to facilitate precision bending along the bend line. portions of the sheet material intermediate the half straps generally undergo greater pure bending with relatively less torsion, as compared to the portions immediately adjacent the end of the shear length. in particular, extending between adjacent half straps are intermediate strap portions or mid-zones 46 that are relatively removed from the large-radii ends but lying between two adjacent large-radii ends. these intermediate portions are generally subjected to more pure bending, that is, bending of the structures which results in compression along internal surfaces along the bend line and tension along external surfaces along the bend line with minimal torsion. in contrast, the half straps are generally subjected to relatively high tension and torsion but subjected to relatively less pure bending, or possibly minimal pure bending, or no pure bending. as such, one will appreciate that the lengths of the intermediate portions may vary as the half straps may primarily be responsible for facilitating precision bending along the bend line. advantageously, longer intermediate portions may result in a reduced number of displacements required along the bend line, increased area of material interconnecting portions of sheet material on either side of the bend line, and/or other advantages. with reference to fig. 2a through fig. 2c , tool press 35 includes tooling in the form of an upper punch assembly 47 and a corresponding lower die assembly 49 which are preferably keyed to one another in a conventional manner, for example, with slides such that they reciprocate toward and away from one another in an otherwise conventional manner (see, e.g., fig. 8 ). the illustrated embodiment is “form down” in that the straps are formed downwardly as one portion 30 ′ of the sheet material is displaced downwardly with respect to another portion 30 ″ of the sheet material (see, e.g., fig. 1a and fig. 2c ). one will appreciated that the assembly could be reversed with the die assembly mounted above the punch assembly (i.e., “form up”), or with a combination form-up and form-down configurations. similarly, the punch and die assemblies may be movably mounted relative to one another in some other suitable fashion. for example, the punch and die assemblies may be arranged to move horizontally with respect to one another. the illustrated vertically oriented configuration has certain advantages. for example, the vertically oriented configuration allows your work piece to merely be placed upon the lower assembly and held in place by the force of gravity. this is particularly useful for “clobbering”, that is, stamped without the use of a stripper. for example, when the punching process also shears the peripheral shape of the sheet material, it is generally not necessary to specifically locate the work piece with respect to the upper and lower assemblies. in this case, a coil stand and feeder may be provided to feed coil stock to the tool press, either in addition to or instead of hand placement and mechanical placement as well. as shown in fig. 2a through fig. 2c , the tool press may be used to selectively shear the sheet material 30 to form one or more shear lengths 33 along bend line 37 , which shear lengths form one or more bend-controlling straps 32 in the sheet material. one will appreciate that the tool press may include additional features that may provide the sheet material with a number of other features such as apertures, recesses, protrusions, tabs, etc. (see, e.g., fig. 8 ). one will also appreciate that the tool press may also be configured to provide fewer or additional displacement features and/or cut or form the work piece to a particular length and/or shape (see, e.g., fig. 8 ). with reference to fig. 2a , the upper punch assembly includes a punch block 51 having a continuous shear edge 53 , while the lower die assembly includes a die block 54 having an interrupted shear edge 56 . the cooperating continuous and interrupted shear edges 53 , 56 may also be seen in fig. 3 . although the upper and lower assemblies are illustrated in an open-book fashion in fig. 3 , one will appreciate that the upper and lower assemblies are generally configured to reciprocate up and down relative to one another. as the upper and lower assemblies move toward one another, the punch block abuts against an upper surface of one portion 30 ′ of the sheet material while the die block abuts against a lower surface of the other portion 30 ″ of the sheet material, as shown in fig. 2b , and upon continued motion, punch block 51 displaces one portion 30 ′ downwardly below the upper surface of lower die block 54 to cause partial or full shear along the shear lengths of the sheet material. the actual amount of travel between the upper and lower assemblies may be varied depending upon the desired amount of shear (e.g., greater than the thickness of the sheet material, substantially equal to material thickness, or less than the material thickness). in the illustrated embodiment, punch block 51 and die block 54 are removably secured to their respective assemblies by countersunk machine screws 58 , and holding blocks 60 , removably secured with countersunk cap screws, are provided to prevent the punch and die blocks from scissoring outward left and right relative to one another. one will appreciate that various means may be utilized to removably secure and position the punch, die, and holding blocks including, but not limited to, threaded fasteners, dowels and/or other suitable means. the configuration of the illustrated punch and die blocks provides for very simplified tooling, both in terms of cost and design. for example, only the punch and die blocks need be formed of hardened materials such as hardened steel, and the holding blocks may be formed of hardened materials such as hardened steel if excessive wear-and-tear is an issue. such configuration allows reduced processing time for fabrication thereof as only a limited number of are formed of hardened materials. however, the assembly shoes 61 may be formed of non-hardened mild steel. as such, the shoes may thus be milled and otherwise fabricated much less expensively than if using hardened metals. moreover, punch block 51 and die block 54 , as well as holding blocks 60 , have a relatively simple geometry and uniform thickness, as shown in fig. 3 . as such, the amount of machining to form these components is relatively less as compared to the complex machining required to fabricate conventional cooperating male/female punch and die sets. moreover, punch block 51 has a simple, straight, continuous shear edge 53 which may require minimal machining one will appreciate that the punch block may be symmetrically formed to increase wear life. for example, once continuous shear edge 53 wears, one may simply unbolt punch block 51 from the upper punch assembly 47 , turn it 180°, and rebolt it to the shoe, and utilize sheer edge 53 , thus effectively doubling the wear life of the punch block. with continued reference to fig. 3 , die block 54 is provided with a number of recesses 63 which extend inwardly away from interrupted shear edges 56 . although the illustrated recesses are semicircular, one will appreciate that other shapes may be used. preferably, the recesses and interrupted shear edges are filleted 65 in order to provide for the above described curved ends. although such fillets are not essential to certain aspects of the present invention, such fillets are particularly advantageous as the sheet material curved ends 42 are particularly well suited to serve a stress reducers as described above. the recesses and/or fillets may be ground, hard milled, and/or electrical discharged machined (“edm”), however, one will appreciate that the recesses may be formed by other suitable means. one will also appreciate that the die block may be pre-hardened and milled to form its shear edges before the recesses and/or fillets are machined, thus further simplifying fabrication thereof. one will also appreciate that the punch and die blocks illustrated in fig. 3 may be provided as standard-length stock and cut down to a desired length depending upon application. accordingly, one will appreciate that the cost of tooling may further be reduced by effectively making the punch and die blocks having sheared edges into a commodity part that may be mass produced in relatively high volume. in various embodiments in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, the punch and die blocks may be similar to those described above, but be replaced with substantially modular designs, as shown by the exemplary embodiment of fig. 4 . in various embodiments, punch block 51 a is formed of one or more punch chips 67 and die block 54 a is formed of one or more die chips 68 . one will appreciate that the chips are “standardized” in that a user may simply select a desired type of chip and sufficient number thereof to form a punch and die block set for forming a bend line of a desired length. as shown in fig. 4 , punch chips 67 may have substantially straight edges, but are provided with sloped corners 70 . such sloped corners may be provided for a “rooftop” configuration in order to reduce tonnage required to effect shear. one will appreciate that the sloped corners may be ground, or otherwise provided by suitable means. die chips 68 may include corner notches 72 which, together with an adjacent corner notch of an adjacent die chip, form recess 63 a to interrupt shear in a manner similar to that described above. with continued reference to fig. 4 , one will appreciate that various means may be utilized to mount the punch and die blocks to their respective punch and die assemblies. in various embodiments, the punch and die blocks may be mounted in channels formed in the respective shoes of the punch and die assemblies. for example, punch block 51 a may be situated within channel 74 formed in the respective shoe 61 a of the punch assembly, while die block 54 a may be situated within channel 74 ′ formed in the respective shoe 61 a′ of the die assembly. as the punch and die shoes may be formed of non-hardened metals, the channel may be formed and otherwise fabricated or milled relatively inexpensively. the punch and die chips may be simply bored and countersunk to accommodate threaded fasteners (not shown) for removably mounting the punch and die chips within their respective shoes. turning now to fig. 5 , various punch and die chips are illustrated, each of which may be used to form a punch or die block of a desired configuration. for example, a number of punch chips 67 may be collectively mounted on a punch assembly to form punch block 51 a, while a number of die chips 68 may similarly form die block 54 a in the manner described above and shown in fig. 4 . alternatively, other types of chips may be utilized to form alternative punch and die blocks. for example, a number of punch chips 67 ′, which simply have straight shear edges extending along each side thereof, may be collectively mounted on a punch assembly to form punch block 51 a′ having a straight continuous shear edge 53 a′, as shown in fig. 6 , while a number of punch chips 67 ″, which have blunted central edges 75 along each side thereof, may be collectively mounted on a punch assembly to form punch block 51 a″ also having a continuous shear edge 53 a″ but with blunted segments, also shown in fig. 6 . such blunted segments may be aligned with corresponding recesses of the die block to smooth the transition at one end of the strap. similarly, a number of die chips 68 ′, which have centrally located indentations 77 along each side thereof, may be collectively mounted on a die assembly to form die block die block 54 a′ having an interrupted shear edge 56 a′, as is also shown in fig. 6 . one will appreciate that the symmetric design of the punch and die chips provide for increased wear-and-tear. for example, each punch and die chip may be provided with eight shear edges, four upper edges along each of its upper four-square sides, and four lower edges along each of its lower four-square side. thus, as one shear edge of the punch or die chip wears, a user may simply loosen the respective chip, rotate it 90°, 180° or 270°, and/or flip it upside down and again rotate it 90°, 180° or 270°. in various embodiments in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, the punch and die blocks may be similar to those described above, but may include multiple shear edges in order to shape the sheet material in addition to providing straps and shear lengths along a desired bend line, as shown by the exemplary embodiment of fig. 7 . in various embodiments, punch block 51 b is formed with a plurality of continuous shear edges 53 , while the die block 54 b is formed with at least one interrupted shear edge 56 b and of one or more cooperating shear edges 79 which may be utilized to shape the sheet material. one will appreciate that numerous designs may be provided with incorporate one, two, three or more interrupted shear edge, and one, two, three or more cooperating shear edges. in various embodiments, the punch and die blocks may be formed from a single plate of pre-hardened steel. as can be seen in fig. 7 , punch block 51 b corresponds in shape to the void in die block 54 b. as such, the punch block may be readily cut from the die block by edm in an otherwise conventional manner. further edm machining may be utilized to cut recesses 63 b into the die block. as such, such relatively simple tooling fabrication may contribute to a significant savings of time and money. turning now to fig. 8 , various embodiments may include a rather sophisticated arrangement of punch and die blocks formed from a single plate of pre-hardened steel, as well as other components formed from the same plate of pre-hardened steel. for the sake of clarity and consistency, the term “punch block” (and associated terms) will continue to refer to the upper block assembly and the term “die block” (and associated terms) will continue to refer to the lower block assembly. however, one will appreciate that recess are now formed in the upper “punch blocks” and thus the straps are effectively formed by the “punch blocks” instead of by the “die blocks”. as can be seen in fig. 8 , a substantially flat sheet material 30 c may be formed into an intermediate article 81 with a “single hit” of tool press 35 c. in this exemplary embodiment, upper punch assembly 47 c includes a central punch block 51 c and four peripheral punch blocks 51 c′ and 51 c″, while the lower die assembly 49 c includes a number of cooperating die blocks 54 c′ and 54 c″. together, the punch and die blocks cooperate to form a number of shear lengths 33 c and straps 32 c along a number of bend lines 37 c. in the illustrated embodiment, the bend lines are configured such that the intermediate article may be folded into a junction box. one will appreciate, however, that the intermediate article may have any number of configurations such that it may be folded into various 3d articles including, but not limited to electronic component chassis, automotive components, transport components, construction components, appliances parts, truck components, rf shields, hvac components, aerospace components, and the like. in addition, the assemblies include other components such as spring-loaded spring-clip benches 82 , lance blade holders 84 , lance cavity benches 86 and corner trimmers 88 , which components are useful in providing other “events” or features in the sheet material. for example, the spring-clip benches may support tooling to form a spring clip tab 89 in intermediate article 81 , and the lance blade holders may support a lance blade which cooperates with a lance cavity to form a latch protrusion 91 in the intermediate article complementary to the spring clip tab, such as those described in u.s. patent application publication no. us 2006/0277965 a1, the entire contents of which patent application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. as shown in fig. 8 , corner trimmers 88 may be spaced upwardly from punch assembly shoe 61 c with shims 93 in order to raise the corner trimmer sufficient to cooperate with the profile of lance blade holder 84 to shear or cut off the corners of sheet material 30 to give shape to intermediate article 81 . one will appreciate that other shear edges may be provided to otherwise shape the sheet material into the intermediate article. turning now to fig. 9a , fig. 9b and fig. 9c , it can be seen how the various punch and die blocks, and other components may be formed from a single plate of steel. steel blank 95 may be pre-hardened and pre-ground. in addition, holes, interior cuts, and/or other apertures may be formed by drilling, counterboring, wire edm and other suitable means to allow for dowels, lances, mounting bolts and other components (e.g., slide 96 ) if so desired, before or after hardening. due to its uniform thickness and simple geometry of the steel blank, such fabrication is relatively simple and relatively inexpensive. after the steel blank is hardened and ground, punch blocks 51 c, 51 c′, 51 c″ and cooperating die blocks 54 c′, 54 c″ may be laid out in steel blank 95 ′ (see, e.g., fig. 9b ) and cut by wire edm. in addition, other components including, but not limited to, lance cavity benches 86 may be laid out in central punch block 51 c or other portion of the steel blank and cut by wire edm. as also shown in fig. 9b , corner trimmers 88 are formed at the corners of the steel blank once the steel blank is cut by wire edm, the various components may be separated from one another, as shown in fig. 9c , and mounted on the respective punch and die assemblies 47 c, 49 c by threaded fasteners, such as those described above, or by otherwise suitable means. in some instances, ribs 98 may be left on the die blocks 54 c′, 54 c″ in order to maximize efficiency and reduce machining costs. in particular, leaving the ribs may avoid additional edm time and expense. instead, the ribs my be simply ground to provide chamfers 100 at the tops thereof, which chamfers provide clearance for the formation of the straps. in instances where the kerf of wire edm exceeds the acceptable shear gap between cooperating shear surfaces, “sloped” wire edm may be employed. for example, wire edm may provide kerfs of approximately 0.012″ or more, while it may be desired to have a shear gap between cooperating shear surfaces of approximately 0.006″ or less. in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, one may “close the gap” by tilting the angle of wire edm cutting as shown in fig. 10a and fig. 10b . in particular, tilting the angle of attack of wire edm as shown in fig. 10a provides a kerf (k) that may be approximately 0.012″ or more. when the opposing shear edges are utilized on corresponding punch and die blocks, the effective shear gap (g) may be significantly less, for example, approximately 0.006″ or less, as shown in fig. 10b . one will appreciate that various angles may be utilized depending upon the desired result. for convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “up” or “upper”, “down” or “lower”, “inside” and “outside” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. in many respects various modified features of the various figures resemble those of preceding features and the same reference numerals followed by subscripts “a”, “b”, “c”, and “d” designate corresponding parts. the foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. the exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
|
130-493-871-669-773
|
US
|
[
"EP",
"CA",
"CN",
"WO",
"US"
] |
A61C17/02,A61M39/10,A61C1/00,A61M39/22,A61C17/028
| 2016-12-15T00:00:00 |
2016
|
[
"A61"
] |
pause valve and swivel assemblies for oral irrigator handle
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an oral irrigator handle through which fluid flows to a tip is described. fluid flows from a fluidically connected hose to the tip during irrigate mode, and fluid flow may be interrupted by selecting a pause mode. the handle includes a mechanically controlled actuator for selecting the pause mode. the actuator may be operably connected to a shuttle valve that is positioned to block fluid flow to the tip during pause mode but not during irrigate mode. the handle may also include a swivel assembly. the swivel assembly prevents rotational movement of either the handle or the hose from being transmitted to the other, such that rotation of the handle will not affect the position of the hose.
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an oral irrigator handle (100) comprising: a housing (102); a fluid inlet into the housing; a fluid outlet from the housing; a shuttle valve (134) positioned between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the shuttle valve (134) including a cylindrical body (332) and a frustum-shaped base (334), the shuttle valve further including a flow lumen (342) defined within the body (332) and a base cavity (348) defined within the base (334), wherein an open first end of the shuttle valve (134) is fluidically connected to an open second end of the shuttle valve (134) by the flow lumen (342) and the base cavity (348); and a pause actuator (112) operably connected to the shuttle valve (134), wherein mechanical actuation of the pause actuator moves the shuttle valve from an open position to a closed position to interrupt fluid flow through the handle. the oral irrigator handle of claim 1, wherein the pause actuator (112) is movable along a longitudinal axis of the handle. the oral irrigator handle of claim 1, wherein the shuttle valve is connected to the pause actuator by a retaining ring (132). the oral irrigator handle of claim 1, further comprising a poppet assembly (136), wherein the base cavity (348) of the shuttle valve (134) is configured to receive a sealing member (120e) of the poppet assembly in the closed position, and wherein the base cavity (348) of the shuttle valve seals against the sealing member of the poppet assembly in the closed position but not in the open position. the oral irrigator handle of claim 4, wherein the sealing member (120e) between the base cavity (348) of the shuttle valve and the poppet assembly (136) prevents water from entering the flow lumen (342) of the shuttle valve. the oral irrigator handle of claim 4, further comprising a lower valve body (128) configured to receive the frustum-shaped base (334) of the shuttle valve and the poppet assembly (136). the oral irrigator handle of claim 1, further comprising an upper valve body (126) configured to receive a distal end of the cylindrical body (332) having the open first end (338) of the shuttle valve in a cavity (262) defined within the upper valve body (126). the oral irrigator handle of claim 7, wherein the distal end of the cylindrical body (332) of the shuttle valve (134) occupies the cavity (262) in the open position but not in the closed position. the oral irrigator handle of claim 6, further comprising a swivel assembly (143) connected to the lower valve body (128), wherein: the fluid inlet in the housing comprises a hose (102) connected to the swivel assembly; and the swivel assembly minimizes translation of rotational movement of the handle and the hose relative to each other. the oral irrigator handle of claim 9, wherein: the swivel assembly (143) comprises a valve base (138) and a hose connector fluidically connected with the hose; and the swivel assembly is rotatable relative to the handle housing. the oral irrigator handle of claim 10, wherein the swivel assembly (143) is configured to rotate 360 degrees relative to the handle housing. the oral irrigator handle of claim 10 further comprising a bushing (140) interposed between the valve base (138) and the handle housing, wherein the swivel assembly (143) rotates with respect to the bushing (140). the oral irrigator handle of claim 10, wherein the valve base (138), poppet assembly (136), shuttle valve (134), retaining ring (132), and the lower valve body (128) all rotate with the swivel assembly (143) and relative to the handle housing. the oral irrigator handle of claim 1, wherein the external diameter of the base (334) of the shuttle valve (134) is greater than the external diameter of the body (332) of the shuttle valve. the oral irrigator handle of claim 1, wherein the body of the shuttle valve is interrupted by a connector groove (336) positioned about midway along the length of the body (332).
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technical field the present disclosure relates to oral irrigators. background oral irrigators, or water flossers, typically are used to clean a user's teeth and gums by discharging a pressurized fluid stream into a user's oral cavity. the fluid impacts the teeth and gums to remove debris. often, the oral irrigator includes a fluid supply, such as a reservoir, that is fluidically connected by a hose and pump to an oral irrigator tip, often through a handle. some oral irrigators include actuators to pause fluid flow through the handle without turning off power to the irrigator. but these often include electrical circuitry within the handle and in close proximity to fluid conduits, which creates a safety hazard. oral irrigators with such electrical actuators are also expensive to manufacture. a user of an oral irrigator often rotates either the handle or the tip relative to the handle in order to direct the fluid to a desired location as well as to hold the handle in a comfortable position. however, the hose can become tangled as the user moves the handle to different positions and orientations with respect to the reservoir in a base unit. the tangles can reduce the effective length of the hose and can hinder storage of the handle in the base unit, both of which make the oral irrigator difficult to use. document de 31 01 941 a1 shows an oral irrigator handle comprising: a housing; a fluid inlet into the housing; a fluid outlet from the housing; a shuttle valve positioned between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the shuttle valve having a hollow cylindrical piston with a cone shaped plug end, and a pause actuator operably connected to the shuttle valve to move the shuttle valve between open and closed positions. the information included in this background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded as subject matter by which the scope of the invention as defined in the claims is to be bound. summary the technology disclosed herein relates to an oral irrigator handle. fluid flows from a hose through the handle to an attached tip during irrigate mode. the handle includes a pause actuator that engages a flow restrictor to effect a pause mode, which allows a user to interrupt fluid flow to the tip without removing his or her hand from the handle and without turning off power to the oral irrigator. the pause mode is mechanically controlled without electrical components. the handle also includes a swivel assembly fluidically coupled to the hose. the swivel assembly minimizes or prevents translation of rotational movement of the handle and the hose relative to the other. in one exemplary embodiment of the handle disclosed herein, the handle includes a housing, a fluid inlet into the housing, a fluid outlet from the housing, and a pause valve assembly positioned between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet and capable of interrupting fluid flow through the handle. fluid can flow into the housing through a hose and out of the housing through an attached tip. the pause valve assembly can include a shuttle valve, which is received in a valve housing, and a pause actuator. in one embodiment, the shuttle valve is coupled to the pause actuator by a retaining ring and selective movement of the actuator is translated to the shuttle valve. in some embodiments, the shuttle valve can be positioned to restrict the flow of fluid through the pause valve assembly when the pause mode is selected with the pause actuator. the shuttle valve does not block fluid flow through the handle when the irrigate mode is selected with the pause actuator. one embodiment includes a handle with a pause switch assembly connected to the handle. the pause switch assembly includes an actuator slidably connected to the handle and movable between a first position and a second position, and a shuttle valve operably connected to the actuator and positioned between the handle inlet and the handle outlet. during operation of the pause switch, movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position slides the shuttle valve from an irrigate position to a paused position and, in the paused position, the shuttle valve prevents fluid entering an inlet of the handle from reaching an outlet of the handle. another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a handle for an irrigating device. the handle includes a housing in fluid communication with a fluid source. the housing may have a housing inlet and a housing outlet, a tip removably connected to the housing and in fluid communication with the housing inlet, and a pause control connected to the housing and configured to selectively interrupt fluid flow from the handle outlet to the handle inlet. the pause control includes a switch movable along a longitudinal axis of the housing between a first position and a second position and a shuttle valve connected to the switch. movement of the switch from the first position to the second position slides the shuttle valve from an open position to a closed position. in the open position the fluid flows uninterrupted from the handle inlet to the tip and in the closed position the fluid flow is blocked between the handle inlet and the tip. in another embodiment of the present disclosure, a handle for an oral irrigator includes a swivel assembly received within the housing and fluidically coupled to the tip, and a hose connected to and fluidically coupled to the swivel assembly. the swivel assembly minimizes or prevents translation of rotational movement of the handle or the hose relative to the other. this summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. this summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. a more extensive presentation of features, details, utilities, and advantages of the present invention, as defined in the claims, is provided in the following written description of various embodiments and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. the object of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a front right isometric view of an oral irrigator, including a handle, in pause mode, for an oral irrigator connected to a hose connectable to a base unit. fig. 2a is a front elevation view of the handle of fig. 1 . fig. 2b is a right elevation view of the handle of fig. 1 . fig. 3 is an exploded view of the handle of fig. 1 . fig. 4 is an elevation view in cross section of one embodiment of the handle of fig. 1 along line 4-4 in fig. 1 . fig. 5a is an elevation view in cross section of the handle of fig. 1 along line 5-5 in fig. 1 . fig. 5b is an elevation view in cross section of the handle of fig. 1 along line 5-5 in fig. 1 , in irrigate mode. fig. 6a is a rear isometric view of a first shell of the handle of fig. 4 . fig. 6b is a front isometric view of a second shell of the handle of fig. 4 . fig. 7a is a front isometric view of a tip eject mechanism of the handle of fig. 4 . fig. 7b is a rear top isometric view of a latch of the tip eject mechanism of fig. 7a . fig. 8a is a front top isometric view of a backflow valve housing of the handle of fig. 4 . fig. 8b is a rear bottom left isometric view of the backflow valve housing of fig. 8a . fig. 9a is a right isometric view of a pause valve assembly of the handle of fig. 4 . fig. 9b is a rear isometric view of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 10 is a right rear isometric view of a portion of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 11a is a front left isometric view of an upper valve body of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 11b is a front top isometric view of the upper valve body of fig. 11a . fig. 11c is a bottom right isometric view of the upper valve body of fig. 11a . fig. 12a is front top isometric view of a lower valve body of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 12b is a front bottom isometric view of a lower valve body of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 13 is a front top isometric view of a shuttle retainer of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 14 is a front isometric view of a shuttle valve of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 15 is a front top isometric view of a poppet assembly of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 16 is a front top isometric view of a retaining ring of the pause valve assembly of fig. 9a . fig. 17 is a front isometric view of a valve base of the handle of fig. 4 . fig. 18 is an elevation view in cross section of another embodiment of a handle. fig. 19 is an elevation view in cross section of the handle of fig. 18 . fig. 20a is a rear isometric view of a first shell of the handle of fig. 18 . fig. 20b is a front isometric view of a second shell of the handle of fig. 18 . fig. 21 is a right rear isometric view of a pause valve assembly of the handle of fig. 18 . fig. 22a is a front isometric view of an upper valve body of the pause valve assembly of fig. 21 . fig. 22b is a front top isometric view of the upper valve body of fig. 22a . fig. 22c is a bottom right isometric view of the upper valve body of fig. 22a . fig. 23a is front top isometric view of a lower valve body of the pause valve assembly of fig. 21 . fig. 23b is a front bottom isometric view of a lower valve body of the handle of fig. 21 . fig. 24 is a front top isometric view of a shuttle retainer of the pause valve assembly of fig. 21 . fig. 25 is a front isometric view of a shuttle valve of the pause valve assembly of fig. 21 . fig. 26 is a front top isometric view of a poppet assembly of the pause valve assembly of fig. 21 . fig. 27 is a front isometric view of a valve base of the handle of fig. 18 . fig. 28 is a left side elevation view in cross section of another embodiment of a handle. fig. 29 is a front elevation view in cross section of the handle of fig. 28 . fig. 30a is a rear elevation view of an interior of a first shell of the handle of fig. 28 . fig. 30b is a front elevation view of an interior of a second shell of the handle of fig. 28 . fig. 31 is a right rear isometric view of a pause valve assembly of the handle of fig. 28 . fig. 32 is a rear isometric view of the first shell of the handle of fig. 28 and a portion of the pause valve assembly of fig. 31 . fig. 33 is top front isometric view of a lower valve body of the pause valve assembly of fig. 31 . fig. 34 is an isometric view of a shuttle valve of the pause valve assembly of fig. 31 . fig. 35 is an isometric view of a retaining clip of the pause valve assembly of fig. 31 . fig. 36a is front top isometric view of an integrated valve base of the handle of fig. 28 . fig. 36b is front bottom isometric view of the integrated valve base of fig. 36a . detailed description an oral irrigator handle through which fluid flow can be interrupted is disclosed herein. in irrigate mode, fluid flows from a hose into valve components within the handle housing, and out a fluidically connected tip. fluid flow is interrupted in a pause mode by a mechanically controlled flow restriction valve that is safe and convenient for the user. fluid flow may be controlled by a pause valve assembly. in one exemplary embodiment, manually operating a pause actuator of a pause valve assembly slides a shuttle valve, via a coupled retaining ring, to a position atop a poppet support assembly that blocks fluid flow through the handle. an oral irrigator handle having a swivel assembly is also disclosed herein. the swivel assembly is positioned within the handle housing and allows the hose to rotate 360 degrees relative to the handle, such that as a user moves the handle in various directions and/or rotates the handle, the handle can spin with respect to the hose, reducing the chance that the hose will get tangled, bent, or pinched. components of the oral irrigator turning to the figures, an oral irrigator will now be discussed in more detail. fig. 1 illustrates an isometric view of an oral irrigator including a handle with each of a pause valve assembly and a swivel assembly. figs. 2a and 2b are elevation views of the handle of fig. 1 . with reference to fig. 1 , the oral irrigator 10 may include a handle 100, a reservoir 12, a base 14, and a hose 108, all of which may be interconnected together. the base 14 may include a pump 16 fluidically connected to the reservoir 12 that pumps fluid from the reservoir 12 to a tip 104. a control 18 is coupled to the base 14 and configured to vary a flow rate or a fluid pressure produced by the pump 16, and/or may activate a particular mode, e.g., a cleaning mode, produced by the pump 16. the base 14 and pump 16 may be similar to the base and pump illustrated in u.s. publication no. 2015/0004559 entitled "oral irrigator with integrated lid and base," filed on march 13, 2014. in other embodiments, the handle may enclose the pump and other components and connect directly to the reservoir. in these embodiments, the handle may form a main housing for the device. the handle with reference to figs. 1-2b , the handle 100 is fluidically connected to the pump 16 and a fluid source, such as the reservoir 12, by the hose 108. the handle 100 may generally include a housing 102, a handle collar 118, a tip 104, a tip eject mechanism 141, a backflow valve body 124, a pause valve assembly 142, and a swivel assembly 143, each of which are discussed in turn below. as noted, the hose 108 fluidically connects the handle 100 to the reservoir 12. however, in instances where the irrigator is a handheld unit, the hose 108 may be omitted or may be varied as the reservoir 12 may be directly connected to the handles as shown in u.s. publication no. 2008/0008979 , entitled "oral irrigator," filed on july 7, 2006. the handle 100 is also fluidically connected to a removable tip 104, which is configured to be inserted into a user's mouth and to expel fluid against a user's teeth, gums, tongue, etc. the tip 104 may be inserted into the handle 100 through a handle collar 118. a tip eject button 110 can selectively release the tip 104 from the handle 100. liquid from the fluid source can be expelled through a tip outlet 105 in the tip 104 when the tip 104 is connected to the handle 100. in some examples, the tip outlet 105 portion of the tip 104 may be shaped as a nozzle or may include a nozzle or other attachment connected thereto. as described in more detail below, the handle 100 may include a pause actuator 112. the pause actuator 112 can selectively interrupt the flow of liquid from the fluid source to the tip 104. with reference to figs. 2a-5b , an exemplary embodiment of the handle housing 102 will now be discussed in more detail. the handle housing 102 may be an integrated component or, as shown in figs. 2a-5a , may include a first shell 114 and a second shell 116 coupled together (e.g., through ultrasonic welding, fasteners, adhesive, or the like). each of the first and second shells 114, 116 may be constructed of a rigid material that resists deformation, such as a hard plastic, but it should be noted that various other materials may be used as well. additionally, the handle housing 102 may include an aesthetically pleasing shape that may conform to a user's hand and may include one or more gripping elements. as shown in figs. 3-6b , each of the first and second shells 114, 116 may be comprised of a neck 180a, 180b and shell body 192a, 192b. with reference to figs. 6a and 6b , the bodies 192a, 192b of the first and second shells 114, 116, respectively, together define a handle cavity 172 in which components of the handle 100, such as the tip eject mechanism 141, pause valve assembly 142, swivel assembly 143, and a portion of the hose 108, may reside. the first shell 114 may include first, second, third, fourth, seventh, eighth, and ninth ledges 150a, 152a, 154a, 156a, 162a, 164a, and 166, respectively, for aligning, receiving, retaining, and/or supporting the tip eject mechanism 141, valve assembly 142, swivel assembly 143, hose 108, or other components of the handle 100 within the handle cavity 172 (see figs. 5a and 5b ). the ledges 150a, 152a, 154a, 156a, 162a, 164a, and 166 generally extend in a horizontal plane with respect to a longitudinal axis of the handle 100, and radially inwardly from an interior wall 174a of the first shell 114 within the handle cavity 172. the second shell 116 may include first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and tenth ledges 150b, 152b, 154b, 156b, 158, 160, 162b, 164b, and 168, respectively, for aligning, receiving, retaining, and/or supporting the tip eject mechanism 141, valve assembly 142, swivel assembly 143, hose 108, or other components of the handle 100 within the handle cavity 172 (see figs. 4 , 5a , and 5b ). as in the first shell 114, the ledges 150b, 152b, 154b, 156b, 158, 160, 162b, 164b, and 168 of the second shell 116 generally extend in a horizontal plane with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle 100, and radially inwardly from an interior wall 174b of the second shell 116 within the handle cavity 172. some ledges 150a, 152a, 154a, 156a, 162a, 164a of the first shell 114 may align with a mating ledge 150b, 152b, 154b, 156b, 162b, 164b, respectively, of the second shell 116 when the handle 100 is assembled. the depth of the ledges 150a, 150b, 152a, 152b, 154a, 154b, 156a, 156b, 158, 160, 162a, 162b, 164a, 164b, 166, and 168 may be the same or different, and the depth of a given shelf may vary along the width (the lateral dimension) of that shelf. some of the ledges 150a, 150b, 152a, 152b, 154b, 156b, 158, 160, 162a, 162b, 164a, 164b, and 166 may be shaped as arcs. when the first shell 114 and second shell 116 are assembled to form the housing102, mating ledges 150a, 150b, 152a, 152b, 162a, 162b, 164a, 164b may align to form generally circular apertures for receiving portions of components such as the pause valve assembly 142. the bodies 192a, 192b of the first and second shells 114, 116 may also include a plurality of vertical support walls 148a, 148b for supporting the ledges 150a, 150b, 152a, 152b, 154a, 154b, 156a, 156b, 158, 160, 162a, 162b, 164a, 164b, 166, and 168. the vertical support walls 148a, 148b may also help to align, receive, retain, and/or support the tip eject mechanism 141, the valve assembly 142, the swivel assembly 143, the hose 108, or other components of the handle 100 within the handle cavity 172. the vertical support walls 148a, 148b may be as deep as the ledges 150a, 150b, 152a, 152b, 154a, 154b, 156a, 156b, 158, 160, 162a, 162b, 164a, 164b, 166, and 168 they abut, or may be less deep. with further reference to figs. 6a and 6b , one or more pegs 169 may extend from the interior wall 174 of one of the shells 114, 116 (e.g., in the depicted embodiment, the first shell 114) proximate the first and ninth ledges 152a, 166, respectively, and between the fourth and seventh ledges 156a, 162a, respectively, adjacent a vertical support wall 148a. each peg 169 may extend into the handle cavity 172 beyond a plane defined by a circumferential edge of the exterior wall 184b of the second shell 116. each peg 169 may be adapted to mate with a corresponding boss defining holes 170 proximate the first, sixth, and tenth ledges 150b, 160, and 168, respectively, of the opposing shell 114,116 (e.g., in the depicted embodiment, the second shell 116). the pegs 169 and the holes 170 may be dimensioned such that each peg 169 will relatively snugly fit within its corresponding hole 170. the friction resulting from this fit may resist decoupling of the shells 114, 116. alternatively and/or additionally, the first and second shells 114, 116 may be joined using glue, epoxy, fasteners, sonic welding, any other known method for joining two items, or by a combination of known methods. as depicted in figs. 2b , 4 , 6a , and 6b , the outer surface of the exterior walls 184a, 184b of the first and second shells 114, 116 may each define a c-shaped depression 186a, 186b with respective upper surfaces 188a, 188b and lower surfaces 190a, 190b. when the handle housing 102 is assembled, opposing depressions 186a, 186b define a pocket 186 surrounding an opening 194. with reference again to fig. 6a , the first shell 114 may also include a pause actuator aperture 204 for receiving a pause actuator 112 and a recessed pause actuator frame 390. the pause actuator aperture 204 may have an upper portion 392 and a lower portion 394. in the depicted embodiment, both the pause actuator aperture 204 and the pause actuator frame 390 are oval-shaped, but may be any shape. by placing the pause actuator 112 on the handle 100, the user may more easily change settings or pause the fluid flow while using an oral irrigator that is fluidically connected to the handle 100. with reference to figs. 4-6b , the body 192a, 192b of each of the first and second shell 114, 116 may terminate in a semicircular hose cut-out 144a, 144b. when the first and second shells 114, 116 are assembled to form the housing 102, the cut-outs 144a, 144b together define a substantially circular aperture 146 through which the hose 108 passes. with reference to figs. 3-6b , the neck 180a, 180b of each of the first and second shell 114, 116, respectively, includes an interior wall 176a, 176b and an exterior wall 178a, 178b. the interior and exterior walls 176a, 176b, 178a, 178b may be generally semicylindrical in shape such that when the first and second shells 114, 116 are assembled to form the housing 102, the interior and exterior walls 176a, 176b, 178a, 178b form generally concentric cylinders with an annular recess 177a, 177b defined therebetween for receiving a spring 216. the exterior walls 178a, 178b may be continuous or may have one or more interruptions or gaps 206 near the midpoint of the width of each of the first and second shell 114, 116. the exterior walls 178a, 178b may include a lip 208a, 208b and the interior walls 176a, 176b may extend beyond the plane of the lips 208a, 208b. when the first and second shells 114, 116 are assembled, the interior walls 176a, 176b define a cylindrical tip cavity 182 configured to receive a tip 104. the handle 100 may include a generally circular handle collar 118. the interior surface may be ribbed and may define a tip-receiving aperture 210 for receiving the tip 104. the diameter of the internal surface may be same as the internal diameter of the interior walls of the neck 180a, 180b. the spring 216 may be positioned in or under the handle collar 118, such as by being inserted into an annular well 218 defined in the handle collar 118 or molded into the handle collar 118 (see fig. 4 ). tip eject mechanism with reference to figs. 3-5b , 7a , and 7b , the tip eject mechanism 141 of the handle 100 will now be discussed in more detail. the tip eject mechanism 141 aids in the insertion and removal of a tip 104. the tip eject mechanism 141 is substantially similar to the tip eject mechanism described in u.s. patent application no. 14/555,339 . the tip eject mechanism 141 or tip release assembly comprises a cylindrical valve cap 122, a latch 121, and a tip eject button 110. the tip eject button 110 is configured to mechanically initiate the release of a tip 104 from the handle 100, such as by sliding the button 110 upward toward the tip outlet 105. the tip eject button 110 may be formed with an exterior slider portion 196 and an interior slider portion 200 that are separated from each other by a neck 202. the exterior slider portion 196 may be substantially obround in shape and may include a tab grip 198, which may help a user's fingers or hand to more easily operate the tip eject button 110 and prevent the user's finger or hand from slipping off the tip eject button 110. an upper end of the interior slider portion 200 may include a nose 201 that projects radially inward therefrom. the exterior slider portion 196 may be approximately the same length as the interior slider portion 200, as in the embodiment depicted in figs. 7a and 7b , or may be shorter than or longer than the interior slider portion 200. the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of the neck 202 are smaller than the related dimensions of the exterior and interior slider portions 196, 200 such that a circumferential channel is formed between the exterior and interior slider portions 196, 200 about the neck 202. the valve cap 122 may receive at least a portion of a tip 104 and help provide a secure connection between the tip and the handle 100. the valve cap 122 may include a body 226 having an upper end 223 and a lower end 224, and a circumferential rim 220 near the lower end 224. the interior of the valve cap 122 may define a tip cavity 222 for receiving a tip 104. the latch 121 is configured to releasably engage a tip 104 to both secure it to the handle 100 and aid in removing the tip 104 from the handle 100. the latch 121 may comprise a latch body 452 to which spring legs 454 are attached via a neck 456. the spring legs 454 extend laterally apart from each other on opposing sides of the neck 456 along a side of the latch body 452 opposite the tip eject button 110. the neck 456 separates the spring legs 454 from the latch body 452 such that a gap 458 is formed between each of the spring legs 454 and the latch body 452. in the exemplary embodiment shown, the outer wall 460 of the latch body 452 opposite each of the spring legs 454 is curved such that the gaps 458 widen toward their open ends away from the neck 456. each spring leg 454 may terminate in a foot 462. the outer surface of each foot 462 may have a bulbous projection 464 outward along the width. each spring leg 454 may be flexible, deformable, and/or resilient such that it returns to its original shape and configuration after being compressed. as depicted in fig. 7a and 7b , a top surface 466 of the latch body 452 comprises ledges 468 that are laterally opposed to each other and which extend radially outward and partially around the perimeter of the latch body 452 on the sides between the spring legs 454 and the tip eject button 110. the ledges 468 extend laterally away from the latch body 452 and have a width sufficient to interface with flat surfaces of the housing 100 and thereby prevent rotation of the latch body 452. the latch body 452 also comprises an interior lip 470 that extends generally radially inward above an interior wall 472. the interior lip 470 may be chamfered, as depicted in fig. 7a and 7b , or may be smooth and may define a tip-receiving aperture 474 for receiving the tip 104. the perimeter defined by the interior lip 470 may be an irregular oval or bell shape, as depicted in fig. 7a and 7b , or may be any other shape. the shape of the perimeter may be complementary to the tip 104 that is received in the tip-receiving aperture 474. a locking edge 475 of the interior lip 470 may be positioned adjacent to the spring legs 454. the locking edge 475 may extend radially outward beyond the surface of the interior wall 472 in order to engage a corresponding groove formed within a tip 104 and thereby retain the tip 104 within the latch body 452. the interior walls 472 of the latch body 452 may define a valve cap cavity 476, which is configured to receive the upper end 223 of the body 226 of the valve cap 122. a cross-sectional area of the valve cap cavity 476 may thus be greater than a cross-sectional area of the tip-receiving aperture 474. the valve cap cavity 476 may be substantially obround in shape and thus oblong as compared to the circular shape of the body 226 of the valve cap 122. the latch body 452 also includes a chamfered wall 478 on the outside sidewall opposite the neck 456 and spring legs 454. the chamfered wall 478 may include an opening between two chamfered legs or it may be solid. backflow valve with reference to figs. 3-5b , 8a , and 8b , the handle 100 may include a backflow valve body 124 for enclosing or supporting a reed valve (not shown). the backflow valve body 124 may include a generally cylindrical top end 230 and a bottom end 232 separated by a generally cylindrical neck 234 and an annular rim 236. the external diameter of the top end 230 may be approximately the same as the external diameter of the rim 236, and both diameters may be greater than the external diameter of the bottom end 238, which in turn may be greater than the external diameter of the neck 234. a sealing member 120a, such as an o-ring, may be received in the neck 234. the interior of the backflow valve body 124 may define a valve cavity 246 having an upper portion 248 and a lower portion 249. a sealing member 120b, such as a u-cup, may be received in an upper portion 248 of the valve cavity 246 above and adjacent to a ledge 250 positioned about midway along the height of the top end 230 of the backflow valve body 124. the bottom end 232 of the backflow valve body 124 includes a bottom edge 238 that includes a keyed feature 240. the bottom edge 238 also includes a flap support 242 for supporting or securing an optional reed valve (not shown). the flap support 242 may be formed as a generally circular ring having a diameter narrower than the upper portion 248 of the valve cavity 246 and may be connected to the bottom edge 238 via a bridge 244. the flap support 242 may be angled such that only a portion, for example the portion adjacent to the bridge 244, is in the same plane as the bottom edge 238 of the bottom end 232 of the backflow valve body 124 and the remainder of the flap support 242 is angled inward and upward toward the valve cavity 246 such that it does not reach the plane of the bottom edge 238. pause valve assembly with reference to figs. 9a and 9b , the pause valve assembly 142 will now be discussed in more detail. the pause valve assembly 142 allows a user to interrupt fluid flow to the tip 104 without removing his or her hand from the handle 100 and without turning off power to the oral irrigator 10. the pause valve assembly 142 may include an upper valve body 126, a lower valve body 128, a shuttle valve 134 received within the upper and lower valve bodies 126, 128, a shuttle retainer 130 and a poppet assembly 136 both received within the lower valve body 128, and a pause actuator 112 operably connected to the shuttle valve 134 by a retaining ring 132 such that selective movement of the actuator 112 also moves the shuttle valve 134 within the upper and lower valve bodies 126, 128. the various components of the pause valve assembly 142 will now be discussed in more detail. with reference to figs. 3-5b , 9a , 9b , and 11a-c , the upper valve body 126 fluidically connects the chamber 124 and the lower valve body 128. the upper valve body 126 may include a head 256 and a base 258 connected by a neck 260. each of the head 256, base 258, and neck 260 may be generally cylindrical and define a valve cavity 262 therethrough. the head 256 may include an upper portion 264 and a lower portion 266, and the lower portion 266 may define a chord segment 268 that interrupts the outer cylindrical surface of the lower portion 266. the external diameter of the upper portion 264 may be slightly greater than the external diameter of the lower portion 266. the external diameters of the both the upper and lower portions 264, 266 of the head 256 may be generally greater than the external diameter of the base 258, which in turn may be greater than the external diameter of the neck 260. one or more, such as two, arms 270 may extend laterally from the head 256 near the interface between the head upper and lower portions 264, 266. the arms 270 are positioned to engage and act as a track for the pause actuator 112 to move along. when two arms 270 are present, as shown in fig.11a-c , they may be positioned approximately 180 degrees apart from each other on the head 256. the arms 270 may be obround in cross-sectional shape as shown in fig. 11a or may be other shapes. as shown in fig. 11b , the portion of the valve cavity 262 adjacent to the lower portion 266 of the head 256 may include a floor 272 and a shelf 274. a flow aperture 276 may be defined in the floor 272 and the flow aperture 276 may have a diameter less than the diameter of any of the head 256, neck 260, and base 258. the shelf 274 may include a keyed feature 278 positioned corresponding to the chord segment 268 of the lower portion 266 of the head 256. as shown in fig. 11c , a shelf wall 280 may extend below a bottom surface 282 of the floor 272 of the head 256 near the interface between the base 258 and neck 260 to define a narrowed diameter portion of the valve cavity 262. a sealing member 120c, such as u-cup, may be positioned on the shelf wall 280. with reference to figs. 3-5b , 9a , 9b , 12a , and 12b , a lower valve body 128 operably connects the upper valve body 126 and the valve base 138. the lower valve body 128 may include two or more arms 400 connecting an upper plate 402 and a lower plate 404, a lip 406 defined on top of the upper plate 402, and a skirt 408 positioned below the lower plate 404. in the depicted embodiment, two cuboidal arms 400 are present and they are positioned opposite from each other across each of the upper and lower plates 402, 404. each of the lip 406, upper plate 402, and lower plate 406 may be ring-shaped such that they define respective circular openings 410. the skirt 408 may be cylindrical in shape with a skirt cavity 412 defined therethrough. the skirt 408 may include an outer skirt wall 414 and an inner skirt wall 416. the inner skirt wall 416 may define the skirt cavity 412 and may include one or more tracks 418 formed as grooves or threading. a track 418 may extend approximately 360° around the interior skirt wall 416 in an uneven plane such that the ends of the track 418 do not meet but rather are offset from each other along a longitudinal axis of the handle 100. the external diameter of the upper plate 402 may be approximately equal to the external diameter of the lower plate 404, and both diameters may be greater than the external diameter of the lip 406 but less than the external diameter of the skirt 408. a sealing member 120d, such as a u-cup, may be positioned within the skirt 408 under the lower plate 404 with reference to figs. 3-5b , 9a , 9b , and 13 , a shuttle retainer 130 receives fluid flowing past the poppet assembly 136 when the handle 100 is in pause mode. the shuttle retainer 130 may be generally cylindrical with an open first end 290 and open second end 292. the shuttle retainer 130 may include an exterior wall 294 and a stepped interior wall 296 defining a cavity 298 that extends between the open first and second ends 290, 292. the open first end 290 may include a top surface 300 having a plurality of tabs 302 separated by notches around the perimeter 304 of the opening 306. the tabs 302 may define a broken circular edge with a circumference slightly larger than the circumference of the shuttle valve 134. with reference to figs. 3-5b , 9-10 , and 14 , the shuttle valve 134 interrupts fluid flow through the handle 100 when pause mode is selected. as defined in the present invention, the shuttle valve 134 includes a cylindrical body 332 and a frustum-shaped base 334. the body 332 may be interrupted by a connector groove 336 positioned about midway along the length of the body 332. the external diameter of the base 334 may be greater than the external diameter of the body 332, which may in turn be greater than the external diameter of the connector groove 336. the shuttle valve 134 further includes a flow lumen 342 defined within the body 332 and a base cavity 348 defined within the base 334. an open first end 338 of the shuttle valve 134 is fluidically connected to an open second end 340 by the flow lumen 342 and the base cavity 348. the body 332 of the shuttle valve 134 may include a top surface 344 and the base 334 may include a bottom surface 346. with reference to figs. 3-5b , 9a , 9b , and 15 , a poppet assembly 136 is used to selectively disconnect fluid flow from the hose 108 to the valve cap 122. the poppet assembly 136 may include a generally circular cap 312 connected to a poppet support plate 316 by a cylindrical poppet neck 318. an annular platform 314 may encircle the neck 318 above the poppet support plate 316. the diameter of the platform 314 may be approximately equal to the diameter of the cap 312 and less than the widest diameter of the poppet support plate 316. the poppet support plate 316 includes a first surface 320, a second surface 322, and a plurality of sprockets 324 extending outwardly from the platform 314. two adjacent sprockets 324 may be separated from each other to define a flow path 326 therebetween. a sealing member 120e may be seated around the poppet neck 318 between the cap 312 and platform 314. as shown in figs. 3-5b , 9a , 9b , 10 , and 16 , a retaining ring 132 operably connects the pause actuator 112 to the shuttle valve 134. the retaining ring 132 may be disc-shaped and may include a keyhole cutout 354, which may include a plurality of forms. for example, and as shown in fig. 16 , the retaining ring may have a first slot 356a, a center aperture 356b, and a hinge aperture 356c. the center aperture 356b in the keyhole cutout 354 may be sized to fit around the connector groove 336 of the shuttle valve 134. in some embodiments, the retaining ring 132 may be a snap ring. with reference to figs. 2a , 2b , 3 , 5a , 5b , 9a , 9b , and 10 , the pause actuator 112 is moved by a user to place the handle in a pause or an irrigate mode. the pause actuator 112 may include an exterior slider plate 362 and an interior slider plate 364. the exterior slider plate 362 may include a grip portion 366 for aiding a user in gripping and moving the pause actuator 112. the interior slider plate 364 may have a concave shape and may include a concave or rear face 368 from which one or more walls 370 extend. for example, two walls 370 that are generally rectangular cuboids in shape are shown in fig. 10 . an upper shelf 372 and a lower shelf 374 may also extend parallel to each other from the rear face 368. a first upper prong 376a and a second upper prong 376b may extend from the upper shelf 372 away from the rear face 368. a first lower prong 378a and a second lower prong 378b may similarly extend from the lower shelf 374. the first prongs 376a, 378a are laterally spaced from the second prongs 376b, 378b and are connected by a shelf wall 380 that forms a semicircle from the terminus 382a of one prong 376a, 378a to the terminus 382b of the laterally opposed prong 376b, 378b. each upper prong 376a, 376b may be separated from its proximal lower prong 378a, 378b by a retaining gap 384 between the upper and lower shelves 372, 374. although shown as cuboidally shaped in fig. 10 , the prongs 376a, 376b, 378a, 378b may be any shape. swivel assembly with reference to figs. 3-5b and 17 , the swivel assembly 143 will now be discussed in more detail. the swivel assembly 143 may help minimize or prevent translation of rotational movement of the handle 100 or the hose 108 relative to the other. the swivel assembly 143 may include a valve base 138 and a bushing 140. the valve base 138 is configured to be received within the stationary lower valve body 128. the valve base 138 may include an annular protruding rim 424, a cylindrical body 426, and an elongated barbed tip 428. the valve base 138 defines a flow cavity 430 from the barbed tip 428 through to the top surface 432 of the rim 424. the rim 424 may include one or more threads 434. each thread 434 may extend approximately 360° around the rim 424 in an uneven plane such that the ends of the thread 434 do not meet but rather are offset from each other along a longitudinal axis of the handle 100. the threads 434, which may be complimentary to the tracks 418 of the inner skirt wall 416 of the skirt 408 of the lower valve body 128, may help to align or assemble the valve base 138 and lower valve body 128. the barbed tip 428 may include one or more gripping components 436 that enhance the connection between the valve base 138 and the hose 108. with reference to figs. 3-5b , the swivel assembly 143 may also include a cylindrical bushing 140 defining a barb aperture 442 configured to receive the barbed tip 428 of the valve base 138. the bushing 140 may include a rim 444 and a body 446. assembly of the oral irrigator an illustrative example of assembly of the handle 100 will now be discussed. it should be noted that the below description is meant as exemplary only and the handle 100 may be assembled in any manner and in any order. in one embodiment, the handle components of figs. 3-5b and 7a-17 may be assembled within the housing 102 as follows. to assemble the tip eject mechanism 141, the upper end 223 of the body 226 of the valve cap 122 may be received in the valve cap cavity 476 of the latch 121. the perimeter of the interior lip 470 may directly align with or may be slightly offset from the tip cavity 222 of the valve cap 122. the upper end 223 of the body 226 of the valve cap 122 may not completely fill the volume of the valve cap cavity 122 such that lateral movement of the latch 121 toward or away from the tip eject button 110 is permitted. the nose 201 of the interior slider portion 200 of the tip eject button 110 may abut and interface with the chamfered wall 478 of the latch 121. when the housing 102 is assembled, the top surface 466 of the latch 121 may be below and adjacent to the first ledge 150a, 150b, and the bottom of the latch body 452 may be adjacent to or rest upon the second ledge 152a, 152b. when the housing is assembled, the exterior slider portion 196 of the tip eject button 110 may be positioned within the pocket 186 of the housing 102, the neck 202 may be received within the opening 194 within the pocket 186, and the interior slider portion 200 may be positioned against an interior wall 174 of the housing 102 opposite from the pocket 186. the upper surface 188 and lower surface 190 of the pocket 186 may extend beyond the length of the tip eject button 110 such that the pocket 186 is longer than the exterior and interior slider portions 196, 200 and the neck 202 is shorter than a longitudinal dimension of the opening 194 in the pocket 186. in this configuration, the tip eject button 110 is both retained within the opening 194 in the pocket 186 and can slide longitudinally within the pocket 186 as the exterior and interior slider portions 196, 200 travel on either side of the upper and lower surfaces 188, 190 of the pocket 186. to assemble the pause valve assembly, the lip 406 of the lower valve body 128 may be received in the base 258 of the upper valve body 126 and may be positioned below and adjacent to the sealing member 120c positioned under the shelf wall 280 of the valve cavity 262. the shuttle retainer 130 may be received in the skirt cavity 412 of the lower valve body 128. the exterior wall 294 of the shuttle retainer 130 may be positioned adjacent to the inner skirt wall 416 of the lower valve body 128. the second end 292 of the shuttle retainer 130 may be positioned adjacent to the first surface 320 of the poppet support plate 316. the top surface 300 of the shuttle retainer 130 may be positioned below and adjacent to the sealing member 120d positioned under the lower plate 404 of the lower valve body 128. the configuration of tabs 302 and notches in the top surface 300 of the shuttle retainer 130 may permit water to reach the sealing member 120d and press the sealing member 120d against the shuttle valve 134 and the lower plate 404 more uniformly, thereby creating a faster or stronger seal than in the absence of water. the base 334 and a lower portion of the body 332 of the shuttle valve 134 may be received in the cavity 298 of the shuttle retainer 130. the first end 338 of the shuttle valve 134 may be received in the valve cavity 262 of the upper valve body 126. the arms 400 of the upper valve body 126 may flank a portion of the body 332 of the shuttle valve 134. a shuttle compartment 284 may be formed in the space between the bottom surface 282 of the floor 272 of the head 256 of the upper valve body 126 and the top surface 344 of the body 332 of the shuttle valve 134 when the handle 100 is in pause mode. the retaining ring 132 may be flexed at the hinge aperture 356c to widen the slot 356a and seat the center aperture 356b of the retaining ring 132 within the connector groove 336 of the shuttle valve 134. the cap 312 and the sealing member 120e positioned around the poppet neck 318 of the poppet assembly 136 may be received in the base cavity 348 of the shuttle valve 134. the first surface 320 of the poppet support plate 316 may be positioned below and adjacent to the bottom surface 346 of the base 334 of the shuttle valve 134 and below and adjacent to the second end 292 of the shuttle retainer 130. the interior slider plate 364 of the pause actuator 112 may extend from approximately the head 256 of the upper valve body 126 to the skirt 408 of the valve lower housing. the walls 370 on the rear face 368 of the interior slider plate 364 may be positioned adjacent to the head 256 of the upper valve body 126, at least when the pause mode is selected. the shelf wall 380 may face the body 332 of the shuttle valve 134. the retaining ring 132 may be captured in the gap 384 formed between the upper prongs 376a, 376b, and lower prongs 378a, 378b. one pair of upper and lower prongs 376a, 378a may traverse some or all of the slot 356a of the keyhole 354 of the retaining ring 132. another pair of upper and lower prongs 376b, 378b may traverse some or all of the hinge aperture 356c. the top surface 432 of the protruding rim 424 of the valve base 138 may be positioned below and adjacent to the second surface 322 of the poppet support plate 316. one or more of the threads 434 of the rim 424 may be mated with the one or more complementary tracks 418 on the interior skirt wall 416 of the lower valve body 128. when the housing 102 is assembled, the base 258 of the upper valve body 126 is positioned adjacent to and below the fourth ledge 156a, 156b. each arm 270 of the upper valve body 126 may extend perpendicularly to and be positioned between a vertical support wall 148a of the first shell 114 and a vertical support wall 148b of the second shell 116. the upper plate 402 of the lower valve body 128 may be positioned above the fifth ledge 158 and the skirt 408 of the lower valve body 128 may be positioned above and adjacent to the seventh ledge 162a,162b. when the housing 102 is assembled, the exterior slider plate 362 of the pause actuator 112 may be positioned within the pause actuator aperture 204 in the first shell 114 and the interior slider plate 364 may be positioned against an interior wall 174 of the first shell 114 opposite at least a portion of the pause actuator frame 390. the upper and lower portions of the aperture 204 extend beyond the length of the exterior slider plate 362 such that the aperture 204 is longer than the exterior slider plate 362 and shorter than the interior slider plate 364. in this configuration, the pause actuator 112 is both retained within the aperture 204 and can slide longitudinally within the aperture 204 as the exterior and interior slider plates 362, 364 travel on either side of the aperture 204 and frame 390. to assemble the swivel assembly 143, the barbed tip 428 of the valve base 138 is received in the barb aperture 442 of the bushing 140. eighth ledges 164a, 164b of the shells 114, 116 may be positioned beneath the rim 444 of the bushing 140. an end of the hose 108 may fit over the barbed tip 428. the hose 108 may exit the cavity 172 of the assembled housing 102 at the aperture 146. to connect the tip eject mechanism 141 and the backflow valve 124, the lower end 224 of the valve cap 122 may be received in the upper portion 248 of the valve cavity 246 of the backflow valve body 124. the lower end 224 may be positioned above and adjacent to the sealing member 120b seated on the ledge 250 of the top end 230 of the backflow valve body 124. the rim 220 of the valve cap 122 may be captured between the underside of the second ledge 152a, 152b of the first and second shells 114, 116 and the top end 230 of the backflow valve body 124. to connect the backflow valve 124 and pause valve assembly 142, the neck 234, rim 236, and bottom end 232 of the backflow valve body 124 may be received in the portion of the valve cavity 262 of the upper valve body 126 adjacent to the head 256. the rim 236 of the backflow valve body 124 may be positioned adjacent to the shelf 274 of the upper valve body 126 such that the keyed feature 240 of the bottom edge 238 of the backflow valve body 124 mates with the keyed feature 278 of the shelf 274 of the upper valve body 126. the sealing member 120a seated in the neck 234 of the backflow valve body 124 may be positioned in the valve cavity 262 of the head 256 of the upper valve body 126. to connect the pause valve assembly 142 and the swivel assembly 143, the rim 424 of the valve base 138 is received in the skirt 408 of the lower valve body 128 and is positioned under the poppet support plate 316. after the shells 114, 116 are assembled, the handle collar 118 may be positioned over the neck 180a, 180b and may be secured to the handle housing 102 by several arcuate tabs 212 extending radially inward from a sidewall of the handle collar 118 that capture the lip 208a, 208b of the neck 180a, 180b (see figs. 4 , 5a , and 5b ). the arcuate tabs 212 of the handle collar 118 may be separated from the bodies 192a, 192b of the first and second shell 114, 116 by a gap 214, the span of which may be decreased by depressing the handle collar 118 towards the bodies 192a, 192b. alternative embodiment figs. 18-27 depict another embodiment of a handle 500. compared to the handle 100, similarly numbered features of the components of the handle 500 have similar designs, constructions, function, and operations as those of the components described above unless otherwise noted. the exterior of the handle 500 may appear the same as or similar to the handle 100 of figs. 1 , 2a , and 2b . compared to the handle 100, the handle 500 may not include either or both of a backflow valve body 124 and a bushing 140. as with the handle 100 shown in figs. 1-17 , the handle 500 of figs. 18-27 may include a first shell 514 and a second shell 516, each comprised of a neck 580a, 580b and shell body 592a, 592b (see figs. 20a and 20b ). the bodies 592a, 592b of the first and second shells 514, 516, respectively, together define a handle cavity 572. the first shell 514 may include first, second, third, fourth, seventh, and eighth ledges 550a, 552a, 554a, 556a, 562a, and 564a, respectively, that are constructed similarly to the previously described ledges 150a, 152a, 154a, 156a, 162a, and 164a, respectively, and also have similar functions. the second shell 516 may include first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth ledges 550b, 552b, 554b, 556b, 558, 560, 562b, 564b, and 566, respectively, that are constructed similarly to the previously described ledges 150b, 152b, 154b, 156b, 158, 160, 162b, 164b, and 168, respectively, and also have similar functions. the bodies 592a, 592b of the first and second shells 514, 516 may also include a plurality of vertical support walls 548a, 548b, pegs 569, and holes 570 similar to the corresponding features of the first-described embodiment. with reference to figs. 18 , 20a , and 20b , the outer surface of the exterior walls 584a, 584b of the first and second shells 514, 516 may each define a c-shaped depression 586a, 586b with respective upper surfaces 588a, 588b and lower surfaces 590a, 590b similar to the corresponding features described above. when the handle 500 is assembled, opposing depressions 586a, 586b define a pocket 586 surrounding an opening 594. an elongate tip eject button 510 may be formed with an exterior slider portion 596 and an interior slider portion 600 that are separated from each other by a neck 602. the exterior slider portion 596 may include a tab grip 598. the interior slider portion 600 may include a nose 601 that projects radially inward therefrom. the design and construction of the tip eject button 510, and its position relative the first and second shells 514, 516 may be the same as or similar to the tip eject button 110 of the first-described embodiment. as described above for the first shell 114, the first shell 514 of the present embodiment may also include a pause actuator aperture 604 for receiving a pause actuator 512 and a recessed pause actuator frame 790. the pause actuator aperture 604 may have an upper portion 792 and a lower portion 794. with reference again to figs. 20a and 20b , the body 592a, 592b of each of the first and second shell 514, 516 may terminate in a semicircular hose cut-out 544a, 544b. when the first and second shells 514, 516 are assembled, the cut-outs 544a, 544b together define a substantially circular aperture 546 through which a hose passes. the neck 580a, 580b of each of the first and second shell 514, 516, respectively, includes an interior wall 576a, 576b, an exterior wall 578a, 578b, and an annular recess 577a, 577b substantially as described above. the exterior walls 578a, 578b may include a lip 608a, 608b and the interior walls 576a, 576b, when assembled into the handle 500, define a cylindrical tip cavity 582 configured to receive a tip 104. the handle 500 may include a handle collar 518 having similar features and functions to the handle collar 118 described above. the handle collar 518 may include a tip-receiving aperture 610 for receiving the tip 104, an annular well 618 for receiving a spring 616, and arcuate tabs 612 for securing the collar 518 onto the first and second shells 514, 516 (see fig. 18 ). with reference to figs. 18 and 19 , a tip eject mechanism 541 of the handle 500 may be substantially the same in its design and operation as the tip eject mechanism 141 described above. with further reference to figs. 18 and 19 , a pause valve assembly 542 of the handle 500 may include an upper valve body 526, a lower valve body 528, a shuttle valve 534, a shuttle retainer 530, a poppet assembly 536, and a pause actuator 512 operably connected to the shuttle valve 534 by a retaining ring 532 substantially the same as the pause valve assembly 142 described above with the following exceptions. with reference to figs. 18 , 19 , and 22a-c , an upper valve body 526 may be substantially the same as the upper valve body 126 described above. the portion of the valve cavity 662 adjacent to the head 656 may include a floor 672 and a ledge 686 and a shelf 674 positioned between the floor 672 and ledge 686. one or more arms 670 may extend laterally from the head 656 and neck 660. the arms 670 may be rectangular cuboids in shape as shown in figs. 22a-c or may be other shapes. the external diameters of the head 656 and base 658 may be approximately equal and both may be greater than the external diameter of the neck 660. in the example depicted in figs. 22a-c , and compared to the example depicted in figs. 11a-c , the head 656 may be shorter, the neck 660 may be longer, and the base 658 may be wider. the head 656 may not include separate upper and lower portions 264, 266. the head 656 may not include a chord segment 268 and the shelf 674 may not include a keyed feature 278. with reference to figs. 18 , 19 , 23a , and 23b , a lower valve body 528 may be substantially the same as the lower valve body 128 described above. the lower valve body 528 includes an annular wall 820 positioned between a lower plate 804 and a skirt 808. an upper portion 822 of the skirt 808 may angle inward toward the annular wall 820. the external diameter of the upper plate 802 may be approximately equal to the external diameter of the annual wall 820, and both diameters may be greater than the external diameter of the lip 806 but less than the external diameter of the skirt 808. in the example depicted in figs. 23a and 23b , and compared to the example depicted in figs. 12a and 12b , the lip 806 may be taller, the arms 800 may be elongated, and the skirt 808 may be truncated. the inner skirt wall 816 may not include any tracks 418. a sealing member 520d, such as a u-cup, may be positioned under the lower plate 804 adjacent the annual wall 820. the sealing member 520d may be overmolded into the lower plate 804 or the annual wall 820. with reference to figs. 18 , 19 , and 24 , a shuttle retainer 530 may include a cylindrical body 707 and a lip 709 that meet at a ledge 708. the shuttle retainer 530 may include an exterior wall 694 and a stepped interior wall 696 defining a cavity 698 that extends from an open first end 690 to an open second end 692. the open first end 690 may include a top surface 700 having a plurality of tabs 702 separated by notches around the perimeter 704 of the opening 706. the tabs 702 may define a broken circular edge with a circumference slightly larger than the circumference of the shuttle valve 534. the upper portion 710 of the lip may angle inwards towards the tabs 702 and opening 706. with reference to fig. 25 , the shuttle valve 534 may have substantially the same features as the shuttle valve 134 descripted above. in the example depicted in fig. 21 , the body 732 is elongated compared to the body 332 of the shuttle valve 134 depicted in fig. 14 . with reference to fig. 26 , the poppet assembly 536 may be substantially the same in its design and operation as the poppet assembly 136 described above. in the example depicted in fig. 26 , and compared to the example depicted in fig. 15 , the cap 712 includes a recessed center portion 713, the poppet neck 718 is elongated compared to poppet neck 318, and the platform 714 is taller and its perimeter sits closer to the flow path 726 than the platform 314. with reference to fig. 21 , a retaining ring 532 may be substantially the same in its design and operation as the retaining ring 132 described above. with further reference to fig. 21 , a pause actuator 512 may be substantially the same in its design and operation as the pause actuator 112 described above. in the example depicted in fig. 21 , and compared to the example depicted in figs. 9-10 , the interior slider plate 764 may include a lateral tab 765 on each lateral side of the plate 764 adjacent the first and second upper and lower prongs 776a, 776b, 778a, 778b. with reference to figs. 18 , 19 , and 27 , a swivel assembly 843 may include a valve base 538. in the example depicted in fig. 27 , and compared to the example depicted in fig. 17 , the swivel assembly 843 may not include a bushing 140. also in the example depicted in fig. 27 , and compared to the example depicted in fig. 17 , the valve base 538 may include a series of stacked, concentric, annular discs instead of an annular protruding rim 424. the top disc 838 may have the smallest diameter of the stack with the middle disc 839 having a diameter between the top disc 838 and the bottom disc 840. the thickness of each of the discs 838, 839, 840 may increase between each disc, with the top disc 838 having the smallest thickness, the middle disc 839 having a thickness between the two discs 838, 840, and the bottom disc 840 having the greatest thickness. compared to the example depicted in fig. 17 , the example of fig. 27 may not include any threads 434. when the handle 500 is assembled, the handle components of figs. 18-27 may be assembled within the housing 502 similarly to how the handle 100 is assembled, except as described below. compared to the assembled components of figs. 3-5b and 7a-17 of handle 100, the assembled components of figs. 18-27 of handle 500 may occupy a greater portion of the cavity 572 as measured along a longitudinal axis of the handle 500. the barbed tip 828 may terminate lower in the cavity 572 than the barbed tip 428 of the first-described handle 100. the rim 620 of the valve cap 522 may be captured between the underside of the second ledge 552a, 552b of the first and second shells 514, 516 and the top surface of the head 656 of the upper valve body 526. the lower end 624 of the valve cap 522 may be received in the portion of the valve cavity 662 of the upper valve body 526 adjacent the head 656. the lower end 624 may be positioned above and adjacent to a sealing member 520b seated on the shelf 674 of the upper valve body 526. the arms 670 may extend laterally to a vertical support wall 548a, 548b and be positioned adjacent to and under the third ledges 554a, 554b. the exterior wall 694 of the shuttle retainer 530 may be positioned adjacent to the inner skirt wall 816 of the lower valve body 528 such that the stepped profile of the exterior wall 694 follows the stepped profile of the inner skirt wall 816. compared to the assembly of the shuttle retainer 130 and the lower valve body 128 of the handle 100 of the first-described embodiment, the top surface 700 of the shuttle retainer 530 may be positioned adjacent to the upper portion 822 of the skirt 808 but may not extend to the annular wall 820 and may not extend to the sealing member 520d adjacent the annual wall 820 or lower plate 804. compared to the assembly of the shuttle retainer 130 and shuttle valve 134 of the handle 100, a greater portion of the body 732 of the shuttle valve 534 may be received in the cavity 698 of the shuttle retainer 530. the shuttle compartment 684 formed in the space between the bottom surface 682 of the floor 672 of the head 656 of the upper valve body 526 and the top surface 744 of the body 732 of the shuttle valve 534 when the handle 500 is in pause mode may be longer than or have a greater volume than the shuttle compartment 284 of the handle 100. the walls 770 on the rear face 768 of the interior slider plate 764 of the pause actuator 512 may be positioned approximately level with the neck 660 of the upper valve body 526 when pause mode is selected and may be positioned near or adjacent the head 656 when irrigate mode is selected. the top surface 432 of the top disc 838 of the valve base 538 may extend beneath and adjacent to the second surface 722 of the poppet support plate 716. the middle disc 839 may be positioned adjacent the inner skirt wall 816. the outer diameter of the bottom disc 840 may be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the skirt 808 of the lower valve body 528 such that when the bottom disc 840 is positioned under the skirt 808, the outer skirt wall 814 may be flush with the outer surface 841 of the bottom disc 840. when the housing 502 is assembled, the body 826 of the valve base 538 be surrounded by the eighth ledges 564a, 564b rather than by a bushing, as in the previously described handle 100. alternative embodiment figs. 28-36 depict another embodiment of a handle 1000. compared to the handles 100 and 500, similarly numbered features of the components of the handle 1000 have similar designs, constructions, functions, and operations as those of the components described above unless otherwise noted. the exterior of the handle 1000 may appear the same as or similar to the handle 100 of figs. 1 , 2a , and 2b . compared to the handles 100, 500, in handle 1000 the poppet assembly may be integrated into the valve base to form an integrated valve base 1138. additionally or alternatively, the handle 1000 may include a retaining clip 1130 and not include a shuttle retainer 130, 530. as with the handle 100 shown in figs. 1-17 , the handle 1000 of figs. 28-36 may include a first shell 1014 and a second shell 1016, each comprised of a neck 1080a, 1080b and shell body 1092a, 1092b (see figs. 30a and 30b ). the bodies 1092a, 1092b of the first and second shells 1014, 1016, respectively, together define a handle cavity 1072. the first shell 1014 may include first, second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth ledges 1050a, 1052a, 1054a, 1056a, 1058a, 1062a, and 1064, respectively, that are constructed similarly to the previously described ledges 150a, 152a, 154a, 156a, 158a, 162a, and 164a and also have similar functions. the first shell 1014 may also include one or more lateral brackets 1047 affixed to the interior wall 1074a that may help retain the pause actuator 1012 in the on/irrigate or paused position, as selected. each lateral bracket 1047 may include a plurality of catches or detents 1049 that help to mechanically releasably capture the pause actuator 1012. the detents 1049 may be shaped complimentary to a portion of the pause actuator 1012. in the example depicted in fig. 32 , the detents 1049 may be semicircular in shape. the second shell 1016 may include first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh ledges 1050b, 1052b, 1054b, 1056b, 1058b, 1060, and 1062b, respectively, that are constructed similarly to the previously described ledges 150b, 152b, 154b, 156b, 158, 160, and 162b and also have similar functions. the second shell 1016 may also include magnet 1051 and a magnet retainer 1049 for securing the magnet 1051. the magnet 1051 may help connect the handle 1000 to the base unit via a corresponding magnet in the base unit as described in u.s. patent application no. 15/843,911 entitled "oral irrigator with magnetic attachment". the bodies 1092a, 1092b of the first and second shells 1014, 1016 may also include a plurality of vertical support walls 1048a, 1048b, pegs 1069, and holes 1070 similar to the corresponding features of the first-described embodiment. with reference to figs. 28 , 30a , and 30b , the outer surface of the exterior walls 1084a, 1084b of the first and second shells 1014, 1016 may each define a c-shaped depression 1086a, 1086b with respective upper surfaces 1088a, 1088b and lower surfaces 1090a, 1090b similar to the corresponding features described above. when the handle 1000 is assembled, opposing depressions 1086a, 1086b define a pocket 1086 surrounding an opening 1094. an elongate tip eject button 1010 may be formed with an exterior slider portion 1096 and an interior slider portion 1100 that are separated from each other by a neck 1102. the exterior slider portion 1096 may include a tab grip 1098. the interior slider portion 1100 may include a nose 1101 that projects radially inward therefrom. the design and construction of the tip eject button 1010, and its position relative the first and second shells 1014, 1016 may be the same as or similar to the tip eject button 1010 of the first-described embodiment. with reference again to figs. 30a and 30b , the body 1092a, 1092b of each of the first and second shell 1014, 1016 may terminate in a semicircular hose cut-out 1044a, 1044b. when the first and second shells 1014, 1016 are assembled, the cut-outs 1044a, 1044b together define a substantially circular aperture through which a hose passes. the neck 1080a, 1080b of each of the first and second shells 1014, 1016, respectively, includes an interior wall 1076a, 1076b, an exterior wall 1078a, 1078b, and an annular recess 1077a, 1077b substantially as described above. the exterior walls 1078a, 1078b may include a lip 1108a, 1108b and the interior walls 1076a, 1076b, when assembled into the handle 1000, define a cylindrical tip cavity 1082 configured to receive a tip 104. the handle 1000 may include a handle collar 1018 having similar features and functions to the handle collar 118 described above. the handle collar 1018 may include a tip-receiving aperture 1110 for receiving the tip 104, an annular well 1118 for receiving a spring 1116, and arcuate tabs 1112 for securing the collar 1018 onto the first and second shells 1014, 1016 (see fig. 28 ). with reference to figs. 28 and 29 , a tip eject mechanism 1041 of the handle 1000 may be substantially the same in its design and operation as the tip eject mechanism 141 described above and may include a cylindrical valve cap 1022, a latch 1021, and a tip eject button 1010. with reference to figs. 28 , 29 , and 31 , a pause valve assembly 1042 of the handle 1000 may include an upper valve body 1026, a lower valve body 1028, a shuttle valve 1034, and a pause actuator 112 operably connected to the shuttle valve 534 by a retaining ring 532 substantially the same as the pause valve assembly 142, 542 described above with the following exceptions. the pause valve assembly 1042 may include a retaining clip 1130 but not include a shuttle retainer 130. the pause valve assembly 1042 may include an integrated valve base 1138 having a poppet assembly 1136 connected to an elongated barbed tip 928. with continued reference to figs. 28 and 29 , an upper valve body 1026 may be substantially the same as the upper valve body 526 described above for handle 500. with reference to figs. 28 , 29 , and 33 , a lower valve body 1028 may be substantially the same as the lower valve body 128 described above. the lower valve body 1028 includes an annular wall 1320 positioned between the lower plate 1304 and the skirt 1308. the upper portion 1322 of the skirt 1308 may angle inwards towards the annular wall 1320. the external diameter of the upper plate 1302 may be approximately equal to the external diameter of the lower plate 1304, and both diameters may be greater than the external diameter of the lip 1306 but less than the external diameter of the annular wall 1320 and the skirt 1308. in the example depicted in fig. 33 , and compared to the example depicted in figs. 12a and 12b , the arms 1300 may be elongated, and the lower valve body 1028 may include an annular wall 1320 and an angled upper portion 1322 of the skirt 1308 may be truncated. a sealing member 1020d, such as a u-cup, may be positioned under the lower plate 1304 adjacent the annual wall 1320. the sealing member 1020d may be overmolded into the lower plate 1304 or the annual wall 1320. with reference to figs. 31 and 32 , a pause actuator 1012 may be substantially the same in its design and operation as the pause actuators 112, 512 described above. in the example depicted in figs. 31 and 32 , the interior slider plate 1264 may include a lateral tab 1265 on each lateral side of the plate 1264 adjacent the first and second upper and lower prongs 1276a, 1276b, 1278a, 1278b similar to the example depicted in fig. 21 . each lateral side of a lower end 1263 of the interior slider plate 1264 may terminate in a foot 1267 that may help the pause actuator 1012 be retained in the on/irrigate or paused position, as selected. each foot 1267 may be received in a complimentarily shaped detent 1049 of the lateral bracket 1047 affixed to the interior wall 174a of the first shell 1014. each foot 1267 may include a sloped upper surface 1269 that helps the foot 1267 slide smoothly between detents 1049 as the pause actuator 1012 is moved between the irrigate and pause positions. the interior slider plate 1264 may have a generally concave shape and may include a rear face 1268 that is contoured or molded to form an internal face 1271 of the exterior slider plate 1262. one or more walls 1270 may extend from the rear face 1268 and may help the pause actuator 1012 maintain a contact with and constant spacing from other components of the pause valve assembly 1042. for example, two walls 1270a are shown positioned toward an upper end 1273 of the interior slider plate 1264 are two walls 1270b are shown positioned toward a lower end 1263. the upper walls 1270a may interface with the upper valve body 1026 and the lower walls 1270b may interface with the lower valve body 1028. with reference to fig. 31 , a retaining ring 1032 may be substantially the same in its design and operation as the retaining ring 132 described above. with reference to fig. 34 , the shuttle valve 1034 may have substantially the same features as the shuttle valve 134 descripted above. in the example depicted in fig. 34 , the body 1232 is elongated compared to the body 332 of the shuttle valve 134 depicted in fig. 14 . with reference to figs. 18 , 19 , and 35 , the pause valve assembly 1042 may include a retaining clip 1130 and not include a shuttle retainer 130, 530. compared to a shuttle retainer 130, 530 the retaining clip 1130 may permit a reduction in the size, including the diameter, of the lower valve body 1028 in which the clip 1130 is received. with reference to fig. 35 , the retaining clip 1130 may be annular in shape with an interior wall 1196 that defines an aperture and an exterior wall 1194 from which a plurality of spokes 1198 extend radially. in one example, the retaining clip 1130 is a star washer. the retaining clip 1130 frictionally engages the inner wall of the lower valve body 1028 and retains the sealing member 1120d in place within the shuttle valve 1034. with reference to figs. 28 and 29 , when the pause valve assembly 1042 is assembled, the retaining clip 1130 may be received in the skirt cavity 1312 of the lower valve body 1028 such that the spokes 1198 of the clip 1130 are adjacent the inner skirt wall 1316. the retaining clip 1130 may be positioned proximate to the annular wall 1320 of the lower valve body 1028 and below the sealing member 1120d positioned under the lower plate 1034 of the lower valve body 1028. the inner diameter of the retaining clip 1130 may be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shuttle valve 1034 to permit the shuttle valve 1034 to travel axially within the aperture of the retaining clip 1130. water may reach the sealing member 1120d through both the inner diameter of the retaining clip 1130 and the fluid flow path 1195 between spokes 1198 and the inner diameter of the annular wall 1320 of the lower valve body 1028 and press the sealing member 1120d against the shuttle valve 1034 and the lower plate 1034 more uniformly, thereby creating a faster or stronger seal against the shuttle valve 1034 than in the absence of water. compared to embodiments that include a shuttle retainer 130, 530, when the pause valve assembly 142 includes a retaining clip 1130, the base 1234 and a lower portion of the body 1232 of the shuttle valve 1034 may be received in the skirt cavity 1312 of the lower valve body 1028 instead of in the cavity 298, 698 of the shuttle retainer 130, 530. when fluid flows into the handle 1000 during either irrigate mode or pause mode, it flows into the skirt cavity 1312 of the lower valve body 1028 instead of the cavity 298, 698 of the shuttle retainer 130, 530. during irrigate mode, when the pause valve assembly 1042 is placed in an on or open position and the shuttle valve 1034 is positioned towards the handle collar 1018, the shuttle valve 1034 may be blocked from advancing too far by contact between the top surface 1244 of the shuttle valve 1034 and the bottom surface 1182 of the floor 1172 of the head 1156 of upper valve body 1026. compared to the poppet assembly 136 and valve base 138 of figs. 15 and 17 , and with reference to fig. 36a and 36b , the poppet assembly is incorporated into the valve base to form an integrated valve base 1138, which may help decrease handle 100 manufacturing costs and/or assembly time by reducing the number of component parts. handles 1000 that include an integrated valve base 1138 have a similar design, construction, function, assembly, and operation as those described above with the following exceptions. the integrated valve base 1138 is configured to selectively disconnect fluid flow from the hose 108 to the tip 104. the integrated valve base 1138 may include a poppet assembly 1136 connected to an elongated barbed tip 928 by stacked concentric upper and bottom discs 938, 940. the poppet assembly 1136 may include a cap 912, including a recessed center portion 913, connected to a poppet support plate 916 by a poppet neck 918. an annular platform 914 may encircle the neck 918 above the poppet support plate 916. the cap 912 and annular platform 914 are generally sized and shaped to be received in the shuttle valve 1034. the poppet support plate 916 includes an upper surface 920 and a plurality of support features 924 extending outwardly from the platform 914. a flow path 926 may be defined between two adjacent but spatially separated support features 924. a sealing member 1120e may be seated around the poppet neck 918 between the cap 912 and platform 914. the upper disc 938 may have a smaller diameter than the bottom disc 940 such that a first surface 937 of the bottom disc 940 is exposed and is available to interface with the skirt 1308 of the lower valve body 1028. a reinforced base 966 positioned between the bottom disc 940 and the barbed tip 928 may include a plurality of radially extending arms 967 for stability when seated against the bushing 1040. the barb aperture 1342 defined within the bushing 1040 is of larger diameter than the barbed tip 928 of the integrated valve base 1138, allowing the hose to fit thereon. the integrated valve base 1138 defines a flow cavity 930 from the barbed tip 928 through to the top surface 932 of the upper disc 938. the barbed tip 928 may include one or more gripping components 936 that enhance the connection between the integrated valve base 1138 and the hose 108. during irrigate mode, fluid can flow from the hose 108 through the flow cavity 930 in the integrated valve base 1138, through the flow path 926 between support features 924 of the poppet support plate 916, into the skirt cavity 1312 of the lower valve body 1028, into the base cavity 1248 of the shuttle valve 1034, and into the flow lumen 1242 of the shuttle valve 1034. when the handle 1000 is assembled, the handle components of figs. 28-36 may be assembled within the housing 1002 similarly to how the handle 500 is assembled, except as described below. with reference to fig. 28 , and compared to the example in fig. 18 , the arms 1170 of the valve cap 1022 may be positioned adjacent to the third ledges 1054a, 1054b rather than under the third ledges 554a, 554b. with further reference to fig. 28 , and compared to the example in fig. 18 , the lip 1180 of upper valve body 1026 may be positioned under the fourth ledge 1056a, 1056b rather than above the fourth ledge 556a, 556b. the sealing member 1020c may be positioned under the lip 1180, adjacent to the base 1158 of the upper valve body 1026, and above the lip 1306 of the lower valve body 1028. the upper plate 1302 of the lower valve body 1028 may be positioned above and adjacent the fifth ledge 1058a, 1058b. as described above, and with reference to figs. 28 and 29 , the retaining clip 1130 may be positioned proximate to the annular wall 1320 of the lower valve body 1028 and below the sealing member 1120d positioned under the lower plate 1034 of the lower valve body 1028. as shown in figs. 28 and 29 , and similarly to figs. 4-5b for handle 100, the barbed tip 928 of the integrated valve base 1138 is received in the barb aperture 1342 of the bushing 1040. the rim 1344 of the bushing 1040 may be positioned on top of the seventh ledges 1062a, 1062b. the walls 1270a on the rear face 1268 of the interior slider plate 1264 of the pause actuator 1012 may be positioned near the interface between the neck 1160 and base 1158 of the upper valve body 1026 when pause mode is selected and may be positioned near or adjacent the head 1156 when irrigate mode is selected. when the handle 1000 is assembled, the cap 912, poppet neck 918, and annular platform 914 of the poppet assembly 1136 and the sealing member 1120e positioned around the poppet neck 918 may be received in the base cavity 1248 of the shuttle valve 1034. the first surface 920 of the poppet support plate 916 may be positioned below and adjacent to the bottom surface 1246 of the base 1234 of the shuttle valve 1034. the poppet support plate 916 and upper disc 938 of the integrated valve base 1138 are received in the skirt cavity 1312 of the lower valve body 1028. the outer diameter of the bottom disc 940 of the integrated valve base 1138 may be approximately the same as the outer diameter of the skirt 1308 of the lower valve body 1028 such that when the first surface 937 of the bottom disc 940 is positioned under the skirt 1308, the outer skirt wall 1314 may be flush with an outer surface 941 of the bottom disc 940. to connect the pause valve assembly1042 and the swivel assembly 1343, the barbed tip 928 of the integrated valve base 1138 is received in the barb aperture 1342 of the bushing 1040. a rim 1344 of the bushing 1040 may rest on the seventh ledges 1062a, 1062b. the bushing 1040 may freely rotate on the seventh ledges 1062a, 1062b to allow the integrated valve base 1138 and connected valve assembly to freely rotate or swivel within the handle 100. insertion and ejection of a tip a user may insert a tip 104 into, and eject a tip 104 from, the handle 100 of figs. 1-17 according to the following procedures. insertion and ejection of a tip 104 from the handle 500 of figs. 18-27 and from the handle 1000 of figs. 28-36 follows a similar procedure. the procedures are substantially the same as those described in u.s. patent application no. 14/555,339 . a tip 104 is inserted into the handle 100 by passing an end of the tip 104 opposite the tip outlet 105 through the tip-receiving aperture 210 of the handle collar 118, through the tip receiving cavity 182 defined by the interior walls 174a, 174b of the first and second shells 114, 116, and into the tip-receiving aperture 474 of the latch body 452. before the tip 104 enters the handle 100, the tip-receiving aperture 474 of the latch body 452 is partially offset from the tip cavity 222 of the valve cap 122, which is positioned below the tip-receiving aperture 474. the tip 104 engages the latch body 452 and pushes the interior lip 470 of the latch body 452 laterally in the direction of the spring legs 454 until the tip-receiving aperture 474 of the latch body 452 and the tip cavity 222 of the valve cap 122 vertically align. the spring legs 454 are compressed, and the feet 462 are positioned adjacent to the interior wall 174a, 174b of the first and second shells 114, 116. the inserted end of the tip 104 can then proceed through the tip cavity 222 of the valve cap 122, past the sealing member 120b, and into the valve cavity 246 of the backflow valve body 124 or the valve cavity 662 of the upper valve body 526. a tip collar 106 on the tip 104 may be biased against the handle collar 118 when the tip 104 is fully inserted into the handle 100. the outer diameter of the inserted end of the tip 104 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the sealing member 120b, thereby creating a fluid-tight seal between the sealing member 120b and the tip 104. the d-shape of the perimeter of the interior lip 470 of the latch body 452, which may be complimentary or keyed to the d-shape of the inserted end of the tip 104, help to align the tip 104 in the handle 100. the tip 104 may be coupled to the latch 121 by capturing the interior lip 470 of the latch body 452 within an annular recess (not shown) of the tip 104. the handle collar 118 of the handle 100 is depressed toward the bodies 192a, 192b of the first and second shells 114, 116 when the tip 104 is coupled with the latch 121. as the handle collar 118 is depressed, the arcuate tabs 212 of the handle collar 118 move along the necks 180a, 180b of the first and second shells 114, 116 toward the bodies 192a, 192b, which decreases the height of the gap 214, and the spring 216 is compressed. the compressed spring 216 exerts an upward force, which will return the handle collar 118 back to its original position (i.e., separated from the bodies 192a, 192b by a gap 214) in the absence of another force opposing this upward force. when the tip 104 is coupled with the latch 121, this upward force will be opposed by a flange (not shown) on the tip 104 that holds the handle collar 118 down, thereby maintaining the handle collar 118 in a position adjacent to the handle housing 102. an audible click or other similar noise may occur when the latch 121 captures the annular recess of the tip 104, thereby providing an audible indication that the tip 104 is attached to the handle 100. the noise may be mechanically produced (for example, a click resulting from a portion of the tip 104 impacting a portion of the handle 100, or a click resulting from a portion of the tip 104 springing outward or mechanically deforming). in another example of inserting a tip 104, a user slides the exterior slider portion 196 of the tip eject button 110 upward toward the handle collar 118 of the handle 100, and maintains the exterior slider portion 196 in that position while inserting a tip 104 into the handle 100 as described above. sliding the exterior slider portion 196 upward along the longitudinal axis of the handle housing also slides the interior slider portion 200 upwards via the connection between the exterior and interior slider portions 196, 200 at the neck 202. as the nose 201 of the interior slider portion 200 slides upward along the chamfered wall 478 of the latch body 452, the nose 201 forces the latch 121 to move laterally in the direction of the spring legs 454. the tip-receiving aperture 474 of the latch body 452 is thus aligned over the tip cavity 222 of the valve cap 122 before the tip 104 is inserted. the inserted tip 104 can then proceed into the valve cavity 246 of the backflow valve body 124 or the valve cavity 662 of the upper valve body 526 as described above. a user ejects a tip 104 by sliding the exterior slider portion 196 of the tip eject button 110 upward toward the handle collar 118. as the nose 201 of the interior slider portion 200 slides upward along the chamfered wall 478 of the latch body 452, the nose 201 forces the latch 121 to move laterally in the direction of the spring legs 454. in other words, the latch 121 moves substantially normal or perpendicular to the movement of the tip eject button 110. the interior lip 470 disengages from the annular recess in the tip 104 and the tip 104 is decoupled. the spring force of the spring 216 on the handle collar 118 helps to eject the tip 104 by forcing the handle collar 118 upward against the flange of the tip 104. as noted, when the tip 104 is decoupled, the force opposing the upward force exerted by the spring 216 is removed, thereby allowing the spring 216 to move the handle collar 118 back to its original position. this movement of the handle collar 118 from a position adjacent to the bodies 192a, 192b to its original position provides a visual indication that the tip 104 has been decoupled from the latch 121. operation of the handle a user may use the handle 100 of figs. 1-17 , the handle 500 of figs. 18-27 , or the handle 1000 of figs. 28-36 and the oral irrigator to which it is fluidically connected for oral irrigation and/or cleaning of the teeth, gums, and tongue according to the following procedure. once a tip 104 is connected to the handle 100 as described above, and the handle 100 is fluidically connected to a fluid source, such as a reservoir of an oral irrigator, and power is supplied to the oral irrigator, the handle 100 is ready to use. fluid flows through the hose 108 into the flow cavity 430 in the valve base 138 and into the cavity 298 of the shuttle retainer 130. when the shuttle valve 134 is in the open position (see fig. 5b ), fluid flows from the cavity 298 of the shuttle retainer 130 (or the skirt cavity 1312 of the lower valve body 1028 in embodiments having a retaining clip 1130) into the flow lumen 342 of the shuttle valve 134. fluid passes through the flow aperture 276 in the upper valve body 126 and, if present, into the lower portion 249 of the valve cavity 246 of the backflow valve body 124. fluid can then enter the tip 104, which is positioned in the valve cavity 246 of the backflow valve body 124 or in the valve cavity 662, 1162 of the upper valve body 526, 1026, and exit the tip outlet 105 into the user's mouth. irrigate mode and pause mode during irrigate mode, fluid flows to the tip 104 as described above when the pause valve assembly 142 is placed in an open position as follows (see fig. 5b ). when the pause actuator 112 is positioned toward the handle collar 118 (i.e., in the up or on position), the shuttle valve 134, which is operably connected to the pause actuator 112 via the retaining ring 132, is moved into the shuttle compartment 284 of the upper valve body 126. the top surface 344 of the body 332 of the shuttle valve 134 approaches or contacts the bottom surface 282 of the floor 272 of the head 256 of upper valve body 126. a flow gap 350 is simultaneously created between the bottom surface 346 of the base 334 of the shuttle valve 134 and the first surface 320 of the poppet support plate 316 of the poppet assembly 136. in this position of the shuttle valve 134, the cap 312, poppet neck 318, and sealing member 120e of the poppet assembly 136 are positioned below, not seated inside, the base cavity 348 of the shuttle valve 134. fluid can flow from the hose 108 through the flow cavity 430 in the valve base 138, through the flow path 326 between the sprockets 324 of the poppet support plate 316, into the cavity 298 of the shuttle retainer 130, into the base cavity 348 of the shuttle valve 134, and into the flow lumen 342 of the shuttle valve 134. during pause mode, no fluid flows into or out of the tip 104. to initiate pause mode without turning off power to the oral irrigator to which the handle 100 is connected, the pause valve assembly 142 must be moved to a closed position as follows (see figs. 4 and 5a ). a user manually slides the pause actuator 112 downward relative to the housing 102, such as by grasping the grip portion 366 and moving it away from the handle collar 118 (i.e., in the down or off position) and substantially along a longitudinal axis of the housing 102. this translational movement of the pause actuator 112 also slides the coupled retaining ring 132 downward, which in turn slides the operably connected shuttle valve 134 downward. the flow gap 350 between the base 334 of the shuttle valve 134 and the poppet support plate 316, created during irrigate mode, is closed. the base 334 of the shuttle valve 134 contacts and seals against the first surface 320 of the poppet support plate 316 such that the cap 312, poppet neck 318, and sealing member 120e are received inside the base cavity 348 of the shuttle valve 134. the sealing member 120e helps provide a seal with the base cavity 348 and fluid is partially or completely prevented from entering the base cavity 348. fluid can flow from the hose 108 through the valve base 138 through the flow path 326 of the poppet support plate 316 and into the cavity 298 of the shuttle retainer 130. but fluid cannot pass into the flow lumen 342 of the shuttle valve 134. fluid flow is thereby paused or stopped through the shuttle valve 134 to the tip 104. the pause mode is implemented by mechanical, not electrical, operation of the pause actuator 112. a mechanically actuated pause mode avoids the need for electrical circuitry in the handle 100, which thereby helps improve the safety of the handle 100 and the oral irrigator to which the handle is fluidically connected because electrical circuits are not in close physical proximity to fluid conduits. a mechanically-controlled instead of an electrically-controlled pause mode also decreases the manufacturing cost of the handle 100 and the oral irrigator. no separate battery is required in the handle 100 to power such circuits. alternatively, the handle 100 need not be electrically wired to the oral irrigator. thus, an easily accessible and selectable pause mode is provided to the user with significantly less manufacturing cost and greater safety. hose swivel during use, as the user moves the handle 100 into different angles and positions to access different areas of the mouth, the hose 108 can rotate freely relative to the handle 100 to remain free from tangles, bends, or kinks while maintaining a desired handle 100 orientation. in particular, as the user moves the handle 100 to different orientations, the hose 108 can rotate at its connection to the handle 100 as components of the handle 100 rotate within and relative to the housing 102. for example, the valve base 138 may be ultrasonically welded to the skirt 408 of the lower valve body 128 such that rotation of the hose 108 attached to the barbed tip 428 of the valve base 138 rotates the valve base 138, poppet assembly 136, shuttle valve 134, retaining ring 132, and lower valve body 128 within and relative to the housing 102. in some embodiments, the materials of some or all of the bushing 140, valve base 138, shuttle valve 134, retaining ring 132, and lower valve body 128 are selected to be low-friction so as to introduce minimal to no drag. all directional references (e.g., upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the invention unless specifically set forth in the claims. joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, joined, and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a connection of elements and relative movement between elements. as such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. the above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined in the claims. it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only of particular embodiments.
|
130-542-149-998-850
|
KR
|
[
"EP",
"CN",
"WO",
"US",
"AU"
] |
G04G9/00,G04G15/00
| 1998-11-17T00:00:00 |
1998
|
[
"G04"
] |
programmable time switch
|
a programmable time switch is disclosed. a time or time interval set by a user to be reserved is displayed on a display (100). the display (100) has a current time display part for displaying an hour hand (140) and a minute hand (130) which represent a current time, an hour unit display part (120) having segments of the number of a multiple of 6 or 12 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of hours, and a minute unit display part (110) having segments of the number of a multiple of 60 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of minutes. the current time and the am or pm are digitally displayed on a current time display section (210) and an am/pm display section (212), respectively. a set section (220) having a plurality of buttons (1-12, t, ap, p, p, d, c, m) are used for setting, cancelling or confirming the reserved time or time interval. a control section (200) controls through a drive section (230) a peripheral interface in accordance with the reserved time or time interval set through the set section (220), and displays the reserved time or time interval through the display (100). a memory (240) provides a program and a work area which are necessary for controlling the operation of the control section (200). a clock supply section (250) supplies a clock which is necessary for the controlling operation of the control section (200).
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claims : 1. a programmable time switch comprising: a display for displaying a time or time interval set by a user to be reserved, the display having a current time display part formed at a center portion thereof for displaying an hour hand and a minute hand which represent a current time, an hour unit display part formed at a middle portion thereof and having segments of the number of a multiple of 6 or 12 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of hours, and a minute unit display part formed at an edge portion thereof and having segments of the number of a multiple of 60 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of minutes; a current time display section and an am/pm display section for digitally displaying the current time and the am or pm, respectively; a set section having a plurality of buttons for setting, canceling or confirming the reserved time or time interval; a control section for controlling through a drive section a peripheral interface connected thereto in accordance with the reserved time or time interval set through the set section, and for displaying the reserved time or time interval through the display; a memory for providing a program and a work area which are necessary for controlling operation of the control section; and a clock supply section for supplying a clock which is necessary for the controlling operation of the control section. 2. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set section comprises: twelve time set buttons disposed around the display for symbolizing one through twelve o'clock, the twelve time set buttons allowing the reserved time or time interval to be set through it; a current time set button used when setting the current time; a timer set button used when setting the reserved time or time interval as a timer; a cancel button for canceling the reserved time or time interval; an am/pm select button for selecting the am or pm; and a confirm button for confirming the reserved time or time interval of the timer. 3. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reserved time or time interval is set through the set section such that the programmable time switch is turned on or off between the current time and the reserved time or after the reserved time interval is lapsed from the current time; and when the timer is converted from an on-state to an off-state or from the off-state to the on-state, the display is colored between a position of the current time and a position of the reserved time in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction. 4. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the timer is started from the off-state, is converted to the on-state for a predetermined time and returned to the off-state or when these situations are repeated several times, or when the timer is started from the on-state, is converted to the off-state for a predetermined time and returned to the on-state or when these situations are repeated several times, the display is colored over the reserved time interval in the on-state or uncolored over the reserved time interval in the off- state. 5. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein when setting the reserved time or time interval using the twelve time set buttons, an o'clock is inputted by a button first pressed, and a minute is inputted by another button second pressed at least one time. 6. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hour unit display part is used for displaying in terms of hours the reserved time or time interval which is within 12 hours from the current time in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction, and is automatically colored or uncolored in accordance with the current time; and the minute unit display part is used for displaying in terms of minutes the reserved time or time interval which is within 60 minutes from the current time in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction, and is automatically colored or uncolored in accordance with the current time. 7. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein once the reserved time or time interval is set by the user, it is repeated with a cycle of 24 hours unless otherwise canceled. 8. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein once the reserved time or time interval is set by the user, it is repeated with a cycle of predetermined days unless otherwise canceled. 9. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a mode display section for displaying an operating mode of the timer; a switch for keeping the drive section turned on or off irrespective of setting for the timer or for making the drive section operate the timer; and a mode select button for selecting the operating mode of the timer. 10. the programmable time switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display for displaying a time or time interval set by a user to be reserved, comprises: a current time display part having the hour hand, the minute hand and a second hand which cooperatively represent the current time; an hour unit display part having a predetermined configuration such as a circle formed around the current time display part for displaying in terms of hours the reserved time or time interval which is within 12 hours from the current time in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction; and a minute unit display part having a predetermined configuration such as a circle formed outside or inside the hour unit display part for displaying in terms of minutes the reserved time or time interval which is within 60 minutes from the current time in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction.
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progr7λm able time switch technical field the present invention relates to a programmable time switch, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a programmable time switch which supplements a function of a timer for controlling operations of diverse electronic and electric instruments or equipment and by which a number of time reservations are easily set and simply confirmed. background art generally, a timer has several operating modes as shown in fig. 1. the operating modes of the timer include an a mode in which the timer is started at a current time and converted from an on-state to an off- state when a reserved time is reached or a reserved length of time is lapsed, a b mode in which the timer is started at the current time and converted from the off-state to the on-state when the reserved time is reached or the reserved length of time is lapsed, a c mode in which the timer is started from the off-state, is converted to the on-state for the reserved length of the time as the current time reaches the reserved time, and then is returned to the off-state, and a d mode in which the timer is started from the on-state, is converted to the off-state for the reserved length of time as the current time reaches the reserved time, and then is returned to the on-state. in the timer having the operating modes described above, a number of time reservations can be easily set and simply confirmed. among timers of the prior art, a minute minder (timer) of a spiral spring type provides advantages in that it allows a desired time interval to be easily set from a current time. however, the minute minder of a spiral spring type has low precision in turning on/off equipment or an instrument at a precise time. also, a mechanical programmable time switch of a quartz-vibrated type or a motor type provides advantages in that since a reserve pin is disposed in a shape of a circle and has 24 hour representations, a reserved time can be confirmed at a glance. however, since the mechanical programmable time switch is mechanically turned on or off, precision is deteriorated relying upon play between elements thereof. also, since the reserve pin must be inserted by hand, it is difficult to reserve a minute unit which is smaller than 10 minutes or 15 minutes. further, the mechanical programmable time switch has disadvantages in that the reserve pin must be disposed in the counterclockwise direction. in addition, while an electronic timer of a figure arranging type has high precision to allow time reservations of a second unit, it takes too much time to set a reservation program, an input scheme is so complicated that it is apt to be forgotten whereby the reservations must be set while referring to a manual. also, the reservations cannot be confirmed at a glance. further, another electronic timer of a circular crystal type provides advantages in that when a minimum segment is set to be larger than 20 minutes. however, in the electronic timer, it takes too much time to set the reservation at one minute or 5 minute units. for example, if one minute can be reserved into one segment and it takes one second, 10 seconds are needed to reserve 10 minute, 60 seconds are needed to reserve one hour, and 720 seconds (12 minutes) are needed to reserve 12 hours. for this reason, it takes too much time to set the reservations. also, in the electronic timer, since a reserve mode or a release mode must be selected when one segment is passed upon reservation, a visual discrimination is made difficult. disclosure of the invention accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a programmable time switch by which a number of time reservations are easily set and simply confirmed, whereby convenience of a user is enhanced. in order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a programmable time switch comprising: a display for displaying a time or a time interval set by a user to be reserved, the display having a current time display part formed at a center portion thereof for displaying an hour hand and a minute hand which represent a current time, an hour unit display part formed at a middle portion thereof and having segments of the number of a multiple of 6 or 12 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of hours, and a minute unit display part formed at an edge portion thereof and having segments of the number of a multiple of 60 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of minutes; a current time display section, an am/pm display section and a mode display section for digitally displaying the current time, the am or pm and an operating mode of a timer, respectively; a set section having a plurality of buttons for setting, canceling or confirming the reserved time or time interval; a control section for controlling through a drive section a peripheral interface connected thereto in accordance with the reserved time or time interval set through the set section, and for displaying the reserved time or time interval through the display; a memory for providing a program and a work area which are necessary for controlling operation of the control section; a clock supply section for supplying a clock which is necessary for the controlling operation of the control section; and a switch for keeping the drive section turned on or off irrespective of a setting of the timer or for making the drive section operate the timer. brief description of the drawings the above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: fig. 1 is a graph illustrating operating modes of a timer; fig. 2 is a front view illustrating a construction of a programmable time switch in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 3 through 8 are front views illustrating various display situations of a display embodying the present invention; and fig. 9 is a block diagram of the programmable time switch of the present invention. best modes for carrying out the invention reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. referring to figs . 2 and 9, a programmable time switch according to the present invention includes a display 100 having an hour hand 140 and a minute hand 130 formed at a center portion thereof to represent a current time, an hour unit display part 120 formed at a middle portion thereof and having segments of the number of a multiple of 6 or 12 for displaying a reserved time or time interval in terms of hours, and a minute unit display part 110 formed at an edge portion thereof and having segments of the number of a multiple of 60 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of minutes; a current time display section 210, an am/pm display section 212 and a mode display section 214 for digitally displaying the current time, the am or pm and an operating mode of a timer, respectively; a set section 220 having a plurality of buttons 1-12, t, ap, p, d, c and m for setting, canceling or confirming the reserved time or time interval and conditions thereof; a control section 200 for controlling through a drive section 230 a peripheral interface connected thereto in accordance with the reserved time or time interval and conditions thereof set through the set section 1-12, t, ap, p, d, c and m, and for displaying the reserved time or time interval and conditions thereof through the display 100; a memory 240 for providing a program and a work area which are necessary for a controlling operation of the control section 200; a clock supply section 250 for supplying a clock which is necessary for the controlling operation of the control section 200; and a switch 150 for keeping the drive section 230 turned on or off irrespective of a setting of the timer or for making the drive section 230 operate the timer. the display 100 has, as shown in fig. 2, the hour hand 140 and the minute hand 130 and 140 including the hour hand 140, which are formed at the center portion thereof to represent the current time (here, if it is necessary to display a second hand, a segment having the same size as the minute hand 130 and 140 can be used) . the display 100 also has the hour unit display part 120 formed at the middle portion thereof and having segments of the number of the multiple of 12 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of hours, and the minute unit display part 110 formed at the edge portion thereof and having segments of the number of the multiple of 60 for displaying the reserved time or time interval in terms of minutes. the display 100 can be manufactured using a luminous element such as a liquid crystal display (lcd) panel or an electro-luminescence (el) cell. the current time display section 210 digitally displays the current time. in addition, the am/pm display section 212 for displaying the am or pm and the mode display section 214 for displaying one of operating modes a, a', a 1 ', b, b', b'', c and d of the timer, are provided together with the current time display section 210. the mode display section 214 displays one of the operating modes a, a', a' 1 , b, b', b' 1 , c and d of the timer, which is selected through a mode select button m by a user. the set section 220 includes twelve time set buttons 1 through 12 disposed around the display 100 for symbolizing one through twelve o'clock and for allowing the reserved time or time interval to be set through it; a current time set button t used when setting the current time; a timer set button p used when setting the reserved time or time interval as the timer; a cancel button c for canceling the reserved time or time interval; an am/pm select button for selecting am or pm ap; and the mode select button m for selecting one of the operating modes a, a', a 1 ', b, b', b'', c and d of the timer; and a confirm button for confirming the reserved time or time interval of the timer. here, when displaying the reserved time or time interval on the display 100, since all reservations including reserved times or time intervals which are within 12 hours from the current time must be displayed in the hour unit display part 120 having a configuration such as a circle, etc., it is difficult to precisely display minute units of the reservations on the hour unit display part 120. in other words, if the minute unit of the reserved time or time interval includes not 0 minutes or 30 minutes but 5 minutes, 47 minutes, etc., the reserved time or time interval cannot be precisely displayed to the minute unit when displayed on the hour unit display part 120. this problem is resolved by the minute unit display part 110. namely, if the reserved time is 1 : 37, for displaying 37 minutes, the minute unit display part 110 is colored from a position of a 12th button 12 to a position of a clockwise 37th segment denoting 37 minutes. in this way, the minute unit of the reserved time or time interval can be precisely displayed. for providing a display, in case of the hour unit display part 120, an hour (for example, a time interval between a 12th button 12 and a 1st button 1) is composed of 6 or 12 segments. accordingly, the hour unit display part 120 as a whole is composed of 72 or 144 segments. further, in case of the minute unit display part 110, a time interval between the 12th button 12 and a 1st button 1 is composed of 5 segments. accordingly, the minute unit display part 110 as a whole is composed of 60 segments. hereinafter, operations of the programmable time switch constructed as mentioned above, will be described in detail. the operations of the programmable time switch of the present invention will be explained while being set out into embodiments for setting the timer. four timer modes as shown in fig. 1 will be exemplified. first, the current time must be precisely set. if the current time is 9 : 30 am, after the current time set button t is pressed, the am/pm select button ap is pressed to select am. then, to input 9 hours, a 9th button 9 is pressed, and to input 30 minutes, a 6th button 6 denoting 30 minutes is pressed one time. by this, a setting of the current time is completed, and the current time is displayed on the display 100 through the hour hand 130 and the minute hand 130 and 140 and is digitally displayed on the current time display section 210. at this time, if it is necessary to display a separate second hand, the minute hand 130 and 140 can be used as it is . since the second hand moves every second, even when a time change of a second unit is displayed using the minute hand, the second hand and the minute hand can be clearly distinguished from each other. here, coloring conditions of the display 100 are defined as follows. a monochromatic lcd generally has a white ground color and is colored with black when an electric field is applied to a liquid crystal. accordingly, in the embodiments of the present invention, the timer is white-colored at its off-state and is black-colored at its on-state (of course, it is possible to conversely define the coloring conditions. the same shall apply hereinafter) . since the minute unit display part 110 can display the reserved time or time interval within 60 minutes, only the reserved segments which are within 60 minutes from the current time can be colored with black (hereinafter, simply referred to as "colored") or colored with white (hereinafter, simply referred to as "uncolored") . while an a mode and a b mode of the timer will be first described hereinbelow, since both the a mode and b mode have three embodiments, the three embodiments will be explained one by one based on the a mode (b mode is operated contrary to the a mode) . 1. a first embodiment of a mode (a mode) the a mode is, as shown in fig. 3, started at the current time and converted from the on-state to the off-state when the reserved time is reached or a reserved length of time is lapsed. hereinbelow, operations of the timer in the a mode will be explained. the a mode is first selected through the mode select button m. if the current time is 9 : 30 am and the reserved time is 2 : 30 pm, after the timer set button p is pressed, the am/pm select button ap is pressed to select the pm. then, a 2nd button 2 is pressed and the 6th button 6 denoting a position of 30 minutes is pressed one time. at this time, if the 6th button 6 is not pressed any more in a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) , 30 minutes are set in the timer, and if the 6th button 6 is pressed one more time in the predetermined time (3 seconds) , the next minutes (time) are set in the timer. for example, when setting 2 : 31, after the 6th button 6 is pressed, the 6th button 6 is pressed one more time in the predetermined time (3 seconds) . also, when setting 2 : 32, after the 6th button 6 is pressed, the 6th button 6 is pressed two more times. in this way, a time can be increased by one minute to 2 : 34 relying upon the number of times the 6th button is pressed (the same shall apply hereinafter) . in addition, if the am/pm select button ap is pressed after pressing the timer set button p, one of the am and pm in the am/pm display section 212, which are changed in accordance with the current time, is flashed to represent the am or pm of the reserved time. the result displayed on the display 100 is as follows . in order to display 2 : 30 in terms of hours, the hour unit display part 120 is colored from a middle position (denoting 30 minutes) between the 2nd button 2 and a 3rd button 3 to a position of the current time (since the current time is continuously changed, this position of the current time is also changed in accordance with the current time) (see fig. 3(a)). all segments of the minute unit display part 110 are colored. since the setting of the reserved time is completed, the am/pm display section 212 having the pm flashed is restored to its original state to represent the am according to the current time. if the current time is between 9 : 30 am and 1 : 30 pm, since the reserved time does not exist within 60 minutes from the current time, all segments of the minute unit display part 110 are maintained in the colored state. if the current time passes 1 : 30, namely at the moment when the current time passes 1 hour, 30 minutes and 1 second, a 31st segment from the position of the 12th button 12 is uncolored (the same shall apply hereinafter) . in other words, from this time, a 30th segment denoting 60 minutes later from the current time (since the reserved time is set to 2 : 30) is maintained colored. as the time continuously goes by, segments are converted to an uncolored state one by one every one minute, (fig. 3θrepresents a case in which the current time is 2 : 29) , and finally as the current time passes 2 : 30 pm, all segments of the hour unit display part 120 and the minute unit display part 110 are converted to the uncolored state. 2. a second embodiment of a mode (a' mode) this embodiment is used for providing a 60 minute timer, and due to this, a maximum timer set time is limited to 60 minutes. in this embodiment, the timer can be set by the minute unit within 60 minutes irrespective of the hour unit. for example, if the current time is 9 : 30 am and the reserved length of time is 30 minutes, the timer operates as follows. after selecting the a' mode through the mode select button m, in order to set the reserved length of time to 30 minutes, the 6th button 6 denoting 30 minutes is pressed one time. ( if the reserved length of time is 47 minutes, the 9th button 9 denoting 45 minutes is pressed three times in the predetermined time. the same shall apply hereinafter). by setting the timer as described above, the hour unit display part 120 and the minute unit display part 110 are maintained in the on-state for 30 minutes from 9 : 30 to 10 : 00 to be colored, and as the current time reaches 10 : 00, they are converted into the off- state. accordingly, the minute unit display part 110 is, as shown in fig. 4(a), colored from a position of 30 minutes to a position of 60 minutes at an initial stage. however, as shown in figs . 4(b) and 4(c), as the current time passes 9 : 59 to reach 10 : 00, all segments of the minute unit display part 110 are converted to the uncolored state. 3. a third embodiment of a mode (a 11 mode) this embodiment is used for providing a timer capable of being set over 60 minutes. in this embodiment, a minute unit can be inputted by using the 1st button 1 through a 10th button 10, and by pressing the 10th button 10, '0' is inputted. in other words, by pressing the 1st button 1 through the 9th button 9, numbers of 1 through 9 are inputted, respectively, and by pressing the 10th button 10, a number of '0' is inputted. due to this, all numbers of 0 through 9 can be inputted when setting the minute unit. for example, if the current time is 9 : 30 am and the reserved length of time is 105 minutes, after the a' ' mode is selected through the mode select button m and the timer set button p is pressed, the 1st button 1, 10th button 10 and a 5th button 5 are sequentially pressed to input the minute unit of 105 minutes. the result displayed on the display 100 is as shown in fig. 5. since 105 minutes correspond to one hour and 45 minutes, the hour unit display part 120 is colored from the position of 9 : 30 to a position of 11 : 15 which represent a time when 105 minutes corresponding to one hour and 45 minutes are passed from the 9 : 30. also, in the minute unit display part 110, since the reservations within 60 minutes from the current time are displayed on the minute unit display part 110, all segments of the minute unit display part 110 are colored (see fig. 5(a). the same shall apply hereinafter) . further, when 60 minutes are left to reach the 105 minutes, namely when the current time reaches 10 : 16 which is 60 minutes before 11 : 15, the minute unit display part 110 begins to be uncolored one segment by one segment (see fig. 5(b)) as the current time goes by one minute (see fig. 5(c)). 4. b mode (b, b' , b' ') the b mode(b, b', b' 1 ) is the same with the a mode in an operating principle but the coloring conditions thereof are opposite to the a mode. 5. c mode the c mode as shown in fig. lois a timer mode in which it is started from the off-state, is converted to the on-state for the reserved length of the time as the current time reaches the reserved time, and then is returned to the off-state. in case of the c mode, as shown in fig. 6, it is selected through the mode select button m. if the current time is 10 : 30 am and the reserved time interval is from 11 : 30 am to 1 : 37 pm, since the current time belongs to am, after pressing the timer set button p, an 11th button 11 is pressed to input the hour unit of 11 and the 6th button 6 denoting 30 minutes is pressed one time to input the minute unit of 30. then, after pressing the timer set button p one more time, the pm is selected through the am/pm select button ap. thereafter, in order to input 1 : 37, the 1st button 1 is pressed to set the hour unit of 1 and a 7th button 7 denoting 35 minutes is pressed three times in the predetermined time to set the minute unit of 37. the result displayed on the display 100 in this case is as follows. at an initial stage, as shown in fig. 6(a), the hour unit display part 120 is colored with black from a position of 11 : 30 (a middle portion between the 11th button 11 and the 12th button 12) to a position of 1 : 37 (a middle portion between the 1st button 1 and the 2nd button 2), and the remaining portion of the hour unit display part 120 is uncolored. at this time, as the current time passes 11 : 30, the colored segments of the colored portion on the hour unit display part 120 are converted into the uncolored state one by one in accordance with the current time (see fig. 6 (c) ) . on the other hand, as the current time reaches 10 : 31 which is 60 minutes before the beginning time of 11 : 30, the minute unit display part 110 is colored every one minute one segment by one segment from a position of 30 minutes (denoted by the segment of the 6th button 6) (see fig. 6(b)), and as the current time reaches 12 : 38 which is 60 minutes before the ending time of 1 : 37, the minute unit display part 110 is uncolored every one minute one segment by one segment from a position of 38 minutes (denoted by the clockwise third segment from the 7th button 7) (see fig. 6(c)). 6. d mode the d mode as shown in fig. 1(d) is a timer mode in which it is started from the on-state, is converted to the off-state for the reserved length of time as the current time reaches the reserved time, and then is returned to the on-state. in case of the d mode, as shown in fig. 7, the d mode is selected through the mode select button m. if the current time is 10 : 30 am and the reserved time interval is from 11 : 30 am to 1 : 37 pm, since the current time belongs to am, after pressing the timer set button p, the 11th button 11 is pressed to input the hour unit of 11 and the 6th button 6 denoting 30 minutes is pressed one time to input the minute unit of 30. then, after pressing the timer set button p one more time, the pm is selected through the am/pm select button ap. thereafter, in order to input 1 : 37, the 1st button 1 is pressed to set the hour unit of 1 and the 7th button 7 denoting 35 minutes is pressed three times in the predetermined time to set the minute unit of 37. the result displayed on the display 100 in this case is as follows. the hour unit display part 120 is uncolored from the position of 11 : 30 (the middle portion between the 11th button 11 and the 12th button 12) to the position of 1 : 37 (the middle portion between the 1st button 1 and the 2nd button 2), and the remaining portion of the hour unit display part 120 is colored with black (see fig. 7(a)). in other words, a portion of the hour unit display part 120, which corresponds to the reserved time interval is uncolored. then, as the current time passes 11 : 30, the uncolored segments of the uncolored portion on the hour unit display part 120 are converted into the colored state one by one in accordance with the current time (see fig. 7(c) ) . the minute unit display part 110 is processed in the same way as the c mode but the coloring conditions thereof are opposite to the c mode (see fig. 7(b) and 7(c)) . 7. multiple setting of c mode if situations of the c mode or d mode are repeated, namely when a number of reservations are made on the timer with predetermined time spans among them, the number of reservations can be set by repeatedly setting the c mode or d mode, and also a displayed minute unit represents a reserved time within 60 minutes from the current time as in the c mode or d mode . for example, if the current time is 10 : 25 am, a first reserved time interval is from 11 : 30 am to 1 : 37 pm, a second reserved time interval is from 1 : 50 pm to 2 : 30 pm and a third reserved time interval is from 11 : 00 pm to 1 : 00 am, the result displayed on the display 100 in this case is as shown in fig. 8. first, the hour unit display part 120 can be colored only when the reserved time is within 12 hours from the current time, and cannot be colored when the reserved time is not within 12 hours from the current time. this is because only 12 hours can be displayed by using the display 100 over 360°. of course, the hour unit display part 120 can display a reserved time or time interval within 12 hours from the current time in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction. accordingly, as shown in fig. 8(a), since the current time is 10 : 25 am, only the first reserved time interval and the second reserved time interval are displayed on the display 100. then, as the current time passes 11 : 01 am, the third reserved time interval begins to be displayed in accordance with the current time, and as the current time passes 1 : 00 pm, the third reserved time interval as a whole is displayed on the display 100. the minute unit display part 110 represents the reserved time or time interval which is within 60 minutes from the current time. (by using the minute unit display part 110 over 360°, it is possible to display the reserved time or time interval within 60 minutes from the current time in the clockwise direction or in the counterclockwise direction) . for example, when the current time is 10 : 25 am, the minute unit display part 110 is maintained in the uncolored state. then, as the current time reaches 10 : 31, the segment representing 30 minutes begins to be colored, and as the current time reaches 10 : 32, the segment representing 31 minutes begins to be colored. in this way, as the current time reaches 11 : 30, all segments of the minute unit display part 110 are colored. also, as the current time reaches 12 : 38, the segment representing 38 minutes begins to be uncolored, and as the current time reaches 12 : 39, the segment representing 39 minutes begins to be uncolored. further, as the current time reaches 1 : 37 pm, the segment representing 37 minutes is maintained in the colored state, and as the current time passes 1 : 37 pm, the segment representing 37 minutes is uncolored. at the same time, in order to display the second reserved time interval, as the current time reaches 12 : 51 pm, the minute unit display part 110 begins to be colored one segment by one segment every one minute from the segment representing 50 minutes, and as the current time reaches 1 : 00 am, the minute unit display part 110 is displayed as shown in fig. 8(c). on the other hand, since the c mode or d mode is repeated with a cycle of 24 hours, once the reserved time or time interval is made by the user, it is repeated with the cycle of 24 hours unless it is otherwise canceled by the user. a display result on the display 100 is also repeated. the cycle of repetition can be set to a week or a month, and for doing this, the set section 220 can further includes a cycle set section (not shown) . also, the set section 220 can further includes a cycle display section (not shown) for displaying the cycle set through the cycle set section. further, an operation for canceling the reserved time or time interval can be performed as follows. namely, if the current time belongs to pm and it is required to cancel the reserved time interval from 1 : 35 pm to 3 : 20 pm, the cancel button c is pressed, and a button of a number which corresponds to the time unit between 1 : 35 pm and 3 : 20 pm, namely the 2nd button 2 or the 3rd button 3 is pressed. by doing this, the reserved time or time interval which is overlapped with the time unit which corresponds to the pressed 2nd button 2 or 3rd button 3 is automatically canceled. also, if the current time belongs to the pm and it is required to cancel the reserved time interval from 1 : 36 am to 1 : 37 am, the cancel button c is also first pressed, and then the am/pm button ap is pressed. thereafter, the 1st button 1 is pressed and the 7th button 7 denoting 35 minutes is pressed two times, to cancel the reserved time interval. after that, as a predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds or 20 seconds) is lapsed, the display 100 is returned to its original screen in accordance with the current time. in order to confirm the reserved time or time interval, after the confirm button d is pressed, a screen (an am screen or a pm screen) to be confirmed is selected through the am/pm button ap, and then a button of a number which corresponds to a time unit of the reserved time or time interval is pressed. at this time, if the reserved time or time interval was set, a corresponding situation is displayed on the display 100, and if the reserved time or time interval was not set, nothing is displayed on the display 100, whereby simple confirmation is ensured. in other words, if it is required to confirm reservations of the am or the pm through the hour unit display part 120 at a glance, by pressing the confirm button c, when the current time belongs to the am, the reserved time or time interval set from 00 : 00 am to 12 : 00 am is displayed on the hour unit display part 120. then, by pressing the am/pm button ap one time, the reserved time or time interval set from 12 : 00 pm to 24 : 00 pm is displayed. in this state, by pressing the am/pm button ap one more time, the screen displays again reservations belonging to the am. if the current time belongs to the pm, by pressing the confirm button c, reservations (from 12 : 00 pm to 24 : 00 pm) belonging to the pm are displayed, and by pressing the am/pm button ap, reservations (from 00 : 00 am to 12 : 00 am) are displayed. if it is required to confirm reservations of the am through the minute unit display part 110, when the current time belongs to the am, after the confirm button c is pressed, a button of a number which corresponds to a minute unit of the reserved time or time interval is pressed. for example, if the current time belongs to the am and the reserved time interval is from 9 : 15 am to 9 : 21 am, after the confirm button c is pressed, the 9th button 9 is pressed. by this, reservations belonging to the am are displayed as a whole on the hour unit display part 120 and the minute unit display part 110. for example, segments of the minute unit display part 110 are colored from a position of the 3rd button 3 denoting 15 minutes to a position of a segment clockwise next to a 4th button 4 denoting 20 minutes, and after the predetermined time (for example, 10 seconds or 20 seconds) is lapsed, the display 100 is returned to its original screen in accordance with the current time . when the reserved time is reached after the timer is set, contacts of the timer are moved to a predetermined mode. at this time, the hour unit display part 120 and the minute unit display part 110 can be flashed to allow the user to confirm the fact that the contacts of the timer are moved to the predetermined mode. in this way, the operation of the timer can be checked. industrial applicability as a result, by a programmable time switch of the present invention, advantages are provided in that a number of time reservations are easily set and simply confirmed, whereby convenience of a user is enhanced. in the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.
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131-286-678-399-50X
|
IT
|
[
"CN",
"EP"
] |
F16K31/53,F16K31/60,F16K37/00,F16K35/02,G05G1/015,G05G1/08
| 2019-08-02T00:00:00 |
2019
|
[
"F16",
"G05"
] |
planetary handwheel for valve, kit and valve unit
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the utility model relates to a planetary hand wheel for a valve, a kit and a valve unit. the planetary hand wheel comprises a control knob; a planetary mechanism for transmitting a rotational motion so as to transmit the rotational motion of the sun gear to the planetary gear carrier by rotationally operating the knob, thereby transmitting the rotational motion to the valve shaft; also included is an annular plate disposed between the planet gear and the control knob and rotating integrally with the planet carrier, the annular plate having an indication of a value of at least one operating parameter of the valve at an inner surface on a front face thereof adjacent to the control knob; and wherein the control knob has at least one window on its front face that allows viewing of the operating parameters indicated on the annular plate.
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epicyclic handwheel for a valve, in particular a quarter-turn valve, comprising: - a control knob (100) with an inner surface (110b) and an outer surface (110a) situated opposite each other with respect to a longitudinal axis (x-x), the control knob (100) being rotationally operable about the longitudinal axis; - an epicyclic mechanism for transmission of a rotational movement, comprising: -- a sun gear (111) extending along the longitudinal axis (x-x) and rotationally integral with the inner surface of the control knob (100); -- a planet carrier (200) configured to be made rotationally integral with a shaft of the valve; -- a crown wheel (400) configured to be made rotationally integral with a body of the valve and provided with an internal annular toothing (41) coaxial with the sun gear (111); -- a plurality of planet gears (310) mounted on the planet carrier (200) and arranged to rotate about a respective axis parallel to the axis of the sun gear (111) and mesh with said sun gear(111) and with the internal annular toothing of the crown wheel; so that by rotationally operating the control knob (100) the rotational movement of the sun gear (111) is transmitted to the planet carrier (200) and therefore to the valve shaft; and further comprising an annular plate (221) arranged between the planet gears (310) and the control knob (100) and rotationally integral with the planet carrier (200), the annular plate (221) having on its front surface (221a), adjacent to the inner surface (110b) of the control knob (100), an indication of the value of at least one operating parameter (α; kv) of the valve; and wherein the control knob has at least one window (130;132) on its front surface (110a) which allows viewing of at least one operating parameter (α; kv) indicated on the annular plate (221); characterized in that the indication on the front surface (221a) of the annular plate (221) comprises a plurality of graduated scales indicating different values of at least one same parameter which is variable depending on the type and/or size of the valve; and in that the handwheel further comprises an element (140) for partially covering a window (130;132) of the control knob (100), which may be stably and reversibly connected to the control knob (100), and is configured to provide a respective reduced size window (142) able to show only one or more of the graduated scales indicated on the annular plate (221) to allow the viewing only of indications relating to one or more parameters of interest or relating to a specific type and/or size of valve. epicyclic handwheel according to claim 1, wherein the at least one operating parameter (α; kv) comprises a parameter dependent on the degree of rotation of a closing element operated by the valve shaft, preferably an opening angle (α) of the valve and/or a hydraulic conductivity (kv) of the valve. handwheel according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the indication comprises: a plurality of graduated scales arranged concentric or in diametrically opposite positions on the annular plate (221); and/or a plurality of graduated scales indicating different values of the hydraulic conductivity, which is variable depending on the type and/or size of the valve handwheel according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the graduated scales is/are distributed over a suitable angular extension of the annular plate (221) and comprise a plurality of values of the operating parameter (α; kv). handwheel according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises: at least one window (130), in particular said reduced size window (142), with dimensions such as to allow simultaneous viewing of an indication of a first operating parameter (α) and at least one further operating parameter (kv); and/or at least one further window (132), in particular said reduced size window (142), for allowing viewing of an indication of at least one further parameter (kv). handwheel according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the annular plate (221) is provided with a hole (221b) coaxial with the sun gear (111) and having dimensions such as to allow the said sun gear (111) to pass through. epicyclic handwheel according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the planet carrier (200) comprises a support (210) which has a plurality of pins (211), which are preferably hollow, each extending parallel to the longitudinal axis (x-x) towards the control knob (100) and designed to support and act as a rotational pivot for a respective planet gear (310) coaxially mounted on the respective pin (211), the annular plate being rotationally integral with the support (210), and wherein the handwheel preferably comprises at least two, preferably three, planet gears (310). epicyclic handwheel according to the preceding claim, wherein the support (210) comprises a coaxial sleeve (212) extending longitudinally from a rear side thereof; the sleeve (212) being configured for engagement with the valve shaft and/or having dimensions suitable for coaxial insertion inside a corresponding hole (412) of the crown wheel (400). epicyclic handwheel according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the planet carrier (200) comprises a cover (220) axially arranged between the planet gears (310) and the control knob (100) and configured to limit, in particular lock, the longitudinal position of each planet gear (310), leaving it free to rotate, wherein preferably the cover (220) comprises an annular disc (225) arranged between the support (210) and the control knob (100) so as to limit, in particular lock, the longitudinal axial position of the planet gears (310), leaving them free to rotate on the respective pin (211). epicyclic handwheel according to the preceding claim, wherein the annular disc (225) of the cover comprises a central hole (2125b) coaxial with the sun gear (111) and a plurality of through-holes (225a) or sleeves (1225a), each coaxial with a respective pin (211) of the support (210). epicyclic handwheel according to one of claims 7-10, wherein the support (210) has a plurality of projecting shoulders (215) extending in the longitudinal direction from a front face of the support, preferably with a substantially triangular or trapezoidal form; and/or wherein the cover, in particular the cover disc (225), has shoulders (225c) projecting in the longitudinal direction from its rear surface, preferably with a substantially triangular or trapezoidal form. epicyclic handwheel according to one of claims 9-11, wherein the cover, in particular the cover disc (225), has an outer annular edge formed as an asymmetrical structure (225d), preferably a circle arc, with a predefined circumferential extension, suitable for cooperating with a corresponding seat (415d) in an inner circumferential surface of the crown wheel (400), the asymmetrical edge structure (225d) and the seat (415d) being dimensioned and configured to limit the rotation of the planet carrier (200) with respect to the crown wheel (400) within a certain predefined range of rotation. epicyclic handwheel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a mechanism for reversibly locking the rotation of the control knob (100), comprising: - first locking means (141) rotationally integral with the control knob (100) and designed to cooperate with -- second complementary locking means (411) arranged on the crown wheel (400) of the epicyclic mechanism; the control knob (100) being movable between at least a first operating position in which the first locking means (141) engage with the second complementary locking means (411) so as to lock rotation of the control knob (100) about the longitudinal axis, and at least a second operating position, in which the first locking means (141) are disengaged from the second locking means allowing rotation of the control knob (100). epicyclic handwheel according to the preceding claim, wherein the first locking means comprise internal annular toothing (141) of an annular body (140) integral with the control knob (100) and the second locking means comprise an annular toothing (411) on an outer surface of the crown wheel (400). handwheel according to one of claims 13 or 14, wherein the control knob (100) is movable axially in the longitudinal direction (x-x) with respect to the crown wheel (400) between said first locking operating position and said at least one second operating position and wherein, preferably, one or more thrust springs (241) are arranged between the crown wheel (400) and the control knob (100) and are designed to keep the control knob at a predefined distance from the crown wheel (400) corresponding to the first operating position. handwheel according to one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the annular plate (221) is provided with a plurality of pins (221a) projecting from a rear surface of the annular plate (221), each of which is designed for coaxial insertion inside a respective pin (211) of the support (210) for engagement of the annular plate with the support (210), the plate being partially free to be displaced in the axial direction (x-x) with respect to the support (210) against the thrusting action of one or more springs (241), each coaxially inserted inside a respective pin (211) of the support of the planet carrier (200) so that each pin of the annular plate (221) guides the respective spring (241) and the plate (221) provides a reaction surface for the springs (241) so that the springs push the plate (221) towards the control knob in the longitudinal direction (x-x). kit comprising a handwheel according to one of claims 1-16 and a plurality of elements (140) for partially covering a window of the control knob (100), each configured to provide a respective reduced size window (142) able to show only one or more of the graduated scales indicated on the annular plate (221). method for the production of a handwheel according to one of the preceding claims 1-16, comprising the steps of: - providing a control knob (100) with an inner surface and an outer surface situated opposite each other with respect to a longitudinal axis (x-x), the control knob (100) being able to be rotationally operated about a longitudinal axis and provided with a sun gear (111) extending along the longitudinal axis (x-x) rotationally integral with the inner surface of the control knob (100) and with at least one window (130;132) on its front surface (110a); - coaxially assembling the control knob (100) together with: -- a planet carrier (200) configured to be rotationally locked to a shaft of a valve and carrying a plurality of planet gears, each designed to rotate about a respective axis parallel to the axis of the sun gear (111), so that the sun gear (111) meshes with each planet gear; with an annular plate (221) arranged between the planet gears (310) and the control knob (100) and rotationally integral with the planet carrier (200), the annular plate (221) having on its front surface (221a), adjacent to the inner surface (11 0b) of the control knob (100), an indication of the value of at least one operating parameter (α; kv) of the valve, the indication comprising a plurality of graduated scales indicating different values of at least one same parameter which is variable depending on the type and/or size of the valve; and with -- a coaxial crown wheel (400) configured to be rotationally locked to a body of the valve and provided with internal annular teeth coaxial with the sun gear (111), so that each planet gear meshes with the internal teeth of the crown wheel (400); thereby obtaining an epicyclic mechanism for transmission of a rotational movement such that by rotationally operating the control knob (100) the rotational movement of the sun gear (111) is transmitted to the planet carrier (200) and therefore, during use, to the valve shaft, wherein the at least one window (130;132) allowing viewing of the operating parameter (α; kv) indicated on the annular plate; - stably and reversibly connecting to the control knob (100) an element (140) for partially covering a window (130;132) of the control knob (100), so as to provide a respective reduced size window (142) showing only one or more of the graduated scales indicated on the annular plate (221) to allow the viewing only of indications relating to one or more parameters of interest or relating to a specific type and/or size of valve. valve unit comprising: - a valve with a valve body which defines a passage for a fluid, and a closing element for closing the fluid passage, which may be rotated about its axis by means of an actuating shaft so as to cause opening/closing of the fluid passage; - an epicyclic handwheel according to one of claims 1-16, wherein the planet carrier (200) is rotationally integral with the actuating shaft and the crown wheel (400) is rotationally integral with the valve body.
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the present invention relates to an epicyclically operated handwheel for operating a valve and a valve unit comprising such a handwheel. the handwheel according to the invention is in particular applicable to quarter-turn valves, for example butterfly valves, but also to ball valves and in general all those valves for which a high operating torque is needed in order to open or close them. it is known, in the technical sector of valves, for example quarter-turn valves, that the same valves have a valve body which defines a passage for a fluid, and an element for closing the fluid passage, which may be rotated about its axis by means of an actuating shaft, so as to cause opening/closing of the fluid passage. with specific reference to quarter-turn valves, the closing element, in particular a disc, is configured so as to be arranged with any orientation ranging between zero degrees, corresponding to a closed condition of the fluid passage, and 90 degrees, corresponding to a fully open condition of the fluid passage. a particular example of the quarter-turn valve consists of so-called butterfly valves. the opening or closing of a valve may be performed and adjusted by suitable means which may comprise a handwheel and which, although performing their function, have some limitations. de 39 02 731 discloses a handwheel according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein an indication of the "open" or "closed" condition of the valve is provided by means of a single word or a color. a first problem associated with the known adjustment means for valves of the type described is that they are unable to provide precise and stable adjustment of the valve opening movement, it moreover not being possible to prevent accidental undesirable rotation of the levers or adjustment handwheels. a further problem is linked to the impossibility of measuring a number of significant physical parameters for setting and monitoring the fluid-mechanical installation controlled by means of the valve. in the context of the valves described above, the main significant physical quantities are the flowrate, the pressure and the temperature of the fluid entering and/or exiting the valve. although the measurement of the pressure and/or the temperature may be performed relatively easily, the same is not true for measurement of the flowrate. it is in fact difficult to obtain a system for measuring the flowrate which has a reasonable cost and is able to satisfy the market requirements. it is therefore desirable to provide a device for adjusting the opening of a valve, in particular a quarter-turn valve, which allows one or more operating parameters of the valve to be determined and adjusted in a precise and easy manner. in connection with this problem it is particularly desirable to be able to adjust and determine the opening angle of the valve and/or one or more fluid-dynamic parameters which allow the flowrate of the fluid through the valve to be calculated. an example of such a parameter is the hydraulic conductivity of the valve, also known as the flow factor or kv value (flow coefficient or cv in the usa), which is strictly correlated to the type, the size and the opening angle of the closing element of the value and allows the flowrate to be rapidly derived by means of the known formula where δp is the pressure drop across the valve and q is the flowrate. the conductivity kv is defined as the flowrate in cubic metres of water per hour at the temperature of 16°c with a pressure drop of 1 bar across the valve, in the direction of flow of the fluid. the technical problem which is posed, therefore, is that of providing a device for adjusting a valve, in particular a quarter-turn valve, which is able to solve or limit one or more of the said problems of the prior art. in connection with this problem it is also required that this device should have small dimensions, be easy and inexpensive to produce and assemble and be able to be easily installed at any user location using normal standardized connection means. these results are obtained according to the present invention by an epicyclic handwheel according to claim 1 and by a valve unit according to claim 19. according to a first aspect the invention therefore relates to an epicyclic handwheel for a valve, in particular a quarter-turn valve, comprising: a control knob which can be rotationally operated about a longitudinal axis; and an epicyclic mechanism for transmission of a rotational movement, comprising: -- a sun gear extending along the longitudinal axis and rotationally integral with the control knob; -- a planet carrier configured to be rotationally locked to a shaft of the valve; -- a crown wheel configured to be rotationally locked to a body of the valve and provided with an internal annular toothing coaxial with the sun gear; and -- a plurality of planet gears mounted on the planet carrier and arranged to rotate about a respective axis parallel to the axis of the sun gear and mesh with the said sun gear and with the internal annular toothing of the crown wheel; so that by rotationally operating the control knob the rotational movement of the sun gear is transmitted to the planet carrier and therefore to the valve shaft. this configuration results in numerous advantages including in particular the transmission of high torques from the control knob to an actuating shaft during opening/closing of the valve, while keeping the axial extension of the handwheel extremely compact. according to a particularly advantageous aspect, the handwheel comprises a flat plate arranged between the planet gears and the control knob and rotationally integral with the planet carrier. the annular plate has on its front surface, adjacent to the inner surface of the control knob, an indication of the value of at least one operating parameter of the valve; the control knob has in turn at least one window on its front surface which allows the viewing of the operating parameter indicated on the annular plate. the indication of the parameter allows viewing, on the front surface of the control knob, of the value of the parameter set by means of rotation of said control knob. the annular plate may in particular be rotationally integral with a part of the planet carrier, preferably the support, which during use is rotationally integral with a shaft of the valve, the at least one parameter being in particular a parameter dependent on the degree of rotation of a closing element operated by the valve shaft. since the degree of opening or closing of the valve directly depends on the degree of rotation of the actuating shaft and therefore the rotation of the planet carrier, by means of a simple structure a precise and clear indication of one or more operating parameters of the valve is obtained. preferably, the indication comprises at least one graduated scale distributed over a suitable angular extension of the annular plate and comprising a plurality of values of the operating parameter. the at least one operating parameter preferably comprises an opening angle of the valve and/or a hydraulic conductivity of the valve. the indication may also comprise a plurality of graduated scales arranged concentric or in diametrically opposite positions on the annular plate; and/or a plurality of graduated scales for indicating the hydraulic conductivity, which varies depending on the type and/or the size of the valve. the at least one window may, depending on the different configurations, have a size such as to allow the simultaneous viewing of a first and at least one further operating parameter. in addition to or alternatively at least one further window may be provided for allowing viewing of at least one further parameter. a partial covering element of a window of the control knob, which may be stably and reversibly connected to the said control knob, is used to allow the viewing only of indications relating to one or more parameters of interest or relating to the specific valve. thereby, a same handwheel can be easily adapted, during installation, to the specific kind or size of the valve, with notable improvements as far as production standardization, versatility of application and ease of use are concerned. according to a preferred embodiment, the planet carrier comprises a support, which has a plurality of pins, which are preferably hollow, each extending parallel to the longitudinal axis towards the control knob and designed to support and act as a rotational pivot for a respective planet gear coaxially mounted on the respective pin. the handwheel preferably comprises at least two, preferably three planet gears. the support may comprise a coaxial sleeve extending longitudinally from a rear side thereof, preferably configured for engagement with the valve shaft and/or having dimensions suitable for coaxial insertion inside a corresponding hole of the crown wheel. the plant carrier may include a cover axially arranged between the planet gears and the control knob so as to limit, in particular lock, the longitudinal position of each planet gear, leaving it free to rotate. the cover preferably comprises an annular disc arranged between the support and the control knob so as to limit, in particular lock, the longitudinal axial position of the planet gears, leaving them free to rotate on the respective pin. according to a preferred embodiment, the support and/or the cover, in particular the covering disc, has/have a plurality of projecting shoulders extending in the longitudinal direction, preferably with a substantially triangular or trapezoidal form, which give the handwheel a better structural rigidity and durability. according to a further preferred aspect, the cover, in particular the covering disc, has an outer annular edge formed as an asymmetrical structure, with a predefined circumferential extension, suitable for cooperating with a corresponding inner seat of the crown wheel, the asymmetrical edge structure and the seat being dimensioned and configured to limit the rotation of the planet carrier with respect to the crown wheel within a certain predefined range of rotation, thus avoiding in particular erroneous settings of the degree of opening of a valve. according to a further advantageous aspect of the invention, the epicyclic handwheel comprises a mechanism for reversibly locking the rotation of the control knob, comprising first locking means rotationally integral with the control knob and cooperating with second complementary locking means arranged on the crown wheel of the epicyclic mechanism. the control knob is movable between at least a first operating position, in which the first locking means engage the second complementary locking means so as to lock rotation of the control knob about the longitudinal axis, and at least one second operating position, in which the first locking means are disengaged from the second locking means, allowing rotation of the control knob. according to this preferred solution, with a compact structure undesirable or accidental operation of the control knob is avoided, thereby preventing the valve from being accidentally opened or closed. the first locking means comprise for example an internal annular toothing of an annular body integral with the control knob and the second locking means may comprise a complementary annular toothing on an outer surface of the crown wheel. the control knob in particular may be axially movable in the longitudinal direction with respect to the crown wheel between said first locked operating position and said at least one second operating position. preferably, one or more thrust springs are arranged between the crown wheel and the control knob so as to keep the control knob at a predefined distance from the crown wheel corresponding to the first operating position. the annular plate may also be partially freely to move in the axial direction with respect to the support against the thrusting action of one or more of said springs, so that the plate provides a reaction surface for the springs, which push the plate towards the control knob in the longitudinal direction. the invention also relates to a kit according to claim 17 and a method for the production of a handwheel according to claim 18. further details may be obtained from the following description of non-limiting examples of embodiment of the subject of the present invention, provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: figure 1 : shows an exploded perspective view, from below, of a first example of embodiment of a handwheel according to the invention; figure 2 : shows an exploded perspective view, from above, of the handwheel according to fig. 1 ; figure 3 : shows a front view of the handwheel according to fig. 1 in the assembled condition; figure 4 : shows a perspective view, from the rear, of the handwheel according to fig. 1 in the assembled condition; figure 5 : shows a perspective view of the planet carrier and the planet gears of a handwheel according to fig. 1 in the assembled condition; figure 6 : shows a plan view, from the rear, of the handwheel according to fig. 1 in the assembled condition; figure 7 : shows a view longitudinally sectioned along the plane indicated by vii-vii in fig. 6 ; figure 8 : shows a side view of the handwheel according to fig. 1 in the assembled condition; figure 9 : shows a view cross-sectioned along the radial plane ix-ix of fig. 8 ; figure 10 : shows a view cross-sectioned along the radial plane x-x of fig. 9 ; figure 11 : shows an exploded perspective view, from below, of a first example of embodiment of a handwheel according to the invention fixed to the valve body of a butterfly valve; figure 12 : shows a perspective view, from the front, of a second example of embodiment of the handwheel according to the present invention; figures 13 and 14 : show a partially exploded perspective view of the handwheel according to fig.12 in a respective different adjustment position; figure 15 : shows an exploded perspective view of some parts of a mechanism for reversibly locking the handwheel according to fig. 1 ; figure 16a : shows a longitudinally sectioned view of the handwheel according to fig. 1 , with the locking mechanism in the locked operating position; and figure 16b : shows a longitudinally sectioned view of the handwheel according to fig. 1 , with the locking mechanism in the unlocked operating position. with reference to fig. 1 , solely for the sake of easier description and without a limiting meaning, the following are assumed: an axial longitudinal direction x-x, parallel to the longitudinal axis x of rotation of a handwheel according to the invention, and a transverse/radial direction y-y perpendicular to said longitudinal direction and parallel to a diameter of the handwheel according to the present invention, as well as a front part corresponding to the part of the control knob of the handwheel facing the user during use, and a rear part, opposite to the front part in the axial longitudinal direction x-x and facing, during use, the valve body of a valve operated by means of the handwheel according to the invention. the handwheel according to the present invention is in general able to control the opening or closing of a valve comprising: a valve body, which is usually fixed and defines a passage for the flow of a fluid; and an element able to be rotationally operated by means of a valve shaft so as to cause a certain degree of opening or closing of the fluid passage. with reference to figs. 1 and 2 , a handwheel 1 according to the invention comprises a control knob 100 able to be rotationally operated about a longitudinal axis x-x so as to control the opening or closing of a valve. the control knob 100 has a front surface 110a and a rear or inner surface 110b, opposite to the front surface in the longitudinal direction x-x. the handwheel 1 further comprises an epicyclic mechanism arranged and configured to transmit the rotational movement of the control knob 100 to a shaft for actuating a valve. the epicyclic mechanism comprises a sun gear 110, coaxial with the longitudinal axis x-x and integral with the inner surface 110b of the control knob 100. the sun gear 110 has an outer circumferential surface provided with suitable toothing 11 and extending in the longitudinal direction over a length suitable for engagement with planet gears described in greater detail below. preferably, the sun gear 110 is formed as one piece with the control knob 100. the epicyclic mechanism further comprises generally a planet carrier 200 configured to be rotationally locked to a shaft for opening/closing the valve. for this purpose, the planet carrier 200 has preferably a hole 210a coaxial with the longitudinal axis x-x which has a size and is formed so as to allow the stable connection with the shaft (not shown) of the valve, in particular by means of friction engagement, although other types of connection known in the art are possible for rotationally fixing the shaft to the planet carrier 200. the planet carrier 200 is designed to carry a plurality of planet gears 300, in particular at least two and preferably three planet gears 310, designed to rotate with respect to the said planet carrier about a respective axis 310a, 310b, 310c ( fig. 10 ) parallel, but axially offset with respect to the longitudinal axis x-x of the sun gear 110. each planet gear 310 is arranged on the planet carrier 200 so as to mesh with the outer toothing of the sun gear 110, such that the rotation of the sun gear 110 rotationally operates each of the planet gears 310. a coaxial crown wheel 400 is arranged on the outside of the planet carrier 200 and is configured to be rotationally locked to a body of the valve; in particular, the crown wheel 400 may be fixed to the valve body 10 ( fig. 11 ) by means of suitable fixing means such as fixing screws 401 inserted inside corresponding holes 402 of a rear annular surface of the crown wheel 400, arranged on the axially opposite side of the planet carrier 200 to the control knob 100. the crown wheel 400 is provided with an inner annular toothing 410 coaxial with the sun gear 110. once the handwheel 1 is assembled, the planet carrier 200 and the planet gears 310 are arranged inside the crown wheel 400. the planet gears 310 each mesh with the inner annular toothing 410 which therefore acts as a fixed element of the epicyclic mechanism for transmission of the movement. the general configuration of the epicyclic mechanism described above allows high torques to be transmitted from the control knob to the valve shaft, while keeping the axial extension of the handwheel extremely compact; it is for example possible to obtain a transmission ratio between gear and shaft of 4.4:1 with a longitudinal height of the handwheel 1 equal to only 45 mm. with reference still to figs. 1-2 and 5 , a preferred embodiment of the planet carrier 200 comprises a support 210 which is situated close, in the longitudinal direction x-x, to the crown wheel 400 and which has a plurality of pins 211, which are preferably hollow, each extending parallel to the longitudinal axis towards the control knob 100 and designed to support and act as a rotational pivot for a respective planet gear 310 which, when the handwheel is assembled, is coaxially mounted on the respective pin 211. the support 210 further comprises preferably a coaxial sleeve 212 extending longitudinally from the rear face of the support 210 and provided with a hole 210a for engagement with the valve shaft. advantageously, the sleeve 212 may have dimensions suitable for coaxial insertion inside a corresponding hole 412 of the crown wheel 400, thus favouring the longitudinal compactness of the handwheel and the correct relative positioning of planet gears and crown wheel 400. according to a further preferred aspect, the support 210 may have a plurality of projecting shoulders 215 extending in the longitudinal direction from a front face of the support, preferably with a substantially triangular or trapezoidal form. the shoulders 215 improve the torsional strength of the epicyclic mechanism. the planet carrier 200 may further comprise ( fig. 1 ) a cover 220 which limits and in particular locks the longitudinal/axial position of each planet gear 310 and is arranged between the support 210 and the control knob 110 and is connected to the support 210. according to a preferred example of embodiment, the cover 220 comprises or is connected to annular plate 221 provided with a plurality of pins 221a projecting from its rear surface and each designed for coaxial insertion into a respective pin 211 of the support 210 which forms the axis of rotation for the respective planet gear 310. the annular plate 221 further comprises a hole 221b coaxial with the sun gear 110 and with a size suitable for allowing the passage of the said sun gear. according to a further preferred aspect, the cover 220 may comprise an annular disc 225 of the cover 220 arranged between the support 210 and the annular plate 221. the disc 225 may be in particular configured to limit or lock, once the handwheel is assembled, the axial position of the planet gears 310 which remain, however, free to rotate on the respective pin 211. the disc 225 may for example comprise a coaxial central hole 225b and a plurality of through-holes 225a, each coaxial with a respective pin 211 of the support 210 and, if present, with the corresponding pin 221a of the annular plate 221. as an alternative to the holes 225a, sleeves 1225a may be provided (see the variation of embodiment of the second disc 1225 shown in figs. 16a,16b ), these being coaxial with the pins 211,221a configured to engage, for example by means of snap-engagement, inside a respective pin 211 and allow the axial insertion, inside them, of a respective pin 221a of the annular plate 221, locking the axial position of the planet gears 310, but preferably leaving the plate 221 free to move over a certain axial distance. the annular disc 225 preferably has shoulders 225c projecting in the longitudinal direction from its rear surface and suitable for engagement, when the planet carrier 200 is assembled ( fig. 5 ), with a corresponding shoulder 215 of the support 210. each projecting shoulder 225a will in general have a form, in particular a substantially triangular or trapezoidal form, corresponding to and/or complementing the corresponding shoulder 215 of the support 210. the preferred configuration with projecting shoulders arranged on the support 210 and on the disc 225 provides the epicyclic mechanism with further improved torsional strength. according to a further preferred aspect which may be implemented in addition to or independently of the shoulders 225c, the cover, in particular the disc 225, has an outer annular edge formed as an asymmetrical structure 225c, in particular a circle arc, with a predefined radial extension, designed to cooperate with a corresponding seat 415a ( figs. 13,14 ) formed in the front part of the inner circumferential surface of the crown wheel 400. the asymmetrical edge structure 225d and the seat 415d have dimensions and are configured to limit, when the handwheel is assembled, the rotation of the planet carrier 200 inside the crown wheel 400 within a given predefined rotational range which, for example for quarter-turn valves, may be set to 90°. as shown in figure 5 , when the planet carrier is assembled together with plate fixed rotationally to the support 210a and cover disc 225 arranged between the support 210 and the annular plate 221, the planet carrier forms a single rotationally integral body, in which each planet gear 310 is supported on a respective pivot 211 about which it is free to rotate with respect to the support 210 and therefore the entire planet carrier 200. inserting the planet carrier 200 with planet gears 310 coaxially inside the crown wheel 400 and inserting in turn the control knob 100 coaxially on the planet carrier 200 and the crown wheel 400 causes the meshing engagement of the inner toothing 410 of the crown wheel 400 and the toothing of each planet gear 310, which is in turn meshed with the outer toothing of the sun gear 111. by fixing the shaft of a valve to the planet carrier 200, in particular by means of friction insertion inside the hole 210a of the support 210 and the valve body inside the crown wheel 440, for example by means of fixing screws 401 inserted inside the corresponding holes 402 of the crown wheel, it is possible to rotationally actuate the valve shaft with respect to the fixed body by rotating the control knob 100 and therefore the sun gear 111 which, via the epicyclic mechanism and in particular the planet gears 310 and the crown wheel 400, transmits, with advantageous torque, the rotational movement to the support 210 of the planet carrier 200 and from here to the shaft. according to a further preferred aspect of the invention ( fig. 15 ), the handwheel 1 according to the present invention may comprise a mechanism for reversibly locking the rotation of the control knob 100. the reversible locking mechanism comprises first locking means 141 rotationally integral with the control knob 100 and configured to cooperate with second locking means 441 arranged on the crown wheel 400 of the epicyclic mechanism so as to lock the rotation of the control knob (with respect to the crown wheel) about the longitudinal axial axis x-x. according to the preferred example of embodiment shown, the first locking means 141 comprise an inner annular toothing arranged on the inner surface of an annular body 140 integral during use with the control knob 100, and the annular body 140 may for example be formed as one piece with the control knob 100 or preferably be able to be integrally connected to the control knob 100 by means of complementary connecting means 142,112 for example of the snap-engaging type, in the example shown ( figs. 1 , 15 ) consisting of teeth 142 projecting in the longitudinal direction from a front edge of the annular body 140 and configured for being inserted by means of snap-engagement inside corresponding seats 112 formed on the inner circumferential surface of the control knob 100. in accordance with this configuration of the first locking means, the second locking means may comprise annular teeth 141 arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the crown wheel 400 for meshing with the inner toothing 141 integral with the control knob 100 and consequently locking the relative rotation of the control knob 100 and the crown wheel 400 in a first operating position of the handwheel where the rotation of the control knob about the longitudinal axis is locked. for all the configurations of the handwheel comprising a reversible locking mechanism the control knob 100 is movable between at least a first locked operating position, in which the first locking means engage with the second locking means so as to prevent rotation of the control knob 100 about the longitudinal axis x-x, and at least one second operating position, in which the first locking means are disengaged from the second locking means, allowing rotation of the control knob about the longitudinal axis x-x relative to the crown wheel 400. in the preferred embodiments shown in the drawings, this is performed by configuring the handwheel 1 so that it is possible to perform an axial movement, in the longitudinal direction x-x, of the control knob 100 and of the locking means 141 integral therewith with respect to the crown wheel 400. for this purpose, one or more thrust springs 241 are arranged between the crown wheel 400 and the control knob 100 so as to keep the control knob at a predefined distance from the crown wheel 400 corresponding to the first operating position ( fig. 16a ) in which the teeth 141 engage with the corresponding outer teeth 441 of the circular crown wheel 400. in particular, each spring 241 may be preferably coaxially inserted inside a respective support pin 211 of the planet carrier 200 so as to push the annular plate 221, the pins 221a of which are coaxially inserted inside the spring 241, towards the control knob 100 in the longitudinal direction x-x. when the handwheel is assembled, by inserting the pins 221a of the annular plate 221 inside the hole of the respective pin 211 of the support 210, it is possible to connect the annular plate 221 to the support 210, so that in particular the pins of the plate 221 guide internally the springs 241 and the inner base of the plate 221 provides a reaction surface for the said springs 241. in the preferred embodiment shown, the annular plate 221 is, when the handwheel is assembled, partially free to move in the axial direction x-x with respect to the support 210 against the thrusting action of the spring 241. as shown in figs.16a, 16b , by axially pushing the control knob 100 in the longitudinal direction x-x towards the crown wheel 400, the inner surface of the control knob 100 pushes against the annular disc 221, causing the compression of the springs 241 and the displacement of the control knob and the disc 221 towards the support 210 coaxially inserted and axially fixed with respect to the crown wheel 400 ( fig. 16b ). the axial displacement of the control knob 100 causes the disengagement of the toothing 141 integral therewith from the outer toothing 441 of the crown wheel 400, allowing the control knob 100 and therefore the sun gear 110 to rotate freely about the longitudinal axis x-x so as to transmit the rotational movement to the planet gears and, via the planet carrier 200, to the valve shaft (not shown). with reference still to the preferred embodiments of the handwheel 1 shown in the drawings, a further preferred aspect of the present invention, which may be implemented independently or in combination with the locking mechanism described above, will now be described. according to this preferred aspect, the handwheel comprises an annular plate, preferably the already described annular plate 221, arranged between the planet gears 310 and the inner surface 110b of the control knob 100. the annular plate 221 is able to rotate integrally with the valve shaft and is for this purpose rotationally integral with a part of the planet carrier 200 rotationally integral with the said shaft, in the examples shown consisting of the planet carrier support 210. the annular plate may, as seen above, form part of or be connected to the cover 220 of the planet carrier; according to a variation of an example of embodiment, the annular plate may also consist simply of a top surface of the cover, in particular of the disc 225. the annular plate may also be independent of the cover 220 which is an optional element, for as long as the annular plate is rotationally locked to the planet carrier 200 and therefore to the valve shaft. advantageously, the annular plate 221 has on its front surface 221a, adjacent during use to the inner surface of the control knob 100, an indication of the value of at least one operating parameter of the valve; the at least one parameter being dependent on the rotation of the valve shaft. in particular, the indication may comprise a graduated scale distributed over a suitable angular extension of the annular disc and comprising a plurality of values of the operating parameter. a first preferred parameter indicated on the annular disc 221 may be the opening angle α of the valve ( fig. 13 ) which is directly dependent on the degree of rotation of the valve shaft and therefore of the planet carrier 200. the technical operator will know how to position the disc 221 so that the value of 0 degrees corresponds to a closed position of the valve and so that the graduated scale is oriented in accordance with a rotation of the planet carrier 220 in the direction of opening of the valve; this is particularly easy in the preferred embodiments comprising an asymmetrical structure 225d;415d configured to limit, when the handwheel is assembled, the rotation of the planet carrier 200 inside the crown wheel 400. a further preferred parameter which may indicated on the disc or annular plate 221 is the hydraulic conductivity of the valve, known also as the flow factor or kv value (flow coefficient or cv in the usa), which is strictly correlated to the type, the size and the opening angle of the valve. the further parameter may be indicated on a concentric scale arranged in a position radially on the inside or outside of the first parameter on the disc 221 ( figs. 12, 13, 14 ) or in a position diametrically opposite to the indication scale of the first parameter α. according to a preferred embodiment, the annular plate 221 may have a plurality of scales for indication of the first or further parameter, in particular the hydraulic conductivity kv, in the case where this parameter depends for example on the type and/or size of the valve, whereby the handwheel may thus be configured during production so as to indicate the said parameter on different types and sizes of controlled valve. in order to allow the visibility of one or more operating parameters indicated on the annular disc 221, the control knob 100 has at least one window 130 on its front wall which allows viewing of the current value of the operating parameter indicated on the annular plate 221. as shown in figures 12, 13, 14 , this window 130 may have dimensions such as to allow simultaneous viewing of the first operating parameter α and at least one further operating parameter kv. preferably, as shown in figs. 2, 3 , the control knob 100 may have at least one further window 132 designed to allow viewing of the further parameter kv. advantageously, in the case where the further parameter depends for example on the type and/or size of the valve, the handwheel may comprise a removable element 140 for partially covering the further window 132, which may be stably connected to the control knob 100, for example snap-engaged inside a seat formed on its outer front surface, and is configured so as to provide a window 142 which allows viewing of the only one of the multiple scales indicated on the disc 221 for the said further parameter kv. advantageously, the handwheel may be provided as a kit comprising a plurality of covering elements 140 configured with different windows 142, each designed to allow viewing of only one or more of the multiple scales indicated on the disc 221. in this way, the handwheel may be easily adapted during installation to the specific type or size of the valve to which it is applied. although described in the context of embodiments in which the control knob has an ergonomic form for manual operation, it is clear to the person skilled in the art that the control knob may consist of any element for receiving a rotational movement for operation of the valve, for example also by means of an automated hydraulic or electric actuator. it is therefore clear how the handwheel according to the invention is compact and allows easy operation with advantageous transmission of the rotational movement to the valve shaft for performing opening/closing thereof. the locking mechanism prevents the occurrence of accidental undesirable variations in the degree of opening set by means of the handwheel, making also adjustment particularly stable. the possibility of allowing the operator to view one or more operating parameters of the valve makes it easier to perform both adjustment of the valve and subsequent control thereof. the handwheel is moreover easy to produce and may be easily installed on various types of valves and may also be configured to indicate operating parameters which vary from valve to valve. although described in connection with a number of embodiments and a number of preferred examples of implementation of the invention, it is understood that the scope of protection of the present patent is defined solely by the claims below.
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132-729-361-470-60X
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US
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[
"US"
] |
G01C21/26,G01S19/35
| 2005-02-10T00:00:00 |
2005
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[
"G01"
] |
electronic device for tracking and monitoring assets
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embodiments of the present invention provide for an electronic device for tracking assets. in one embodiment, the device comprises a single board computer adapted to communicate with a network, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. in another embodiment the device comprises a computer having over-the-air programming functionality, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. embodiments of the present invention also provide for a system for tracking assets comprising a network and a single board computer in communication with the network, the computer comprising a location component and a communication component. embodiments of the present invention further provide for a system of stack charging an electronic device in a plurality of orientations. embodiments of the present invention additionally provide for a method of securing a facility comprising the steps of issuing a tracking device to an asset by automated kiosk upon arrival at the facility, linking the tracking device to the asset, and monitoring the asset with the tracking device.
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1 . an electronic device for tracking assets comprising: a single board computer adapted to communicate with a network, the computer comprising: a location component; and a communication component. 2 . the electronic device of claim 1 wherein the location component and the communication component are part of a single module. 3 . the electronic device of claim 1 wherein the single board computer further comprises a nonvolatile memory. 4 . the electronic device of claim 1 wherein the single board computer further comprises an open source operating system software having networking functionality. 5 . the electronic device of claim 1 wherein the single board computer further comprises an application platform software providing a runtime environment. 6 . the electronic device of claim 1 wherein the location component includes a global positioning system receiver. 7 . the electronic device of claim 1 wherein the communication component includes a wireless modem. 8 . the electronic device of claim 7 wherein the wireless modem includes an integrated digital enhanced network modem. 9 . the electronic device of claim 8 wherein the electronic device has push-to-talk functionality. 10 . the electronic device of claim 9 wherein the integrated digital enhanced network modem multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer. 11 . the electronic device of claim 7 wherein the wireless modem includes a global system for mobile communications modem. 12 . the electronic device of claim 1 further comprising an antenna. 13 . the electronic device of claim 1 wherein the single board computer has over-the-air programming functionality. 14 . the electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a durable enclosure. 15 . the electronic device of claim 1 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag. 16 . a system for tracking assets comprising: a network; and a single board computer in communication with the network, the computer comprising: a location component; and a communication component. 17 . the system of claim 16 wherein the location component and the communication component are part of a single module. 18 . the system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer further comprises a nonvolatile memory. 19 . the system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer further comprises an open source operating system software having networking functionality. 20 . the system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer further comprises an application platform software providing a runtime environment. 21 . the system of claim 16 wherein the location component includes a global positioning system receiver. 22 . the system of claim 16 wherein the communication component includes a wireless modem. 23 . the system of claim 22 wherein the wireless modem includes an integrated digital enhanced network modem. 24 . the system of claim 23 wherein the electronic device has push-to-talk functionality. 25 . the system of claim 24 wherein the integrated digital enhanced network modem multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer. 26 . the system of claim 23 wherein the network includes an integrated digital enhanced network. 27 . the system of claim 22 wherein the wireless modem includes a global system for mobile communications modem. 28 . the system of claim 27 wherein the network includes a global system for mobile communications network. 29 . the system of claim 16 further comprising an antenna. 30 . the system of claim 16 wherein the network assigns the electronic device an internet protocol address. 31 . the system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer communicates with the network via transmission control protocol with internet protocol. 32 . the system of claim 16 wherein the single board computer has over-the-air programming functionality. 33 . the system of claim 16 further comprising a durable enclosure. 34 . the system of claim 16 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag. 35 . an electronic device for tracking assets comprising: a computer, the computer comprising: a location component; and an integrated digital enhanced network modem. 36 . the electronic device of claim 35 wherein the location component and the integrated digital enhanced network modem are part of a single module. 37 . the electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer further comprises a nonvolatile memory. 38 . the electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer further comprises an open source operating system software having networking functionality. 39 . the electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer further comprises an application platform software providing a runtime environment. 40 . the electronic device of claim 35 wherein the location component includes a global positioning system receiver. 41 . the electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer has over-the-air programming functionality. 42 . the electronic device of claim 35 wherein the computer has push-to-talk functionality. 43 . the electronic device of claim 42 wherein the integrated digital enhanced network modem multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer. 44 . the electronic device of claim 35 further comprising an antenna. 45 . the electronic device of claim 35 wherein the device has stack charging capability in a plurality of orientations. 46 . the electronic device of claim 35 further comprising a durable enclosure. 47 . the electronic device of claim 35 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag. 48 . an electronic device for tracking assets comprising: a computer having over-the-air programming functionality, the computer comprising: a location component; and a communication component. 49 . the electronic device of claim 48 wherein the location component and the communication component are part of a single module. 50 . the electronic device of claim 48 wherein the computer further comprises a nonvolatile memory. 51 . the electronic device of claim 48 wherein the computer further comprises an open source operating system software having networking functionality. 52 . the electronic device of claim 48 wherein the computer further comprises an application platform software providing a runtime environment. 53 . the electronic device of claim 48 wherein the location component includes a global positioning system receiver. 54 . the electronic device of claim 48 wherein the device has stack charging capability in a plurality of orientations. 55 . the electronic device of claim 48 wherein the electronic device has push-to-talk functionality. 56 . the electronic device of claim 55 wherein the communication component includes an integrated digital enhanced network modem. 57 . the electronic device of claim 56 wherein the integrated digital enhanced network modem multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer. 58 . the electronic device of claim 48 wherein the communication component includes a global system for mobile communications modem. 59 . the electronic device of claim 48 further comprising an antenna. 60 . the electronic device of claim 48 further comprising a durable enclosure. 61 . the electronic device of claim 48 further comprising a radio frequency identification tag. 62 . a system for stack charging an electronic device in a plurality of orientations comprising: a charger having a plurality contacts; and an electronic device having a plurality of nodes, the nodes arranged so that at least one node is adjacent to at least one positive contact and at least one different node is adjacent to at least one negative contact in each orientation. 63 . the system of claim 62 wherein the plurality of nodes includes a first node arranged opposite from a second node and a third node arranged opposite from a fourth node. 64 . the system of claim 62 wherein the electronic device includes a diode bridge for ensuring the correct polarity of a voltage. 65 . a method of securing a facility comprising the steps of: issuing a tracking device to an asset by an automated kiosk upon arrival at the facility; linking the tracking device to the asset; and monitoring the asset with the tracking device. 66 . the method of claim 65 wherein the automated kiosk includes a charger. 67 . the method of claim 65 wherein the linking step comprises the steps of: recording information identifying the asset; recording information identifying the tracking device; and associating the information identifying the asset with the information identifying the tracking device. 68 . the method of claim 67 wherein the information identifying the tracking device is stored in a radio frequency identification tag that is part of the tracking device. 69 . the method of claim 65 wherein the monitoring is facilitated by a network in communication with the tracking device.
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related application this application is a continuation-in-part of u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/906,248, filed on feb. 10, 2005. background of the invention 1. field of the invention this invention relates generally to location devices and, more specifically, to an electronic device for tracking and monitoring assets. 2. description of related art rapid advancement has occurred in recent years in the fields of location and tracking. most of the location systems now in use rely on triangulation to determine location. the global positioning system (gps) is currently the most used system for determining location. a gps receiver with a clear view of the sky can quickly and accurately determine location anywhere in the world. the long range navigation (loran) system is based on radio transmissions and, therefore, a loran receiver does not require a clear view of the sky; however, loran has a limited range and requires numerous land-based transmitting stations to function effectively. loran is most often used for marine navigation near shore. some tracking devices, such as the lojack® from lojack corporation, rely on a radio transmitter and a directional receiver to determine the approximate distance and direction from the receiver to the transmitter; however, devices such as lojack® operate over a relatively short distance and are ill-suited for tracking the location of a moving object. dead reckoning is sometimes used when other systems of determining location are not available; however, dead reckoning tends to be inaccurate and is generally not used if other methods of determining location are available. some devices have melded gps with cellular network data transmission to create navigational and tracking devices. these devices are often built into vehicles. an example is the onstar® system from general motors corporation available on some vehicles. these systems, however, cannot be moved from vehicle to vehicle and are not easily programmed for different applications. other devices use gps in conjunction with satellite data transmission. an example is outerlink® from outerlink corporation. these systems' reliance on expensive satellite data transmission has limited their popularity. these systems also cannot be easily moved or programmed for different applications. prior art devices and systems have proven ill-suited to the tracking and monitoring needs of security officials and consumers. for example, port security has emerged as a significant issue due to the vulnerability of ports to attack. this vulnerability stems from ports' size, easy accessibility by water and land, and the tremendous amount of cargo handled. it has become apparent that the maritime transportation system could be used by terrorists to smuggle personnel, weapons of mass destruction, or other dangerous materials into the united states. ships in united states ports also could be attacked by terrorists. a large-scale terrorist attack on a united states port could paralyze global maritime commerce in addition to causing local death and damage. the increased use of cargo containers in maritime commerce presents a particularly significant security concern. the contents of only a very few containers are physically inspected. furthermore, the movement of containers throughout ports is poorly monitored. thus the current situation provides malfeasants with a simple method of importing contraband or attacking targets within a port. it is therefore crucial to efforts to increase maritime security that, in addition to increased inspections, the movement of traffic at ports is monitored. summary of the invention the need for a more flexible and functional tracking and monitoring device has become clear, particularly in the wake of the terrorist attacks of sep. 11, 2001. until the present invention, however, no device has provided the flexibility and functionality needed by security officials and consumers. the great flexibility and functionality of the present invention permits it to adapt to a myriad of situations. the flexibility and functionality stems from a combination of features not found in the prior art. the features described below are not intended as an exhaustive list, and those of skill in the art will recognize that less than all of the features described distinguish the present invention from the prior art. the present invention's single board design permits greater flexibility than prior art devices by reducing the size of the device to a degree previously unattainable while simultaneously providing greater functionality than much larger devices. the compact size is achieved by placing most of the components of the device on a single circuit board. a computer with many of the capabilities of a personal computer is thus attained with much smaller size. in a preferred embodiment, the size of the device including its enclosure is approximately five inches square by one inch thick. use of a widely-supported operating system permits embodiments of the device to communicate with many other devices and networks. a preferred embodiment uses an open source operating system software having networking functionality such as linux®. linux® is available from numerous vendors and supports most networking protocols and application platform software. a preferred embodiment uses an application platform software providing a runtime environment such as java® from sun microsystems, inc. use of linux® and java® permits the development of custom-tailored application software in a small fraction of the time development of such software would require using machine language. advanced networking capabilities permit embodiments of the device to transfer data wirelessly and receive over-the-air programming. wireless data transfer provides for real-time monitoring of any parameter capable of electronic measurement. for example, the location, speed, and direction of travel of an asset can be transferred wirelessly in real time. in another example, voice data can be transferred at the push of a button. it is also possible in some embodiments to transfer voice data and other data simultaneously. over-the-air programming provides for the ability to reprogram and control embodiments of the device remotely. recordation of the identity of a particular device preferably can be facilitated through the use of a built in radio frequency identification (rfid) tag. the device also preferably may be stack charged in a plurality of orientations, thus permitting automated dispensing, recovery, and charging. a stack charging feature preferably is facilitated by a plurality of nodes on the device that are arranged so that any pair of nodes will provide power to the device as long as one node receives voltage of positive polarity and a different node receives voltage of negative polarity. a method of securing a facility is also described. in a preferred method, a tracking device is issued to an asset by an automated kiosk upon arrival at a facility. information identifying the tracking device and the asset are recorded and associated. finally, the asset is monitored using the tracking device. the automated kiosk, which preferably also is a charger, can preferably read an rfid tag inside the tracking device and therefore identify the tracking device upon issuance. a network preferably also is provided through which information can be transferred. brief description of the drawings some of the features and benefits of the present invention having been stated, others will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: fig. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. fig. 2 is an exploded view of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. fig. 3 is a perspective view of the exterior of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. fig. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. fig. 5 is an exploded view of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. fig. 6 . is a perspective view of the exterior of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. fig. 7 is a diagram of a system for tracking and monitoring assets according to the present invention. fig. 8 is a flow chart of a method of securing a facility according to the present invention. detailed description the present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments of the invention are shown. this invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. like numbers refer to like elements throughout. fig. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. the tracking device includes single board computer 11 , enclosure 13 , and space 15 between single board computer 11 and enclosure 13 . single board computer 11 includes circuit board 16 upon which many of the components of the tracking device are mounted. although a single board computer is preferred for reasons including size and cost, those of skill in the art will recognize that embodiments of the device could be constructed by other, less preferable, methods. in a preferred embodiment, circuit board 16 is an eight-layer impedance controlled printed circuit board manufactured from fr4 material with components mounted on both sides. processor 17 is mounted on circuit board 16 . in a preferred embodiment, a model pxa255 reduced instruction set computer (risc) processor, available from intel corporation, is used; however, those of skill in the art will recognize that many processors are operable with the invention. processor 17 includes communications port one 19 (com1). com1 communicates with module 21 , and in particular with communication component 23 , which is part of module 21 . in a preferred embodiment, module 21 is a model io200 integrated wireless modem, available from motorola inc., and communication component 23 is a wireless modem that operates in integrated digital enhanced network (iden® from motorola inc.) 800 mhz and 900 mhz networks using iden® packet switched and circuit switched data protocols. those of skill in the art will recognize that communication component 23 could comprise a wide variety of wireless communication means including, for example, any of a variety of cellular modems, a wi-fi card, a wimax card, or a satellite modem. communication component 23 communicates with a wireless network using a transmission protocol. in a preferred embodiment, transmission control protocol with internet protocol (tcp/ip) is used, and the device is preferably assigned an ip address. alternatively, user datagram protocol (udp) or other protocols could be used. in a preferred embodiment, communication component 23 supports push-to-talk functionality. this feature allows bilateral verbal communication between a user of the device, such as a truck driver, and monitoring personnel at the push of a button. processor 17 also includes communications port two 25 (com2), which is not in use; however, com2 could be used during development by connecting a pin-header. such an arrangement would provide a software console port suitable for downloading a new operating system image and/or application software. processor 17 also includes communications port three 27 (com3). com3 communicates with module 21 , and in particular with location component 29 , which is part of module 21 . in a preferred embodiment, location component 29 is a global positioning system (gps) receiver. those of skill in the art will recognize that location component 29 could comprise a wide variety of location means including, for example, a loran receiver or dead reckoning device. location component 29 preferably provides real time location data. that data is transferred via communication component 23 to a network. in a preferred embodiment, communication component 23 multiplexes push-to-talk and data transfer. thus, in a preferred embodiment, real time location or other data can be transferred simultaneously with verbal communication. in a preferred embodiment, module 21 , and in particular communication component 23 , communicates with a subscriber identity module (sim) socket 31 . module 21 preferably also communicates with antenna 33 . antenna 33 is located in space 15 and functions as the antenna for both communication component 23 and location component 29 . in a preferred embodiment, antenna 33 is a triple band embedded antenna covering 806-870 mhz, 896-941 mhz, and 1573-1577 mhz. in an alternate embodiment, antenna 33 could be located external to enclosure 13 . module 21 further communicates with amplifier 35 , which in turn powers speaker 37 . module 21 additionally communicates with microphone 39 . processor 17 communicates with digital input/output expander integrated circuit 41 (digital i/o expander ic). digital i/o expander ic 41 in turn communicates with module 21 , communication status leds 43 , and push-to-talk button 45 . in a preferred embodiment, processor 17 communicates with digital i/o expander ic 41 via an inter-integrated circuit bus. alternatively, processor 17 could communicate directly with module 21 , communication status leds 43 , and push-to-talk button 45 without digital i/o expander ic 41 (not shown). in either preferred embodiment, digital i/o is used to control power sequencing to module 21 . processor 17 also communicates with ethernet controller 47 , which in turn communicates with ethernet connection 48 . in a preferred embodiment, ethernet controller 47 provides a single 10baset interface and ethernet connection 48 consists of an rj45 connection compatible with a standard ethernet adaptor cable. ethernet compatibility permits the device to interoperate with a wide variety of devices. for instance, the device may be connected to a computer for operation using a wired connection. additionally, the device may be connected to any sort of sensor or system providing an electronic signal. for example, the device could receive engine temperature data from a temperature sensor and provide real time temperature data. if the temperature exceeded a range of acceptable temperatures, the device could signal monitoring personnel. those of skill in the art will understand that other wired electronic connections such as firewire® from apple computer inc. and usb, as well as short range wireless connections such as irda® from infrared data association corporation and bluetooth® from bluetooth sig, inc., are within the scope of the invention and can be used to connect with many sensors and systems providing an electronic signal. processor 17 further communicates with nonvolatile memory 49 . in a preferred embodiment, nonvolatile memory 49 comprises a 16 mb flash memory. nonvolatile memory 49 preferably stores boot software, open source operating system software having networking functionality, and application platform software providing a runtime environment. in a preferred embodiment, the boot software consists of redboot®, available from red hat, inc., to boot embedded linux®, the operating system consists of embedded linux®, and the application platform consists of ibm® j2me java® run-time environment and application software available from international business machines corporation. the linux® operating system is preferred because it is open source, supports networking functions such as tcp/ip and udp, and supports java®. those of skill in the art will recognize that the type of nonvolatile memory and stored software disclosed are only examples, and that many types of nonvolatile memory-and software are operable with the invention. single board computer 11 preferably includes over-the-air programming functionality. thus, with this feature, software can be uploaded or updated remotely while the device is in use. this feature preferably permits new software to be transferred over a network and loaded into nonvolatile memory 49 . processor 17 also communicates with system memory 50 . in a preferred embodiment, system memory 50 comprises a 32 mb synchronous dynamic random access memory (sdram). single board computer 11 also includes power source management circuits 51 . circuits 51 may receive power from power connector 53 . power connector 53 is preferably adapted to accept power from vehicle battery 55 or an external 12v dc supply via a power jack. power connector 53 preferably includes power conditioning circuits that provide transient voltage protection and constant 12v power to power source management circuits 51 . circuits 51 also may receive power from battery 57 . in a preferred embodiment, battery 57 is a rechargeable 4.8v nickel metal hydride (nimh) battery pack comprising four aa size 1.8 ah cylindrical cells located within space 15 . those of skill in the art will recognize that many types, sizes, and capacities of batteries are operable with the invention, such as lithium ion batteries. circuits 51 also may receive power from nodes 59 , 61 , 63 , and 65 via diode bridge 66 . the nodes preferably receive 12v power when the device is placed inside a charger. the charger includes contacts adapted to be positioned adjacent to the nodes in a plurality of orientations, such as right-side-up, up-side-down, side-ways, and backward. in a preferred embodiment, any opposite pair of nodes can provide power to the device, without regard to the polarity of the voltage applied, as long as one node receives voltage of positive polarity and the other node receives voltage of negative polarity. for example, node 59 could receive voltage of positive polarity and node 63 could receive voltage of negative polarity, or node 59 could receive voltage of negative polarity and node 63 could receive voltage of positive polarity. power from the nodes passes through diode bridge 66 , which ensures the correct polarity, and from there feeds into power source management circuits 51 . power source management circuits 51 control power source selection, battery 57 charging, and device on/off status. when receiving power from a power jack or vehicle battery 55 , circuits 51 preferably use that power source to power the device and charge battery 57 . circuits 51 preferably stop charging battery 57 if circuits 51 detect that that battery 57 is fully charged. when receiving power from nodes 59 , 61 , 63 , and 65 , circuits 51 preferably signal processor 17 to cut power to module 21 . circuits 51 preferably charge battery 57 until fully charged while receiving power from the nodes. when power to the nodes is removed processor 17 preferably boots up. power to module 21 is preferably restored when the device is signaled to do so by the charger. when receiving power from battery 57 , circuits 51 preferably monitor battery 57 for sufficient power. in the preferred embodiment, circuits 51 signal processor 17 if the voltage provided by battery 57 drops below a predetermined level. circuits 51 preferably cut-off battery 57 if the voltage provided by battery 57 drops below a lower predetermined voltage such that over-discharge of battery 57 is prevented. power source management circuits 51 communicate with on/off buttons 67 . on/off buttons 67 preferably may be remotely disabled using software in order to prevent a user from turning off the device. circuits 51 also communicate with power status leds 69 . circuits 51 further communicate with power supply units 71 . in a preferred embodiment, power supply units 71 provide power 73 to single board computer 11 , including a 1.0v supply to processor 17 and a 3.3v supply to the rest of single board computer 11 , including module 21 . fig. 2 is an exploded view of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. membrane 75 includes speaker grill 77 , microphone grill 79 , communication status leds 43 , push-to-talk button 45 , on/off buttons 67 , and power status leds 69 . membrane 75 is mounted on enclosure top 81 . enclosure top 81 is preferably molded from either polypropylene or polycarbonate plastic. rubber buffers 83 are mounted on the corners of enclosure top 81 . antenna 33 is mounted below enclosure top 81 but above single board computer 11 in order to maximize signal strength. single board computer 11 includes module 21 , microphone 39 , ethernet connector 48 , and power connector 53 . speaker 65 is mounted between single board computer 11 and enclosure top 81 . power connector 53 is adapted to accept power jack 85 . enclosure base 87 is preferably molded from either polypropylene or polycarbonate plastic. enclosure base 87 supports battery 57 and single board computer 11 . nodes 59 , 61 , 63 and 65 are mounted on the sides of enclosure base 87 . the nodes are connected by wires 89 to node base 91 , which in turn is connected to single board computer 11 . rfid tag 92 is preferably mounted on enclosure base 87 to permit identification of the device, and is readable from at least the underside of the device when assembled. base buffers 93 are mounted on the corners of enclosure base 87 . screw-hole plugs 95 are preferably fitted to base 87 after assembly of the device. fig. 3 is a perspective view of the exterior of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. membrane 75 includes speaker grill 77 , microphone grill 79 , communication status leds 43 , push-to-talk button 45 , on/off buttons 67 , and power status leds 69 . membrane 75 is mounted on enclosure top 81 . ethernet connector 48 and power jack 85 are visible on the side of the device. rubber buffers 83 are mounted on the corners of enclosure top 81 . nodes 61 and 63 are mounted on the sides of enclosure base 87 while base buffers 93 are mounted on the corners of enclosure base 87 . fig. 4 is a block diagram of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. the tracking device includes single board computer 11 , enclosure 13 , and space 15 between single board computer 11 and enclosure 13 . single board computer 11 includes circuit board 16 upon which many of the components of the tracking device are mounted. although a single board computer is preferred for reasons including size and cost, those of skill in the art will recognize that embodiments of the device could be constructed by other, less preferable, methods. in a preferred embodiment, circuit board 16 is an eight-layer impedance controlled printed circuit board manufactured from fr4 material with components mounted on both sides. processor 17 is mounted on circuit board 16 . in a preferred embodiment, a model pxa255 risc processor, available from intel corporation, is used; however, those of skill in the art will recognize that many processors may be used with the invention. processor 17 includes communications port one 19 (com1). com1 communicates with communication component 23 . in a preferred embodiment, communication component 23 is a wireless modem, and specifically a model gr47 global system for mobile communications (gsm® from gsm mou association corporation) modem or a model gr48 gsm® modem, both available from sony ericsson mobile communications ab. the gr47 gsm® modem operates in the 900 mhz and 1800 mhz gsm® bands. the gr48 modem operates in the 850 mhz and 1900 mhz gsm® bands. those of skill in the art will recognize that communication component 23 could comprise a wide variety of wireless communication means including, for example: any of a variety of cellular modems, a wi-fi card, a wimax card, or a satellite modem. communication component 23 communicates with a wireless network using a transmission protocol. in a preferred embodiment, tcp/ip is used, and the device is preferably assigned an ip address. alternatively, udp or other protocols could be used. processor 17 also includes communications port two 25 (com2), which is not in use; however, com2 could be used during development by connecting a pin-header. such an arrangement would provide a software console port suitable for downloading a new operating system image and/or application software. processor 17 also includes communications port three 27 (com3). com3 communicates with location component 29 . in a preferred embodiment, location component 29 is a gps receiver, and specifically a model itrax03 gps receiver available from fastrax, ltd. of finland. those of skill in the art will recognize that location component 29 could comprise a wide variety of location means including, for example, a loran receiver or dead reckoning device. location component 29 preferably provides real time location data. that data is transferred via communication component 23 to a network. in a preferred embodiment, communication component 23 communicates with sim socket 31 . communication component 23 and location component 29 preferably communicate with antenna 33 . antenna 33 is located in space 15 and functions as the antenna for both communication component 23 and location component 29 . in a preferred embodiment, antenna 33 is a triple band antenna. in one preferred embodiment, antenna 33 provides coverage for 900 mhz (880.2-914.8 mhz transmitting; 925.2-959.8 mhz receiving), 1800 mhz (1710.2-1784.8 mhz transmitting; 1805.2-1879.8 mhz receiving), and 1573.42-1577.42 mhz bands. in another preferred embodiment, antenna 33 provides coverage for 850 mhz (848.8 mhz transmitting; 869.2-893.8 mhz receiving), 1900 mhz (1850.2-1909.8 mhz transmitting; 1930.2-1989.8 mhz receiving), and 1573.42-1577.42 mhz bands. in the illustrated embodiment, antenna 33 is located in space 15 ; however, antenna 33 also could be located external to enclosure 13 . processor 17 provides digital i/o to control of communication status leds 43 as well as power sequencing of communication component 23 . processor 17 also communicates with ethernet controller 47 , which in turn communicates with ethernet connection 48 . in a preferred embodiment, ethernet controller 47 provides a single 10baset interface and ethernet connection 48 consists of an rj45 connection compatible with a standard ethernet adaptor cable. ethernet compatibility permits the device to interoperate with a wide variety of devices. for instance, the device may be connected to a computer for operation using a wired connection. additionally, the device may be connected to any sensor or system providing an electronic signal. for example, the device could receive engine temperature data from a temperature sensor and provide real time temperature data. if the temperature exceeded a range of acceptable temperatures, the device could signal monitoring personnel. those of skill in the art will understand that other wired electronic connections such as firewire® and usb, as well as short range wireless connections such as irda® and bluetooth®, are within the scope of the invention and can be used to connect with many sensors or systems providing an electronic signal. processor 17 further communicates with nonvolatile memory 49 . in a preferred embodiment, nonvolatile memory 49 comprises a 16 mb flash memory. nonvolatile memory 49 preferably stores boot software, open source operating system software having networking functionality, and application platform software providing a runtime environment. in a preferred embodiment, the boot software consists of redboot® to boot embedded linux®, the operating system consists of embedded linux®, and the application platform consists of ibm® j2me java® run-time environment and application software. the linux® operating system is preferred because it is open source, supports networking functions such as tcp/ip and udp, and supports java. those of skill in the art will recognize that the type of nonvolatile memory and stored software disclosed are only examples, and that many types of nonvolatile memory and software are operable with the invention. single board computer 11 preferably includes over-the-air programming functionality. thus, with this feature, software can be uploaded or updated remotely while the device is in use. this feature preferably permits new software to be transferred over a network and loaded into nonvolatile memory 49 . processor 17 also communicates with system memory 50 . in a preferred embodiment, system memory 50 comprises a 32 mb sdram. single board computer 11 also includes power source management circuits 51 . circuits 51 may receive power from power connector 53 . power connector 53 is preferably adapted to accept power from vehicle battery 55 or an external 12v dc supply via a power jack. power connector 53 preferably includes power conditioning circuits that provide transient voltage protection and constant 12v power to power source management circuits 51 . circuits 51 also may receive power from battery 57 . in a preferred embodiment, battery 57 is a rechargeable 4.8v nimh battery pack comprising four aa size 1.8 ah cylindrical cells located within space 15 . those of skill in the art will recognize that many types, sizes, and capacities of batteries are operable with the invention, such as lithium ion batteries. circuits 51 also may receive power from nodes 59 , 61 , 63 , and 65 via diode bridge 66 . the nodes preferably receive 12v power when the device is placed inside a charger. the charger includes contacts adapted to be positioned adjacent to the nodes in a plurality of orientations, such as right-side-up, up-side-down, side-ways, and backward. in a preferred embodiment, any opposite pair of nodes can provide power to the device, without regard to the polarity of the voltage applied, as long as one node receives voltage of positive polarity and the other node receives voltage of negative polarity. for example, node 59 could receive voltage of positive polarity and node 63 could receive voltage of negative polarity, or node 59 could receive voltage of negative polarity and node 63 could receive voltage of positive polarity. power from the nodes passes through diode bridge 66 , which ensures the correct polarity, and from there feeds into power source management circuits 51 . power source management circuits 51 control power source selection, battery 57 charging, and device on/off status. when receiving power from a power jack input or vehicle battery 55 , circuits 51 preferably use that power source to power the device and charge battery 57 . circuits 51 preferably stop charging battery 57 if circuits 51 detect that that battery 57 is fully charged. when receiving power from nodes 59 , 61 , 63 , and 65 , circuits 51 preferably signal processor 17 to cut power to communication component 23 . circuits 51 preferably charge battery 57 until fully charged while receiving power from the nodes. when power to the nodes is removed processor 17 preferably boots up. power to communication component 23 is preferably restored when the device is signaled to do so by the charger. when receiving power from battery 57 , circuits 51 preferably monitor battery 57 for sufficient power. in the preferred embodiment, circuits 51 signal processor 17 if the voltage provided by battery 57 drops below a predetermined level. circuits 51 preferably cut-off battery 57 if the voltage provided by battery 57 drops below a lower predetermined voltage such that over-discharge of battery 57 is prevented. power source management circuits 51 communicate with on/off buttons 67 . on/off buttons 67 preferably may be remotely disabled using software in order to prevent a user from turning off the device. circuits 51 also communicate with power status leds 69 . circuits 51 further communicate with power supply units 71 . in a preferred embodiment, power supply units 71 provide power 73 to single board computer 11 , including a 1.0v supply to processor 17 , a 3.3v supply to power much of single board computer 11 , a 3.6v supply to communication component 23 , and a 2.8v supply to location component 29 . fig. 5 is an exploded view of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. membrane 75 includes communication status leds 43 , on/off buttons 67 , and power status leds 69 . membrane 75 is mounted on enclosure top 81 . enclosure top 81 is preferably molded from either polypropylene or polycarbonate plastic. rubber buffers 83 are mounted on the corners of enclosure top 81 . antenna 33 is mounted below enclosure top 81 but above single board computer 11 in order to maximize signal strength. single board computer 11 includes communication component 23 , location component 29 , ethernet connector 48 , and power connector 53 . power connector 53 is adapted to accept power jack 85 . enclosure base 87 is preferably molded from either polypropylene or polycarbonate plastic. enclosure base 87 supports battery 57 and single board computer 11 . nodes 59 , 61 , 63 and 65 are mounted on the sides of enclosure base 87 . the nodes are connected by wires 89 to node base 91 , which in turn is connected to single board computer 11 . rfid label 92 is preferably mounted on enclosure base 87 to permit identification of the device, and is readable from at least the underside of the device when assembled. base buffers 93 are mounted on the corners of enclosure base 87 . screw-hole plugs 95 are preferably fitted to base 87 after assembly of the device. bulkhead mounting brackets 97 and 99 are provided for permanent or semi-permanent installation of the device in a vehicle or other asset where installation is desired. fig. 6 is a perspective view of the exterior of an electronic tracking and monitoring device according to the present invention. membrane 75 includes communication status leds 43 , on/off buttons 67 , and power status leds 69 . membrane 75 is mounted on enclosure top 81 . ethernet connector 48 and charging jack 85 are visible on the side of the device. rubber buffers 83 are mounted on the corners of enclosure top 81 . nodes 61 , 63 , and 65 are mounted on the sides of enclosure base 87 . bulkhead mounting brackets 97 and 99 mount securely to the device and provide for permanent or semi-permanent installation of the device. fig. 7 is a diagram of a system for tracking and monitoring assets. asset 301 has onboard a single board computer in communication with wireless network 303 . the single board computer includes a location component and a communication component. those of skill in the art will recognize that the location component could comprise a wide variety of location means including, for example, a gps receiver, loran receiver, or dead reckoning device. the location component preferably provides real time location data. those of skill in the art will understand that the communication component could comprise a wide variety of wireless communication means including, for example, any of a variety of cellular modems, a wi-fi card, a wimax card, or a satellite modem. wireless network 303 could comprise, for example, a cellular network, a wi-fi network, a wimax network, or a satellite network. the single board computer is capable of determining or acquiring a wide variety of data using an electronic data connection. those of skill in the art will understand that many electronic connections, such as ethernet, firewire®, usb, irda®, and bluetooth®, are within the scope of the invention and can be used to connect with many sensors or systems providing an electronic signal. an electronic data connection permits the device to interoperate with a wide variety of other devices. for instance, the device may be connected to a computer for operation using a wired or short range wireless connection. additionally, the device may be connected to any sensor or system providing an electronic signal. for example, the device could receive engine temperature data from a temperature sensor and provide real time temperature data. if the temperature exceeded a range of acceptable temperatures, the device could signal monitoring personnel. location or other data are transferred via the communication component to wireless network 303 . using the communication component, the single board computer communicates with wireless network 303 using a transmission protocol. in a preferred embodiment, tcp/ip is used, and the single board computer is preferably assigned an ip address. alternatively, udp or other protocols could be used. the single board computer also comprises a nonvolatile memory. the nonvolatile memory preferably stores boot software, open source operating system software having networking functionality, and application platform software providing a runtime environment. in a preferred embodiment, the boot software consists of redboot® to boot embedded linux®, the operating system consists of embedded linux®, and the application platform consists of ibm® j2me java® run-time environment and application software available from international business machines corporation. the linux® operating system is preferred because it is open source, supports networking functions such as tcp/ip and udp, and supports java®. those of skill in the art will recognize that many types of nonvolatile memory and software are operable with the invention. the single board computer preferably includes over-the-air programming functionality. with this feature, software can be uploaded or updated remotely while the device is in use. a monitoring center 305 is also in communication with wireless network 303 , and in this way communicates with the single board computer onboard asset 301 . monitoring center 305 receives real time location data and/or other useful data. for example, location data can be used for geo-fencing. in this application, personnel at the monitoring center are alerted if asset 301 leaves the geographic area in which it is permitted to operate. personnel might establish verbal contact with the operator of asset 301 using a push-to-talk feature or deploy security personal. monitoring center 305 is also able to remotely program the single board computer using over-the-are programming. monitoring center 305 can take many forms. in one embodiment, monitoring center 305 is a fully staffed control center; however, because communication with asset 301 is wireless, monitoring center 305 can also take the form of, for example, a laptop computer or pda. fig. 8 is a flow chart of a method of securing a facility. an automated kiosk issues a tracking device to an asset upon arrival at the facility 401 . in a preferred embodiment, the kiosk also acts as a charger for the tracking devices. the tracking device is then linked to the asset 403 , 405 , 407 . information identifying the asset is recorded 403 . for example, if the asset is a vehicle, the vehicle's license plate number might be recorded. if the asset is a person, the person's driver's license number or fingerprint might be recorded. multiple forms of identifying information are preferably recorded if available. information identifying the tracking device is also recorded 405 . those of skill in the art will understand that steps 403 and 405 can occur in any order or simultaneously. the information identifying the tracking device might take the form of information stored in a bar code or an rfid tag. in a preferred embodiment, the automated kiosk reads an rfid tag that is part of the tracking device when the tracking device is dispensed. the information identifying the asset and tracking device are then associated 407 . in a preferred embodiment, the association step occurs by transmission of the identifying information collected in steps 403 and 405 to a computer that records the information such that the information is linked. the asset is then monitored with the tracking device 409 . in a preferred embodiment, the monitoring is facilitated by a network in communication with the tracking device. in the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.
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133-283-785-989-782
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
B29C31/02,B29C45/00,B29C45/18,B65G53/66
| 1992-03-27T00:00:00 |
1992
|
[
"B29",
"B65"
] |
reservoir sight glass assembly for material processing machine
|
a reservoir sight glass assembly forming part of a material transfer system for loading lightweight granular plastic material into injection molding machines and the like is connected to the associated machine and to a light weight pressure relief chamber attached to the reservoir sight glass assembly, both connections being by quick disconnect devices. the reservoir sight glass assembly includes a sensor adjustably positioned against the sight glass which responds to the level of material in the reservoir sight glass assembly and a magnet assembly which traps ferrous contaminants and prevents their entering the machine. the flow of material to the pressure relief chamber is controlled by the sensor which turns a regulated source of compressed air on or off depending upon the sensed level of material in the reservoir sight glass assembly. the magnetic assembly includes a pivotable mounting for a pair of magnets which, in one position, create a magnetic field across the reservoir sight glass assembly and in another position, employed when the reservoir sight glass assembly is removed from the associated machine, to effectively remove the magnetic field permitting any trapped ferrous contaminants to drop out of the reservoir sight glass assembly.
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1. for use with a material transfer system for a processing machine having an input chamber for receiving measured quantities of granular materials from a source of said materials, a reservoir sight glass assembly for connection to said input chamber said assembly comprising a sight glass, upper and lower end bells, means fastening said end bells to said sight glass including a plurality of support rods and means securing said end bells to said support rods, and a level sensor and means supporting said level sensor on at least one of said support rods adjacent said sight glass, and quick disconnect means for connecting said reservoir sight glass assembly to said input chamber. 2. a reservoir sight glass assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided for adjustably fastening said level sensor to said at least one support rod for support at a plurality of positions along said support rod. 3. for use with a material transfer system for a processing machine having an inlet port for receiving measured quantities of granular materials, a reservoir sight glass assembly for connection to said inlet port comprising a sight glass and upper and lower end bells, and means fastening said end bells to said sight glass, said end bells including cylindrical connecting members having internal grooves and o-rings in said grooves, one of said end bells for sealing against said inlet port, said fastening means including a plurality of support rods and threaded members securing said end bells to said support rods; and a level sensor, and means fastening said level sensor to at least one of said support rods adjacent said sight glass. 4. a reservoir sight glass assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein a magnetic assembly is provided and fastening means are included attaching said magnetic assembly to at least one of said support rods, said magnetic assembly including a pair of magnetic members positioned to create a magnetic field across said sight glass. 5. a material transfer system for a processing machine having an input chamber, said material transfer system including a pressure relief chamber, control means for supplying material to said pressure relief chamber, and a reservoir connected to receive said material from said pressure relief chamber including an outlet conduit for carrying said material to said input chamber; characterized in that said reservoir comprises a reservoir sight glass assembly including a sight glass, upper and lower end bell members and means fastening said end bell members to said sight glass, said end bell members having internal passages therein, said upper end bell member being attached to said pressure relief chamber and said lower end bell member being attached to said input chamber, and quick disconnect means in said internal passages including internal grooves in said passages and o-ring seals in said grooves for connecting and disconnecting said reservoir sight glass assembly from said pressure relief chamber and said input chamber; and a level sensor and means fastening said level sensor against said sight glass, and means connecting said level sensor to said control means for controlling the flow of said material to said system. 6. a reservoir sight glass assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein said fastening means includes a plurality of support rods fastened to said end bell members. 7. a reservoir sight glass assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein means are provided for adjustably fastening said level sensor to at least one of said support rods for support at a plurality of positions along said support rod. 8. a material transfer system as claimed in claim 5 wherein magnetic means are provided adjacent said reservoir assembly, including fastening means for fastening said magnetic means to said assembly, said magnetic means further including a pair of magnetic members positioned to create a magnetic field across said reservoir sight glass. 9. a material transfer system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said magnetic means includes a bracket, said magnetic members are pivotally connected to said bracket, and means are provided for pivoting said magnetic members to a position to substantially reduce the strength of said magnetic field. 10. a material transfer system as claimed in claim 8 wherein during disconnecting of said reservoir unit from said machine, means are provided for pivoting said magnetic members to substantially reduce the strength of said magnetic field to release ferrous metal objects from said sensor and reservoir sight glass unit. 11. for use with a material transfer system for a materials processing machine having a throat for receiving materials and means mounting said system on said machine at said throat, said system being connected to a source of said materials: a sensor and reservoir sight glass unit fastenable to said mounting means, said unit including a sight glass, a level sensor, means fastening said level sensor to said unit against said sight glass and means for adjusting the level of said level sensor relative to said sight glass; quick disconnect means incorporated in said sensor and reservoir sight glass unit to enable facile removal of said sensor and reservoir sight glass unit from said machine; and control means responsive to said level sensor for controlling the flow of said materials to said unit. 12. a reservoir sight glass assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein said unit includes upper and lower end bell members attached to said sight glass, said end bell members having internal passages, and said quick disconnect means includes internal grooves in said passages and o-ring seals in said grooves. 13. a reservoir sight glass assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein said unit includes a plurality of support rods are fastened to said end bell members for securing said end bell members to said sight glass. 14. a reservoir sight glass assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein said means for fastening said level sensor includes means for adjustably fastening said level sensor to said at least one of said support rods for support at a plurality of positions along said support rod. 15. a reservoir sight glass assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein said unit includes magnetic means for separating ferrous contaminants, said magnetic means having a first position wherein a magnetic field is impressed across said sight glass and a second position wherein there is essentially no magnetic field across said sight glass.
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brief description of the invention applicants have designed a reservoir sight glass assembly for a material transfer system particularly for handling granular plastic materials which are supplied to machines such as injection molding machines and the like, (but which can also convey and load other lightweight granular materials,) which meets the above objectives. by using a comparatively small lightweight pressure relief chamber combined with a reservoir sight glass assembly attached to each other with a slip fit quick disconnect means having o-rings sealing the joint, and with the sight glass assembly similarly connected to the machine mounting plate of the associated machine, removal and replacement for cleaning of both the pressure relief chamber and the reservoir sight glass assembly is facilitated. the filter unit which forms part of the pressure relief chamber is similarly easy to remove and clean and/or replace as required. applicant's loading system also includes a very simple magnetic structure attached to the reservoir sight glass assembly which creates a magnetic field across the assembly and which is effective to trap ferrous metal objects which might otherwise damage the associated machine. by using simple manually pivotable magnetic members, the magnetic field is easily interrupted to permit the metallic objects to be released from the reservoir sight glass assembly while it is removed from the machine mounting plate for cleaning. also attached to applicants' reservoir sight glass assembly is a sensor which effectively looks through the reservoir sight glass and distinguishes whether material is present at its level in the reservoir sight glass assembly. this sensor is adjustable as to its level on the reservoir sight glass assembly and so can determine the starting charge of material and load the needed charge of material for the associated machine automatically. this also avoids the need for supplying a large hopper since the system can respond quickly to supply the amount of material needed to be supplied to the associated machine for each machine cycle. brief description of the drawings this invention may be more clearly understood from the following detailed description and by reference to the drawings in which: fig. 1 is a side view of an injection molding machine including a material loading system having a reservoir sight glass assembly incorporating our invention; fig. 2 is an enlarged side view, partly in section, of the reservoir sight glass assembly of fig. 1; fig. 3 is a perspective view of a magnetic unit used in association with the structure of figs. 1 and 2; fig. 4 is an exploded view, partly in section, of the reservoir sight glass assembly of figs. 1 and 2; fig. 5 is a perspective view of the reservoir sight glass unit of figs. 2 and 4 with the magnetic unit of fig. 3 shown in an alternate position. detailed description of the invention referring to fig. 1, an injection molding machine is shown at numeral 10 having an input chamber or throat 12 for receiving a desired amount of granular plastic material for each cycle of its operation. connected to the input chamber or throat 12 is a loading system 13 including a pressure relief chamber 14 and a reservoir sight glass assembly 16 which receives material from the pressure relief chamber. a conduit 18 carries plastic material from a source, which in this case is a dryer 20, to a tangential inlet duct 21 on the pressure relief chamber 14. a sensor 22 fastened to the side of the reservoir sight glass assembly 16 is connected through an insulated wire 24 to an air pressure regulator 26 which controls the supply of air to an accelerator and vortex unit 28. air supplied to the regulator 26 from a source of compressed air, not shown, is controllably supplied, through an air hose 27 to accelerator and vortex unit 28. material from dryer 20 is caused to flow by air pressure, through the acceleration and vortex unit 28 and through conduit 18 to the pressure relief chamber 14. when the material supplied reaches a desired level in reservoir sight glass assembly 16, this is sensed by sensor 22 which sends a signal to the air pressure regulator to shut off the air supplied through air hose 27 to the acceleration and vortex unit 28. the dryer 20 which is carried on a separate cart 30, includes a blower and heating unit 32. mounted on the top of dryer 20 is a second loading system 33 which includes a pressure relief chamber 14 and a reservoir sight glass assembly 16. transfer system 33 is essentially identical to transfer system 13 wherein identical parts will be given the same numerals plus a prime. a container 34 containing a supply of plastic granules is connected through a conduit 18' to pressure relief chamber 14'. carried on cart 30 is an air pressure regulator 26' connected to an air pressure source (also not shown), to a sensor 22' on reservoir sight glass assembly 16' through a wire 24', and to an accelerator and vortex unit 28'. as described above, the sensor 22' on reservoir sight glass assembly 16' responds to the level of granulated plastic material in the reservoir sight glass assembly to cause air pressure regulator 26' to either supply air to the accelerator and vortex unit 28' to cause material to flow through conduit 18' to pressure relief chamber 14' or to shut off the supply of air and, hence, the flow of material to pressure relief chamber 14'. fig. 1 shows a system in which two of my loading systems are shown connected in series. fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing part of loading system 13 in greater detail including pressure relief chamber 14 and reservoir sight glass assembly 16. a duct 36 receives material and air from the tangentially attached inlet duct 21 to which conduit 18 is attached. a filter unit 38 is located at the upper end of pressure relief chamber 14. a fastening bracket 40 provides means for securing and removing the filter unit 38 from pressure relief chamber 14. reservoir sight glass assembly 16 includes an upper end bell member 42 including a flange 44, a lower end bell member 46 including a flange 48, a sight glass 50 secured between the flanges and four support rods 52 which cooperate with a plurality of screws 53 (see fig. 4) to hold the flanges 44 and 48 and reservoir sight glass 50 together. secured to two of rods 52 is a magnetic unit including a bracket 54 and a pair of magnetic members 56, 58 (of which only member 56 is visible in this view) pivotally attached to bracket 54. a sensor 22 is fastened to the side of reservoir sight glass 50 by means of a bracket 60 adjustably secured to a pair of support rods 52 to control the level of material in the sight glass. sensor 22 is connected through wire 24 to a switch (not shown) operating an air valve forming part of air pressure regulator 26 which is connected to a source of compressed air. when air under pressure is supplied from regulator 26 through air hose 27 to the accelerator and vortex unit 28, a vacuum is created upstream of passages 82 which pulls the lightweight granular material from it source such as dryer 20 and causes it to flow through conduit 18 to tangential inlet duct 21 and port 36 shown in the sidewall of pressure relief chamber 14. an interior cone 86 and a cylindrical baffle 88 formed in the top of pressure relief chamber 14 cause the flow from port 36 to be directed downwardly as shown by the arrow. in general the air flow will carry all the solids toward the bottom of the pressure relief chamber and into reservoir sight glass assembly 16. since the air must escape however, it flows through the passage at the center of baffle 88 and radially outwardly through the filter unit 38. inevitably some fines will be carried by this air flow and they are blocked by the filter from escaping into the atmosphere. the filter 38 is readily removable for cleaning by loosening the screw on bracket 40 and sliding the filter laterally. in this view of the reservoir sight glass assembly 16, the magnetic members 56 and 58 (only member 56 is visible) are shown in the lowered position in which they create a significant magnetic field across the reservoir sight glass. a number of magnetic members such as a paper clip, a screw and a washer are shown held in this magnetic field. the purpose of the magnetic members 56, 58 is to create a field in which ferrous metal contaminants may be caught and prevented from entering the associated machine. fig. 3 is a perspective view of the magnetic assembly alone with members 56 and 58 shown in the lowered position creating a strong magnetic field between these members. magnetic members 56 and 58 are pivotally attached to bracket 54. this view also shown screws 86 which are turned inward to secure the magnetic assembly to support rods 52 which pass through bores 87 in bracket 54. an exploded view of the reservoir sight glass assembly 16 is shown in fig. 4 with the sensor and the magnetic unit removed. in this view it will be observed that the assembly consists of a sight glass tube 50 which is secured between upper and lower end bell members 42 and 46 respectively. circular seal members 96 and 98 are positioned between the sight glass tube 50 and end bell members 42 and 46, respectively. a plurality of support rods 52 are bolted to the upper and lower end bell members 42, 46 by means of a plurality of screws 53. in addition to grooves 100, 102 for receiving seals 96 and 98 respectively, end bell members 42 and 46 include internal grooves 104 and 106, which receive o-rings 108 and 110 respectively and which provide an air tight seal against the lower end of the pressure relief chamber 14 and a fitting (not shown) on a mounting plate of the machine input chamber 12. those skilled in the art will quickly recognize that with the reservoir sight glass assembly connected as described, the pressure relief chamber 14 may be easily disconnected from the top of the reservoir sight glass assembly 16 and the sight glass assembly is similarly easy to remove from the associated machine. fig. 5 is a perspective drawing of reservoir sight glass assembly 16 (with the sensor 22 removed) which is attached to pressure relief chamber 14 and to the input chamber or throat 12 of the machine 10 by the quick disconnect slip fit, o-ring sealed joints described above. when the view through the sight glass indicates that there are undesirable ferrous metal objects in the magnetic field between magnetic members 56 and 58, this assembly 16 may readily be removed (after shutting off the air supply) and the magnetic members 56 and 58 manually pivoted to the horizontal position shown which effectively removes the magnetic field, permitting the metallic objects, shown here as a washer, a paper clip, a screw and nut, to simply drop out of the assembly. at this point the pressure relief chamber 14 itself is readily disassembled for cleaning, if desired. the reservoir sight glass assembly 16 may then be quickly reattached to the pressure relief chamber 14 and throat 12, and the air supply again turned on, until the level of material in the reservoir sight glass sensed by the sensor 22 is at the point where the sensor 22 will cause the air pressure regulator 26 to discontinue supplying more material to the pressure relief chamber 14. from the foregoing it will be appreciated that the reservoir sight glass assembly described herein affords some significant advantages over earlier systems presently in use. by using quick disconnect slip fit fittings with o-rings to connect the reservoir sight glass assembly 16 to the throat 12 and the pressure relief chamber 14, both the pressure relief chamber and reservoir sight glass assembly are easily removed, cleaned and replaced in the system. the pressure relief chamber 14 and the reservoir sight glass assembly 16 are relatively small and easily handled from the floor level so there is no need to climb up on the associated machine. by locating the magnetic members on the reservoir sight glass assembly, magnetic objects in the reservoir sight glass are easily seen, identified and removed. the above described embodiment of the present invention is merely descriptive of its principles and is not to be considered limiting. the scope of the present invention instead shall be determined from the scope of the following claims including their equivalents.
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133-844-934-688-471
|
JP
|
[
"TW",
"CN",
"EP",
"JP",
"KR",
"HK",
"WO"
] |
A41D13/00,B63C11/04,A41D31/00,A41D13/012,A41D/,B63C/
| 2005-08-30T00:00:00 |
2005
|
[
"A41",
"B63"
] |
material for underwater suit and underwater suit making use of the same
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a material for underwater suits, comprising an elastic foam, characterized by comprising an elastic foam layer 2 having plural recess portions 1 formed on at least one side thereof is provided. when the material is used as a wet suit, in which case the openings of the recess portions of the elastic foam layer 2 faces the side of the body, a film of water is prone to be formed between the body and the suit because water is accumulated in the recess portions 1. in addition, not only warmed water is hardly discharged to the outside, but also external cold water less easily penetrates because the recess portions 1 do not pierce through elastic foam layer 2. thus, the wet suit will have a high heat-retaining effect. further, when the material is used as a dry suit, the suit has high heat-retaining properties and buoyancy because air can be retained in the recess portions 1.
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a material for underwater suits comprising an elastic foam layer having plural recess portions formed on at least one side thereof. the material for underwater suits according to claim 1, wherein a closing layer impermeable both air and water is laminated to the recessed surface of said elastic foam layer directly or via another layer to close the openings of the recess portions. the material for underwater suits according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a coating layer containing hollow microcapsules or nanocapsules is laminated to at least one side of said elastic foam layer. the material for underwater suits according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a coating layer containing hollow microcapsules or nanocapsules is present on at least one surface of a laminated body having said elastic foam layer and/or said closing layer or between arbitrary layers of the laminated body. an underwater suit characterized by comprising the material for underwater suits according to any of claims 1 to 4. a wet suit comprising the material for underwater suits according to claim 1, wherein the recess portions of said elastic foam layer are arranged so as to face the side of the body. a suit for triathlon comprising the material for underwater suits according to claim 2.
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technical field the present invention relates to a material for underwater suits and an underwater suit using the same. background art underwater suits can be divided into wet and dry suits, each of which includes suits for diving, surfing, and triathlon. the wet suit is intended to be used by placing water in the suit to provide a heat-retaining effect. thus, the heat-retaining effect is exerted by water being filled between the body and wet suit and warmed by body temperature. conversely, the dry suit is intended to have a structure preventing the influx of sea water into the suit to keep the inside thereof in a dry state to provide a heat-retaining effect. as a material for these underwater suits, an elastic foam such as natural or synthetic rubber is generally used which has a stretchable fabric such as jersey laminated to its surface. for example, patent document 1 discloses a wet suit composed of a cloth material in which a woven or knitted fabric having elasticity is laminated to both sides of a foaming rubber material, wherein the space between the cloth material and the body of a wearer is wetted with water by its exposure, in which holes are provided in part or whole of the foaming rubber material. this wet suit does not give unpleasant feelings such as swelter and squalor to the wearer in the case of competitive sports such as triathlon where exercises are performed on land while wearing a wet suit because the holes provided in the foaming rubber material give a good air permeability. it has been also described that the wet suit can be suitably worn without impairing mobility when the wearer moves from underwater to land because the water infiltrating in the suit is instantaneously discharged with air to the outside. patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open no. 6-312692 (see claim 1 and paragraph no. 0017) the wet suit described in patent document 1 has the advantage of having a good air permeability on land because the holes provided in the foaming rubber material pierce through. however, in water, not only the water specially warmed in the suit is discharged thereoutside through the holes, but also external cold water flows into the suit through the holes. thus, the heat-retaining effect thereof is low. in addition, the wet suit described in patent document 1 is provided with heat-retaining properties and buoyancy by using the foaming rubber material, but the effects of thereof is not sufficient because the amount of air retained by the foaming rubber material is small. even if air is present in the holes, it is discharged and can not be retained because the holes are formed by piercing the foaming rubber material. thus, the suit can not be sufficiently provided with heat-retaining properties and buoyancy. in view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a material for underwater suits, having high heat-retaining effect and buoyancy, and an underwater suit using the same. disclosure of the invention for solving the above-described problems, the present invention provides a material for underwater suits, characterized by comprising an elastic foam layer having plural recess portions formed on at least one side thereof. when the material is used as a wet suit, in which case the recess portions of the elastic foam layer are opened toward the side of the body, it can retain a large amount of water because of the accumulation of water in the recess portions, which makes a film of water prone to be formed between the body and the suit. in addition, not only the warmed water is hardly discharged to the outside, but also external cold water less easily penetrates, because the recess portions do not pierce through the elastic foam layer. thus, a wet suit having a high heat-retaining effect is obtained. further, when the material is used as a dry suit, in which case the recess portions of the elastic foam layer are opened toward the side of the body, a large amount of air can remain in the recess portions. the air is hardly discharged to the outside because the recess portions do not pierce through. thus, the synergistic effect of the air remaining in the recess portions and the air cells which the elastic foam has enables the sufficient exertion of the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy. "material for underwater suits, having an elastic foam layer" is a concept including a monolayer material consisting of only an elastic foam layer and a laminated material consisting of other layers laminated to the elastic foam layer. the recess portions may be also formed on both sides of the elastic foam layer. the opening of the recess portion has a diameter of, for example, 2 to 6 mm, preferably 4 mm. the depth of the recess portion is, for example, 0.5 to 5 mm, preferably 1 to 4 mm. a deviation from the above-described range cannot provide favorable heat-retaining effect and buoyancy. a different layer may be laminated to the elastic foam layer; it may be laminated to the surface of the side where recess portions are not formed (hereinafter referred to as "recess non-formed surface") or may be laminated to the recessed surface. non-limiting examples of the different layer include an elastic foam, a stretchable fabric such as jersey, a layer using a coating agent, and a coating layer such as metal foil. the lamination of a different layer to the recessed surface will lead to the closing of the openings of the recess portions by the different layer, and therefore is suitable when air is desired to be retained in the recess portions to enhance the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy of an underwater suit. specifically, a closing layer impermeable to both air and water is laminated to the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer directly or via another layer to close the openings of the recess portions. under this situation, the whole insides of the recess portions are prevented from being filled by the closing layer or another layer. air is less susceptible to leakage to the outside of the recess and water less easily penetrates into the recess, because the recess does not pierce through the elastic foam layer and has the opening closed by a closing layer impermeable to both air and water. thus, air can be retained in the recess, which imparts stable buoyancy to the laminated material. here, the material is suitable for suits for triathlon, requiring buoyancy under water. the material for the closing layer is not limited, provided that it is a material impermeable to both air and water, but preferably an elastic foam having closed cells. an elastic foam can strengthen the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy through the cells contained therein. in addition, the closing layer may be laminated to the elastic foam layer directly or by inserting another layer in between. in other words, the closing layer just has to be able to close the openings of the recess portions of the elastic foam layer directly or indirectly. non-limiting examples of another layer include a stretchable fabric such as jersey, a layer using a coating agent, and a coating layer such as metal foil. the elastic foam comprising the elastic foam layer or closing layer is preferably neoprene rubber (registered trademark; hereinafter omitted), but may be natural rubber, a synthetic rubber such as chloroprene rubber, isoprene rubber, butyl rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylenepropylene rubber, or chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber, or a synthetic resin. preferably, a coating layer containing hollow microcapsules or nanocapsules is laminated to at least one side of the elastic foam layer. alternatively, in the case of a laminated body having the elastic foam layer and/or the closing layer, the coating layer containing hollow microcapsules or nanocapsules may be also present on at least one surface of the laminated body or between arbitrary layers of the laminated body. the material for the coating layer or microcapsules or nanocapsules is not limited. the containment of hollow microcapsules or nanocapsules in the coating layer can enhance the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy because the laminate contains air cells. the material for underwater suits, constituted as mentioned above can be applied to various under water suits, including, for example, a wet suit, a semidry suit, and a dry suit. more specifically, it is suitable for diving, surfing, or triathlon. according to the present invention, when the material is used as a wet suit, in which case the recess portions of the elastic foam layer are opened toward the side of the body, a large amount of water can be retained and a film of water is prone to be formed between the body and the suit, because water is accumulated in the recess portions. in addition, not only warmed water is hardly discharged to the outside, but also external cold water less easily penetrates, because the recess portions do not pierce through the elastic foam layer. thus, a wet suit having a high heat-retaining effect can be made. further, when the material is used as a dry suit, in which case the recess portions of the elastic foam layer are opened toward the side of the body, a large amount of air remains in the recess portions, and the air is hardly discharged to the outside, because the recess portions do not pierce through. thus, the synergistic effect of the air remaining in the recess portions and the air cells which the elastic foam has enables the sufficient exertion of the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy. further, when the closing layer is laminated to the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer directly or via another layer to close the openings of the recess portions, air is less susceptible to leakage to the outside of the recess portions and water less easily penetrates into the recess portions. thus, the use thereof in both of the wet suit and dry suit enables the retaining of air in the recess portions, and can impart stable buoyancy to these suits. brief description of the drawings figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a material comprising an underwater suit of a first embodiment; figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a modification of a first embodiment; figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a material comprising an underwater suit of a second embodiment; figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing one example of a material used for wet suits for diving; figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing one example of a material used for wet suits for surfing; and figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing one example of a material used for wet suits for triathlon. description of symbols 1 recess portion 2 elastic foam layer 3 stretchable fabric 4 coating layer 5 closing layer best mode for carrying out the invention the embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings. first embodiment figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a material comprising an underwater suit of a first embodiment. as shown in figure 1 , the material composing an underwater suit of this embodiment is composed of an elastic foam layer 2 having plural recess portions 1 formed on one side thereof, a stretchable fabric 3 laminated to the recess non-formed surface of the elastic foam layer 2, and a coating layer 4 formed on the recessed surface of elastic foam layer 2. the lamination between the elastic foam layer 2 and the stretchable fabric 3 is properly fixed using any adhesive, but may be fixed by another means. in addition, when the coating layer 4 itself has adhesiveness such as tackiness, it may be laminated using the adhesiveness. the material for underwater suits thus formed is arranged so that the recessed surface faces the side of the body, and subjected to sewing or the like in a three-dimensional manner so as to fit the body to form an underwater suit. the elastic foam layer 2 consists of an elastic foam having closed cells. as the elastic foam, neoprene rubber is used, but another natural or synthetic rubber or a synthetic resin may be employed. the elastic foam layer 2 has a thickness of, but not limited to, about 1 to 10 mm, preferably 1 to 8 mm, more preferably 4 to 5 mm. a plurality of recess portions 1 having circular cross sections are formed on one side of the elastic foam layer 2. by way of non-limiting example, the recess portion 1 has an opening diameter of 3 mm, a depth of 1 mm, and a minimal distance to the circumference of an adjacent recess portion of about 4 mm. two to three recess portions 1 per cm 2 are preferable because sufficient heat-retaining properties and buoyancy can be imparted. the recess portions 1 are regularly arranged lengthwise and crosswise on one side of the elastic foam layer 2. in this respect, the elastic foam layer 2 may be formed in a unified manner, or may be formed by laminating an elastic foam 2b having a multiplicity of through-holes to an elastic foam 2a having a sheet form as shown in figure 2 . the portion surrounded by the through-hole and the elastic foam 2a having a sheet form forms the recess portion 1. as the stretchable fabric 3, nylon or polyester jersey fabric is used, but another woven fabric or knit employing a synthetic or natural fiber having a good air permeability may be used. the stretchable fabric 3 is preferable because it can follow body movement owing to the stretchability thereof. the stretchable fabric 3 has a thickness of 0.2 to 1.5 mm, preferably about 0.5 mm. the coating layer 4 contains hollow nanocapsules or microcapsules. the inclusion of air in nanocapsules or microcapsules results in the containment of air cells in the coating layer 4, which enhances the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy. the coating layer 4 coated on the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2 may be laminated to only the region excluding the recess portions 1 as shown in figure 1 , or may be coated along the interior surface of the recess portions 1 so that the recess portions 1 are not wholly filled therewith. the nanocapsule or microcapsule is a hollow capsule containing no core substance in the shell; the material for the shell is suitably polyurethane resin, but may be composed of a thermoplastic substance selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polybutadiene, acrylonitril, methyl methacrylate and vinylidene chloride resins, or a mixture thereof. the blending amount of the nanocapsule or microcapsule is preferably 1 to 10% by weight based on the coating layer. non-limiting examples of the coating layer 4 include a layer using a coating agent, or metal foil; a well-known material may be employed if it can contain nanocapsules or microcapsules. coating agents include, but not limited to, urethane resin, fluororesin, olefin resin and silicon resin coating agents. when provided on the surface of the underwater suit cloth, the coating layer 4 is preferably an amphipathic coating agent having hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity. examples thereof include a coating agent containing a surfactant. an underwater suit capable of repelling water in the air and having affinity with water in water to reduce flow resistance can be made. the metal foil is a metal material made in the form of a film. this metal foil may be used by sticking to another layer using an adhesive or the like. the film-like metal foil is an ultra-thin film having a thickness of about 70 microns and effectively exerts heat-insulating and heat-retaining properties. the fatigue of a wearer due to heat loss can be reduced. a material for the metal foil is preferably titanium, but gold, silver, aluminium, lead, or the like may be also used. nanocapusules or microcapsules are coated on the surface of a metal foil of any of the above materials using a coating agent so that these capsules are disposed in dots. according to the above-described constitution, when the material of this embodiment is used as an underwater suit, in which case the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2 faces the side of the body, a large amount of water can be retained and a film of water is prone to be formed between the body and the suit, because water is accumulated in the recess portions 1. in addition, not only warmed water is hardly discharged to the outside, but also external cold water less easily penetrates because the recess portions 1 do not pierce through the elastic foam layer 2. thus, the underwater suit will have a high heat-retaining effect. further, when the material is used as a dry suit, a large amount of air can remain in the recess portions 1. the air in the recess portions 1 is hardly discharged to the outside because the recess portions 1 do not pierce through. thus, the synergistic effect of the air remaining in recess portions 1 and the closed cells present in the elastic foam layer 2 enables the sufficient exertion of the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy. second embodiment figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a material comprising an underwater suit of a second embodiment. as shown in figure 3 , this embodiment is characterized in that a closing layer 5 consisting of an elastic foam is laminated to the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2 to close the openings of the recess portions 1, and has other basic constitutions similar to those of the above-described first embodiment. the lamination between the elastic foam layer 2 and the closing layer 5 is properly fixed using any adhesive, but may be fixed by another means. specifically, the material composing an underwater suit of the second embodiment is composed of the elastic foam layer 2 having the plural recess portions 1 formed on one side thereof, a stretchable fabric 3 laminated to the recess non-formed surface of the elastic foam layer 2, a closing layer 5 laminated to the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2, and coating layer 4 laminated to the surface of closing layer 5. as shown in figure 3 , the coating layer 4 is arranged so as to face the side of the body. in this respect, elastic foam layer 2 may be reversed with closing layer 5 positioned in the outer side direction. thus, the coating layer 4, the elastic foam layer 2, the closing layer 5 laminated to the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2, and the stretchable fabric 3 may be laminated in that order from the side of the body. the material for underwater suits thus formed is subjected to sewing or the like in a three-dimensional manner so as to fit the body to form an underwater suit. the closing layer 5 consists of an elastic sheet foam. as the elastic foam, neoprene rubber is used as is the case with the elastic foam layer 2, but another natural or synthetic rubber or a synthetic resin may be employed. in addition, the elastic foam has closed cells. the closing layer 5 has a thickness of, but not limited to, about 1 to 10 mm, preferably about 4 to 5 mm. air can be stored in the recess portions 1 because the openings of the recess portions 1 formed on elastic foam layer 2 are closed by the closing layer 5. the air in the recess portions 1 is less susceptible to leakage. thus, stable heat-retaining properties and buoyancy can be imparted to the underwater suit. this embodiment is suitable for a suit for triathlon requiring buoyancy. examples the invention is described below in detail, based on examples. example 1 figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing one example of a material used for wet suits for diving. as shown, according to the material in this example, a coating layer 4a, an elastic foam layer 2, a coating layer 4b laminated to the recess non-formed surface of the elastic foam layer 2, a second elastic foam layer 6 having a sheet form, the coating layer 4b, and a stretchable fabric 3 are laminated in that order from the side of the body. the thicknesses of the elastic foam layer 2, the second elastic foam layer 6, and the stretchable fabric 3 are 5 mm, 5 mm, and 0.5 mm, respectively. in this respect, the thicknesses of the elastic foam layer 2, the second elastic foam layer 6, and the stretchable fabric 3 may be varied in the ranges of 1 to 10 mm, 1 to 10 mm, and 0.2 to 1.5 mm, respectively. the second elastic foam layer 6 consisted of an elastic foam having closed cells. as the elastic foam, neoprene rubber is used, but another natural or synthetic rubber or a synthetic resin may be employed. the coating layer 4 contains nanocapsules. the nanocapsule used is nc948 from nomura trading co., ltd., but not limited thereto. an amphipathic coating agent is used for the coating layer 4a on the side of the recessed surface of elastic foam layer 2. the amphipathic coating agent is obtained by uniformly mixing 13 parts by weight of a polyurethane polymer, 7 parts by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder, 2 parts by weight of silicon oil, and 2 parts by weight of sodium dodecyl sulfate in the following solvents: 2 parts by weight of acetone, 3 parts by weight of methyl isobutylene ketone (mibk), 55 parts by weight of toluene, 5 parts by weight of butyl acetate, and 11 parts by weight of diacetone alcohol. in this respect, the amount of the polyurethane polymer may be varied in the range of 8 to 18 parts by weight; that of the polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder, 2 to 12 parts by weight; that of silicon oil, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of acetone, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of methyl isobutylene ketone (mibk), 1 to 8 parts by weight; that of toluene, 50 to 60 parts by weight; that of butyl acetate, 1 to 10 parts by weight; and that of diacetone alcohol, 6 to 16 parts by weight. in addition, metal foils of titanium are used in the coating layers 4b between the elastic foam layer 2 and the second foam layer 6 and between the second foam layer 6 and the stretchable fabric 3. when the material is used as a wet suit, in which case the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2 faces the side of the body, a film of water is prone to be formed between the body and the suit because water is accumulated in the recess portions 1. in addition, not only warmed water is hardly discharged to the outside, but also external cold water less easily penetrates, because the recess portions 1 do not pierce through the elastic foam layer 2. thus, the wet suit will have a high heat-retaining effect. in addition, when it is used as a dry suit, in which case the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2 faces the side of the body, a large amount of air can be remain in the recess portions 1. the air is hardly discharged to the outside because the recess portions 1 do not pierce through. thus, the synergistic effect of the air remaining in the recess portions 1 and the closed cells which the elastic foam layer 2 has enables the sufficient exertion of the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy. example 2 figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing one example of a material used for wet suits for surfing. as shown, according to the material in this example, a coating layer 4a, an elastic foam layer 2, a coating layer 4b laminated to the recess non-formed surface of the elastic foam layer 2, a stretchable fabric 3, a coating layer 4b, a second elastic foam layer 6 having a sheet form, and the coating layer 4a are laminated in that order from the side of the body. the stretchable fabric 3 hardly absorbs water because it positions between the elastic foam layer 2 and the second elastic foam layer 6. thus, this reduces a change in weight of the whole material. the thicknesses of the elastic foam layer 2, the second elastic foam layer 6, and the stretchable fabric 3 are 5 mm, 5 mm, and 0.5 mm, respectively. in this respect, the thicknesses of elastic foam layer 2, second elastic foam layer 6, and jersey fabric 3 may be varied in the ranges of 1 to 10 mm, 1 to 10 mm, and 0.2 to 1.5 mm, respectively. the coating layer 4b contains nanocapsules. the nanocapsule used is nc948 from nomura trading co., ltd., but not limited thereto. an amphipathic coating agent is used for the coating layers 4a on the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2 and the surface of the second elastic foam layer 6. the amphipathic coating agent is obtained by uniformly mixing 13 parts by weight of a polyurethane polymer, 7 parts by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder, 2 parts by weight of silicon oil, and 2 parts by weight of sodium dodecyl sulfate in the following solvents: 2 parts by weight of acetone, 3 parts by weight of methyl isobutylene ketone (mibk), 55 parts by weight of toluene, 5 parts by weight of butyl acetate, and 11 parts by weight of diacetone alcohol. in this respect, the amount of the polyurethane polymer may be varied in the range of 8 to 18 parts by weight; that of the polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder, 2 to 12 parts by weight; that of silicon oil, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of acetone, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of methyl isobutylene ketone (mibk), 1 to 8 parts by weight; that of toluene, 50 to 60 parts by weight; that of butyl acetate, 1 to 10 parts by weight; and that of diacetone alcohol, 6 to 16 parts by weight. in addition, metal foils of titanium are used for the coating layers 4b between the elastic foam layer 2 and the stretchable fabric 3 and between the stretchable fabric 3 and the second elastic foam layer 6. when the material of this embodiment is used as a wet suit, in which case the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2 faces the side of the body, a film of water is prone to be formed between the body and the suit because water is accumulated in the recess portions 1. in addition, not only warmed water is hardly discharged to the outside, but also external cold water less easily penetrates, because recess portions 1 do not pierce through the elastic foam layer 2. thus, the wet suit will have a high heat-retaining effect. in addition, when it is used as a dry suit, in which case the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer 2 faces the side of the body, a large amount of air can remain in the recess portions 1. the air is hardly discharged to the outside because recess portions 1 do not pierce through. thus, the synergistic effect of the air remaining in recess portions 1 and the closed cells which the elastic foam layer 2 has enables the sufficient exertion of the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy. example 3 figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing one example of a material used for wet suits for triathlon. as shown, according to the material in this example, a coating layer 4a, a closing layer 5, a stretchable fabric 3, an elastic foam layer 2, a second elastic foam layer 6, and coating layer 4a are laminated in that order from the side of the body. the stretchable fabric 3 hardly absorbs water because it is positioned between the elastic foam layer 2 (and second elastic foam layer 6) and the closing layer 5. thus, this reduces a change in weight of the whole material. the thicknesses of the closing layer 5, the stretchable fabric 3, the elastic foam layer 2, and the second elastic foam layer 6 are 5 mm, 0.5 mm, 5 mm, and 5 mm, respectively. in this respect, the thicknesses of closing layer 5, jersey fabric 3, elastic foam layer 2, and second elastic foam layer 6 may be varied in the ranges of 1 to 10 mm, 0.2 to 1.5 mm, 1 to 10 mm, and 1 to 10 mm, respectively. the coating layer 4a contains nanocapsules. the nanocapsule used is nc948 from nomura trading co., ltd., but not limited thereto. an amphipathic coating agent is used for the coating layers 4a on the surface of the closing layer 5 and the surface of the second elastic foam layer 6. the amphipathic coating agent is obtained by uniformly mixing 13 parts by weight of a polyurethane polymer, 7 parts by weight of polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder, 2 parts by weight of silicon oil, and 2 parts by weight of sodium dodecyl sulfate in the following solvents: 2 parts by weight of acetone, 3 parts by weight of methyl isobutylene ketone (mibk), 55 parts by weight of toluene, 5 parts by weight of butyl acetate, and 11 parts by weight of diacetone alcohol. in this respect, the amount of the polyurethane polymer may be varied in the range of 8 to 18 parts by weight; that of the polytetrafluoroethylene fine powder, 2 to 12 parts by weight; that of silicon oil, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of acetone, 1 to 7 parts by weight; that of methyl isobutylene ketone (mibk), 1 to 8 parts by weight; that of toluene, 50 to 60 parts by weight; that of butyl acetate, 1 to 10 parts by weight; and that of diacetone alcohol, 6 to 16 parts by weight. air can be stored in the recess portions 1 because the openings of the recess portions 1 on the elastic foam layer 2 are closed by the closing layer 5. thus, stable heat-retaining properties and buoyancy can be imparted to the underwater suit. this embodiment is suitable for a suit for triathlon requiring buoyancy. industrial applicability according to the invention, when the material is used as a wet suit, in which case the recess portions of the elastic foam layer are opened toward the side of the body, a large amount of water can be retained and a film of water is prone to be formed between the body and the suit, because water is accumulated in the recess portions. in addition, not only warmed water is hardly discharged to the outside, but also external cold water less easily penetrates because the recess portions do not pierce through the elastic foam layer. thus, a wet suit having a high heat-retaining effect can be made. further, when it is used as a dry suit, in which case the recess portions of the elastic foam layer are opened toward the side of the body, a large amount of air remains in the recess portions, and the air is hardly discharged to the outside, because the recess portions do not pierce through. thus, the synergistic effect of the air remaining in the recess portions and the air cells which the elastic foam has enables the sufficient exertion of the heat-retaining properties and buoyancy. further, when a closing layer is laminated to the recessed surface of the elastic foam layer directly or via another layer to close the openings of the recess portions, air is less susceptible to leakage to the outside of the recess portions and water less easily penetrates into the recess portions. thus, the use thereof in both of the wet suit and dry suit enables the retaining of air in the recess portions, and can impart stable buoyancy to these suits.
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134-838-800-457-163
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US
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[
"US"
] |
C08L1/00,G01N3/00,G01N3/02,G01N3/60,G01N33/42,G01L1/00
| 2002-08-23T00:00:00 |
2002
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[
"C08",
"G01"
] |
system for testing paving materials
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a system for measuring the critical temperatures for thermal cracking of asphalt binders. the exemplary embodiment comprises a metal ring, at least one strain gauge attached to the inner surface of the ring, an environmental chamber, and a data acquisition system. a thermocouple may also be attached to the inside of the ring to monitor the ring temperature. a mold is provided for creating a circular asphalt binder test specimen. when properly cast, the specimen encircles the metal ring. the specimen and ring are placed within the environmental chamber for analysis as the temperature within the chamber is lowered. thermal stress induced by temperature reduction within the asphalt binder test specimen is monitored by the strain gauge(s) and the cracking temperature is directly determined from the strain reading.
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1 . a system for analyzing materials, comprising: (a) a test sample; (b) a mold for containing a test specimen, wherein the test specimen comprises the test sample and wherein the shape of the test specimen is determined by the mold; (c) a device for characterizing the test specimen, wherein the device further comprises: (i) a ring in communication with the test specimen; (ii) at least one sensor in communication with the ring; and (d) a means for changing the temperature of the test specimen at a controlled rate; and (e) a data processing system in communication with the sensor for processing data gathered from the sensor. 2 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the test sample further comprises asphalt binder. 3 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the mold further comprises: (a) a substantially circular casting area; (b) a plate within the casting area for centering the test specimen and ring within the casting area; and (c) at least one protrusion formed within the casting area for inducing a crack in the test specimen at a predetermined location. 4 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the mold is constructed from silicone, rubber, plastic, or metal. 5 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the ring is constructed from metal. 6 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is a strain gauge. 7 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is a thermocouple. 8 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the means for changing the temperature of the test specimen further includes an environmental chamber. 9 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the data processing system further comprises a computer, and wherein the computer further comprises data analysis software. 10 . a device for analyzing a specimen of material, comprising: (a) a mold for casting a test specimen; (b) a device for characterizing the test specimen, wherein the device further comprises: (i) a metal ring; (ii) at least one sensor in communication with the ring; and (c) a data processing system in communication with the sensor for processing data gathered from the sensor. 11 . the device of claim 10 , further comprising a lid for covering the metal ring when a test specimen is cast in the mold. 12 . the device of claim 10 , wherein the mold further comprises: (a) a substantially circular well; (b) a plate within the well for centering the test specimen and metal ring within the casting area; and (c) at least one protrusion formed within the well for inducing a crack in the test specimen at a predetermined location. 13 . the device of claim 10 , wherein the mold is constructed from silicon, rubber, plastic, or metal. 14 . the device of claim 10 , wherein the metal ring is constructed from aluminum, steel, or invar. 15 . the device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor is a strain gauge. 16 . the device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor is a thermocouple. 17 . a method for analyzing materials, comprising: (a) heating a test sample; (b) placing a testing device within a mold, wherein the mold further comprises a well, and wherein the device is substantially centered within the well and defines an annular space therewith, and wherein the device further comprises: (i) a metal ring; (ii) at least one sensor in communication with the ring; and (c) creating a test specimen in the well by pouring the heated test sample into the annular space and allowing the test specimen to cool; (d) attaching the at least one sensor to a data processing system; (e) changing the temperature of the test specimen and the testing device at a controlled rate; and (f) processing the data received from the sensor as the temperatures of the test specimen and the testing device change over time. 18 . the method of claim 17 , further comprising: (a) lowering the temperature of the test specimen to about minus 60° c.; and (b) determining the cracking temperature of the test specimen from the data gathered by the data processing system. 19 . the method of claim 17 , wherein the test sample further comprises asphalt binder. 20 . the method of claim 17 , wherein the mold is constructed from silicon, rubber, plastic, or metal. 21 . the method of claim 17 , wherein the metal ring is constructed from aluminum, steel, or invar. 22 . the method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one sensor is a strain gauge. 23 . the method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one sensor is a thermocouple. 24 . the method of claim 17 , wherein changing the temperature of the test specimen and the testing device further includes the step of placing the specimen and the device in an environmental chamber. 25 . the method of claim 17 , wherein the data processing system further comprises a computer, and wherein the computer further comprises data analysis software.
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cross-reference to related applications this application is a continuation-in-part of u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/524,907, filed on feb. 17, 2005 and entitled “device and method for testing paving materials,” which claimed priority to pct application pct/us03/26459, filed on aug. 22, 2003 and entitled “device and method for testing paving materials,” which claimed priority to u.s. provisional patent application ser. no. 60/405,532, filed on aug. 23, 2002 and entitled “device and method for testing paving materials, the disclosures of which are incorporated as if fully rewritten herein. this patent application also claims the benefit of u.s. provisional patent application ser. no. 60/555,943 filed on mar. 24, 2004 and entitled “device and method for testing paving materials,” the disclosure of which is incorporated as if fully rewritten herein. technical field of the invention the present invention relates generally to devices for testing the characteristics of construction materials such as asphalt and concrete and specifically to a circular metal device and associated method for characterizing the failure modes of asphalt binders. background of the invention asphalt is a general term that refers to the various bituminous substances that are used extensively for paving and road making. asphalt binders function as adhesion promoters for asphalt mixtures or aggregates and are typically comprised of naturally occurring hydrocarbons or petroleum distillate residue with or without polymer or chemical modifiers. in the paving industry, the term “aggregate” is used for a mass of crushed or uncrushed stone, gravel, sand, etc., predominantly composed of individual particles, but in some cases including clays and silts. the performance characteristics of asphalt binders are of particular importance in roadway construction. understanding the limitations of the materials used for roadway construction permits the design and construction of roadways that are more stable, durable, and that offer greater safety to the user of the roadway. low temperature thermal shrinkage cracking is one of four major failure modes in asphalt pavement, together with rutting, fatigue cracking, and moisture damage. thermal shrinkage cracking in asphalt pavement occurs when the thermal tensile stress within the asphalt pavement that results from temperature drop exceeds the strength at that temperature. thermal cracks typically appear as transverse cracks (pavement cracks perpendicular to the direction of traffic) at regular intervals in the field pavements. historically, thermal cracks occurring at low temperatures have been controlled by limiting the asphalt binder stiffness. assuming similar asphalt binder tensile strengths and coefficients of thermal expansion/contraction, the binders with a higher stiffness will crack at a higher temperature than softer binders. because an accurate and easy to use measuring instrument was not available, the cracking temperature or the limiting low temperature stiffness of asphalt binder had been extrapolated from consistencies measured at higher temperatures, such as penetrations at 5 and 25° c., viscosity at 25° c., or ring-and-ball softening point (50-60° c.). hill, j. f., inst. petroleum, vol. 74-014 (1974) and van der poel, c., journal of applied chemistry, vol. 4, 221-236 (1954). in the united states, the association of american state highway and transportation officials (aashto) has published and implemented a series of performance graded (“pg”) binder specifications. these specifications were the result of the strategic highway research program (shrp) which was conducted from 1987-1994. the shrp/aashto system for specifying asphalt binders is unique in that it is a performance-based series of specifications. various binders are categorized on the basis of the climate and attendant pavement temperatures at which the binder is expected to operate. under this system, physical property requirements remain the same, but the temperature at which the binder must attain the properties, changes. for example, a binder graded as pg 64-22 possesses adequate physical properties up to 64° c., which would be the high pavement temperature corresponding to the climate in which the binder is expected to operate. similarly, the pg 64-22 binder possesses adequate physical properties down to at least minus 22° c. thus, as illustrated by this example, the thermal characteristics of an asphalt binder are central to this grading system. as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, low-end temperatures of pg grading are typically determined by utilizing one or more of several known systems including the bending beam rheometer (bbr) and/or the direct tension tester (dtt). while effective at generating useful data, these systems are complex, require the performance of numerous calculations, require the testing of many specimens, do not directly measure the temperature at which the specimen fails, and are often very time consuming and expensive to perform. thus, there is a need for a low-cost device and method that quickly and accurately characterizes the critical thermal characteristics of asphalt binder and aggregate specimens. summary of the invention these and other deficiencies of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, the exemplary embodiment of which provides a system for analyzing construction materials such as asphalt binder. the exemplary embodiment of this system measures the critical temperatures for thermal cracking of asphalt binders and includes: a test sample; a mold for containing a test specimen, wherein the test specimen comprises the test sample and wherein the shape of the test specimen is determined by the mold; a device for characterizing the test specimen, wherein the device further comprises a metal ring in communication with the test specimen and at least one sensor in communication with the ring; and a means for changing the temperature of the test specimen at a controlled rate; and a data processing system in communication with the sensor for processing data gathered from the sensor. another embodiment of this invention provides a device for analyzing a specimen of asphalt binder. this device includes a silicon or metal mold for casting a test specimen; a device for characterizing the test specimen, wherein the device further comprises: a metal ring; at least one sensor (e.g., a strain gauge) in communication with the ring; and a data processing system (e.g. a computer) in communication with the sensor for processing data gathered from the sensor. development of thermal stress (induced by temperature reduction) within the asphalt binder test specimen is monitored by the strain gauge and the cracking temperature is directly determinable from the strain reading. another embodiment of this invention provides a method for analyzing materials such as asphalt binder. an exemplary embodiment of this method includes the steps of heating a test sample; placing a testing device within a mold, wherein the mold further comprises a well, and wherein the device is substantially centered within the well and defines an annular space therewith, and wherein the device further comprises: a metal ring and at least one sensor in communication with the ring; creating a test specimen in the well by pouring the heated test sample into the annular space and allowing the test specimen to cool; attaching the at least one sensor to a data processing system; changing the temperature of the test specimen and the testing device at a controlled rate; and processing the data received from the sensor as the temperatures of the test specimen and the testing device change over time. further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. brief description of the drawings the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specification, schematically illustrate one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. fig. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the mold and ring portion of the system of the present invention. fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mold and ring portion of the system of the present invention. fig. 3 is a perspective view of the system of the present invention illustrating the system components of an exemplary embodiment. fig. 4 is a data plot showing the uncorrected strain of the specimen (sample reading) and the baseline reading (temperature calibration with empty aluminum ring) versus temperature. fig. 5 is a data plot showing thermal stress development versus temperature during an experimental analysis of an asphalt binder specimen. fig. 6 is a front perspective view of the flexible embodiment of the mold. fig. 7 is a front perspective view of the embodiment of the system of the present invention that includes the flexible mold. fig. 8 is graph of cracking temperature and strain relief due to cracking. detailed description of the invention the present invention provides a device and method for inducing a thermal crack in a test specimen in a manner that simulates the conditions experienced by asphalt binder found in the field. this device measures the cracking temperature and the thermal stress experienced by the test specimen under experimental conditions. the present invention measures the critical temperatures for thermal cracking of asphalt binders by using the dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion for asphalt binders and common metals, such as aluminum. aluminum has a modulus of elasticity that is about ⅓ of steel and consequently shows three times larger strain response, i.e., better resolution, for the same stress development. in the most generic sense, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a metal ring, a strain gauge attached to the inner surface of the ring, an environmental chamber, one or more signal amplifiers, and data acquisition system. a thermocouple may also be attached to the inside of the tube to closely monitor the ring temperature. an asphalt binder test specimen is molded onto the outside of the aluminum ring prior to analysis of the specimen. development of thermal stress, due to temperature reduction, within an asphalt binder test specimen is monitored by the strain gauge and the cracking temperature is directly determinable from the strain reading. it should be noted that thermal cracking of asphalt pavement is significantly influenced not only by binder properties but also mix properties such as binder contents, gradation, mastic composition, etc. furthermore, strain distribution within asphalt binders under compressive and thermal loading is not uniform. despite these variables, the method of the present invention assumes uniform stress-strain conditions for typical hot mix asphalt and is intended to grade asphalt binders according to their performance to minimize premature thermal cracking. asphalt binders have much larger coefficients of thermal expansion/contraction (170-200×10 −6 /° c.) than aluminum (24×10 −6 /° c.). as the environmental temperature drops, the differential thermal contraction (i.e., more rapid contraction of asphalt binder than that of aluminum) creates thermal stress and eventually thermal cracks appear in the specimen. strain in the aluminum ring caused by this thermal stress is measured by the electrical strain gauge and used to calculate stress in the asphalt binder. when the test specimen cracks, the accumulated thermal stress is relieved and is shown as a sudden drop in the strain reading. the cracking temperature of the asphalt binder is directly determined as the temperature where the sudden drop of measured strain occurs. by varying the geometry of asphalt binder specimens, the field strain and strain rate conditions can be closely simulated by the experimental method of this invention. adjusting the wall thickness of the aluminum ring can also closely simulate the effects of aggregate properties on the critical temperature. the present invention is suitable for characterizing materials such as neat or modified asphalt binders and other similar viscoelastic materials including certain polymers. using the device and methods of this invention, asphalt and other thermoplastic polymers can be heated, formed into a ring-shaped specimen, and tested for certain desired characteristics. as shown in fig. 1-2 , materials testing device 10 includes a ring 12 , a strain gauge 14 , and lead wires 16 . materials testing device 10 also comprises a mold 20 for creating the test specimen 18 . as best shown in fig. 3 , system 70 also includes a signal amplifier 40 for amplifying the electrical signal generated by the strain gauge, a data acquisition system or processor 50 for gathering data and performing the desired calculations, and an environmental chamber 60 for controlling the temperature to which the test sample is subjected. each of the system components is described in greater detail below. in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, ring 12 is constructed from aluminum tubing having an outer diameter of about 50.8 mm, a height of about 12.7 mm, and a thickness of about 1.65 mm. test rings having a variety of wall thickness can be utilized with the present invention to effectively simulate and characterize the thermal cracking phenomenon experienced by pavement materials in the field. alternate embodiments of ring 12 utilize aluminum rings having wall thicknesses of approximately 0.005, 0.035, and 0.049 inches (0.013, 0.089, and 0.125 cm). although aluminum is used in the exemplary embodiment, other types of metal, metal alloys, or other materials that have strain characteristics that can be accurately measured, i.e., about 100 microstrains, are compatible with the present invention. the suitability of various metals for use with the present invention can be determined empirically by placing an asphalt specimen outside of a metal test ring (0.5 inch×0.25 inch cross-section area) and measuring the strain experienced by the ring when the specimen reaches the limits of its tensile strength at a low temperature. mechanical strain experienced by ring 12 while specimen 36 contracts is detected by one or more electrical strain gauges 14 that are attached to the interior surface of ring 12 . data gathered from the strain gauge is transmitted through lead wires 16 to processor 50 . in general, strain gauges can be described as mechanical transducers which are used to measure body deformation, or strain, applied to the area of a rigid body. electrical resistance strain gauges are strain sensitive when bonded to the surface of a test material. when the strain gauge is stretched or compressed, its electrical resistance changes in direct proportion to the strain. by measuring the change in electrical resistance experienced by the strain gauge, the strain experienced by a test material in may be quantified. in an exemplary embodiment, a precision strain gauge available from the micro-measurements division of vishay measurements group (cea-13-500uw-120) is used to obtained experimental data useful for characterizing a test specimen. this type of gauge is a general purpose constantan strain gauge commonly used in experimental stress analysis. each commercially purchased gauge of this type is supplied with a fully encapsulated grid and exposed copper-coated integral solder tabs and has the following properties: (i) a temperature range of −75° c. to 205° c.; (ii) a gauge length of 0.500 inch; (iii) self-temperature compensated; (iv) strain limit: approximately 5% of the gauge length; (v) fatigue life: 10 5 cycles at ±1800 μm/m; and (vi) a resistance of 120 ohms. in alternate embodiments, a smaller size strain gauge ( 1/8 inch gauge length, ea-13-125bz-350 also available from micro-measurements) with specifications similar to the gauge described above is utilized. smaller size strain gauges facilitate the placement of centering plate 24 during preparation of the test specimen. the mechanical strain experienced by ring may also be detected with other forms of measuring devices, such as linear variable differential transduces (lvdts) placed inside of the ring 12 . as shown in fig. 2 , one or more thermocouples 15 may be attached to the inner surface area of ring 12 or near the test specimen. these thermocouples detect and measure temperature changes experienced by the ring and the specimen 18 . in an exemplary embodiment, a type t thermocouple (sa-t-72-sc) from omega engineering inc. having the following properties is used: (i) response time: less than 0.3 seconds; (ii) temperature range: minus 60° c. to 175° c.; (iii) high temperature polymer lamination and fiberglass reinforced polymer layers; (iv) length: 72 inches; (v) alloy combination: positive (+) lead: copper and negative (−) lead: constantan copper-nickel; (vi) and an error of (above 0° c.): greater of 1.0° c. or 0.75%. as shown in the figures, a mold 20 is a basic component of the present invention. mold 20 may be manufactured from a variety of metals including aluminum and steel. mold 20 is used to create substantially circular test specimens for use with materials testing device 10 . in an exemplary embodiment, mold 20 further includes base plate 22 , centering plate 24 , and first and second specimen supports 26 and 28 . centering plate 24 is mounted on the top surface of base plate 22 and held in the proper position by dowel pins 32 . the specimen supports are also mounted on the top surface of base plate 22 and are secured to the base plate by shoulder bolts 30 . shoulder bolts 30 are secured to the base plate by washer/nut combination 31 . in an exemplary embodiment, base plate 22 is about 10.2 cm in length and about 10.2 cm in width. centering plate 24 is about 47.50 mm in diameter and about 3.18 mm thick. the two specimen supports are about 12.7 mm thick. ring 12 is placed around centering plate 20 prior to casting the test specimen in the mold. an exemplary embodiment of the assembled mold creates a ring-shaped test specimen, which is about 2.5 inches (6.35 cm) in diameter. the walls of the ring-shaped test specimen are about 0.25 inches thick. in an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the inner walls of specimen supports 26 and 28 are not a smooth arc-shape, but include a straight edge portion (see fig. 1 ). the length of straight edge portion may be varied by the user of this invention based on the type and composition of the asphalt pavement being tested. presumably, tests specimens molded to have straight edges more accurately replicated the thermal contraction experienced by materials in use in the field. in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, strain detected by the strain gauge(s) and temperature changes detected by the thermocouple(s) are amplified by signal amplifiers, typically referred to as “modules”, prior to being routed to the data processing unit. modules suitable for the testing and characterization described herein include the ad-1 808fb-1 analog input module and a handheld digital thermometer (similar to hh81a thermometer from omega engineering inc.). the ad-1 808fb-1 analog input module, manufactured by optim electronics corporation of germantown, md., interacts with the strain gauges. each 808fb-1 has eight independent channels for measuring one-quarter, one-half, and full bridge strain gauges. this module operates as two groups of four channels. the groups are divided into channels 0-3 and 4-7, with each channel receiving the same gain, excitation and voltage. each parameter is jumper selectable. jumper settings provides for addressing 2, 5, or 10-volt excitation voltage sources, calibration voltage, gain and filter frequency for each bank of channels along with other parameters. each analog input module requires a screw terminal block (stb). stbs provides for an easy connection between the sensors and the analog input cards. the stb 808fb-1 has two major functions. first, it allows for an interface between the lead wire of the one-quarter, one-half and full bridge strain gauges. second, it provides for bridge completion of the one-quarter and one-half bridge strain gauges. interfacing is provided for eight channels. five screw terminals are allocated for each channel. each channel requires that jumpers be set for one-quarter, one-half or full bridge application. in the present invention, a handheld digital thermometer (similar to hh81a thermometer from omega engineering inc.) was used to read the signal (temperature) manually from the thermocouple placed with the test specimen. in an alternate embodiment, a compact data acquisition system from the national instruments (ni) is utilized to collect strain and temperature data during the test. the alternate data acquisition system consists of the ni labview, ni pci-6036e multifunction i/o, ni scc-tc02 thermocouple input modules, and ni scc-sg01 strain gauge input modules. labview is a graphical development environment with built-in functionality for data acquisition, instrument control, measurement analysis, and data presentation and provides the flexibility of a programming language without the complexity of traditional development environments. the ni pci-6036e has sixteen 16-bit analog inputs and two 16-bit analog outputs. in addition, it has 8 digital i/o lines and two 24-bit, 20 mhz counter/timers. depending on the hard drive, the pci-6036e can stream-to-disk at rates up to 200 ks/s. the ni scc-sg01 consists of four models of 2-channel strain gauge input modules, each designed for a particular strain gauge configuration: 120 ohm quarter-bridge, 350 ohm quarter-bridge, half-bridge, and full-bridge. each channel of these modules includes an instrumentation amplifier, a 1.6 khz lowpass filter, and a potentiometer for bridge offset nulling. each scc-sg01 module also includes a single 2.5 v excitation source. the ni scc-tc02 is a single-channel module for conditioning a variety of thermocouple types, including j, k, t, b, e, n, r, and s, and millivolt inputs with a range of ±100 mv. the scc-tc modules include a 2 hz lowpass noise filter, instrumentation amplifier with a gain of 100, and buffered outputs. the input circuitry of the scc-tc modules also includes high-impedance bias resistors for open-thermocouple detection as well as handling both floating and ground-referenced thermocouples. the scc-tc modules include an onboard thermistor for cold-junction compensation. in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a megadac 5414ac data acquisition system, manufactured by optim electronics corporation of germantown, md., was used to monitor and record strain sensor response presented in the exemplary test data. the megadac 5414ac is a 16-bit system with 256 megabytes of acquisition and storage memory. data, i.e., time and strain gauge signals in microstrain, was collected at one sample per second per sensor and filtered at 100 hz. a portable computer with windows operating system was used to operate the megadac. the self-contained megadac data acquisition system was controlled through an interactive ieeee-488 communications bus. optim provided its own test control software (tcs) for the data acquisition system. tcs is windows based software used to communicate, setup, and acquire data from the megadac. using tcs, real time display of test time and the strains were presented in tabular and graphic forms during the test. megadac is also capable of storing sensor identification and data confirmation information as well as provide an output format for the final results. settings for the strain gauges used in this invention were 5 volts excitation and 2.115 gauge factor. data collected by megadac were exported as text format and read into micrsoft excel spread sheet. time and temperature data collected manually were combined with the megadac data in excel for determination of the cracking temperature and the tensile strength of the specimen by plotting temperature versus strain. an alternate embodiment of this system utilizes the national instruments, labview and ni pci-6036e multifunction i/o to collect test time, strains, and temperature data simultaneously. ni labview is a graphical development environment with built-in functionality for data acquisition, instrument control, measurement analysis, and data presentation performing similar to the megadac system. labview provides the flexibility of a programming language without the complexity of traditional development environments. the ni pci-6036e has sixteen 16-bit analog inputs and two 16-bit analog outputs. in addition, it has 8 digital i/o lines and two 24-bit, 20 mhz counter/timers. depending on hard drive, the pci-6036e can stream-to-disk at rates up to 200 ks/s. during the analysis of a test specimen, materials testing device 10 is placed in an environmental chamber 60 that simulates the low temperature extremes experienced by asphalt binders and other materials in the field. environmental chambers suitable for use with the present invention include any programmable refrigeration device that permits the user to lower the internal temperature of the chamber at a constant rate to below minus 50° c. using air or liquid fluid as cooling medium. suitable liquid mediums in a bath for temperature control include ethanol, methanol, and glycol-methanol mixtures. having generally described this embodiment, a further understanding can be obtained by reference to the example detailed below, which is provided for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to be all inclusive or limiting unless otherwise specified. example i preparation of mold and test specimen a test specimen of asphalt binder may be prepared and analyzed by the following alternative exemplary method. 1. assemble one or more aluminum (or steel) molds. uniform 6.35 mm thick circular asphalt binder specimens are desirable for this exemplary method. preferably, samples are prepared in triplicate. 2. apply (lightly) high vacuum grease to the exterior surface of ring 12 to prevent bonding between ring 12 and specimen 18 and to reduce any friction between the asphalt binder and the ring surface during the de-molding process (i.e., removal of the specimen from the mold). 3. place thin plastic film (e.g., transparency film for a laser printer) on top of base plate 22 to facilitate removal of specimen 18 following casting; position centering plate 20 and tighten dowel pin(s) 32 ; and attach specimen supports 26 and 28 with the shoulder bolts 30 . 4. on the inside, arced surface of specimen supports 26 and 28 , place a strip of plastic. light application of vacuum grease to both ends of plastic strip facilitates the placement of the plastic strip on specimen supports. 5. heat a quantity of asphalt binder to about 150° c. until the binder becomes sufficiently fluid-like. pour the liquefied binder into the ring-shaped area in the mold between the specimen supports and the ring. because the liquefied binder contracts as it cools, it may be necessary to slightly overfill the mold to create a specimen having the desired size characteristics. 6. allow the specimen to cool to room temperature. using a heated spatula trim off any excess asphalt binder from the mold. place the de-molded specimens (in triplicate) in the microprocessor controlled environmental chamber and pre-treat for 30 minutes at minus 10° c. 7. connect the electrical strain gauge and the thermocouple first to the input module (i.e., signal amplifier) and then to processor 50 . 8. lower the temperature from minus 10 to minus 40° c. at a rate of 10° c. per hour. 9. run a data acquisition program, assign proper gauge factor for each electric strain gauge, and set the desired data collection time interval. the gauge factor of 2.115 for the strain gauges used was input into the megadac system in the exemplary method. 10. measure and record (i) the temperature of the chamber and the specimens (using a thermocouple placed in a blank or dummy specimen) and (ii) the strain readings of the test specimens at a rate of one reading per second. note: when a relatively slow cooling rate (e.g., 10° c./hour) is used, a single thermocouple is adequate for gathering data; however, if a more rapid cooling rate is used, extra thermocouples imbedded in extra asphalt specimens may be needed because at the more rapid cooling rate, the temperature inside of the asphalt binder will be significantly different from the temperature of the environmental chamber. 11. determine the cracking temperature and calculate the thermal stress experienced by the test specimens. 12. temperature calibration is done once before testing specimens. as the temperature drops, length of metal foil in the strain gauge and the aluminum ring change, resulting in varying strain readings of an empty ring at different temperatures. temperature calibration is done by collecting test time, strain of the empty ring (without asphalt binder), and temperature as temperature is lowered as in the actual specimen testing. the difference of the strains of ring 12 with and without binder specimen is the strain attributed to the thermal load due to the differential contraction between the asphalt binder and the aluminum ring. 13. data (time and strains) collected by megadac were exported as text format and read into a micrsoft excel spread sheet. time and temperature were collected manually and combined with the megadac data in excel for determination of the cracking temperature and the tensile strength of the specimen by plotting temperature versus strain. the data in excel spread sheet program were in tabular form with time in second, temperature in centigrade celsius (° c.), and strain in microstrain (με). determination of cracking temperature for determination of the cracking temperature, no calculation is necessary. a plot of uncorrected strain (or corrected for temperature by subtracting baseline strain determined from the ring temperature calibration) versus temperature is constructed. as the temperature drops, the contraction of the asphalt binder is considerably greater than that of the aluminum ring, and thus the ring experiences compressive strain. because the stiffness (modulus) of the binder specimen rapidly increases as the temperature is lowered, stresses on the binder specimen and the ring also increases as the temperature is lowered. when the stress on the asphalt binder specimen reaches the tensile strength of the binder, the specimen cracks (fails) and the stress is relieved. this release of stress in the specimen is shown as the abrupt reduction of strain experienced by the ring. the cracking temperature directly correlates to this abrupt relief of the compressive strain. fig. 4 is a graphic representation of this effect. in this experiment, strain readings of test specimens were taken every one second and were plotted together with the temperature calibration of three rings in fig. 4 . the cracking temperature of the specimens ranges from −30.6 to −32.7° c. calculation of thermal stress for the calculation of thermal stress, a temperature correction is required. as with all other materials, strain gauges also contract and expand as the temperature changes, thereby affecting the strain readings at different temperatures. a baseline temperature scan is performed for each ring 12 , i.e., testing empty aluminum ring. then, the corrected strain, the force in the aluminum ring, and the thermal stress in the binder specimen can be determined as: ε corr =ε test −ε calib f abcd =ε corr ·e abcd ·a abcd σ b =f abcd /a b where, ε corr =strain gauge reading corrected for temperatureε test =strain gauge reading of the aluminum ring tested with the asphalt binderε calib =strain gauge reading of the aluminum ring tested without an asphalt binderf abcd =thermal force in the aluminum ringe abcd =modulus of elasticity of the aluminum ringa abcd =cross-sectional area of the aluminum ringa b =cross-sectional area of the asphalt binderσ b =thermal stress in the asphalt binder fig. 5 shows thermal stress developing in the three test specimens during the experiment. the tensile strength of the specimen at the cracking temperature ranges from 1390 kpa to 1500 kpa. note: young's modulus (modulus of elasticity) of aluminum (10.0×10 3 ksi,), was used for the calculating the thermal stress in this example. in summary, asphalt binders have much larger coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction than aluminum and when asphalt binders are subjected to falling temperatures, the differential thermal contraction (i.e., the more rapid contraction of asphalt binder than that of aluminum) creates thermal stress and eventually thermal cracks in the asphalt binder. when an asphalt specimen is placed around ring 12 , the contraction of the specimen caused by a decrease in external temperature creates strain in the aluminum of the ring. this strain is measured by the electrical strain gauge 14 , and may be used to calculate the stress experienced by the asphalt binder specimen. when the asphalt specimen reaches the limit of its tensile strength, the specimen will crack, and the release of the thermal stress in the specimen can be detected as a sudden decrease in the measurable strain experienced by ring 12 . thus, the cracking or failing temperature of the asphalt binder is directly determinable as the temperature at which the sudden drop of measured strain occurs. the device of the present invention can induce a thermal crack within a binder specimen in a manner similar to what occurs to pavement in the field. the device can be used to measure the cracking temperature and the thermal stress. compared with the existing methods to determine the critical temperature for thermal cracking of an asphalt binder, the present invention offers the following advantages: (i) easy determination of the thermal cracking potential of asphalt binders without elaborate assumptions and calculations; (ii) the test method of this invention may accommodate various field environmental conditions and mixture properties by adjusting the cooling rate and specimen/test geometry; (iii) determination of thermal stress and strength with simple calculations; (iv) fast measurement: because a single temperature scan is required in testing multiple specimens for the cracking temperature determination, the exemplary method takes less time than others methods which require multiple single-specimen tests at different temperatures; (v) simultaneous testing of many specimens: theoretically, up to 60-90 specimens can be placed and tested together in the 0.036 m 3 environmental chamber used in this study; (vi) minimal source of errors: because no mechanical loading device is needed for this system, errors associated with a mechanical loading do not exist; (vii) specimen-blind test: because the field thermal cracking phenomena are simulated reasonably well with the test parameters, test results are believed to be representative of the field thermal cracking behavior and believed to be independent of specimen type, e.g., modified or unmodified; and (viii) simple procedure: overall, there is minimal operator interference during the test, making the procedure simple and straight-forward. the following exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an alternate system and method for determining the cracking temperatures of asphalt binder materials or other materials. the asphalt binder tested with this embodiment is typically an asphalt-based cement that is produced from petroleum residue either with or without the addition of particulate organic modifiers of size less than 250 gm. this system can be used with un-aged or aged binder material and is designed for testing within the temperature range from about +20 to −60° c. in the context of this invention, a fracture strain is defined as the amount of strain that the asphalt binder specimen releases when it cracks. for the purpose of lowering cracking temperatures to the range of values commonly observed at field, in this embodiment, certain modifications were made to the molds, ring material and specimen geometry. the system of this embodiment uses a simple and efficient procedure for obtaining the critical temperatures of asphalt binders from thermal cracking. initially, asphalt binder samples are heated and poured outside of an invar (or other material) ring placed in the center of a silicone mold. the invar ring includes a strain gauge to record the strain applied to it by contraction of the asphalt binder during cooling. specimens are cooled at a constant rate and the cracking of the asphalt binder specimen is represented as a jump in strain on a real-time plot. critical cracking temperature is determined by reading the temperature at the jump in strain on a strain vs. temperature plot. the fracture strain is recorded, and through calculations, the thermal stress of the asphalt binder specimen at the cracking temperature is determined. this embodiment offers several distinct advantages, including that (i) the low-temperature thermal cracking can be determined directly without elaborate assumptions and complicated calculations; (ii) the cracking mechanism in this test is similar to field pavement because the asphalt specimen is restrained from contracting; (iii) faster measurements can be made since the test device requires a single temperature scan to determine the cracking temperature of multiple specimens; (iv) multiple specimens can be tested simultaneously; (v) the thermal stress and strength can be determined with simple calculations from data gathered from the test device; (vi) there are minimal sources of errors. because no mechanical loading device is involved in this analysis, errors associated with mechanical loading are typically not present. also, because specimens are poured directly and tested on the device, errors caused by handling and aligning are minimized. with reference to figs. 6-8 , the exemplary embodiment of system 170 includes a number of basic components. a vacuum oven is used to heat a test sample until it is sufficiently fluid to pour and to degas the samples to remove trapped air. a programmable environmental chamber 160 cools specimen 118 at a constant rate to temperatures of down to minus 60° c. preferably, chamber 160 has a temperature range of −65 to 200° c. and two cubic feet of chamber space that can hold up to 100 specimens. chamber 160 should also be equipped with an electronic programming device that has the capability of programming the cooling rate of the chamber. a computer-controlled data acquisition system 150 records real-time strain (from strain gauges), temperature (from thermocouples), and time readings at regular intervals. using data acquisition software (such as labview), a real-time plot of the strain can be viewed as the sample is cooled. from this plot, a crack of specimen 118 can be seen as a jump in strain. with reference to fig. 4 , single-piece mold 120 are used to prepare and hold the asphalt binder specimens 118 for testing. in the exemplary embodiment, a mold 120 is made by casting liquid silicone rubber into another mold to form a base 125 , well 121 , centering plate 124 , and at least one 6.35 mm diameter cylindrical protrusion 129 at center height within well 121 . protrusion 129 creates a hole in the asphalt specimen to decrease its cross-sectional area and induce cracks at one or more specific locations. molds having a shore hardness of 45 and 30, were used in example ii, below. lower shore hardness corresponds to greater flexibility of the silicon. use of a silicone mold reduces the handling of specimen 118 , thus decreasing the chance that handling will affect test results. the silicone mold maintains flexibility at the lower temperatures so no excess strain is applied to the test specimen during testing. mold 120 also does not prevent the asphalt specimens 118 from contracting. a release agent (see below) is used to prevent the asphalt binder from adhering and interacting with the silicone mold 120 . a heated spatula may be used to trim excess asphalt binder flush with the top of mold 120 during the preparation step. the exemplary test ring 112 has the dimensions 50.8 mm (outside diameter)×12.7 mm (height)×1.65 mm (thickness). this ring 112 is placed inside well 121 , and asphalt binder is poured into the annular space formed between ring 112 and mold 120 (see fig. 5 ) when ring 112 is properly centered on centering plate 124 . the ring provides restraint as the asphalt binder contracts during the cooling process. this restraint is measured in strain, which is collected and recorded from a sensor 114 , i.e., a strain gauge and/or a thermocouple attached to the inner surface of ring 112 , by a data acquisition and processing system 150 . one or more 350-ohm electrical strain gauges may be attached to the inside of each test ring 112 . in some embodiments, connecting wires 116 , which are attached to sensor 114 , are equipped with a snap-on connectors that allow electrical connections to be made without placing undesirable stress on the wiring. in some embodiments, wires 116 are secured to the inside of test ring 112 by a sleeve 117 that surrounds the wires and includes a small screw or similar means for attaching sleeve 117 to the inner surface of the ring 112 . contraction of a metal 112 during cooling relieves thermal strain within specimen 118 and lowers cracking temperature. other materials, such as aluminum, steel, and invar may be used for creating ring 112 . aluminum, steel, and invar have coefficients of thermal expansion (cte) of 24×10 −6 , 12×10 −6 , and 1.4×10 −6 /° c. respectively. aluminum and steel rings may be made from tubing with minimal surface preparation, while the invar rings are typically machined from a 2.25-inch solid rod. in the experiments described below, the invar rings produced the highest cracking temperature due to its very small coefficient of thermal expansion, which causes almost complete restraint during cooling. the aluminum and steel rings shrink along with the asphalt to provide strain relaxation and therefore, crack at lower temperatures. a variety of materials and methods are typically used with this embodiment of the present invention for preparing and handling the test specimens 118 . a release agent made with a 1:1 ratio of talc and glycerin is used on the inside of the silicone mold 120 and around the outside and bottom of the ring 112 to prevent adhesion and possible interaction with the asphalt binder. acetone is used to clean the mold and ring after testing is completed and the specimen has been removed and analyzed. cleaning cloths (preferably gauze) are used to clean molds 120 and rings 112 along with acetone after the test is completed. asphalt binder is be poured in individual tin containers and stored until reheated and tested. tin lids 123 (see fig. 5 ) are used to cover the interior of ring 112 in order to protect the sensor 114 and wiring 116 inside while hot asphalt binder is being poured into mold 120 . aluminum foil is used to create a spout for the tin in order to have better control and accuracy when pouring the hot asphalt binder. the tin containing the asphalt binder sample is placed in a steel cup to slow heat dissipation when pouring several samples. in preparation for an analytical run, a vacuum oven is set to the appropriate temperature for the sample that is being prepared and the oven is allowed to heat to the required temperature before placing the tin containing the asphalt binder specimen into the oven. clean gauze and acetone are used to thoroughly clean silicone molds 120 and rings 112 before testing. data processing system 150 is activated and the data analysis software is loaded. preferably, all the equipment is calibrated to provide optimum performance for each test. having generally described this embodiment, a further understanding can be obtained by reference to the example detailed below, which is provided for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to be all inclusive or limiting unless otherwise specified. example ii a test specimen 118 of asphalt binder may be prepared and analyzed by the following alternative exemplary method. preparation of molds and test specimens 1. an aluminum foil spout is wrapped around the tins in order to provide better control and accuracy when pouring the hot asphalt binder. the tins are then placed in a steel cup to slow heat dissipation when pouring several samples. 2. the asphalt binder is heated in the tins for one hour in order to be sufficiently fluid to pour. the aashto binder specifications recommend minimum pouring temperature that produces a consistency equivalent to that of sae 10w30 motor oil (readily pours but not overly fluid) at room temperature. after the initial heating, the asphalt binder samples are degassed in the vacuum oven at 0.09 mpa for 15 minutes to remove entrapped air. 3. the silicone molds 120 are prepared by applying a release agent of talc and glycerin (with a 1:1 mass ratio) to the specimen forming surfaces. the coating is applied as a uniform layer to prevent the asphalt binder from bonding with the mold. the outside and bottom of the rings are also coated with the release agent and then seated in the mold making sure the ring is level with the top. the sensor 114 (i.e., strain gauge) on ring 112 is positioned next to protrusion 129 in mold 120 to accurately measure the fracture strain. a tin lid 123 is placed over the inside of ring 112 to cover and protect the strain gauge and wiring inside while the hot asphalt binder is poured. 4. the steel cups containing the heated asphalt binder are then taken out of the oven and the binder is stirred to make sure the asphalt binder is thoroughly mixed. 5. the hot asphalt binder is poured into mold 120 starting at one spot, letting the binder reach the top and then moving around mold 120 in a single pass. the binder is poured in a continuous stream as quickly as possible to avoid a drop in temperature and from entraining air bubbles or gaps. by the protrusion 129 , the asphalt binder is allowed to fill the bottom part of protrusion 129 before pouring across the top. the mold 120 is to be slightly overfilled because the binder shrinks upon cooling. 6. the asphalt binder test specimen 118 , mold 120 , and ring 112 are then allowed to cool at an ambient temperature (25° c. or lower) for thirty minutes. 7. using a heated spatula, the excess asphalt binder is trimmed flush with the top of the mold and ring. it is important to keep the spatula heated and not to apply too much force on the binder when trimming a softer asphalt specimen, as it is prone to being pulled and stretched from its set shape. 8. the corners of the silicone molds 120 are bent back to make sure they are separated from the asphalt binder. then ring 112 is carefully twisted to separate it from the test specimen 118 and release any bonding. ring 112 is then twisted back to its original position so the sensor 114 (i.e., strain gauge) is lined up with protrusion 129 . the rings will typically release easily if they are well coated with the release agent. if necessary, ring 112 is reseated in mold 120 by pressing tin lid 123 on ring 112 . 9. a dummy sample is prepared to record the temperature change of the asphalt binder specimens as the test takes place. the dummy sample is made by placing a pre-made, pre-cracked, stiff asphalt binder ring between a silicone mold and an invar ring. three thermocouples are placed in this sample; one between the ring and specimen; one between the sample and mold; and one embedded between a 0.25 inch thick piece of asphalt. these three thermocouples are connected to data processing system 150 to record the temperature in these three different locations as the test is run. test procedure 1. the sensors 114 , i.e., strain gauges, are hooked up to the data processing system 150 using the connectors on ring 112 . 2. the data acquisition software (labview) is opened and the strain gauges are checked to make sure they are working properly. 3. the asphalt binder specimens and the dummy samples are placed in environmental chamber 160 , which is set to a temperature of 20° c. a program is then started on environmental chamber 160 to cool the samples to −20° c. in one hour (40° c./hr). once the temperature reaches −20° c., the next stage of the program starts, and the specimens are cooled at a rate of 10° c./hr. 4. at the beginning of the cooling process the data acquisition software (labview) program is launched to record strain and temperature readings at ten-second intervals. 5. a real-time plot of the strain is shown on the data acquisition software (lab view) program. the test is ended when the specimens crack, producing a sudden jump in strain. 6. the program on environmental chamber 160 is stopped and the chamber is turned off. the specimens are then taken out of the chamber. 7. the specimens 118 are inspected to see where each specimen cracked. each asphalt binder specimen is then taken out of each mold 120 and inspected for defects such as cold joints or bubbles from trapped air. 8. the silicone mold 120 and invar ring 112 are then cleaned with acetone and safely stored until the next test. 9. typically, at least three specimens of the same asphalt binder are tested during the same test run. multiple specimens may help to identify any possible outliers. also, if one specimen shows any unusual result, it can be compared with the other specimens tested to determine the cause. determining the cracking temperature and failure strain 1. the data file of the test is opened in excel and a plot of strain versus temperature of the asphalt binder specimens 118 is created. 2. the critical cracking temperatures of the asphalt binder specimens are taken directly from the plot where there is a jump in strain. 3. the failure strain is read on the strain versus temperature graph created in step 1 (above, in this section). the failure strain is amount of strain that jumped when the specimen cracked. calculations for finding failure stress from failure strain 1. for calculation of thermal stress, a strain correction is required. strain gauges contract and expand as the temperature changes, which affect the strain readings. therefore, a baseline temperature scan is preformed to calibrate each empty ring 112 . note: in the equations below, the test ring 112 is referred to as “abcd ring.” 2. the corrected strain for the asphalt specimens can be determined by subtracting the test strain readings from the calibration strain of the ring as shown in the following equation: ε corr =ε calib −ε test where: ε corr =corrected strain gauge reading, μεε test =strain gauge reading of the abcd ring tested with asphalt binder, μεε calib =strain gauge reading of the abcd ring tested without asphalt binder, με 3. the thermal force is calculated by using equation the following equation: fabcd=ε corr e abcd a abcd where: fabcd=thermal force in the abcd ring, nε corr =corrected strain gauge reading, μεe abcd =modulus of elasticity of the abcd ring, paa abcd =cross-sectional area of the abcd ring, m 2 4. then, the thermal stress is calculated using the following equation: σ ac =f abcd /a ac where: =thermal stress in the asphalt binder, paf abcd =thermal force in the abcd ring, na ac =cross-sectional area of the asphalt binder, m 2 report of specimen analysis following the procedure described above, a report is typically generated that includes: sample/specimen identification, the date and time of testing, the rate of cooling, the cracking temperature for each specimen to the nearest 0.1° c. as determined from the graph of strain vs. specimen temperature, the fracture strain to the nearest 0.1 microstrain, the fracture stress to the nearest 0.01 mpa, the location of the crack in reference to strain gauge, any defects in ring 112 observed upon inspection, and whether or not the asphalt binder specimen bonded to ring 112 . the combination of invar rings and the silicon molds having shore hardness of 45 provided the closest cracking temperature compared to the pg grading and the best standard deviation of approximately 1° c. the average strain relief is the amount of strain that a test specimen 118 releases when it cracks and the average strain total is the amount of strain the specimen develops from −20° c. until the cracking temperature. rings 112 are typically positioned so that one strain gauge is next to one of the holes in the specimen. the strain total is taken from that gauge, and it can be seen from the results in fig. 8 that the strain development next to both holes is relatively the same. while the present invention has been illustrated by the description of exemplary embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in certain detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to any of the specific details, representative devices and methods, and/or illustrative examples shown and described. accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general inventive concept.
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135-406-843-894-117
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US
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H04W48/02,H04W4/70,H04W4/90,H04W74/08,H04W84/04,H04W88/08,H04B7/26,H04W76/10,H04W76/27,H04W76/50,H04J11/00,H04L5/00,H04L27/26,H04W8/22,H04W56/00,H04W88/06,H04W76/02,H04W36/30,H04W36/14,H04W48/08,H04W48/16,H04W48/10,H04W12/08,H04W74/00
| 2011-08-10T00:00:00 |
2011
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[
"H04"
] |
system and method for applying extended accessing barring in wireless communication system
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a system and a method that employs extended access barring (eab) when a machine type communication (mtc) device performs an attempt to access an evolved node b (enb) in a wireless communication system are provided. when user equipment (ue) supporting mtc, an mtc device, performs an attempt to access a network, the system and method determines whether it can access the network and performs the access procedure. the system and method can control the operations of ue that performs an attempt to access a network, thereby preventing excessive access.
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1. a method by a user equipment (ue) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving configuration information corresponding to an extended access barring (eab); identifying whether the eab is applied to a request for a radio resource control (rrc) connection; transmitting a first random access preamble to a base station if the eab is not applied to the request for the rrc connection; receiving a random access response including a first type backoff and a second type backoff; and transmitting a second random access preamble based on one of the first type backoff and the second type backoff. 2. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: checking if the eab is applied to the request for the rrc connection, whether access to a cell is barred by the eab; and identifying, if the access to the cell is barred by the eab, a failure of the rrc connection. 3. the method of claim 2 , wherein the checking of whether access to the cell is barred by the eab comprises: if the ue belongs to a category of ues as indicated in an eab category contained in an eab parameter, and if an ac of the ue belongs to a range excluding the acs 11 to 15, considering access to a cell as barred. 4. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: performing, if a system information block received from a base station includes an ac barring parameter for the acb, an access barring check. 5. the method of claim 4 , wherein the performing of the access barring check comprises: considering, if the ue has one or more acs with a value in a first range, which is valid for the ue, access to a cell as not barred; generating, if the ue does not have the one or more acs with the value in the first range, a random number uniformly distributed in the range of 0 to 1; and considering, if the random number is lower than a value indicated by the ac barring parameter, access to the cell as not barred, and considering, if the random number is not lower than the value indicated by the ac barring parameter, access to the cell as barred. 6. a user equipment (ue) in a wireless communication system, the ue comprising: a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals; and a processor configured to: receive configuration information corresponding to an extended access barring (eab), identify whether the eab is applied to a request for a radio resource control (rrc) connection, transmit a first random access preamble to a base station if the eab is not applied to the request for the rrc connection, receive a random access response including a first type backoff and a second type backoff, and transmit a second random access preamble based on one of the first type backoff and the second type backoff. 7. the ue of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to: check, if the eab is applied to the request for the rrc connection, whether access to a cell is barred by the eab; and identify, if the access to a cell is barred by the eab, a failure of the rrc connection. 8. the ue of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to: consider, if the ue belongs to a category of ues as indicated in an eab category contained in an eab parameter and if an ac of the ue belongs to a range excluding the acs 11 to 15, access to a cell as barred. 9. the ue of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to: perform, if a system information block received from a base station includes an ac barring parameter for the acb, an access barring check. 10. the ue of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to: consider, if the ue has one or more acs with a value in a first range, which is valid for the ue, access to a cell as not barred, generate, if the ue does not have the one or more acs with the value in the first range, a random number uniformly distributed in the range of 0 to 1, and consider, if the random number is lower than a value indicated by the ac barring parameter, access to the cell as not barred, and consider, if the random number is not lower than the value indicated by the ac barring parameter, access to the cell as barred.
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cross-reference to related applications this application is a continuation application of a prior application ser. no. 14/731,702, filed on jun. 5, 2015, which is a continuation application of a prior application ser. no. 13/571,810, filed on aug. 10, 2012, which has issued as u.s. pat. no. 9,084,074 on jul. 14, 2015 and which claimed the benefit under 35 u.s.c. § 119(e) of u.s. provisional application filed on aug. 10, 2011 in the u.s. patent and trademark office and assigned ser. no. 61/521,910, of u.s. provisional application filed on sep. 6, 2011 in the u.s. patent and trademark office and assigned ser. no. 61/531,185, of u.s. provisional application filed on oct. 10, 2011 in the u.s. patent and trademark office and assigned ser. no. 61/545,363, of u.s. provisional application filed on nov. 14, 2011 in the u.s. patent and trademark office and assigned ser. no. 61/559,674, and of u.s. provisional application filed on nov. 23, 2011 in the u.s. patent and trademark office and assigned ser. no. 61/563,345, the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to wireless communication systems. more particularly, the present invention relates to a system and a method that determine, when a machine type communication (mtc) device makes an attempt to access a network in a long term evolution (lte) system, whether the mtc device can access the network and that allows the mtc device to access the network according to the determination. 2. description of the related art with the rapid development of wireless communication technologies, communication systems have evolved that employ the wireless communication technologies. an example of a 4th generation mobile communication technology is a long term evolution (lte) system. the lte system employs technologies for supporting various types of mobile devices (or user equipment (ue)) and is related to machine type communication (mtc). mtc devices refer to machines that can communicate with other machines/metering devices such as electric charge meters or water meters, without a user's involvement. mtc devices can attempt to access a network irrespective of the priority. in order to process mtc devices, lte release 10 (the term ‘release’ refers to version information and the larger the number the more recent the version) provides a procedure where a ue that makes an access attempt informs an evolved node b (enb) that ‘an access request is made by an mtc device’ via an access request message; and the enb determines whether to permit the access request, or, if it rejects the access request, informs the ue of how much time should pass before the ue it can make an access request. however, the procedure of lte release 10 is disadvantageous in that the ue must transmit an access request message at the initial stage. in particular, if a number of ues simultaneously transmit access requests to the enb, an access overload may occur. therefore, there is a need for a system that addresses these problems. the above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. no determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention. summary of the invention aspects of the present invention are to address the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a system and method that determines, when a machine type communication (mtc) device makes an attempt to access a network in a wireless communication system, whether the mtc device can access the network before transmitting an access request message to the network, and that allows the ue to make an attempt to access the network according to the determination. another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system and method that can process a back off included in a random access reply message while an mtc device without barring the access to a network is performing a random access procedure. another aspect of the present invention is to provide a system and method that allows a user equipment (ue) to identify information regarding access class barring (acb) and extended access barring (eab), transmitted from an evolved node b (enb), by employing an acb mechanism and an eab mechanism before transmitting an access request message to the enb, and to determine whether the ue can access the enb. to this end, although the ue is an mtc device, the ue does not employ the eab in any of the following cases: if the ue makes an access attempt to receive a call (mobile terminated call-access (mt-access));if the ue makes an emergency call; andif the ue makes an access attempt with a high priority (i.e., a highpriorityaccess). in addition, when eab and acb are activated, if an mtc device employs eab first, and then concludes that it can perform an access attempt, the mtc device employs acb and then determines whether the access succeeds. in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an access control method of a mtc device in a wireless communication system is provided. the method includes determining whether a radio resource control (rrc) connection establishment corresponds to a cause 1 or a cause 2, establishing, if the rrc connection establishment corresponds to the cause 1, the rrc connection so that the rrc connection is not subject to eab procedure, and determining, if the rrc connection establishment corresponds to the cause 2, whether to employ the eab procedure according to an establishment of a system information block (sib) transmitted from an evolved node b (enb), and employing the eab procedure according to the determination. in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a mtc device for controlling access to an enb in a wire communication system is provided. the mtc device includes a transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the enb, and a controller. the controller determines whether an rrc connection establishment corresponds to a cause 1 or a cause 2, establishes, if the rrc connection establishment corresponds to the cause 1, the rrc connection so that the rrc connection is not subject to eab procedure, and determines, if the rrc connection establishment corresponds to the cause 2, whether to employ the eab procedure according to an establishment of a sib transmitted from the enb, and employing the eab procedure according to the determination. other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention. brief description of the drawings the above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: fig. 1 illustrates a configuration of a long term evolution (lte) system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 2 illustrates a view showing a wireless protocol stack of an lte system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 3a illustrates a view that describes communication between non-machine type communication (mtc) user equipments (ues) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 3b illustrates a view that describes communication between mtc devices according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 4 illustrates a flowchart that describes a method via the application of extended access barring (eab) and access class barring (acb), according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 5 illustrates a flowchart that describes a method for operating a ue, according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 6 illustrates a flowchart that describes a method for operating a ue, according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 7 illustrates an example of a format of a new random access response (rar) message, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 8 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a ue according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and fig. 9 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an evolved node b (enb) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures. detailed description of exemplary embodiments the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents. it includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary. accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. in addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for clarity and conciseness. the terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. it is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” includes reference to one or more of such surfaces. although the following exemplary embodiments will be described based on long term evolution (lte) systems or lte-advanced (lte-a) systems, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiments. that is, the invention can also be applied to various types of communication systems and their modifications if they have technology backgrounds or channels similar to those of lte and lte-a systems. fig. 1 illustrates a configuration of an lte system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. referring to fig. 1 , the lte system configures the wireless access network, including evolved node bs (enbs) 105 , 110 , 115 , and 120 , a mobility management entity (mme) 125 , and a serving-gateway (s-gw) 130 . user equipment (ue) 135 can access an external network via the enbs 105 , 110 , 115 , and 120 and the s-gw 130 . the enbs 105 , 110 , 115 and 120 correspond to node bs of the universal mobile telecommunications system (umts) system. the enbs 105 , 110 , 115 or 120 are connected to the ue 135 via a wireless channel and perform more complicated functions than a node b of the umts system. since the lte system provides real time services, such as voice over internet protocol (ip) (voip), and all user traffic via a shared channel, the lte system uses devices that can collect information regarding states, such as states of a buffer of a ue, states of available transmission power, states of channels, etc., and can make a schedule. the enbs 105 , 110 , 115 and 120 are examples of such devices. one enb controls a number of cells. for example, in order to implement a transmission rate of 100 mbps, the lte system employs orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (ofdm) at a bandwidth of 20 mhz, as a wireless access technology. the lte system also employs adaptive modulation & coding (amc) to determine a modulation scheme and a channel coding rate, meeting the channel state of the ue. the s-gw 130 provides a data bearer. the s-gw 130 creates or removes data bearers according to the control of the mme 125 . the mme 125 manages the mobility of the ue and controls a variety of functions. the mme 125 connects to a number of enbs, such as enbs 105 , 110 , 115 and 120 . fig. 2 illustrates a view of the wireless protocol stack of an lte system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. referring to fig. 2 , a ue and an enb communicate using a packet data convergence protocol (pdcp) layer 205 and 240 , a radio link control (rlc) layer 210 and 235 , and a medium access control (mac) layer 215 and 230 , respectively. the pdcp layer 205 and 240 compresses/decompresses an ip header. the rlc layer 210 and 235 reconfigures a pdcp packet data unit (pdu) into a proper size. the mac layer 215 and 230 connects to a number of rlc layer devices configured in one ue. the mac layer 215 and 230 multiplexes rlc puds to a mac pdu, and de-multiplex rlc pdus from mac pdu. the physical (phy) layer 220 and 225 channel-codes and modulates data from the upper layers, creates ofdm symbols, and transmits them via a wireless channel. in addition, the phy layer 220 and 225 demodulates and channel-decodes ofdm symbols transmitted via a wireless channel, and transfers them to the upper layers. the phy 220 and 225 also employs hybrid automatic repeat-request (arq) to perform additional error correction, where the receiving end determines whether a packet from a transmitting end has been received by transmitting 1 bit to the transmitting end, which is referred to as harq acknowledgement (ack)/negative acknowledgement nack information. downlink harq ack/nack information with respect to an uplink transmission is transmitted via a physical hybrid-arq indicator channel (phich). likewise, uplink harq ack/nack information with respect to downlink transmission is transmitted via a physical uplink control channel (pucch) or physical uplink shared channel (pusch). fig. 3a illustrates a view that describes communication between non-mtc ues according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. fig. 3b illustrates a view that describes communication between mtc devices according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. referring to fig. 3a , when communication, e.g., a voice call, is made between non-mtc ues, one ue may serve as a caller and the other as a call receiver, while connecting to each other via an enb and a core network. on the contrary, referring to fig. 3b , when communication is made between mtc devices, an mtc device is connected to an mtc server via an enb and a core network. that is, mtc is performed between machines, and this differs from communication between the ues shown in fig. 3a . in order to bar access from a ue to a network, an lte system supports an access class barring (acb) mechanism since lte release 8, and further extended access barring (eab) mechanism since lte release 11. both, either or neither of acb and eab may be used. an acb mechanism supported by the lte system refers to a mechanism that bars access according to access classes (acs) 0 to 15 of a ue stored in a universal subscriber identity module (usim) card of a ue. the operation is described in detail as follows. the ue determines whether a system information block no. 2 (sib 2) transmitted from an enb includes an ac-barringinfo parameter. if the ue ascertains that sib 2 includes the ac-barringinfo parameter, the ue performs the identification procedure as follows. if the ue has one or more acs 11 to 15 that are available, and bit information regarding the available acs 11 to 15 of ue is set to ‘1’ in ac-barringforspecialac information transmitted from an enb, the ue can perform an access attempt.acs 11-15 being available means that acs 12, 13 and 14 are available only in a home country of the ue (i.e., a service provider's country to which the ue is subscribed), and acs 11 and 15 are available only in a home public land mobile network (hplmn) that refers to a service provider to which the ue is subscribed and in an equivalent home public land mobile network (ehplmn) that refers to a service provider equivalent to the hplmn.otherwise, the ue generates a number between ‘0’ and ‘1.’ if the generated number is less than the ac-barringfactor parameter value, the ue can perform an access attempt. if the generated number is greater than the ac-barringfactor parameter value, the ue cannot perform an access attempt.if access is barred via the processes described above, the ue re-generates a number between ‘0’ and ‘1.’ an access bar time, tbarring, can be calculated using equation 1. t barring=(0.7+0.6×rand)× ac -barringtime [equation 1] an eab mechanism supported by the lte system refers to a mechanism that bars access according to acs 0 to 9 of a ue stored in a usim card of the ue. the operation is described in detail as follows. the ue determines whether an sib transmitted from an enb includes an eab parameter. if the ue ascertains that the sib includes an eab parameter, the ue performs the identification procedure as follows. if the ue is included in a category indicated by an eab-category parameter transmitted from an enb, and a value between acs 0 to 9 that the ue belongs to is set to ‘1’ in a bit map of an eab-barringbitmap parameter, the ue cannot perform an access attempt.the category of the ue to which the eab indicated by the eab-category is applied are divided into three sub-categories as follows: ues set for eab;ues, from among the ues set for eab, which do not exist on hplmn or ehplmn, i.e., ues of the other service providers; andues from among the ues set for eab, which do not exist on hplmn or ehplmn, or ues from among the ues in a roaming process, which do not exist on one of the public land mobile networks (plmns) in the list defined by a service provider stored in the usim, i.e., ues from among the ues set for eab, which exclude service providers' high priority ues when roaming.otherwise, the ue cannot perform an access attempt.if access is barred via the processes described above, a notice is made to the upper layer that access is barred via eab. fig. 4 illustrates a flowchart that describes a method via the application of eab and acb, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. a ue 401 receives a request for radio resource control (rrc) connection establishment with an enb 403 from the upper layer. the upper layer of the ue 401 refers to a non-access stratum (nas) layer. the upper layer of the ue 401 informs the lower layer of the ue 401 as to whether the rrc connection establishment relates to eab, i.e., whether eab should be applied to the rrc connection establishment at step 411 . the lower layer of the ue 401 refers to an access stratum (as) layer. if the upper layer of the ue 401 satisfies the following conditions, despite the ue 401 being an mtc device, it may inform the lower layer that the rrc connection establishment does not relate to eab in order to employ eab. the following cases are referred to as ‘cause 1’: if a ue makes an access attempt to receive a call (mobile terminated call-access (mt-access));if a ue makes an emergency call; andif a ue makes an access attempt with a high priority (highpriorityaccess). if the upper layer of the ue 401 satisfies the following conditions, it may inform the lower layer that the rrc connection establishment relates to eab so that the mtc device employs eab. the following cases are referred to as ‘cause 2’: if a ue makes an access attempt to make a call to transmit data (mobile originated call-data (mo-data));if a ue makes an access attempt to make a call to transmit a control message (mobile originated call-signaling (mo-signaling)); andif a ue makes an access attempt to make a call irrespective of a transmission delay such as an mtc service (delaytolerantaccess). in the present exemplary embodiment, the reasons for discerning between cause 1 and cause 2 are as follows. regarding cause 1, mt-access is used to transmit data for a corresponding ue via a network. the ue 401 cannot determine the importance of the data until it receives the data. therefore, if an access delay occurs, the ue 401 may lose important data. if the ue 401 delays a call during an emergency situation, this may endanger the user. an access attempt with a high priority is required to be differentiated from a general access attempt or an access with a lower priority. regarding cause 2, this includes a cause that does not cause problems although the ue 401 delays access. therefore, the upper layer of ue 401 informs the lower layer that an eab mechanism can be employed for cause 2 only. additionally, when the ue 401 accesses the enb 403 , it receives an sib 2 from the enb 403 in order to determine whether to employ acb, and determines whether sib 2 includes an ac barring parameter at step 413 . if sib 2 includes an ac barring parameter, ue 401 makes an attempt to access the enb 403 , employing acb, and determines whether it can access the enb 403 at step 413 . if the ue 401 ascertains that eab should be applied to the rrc connection establishment at step 411 , the ue 401 receives an sib from the enb 403 in order to determine whether the enb 403 bars eab related access, and determines whether the sib includes an eab related parameter at step 415 . if the sib includes an eab related parameter at step 415 , the ue 401 performs an attempt to access the enb 403 , employing eab if it is related to the access, and determines whether it can access the enb 403 . for the sake of convenience in description, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that the enb 403 employs eab and acb. if the rrc connection establishment corresponds to cause 1, the ue 401 does not apply eab to the access but applies acb thereto at step 419 . on the contrary, if the rrc connection establishment corresponds to cause 2, the ue 401 applies eab and acb to the access at steps 417 and 419 , and determines whether to make an attempt to perform rrc connection establishment. since the enb 403 employs eab and acb, the ue 401 that has cause 2 as a cause of rrc connection establishment applies eab first, prior to acb, to the access, and then determines whether the access is barred due to eab. for only the case where the access is not barred due to eab, the ue 401 applies acb to the access. if the access is not barred by acb, the ue 401 may make an attempt to perform rrc connection establishment. regarding eab and acb, the system is operated as follows. an acb mechanism refers to a mechanism that bars the access according to acs 0 to 15 of the ue 401 stored in a usim card of the ue 401 . the operation is described in detail as follows. the ue 401 determines whether sib 2 transmitted from the enb 403 includes an ac-barringinfo parameter. if the ue 401 ascertains that sib 2 includes an ac-barringinfo parameter, the ue 401 performs the identification procedure as follows. if the ue 401 has one or more acs 11 to 15 that are available, and bit information regarding the available acs 11 to 15 of ue 401 is set to ‘1’ in ac-barringforspecialac information transmitted from an enb 403 , the ue 401 can perform an access attempt.acs 11-15 being available means that acs 12, 13 and 14 are available only in a home country of ue 401 (i.e., a service provider's country to which the ue 401 is subscribed), and acs 11 and 15 are available only in a hplmn that refers to a service provider to which the ue 401 is subscribed and in an ehplmn that refers to a service provider equivalent to the hplmn.otherwise, the ue 401 generates a number between ‘0’ and ‘1.’ if the generated number is less than the ac-barringfactor parameter value, the ue 401 can perform an access attempt. if the generated number is greater than the ac-barringfactor parameter value, the ue 401 cannot perform an access attempt.if access is barred via the processes described above, the ue 401 re-generates a number between ‘0’ and ‘1.’ an access bar time, tbarring, can be calculated using equation 2. t barring=(0.7+0.6×rand)× ac -barringtime [equation 2] an eab mechanism supported by the lte system refers to a mechanism that bars the access according to acs 0 to 9 of the ue 401 stored in a usim card of ue 401 . the operation is described in detail as follows. the ue 401 determines whether a sib transmitted from the enb 403 includes an eab parameter. if the ue 401 ascertains that sib includes the eab parameter, the ue 401 performs the identification procedure as follows. if the ue 401 is included in a category indicated by an eab-category parameter transmitted from an enb 403 , and a value between acs 0 to 9 that the ue 401 belongs to is set to ‘1’ in a bit map of an eab-barringbitmap parameter, the ue 401 cannot perform an access attempt.the category of the ue 401 to which eab indicated by the eab-category is applied are divided into three sub-categories as follows: ues set for eab;ues, from among the ues set for eab, which do not exist on hplmn or ehplmn, i.e., ues of the other service providers; andues from among the ues set for eab, which do not exist on hplmn or ehplmn, or ues from among the ues in a roaming process, which do not exist on one of plmn in the list defined by a service provider stored in the usim, i.e., ues from among the ues set for eab, which exclude service providers' high priority ues when roaming.otherwise, the ue 401 cannot perform an access attempt.if access is barred via the processes described above, a notice is made to the upper layer that access is barred via eab. after performing steps 417 and 419 , if the ue 401 ascertains that the access to a cell is not barred, the ue 401 transmits a random access preamble to the enb 403 at step 421 . the random access preamble indicates one from among the sets noticed by the enb 403 , selected by the ue 401 , and is transmitted to the enb 403 . therefore, the enb 403 does not detect which ue 401 makes an access attempt thereto. if the enb 403 receives the preamble, the enb 403 transmits a random access response (rar) message to the ue 401 at step 423 . the rar message may include the received preamble index and the resource allocation, type 1 backoff, and type 2 backoff value. type 1 backoff is applied to a non-mtc ue and not a mtc device. type 2 backoff is applied to ues sharing a specific property (e.g., delay tolerant mtc device or eab configured ue). that is, if the rar message received at step 423 does not include the index of the preamble transmitted from the ue 401 to the enb 403 at step 421 but includes a type 2 backoff value, the ue 401 waits a type 2 backoff time period by employing the type 2 backoff value at step 425 . after the type 2 backoff time period has elapsed at step 425 , the ue 401 re-transmits a random access preamble to the enb 403 at step 427 . for example, if there is only a type 1 backoff, an eab configured ue applies the type 1 backoff algorithm to the access. if there is only a type 2 backoff, the eab configured ue applies the type 2 backoff algorithm to the access. if there are type 1 backoff and type 2 backoff, an eab configured ue applies the type 2 backoff algorithm first, prior to the type 1 backoff algorithm, to the access. however, if there is a type 1 backoff, a non-mtc ue applies the type 1 backoff algorithm to the access. if there is not a backoff, the non-mtc ue 401 does not apply any backoff algorithm to the access. a detailed format of the rar message will be described further below with reference to fig. 7 . after re-transmitting a random access preamble to the enb 403 at step 427 , the ue 401 receives an rar message thereto from the enb 403 at step 429 . if the received rar message includes resource allocation information regarding the preamble transmitted at step 427 , the ue 401 transmits, to the enb 403 , an rrc connection request message, rrcconnectionrequest, including its identifier and the access attempt cause, according to the resource allocation information at step 431 . after receiving the rrc connection request message, the enb 403 transmits the rrc connection setup message, rrcconnectionsetup, to the ue 401 and accepts the rrc connection setup at step 433 . the ue 401 receives the rrc connection setup message from the enb 403 , and transmits an rrc connection setup complete message, rrcconnectionsetupcomplete, to the enb 403 , thereby notifying the enb 403 that rrc connection has been set up at step 435 . fig. 5 illustrates a flowchart that describes a method for operating a ue, according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. a ue receives a request for a rrc connection establishment with an enb from the upper layer (e.g., nas) at step 503 . the upper layer of ue informs the lower layer (e.g., as) as to whether the rrc connection establishment is related to eab or the rrc connection establishment employs eab at step 505 . as described above with respect to fig. 4 , if an rrc connection establishment is requested due to cause 1, the upper layer of ue informs the lower layer that rrc connection establishment is not related to eab. if an rrc connection establishment is requested due to cause 2, the upper layer of ue informs the lower layer that rrc connection establishment is related to eab. if rrc connection establishment is related to eab at step 505 , the ue receives sib 2 and sib at step 507 . on the contrary, if rrc connection establishment is not related to eab at step 505 , ue receives only sib 2 at step 509 . if rrc connection establishment is related to eab at step 505 and sib includes eab related to information at step 511 , the ue performs the eab procedure at step 513 . on the contrary, if rrc connection establishment is related to eab at step 505 , and sib does not include eab related to information at step 511 or sib does not exist at step 509 , the ue performs an acb identification procedure at step 519 . that is, ue performs the eab procedure and then the acb procedure. an eab procedure refers to a mechanism that bars the access according to acs 0 to 9 of a ue stored in a usim card of the ue. the operation is described in detail as follows. the ue determines whether a sib transmitted from an enb includes an eab parameter. if the ue ascertains that sib includes an eab parameter, the ue performs the identification procedure as follows. if the ue is included in a category indicated by an eab-category parameter transmitted from an enb, and a value between acs 0 to 9 that the ue belongs to is set to ‘1’ in a bit map of an eab-barringbitmap parameter, the ue cannot perform an access attempt.the category of the ue to which eab indicated by the eab-category is applied are divided into three sub-categories as follows: ues set for eab;ues, from among the ues set for eab, which do not exist on hplmn or ehplmn, i.e., ues of the other service providers; andues from among the ues set for eab, which do not exist on hplmn or ehplmn, or ues from among the ues in a roaming process, which do not exist on one of plmn in the list defined by a service provider stored in the usim; i.e., ues from among the ues set for eab, which exclude service providers' high priority ues when roaming.otherwise, the ue cannot perform an access attempt.if access is barred via the processes described above, a notice is made to the upper layer that access is barred via eab. after performing the eab procedure at step 513 , the ue determines whether the access is barred by eab at step 515 . if the access is barred by eab at step 515 , ue informs the upper layer of the failure of the rrc connection establishment at step 517 and then terminates the operation. on the contrary, if the access is not barred by eab at step 515 , the ue determines whether sib 2 includes acb information at step 519 . if the ue ascertains that sib 2 includes acb information at step 519 , the ue performs the acb procedure at step 521 . on the contrary, if sib 2 does not include acb information at step 519 , the ue makes an attempt to perform rrc connection establishment via random access procedure at step 525 . the acb procedure refers to a mechanism that bars access according to acs 0 to 15 of a ue stored in a usim card of the ue. the operation is described in detail as follows. the ue determines whether the sib 2 transmitted from an enb includes an ac-barringinfo parameter. if the ue ascertains that sib 2 includes an ac-barringinfo parameter, the ue performs the identification procedure as follows. if the ue has one or more acs 11 to 15 that are available, and bit information regarding the available acs 11 to 15 of ue is set to ‘1’ in ac-barringforspecialac information transmitted from an enb, the ue can perform an access attempt.acs 11-15 being available means that acs 12, 13 and 14 are available only in a home country of the ue (i.e., a service provider's country to which the ue is subscribed), and acs 11 and 15 are available only in a hplmn that refers to a service provider to which the ue is subscribed and in a ehplmn that refers to a service provider equivalent to the hplmn.otherwise, the ue generates a number between ‘0’ and ‘1.’ if the generated number is less than ac-barringfactor parameter value, the ue can perform an access attempt. if the generated number is greater than ac-barringfactor parameter value, the ue cannot perform an access attempt.if access is barred via the processes described above, the ue re-generates a number between ‘0’ and ‘1.’ an access bar time, tbarring, can be calculated using equation 3. t barring=(0.7+0.6×rand)× ac -barringtime [equation 3] after performing the acb procedure at step 521 , the ue determines whether a cell access is barred by acb at step 523 . if a cell access has been barred by acb at step 523 , the ue re-applies the acb procedure to the access after the access bar time, tbarring, has elapsed at step 521 . on the contrary, if a cell access is not barred via acb at step 523 , the ue makes an attempt to perform rrc connection establishment via random access procedure at step 525 , which is described in detail below with reference to fig. 6 . fig. 6 illustrates a flowchart that describes a method for operating ue, according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. after performing eab and acb procedures as shown in fig. 5 , a ue makes an attempt to perform rrc connection establishment via a random access procedure at step 601 . to this end, the ue transmits a random access preamble to an enb at step 602 . the random access preamble that will be transmitted may be selected randomly from among preambles by the ue or designated by the enb. after transmitting the random access preamble to the enb, the ue makes an attempt to receive an rar message in a preset period of time at step 603 . the ue checks the pdcch to receive a rar message, for a preset period of time, after a period of time has elapsed from a time point that it transmits the preamble. if the ue receives a mac pdu addressed by a proper radio network temporary identity (ra-rnti) in the preset period of time, the ue receives and decodes the rar. the proper ra-rnti is mapped, one-to-one, to a transmission resource (defined in time domain and frequency domain) to which the ue transmits the preamble. if the ue receives an rar and ascertains that the rar includes a backoff at step 603 , the ue checks the type of ue and a cause of rrc connection establishment in order to determine the procedure to process the backoff at step 604 . if the ue ascertains that the ue is a non-mtc ue or, although the ue is an mtc device, the cause of rrc connection establishment is not a delaytolerantaccess at step 604 , the ue proceeds with step 605 . on the contrary, if the ue is an mtc device and the cause of rrc connection establishment is a delaytolerantaccess at step 604 , the ue proceeds with step 608 . a non-mtc type of ue refers to general ue, not an mtc device. an mtc device refers to a machine type communication device that is provided with a machine to machine (m2m) service and performs communication between machines, not between humans or between humans and machines. an example of the mtc device is a metering device providing smart metering services. mtc devices are also referred to as ues that are configured for eab. mtc devices generate data that is not urgent. mtc devices establish an rrc connection in order to transmit such data, in such a way that the establishmentcause field of an rrc connection request message, rrc connection request, is set as delaytolerantaccess. mtc devices may transmit more important data (e.g., an alarm message, etc.). in that case, mtc devices may employ mo-signaling, for example, for the establishmentcause field. in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, mtc devices are controlled via type 2 backoff by default. however, if mtc devices are intended to transmit important data, it is preferable that they are subject to the same congestion control as non-mtc ues. when an mtc device establishes a rrc connection, the mtc device stores the establishment cause, establishmentcause, that it used. after that, the mtc device uses the establishmentcause to determine whether it is a delaytolerantaccess or the other value when performing a random access procedure, thereby determining a backoff value according to the result. if a ue in an idle mode performs a random access procedure to operate in a connection state, i.e., to perform a rrc connection establishment process, the ue checks whether establishmentcause of an rrc connection request message to be transmitted is delaytolerantaccess and then determines the operation according to the result. after checking the type of ue and a cause of rrc connection establishment at step 604 , if the ue is not an mtc device, the ue performs a congestion control process, employing type 1 backoff at step 605 ;if the ue is an mtc device that performs an random access procedure for rrc connection establishment and the establishmentcause of an rrc connection request message is not delaytolerantaccess, the ue performs a congestion control process, employing type 1 backoff at step 605 ;if the ue is an mtc device that performs an random access procedure for rrc connection establishment and the establishmentcause of an rrc connection request message is not delaytolerantaccess, the ue performs a congestion control process, employing type 1 backoff at step 605 ;if the ue is an mtc device that performs an random access procedure for rrc connection establishment and the establishmentcause of an rrc connection request message is delaytolerantaccess, the ue performs a congestion control process, employing type 1 backoff and type 2 backoff at step 608 ;if the ue is an mtc device in an rrc connection state and the establishmentcause has been set to a cause (e.g., emergency, highpriorityaccess, mo-signaling, or mo-data) other than delaytolerantaccess, when establishing the current rrc connection, the ue performs a congestion control process, employing type 1 backoff at step 605 ; andif the ue is an mtc device in an rrc connection state and the establishmentcause has been set to delaytolerantaccess, when establishing the current rrc connection, the ue performs a congestion control process, employing type 1 backoff and type 2 backoff at step 608 . if the ue is a non-mtc ue or an mtc device with high priority access, the ue checks whether the received rar includes type 1 backoff at step 605 . if the ue ascertains that the received rar does not include type 1 backoff at step 605 , it sets the backoff parameter to 0 ms at step 606 . this means that backoff is not employed when re-transmitting a preamble due to a variety of causes, such as a congestion resolution failure, etc. on the contrary, if the ue ascertains that the received rar includes type 1 backoff at step 605 , the ue sets the backoff parameter to a value indicated by type 1 backoff at step 607 . this means that a value is randomly selected between ‘0’ and a value stored in the backoff parameter when re-transmitting a preamble due to a variety of causes, such as a congestion resolution failure, etc., and the backoff is performed by the selected value. if the ue is an mtc device that performs access, delaytolerantaccess, the ue checks whether the received rar includes type 1 backoff and type 2 backoff at step 608 . the format of rar will be described in detail further below with reference to fig. 7 . if the received rar does not include type 1 backoff and type 2 backoff at step 608 , the ue stores ‘0’ ms as a backoff parameter at step 609 . if the received rar includes type 1 backoff at step 608 , the ue stores type 1 backoff value as a backoff parameter at step 610 . the stored value is applied to the transmission of the preamble. if the received rar includes type 1 backoff and type 2 backoff at step 608 , the ue stores type 2 backoff value as a backoff parameter at step 611 . the stored value is applied to the transmission of the preamble. meanwhile, if type 2 backoff exists and is less than type 1 backoff (or if type 2 backoff is 0 ms but type 1 backoff is not 0 ms), the ue stores type 1 backoff as a backoff parameter. it is normal that the exceptional case does not occur; however, the exceptional case is prepared to process a case that occurs since type 2 backoff always exists during the standard process, and that may be determined by indicating ‘0’ ms if there is no need to apply a type 2 backoff. after that, the ue performs a random access process, e.g., a message transmitting process, a contention resolution process, or the like, at step 612 . fig. 7 illustrates an example of a format of a new rar message, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. a rar message includes two parts, first part 701 and second part 703 . the first part 701 is configured in the same format as a rar of the related art, so that it can be detected by all ues. that is, the first part 701 includes a number of mac subheaders 711 , 713 , 715 and 717 and a number of rar payloads 719 , 721 and 723 . the mac subheaders have one byte and includes type 1 backoff information 711 or random access preamble identifiers (rapids) 713 , 715 and 717 . the information mac subheaders include is indicated by a value of a bit position (e.g., the second bit). the mac subheaders may or may not include type 1 backoff 711 . if type 1 backoff 711 is included in the mac subheaders, it is indicated by the first mac subheader. the rar payloads 719 , 721 and 723 include information regarding reverse resource allocation and information regarding a transmission timing control command, timing advance command. the second part 703 includes type 2 backoff. the ue determines the presence of type 2 backoff and the value, referring to the format of the second part 703 . type 2 backoff is located at the first byte of the second part 703 , for example. the second part 703 configures a number of components 731 , 733 , 735 and 737 . an e bit 731 indicates whether the next byte is a padding or another subheader. a t bit 733 indicates whether a corresponding byte is related to type 2 backoff. a scaling factor 735 is a value that is combined with a backoff indicator and defines the final type 2 backoff. type 2 backoff=scaling factor×backoff indicator the scaling factor has two bits and the definitions presented in the following table. scaling factordefinitions0x 11x n 12x n 23x n 3 referring to the table, if the scaling factor is ‘0,’ type 2 backoff can be calculated by multiplying backoff indicator by ‘1.’ as such, backoff indicator used for type 1 backoff is reused to calculate type 2 backoff. type 2 backoff should indicate a larger value than type 1 backoff. however, the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is implemented in such a way that the scaling factor and backoff indicator used for type 1 backoff are reused for the other type of backoff, thereby avoiding defining an additional backoff. the ue calculates a start time point of the second part as follows. first, ue identifies the size of the first part. an mac subheader and each rar payload are one byte and six bytes in size, respectively. the ue can calculate from which byte the second byte starts using equation 4. n+m× 7 [equation 4] where n is the number of subheaders of type 1 backoff’ and m is the number of rapid subheaders. here, n is ‘0’ or ‘1. the second part 703 follows the last byte of the first part 701 . fig. 8 illustrates a schematic block diagram of user equipment according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. referring to fig. 8 , the ue includes a transceiver 805 , a controller 810 , a multiplexer and demultiplexer 815 , a control message processor 830 , upper layer devices 820 and 825 . the transceiver 805 receives data and control signals via the forward channel of a serving cell and transmits data and control signals via the reverse channel. if the ue establishes channels with a number of serving cells, the transceiver 805 can transmit and receive data and control signals to and from the serving cells. the multiplexer and demultiplexer 815 multiplexes data from the control message processor 830 or the upper layer devices 820 and 825 or de-multiplexes data from the transceiver 805 , and transfers the processed data to the control message processor 830 or the upper layer devices 820 and 825 . the control message processor 830 processes control messages from an enb and performs corresponding operations. for example, the control message processor 830 receives discontinuous reception (drx)-related parameters and transfers them to the controller 810 . the upper layer devices 820 and 825 may be configured according to types of services. for example, the upper layer devices 820 and 825 process data, generated when user services such as file transfer protocol (ftp) or voip services are provided, and transfer them to the multiplexer and demultiplexer 815 . the upper layer devices 820 and 825 may also process data, from the multiplexer and demultiplexer 815 , and transfers them to the upper layer service application. the controller 810 receives a scheduling command via the transceiver 805 , identifies the reverse grants, and controls the transceiver 805 and the multiplexer and demultiplexer 815 to transmit them as a proper transmission resource, in the reverse direction, at a proper time point. the controller 810 also controls the transceiver 805 to perform drx operation and channel state information (csi)/sounding reference signal (srs) transmission. the controller 810 determines whether rrc connection establishment corresponds to cause 1 or 2. if rrc connection establishment corresponds to cause 1, the controller 810 establishes an rrc connection so that it is not subject to eab. on the contrary, if rrc connection establishment corresponds to cause 2, the controller 810 determines whether an eab procedure is employed according to an sib transmitted from an enb, and performs eab according to the determination. cause 1 may be one or more cases where a ue makes an access attempt to receive a call, a ue makes an emergency call, and a ue makes an access attempt with a high priority. cause 2 may be one or more cases where a ue makes an access attempt to make a call to transmit data a ue makes an access attempt to make a call to transmit control message, and a ue makes an access attempt to make a call irrespective of a transmission delay such as an mtc service. the controller 810 determines whether to employ acb according to the establishment of sib transmitted from an enb, and employs the acb procedure according to the determination. that is, if the controller 810 ascertains cases where the access is not subject to eab because it corresponds to cause 1, and the access is not barred according to the result of employing eab procedure, the controller 810 determines whether to employ acb according to the establishment of sib transmitted from an enb, and employs the acb procedure according to the determination. if the access is not barred according to the result of employing the eab and acb, the controller 810 requests rrc connection establishment from the enb. although the exemplary embodiment of the ue is implemented in such a way that the components are distinguished according to the functions, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment. for example, the exemplary embodiment may be modified in such a way that the controller 810 can perform the operations of the control message processor 830 . this principle can also be applied to the enb described as follows. fig. 9 illustrates a schematic block diagram of an enb according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. referring to fig. 9 , the enb includes a transceiver 905 , a controller 910 , a multiplexer and demultiplexer 920 , a control message processor 935 , upper layer devices 925 and 930 , and a scheduler 915 . the transceiver 905 transmits data and control signals via the forward carriers and receives data and control signals via the reverse carriers. if a number of carriers are set, the transceiver 905 transmits and receives data and control signals via the carriers. the multiplexer and demultiplexer 920 multiplexes data from the control message processor 935 or the upper layer devices 925 and 930 or de-multiplexes data from the transceiver 905 , and transfers the processed data to the control message processor 935 or the upper layer devices 925 and 930 or the controller 910 . the control message processor 935 processes control messages from the ue and performs corresponding operations. the control message processor 935 also generates control messages to be transmitted to the ue and transmits them to the lower layer. the upper layer devices 925 and 930 may be configured according to types of services. for example, the upper layer devices 925 and 930 process data, generated when user services such as ftp or voip services are provided, and transfer them to the multiplexer and demultiplexer 920 . the upper layer devices 925 and 930 may also process data, from the multiplexer and demultiplexer 920 , and transfers them to the upper layer service application. the controller 910 detects a time point when ue will transmit csi/srs and controls the transceiver 905 to transmit csi/srs. the scheduler 915 allocates transmission resources at a proper time point, considering the buffer state, the channel state and active time of the ue. the scheduler 915 processes signals transmitted from or to the ue. as described above, the system and method according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention can control the operations of ues that make attempts to access a network, thereby preventing excessive access. while the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the of the invention as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.
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136-553-327-210-539
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US
|
[
"US"
] |
A01H5/10,C12N15/82,A01H1/02
| 2015-06-25T00:00:00 |
2015
|
[
"A01",
"C12"
] |
soybean variety 01051877
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the invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01051877. provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01051877. also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01051877 and the plants regenerated therefrom. still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01051877 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
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1. a plant of soybean variety 01051877, wherein a sample of seed of said variety has been deposited under atcc accession no. pta-123343. 2. a plant part of the plant of claim 1 , wherein the plant part comprises at least one cell of said plant. 3. the plant part of claim 2 , further defined as pollen, a meristem, a cell, or an ovule. 4. a seed of soybean variety 01051877, wherein a sample of seed of said variety has been deposited under atcc accession no. pta-123343. 5. a method of producing soybean seed, wherein the method comprises crossing the plant of claim 1 with itself or a second soybean plant. 6. the method of claim 5 , wherein the method is further defined as comprising crossing the plant of soybean variety 01051877 with a second, distinct soybean plant. 7. a soybean seed produced by the method of claim 6 . 8. a soybean plant produced by growing the seed of claim 7 . 9. a composition comprising the seed of claim 4 comprised in plant seed growth media, wherein a sample of seed of said variety has been deposited under atcc accession no. pta-123343. 10. the composition of claim 9 , wherein the growth media is soil or a synthetic cultivation medium. 11. a plant of soybean variety 01051877, further comprising a single locus conversion, wherein a sample of seed of soybean variety 01051877 has been deposited under atcc accession no. pta-123343. 12. the plant of claim 11 , wherein the single locus conversion comprises a transgene. 13. a seed that produces the plant of claim 11 . 14. the seed of claim 13 , wherein the single locus confers a trait selected from the group consisting of male sterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pest resistance, disease resistance, modified fatty acid metabolism, abiotic stress resistance, altered seed amino acid composition, site-specific genetic recombination, and modified carbohydrate metabolism. 15. the seed of claim 13 , wherein the single locus confers tolerance to an herbicide selected from the group consisting of glyphosate, sulfonylurea, imidazalinone, dicamba, glufosinate, phenoxy propionic acid, cyclohexanedione, triazine, benzonitrile, ppo-inhibitor herbicides, and bromoxynil. 16. the seed of claim 13 , wherein the single locus conversion comprises a transgene. 17. the method of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises: (a) crossing a plant grown from said soybean seed with itself or a different soybean plant to produce a seed of a progeny plant of a subsequent generation; (b) growing a progeny plant of a subsequent generation from said seed of a progeny plant of a subsequent generation and crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second plant to produce a progeny plant of a further subsequent generation; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) using said progeny plant of a further subsequent generation from step (b) in place of the plant grown from said soybean seed in step (a), wherein steps (a) and (b) are repeated with sufficient inbreeding to produce an inbred soybean plant derived from the soybean variety 01051877. 18. the method of claim 17 , further comprising crossing said inbred soybean plant derived from the soybean variety 01051877 with a plant of a different genotype to produce a seed of a hybrid soybean plant derived from the soybean variety 01051877. 19. a method of producing a commodity plant product comprising collecting the commodity plant product from the plant of claim 1 . 20. the method of claim 19 , wherein the commodity plant product is protein concentrate, protein isolate, grain, soybean hulls, meal, flour, or oil. 21. a soybean commodity plant product produced by the method of claim 20 , wherein the commodity plant product comprises at least one cell of soybean variety 01051877.
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cross-reference to related applications this application claims the priority of u.s. provisional appl. ser. no. 62/184,728, filed jun. 25, 2015, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates generally to the field of soybean breeding. in particular, the invention relates to the novel soybean variety 01051877. 2. description of related art there are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. the next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the program goals. the goal is to combine in a single variety an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. these important traits may include higher seed yield, resistance to diseases and insects, better stems and roots, tolerance to drought and heat, better agronomic quality, resistance to herbicides, and improvements in compositional traits. soybean, glycine max (l.), is a valuable field crop. thus, a continuing goal of plant breeders is to develop stable, high yielding soybean varieties that are agronomically sound. the reasons for this goal are to maximize the amount of grain produced on the land used and to supply food for both animals and humans. to accomplish this goal, the soybean breeder must select and develop soybean plants that have the traits that result in superior varieties. the oil extracted from soybeans is widely used in food products, such as margarine, cooking oil, and salad dressings. soybean oil is composed of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, with a typical composition of 11% palmitic, 4% stearic, 25% oleic, 50% linoleic, and 9% linolenic fatty acid content (“economic implications of modified soybean traits summary report,” iowa soybean promotion board & american soybean association special report 92s, may 1990). summary of the invention one aspect of the present invention relates to seed of the soybean variety 01051877. the invention also relates to plants produced by growing the seed of the soybean variety 01051877, as well as the derivatives of such plants. further provided are plant parts, including cells, plant protoplasts, plant cells of a tissue culture from which soybean plants can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as pollen, flowers, seeds, pods, leaves, stems, and the like. in a further aspect, the invention provides a composition comprising a seed of soybean variety 01051877 comprised in plant seed growth media. in certain embodiments, the plant seed growth media is a soil or synthetic cultivation medium. in specific embodiments, the growth medium may be comprised in a container or may, for example, be soil in a field. plant seed growth media are well known to those of skill in the art and include, but are in no way limited to, soil or synthetic cultivation medium. advantageously, plant seed growth media can provide adequate physical support for seeds and can retain moisture and/or nutritional components. examples of characteristics for soils that may be desirable in certain embodiments can be found, for instance, in u.s. pat. nos. 3,932,166 and 4,707,176. synthetic plant cultivation media are also well known in the art and may, in certain embodiments, comprise polymers or hydrogels. examples of such compositions are described, for example, in u.s. pat. no. 4,241,537. another aspect of the invention relates to a tissue culture of regenerable cells of the soybean variety 01051877, as well as plants regenerated therefrom, wherein the regenerated soybean plant is capable of expressing all the morphological and physiological characteristics of a plant grown from the soybean seed designated 01051877. yet another aspect of the current invention is a soybean plant further comprising a single locus conversion. in one embodiment, the soybean plant is defined as comprising the single locus conversion and otherwise capable of expressing all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of the soybean variety 01051877. in particular embodiments of the invention, the single locus conversion may comprise a transgenic gene which has been introduced by genetic transformation into the soybean variety 01051877 or a progenitor thereof. in still other embodiments of the invention, the single locus conversion may comprise a dominant or recessive allele. the locus conversion may confer potentially any trait upon the single locus converted plant, including herbicide resistance, insect resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, male fertility or sterility, and improved nutritional quality. still yet another aspect of the invention relates to a first generation (f 1 ) hybrid soybean seed produced by crossing a plant of the soybean variety 01051877 to a second soybean plant. also included in the invention are the f 1 hybrid soybean plants grown from the hybrid seed produced by crossing the soybean variety 01051877 to a second soybean plant. still further included in the invention are the seeds of an f 1 hybrid plant produced with the soybean variety 01051877 as one parent, the second generation (f 2 ) hybrid soybean plant grown from the seed of the f 1 hybrid plant, and the seeds of the f 2 hybrid plant. still yet another aspect of the invention is a method of producing soybean seeds comprising crossing a plant of the soybean variety 01051877 to any second soybean plant, including itself or another plant of the variety 01051877. in particular embodiments of the invention, the method of crossing comprises the steps of a) planting seeds of the soybean variety 01051877; b) cultivating soybean plants resulting from said seeds until said plants bear flowers; c) allowing fertilization of the flowers of said plants; and d) harvesting seeds produced from said plants. still yet another aspect of the invention is a method of producing hybrid soybean seeds comprising crossing the soybean variety 01051877 to a second, distinct soybean plant which is nonisogenic to the soybean variety 01051877. in particular embodiments of the invention, the crossing comprises the steps of a) planting seeds of soybean variety 01051877 and a second, distinct soybean plant, b) cultivating the soybean plants grown from the seeds until the plants bear flowers; c) cross pollinating a flower on one of the two plants with the pollen of the other plant, and d) harvesting the seeds resulting from the cross pollinating. still yet another aspect of the invention is a method for developing a soybean plant in a soybean breeding program comprising: obtaining a soybean plant, or its parts, of the variety 01051877; and b) employing said plant or parts as a source of breeding material using plant breeding techniques. in the method, the plant breeding techniques may be selected from the group consisting of recurrent selection, mass selection, bulk selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, genetic marker-assisted selection and genetic transformation. in certain embodiments of the invention, the soybean plant of variety 01051877 is used as the male or female parent. still yet another aspect of the invention is a method of producing a soybean plant derived from the soybean variety 01051877, the method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a progeny plant derived from soybean variety 01051877 by crossing a plant of the soybean variety 01051877 with a second soybean plant; and (b) crossing the progeny plant with itself or a second plant to produce a progeny plant of a subsequent generation which is derived from a plant of the soybean variety 01051877. in one embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises: (c) crossing the progeny plant of a subsequent generation with itself or a second plant; and (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for, in some embodiments, at least 2, 3, 4 or more additional generations to produce an inbred soybean plant derived from the soybean variety 01051877. also provided by the invention is a plant produced by this and the other methods of the invention. in another embodiment of the invention, the method of producing a soybean plant derived from the soybean variety 01051877 further comprises: (a) crossing the soybean variety 01051877-derived soybean plant with itself or another soybean plant to yield additional soybean variety 01051877-derived progeny soybean seed; (b) growing the progeny soybean seed of step (a) under plant growth conditions to yield additional soybean variety 01051877-derived soybean plants; and (c) repeating the crossing and growing steps of (a) and (b) to generate further soybean variety 01051877-derived soybean plants. in specific embodiments, steps (a) and (b) may be repeated at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 or more times as desired. the invention still further provides a soybean plant produced by this and the foregoing methods. detailed description of the invention the instant invention provides methods and composition relating to plants, seeds and derivatives of the soybean variety 01051877. soybean variety 01051877 is adapted to early group iv. soybean variety 01051877 was developed from an initial cross of ag3634/ag4907-tobah. the breeding history of the variety can be summarized as follows: generationyeardescriptioncross2010the cross was made near stonington, il.f 12010plants were grown near isabela, pr andadvanced using bulk.f 22011plants were grown near isabela, pr andadvanced using bulk.f 32011plants were grown near galena, md andadvanced using single plant selection.f 42011plants were grown near fontezuela, argentinain progeny rows and the variety 01051877 wasselected based on the agronomic characteristics,general phenotypic appearance, and traits ofinterest based on molecular marker information.yield testinggenerationyearno. of locationsrankno. of entriesf 520127150f 6201320360f 7201421940 the soybean variety 01051877 has been judged to be uniform for breeding purposes and testing. the variety 01051877 can be reproduced by planting and growing seeds of the variety under self-pollinating or sib-pollinating conditions, as is known to those of skill in the agricultural arts. variety 01051877 shows no variants other than what would normally be expected due to environment or that would occur for almost any characteristic during the course of repeated sexual reproduction. the results of an objective evaluation of the variety are presented below, in table 1. those of skill in the art will recognize that these are typical values that may vary due to environment and that other values that are substantially equivalent are within the scope of the invention. an ‘*’ denotes classifications/scores generated based on greenhouse assays. table 1phenotypic description of variety 01051877traitphenotypemorphology:relative maturity4.2flower colorpurplepubescence colorgrayhilum colorimperfect blackpod colorbrownseed coat coloryellowseed coat lusterdullseed shapespherical flattenedcotyledon coloryellowleaf shapeovateleaf colorgreencanopyintermediategrowth habitindeterminatedisease reactionsphytophthora allele*rps1cphytophthora tolerance* race 25moderately tolerantsoybean cyst nematode race 1*susceptiblesoybean cyst nematode race 3*resistantsudden death syndrome*moderately resistantsouthern stem canker*resistantfrog eye leaf spot (race 3)*moderately resistantsouthern root knot*moderately resistant -moderately susceptiblechloride sensitivity*includerherbicide reactions:glyphosateresistant, mon89788sulfonylureasusceptibledicambaresistant, mon87708fatty acid:fatty acid compositionnormal as disclosed herein above, soybean variety 01051877 contains events mon89788 and mon87708. event mon89788, also known as event gm_a19788, confers glyphosate tolerance and is the subject of u.s. pat. no. 7,632,985, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. event mon89788 is also covered by one or more of the following patents: u.s. pat. nos. 6,051,753; 6,660,911; 6,949,696; 7,141,722; 7,608,761; 8,053,184; 8,969,006. event mon87708 confers dicamba tolerance and is the subject of u.s. pat. no. 8,501,407, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. event mon87708 is also covered by one or more of the following patents: u.s. pat. nos. 5,850,019; 7,812,224; 7,838,729; 7,884,262; 7,939,721; 8,119,380; 8,207,092; 8,629,323; 8,754,011; re45,048. the performance characteristics of soybean variety 01051877 were also analyzed and comparisons were made with selected varieties. the results of the analysis are presented below, in table 2. table 2exemplary agronomic traits of variety 01051877 and selected varietiesentries comparedyldmatphtldgemergsdvprooil010518776519.639.92.84120.9ag393161.417.438.83.640.921.3deviation3.622.281.11−0.810.1−0.35significance******# obs321371033years322211win percent7284390330test mean60.518.537.82.540.821.70105187761.72737.12.51.7440.921.2ag393458.523.735.72.42.63.440.622deviation3.193.371.390.1−0.890.60.27−0.8significance***# obs40129203522years22221111win percent68173358100201000test mean59.324.736.62.41.93.240.721.80105187764.220.6392.61.74120.9ag403361.417.634.92.11.641.521.2deviation2.773.024.170.510.06−0.5−0.3significance********+# obs50191420333years3333111win percent6257156700test mean6019.237.22.41.940.821.70105187762.321.539.12.61.73.74120.9ag403460.219.334.22.11.83.941.621.5deviation2.132.224.90.54−0.15−0.24−0.58−0.61significance********+# obs6221133131833years22221111win percent7115017677100test mean59.420.437.52.51.93.440.921.70105187762.72338.12.71.73.74120.9ag423258.524.738.13.62.23.240.221.7deviation4.17−1.74−0.01−0.94−0.550.470.76−0.72significance*******+**# obs7327153331833years33331111win percent77844787100251000test mean58.822.837.62.523.440.621.70105187763.622.838.92.51.73.94120.9ag443360.922.941.22.41.53.439.921.7deviation2.67−0.14−2.310.10.170.571.09−0.8significance******# obs602616273733years33331111win percent686081415001000test mean59.322.638.42.41.93.340.621.70105187762.322.338.12.61.73.74120.9cbrb4121r2n60.421.937.83.22.13.440.421.9deviation1.960.470.36−0.55−0.420.280.54−0.97significance***+**# obs6220143131833years22221111win percent6650427350381000test mean59.821.337.42.51.93.440.821.70105187760.625.836.52.71.73.7cbrb4211r2n60.724.734.81.62.23.3deviation−0.091.141.751.09−0.50.36significance**+# obs4211822318years111111win percent523014010031test mean58.524.836.62.423.40105187762.123.638.12.51.7cbrb4392r2n58.824.340.82.51.5deviation3.29−0.68−2.61−0.020.17significance**# obs2177103years11111win percent7183715733test mean6023.637.92.11.90105187761.626.836.72.71.73.7cr 4202n59.725.9362.71.53.5deviation1.930.880.67−0.040.170.17significance*# obs4812924318years222211win percent71363344043test mean59.225.636.52.423.40105187762.922.538.12.71.73.74120.9cr 4302n63.52336.72.423.241.221.8deviation−0.63−0.571.40.23−0.370.5−0.17−0.88significance+++**# obs7124153331833years33331111win percent4470272710031330test mean59.52237.62.423.440.821.70105187762.123.638.12.51.7cr3810n55.120.136.22.71.9deviation6.973.51.95−0.23−0.22significance**# obs2177103years11111win percent9514176267test mean59.121.336.22.41.90105187760.625.836.52.61.73.7cr3962n60.12435.821.63.7deviation0.541.860.710.620.11−0.07significance***# obs4211823318years111111win percent52025245056test mean58.32435.92.423.40105187760.625.836.52.71.73.7cr4002n55.624.834.51.72.93.5deviation4.97121.02−1.220.12significance****# obs4211822318years111111win percent86302556733test mean58.124.3362.523.4010518776419.639.12.51.74120.9cr4212n63.420.937.62.2240.522deviation0.62−1.331.480.34−0.330.48−1.02significance****# obs41171319333years2222111win percent4975312250670test mean61.419.138.32.41.940.821.70105187761.826.836.72.71.73.7cr4242ns60.227.336.21.91.83.5deviation1.63−0.580.440.79−0.080.21significance+**# obs4712924318years222211win percent687533145043test mean59.425.536.62.41.93.4010518776616.840.32.64120.9cr4332n61.319.837.42.341.921.3deviation4.62−2.952.830.32−0.97−0.33significance***+# obs20106933years111111win percent85100251700test mean62.916.2392.640.821.70105187760.625.836.52.71.73.7cr4342n62.22639.431.63.1deviation−1.66−0.22−2.91−0.330.080.56significance+*+**# obs4211822318years111111win percent31608856677test mean58.625.537.32.41.93.4**, *, + significant at p < 0.01, 0.05, or 0.10, respectively i. breeding soybean variety 01051877 one aspect of the current invention concerns methods for crossing the soybean variety 01051877 with itself or a second plant and the seeds and plants produced by such methods. these methods can be used for propagation of the soybean variety 01051877, or can be used to produce hybrid soybean seeds and the plants grown therefrom. hybrid soybean plants can be used by farmers in the commercial production of soy products or may be advanced in certain breeding protocols for the production of novel soybean varieties. a hybrid plant can also be used as a recurrent parent at any given stage in a backcrossing protocol during the production of a single locus conversion of the soybean variety 01051877. soybean variety 01051877 is well suited to the development of new varieties based on the elite nature of the genetic background of the variety. in selecting a second plant to cross with 01051877 for the purpose of developing novel soybean varieties, it will typically be desired to choose those plants which either themselves exhibit one or more selected desirable characteristics or which exhibit the desired characteristic(s) when in hybrid combination. examples of potentially desired characteristics include seed yield, lodging resistance, emergence, seedling vigor, disease tolerance, maturity, plant height, high oil content, high protein content and shattering resistance. choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of plant reproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and the type of variety used commercially (e.g., f 1 hybrid variety, pureline variety, etc.). for highly heritable traits, a choice of superior individual plants evaluated at a single location will be effective, whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be based on mean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of related plants. popular selection methods commonly include pedigree selection, modified pedigree selection, mass selection, recurrent selection and backcrossing. the complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method. backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes for a highly heritable trait into a desirable variety. this approach has been used extensively for breeding disease-resistant varieties (bowers et al., crop sci., 32(1):67-72, 1992; nickell and bernard, crop sci., 32(3):835, 1992). various recurrent selection techniques are used to improve quantitatively inherited traits controlled by numerous genes. the use of recurrent selection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease of pollination, the frequency of successful hybrids from each pollination, and the number of hybrid offspring from each successful cross. each breeding program should include a periodic, objective evaluation of the efficiency of the breeding procedure. evaluation criteria vary depending on the goal and objectives, but should include gain from selection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate standard, overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and number of successful varieties produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per dollar expended, etc.). promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared to appropriate standards in environments representative of the commercial target area(s) for generally three or more years. the best lines are candidates for new commercial varieties. those still deficient in a few traits may be used as parents to produce new populations for further selection. these processes, which lead to the final step of marketing and distribution, may take as much as eight to 12 years from the time the first cross is made. therefore, development of new varieties is a time-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficient use of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction. a most difficult task is the identification of individuals that are genetically superior, because for most traits, the true genotypic value is masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors. one method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performance relative to other experimental plants and to one or more widely grown standard varieties. single observations are generally inconclusive, while replicated observations provide a better estimate of genetic worth. the goal of plant breeding is to develop new, unique and superior soybean varieties and hybrids. the breeder initially selects and crosses two or more parental lines, followed by repeated selfing and selection, producing many new genetic combinations. each year, the plant breeder selects the germplasm to advance to the next generation. this germplasm is grown under unique and different geographical, climatic and soil conditions, and further selections are then made, during and at the end of the growing season. the varieties which are developed are unpredictable. this unpredictability is because the breeder's selection occurs in unique environments, with no control at the dna level (using conventional breeding procedures), and with millions of different possible genetic combinations being generated. a breeder of ordinary skill in the art cannot predict the final resulting lines he develops, except possibly in a very gross and general fashion. the same breeder cannot produce the same variety twice by using the exact same original parents and the same selection techniques. this unpredictability results in the expenditure of large amounts of research monies to develop superior new soybean varieties. pedigree breeding and recurrent selection breeding methods are used to develop varieties from breeding populations. breeding programs combine desirable traits from two or more varieties or various broad-based sources into breeding pools from which varieties are developed by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes. the new varieties are evaluated to determine which have commercial potential. pedigree breeding is commonly used for the improvement of self-pollinating crops. two parents which possess favorable, complementary traits are crossed to produce an f 1 . an f 2 population is produced by selfing one or several f 1 's. selection of the best individuals may begin in the f 2 population (or later depending upon the breeder's objectives); then, beginning in the f 3 , the best individuals in the best families can be selected. replicated testing of families can begin in the f 3 or f 4 generation to improve the effectiveness of selection for traits with low heritability. at an advanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., f 6 and f 7 ), the best lines or mixtures of phenotypically similar lines are tested for potential release as new varieties. mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations of either self- or cross-pollinating crops. a genetically variable population of heterozygous individuals is either identified or created by intercrossing several different parents. the best plants are selected based on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellent combining ability. the selected plants are intercrossed to produce a new population in which further cycles of selection are continued. backcross breeding has been used to transfer genetic loci for simply inherited, highly heritable traits into a desirable homozygous variety which is the recurrent parent. the source of the trait to be transferred is called the donor or nonrecurrent parent. the resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (i.e., variety) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. after the initial cross, individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parent are selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent parent. the resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (i.e., variety) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. the single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to planting a segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, and using the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. when the population has been advanced from the f 2 to the desired level of inbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace to different f 2 individuals. the number of plants in a population declines each generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plants to produce at least one seed. as a result, not all of the f 2 plants originally sampled in the population will be represented by a progeny when generation advance is completed. in a multiple-seed procedure, soybean breeders commonly harvest one or more pods from each plant in a population and thresh them together to form a bulk. part of the bulk is used to plant the next generation and part is put in reserve. this procedure is also referred to as modified single-seed descent or the pod-bulk technique. the multiple-seed procedure has been used to save labor at harvest. it is considerably faster to thresh pods with a machine than to remove one seed from each by hand for the single-seed procedure. the multiple-seed procedure also makes it possible to plant the same number of seeds of a population each generation of inbreeding. enough seeds are harvested to make up for those plants that did not germinate or produce seed. descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used for different traits and crops can be found in one of several reference books (e.g., allard, “principles of plant breeding,” john wiley & sons, ny, university of california, davis, calif., 50-98, 1960; simmonds, “principles of crop improvement,” longman, inc., ny, 369-399, 1979; sneep and hendriksen, “plant breeding perspectives,” wageningen (ed), center for agricultural publishing and documentation, 1979; fehr, in: soybeans: improvement, production and uses,” 2d ed., manograph 16:249, 1987; fehr, “principles of cultivar development,” theory and technique (vol 1) and crop species soybean (vol 2), iowa state univ., macmillian pub. co., ny, 360-376, 1987; poehlman and sleper, “breeding field crops” iowa state university press, ames, 1995; sprague and dudley, eds., corn and improvement, 5th ed., 2006). proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the level of superiority or improvement over current varieties. in addition to showing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new variety that is compatible with industry standards or which creates a new market. the introduction of a new variety will incur additional costs to the seed producer, the grower, processor and consumer; for special advertising and marketing, altered seed and commercial production practices, and new product utilization. the testing preceding release of a new variety should take into consideration research and development costs as well as technical superiority of the final variety. for seed-propagated varieties, it must be feasible to produce seed easily and economically. in addition to phenotypic observations, a plant can also be identified by its genotype. the genotype of a plant can be characterized through a molecular marker profile, which can identify plants of the same variety or a related variety, can identify plants and plant parts which are genetically superior as a result of an event comprising a backcross conversion, transgene, or genetic sterility factor, or can be used to determine or validate a pedigree. such molecular marker profiling can be accomplished using a variety of techniques including, but not limited to, restriction fragment length polymorphism (rflp), amplified fragment length polymorphism (aflp), sequence-tagged sites (sts), randomly amplified polymorphic dna (rapd), arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (ap-pcr), dna amplification fingerprinting (daf), sequence characterized amplified regions (scars), variable number tandem repeat (vntr), short tandem repeat (str), single feature polymorphism (sfp), simple sequence length polymorphism (sslp), restriction site associated dna, allozymes, isozyme markers, single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps), or simple sequence repeat (ssr) markers, also known as microsatellites (gupta et al., 1999; korzun et al., 2001). various types of these markers, for example, can be used to identify individual varieties developed from specific parent varieties, as well as cells or other plant parts thereof. for example, see cregan et al. (1999) “an integrated genetic linkage map of the soybean genome” crop science 39:1464-1490, and berry et al. (2003) “assessing probability of ancestry using simple sequence repeat profiles: applications to maize inbred lines and soybean varieties” genetics 165:331-342, each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. in some examples, one or more markers may be used to characterize and/or evaluate a soybean variety. particular markers used for these purposes are not limited to any particular set of markers, but are envisioned to include any type of marker and marker profile that provides a means for distinguishing varieties. one method of comparison may to use only homozygous loci for soybean variety 01051877. primers and pcr protocols for assaying these and other markers are disclosed in, for example, soybase (sponsored by the usda agricultural research service and iowa state university) located on the world wide web at 129.186.26/94/ssr.html. in addition to being used for identification of soybean variety 01051877, as well as plant parts and plant cells of soybean variety 01051877, a genetic profile may be used to identify a soybean plant produced through the use of soybean variety 01051877 or to verify a pedigree for progeny plants produced through the use of soybean variety 01051877. a genetic marker profile may also be useful in breeding and developing backcross conversions. in an embodiment, the present invention provides a soybean plant characterized by molecular and physiological data obtained from a representative sample of said variety deposited with the american type culture collection (atcc). thus, plants, seeds, or parts thereof, having all or essentially all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of soybean variety 01051877 are provided. further provided is a soybean plant formed by the combination of the disclosed soybean plant or plant cell with another soybean plant or cell and comprising the homozygous alleles of the variety. in some examples, a plant, a plant part, or a seed of soybean variety 01051877 may be characterized by producing a molecular profile. a molecular profile may include, but is not limited to, one or more genotypic and/or phenotypic profile(s). a genotypic profile may include, but is not limited to, a marker profile, such as a genetic map, a linkage map, a trait maker profile, a snp profile, an ssr profile, a genome-wide marker profile, a haplotype, and the like. a molecular profile may also be a nucleic acid sequence profile, and/or a physical map. a phenotypic profile may include, but is not limited to, a protein expression profile, a metabolic profile, an mrna expression profile, and the like. one means of performing genetic marker profiles is using ssr polymorphisms that are well known in the art. a marker system based on ssrs can be highly informative in linkage analysis relative to other marker systems, in that multiple alleles may be present. another advantage of this type of marker is that through use of flanking primers, detection of ssrs can be achieved, for example, by using the polymerase chain reaction (pcr), thereby eliminating the need for labor-intensive southern hybridization. pcr detection may be performed using two oligonucleotide primers flanking the polymorphic segment of repetitive dna to amplify the ssr region. following amplification, markers can be scored by electrophoresis of the amplification products. scoring of marker genotype is based on the size of the amplified fragment, which correlates to the number of base pairs of the fragment. while variation in the primer used or in the laboratory procedures can affect the reported fragment size, relative values should remain constant regardless of specific primer or laboratory used. when comparing varieties, it may be beneficial to have all profiles performed in the same lab. primers that can be used are publically available and may be found in, for example, soybase or cregan ( crop science 39:1464-1490, 1999). a genotypic profile of soybean variety 01051877 can be used to identify a plant comprising variety 01051877 as a parent, since such plants will comprise the same homozygous alleles as variety 01051877. because the soybean variety is essentially homozygous at all relevant loci, most loci should have only one type of allele present. in contrast, a genetic marker profile of an f1 progeny should be the sum of those parents, e.g., if one parent was homozygous for allele x at a particular locus, and the other parent homozygous for allele y at that locus, then the f1 progeny will be xy (heterozygous) at that locus. subsequent generations of progeny produced by selection and breeding are expected to be of genotype xx (homozygous), yy (homozygous), or xy (heterozygous) for that locus position. when the f1 plant is selfed or sibbed for successive filial generations, the locus should be either x or y for that position. in addition, plants and plant parts substantially benefiting from the use of variety 01051877 in their development, such as variety 01051877 comprising a backcross conversion, transgene, or genetic sterility factor, may be identified by having a molecular marker profile with a high percent identity to soybean variety 01051877. such a percent identity might be 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or 99.9% identical to soybean variety 01051877. a genotypic profile of variety 01051877 also can be used to identify essentially derived varieties and other progeny varieties developed from the use of variety 01051877, as well as cells and other plant parts thereof. plants of the invention include any plant having at least 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, or 99.9% of the markers in the genotypic profile, and that retain 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, or 99.9% of the morphological and physiological characteristics of variety 01051877 when grown under the same conditions. such plants may be developed using markers well known in the art. progeny plants and plant parts produced using variety 01051877 may be identified, for example, by having a molecular marker profile of at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 76%, 77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 99.5% genetic contribution from soybean variety 01051877, as measured by either percent identity or percent similarity. such progeny may be further characterized as being within a pedigree distance of variety 01051877, such as within 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 or less cross pollinations to a soybean plant other than variety 01051877, or a plant that has variety 01051877 as a progenitor. unique molecular profiles may be identified with other molecular tools, such as snps and rflps. any time the soybean variety 01051877 is crossed with another, different, variety, first generation (f 1 ) soybean progeny are produced. the hybrid progeny are produced regardless of characteristics of the two varieties produced. as such, an f 1 hybrid soybean plant may be produced by crossing 01051877 with any second soybean plant. the second soybean plant may be genetically homogeneous (e.g., inbred) or may itself be a hybrid. therefore, any f 1 hybrid soybean plant produced by crossing soybean variety 01051877 with a second soybean plant is a part of the present invention. soybean plants ( glycine max l.) can be crossed by either natural or mechanical techniques (see, e.g., fehr, “soybean,” in: hybridization of crop plants , fehr and hadley (eds), am. soc. agron . and crop sci. soc. am ., madison, wis., 590-599, 1980). natural pollination occurs in soybeans either by self pollination or natural cross pollination, which typically is aided by pollinating organisms. in either natural or artificial crosses, flowering and flowering time are an important consideration. soybean is a short-day plant, but there is considerable genetic variation for sensitivity to photoperiod (hamner, “ glycine max (l.) merrill,” in: the induction of flowering: some case histories , evans (ed), cornell univ. press, ithaca, n.y., 62-89, 1969; criswell and hume, crop sci., 12:657-660, 1972). the critical day length for flowering ranges from about 13 h for genotypes adapted to tropical latitudes to 24 h for photoperiod-insensitive genotypes grown at higher latitudes (shibles et al., “soybean,” in: crop physiology, some case histories , evans (ed), cambridge univ. press, cambridge, england, 51-189, 1975). soybeans seem to be insensitive to day length for 9 days after emergence. photoperiods shorter than the critical day length are required for 7 to 26 days to complete flower induction (borthwick and parker, bot. gaz., 100:374-387, 1938; shanmugasundaram and tsou, crop sci., 18:598-601, 1978). sensitivity to day length is an important consideration when genotypes are grown outside of their area of adaptation. when genotypes adapted to tropical latitudes are grown in the field at higher latitudes, they may not mature before frost occurs. plants can be induced to flower and mature earlier by creating artificially short days or by grafting (fehr, “soybean,” in: hybridization of crop plants , fehr and hadley (eds), am. soc. agron . and crop sci. soc. am ., madison, wis., 590-599, 1980). soybeans frequently are grown in winter nurseries located at sea level in tropical latitudes where day lengths are much shorter than their critical photoperiod. the short day lengths and warm temperatures encourage early flowering and seed maturation, and genotypes can produce a seed crop in 90 days or fewer after planting. early flowering is useful for generation advance when only a few self-pollinated seeds per plant are needed, but not for artificial hybridization because the flowers self-pollinate before they are large enough to manipulate for hybridization. artificial lighting can be used to extend the natural day length to about 14.5 h to obtain flowers suitable for hybridization and to increase yields of self-pollinated seed. the effect of a short photoperiod on flowering and seed yield can be partly offset by altitude, probably due to the effects of cool temperature (major et al., crop sci., 15:174-179, 1975). at tropical latitudes, varieties adapted to the northern u.s. perform more like those adapted to the southern u.s. at high altitudes than they do at sea level. the light level required to delay flowering is dependent on the quality of light emitted from the source and the genotype being grown. blue light with a wavelength of about 480 nm requires more than 30 times the energy to inhibit flowering as red light with a wavelength of about 640 nm (parker et al., bot. gaz., 108:1-26, 1946). temperature can also play a significant role in the flowering and development of soybean (major et al., crop sci., 15:174-179, 1975). it can influence the time of flowering and suitability of flowers for hybridization. temperatures below 21° c. or above 32° c. can reduce floral initiation or seed set (hamner, “ glycine max (l.) merrill,” in: the induction of flowering: some case histories , evans (ed), cornell univ. press, ithaca, n.y., 62-89, 1969; van schaik and probst, agron. j., 50:192-197, 1958). artificial hybridization is most successful between 26° c. and 32° c. because cooler temperatures reduce pollen shed and result in flowers that self-pollinate before they are large enough to manipulate. warmer temperatures frequently are associated with increased flower abortion caused by moisture stress; however, successful crosses are possible at about 35° c. if soil moisture is adequate. soybeans have been classified as indeterminate, semi-determinate, and determinate based on the abruptness of stem termination after flowering begins (bernard and weiss, “qualitative genetics,” in: soybeans: improvement, production, and uses , caldwell (ed), am. soc. of agron ., madison, wis., 117-154, 1973). when grown at their latitude of adaptation, indeterminate genotypes flower when about one-half of the nodes on the main stem have developed. they have short racemes with few flowers, and their terminal node has only a few flowers. semi-determinate genotypes also flower when about one-half of the nodes on the main stem have developed, but node development and flowering on the main stem stops more abruptly than on indeterminate genotypes. their racemes are short and have few flowers, except for the terminal one, which may have several times more flowers than those lower on the plant. determinate varieties begin flowering when all or most of the nodes on the main stem have developed. they usually have elongated racemes that may be several centimeters in length and may have a large number of flowers. stem termination and flowering habit are reported to be controlled by two major genes (bernard and weiss, “qualitative genetics,” in: soybeans: improvement, production, and uses , caldwell (ed), am. soc. of agron ., madison, wis., 117-154, 1973). soybean flowers typically are self-pollinated on the day the corolla opens. the amount of natural crossing, which is typically associated with insect vectors such as honeybees, is approximately 1% for adjacent plants within a row and 0.5% between plants in adjacent rows (boerma and moradshahi, crop sci., 15:858-861, 1975). the structure of soybean flowers is similar to that of other legume species and consists of a calyx with five sepals, a corolla with five petals, 10 stamens, and a pistil (carlson, “morphology”, in: soybeans: improvement, production, and uses , caldwell (ed), am. soc. of agron ., madison, wis., 17-95, 1973). the calyx encloses the corolla until the day before anthesis. the corolla emerges and unfolds to expose a standard, two wing petals, and two keel petals. an open flower is about 7 mm long from the base of the calyx to the tip of the standard and 6 mm wide across the standard. the pistil consists of a single ovary that contains one to five ovules, a style that curves toward the standard, and a club-shaped stigma. the stigma is receptive to pollen about 1 day before anthesis and remains receptive for 2 days after anthesis, if the flower petals are not removed. filaments of nine stamens are fused, and the one nearest the standard is free. the stamens form a ring below the stigma until about 1 day before anthesis, then their filaments begin to elongate rapidly and elevate the anthers around the stigma. the anthers dehisce on the day of anthesis, pollen grains fall on the stigma, and within 10 h the pollen tubes reach the ovary and fertilization is completed (johnson and bernard, “soybean genetics and breeding,” in: the soybean , norman (ed), academic press, ny, 1-73, 1963). self-pollination occurs naturally in soybean with no manipulation of the flowers. for the crossing of two soybean plants, it is often beneficial, although not required, to utilize artificial hybridization. in artificial hybridization, the flower used as a female in a cross is manually cross pollinated prior to maturation of pollen from the flower, thereby preventing self fertilization, or alternatively, the male parts of the flower are emasculated using a technique known in the art. techniques for emasculating the male parts of a soybean flower include, for example, physical removal of the male parts, use of a genetic factor conferring male sterility, and application of a chemical gametocide to the male parts. for artificial hybridization employing emasculation, flowers that are expected to open the following day are selected on the female parent. the buds are swollen and the corolla is just visible through the calyx or has begun to emerge. the selected buds on a parent plant are prepared, and all self-pollinated flowers or immature buds are removed. special care is required to remove immature buds that are hidden under the stipules at the leaf axil, and which could develop into flowers at a later date. to remove flowers, the flower is grasped and the location of the stigma determined by examining the sepals. a long, curvy sepal covers the keel, and the stigma is on the opposite side of the flower. the calyx is removed by pulling each sepal down and around the flower, and the exposed corolla is removed just above the calyx scar, taking care to remove the keel petals without injuring the stigma. the ring of anthers is visible after the corolla is removed, unless the anthers were removed with the petals. cross-pollination can then be carried out using, for example, petri dishes or envelopes in which male flowers have been collected. desiccators containing calcium chloride crystals are used in some environments to dry male flowers to obtain adequate pollen shed. it has been demonstrated that emasculation is unnecessary to prevent self-pollination (walker et al., crop sci., 19:285-286, 1979). when emasculation is not used, the anthers near the stigma frequently are removed to make it clearly visible for pollination. the female flower usually is hand-pollinated immediately after it is prepared; although a delay of several hours does not seem to reduce seed set. pollen shed typically begins in the morning and may end when temperatures are above 30° c., or may begin later and continue throughout much of the day with more moderate temperatures. pollen is available from a flower with a recently opened corolla, but the degree of corolla opening associated with pollen shed may vary during the day. in many environments, it is possible to collect male flowers and use them immediately without storage. in the southern u.s. and other humid climates, pollen shed occurs in the morning when female flowers are more immature and difficult to manipulate than in the afternoon, and the flowers may be damp from heavy dew. in those circumstances, male flowers may be collected into envelopes or petri dishes in the morning and the open container placed in a desiccator for about 4 h at a temperature of about 25° c. the desiccator may be taken to the field in the afternoon and kept in the shade to prevent excessive temperatures from developing within it. pollen viability can be maintained in flowers for up to 2 days when stored at about 5° c. in a desiccator at 3° c., flowers can be stored successfully for several weeks; however, varieties may differ in the percentage of pollen that germinates after long-term storage (kuehl, “pollen viability and stigma receptivity of glycine max (l.) merrill,” thesis, north carolina state college, raleigh, n.c., 1961). either with or without emasculation of the female flower, hand pollination can be carried out by removing the stamens and pistil with a forceps from a flower of the male parent and gently brushing the anthers against the stigma of the female flower. access to the stamens can be achieved by removing the front sepal and keel petals, or piercing the keel with closed forceps and allowing them to open to push the petals away. brushing the anthers on the stigma causes them to rupture, and the highest percentage of successful crosses is obtained when pollen is clearly visible on the stigma. pollen shed can be checked by tapping the anthers before brushing the stigma. several male flowers may have to be used to obtain suitable pollen shed when conditions are unfavorable, or the same male may be used to pollinate several flowers with good pollen shed. when male flowers do not have to be collected and dried in a desiccator, it may be desired to plant the parents of a cross adjacent to each other. plants usually are grown in rows 65 to 100 cm apart to facilitate movement of personnel within the field nursery. yield of self-pollinated seed from an individual plant may range from a few seeds to more than 1,000 as a function of plant density. a density of 30 plants/m of row can be used when 30 or fewer seeds per plant is adequate, 10 plants/m can be used to obtain about 100 seeds/plant, and 3 plants/m usually results in maximum seed production per plant. densities of 12 plants/m or less commonly are used for artificial hybridization. multiple planting dates about 7 to 14 days apart usually are used to match parents of different flowering dates. when differences in flowering dates are extreme between parents, flowering of the later parent can be hastened by creating an artificially short day or flowering of the earlier parent can be delayed by use of artificially long days or delayed planting. for example, crosses with genotypes adapted to the southern u.s. are made in northern u.s. locations by covering the late genotype with a box, large can, or similar container to create an artificially short photoperiod of about 12 h for about 15 days beginning when there are three nodes with trifoliate leaves on the main stem. plants induced to flower early tend to have flowers that self-pollinate when they are small and can be difficult to prepare for hybridization. grafting can be used to hasten the flowering of late flowering genotypes. a scion from a late genotype grafted on a stock that has begun to flower will begin to bloom up to 42 days earlier than normal (kiihl et al., crop sci., 17:181-182, 1977). first flowers on the scion appear from 21 to 50 days after the graft. observing pod development 7 days after pollination generally is adequate to identify a successful cross. abortion of pods and seeds can occur several weeks after pollination, but the percentage of abortion usually is low if plant stress is minimized (shibles et al., “soybean,” in: crop physiology, some case histories , evans (ed), cambridge univ. press, cambridge, england, 51-189, 1975). pods that develop from artificial hybridization can be distinguished from self-pollinated pods by the presence of the calyx scar, caused by removal of the sepals. the sepals begin to fall off as the pods mature; therefore, harvest should be completed at or immediately before the time the pods reach their mature color. harvesting pods early also avoids any loss by shattering. once harvested, pods are typically air-dried at not more than 38° c. until the seeds contain 13% moisture or less, then the seeds are removed by hand. seed can be stored satisfactorily at about 25° c. for up to a year if relative humidity is 50% or less. in humid climates, germination percentage declines rapidly unless the seed is dried to 7% moisture and stored in an air-tight container at room temperature. long-term storage in any climate is best accomplished by drying seed to 7% moisture and storing it at 10° c. or less in a room maintained at 50% relative humidity or in an air-tight container. ii. further embodiments of the invention in certain aspects of the invention, plants of soybean variety 01051877 are modified to include at least a first desired heritable trait. such plants may, in one embodiment, be developed by a plant breeding technique called backcrossing, wherein essentially all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of a variety are recovered in addition to a genetic locus transferred into the plant via the backcrossing technique. by essentially all of the morphological and physiological characteristics, it is meant that the characteristics of a plant are recovered that are otherwise present when compared in the same environment, other than occasional variant traits that might arise during backcrossing or direct introduction of a transgene. it is understood that a locus introduced by backcrossing may or may not be transgenic in origin, and thus the term backcrossing specifically includes backcrossing to introduce loci that were created by genetic transformation. in a typical backcross protocol, the original variety of interest (recurrent parent) is crossed to a second variety (nonrecurrent parent) that carries the single locus of interest to be transferred. the resulting progeny from this cross are then crossed again to the recurrent parent and the process is repeated until a soybean plant is obtained wherein essentially all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of the recurrent parent are recovered in the converted plant, in addition to the transferred locus from the nonrecurrent parent. the selection of a suitable recurrent parent is an important step for a successful backcrossing procedure. the goal of a backcross protocol is to alter or substitute a trait or characteristic in the original variety. to accomplish this, a locus of the recurrent variety is modified or substituted with the desired locus from the nonrecurrent parent, while retaining essentially all of the rest of the genetic, and therefore the morphological and physiological constitution of the original variety. the choice of the particular nonrecurrent parent will depend on the purpose of the backcross; one of the major purposes is to add some commercially desirable, agronomically important trait to the plant. the exact backcrossing protocol will depend on the characteristic or trait being altered to determine an appropriate testing protocol. although backcrossing methods are simplified when the characteristic being transferred is a dominant allele, a recessive allele may also be transferred. in this instance it may be necessary to introduce a test of the progeny to determine if the desired characteristic has been successfully transferred. soybean varieties can also be developed from more than two parents (fehr, in: “ soybeans: improvement, production and uses,” 2nd ed., monograph 16:249, 1987). the technique, known as modified backcrossing, uses different recurrent parents during the backcrossing. modified backcrossing may be used to replace the original recurrent parent with a variety having certain more desirable characteristics or multiple parents may be used to obtain different desirable characteristics from each. many traits have been identified that are not regularly selected for in the development of a new inbred but that can be improved by backcrossing techniques. traits may or may not be transgenic; examples of these traits include, but are not limited to, male sterility, herbicide resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, or viral disease, insect and pest resistance, restoration of male fertility, enhanced nutritional quality, yield stability, and yield enhancement. these comprise genes generally inherited through the nucleus. direct selection may be applied where the locus acts as a dominant trait. an example of a dominant trait is the herbicide resistance trait. for this selection process, the progeny of the initial cross are sprayed with the herbicide prior to the backcrossing. the spraying eliminates any plants which do not have the desired herbicide resistance characteristic, and only those plants which have the herbicide resistance gene are used in the subsequent backcross. this process is then repeated for all additional backcross generations. selection of soybean plants for breeding is not necessarily dependent on the phenotype of a plant and instead can be based on genetic investigations. for example, one may utilize a suitable genetic marker which is closely associated with a trait of interest. one of these markers may therefore be used to identify the presence or absence of a trait in the offspring of a particular cross, and hence may be used in selection of progeny for continued breeding. this technique may commonly be referred to as marker assisted selection. any other type of genetic marker or other assay which is able to identify the relative presence or absence of a trait of interest in a plant may also be useful for breeding purposes. procedures for marker assisted selection applicable to the breeding of soybeans are well known in the art. such methods will be of particular utility in the case of recessive traits and variable phenotypes, or where conventional assays may be more expensive, time consuming or otherwise disadvantageous. types of genetic markers which could be used in accordance with the invention include, but are not necessarily limited to, simple sequence length polymorphisms (sslps) (williams et al., nucleic acids res., 18:6531-6535, 1990), randomly amplified polymorphic dnas (rapds), dna amplification fingerprinting (daf), sequence characterized amplified regions (scars), arbitrary primed polymerase chain reaction (ap-pcr), amplified fragment length polymorphisms (aflps) (ep 534 858, specifically incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), and single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) (wang et al., science, 280:1077-1082, 1998). many qualitative characters also have potential use as phenotype-based genetic markers in soybeans; however, some or many may not differ among varieties commonly used as parents (bernard and weiss, “qualitative genetics,” in: soybeans: improvement, production, and uses , caldwell (ed), am. soc. of agron., madison, wis., 117-154, 1973). the most widely used genetic markers are flower color (purple dominant to white), pubescence color (brown dominant to gray), and pod color (brown dominant to tan). the association of purple hypocotyl color with purple flowers and green hypocotyl color with white flowers is commonly used to identify hybrids in the seedling stage. differences in maturity, height, hilum color, and pest resistance between parents can also be used to verify hybrid plants. many useful traits that can be introduced by backcrossing, as well as directly into a plant, are those which are introduced by genetic transformation techniques. genetic transformation may therefore be used to insert a selected transgene into the soybean variety of the invention or may, alternatively, be used for the preparation of transgenes which can be introduced by backcrossing. methods for the transformation of many economically important plants, including soybeans, are well known to those of skill in the art. techniques which may be employed for the genetic transformation of soybeans include, but are not limited to, electroporation, microprojectile bombardment, agrobacterium -mediated transformation and direct dna uptake by protoplasts. to effect transformation by electroporation, one may employ either friable tissues, such as a suspension culture of cells or embryogenic callus or alternatively one may transform immature embryos or other organized tissue directly. in this technique, one would partially degrade the cell walls of the chosen cells by exposing them to pectin-degrading enzymes (pectolyases) or mechanically wound tissues in a controlled manner. protoplasts may also be employed for electroporation transformation of plants (bates, mol. biotechnol., 2(2):135-145, 1994; lazzeri, methods mol. biol., 49:95-106, 1995). for example, the generation of transgenic soybean plants by electroporation of cotyledon-derived protoplasts was described by dhir and widholm in intl. pat. app. publ. no. wo 92/17598, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference. a particularly efficient method for delivering transforming dna segments to plant cells is microprojectile bombardment. in this method, particles are coated with nucleic acids and delivered into cells by a propelling force. exemplary particles include those comprised of tungsten, platinum, and often, gold. for the bombardment, cells in suspension are concentrated on filters or solid culture medium. alternatively, immature embryos or other target cells may be arranged on solid culture medium. the cells to be bombarded are positioned at an appropriate distance below the macroprojectile stopping plate. an illustrative embodiment of a method for delivering dna into plant cells by acceleration is the biolistics particle delivery system, which can be used to propel particles coated with dna or cells through a screen, such as a stainless steel or nytex screen, onto a surface covered with target soybean cells. the screen disperses the particles so that they are not delivered to the recipient cells in large aggregates. it is believed that a screen intervening between the projectile apparatus and the cells to be bombarded reduces the size of the projectile aggregate and may contribute to a higher frequency of transformation by reducing the damage inflicted on the recipient cells by projectiles that are too large. microprojectile bombardment techniques are widely applicable, and may be used to transform virtually any plant species. the application of microprojectile bombardment for the transformation of soybeans is described, for example, in u.s. pat. no. 5,322,783, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. agrobacterium -mediated transfer is another widely applicable system for introducing gene loci into plant cells. an advantage of the technique is that dna can be introduced into whole plant tissues, thereby bypassing the need for regeneration of an intact plant from a protoplast. modern agrobacterium transformation vectors are capable of replication in e. coli as well as agrobacterium , allowing for convenient manipulations (klee et al., bio. tech., 3(7):637-642, 1985). moreover, recent technological advances in vectors for agrobacterium -mediated gene transfer have improved the arrangement of genes and cloning sites in the vectors to facilitate the construction of vectors capable of expressing various polypeptide coding genes. vectors can have convenient multiple-cloning sites (mcs) flanked by a promoter and a polyadenylation site for direct expression of inserted polypeptide coding genes. other vectors can comprise site-specific recombination sequences, enabling insertion of a desired dna sequence without the use of restriction enzymes (curtis et al., plant physiology 133:462-469, 2003). additionally, agrobacterium containing both armed and disarmed ti genes can be used for transformation. in those plant strains where agrobacterium -mediated transformation is efficient, it is the method of choice because of the facile and defined nature of the gene locus transfer. the use of agrobacterium -mediated plant integrating vectors to introduce dna into plant cells is well known in the art (fraley et al., bio. tech., 3(7):629-635, 1985; u.s. pat. no. 5,563,055). use of agrobacterium in the context of soybean transformation has been described, for example, by chee and slightom ( methods mol. biol., 44:101-119, 1995) and in u.s. pat. no. 5,569,834, the disclosures of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. transformation of plant protoplasts also can be achieved using methods based on calcium phosphate precipitation, polyethylene glycol treatment, electroporation, and combinations of these treatments (see, e.g., potrykus et al., mol. gen. genet., 199(2):169-177, 1985; omirulleh et al., plant mol. biol., 21(3):415-428, 1993; fromm et al., nature, 319(6056):791-793, 1986; uchimiya et al., mol. gen. genet., 204(2):204-207, 1986; marcotte et al., nature, 335(6189):454-457, 1988). the demonstrated ability to regenerate soybean plants from protoplasts makes each of these techniques applicable to soybean (dhir et al., plant cell rep., 10(2):97-101, 1991). many hundreds if not thousands of different genes are known and could potentially be introduced into a soybean plant according to the invention. non-limiting examples of particular genes and corresponding phenotypes one may choose to introduce into a soybean plant are presented below. a. herbicide resistance numerous herbicide resistance genes are known and may be employed with the invention. an example is a gene conferring resistance to a herbicide that inhibits the growing point or meristem, such as an imidazalinone or a sulfonylurea. exemplary genes in this category code for mutant als and ahas enzyme as described, for example, by lee et al., embo j., 7:1241, 1988; gleen et al., plant molec. biology, 18:1185-1187, 1992; and miki et al., theor. appl. genet., 80:449, 1990. resistance genes for glyphosate (resistance conferred by mutant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (epsps) and aroa genes, respectively) and other phosphono compounds such as glufosinate (phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (pat) and streptomyces hygroscopicus phosphinothricin-acetyl transferase (bar) genes) may also be used. see, for example, u.s. pat. no. 4,940,835 to shah et al., which discloses the nucleotide sequence of a form of epsps which can confer glyphosate resistance. examples of specific epsps transformation events conferring glyphosate resistance are provided by u.s. pat. nos. 6,040,497 and 7,632,985. the mon89788 event disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 7,632,985 in particular is beneficial in conferring glyphosate tolerance in combination with an increase in average yield relative to prior events. a dna molecule encoding a mutant aroa gene can be obtained under atcc accession number 39256, and the nucleotide sequence of the mutant gene is disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 4,769,061 to comai. a hygromycin b phosphotransferase gene from e. coli which confers resistance to glyphosate in tobacco callus and plants is described in penaloza-vazquez et al., plant cell reports, 14:482-487, 1995. european patent application no. 0 333 033 to kumada et al., and u.s. pat. no. 4,975,374 to goodman et al., disclose nucleotide sequences of glutamine synthetase genes which confer resistance to herbicides such as l-phosphinothricin. the nucleotide sequence of a phosphinothricin acetyltransferase gene is provided in european patent application no. 0 242 246 to leemans et al. degreef et al. ( biotechnology, 7:61, 1989), describe the production of transgenic plants that express chimeric bar genes coding for phosphinothricin acetyl transferase activity. exemplary genes conferring resistance to phenoxy propionic acids and cyclohexanediones, such as sethoxydim and haloxyfop are the acct-s1, acct-s2 and acct-s3 genes described by marshall et al., ( theor. appl. genet., 83:4:35, 1992). genes are also known conferring resistance to a herbicide that inhibits photosynthesis, such as a triazine (psba and gs+ genes) and a benzonitrile (nitrilase gene). przibila et al. ( plant cell, 3:169, 1991) describe the transformation of chlamydomonas with plasmids encoding mutant psba genes. nucleotide sequences for nitrilase genes are disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 4,810,648 to stalker, and dna molecules containing these genes are available under atcc accession nos. 53435, 67441, and 67442. cloning and expression of dna coding for a glutathione s-transferase is described by hayes et al. ( biochem. j., 285 (pt 1):173-180, 1992). protoporphyrinogen oxidase (ppo) is the target of the ppo-inhibitor class of herbicides; a ppo-inhibitor resistant ppo gene was recently identified in amaranthus tuberculatus (patzoldt et al., pnas, 103(33):12329-2334, 2006). the herbicide methyl viologen inhibits co 2 assimilation. foyer et al. ( plant physiol., 109:1047-1057, 1995) describe a plant overexpressing glutathione reductase (gr) which is resistant to methyl viologen treatment. siminszky ( phytochemistry reviews, 5:445-458, 2006) describes plant cytochrome p450-mediated detoxification of multiple, chemically unrelated classes of herbicides. modified bacterial genes have been successfully demonstrated to confer resistance to atrazine, a herbicide that binds to the plastoquinone-binding membrane protein q b in photosystem ii to inhibit electron transport. see, for example, studies by cheung et al. ( pnas, 85(2):391-395, 1988), describing tobacco plants expressing the chloroplast psba gene from an atrazine-resistant biotype of amaranthus hybridus fused to the regulatory sequences of a nuclear gene, and wang et al. ( plant biotech. j., 3:475-486, 2005), describing transgenic alfalfa, arabidopsis , and tobacco plants expressing the atza gene from pseudomonas sp. that were able to detoxify atrazine. bayley et al. ( theor. appl. genet., 83:645-649, 1992) describe the creation of 2,4-d-resistant transgenic tobacco and cotton plants using the 2,4-d monooxygenase gene tfda from alcaligenes eutrophus plasmid pjp5. u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 20030135879 describes the isolation of a gene for dicamba monooxygenase (dmo) from psueodmonas maltophilia that is involved in the conversion of dicamba to a non-toxic 3,6-dichlorosalicylic acid and thus may be used for producing plants tolerant to this herbicide. other examples of herbicide resistance have been described, for instance, in u.s. pat. nos. 6,803,501; 6,448,476; 6,248,876; 6,225,114; 6,107,549; 5,866,775; 5,804,425; 5,633,435; 5,463,175. b. disease and pest resistance plant defenses are often activated by specific interaction between the product of a disease resistance gene (r) in the plant and the product of a corresponding avirulence (avr) gene in the pathogen. a plant line can be transformed with cloned resistance gene to engineer plants that are resistant to specific pathogen strains. see, for example jones et al. ( science, 266:7891, 1994) (cloning of the tomato cf-9 gene for resistance to cladosporium flavum ); martin et al. ( science, 262: 1432, 1993) (tomato pto gene for resistance to pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato); and mindrinos et al. ( cell, 78(6):1089-1099, 1994) ( arabidopsis rps2 gene for resistance to pseudomonas syringae ). a viral-invasive protein or a complex toxin derived therefrom may also be used for viral disease resistance. for example, the accumulation of viral coat proteins in transformed plant cells imparts resistance to viral infection and/or disease development effected by the virus from which the coat protein gene is derived, as well as by related viruses. see beachy et al. ( ann. rev. phytopathol., 28:451, 1990). coat protein-mediated resistance has been conferred upon transformed plants against alfalfa mosaic virus, cucumber mosaic virus, tobacco streak virus, potato virus x, potato virus y, tobacco etch virus, tobacco rattle virus and tobacco mosaic virus. id. a virus-specific antibody may also be used. see, for example, tavladoraki et al. ( nature, 366:469, 1993), who show that transgenic plants expressing recombinant antibody genes are protected from virus attack. virus resistance has also been described in, for example, u.s. pat. nos. 6,617,496; 6,608,241; 6,015,940; 6,013,864; 5,850,023 and 5,304,730. additional means of inducing whole-plant resistance to a pathogen include modulation of the systemic acquired resistance (sar) or pathogenesis related (pr) genes, for example genes homologous to the arabidopsis thaliana nim1/npr1/sai1, and/or by increasing salicylic acid production (ryals et al., plant cell, 8:1809-1819, 1996). logemann et al. ( biotechnology, 10:305, 1992), for example, disclose transgenic plants expressing a barley ribosome-inactivating gene that have an increased resistance to fungal disease. plant defensins may be used to provide resistance to fungal pathogens (thomma et al., planta, 216:193-202, 2002). other examples of fungal disease resistance are provided in u.s. pat. nos. 6,653,280; 6,573,361; 6,506,962; 6,316,407; 6,215,048; 5,516,671; 5,773,696; 6,121,436; and 6,316,407. nematode resistance has been described, for example, in u.s. pat. no. 6,228,992, and bacterial disease resistance has been described in u.s. pat. no. 5,516,671. the use of the herbicide glyphosate for disease control in soybean plants containing event mon89788, which confers glyphosate tolerance, has also been described in u.s. pat. no. 7,608,761. c. insect resistance one example of an insect resistance gene includes a bacillus thuringiensis protein, a derivative thereof or a synthetic polypeptide modeled thereon. see, for example, geiser et al. ( gene, 48(1):109-118, 1986), who disclose the cloning and nucleotide sequence of a bacillus thuringiensis δ-endotoxin gene. moreover, dna molecules encoding δ-endotoxin genes can be purchased from the american type culture collection, manassas, va., for example, under atcc accession nos. 40098, 67136, 31995 and 31998. another example is a lectin. see, for example, van damme et al., ( plant molec. biol., 24:25, 1994), who disclose the nucleotide sequences of several clivia miniata mannose-binding lectin genes. a vitamin-binding protein may also be used, such as avidin. see pct application no. us93/06487, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. this application teaches the use of avidin and avidin homologues as larvicides against insect pests. yet another insect resistance gene is an enzyme inhibitor, for example, a protease or proteinase inhibitor or an amylase inhibitor. see, for example, abe et al. ( j. biol. chem., 262:16793, 1987) (nucleotide sequence of rice cysteine proteinase inhibitor), huub et al. ( plant molec. biol., 21:985, 1993) (nucleotide sequence of cdna encoding tobacco proteinase inhibitor i), and sumitani et al. ( biosci. biotech. biochem., 57:1243, 1993) (nucleotide sequence of streptomyces nitrosporeus α-amylase inhibitor). an insect-specific hormone or pheromone may also be used. see, for example, the disclosure by hammock et al. ( nature, 344:458, 1990), of baculovirus expression of cloned juvenile hormone esterase, an inactivator of juvenile hormone; gade and goldsworthy ( eds. physiological system in insects , elsevier academic press, burlington, mass., 2007), describing allostatins and their potential use in pest control; and palli et al. ( vitam. horm., 73:59-100, 2005), disclosing use of ecdysteroid and ecdysteroid receptor in agriculture. the diuretic hormone receptor (dhr) was identified in price et al. ( insect mol. biol., 13:469-480, 2004) as a candidate target of insecticides. still other examples include an insect-specific antibody or an immunotoxin derived therefrom and a developmental-arrestive protein. see taylor et al. (seventh int'l symposium on molecular plant-microbe interactions, edinburgh, scotland, abstract w97, 1994), who described enzymatic inactivation in transgenic tobacco via production of single-chain antibody fragments. numerous other examples of insect resistance have been described. see, for example, u.s. pat. nos. 6,809,078; 6,713,063; 6,686,452; 6,657,046; 6,645,497; 6,642,030; 6,639,054; 6,620,988; 6,593,293; 6,555,655; 6,538,109; 6,537,756; 6,521,442; 6,501,009; 6,468,523; 6,326,351; 6,313,378; 6,284,949; 6,281,016; 6,248,536; 6,242,241; 6,221,649; 6,177,615; 6,156,573; 6,153,814; 6,110,464; 6,093,695; 6,063,756; 6,063,597; 6,023,013; 5,959,091; 5,942,664; 5,942,658, 5,880,275; 5,763,245 and 5,763,241. d. male sterility genetic male sterility is available in soybeans and, although not required for crossing soybean plants, can increase the efficiency with which hybrids are made, in that it can eliminate the need to physically emasculate the soybean plant used as a female in a given cross. (brim and stuber, crop sci., 13:528-530, 1973). herbicide-inducible male sterility systems have also been described. (u.s. pat. no. 6,762,344). where one desires to employ male-sterility systems, it may be beneficial to also utilize one or more male-fertility restorer genes. for example, where cytoplasmic male sterility (cms) is used, hybrid seed production requires three inbred lines: (1) a cytoplasmically male-sterile line having a cms cytoplasm; (2) a fertile inbred with normal cytoplasm, which is isogenic with the cms line for nuclear genes (“maintainer line”); and (3) a distinct, fertile inbred with normal cytoplasm, carrying a fertility restoring gene (“restorer” line). the cms line is propagated by pollination with the maintainer line, with all of the progeny being male sterile, as the cms cytoplasm is derived from the female parent. these male sterile plants can then be efficiently employed as the female parent in hybrid crosses with the restorer line, without the need for physical emasculation of the male reproductive parts of the female parent. the presence of a male-fertility restorer gene results in the production of fully fertile f 1 hybrid progeny. if no restorer gene is present in the male parent, male-sterile hybrids are obtained. such hybrids are useful where the vegetative tissue of the soybean plant is utilized, but in many cases the seeds will be deemed the most valuable portion of the crop, so fertility of the hybrids in these crops must be restored. therefore, one aspect of the current invention concerns plants of the soybean variety 01051877 comprising a genetic locus capable of restoring male fertility in an otherwise male-sterile plant. examples of male-sterility genes and corresponding restorers which could be employed with the plants of the invention are well known to those of skill in the art of plant breeding (see, e.g., u.s. pat. nos. 5,530,191 and 5,684,242, the disclosures of which are each specifically incorporated herein by reference in their entirety). e. modified fatty acid, phytate and carbohydrate metabolism genes may be used conferring modified fatty acid metabolism. for example, stearyl-acp desaturase genes may be used. see knutzon et al. ( proc. natl. acad. sci. usa, 89:2624, 1992). various fatty acid desaturases have also been described. mcdonough et al. describe a saccharomyces cerevisiae ole1 gene encoding δ9-fatty acid desaturase, an enzyme which forms the monounsaturated palmitoleic (16:1) and oleic (18:1) fatty acids from palmitoyl (16:0) or stearoyl (18:0) coa ( j. biol. chem., 267(9):5931-5936, 1992). fox et al. describe a gene encoding a stearoyl-acyl carrier protein delta-9 desaturase from castor ( proc. natl. acad. sci. usa, 90(6):2486-2490, 1993). reddy et al. describe δ6- and δ12-desaturases from the cyanobacteria synechocystis responsible for the conversion of linoleic acid (18:2) to gamma-linolenic acid (18:3 gamma) ( plant mol. biol., 22(2):293-300, 1993). a gene from arabidopsis thaliana that encodes an omega-3 desaturase has been identified (arondel et al. science, 258(5086):1353-1355, 1992). plant δ9-desaturases (pct application publ. no. wo 91/13972) and soybean and brassica δ15-desaturases (european patent application publ. no. ep 0616644) have also been described. u.s. pat. no. 7,622,632 describes fungal δ15-desaturases and their use in plants. ep patent no. 1656449 describes δ6-desaturases from primula as well as soybean plants having an increased stearidonic acid (sda, 18:4) content. u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2008-0260929 describes expression of transgenic desaturase enzymes in corn plants, and improved fatty acid profiles resulting therefrom. modified oil production is disclosed, for example, in u.s. pat. nos. 6,444,876; 6,426,447 and 6,380,462. high oil production is disclosed, for example, in u.s. pat. nos. 6,495,739; 5,608,149; 6,483,008 and 6,476,295. modified fatty acid content is disclosed, for example, in u.s. pat. nos. 6,828,475; 6,822,141; 6,770,465; 6,706,950; 6,660,849; 6,596,538; 6,589,767; 6,537,750; 6,489,461 and 6,459,018. phytate metabolism may also be modified by introduction of a phytase-encoding gene to enhance breakdown of phytate, adding more free phosphate to the transformed plant. for example, see van hartingsveldt et al. ( gene, 127:87, 1993), for a disclosure of the nucleotide sequence of an aspergillus niger phytase gene. in soybean, this, for example, could be accomplished by cloning and then reintroducing dna associated with the single allele which is responsible for soybean mutants characterized by low levels of phytic acid. see raboy et al. ( plant physiol., 124(1):355-368, 2000). a number of genes are known that may be used to alter carbohydrate metabolism. for example, plants may be transformed with a gene coding for an enzyme that alters the branching pattern of starch. see shiroza et al. ( j. bacteriol., 170:810, 1988) (nucleotide sequence of streptococcus mutans fructosyltransferase gene), steinmetz et al. ( mol. gen. genet., 20:220, 1985) (nucleotide sequence of bacillus subtilis levansucrase gene), pen et al. ( biotechnology, 10:292, 1992) (production of transgenic plants that express bacillus licheniformis α-amylase), elliot et al. ( plant molec. biol., 21:515, 1993) (nucleotide sequences of tomato invertase genes), sergaard et al. ( j. biol. chem., 268:22480, 1993) (site-directed mutagenesis of barley α-amylase gene), and fisher et al. ( plant physiol., 102:1045, 1993) (maize endosperm starch branching enzyme ii). the z10 gene encoding a 10 kd zein storage protein from maize may also be used to alter the quantities of 10 kd zein in the cells relative to other components (kirihara et al., gene, 71(2):359-370, 1988). f. resistance to abiotic stress abiotic stress includes dehydration or other osmotic stress, salinity, high or low light intensity, high or low temperatures, submergence, exposure to heavy metals, and oxidative stress. delta-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (p5cs) from mothbean has been used to provide protection against general osmotic stress. mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (mt1d) from e. coli has been used to provide protection against drought and salinity. choline oxidase (coda from arthrobactor globiformis ) can protect against cold and salt. e. coli choline dehydrogenase (beta) provides protection against salt. additional protection from cold can be provided by omega-3-fatty acid desaturase (fad7) from arabidopsis thaliana . trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and levan sucrase (sacb) from yeast and bacillus subtilis , respectively, can provide protection against drought (summarized from annex ii genetic engineering for abiotic stress tolerance in plants, consultative group on international agricultural research technical advisory committee). overexpression of superoxide dismutase can be used to protect against superoxides, as described in u.s. pat. no. 5,538,878 to thomas et al. g. additional traits additional traits can be introduced into the soybean variety of the present invention. a non-limiting example of such a trait is a coding sequence which decreases rna and/or protein levels. the decreased rna and/or protein levels may be achieved through rnai methods, such as those described in u.s. pat. no. 6,506,559 to fire and mellow. another trait that may find use with the soybean variety of the invention is a sequence which allows for site-specific recombination. examples of such sequences include the frt sequence, used with the flp recombinase (zhu and sadowski, j. biol. chem., 270:23044-23054, 1995); and the lox sequence, used with cre recombinase (sauer, mol. cell. biol., 7:2087-2096, 1987). the recombinase genes can be encoded at any location within the genome of the soybean plant, and are active in the hemizygous state. it may also be desirable to make soybean plants more tolerant to or more easily transformed with agrobacterium tumefaciens . expression of p53 and iap, two baculovirus cell-death suppressor genes, inhibited tissue necrosis and dna cleavage. additional targets can include plant-encoded proteins that interact with the agrobacterium vir genes; enzymes involved in plant cell wall formation; and histones, histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases (reviewed in gelvin, microbiology & mol. biol. reviews, 67:16-37, 2003). in addition to the modification of oil, fatty acid or phytate content described above, it may additionally be beneficial to modify the amounts or levels of other compounds. for example, the amount or composition of antioxidants can be altered. see, for example, u.s. pat. no. 6,787,618; u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 20040034886 and international patent app. pub. no. wo 00/68393, which disclose the manipulation of antioxidant levels, and international patent app. pub. no. wo 03/082899, which discloses the manipulation of a antioxidant biosynthetic pathway. additionally, seed amino acid content may be manipulated. u.s. pat. no. 5,850,016 and international patent app. pub. no. wo 99/40209 disclose the alteration of the amino acid compositions of seeds. u.s. pat. nos. 6,080,913 and 6,127,600 disclose methods of increasing accumulation of essential amino acids in seeds. u.s. pat. no. 5,559,223 describes synthetic storage proteins in which the levels of essential amino acids can be manipulated. international patent app. pub. no. wo 99/29882 discloses methods for altering amino acid content of proteins. international patent app. pub. no. wo 98/20133 describes proteins with enhanced levels of essential amino acids. international patent app. pub. no. wo 98/56935 and u.s. pat. nos. 6,346,403, 6,441,274 and 6,664,445 disclose plant amino acid biosynthetic enzymes. international patent app. pub. no. wo 98/45458 describes synthetic seed proteins having a higher percentage of essential amino acids than wild-type. u.s. pat. no. 5,633,436 discloses plants comprising a higher content of sulfur-containing amino acids; u.s. pat. no. 5,885,801 discloses plants comprising a high threonine content; u.s. pat. nos. 5,885,802 and 5,912,414 disclose plants comprising a high methionine content; u.s. pat. no. 5,990,389 discloses plants comprising a high lysine content; u.s. pat. no. 6,459,019 discloses plants comprising an increased lysine and threonine content; international patent app. pub. no. wo 98/42831 discloses plants comprising a high lysine content; international patent app. pub. no. wo 96/01905 discloses plants comprising a high threonine content and international patent app. pub. no. wo 95/15392 discloses plants comprising a high lysine content. iii. origin and breeding history of an exemplary single locus converted plant it is known to those of skill in the art that, by way of the technique of backcrossing, one or more traits may be introduced into a given variety while otherwise retaining essentially all of the traits of that variety. an example of such backcrossing to introduce a trait into a starting variety is described in u.s. pat. no. 6,140,556, the entire disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference. the procedure described in u.s. pat. no. 6,140,556 can be summarized as follows: the soybean variety known as williams '82 [ glycine max l. merr.] (reg. no. 222, pi 518671) was developed using backcrossing techniques to transfer a locus comprising the rps 1 gene to the variety williams (bernard and cremeens, crop sci., 28:1027-1028, 1988). williams '82 is a composite of four resistant lines from the bc 6 f 3 generation, which were selected from 12 field-tested resistant lines from williams×kingwa. the variety williams was used as the recurrent parent in the backcross and the variety kingwa was used as the source of the rps 1 locus. this gene locus confers resistance to 19 of the 24 races of the fungal agent phytopthora root rot. the f 1 or f 2 seedlings from each backcross round were tested for resistance to the fungus by hypocotyl inoculation using the inoculum of race 5. the final generation was tested using inoculum of races 1 to 9. in a backcross such as this, where the desired characteristic being transferred to the recurrent parent is controlled by a major gene which can be readily evaluated during the backcrossing, it is common to conduct enough backcrosses to avoid testing individual progeny for specific traits such as yield in extensive replicated tests. in general, four or more backcrosses are used when there is no evaluation of the progeny for specific traits, such as yield. as in this example, lines with the phenotype of the recurrent parent may be composited without the usual replicated tests for traits such as yield, protein or oil percentage in the individual lines. the variety williams '82 is comparable to the recurrent parent variety williams in its traits except resistance to phytopthora rot. for example, both varieties have a relative maturity of 38, indeterminate stems, white flowers, brown pubescence, tan pods at maturity and shiny yellow seeds with black to light black hila. iv. tissue cultures and in vitro regeneration of soybean plants a further aspect of the invention relates to tissue cultures of the soybean variety designated 01051877. as used herein, the term “tissue culture” indicates a composition comprising isolated cells of the same or a different type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of a plant. exemplary types of tissue cultures are protoplasts, calli and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as embryos, pollen, flowers, leaves, roots, root tips, anthers, and the like. in one embodiment, the tissue culture comprises embryos, protoplasts, meristematic cells, pollen, leaves or anthers. exemplary procedures for preparing tissue cultures of regenerable soybean cells and regenerating soybean plants therefrom, are disclosed in u.s. pat. nos. 4,992,375; 5,015,580; 5,024,944 and 5,416,011, each of the disclosures of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. an important ability of a tissue culture is the capability to regenerate fertile plants. this allows, for example, transformation of the tissue culture cells followed by regeneration of transgenic plants. for transformation to be efficient and successful, dna must be introduced into cells that give rise to plants or germ-line tissue. soybeans typically are regenerated via two distinct processes: shoot morphogenesis and somatic embryogenesis (finer, cheng, verma, “soybean transformation: technologies and progress,” in: soybean: genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology , cab intl, verma and shoemaker (ed), wallingford, oxon, uk, 250-251, 1996). shoot morphogenesis is the process of shoot meristem organization and development. shoots grow out from a source tissue and are excised and rooted to obtain an intact plant. during somatic embryogenesis, an embryo (similar to the zygotic embryo), containing both shoot and root axes, is formed from somatic plant tissue. an intact plant rather than a rooted shoot results from the germination of the somatic embryo. shoot morphogenesis and somatic embryogenesis are different processes and the specific route of regeneration is primarily dependent on the explant source and media used for tissue culture manipulations. while the systems are different, both systems show variety-specific responses where some lines are more responsive to tissue culture manipulations than others. a line that is highly responsive in shoot morphogenesis may not generate many somatic embryos. lines that produce large numbers of embryos during an ‘induction’ step may not give rise to rapidly-growing proliferative cultures. therefore, it may be desired to optimize tissue culture conditions for each soybean line. these optimizations may readily be carried out by one of skill in the art of tissue culture through small-scale culture studies. in addition to line-specific responses, proliferative cultures can be observed with both shoot morphogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. proliferation is beneficial for both systems, as it allows a single, transformed cell to multiply to the point that it will contribute to germ-line tissue. shoot morphogenesis was first reported by wright et al. ( plant cell reports, 5:150-154, 1986) as a system whereby shoots were obtained de novo from cotyledonary nodes of soybean seedlings. the shoot meristems were formed subepidermally and morphogenic tissue could proliferate on a medium containing benzyl adenine (ba). this system can be used for transformation if the subepidermal, multicellular origin of the shoots is recognized and proliferative cultures are utilized. the idea is to target tissue that will give rise to new shoots and proliferate those cells within the meristematic tissue to lessen problems associated with chimerism. formation of chimeras, resulting from transformation of only a single cell in a meristem, are problematic if the transformed cell is not adequately proliferated and does not does not give rise to germ-line tissue. once the system is well understood and reproduced satisfactorily, it can be used as one target tissue for soybean transformation. somatic embryogenesis in soybean was first reported by christianson et al. ( science, 222:632-634, 1983) as a system in which embryogenic tissue was initially obtained from the zygotic embryo axis. these embryogenic cultures were proliferative but the repeatability of the system was low and the origin of the embryos was not reported. later histological studies of a different proliferative embryogenic soybean culture showed that proliferative embryos were of apical or surface origin with a small number of cells contributing to embryo formation. the origin of primary embryos (the first embryos derived from the initial explant) is dependent on the explant tissue and the auxin levels in the induction medium (hartweck et al., in vitro cell. develop. bio., 24:821-828, 1988). with proliferative embryonic cultures, single cells or small groups of surface cells of the ‘older’ somatic embryos form the ‘newer’ embryos. embryogenic cultures can also be used successfully for regeneration, including regeneration of transgenic plants, if the origin of the embryos is recognized and the biological limitations of proliferative embryogenic cultures are understood. biological limitations include the difficulty in developing proliferative embryogenic cultures and reduced fertility problems (culture-induced variation) associated with plants regenerated from long-term proliferative embryogenic cultures. some of these problems are accentuated in prolonged cultures. the use of more recently cultured cells may decrease or eliminate such problems. v. definitions in the description and tables, a number of terms are used. in order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the specification and claims, the following definitions are provided: a: when used in conjunction with the word “comprising” or other open language in the claims, the words “a” and “an” denote “one or more.” about: refers to embodiments or values that include the standard deviation of the mean for a given item being measured. allele: any of one or more alternative forms of a gene locus, all of which relate to one trait or characteristic. in a diploid cell or organism, the two alleles of a given gene occupy corresponding loci on a pair of homologous chromosomes. aphids: aphid resistance in greenhouse screening is scored on a scale from 1 to 9 based on foliar symptoms and number of aphids; resistant (r) corresponds to a rating of 1-3.9, moderately resistant (mr) 4.0-5.9, moderately susceptible to moderately resistant (ms-mr) 6.0-6.9, and susceptible (s) 7.0-9.0. asian soybean rust (asr): asr may be visually scored from 1 to 5, where 1=immune; 2=leaf exhibits red/brown lesions over less than 50% of surface; 3=leaf exhibits red/brown lesions over greater than 50% of surface; 4=leaf exhibits tan lesions over less than 50% of surface; and 5=leaf exhibits tan lesions over greater than 50% of surface. resistance to asr may be characterized phenotypically as well as genetically. soybean plants phenotypically characterized as resistant to asr typically exhibit red brown lesions covering less than 25% of the leaf. genetic characterization of asr resistance may be carried out, for example, by identifying the presence in a soybean plant of one or more genetic markers linked to the asr resistance. backcrossing: a process in which a breeder repeatedly crosses hybrid progeny, for example a first generation hybrid (f 1 ), back to one of the parents of the hybrid progeny. backcrossing can be used to introduce one or more single locus conversions from one genetic background into another. brown stem rot (bsr): the greenhouse score is based on the incidence and severity of pith discoloration. scores are converted to a 1-9 scale where resistant (r) corresponds to a rating <3.1, moderately resistant (mr) 3.1-5.0, moderately susceptible (ms) 5.1-6.9, susceptible (s) 7.0-7.9, and highly susceptible (hs)>7.9. chloride sensitivity: plants may be categorized as “includers” or “excluders” with respect to chloride sensitivity. excluders tend to partition chloride in the root systems and reduce the amount of chloride transported to more sensitive, aboveground tissues. therefore excluders may display increased tolerance to elevated soil chloride levels compared to includers. greenhouse screening chloride tolerance is reported on a 1-9 scale where a rating less than 3 is considered and excluder and 4-9 is considered an includer. chromatography: a technique wherein a mixture of dissolved substances are bound to a solid support followed by passing a column of fluid across the solid support and varying the composition of the fluid. the components of the mixture are separated by selective elution. crossing: the mating of two parent plants. cross-pollination: fertilization by the union of two gametes from different plants. emasculate: the removal of plant male sex organs or the inactivation of the organs with a cytoplasmic or nuclear genetic factor or a chemical agent conferring male sterility. emergence (emr): the emergence score describes the ability of a seed to emerge from the soil after planting. each genotype is given a 1 to 9 score based on its percent of emergence. a score of 1 indicates an excellent rate and percent of emergence, an intermediate score of 5 indicates an average rating and a 9 score indicates a very poor rate and percent of emergence. enzymes: molecules which can act as catalysts in biological reactions. f 1 hybrid: the first generation progeny of the cross of two nonisogenic plants. fatty acids: are measured and reported as a percent of the total oil content. in addition to the typical composition of fatty acids in commodity soybeans, some soybean varieties have modified profiles. low linolenic acid soybean oil as defined herein contains 3% or less linolenic acid. mid oleic acid soybean oil as defined herein contains typically 50-60% oleic acid. high oleic soybean oil as defined herein contains typically 75% or greater oleic acid. stearidonic acid levels are typically 0 percent in commodity soybeans. frog eye leaf spot (fels): greenhouse assay reaction scores are based on foliar symptom severity, measured using a 1-9 scale. resistant (r) corresponds to a rating <3, moderately resistant (mr) 3.0-4.9, moderately susceptible (ms) 5.0-6.9, and susceptible (s)>6.9. genotype: the genetic constitution of a cell or organism. haploid: a cell or organism having one set of the two sets of chromosomes in a diploid. iron-deficiency chlorosis (ide=early; idl=late): iron-deficiency chlorosis is scored in a system ranging from 1 to 9 based on visual observations. a score of 1 means no stunting of the plants or yellowing of the leaves and a score of 9 indicates the plants are dead or dying caused by iron-deficiency chlorosis; a score of 5 means plants have intermediate health with some leaf yellowing. linkage: a phenomenon wherein alleles on the same chromosome tend to segregate together more often than expected by chance if their transmission was independent. linolenic acid content (lln): low-linolenic acid soybean oil contains three percent or less linolenic acid, compared to eight percent linolenic acid for traditional soybeans. lodging resistance (ldg): lodging is rated on a scale of 1 to 9. a score of 1 indicates erect plants. a score of 5 indicates plants are leaning at a 45 degree(s) angle in relation to the ground and a score of 9 indicates plants are lying on the ground. marker: a readily detectable phenotype, preferably inherited in codominant fashion (both alleles at a locus in a diploid heterozygote are readily detectable), with no environmental variance component, i.e., heritability of 1. maturity date (mat): plants are considered mature when 95% of the pods have reached their mature color. the maturity date is typically described in measured days after august 31 in the northern hemisphere. moisture (mst): the average percentage moisture in the seeds of the variety. oil or oil percent: seed oil content is measured and reported on a percentage basis. or: as used herein is meant to mean “and/or” and be interchangeable therewith unless explicitly indicated to refer to the alternative only. phenotype: the detectable characteristics of a cell or organism, which characteristics are the manifestation of gene expression. phenotypic score (psc): the phenotypic score is a visual rating of the general appearance of the variety. all visual traits are considered in the score, including healthiness, standability, appearance and freedom from disease. ratings are scored as 1 being poor to 9 being excellent. phytophthora root rot (prr): disorder in which the most recognizable symptom is stem rot. brown discoloration ranges below the soil line and up to several inches above the soil line. leaves often turn yellow, dull green and/or gray and may become brown and wilted, but remain attached to the plant. phytophthora allele: susceptibility or resistance to phytophthora root rot races is affected by alleles such as rps1a (denotes resistance to races 1, 2, 10, 11, 13-18, 24, 26, 27, 31, 32, and 36); rps1c (denotes resistance to races 1-3, 6-11, 13, 15, 17, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28-30, 32, 34 and 36); rps1k (denotes resistance to races 1-11, 13-15, 17, 18, 21-24, 26, 36 and 37); rps2 (denotes resistance to races 1-5, 9-29, 33, 34 and 36-39); rps3a (denotes resistance to races 1-5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 23, 25, 28, 29, 31-35); rps6 (denotes resistance to races 1-4, 10, 12, 14-16, 18-21 and 25); and rps7 (denotes resistance to races 2, 12, 16, 18, 19, 33, 35 and 36). phytophthora tolerance: tolerance to phytophthora root rot is rated on a scale of 1 to 9 in the greenhouse assay, where a rating less than 3.5 is considered tolerant, between 3.5-6 is considered moderately tolerant, and greater than 6 indicates sensitivity to phytophthora . (note that a score in the 1-2 range may indicate resistance and therefore not be a true reflection of high tolerance to phytophthora ). plant height (pht): plant height is taken from the top of soil to the top node of the plant and is measured in inches. predicted relative maturity (prm): the maturity grouping designated by the soybean industry over a given growing area. this figure is generally divided into tenths of a relative maturity group. within narrow comparisons, the difference of a tenth of a relative maturity group equates very roughly to a day difference in maturity at harvest. protein (pro), or protein percent: seed protein content is measured and reported on a percentage basis. regeneration: the development of a plant from tissue culture. relative maturity: the maturity grouping designated by the soybean industry over a given growing area. this figure is generally divided into tenths of a relative maturity group. within narrow comparisons, the difference of a tenth of a relative maturity group equates very roughly to a day difference in maturity at harvest. seed protein peroxidase activity: seed protein peroxidase activity is defined as a chemical taxonomic technique to separate varieties based on the presence or absence of the peroxidase enzyme in the seed coat. there are two types of soybean varieties, those having high peroxidase activity (dark red color) and those having low peroxidase activity (no color). seed weight (swt): soybean seeds vary in size; therefore, the number of seeds required to make up one pound also varies. this affects the pounds of seed required to plant a given area, and can also impact end uses. (sw100=weight in grams of 100 seeds.) seed yield (bushels/acre): the yield in bushels/acre is the actual yield of the grain at harvest. seedling vigor rating (sdv): general health of the seedling, measured on a scale of 1 to 9, where 1 is best and 9 is worst. seeds per pound: soybean seeds vary in size; therefore, the number of seeds required to make up one pound also varies. this affects the pounds of seed required to plant a given area, and can also impact end uses. selection index (selin): the percentage of the test mean. self-pollination: the transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of the same plant. shattering: the amount of pod dehiscence prior to harvest. pod dehiscence involves seeds falling from the pods to the soil. this is a visual score from 1 to 9 comparing all genotypes within a given test. a score of 1 means pods have not opened and no seeds have fallen out. a score of 5 indicates approximately 50% of the pods have opened, with seeds falling to the ground and a score of 9 indicates 100% of the pods are opened. single locus converted (conversion) plant: plants which are developed by a plant breeding technique called backcrossing and/or by genetic transformation to introduce a given locus that is transgenic in origin, wherein essentially all of the morphological and physiological characteristics of a soybean variety are recovered in addition to the characteristics of the locus transferred into the variety via the backcrossing technique or by genetic transformation. it is understood that once introduced into any soybean plant genome, a locus that is transgenic in origin (transgene), can be introduced by backcrossing as with any other locus. southern root knot nematode (srkn): greenhouse assay reaction scores are based on severity, measured using a 1-9 scale. resistant (r) corresponds to a rating <6.1, moderately resistant (mr) to 6.1<6.6, moderately resistant to moderately susceptible (mr-ms) 6.6<7.4, and susceptible (s)>7.4. southern stem canker (stc): greenhouse assay scoring is based on percentage of dead plants (dp). this percentage is converted to a 1-9 scale: 1=no dp, 2=<10% dp, 3=10-30% dp, 4=31-40% dp, 5=41-50% dp, 6=51-60% dp, 7=61-70% dp, 8=71-90% dp, 9=91-100% dp. resistant (r) corresponds to a rating <3.9, moderately resistant (mr) 4-5.9%, moderately susceptible (ms) 6-7.9, susceptible (s) 8-8.9, and highly susceptible (hs)>8.9. soybean cyst nematode (scn): greenhouse screening scores are based on a female index % of lee 74. resistant (r) corresponds to a rating <10%, moderately resistant (mr) 10-21.9%, moderately resistant to moderately susceptible (mr-ms) 22-39.9%, and susceptible (s)>39.9%. stearate: a fatty acid in soybean seeds measured and reported as a percent of the total oil content. substantially equivalent: a characteristic that, when compared, does not show a statistically significant difference (e.g., p=0.05) from the mean. sudden death syndrome: leaf symptoms appear first as bright yellow chlorotic spots with progressive development of brown necrotic areas and eventual leaflet drop. greenhouse screening plants are scored on a 1-9 scale based on foliar symptom severity, measured using a 1-9 scale. resistant (r) corresponds to a rating <3, moderately resistant (mr) 3.0-4.9, moderately susceptible (ms) 5.0-6.9, susceptible (s) 7.0-8.0 and highly susceptible (hs)>8. tissue culture: a composition comprising isolated cells of the same or a different type or a collection of such cells organized into parts of a plant. transgene: a genetic locus comprising a sequence which has been introduced into the genome of a soybean plant by transformation. yield best estimate (yld_be): the adjusted yield of a plot in bushels/acre. plot yields are adjusted using the nearest neighbor spatial covariate method first described by papadakis (méthode statistique pour des experiences sur champ, thessaloniki plant breeding institute bulletin no. 23, thessaloniki, london, 1937). yield count (yld count): the number of evaluated plots. vi. deposit information a deposit of the soybean variety 01051877, which is disclosed herein above and referenced in the claims, will be made with the american type culture collection (atcc), 10801 university blvd., manassas, va. 20110-2209. the date of deposit is jul. 25, 2016 and the accession number for those deposited seeds of soybean variety 01051877 is atcc accession no. pta-123343. all restrictions upon the deposit have been removed, and the deposit is intended to meet all of the requirements of the budapest treaty and 37 c.f.r. §1.801-1.809. the deposit will be maintained in the depository for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the last request, or for the effective life of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced if necessary during that period. all of the compositions and methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. while the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations, changes, modifications, and alterations may be applied to the composition, methods, and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the methods described herein, without departing from the true concept, spirit, and scope of the invention. more specifically, it will be apparent that certain agents that are both chemically and physiologically related may be substituted for the agents described herein while the same or similar results would be achieved. all such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope, and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims. the references cited herein, to the extent that they provide exemplary procedural or other details supplementary to those set forth herein, are specifically incorporated herein by reference.
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136-675-424-096-18X
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US
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B01L3/00,G02B26/00,G09G3/34,G01N1/00,B01J19/08,B81B7/02,C23C16/40,C23C16/455,G01N37/00
| 2020-11-04T00:00:00 |
2020
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dielectric layers for digital microfluidic devices
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an electrowetting system is disclosed. the system includes electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space. each electrode is coupled to circuitry operative to selectively apply a driving voltage to the electrode. the system includes a dielectric stack including a first dielectric pair comprising a first layer having a first dielectric constant and a second layer having a second dielectric constant. the second dielectric constant is larger than the first dielectric constant. the dielectric stack includes a second dielectric pair comprising a third layer having a third dielectric constant and a fourth layer having a fourth dielectric constant. the fourth dielectric constant is larger than the third dielectric constant. a ratio of a thickness of the fourth layer to a thickness of the third layer (t 4 :t 3 ) is in the range from about 2:1 to about 8:1. the second dielectric pair is thinner than the first dielectric pair.
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1 . an electrowetting system for performing droplet operations, the system including: a plurality of electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space, wherein each electrode is coupled to circuitry operative to selectively apply a driving voltage to the electrode; and a dielectric stack comprising: a first dielectric pair comprising a first layer having a first dielectric constant and a second layer having a second dielectric constant, wherein the second dielectric constant is larger than the first dielectric constant, and a second dielectric pair comprising a third layer having a third dielectric constant and a fourth layer having a fourth dielectric constant, wherein: the fourth dielectric constant is larger than the third dielectric constant; a ratio t 4 :t 3 is in the range from about 2:1 to about 8:1, wherein t 3 is a thickness of the third layer and t 4 is a thickness of the fourth layer; and the total thickness of the second dielectric pair is thinner than the total thickness of the first dielectric pair. 2 . the electrowetting system according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio t 4 :t 3 is in the range from about 4.5:1 to about 5.5:1. 3 . the electrowetting system according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer and the third layer each comprise a material independently selected from the group consisting of alumina (al 2 o 3 ), silica (sio 2 ), and silicon nitride (si 3 n 4 ). 4 . the electrowetting system according to claim 1 , wherein the second layer and the fourth layer each comprise a material independently selected from the group consisting of hafnium oxide (hfo 2 ), tantalum oxide (ta 2 o 5 ), titanium oxide (tio 2 ), zirconium oxide (zro 2 ), yttrium oxide (y 2 o 3 ), and lanthanum oxide (la 2 o 5 ). 5 . the electrowetting system according to claim 1 , wherein first, second, third, and fourth layers are formed by atomic layer deposition (ald). 6 . the electrowetting system according to claim 1 , further comprising a third dielectric pair comprising a fifth layer having a fifth dielectric constant and a sixth layer having a sixth dielectric constant and a fourth dielectric pair comprising a seventh layer having a seventh dielectric constant and an eighth layer having an eighth dielectric constant, the sixth dielectric constant is larger than the fifth dielectric constant; a ratio t 6 :t 5 is in the range from about 3:1 to about 8:1, wherein t 5 is a thickness of the fifth layer and t 4 is a thickness of the fourth layer; the third dielectric pair is thinner than the first dielectric pair; the eighth dielectric constant that is larger than the seventh dielectric constant; a ratio t 8 :t 7 is in the range from about 3:1 to about 8:1, wherein t 7 is a thickness of the seventh layer and t 8 is a thickness of the eighth layer; and the fourth dielectric pair is thinner than the first dielectric pair. 7 . the electrowetting system according to claim 1 , further comprising 1 to 10 further dielectric pairs, wherein: each further dielectric pair is thinner than the first electric pair; and each further dielectric pair comprises two layers, wherein one of the two layers has a higher dielectric constant than the other of the two layers. 8 . the electrowetting system according to claim 7 , wherein each layer of each thin dielectric pair is formed by atomic layer deposition (ald). 9 . an electrowetting system for performing droplet operations, the system including: a plurality of electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space, wherein each electrode is coupled to circuitry operative to selectively apply a driving voltage to the electrode; and a dielectric stack comprising: a first dielectric layer having a first dielectric constant, and a thin dielectric pair comprising a second dielectric layer having a second dielectric constant and a third dielectric layer having a third dielectric constant: the third dielectric constant greater than the second dielectric constant; a ratio t h :t l is in the range from about 3:1 to about 8:1, wherein t h is a thickness of the third dielectric layer and t l is a thickness of the second dielectric layer; and the dielectric pair is thinner than the first dielectric layer. 10 . the electrowetting system according to claim 9 , wherein the third dielectric layer has a dielectric constant that is greater than the dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer. 11 . the electrowetting system according to claim 9 , wherein the first dielectric layer comprises silicon nitride alumina (al 2 o 3 ), silica (sio 2 ), or silicon nitride (si 3 n 4 ). 12 . the electrowetting system according to claim 9 , wherein the first dielectric layer is formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (pecvd). 13 . the electrowetting system according to claim 9 , wherein the second dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of alumina (al 2 o 3 ) and silica (sio 2 ). 14 . the electrowetting system according to claim 9 , wherein the third dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hafnium oxide (hfo 2 ), tantalum oxide (ta 2 o 5 ), titanium oxide (tio 2 ), zirconium oxide (zro 2 ), yttrium oxide (y 2 o 3 ), and lanthanum oxide (la 2 o 5 ). 15 . the electrowetting system according to claim 9 , wherein the second dielectric layer and the third dielectric layer are formed by atomic layer deposition (ald). 16 . an electrowetting system for performing droplet operations, the system including: a plurality of electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space, wherein each electrode is coupled to circuitry operative to selectively apply a driving voltage to the electrode; and a dielectric stack comprising: a first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer, the second dielectric layer has a dielectric constant greater than the dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer; and the second dielectric layer is thinner than the first dielectric layer. 17 . the electrowetting system according to claim 16 , wherein the first dielectric layer comprises silicon nitride alumina (al 2 o 3 ), silica (sio 2 ), and silicon nitride (si 3 n 4 ). 18 . the electrowetting system according to claim 16 , wherein the first dielectric layer is formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (pecvd). 19 . the electrowetting system according to claim 16 , wherein the second dielectric layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of hafnium oxide (hfo 2 ), tantalum oxide (ta 2 o 5 ), titanium oxide (tio 2 ), zirconium oxide (zro 2 ), yttrium oxide (y 2 o 3 ), and lanthanum oxide (la 2 o 5 ). 20 . the electrowetting system according to claim 16 , wherein the second dielectric layer is formed by atomic layer deposition (ald).
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related applications this application claims priority to u.s. provisional application no. 63/109,758 filed nov. 4, 2020, the entire content of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. background digital microfluidic (dmf) devices use independent electrodes to propel, split, and join droplets in a confined environment, thereby providing a “lab-on-a-chip.” digital microfluidic devices have been used to actuate a wide range of volumes (nanoliter nl to microliter μl) and are alternatively referred to as electrowetting on dielectric, or “ewod,” to further differentiate the method from competing microfluidic systems that rely on electrophoretic flow and/or micropumps. in electrowetting, a continuous or pulsed electrical signal is applied to a droplet, leading to switching of its contact angle. liquids capable of electrowetting a hydrophobic surface often include a polar solvent, such as water or an ionic liquid, and often feature ionic species, as is the case for aqueous solutions of electrolytes. a 2012 review of the electrowetting technology was provided by wheeler in “digital microfluidics,” annu. rev. anal. chem. 2012, 5:413-40. the technique allows sample preparation, assays, and synthetic chemistry to be performed with tiny quantities of both samples and reagents. summary of invention in one embodiment, the present application provides an electrowetting system for performing droplet operations, including: electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space, wherein each electrode is coupled to circuitry configured to selectively apply driving voltages to the electrode; and a dielectric stack comprising: a first dielectric pair comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the second layer has dielectric constant that is larger than a dielectric constant of the first layer, and a second dielectric pair comprising a third layer and a fourth layer. the fourth layer has a dielectric constant that is larger than a dielectric constant of the third layer. a ratio t 4 :t 3 is in the range from about 2:1 to about 8:1, wherein t 3 is a thickness of the third layer and t 4 is a thickness of the fourth layer. the second dielectric pair is thinner than the first dielectric pair. in another embodiment, the present application provides an electrowetting system for performing droplet operations, the system including: a plurality of electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space, wherein each electrode is coupled to circuitry configured to selectively apply driving voltages to the electrode; and a dielectric stack comprising: a first dielectric layer, and a thin dielectric pair comprising a second dielectric layer and a third dielectric layer, wherein: the third dielectric layer has a dielectric constant greater than the dielectric constant of the second layer; a ratio t h :t l is in the range from about 3:1 to about 8:1, wherein t h is a thickness of the third dielectric layer and t l is a thickness of the second dielectric layer; and the dielectric pair is thinner than the first dielectric layer. in another embodiment, the present application provides an electrowetting system for performing droplet operations, the system including: a plurality of electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space, wherein each electrode is coupled to circuitry configured to selectively apply driving voltages to the electrode; and a dielectric stack comprising: a first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer, wherein: the second dielectric layer has a dielectric constant greater than the dielectric constant of the first dielectric layer; and the second dielectric layer is thinner than the first dielectric layer. brief description of drawings fig. 1a is a diagrammatic cross-section of the cell of an example ewod device. fig. 1b illustrates ewod operation in dc top plane mode. fig. 1c illustrates ewod operation with top plane switching (tps). fig. 1d is a schematic diagram of a tft connected to a gate line, a source line, and a propulsion electrode. fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary tft backplane controlling droplet operations in an am-ewod propulsion electrode array. fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a high-performance stack covering a tft array with alternating layers of low-k dielectric and high-k dielectric. fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a dielectric stack featuring a single layer of relatively inexpensive low-k dielectric and a dielectric pair that includes a low-k layer and a high-k layer which are formed by atomic layer deposition. fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a dielectric stack featuring a single layer of relatively inexpensive low-k dielectric and a high-k layer formed by atomic layer deposition. fig. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device that can be used to perform one or more steps of the methods provided by exemplary embodiments. definitions unless otherwise noted, the following terms have the meanings indicated. “actuate” or “activate” with reference to one or more electrodes means effecting a change in the electrical state of the one or more electrodes which, in the presence of a droplet, results in a manipulation of the droplet. activation of an electrode can be accomplished using alternating current (ac) or direct current (dc). where an ac signal is used, any suitable frequency may be employed. “droplet” means a volume of liquid that electrowets a hydrophobic surface and is at least partially bounded by carrier fluid and/or, in some instances, a gas or gaseous mixture such as ambient air. for example, a droplet may be completely surrounded by carrier fluid or may be bounded by carrier fluid and one or more surfaces of an ewod device. droplets may take a wide variety of shapes; non-limiting examples include generally disc shaped, slug shaped, truncated sphere, ellipsoid, spherical, partially compressed sphere, hemispherical, ovoid, cylindrical, and various shapes formed during droplet operations, such as merging or splitting or formed as a result of contact of such shapes with one or more working surface of an ewod device. droplets may include polar fluids such as water, as is the case for aqueous or non-aqueous compositions, or may be mixtures or emulsions including aqueous and non-aqueous components. droplets may also include dispersions and suspensions, for example magnetic beads in an aqueous solvent. in various embodiments, a droplet may include a biological sample, or portions of a biological sample, such as whole blood, lymphatic fluid, serum, plasma, sweat, tear, saliva, sputum, cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, seminal fluid, vaginal excretion, serous fluid, synovial fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, pleural fluid, transudates, exudates, cystic fluid, bile, urine, gastric fluid, intestinal fluid, fecal samples, liquids containing single or multiple cells, liquids containing organelles, fluidized tissues, fluidized organisms, liquids containing multi-celled organisms, biological swabs and biological washes. moreover, a droplet may include one or more reagent, such as water, deionized water, saline solutions, acidic solutions, basic solutions, detergent solutions and/or buffers. other examples of droplet contents include reagents, such as a reagent for a biochemical protocol, a nucleic acid amplification protocol, an affinity-based assay protocol, an enzymatic assay protocol, a gene sequencing protocol, a protein sequencing protocol, and/or a protocol for analyses of biological fluids. further example of reagents include those used in biochemical synthetic methods, such as a reagent for synthesizing oligonucleotides finding applications in molecular biology and medicine, and nucleic acid molecules. the oligonucleotides may contain natural or chemically modified bases and are most commonly used as antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering therapeutic rnas (sirna) and their bioactive conjugates, primers for dna sequencing and amplification, probes for detecting complementary dna or rna via molecular hybridization, tools for the targeted introduction of mutations and restriction sites in the context of technologies for gene editing such as crispr-cas9, and for the synthesis of artificial genes. in further examples, the droplet contents may include reagents for peptide and protein production, for example by chemical synthesis, expression in living organisms such as bacteria or yeast cells or by the use of biological machinery in in vitro systems. “droplet area” means the area enclosed within the perimeter of a droplet. in the context of a droplet overlying a pixelated surface, the pixels located within the droplet area are referred to as “droplet pixels” or “pixels of the droplet”. when referring to a portion of a droplet, pixels located within the area of the portion are known as “portion pixels” or “pixels of the portion”. the terms “dmf device”, “ewod device”, and “droplet actuator” refer to an electrowetting device for manipulating droplets. “droplet operation” means any manipulation of one or more droplets on a microfluidic device. a droplet operation may, for example, include: loading a droplet into the dmf device; dispensing one or more droplets from a source reservoir; splitting, separating or dividing a droplet into two or more droplets; moving a droplet from one location to another in any direction; merging or combining two or more droplets into a single droplet; diluting a droplet; mixing a droplet; agitating a droplet; deforming a droplet; holding a droplet in position; incubating a droplet; heating a droplet; vaporizing a droplet; cooling a droplet; disposing of a droplet; transporting a droplet out of a microfluidic device; other droplet operations described herein; and/or any combination of the foregoing. the terms “merge,” “merging,” “combine,” “combining” and the like are used to describe the creation of one droplet from two or more droplets. it should be understood that when such a term is used in reference to two or more droplets, any combination of droplet operations that are sufficient to result in the combination of the two or more droplets into one droplet may be used. for example, “merging droplet a with droplet b,” can be achieved by transporting droplet a into contact with a stationary droplet b, transporting droplet b into contact with a stationary droplet a, or transporting droplets a and b into contact with each other. the terms “splitting,” “separating” and “dividing” are not intended to imply any particular outcome with respect to volume of the resulting droplets (i.e., the volume of the resulting droplets can be the same or different) or number of resulting droplets (the number of resulting droplets may be 2, 3, 4, 5 or more). the term “mixing” refers to droplet operations which result in more homogenous distribution of one or more components within a droplet. examples of “loading” droplet operations includes but is not limited to microdialysis loading, pressure assisted loading, robotic loading, passive loading, and pipette loading. droplet operations may be electrode-mediated. in some cases, droplet operations are further facilitated by the use of hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic regions on surfaces and/or by physical obstacles. unless otherwise indicated, the term “low-k” is intended to apply to materials having a dielectric constant (relative to vacuum) lower than 10. the term “high-k” is intended to apply to materials having a dielectric constant of 10, or greater than 10. “drive sequence” or “pulse sequence” denotes the entire voltage against time curve used to actuate a pixel in a microfluidic device. often, as illustrated below, such a sequence will comprise a plurality of elements; where a given element comprises application of a substantially constant voltage for a period of time), the elements may be called “voltage pulses” or “drive pulses”. the term “drive scheme” denotes a set of one or more drive sequences sufficient to effect one or more manipulations on one or more droplets in the course of a given droplet operation. unless stated otherwise, the term “frame” denotes a single update of all the pixel rows in a microfluidic device. “nucleic acid molecule” is the overall name for dna or rna, either single- or double-stranded, sense or antisense. such molecules are composed of nucleotides, which are the monomers made of three moieties: a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. if the sugar is a ribosyl, the polymer is rna (ribonucleic acid); if the sugar is derived from ribose as deoxyribose, the polymer is dna (deoxyribonucleic acid). nucleic acid molecules vary in length, ranging from oligonucleotides of about 10 to 25 nucleotides, which are commonly used in genetic testing, research, and forensics, to relatively long or very long prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes having sequences in the order of 1,000, 10,000 nucleotides or more. their nucleotide residues may either be all naturally occurring or at least in part chemically modified, for example to slow down in vivo degradation. modifications may be made to the molecule backbone, e.g. by introducing nucleoside organothiophosphate (ps) nucleotide residues. another modification that is useful for medical applications of nucleic acid molecules is 2′ sugar modifications. modifying the 2′ position sugar is believed to increase the effectiveness of therapeutic oligonucleotides by enhancing their target binding capabilities, specifically in antisense oligonucleotides therapies. two of the most commonly used modifications are 2′-o-methyl and the 2′-fluoro. when a liquid in any form (e.g., a droplet or a continuous body, whether moving or stationary) is described as being “on”, “at”, or “over” an electrode, array, matrix, or surface, such liquid could be either in direct contact with the electrode/array/matrix/surface, or could be in contact with one or more layers or films that are interposed between the liquid and the electrode/array/matrix/surface. when a droplet is described as being “in”, “on”, or “loaded on” a microfluidic device, it should be understood that the droplet is arranged on the device in a manner which facilitates using the device to conduct one or more droplet operations on the droplet, the droplet is arranged on the device in a manner which facilitates sensing of a property of or a signal from the droplet, and/or the droplet has been subjected to a droplet operation on the droplet actuator. “each,” when used in reference to a plurality of items, is intended to identify an individual item in the collection but does not necessarily refer to every item in the collection. exceptions can occur if explicit disclosure or context clearly dictates otherwise. although the terms “first”, “second”, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. these terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. for example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments. as used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. detailed description there are two main architectures of ewod digital microfluidic devices, i.e., open and closed systems. typically, both ewod configurations include a bottom plate featuring a stack of propulsion electrodes, an insulator dielectric layer, and a hydrophobic layer providing a working surface. however, closed systems also feature a top plate parallel to the bottom plate and including a top electrode serving as common counter electrode to all the propulsion electrodes. the top and bottom plates are provided in a spaced relationship defining a microfluidic region to permit droplet motion within the microfluidic region under application of propulsion voltages between the bottom electrode array and the top electrode. a droplet is placed on the working surface, and the electrodes, once actuated, can cause the droplet to deform and wet or de-wet from the surface depending on the applied voltage. when the electrode matrix of the device is being driven, each pixel of the dmf device receives a voltage pulse (i.e., a voltage differential between the two electrodes associated with that pixel) or temporal series of voltage pulses (i.e., a “waveform” or “drive sequence” or “driving sequence”) in order to effect a transition from one electrowetting state of the pixel to another. most of the literature reports on ewod involve so-called “segmented” devices, whereby ten to several hundred electrodes are directly driven with a controller. while segmented devices are easy to fabricate, the number of electrodes is limited by space and driving constraints and the devices need to be designed for specific applications. accordingly, it may prove relatively problematic to perform massive parallel assays, reactions, etc. in segmented devices. in comparison, “active matrix” devices (a.k.a. active matrix ewod, a.k.a. am-ewod) devices can have many thousands, hundreds of thousands or even millions of addressable electrodes and provide a general purpose panel that can be used for many different applications. the electrodes of an am-ewod are often switched by a transistor matrix, such as thin-film transistors (tfts), although electro-mechanical switches may also be used. tft-based thin film electronics may control the addressing of voltage pulses to an ewod array by using various circuit arrangements. tft arrays are highly desirable for this application, due to having thousands of addressable transistors, thereby allowing mass parallelization of droplet procedures. driver circuits may be integrated onto the am-ewod array substrate, and tft-based electronics are well suited to the am-ewod application. as seen above, traditional dmf systems rely on continuous actuation of droplets across the array, which over time can lead to unwanted electrochemical reactions. this in turn causes degradation of the dielectric layer stack overlaying the transistor matrix and often consisting of dielectric and/or hydrophobic materials. protecting against electrochemical degradation is a difficult task given the aqueous solvent, salts and acids of many of the dmf reagents and relatively high voltages applied in the device which fall usually in the range of ±15v to ±30v. in many segmented dmf devices reported in the literature, protecting the device against electrochemical degradation is accomplished with dielectric layers typically hundreds of nanometers in thickness and usually made of alumina, silica, parylene or other common dielectrics. in such segmented devices, the thickness of the dielectric causes a need for very high actuation potentials, in some cases in the order of hundreds of volts, to get proper actuation of droplets through the thick dielectric. however, the use of such high voltages is often not possible in conventional tft-based am-ewod devices because high voltage operation beyond the range of ±30v is apt to damage the tft circuitry. the need to keep actuation voltages within ±30v has led to the adoption of optimized structures based on thin layers of high dielectric constant (“κ” or “k”) materials which lower the voltages to actuate droplets on the dmf device. the use of advanced high quality deposition techniques like atomic layer deposition (ald) may help enable the manufacturing of thin, high-k dielectric layers capable of protecting the dmf device from electrochemical degradation. however, the aforementioned layer fabrication techniques are often very costly to implement and suffer from low manufacturing outputs. the present disclosure provides novel and improved multi-layer dielectric stacks that combine high performance with resistance to electrochemical degradation. the dielectric stacks find use, for example, in tft-based dmf devices. included in the stacks are one or more layers of comparatively low dielectric constant, which provide better protection against electrical breakdown, in combination with one or more high dielectric constant layers for improving performance. without being bound to any particular theory, it is believed that the presence of alternating multiple layers of dielectric constant, for example, a layer of low dielectric constant followed by a layer of high dielectric constant, followed by a layer of low dielectric constant and so on minimizes the likelihood of pinholes forming throughout the entire thickness of the stack while operating at higher voltages and/or corrosive solutions. manufacturing the multi-layer dielectric stacks may be carried out with relatively costly and time-consuming deposition techniques where a high-performing and long-lasting dmf device is used. conversely, higher output layer deposition processes may be used where long-term performance is less important and manufacturing costs are of greater concern. in sum, the dielectric stacks of the present application may be adapted to strike an optimal balance between expected results and operating expenses. the benefits of high k dielectric materials are appreciated in the fields of materials science and electrical engineering. the dielectric constant, k, generally describes a material's ability to store electrical energy in an electric field. in general, as the dielectric constant of a material increases, the amount of an electric field that passes through that material lessens. thus, high dielectric-constant materials are used to even out electric fields and prevent concentrated electric field gradients, which can, for example, cause unwanted electrical switching of electrical elements such as transistors. the continuity of a dielectric layer is quite important because variations in thickness or composition can create pathways for short circuits and breakdowns. dmf devices before proceeding further, it is desirable to illustrate the structure of a conventional dmf device. fig. 1a shows a diagrammatic cross-section of a cell 100 in an example conventional closed ewod device where droplet 104 is surrounded on the sides by carrier fluid 102 and sandwiched between top hydrophobic layer 107 and bottom hydrophobic layer 110 . propulsion electrodes 105 can be directly driven or switched by transistor arrays arranged to be driven with data (source) and gate (select) lines resulting in what is known as active matrix (am) ewod. dielectric stack 108 is placed between electrodes 105 and bottom hydrophobic layer 110 . cell spacing is usually in the range of about 50 microns (μm) to about 500 μm. there are two main modes of driving closed system ewods: “dc top plane” and “top plane switching (tps)”. fig. 1b illustrates ewod operation in dc top plane mode, where the top plane electrode 106 is set to a potential of zero volts, for example by grounding. as a result, the potential applied across the cell 100 is the voltage on the active pixel, that is, pixel 101 having a different voltage to the top plane so that conductive droplets are attracted to the electrode. in active matrix tft devices, this limits pixel driving voltages in the ewod cell 100 to about ±15 v because in commonly used amorphous silicon (a-si) tfts the maximum voltage is in the range from about 15 v to about 20 v due to tft electrical instabilities under high voltage operation. fig. 1c shows driving the cell 100 with tps, in which case the driving voltage is doubled to ±30 v by powering the top electrode out of phase with active pixels, such that the top plane voltage is additional to the voltage supplied by the tft. amorphous silicon tft plates usually have one transistor per pixel, although configurations having two or more transistors are also contemplated. as illustrated in in fig. 1d , the transistor is connected to a gate line, a source line (also known as “data line”), and a propulsion electrode. when there is large enough positive voltage on the tft gate then there is low impedance between the source line and pixel (vg “on”), so the voltage on the source line is transferred to the electrode of the pixel. when there is a negative voltage on the tft gate then the tft is high impedance and voltage is stored on the pixel storage capacitor and not affected by the voltage on the source line as the other pixels are addressed (vg “off”). if no movement is needed, or if a droplet is meant to move away from a propulsion electrode, then 0 v, that is, no voltage differential relative to the top plate, is present on the pixel electrode. ideally, the tft should act as a digital switch. in practice, there is still a certain amount of resistance when the tft is in the “on” setting, so the pixel takes time to charge. additionally, voltage can leak from vs to vp when the tft is in the “off” setting, causing cross-talk. increasing the capacitance of the storage capacitor reduces cross-talk, but at the cost of rendering the pixels harder to charge. the drivers of a tft array receive instructions relating to droplet operations from a processing unit. the processing unit may be, for example, a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, personal computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus providing processing capabilities, such as storing, interpreting, and/or executing software instructions, as well as controlling the overall operation of the device. the processing unit is coupled to a memory which includes programmable instructions to direct the processing unit to perform various operations, such as, but not limited to, providing the tft drivers with input instructions directing them to generate electrode drive signals in accordance with embodiments herein. the memory may be physically located in the dmf device or in a computer or computer system which is interfaced to the device and hold programs and data that are part of a working set of one or more tasks being performed by the device. for example, the memory may store programmable instructions to carry out the drive schemes described in connection with a set of droplet operations. the processing unit executes the programmable instructions to generate control inputs that are delivered to the drivers to implement one or more drive schemes associated with a given droplet operation. fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of an exemplary tft backplane controlling droplet operations in an am-ewod propulsion electrode array. in this configuration, the elements of the ewod device are arranged in the form of a matrix as defined by the source lines and the gate lines of the tft array. the source line drivers provide the source levels corresponding to a droplet operation. the gate line drivers provide the signals for opening the transistor gates of electrodes which are to be actuated in the course of the operation. fig. 2 shows the signal lines for those data lines and gate lines shown in the figure. the gate line drivers may be integrated in a single integrated circuit. similarly, the data line drivers may be integrated in a single integrated circuit. the integrated circuit may include the complete gate and source driver assemblies together with a controller. commercially available controller/driver chips include those commercialized by ultrachip inc. (san jose, calif.), such as uc8120; uc8130 uc8124; uc8137; uc8142; uc8143; uc8151; uc8152; uc8154; uc8155; uc8157; uc8176; uc8159; uc8111; uc8112; uc8113; uc8118; uc8119 as well as those available from solomon systech (hong kong), including ssd1633; ssd1681; ssd1675b; ssd1680/80a; ssd1619a; ssd1683; spd1656; ssd1677; and ssd1603. the matrix of fig. 2 is made of 1024 source lines and a total of 768 gate lines, although either number may change to suit the size and spatial resolution of the dmf device. each element of the matrix contains a tft of the type illustrated in fig. 1d for controlling the potential of a corresponding pixel electrode, and each tft is connected to one of the gate lines and one of the source lines. improved dielectric layer stacks in some embodiments, provided herein is a dielectric stack having a multi-layered structure which features a plurality of layers of alternating materials having different dielectric constants, for example, low dielectric constant or high dielectric constant to achieve an optimized balance between high dmf device performance and long lifetime. in this context, protecting the device against degradation and the successful execution of dmf operations. a stack according to some embodiments taught herein includes two or more “dielectric pairs” where each pair features two adjacent dielectric layers. the two dielectric layers of a dielectric pair are directly adjacent, although additional intervening layers or coatings may also be present when desired. the first layer of a dielectric pair includes a first material characterized by a first dielectric constant while the second layer includes a second material having a second dielectric constant, where the second dielectric constant is higher than the first dielectric constant. as such, for the purposes of this disclosure, the first layer may be classified as a “low-k” layer, where k 11 represents its dielectric constant, and the second layer may be referred to as a “high-k” material characterized by a second dielectric constant k 12 , where k 12 >k 11 . the second dielectric pair includes a layer of dielectric constant k 21 and a layer of dielectric constant k 22 , where k 22 >k 21 . more generally, each successive dielectric pair may be labeled with a natural number “m”, where k m1 is the dielectric constant of the low-k layer of the m th dielectric pair and k m2 is the dielectric constant of the high-k layer of the m th dielectric pair, such that k m2 >k m1 . in a dielectric stack featuring a total of “n” dielectric pairs, each pair may be labeled in ascending order from first (m=1) to last (m=n). the thickness of each individual layer is categorized in a similar fashion, whereby the thickness of the first layer of the m th dielectric pair is labeled as “t m-1 ” while the thickness of the second layer of the m th dielectric pair is labeled as “t m-2 ”. the thickness of a layer or dielectric pair may be measured along the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the glass substrate, as exemplified by axis 30 in fig. 3 . still referring to fig. 3 , the multi-layer dielectric stack 32 illustrated therein features a total of four dielectric pairs (n=4) which are spatially arranged to form the stack covering a glass substrate with tft-driven electrode array 34 . a first, thicker dielectric pair 36 (m=1) is composed a low-k first layer 311 and a high-k second layer 312 . layers 311 and 312 are about equal in thickness such that ratio t 12 :t 11 is about 1:1, although variations spanning a range from about 0.5:1 to about 1.5:1 or from about 0.75:1 to about 1.25:1 are contemplated. first dielectric pair 31 is the thickest in the structure and accounts for about half the overall thickness of the dielectric stack. second dielectric pair 33 (m=2), third dielectric pair 35 (m=3), and fourth dielectric pair 37 (m=4) are all thinner than first dielectric pair 31 . as outlined above, each of the second, third, and fourth dielectric pairs includes a low-k layer of thickness t m-1 and a high-k layer of thickness t m-2 . however, and unlike in the first dielectric couple, the relative thicknesses of the layers are such that t m-2 :t m-1 is equal to about 5:1 for m=2, 3, or 4. accordingly, the layers of stack 32 may be characterized as set out in table 1. in the table, each layer is labeled with a code as outlined above, e.g., the first layer of the first pair is labeled “1-1”, the second layer of the second pair is labeled “1-2”, and so on: table 1relativethicknesslayerlayer code(% of stack total)dielectric pair 31, first layer 3111-1~25%dielectric pair 31, second layer 3121-2~25%dielectric pair 33, first layer2-1~2.6%dielectric pair 33, second layer2-2~14%dielectric pair 35, first layer3-1~2.6%dielectric pair 35, second layer3-2~14%dielectric pair 37, first layer4-1~2.6%dielectric pair 37, second layer4-2~14% there is no theoretical limit to number the number of thinner dielectric pairs in a stack (that is, n−1). ald techniques allow for the deposition of nearly atom-thin layers, the only requirement being that a layer be of sufficient thickness to achieve a satisfactory level of uniformity and the absence of patches. in exemplary embodiments, the number of thinner dielectric pairs may be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, or even higher. moreover, the ratio t m-2 :t m-1 in a thinner dielectric pair may be greater than or less than about 5:1. in one embodiment, the ratio may fall in the range from about 2:1 to about 10:1 or, more specifically, in the range from about 2:1 to about 8:1, from about 3:1 to about 8:1, from about 4:1 to about 6:1, or from about 4.5:1 to about 5.5:1. the overall thickness of the stack is typically between about 100 nm to about 300 nm, but other values may be acceptable to achieve the desired level of performance and stack corrosion resistance. the multi-layer stack may be created with the formation of alternating layers of low-k materials and high-k materials by atomic layer deposition (ald) techniques which are especially suited to the fabrication of high-quality layers. if lowering manufacturing costs is the priority, industrial vapor deposition methods may be applied. the embodiment in the diagram of fig. 3 illustrates first, thicker dielectric pair 31 at the bottom of the stack. however, different arrangements are acceptable, for example those where one or more of 33 , 35 , and 37 are on opposite sides of 31 or where 31 is the topmost dielectric pair. moreover, fig. 3 depicts each low-k layer at the bottom of its respective dielectric pair, but other configurations where in one or more pairs the low-k is at the top of its dielectric pair are also contemplated. in the initial step of ald, a substrate is provided upon which the dielectric stack will be coated. the substrate is often cleaned prior to coating, for example with ethanol or isopropyl alcohol. the substrate may be any material, provided that the material is stable during the atomic layer deposition (ald) and sputtering steps described below. for example, the substrate may be a printed circuit board, coated glass, such as ito-coated glass, or an active matrix tft backplane microfabricated on glass or other substrate material. the next step is to deposit the first layer upon the substrate using atomic layer deposition, typically plasma-assisted ald or (thermal) water-vapor assisted ald. for example, a first layer of aluminum oxide may be fabricated using trimethylaluminum (al(ch 3 ) 3 ) or ta[(n(ch 3 ) 2 ) 3 nc(ch 3 ) 3 ] in conjunction with oxygen plasma at around 180° c. substrate temperature and low pressure (less than 100 mbar). alternatively, a layer of aluminum oxide may be deposited using a trimethylaluminum-water process. the atomic layer deposition may be done at a rate of greater than 0.1 nm/min, e.g., 0.2 nm/min or greater. the final thickness of aluminum oxide or a hafnium oxide is typically between 9 nm and 80 nm thick. details of these ald process are described by bent and co-workers in “a brief review of atomic layer deposition: from fundamentals to applications,” materials today , (2014), vol. 17, no. 5, p. 236-46, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. in some embodiments, the high performance dielectric stack of fig. 3 , the low-k material is alumina (al 2 o 3 ), the high-k material is hafnium oxide (hfo 2 ). the targeted total thickness is about 200 nm, such that the thickness of each layer is as set out in table 2: table 2layer thicknesslayerlayer code(nm)dielectric pair 31, first layer 3111-150dielectric pair 31, second layer 3121-250dielectric pair 33, first layer2-15dielectric pair 33, second layer2-228dielectric pair 35, first layer3-15dielectric pair 35, second layer3-228dielectric pair 37, first layer4-15dielectric pair 37, second layer4-228 the choice of alumina as the low-k dielectric is partially due to the availability and ease of use in ald deposition combined with its relatively high dielectric breakdown strength. other materials for low-k dielectric include silica (sio 2 ) and silicon nitride (si 3 n 4 ). hafnium oxide is chosen primarily for its combination of high dielectric constant and biocompatibility. other suitable high-k dielectrics include tantalum oxide (ta 2 o 5 ), zirconium oxide (zro 2 ), and lanthanum oxide (la 2 o 5 ). to provide comprehensive protection for the tft, the stack may be completed by one or multiple polymeric and hydrophobic layers, for example a silane adhesion promoter film on which a protective coating is applied. protective coatings include polymeric materials deposited on electronic circuits and other equipment as electrical insulation, moisture barriers, and protection against corrosion and chemical attack. common protective materials include parylenes, a family of polymers whose backbone consists of para-benzenediyl rings —c 6 h 4 — connected by 1,2-ethanediyl bridges —ch 2 —ch 2 —. “parylene n” is the unsubstituted polymer obtained by polymerization of the para-xylylene precursor. derivatives of parylene may be obtained by replacing hydrogen atoms on the phenyl ring or the aliphatic bridge by other functional groups. the most common of these variants is “parylene c” which has one hydrogen atom in an aryl ring replaced by chlorine. another common halogenated variant is “parylene af-4”, with the four hydrogen atoms on the aliphatic chain replaced by fluorine atoms. parylene layers may be formed by methods well-known to those of skill in the art, for example chemical vapor deposition (cvd). the protective coating may in turn be covered with a hydrophobic, chemically inert top layer which forms the bottom surface of the microfluidic space. in some embodiments, the surface layer materials include fluorinated and perfluorinated polymers, e.g., teflon af, fluorinated polysiloxanes, the family of fluoropolymers commercially available under the trade name cytop™ (agc chemicals company, japan), and the perfluoroalkyl polymers that are marketed under the brand name fluoropel™ (cytonix, md.). in some embodiments, there is provided a dielectric stack suited to instances where containing manufacturing costs is afforded higher priority and comparatively inexpensive, high-volume dielectric deposition processes are preferred. for devices whose long-term performance is of lesser importance and/or instances where the use of corrosive substances is not contemplated, a large portion of the dielectric stack may be formed with less costly materials and through inexpensive, high-volume dielectric deposition processes like plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (pecvd). more complex and costly high-quality deposition techniques like ald may be used to fabricate a smaller portion of the stack. the smaller portion may take the form of one the aforementioned thinner dielectric pairs that are characterized by a t m-2 :t m-1 ratio that is equal to about 5:1. in one embodiment, the ratio may fall in the range from about 2:1 to about 10:1 or, more specifically, in the range from about 3:1 to about 8:1, from about 4:1 to about 6:1, or from about 4.5:1 to about 5.5:1. this combined approach may help prevent the formation of pinholes but also substantially reduces costs and deposition times while increasing production output. in some embodiments, the dielectric stack has a total thickness from about 70 nm to about 300 nm. fig. 4 schematically illustrates a construct 40 according to some embodiments of the present application. a relatively thick first layer 44 is deposited with a low-cost technique, for example plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (pecvd), on glass substrate with tft array 42 . the first layer 44 makes up at least half of the dielectric stack thickness and is formed of a low-k material such as silicon nitride (si 3 n 4 ) which typically takes only minutes to form by pecvd. then, dielectric pair 46 is formed over first layer 44 . the dielectric pair is composed of low-k first layer 461 having thickness t l and high-k second layer 462 having thickness t h . the ratio t h :t l is typically equal to about 5:1. both layers of the dielectric pair are formed with a slower, high-quality deposition method such as ald. in one embodiment, layer 461 may be made of alumina or silica, while layer 462 may be made of hafnium oxide. in some embodiments, the present application provides a simplified dielectric stack for a disposable device that is meant to perform for a short duration of time. as costs and manufacturing output may be factors, the dielectric stack includes a first relatively thick low-k dielectric layer that is formed with an industrial vapor deposition process like pecvd. a thinner second layer of a high-k material is deposited on the first layer with a higher-quality deposition process such as ald, to form a simple, two-layer stack having a total thickness from about 70 nm to about 300 nm. fig. 5 schematically illustrates a construct 50 according to some embodiments of the present application. a glass substrate with a tft array 52 is first subjected to the deposition of a low-k dielectric layer 54 by pecvd. then, a thinner, high-k dielectric layer containing hafnium oxide 56 is formed by ald. this combined approach may help prevent the formation of pinholes but also substantially reduces costs and deposition times while increasing production output. in one embodiment, the ratio t l :t h is equal to about 5:1, where t l is the thickness of the low-k dielectric layer and t h is the thickness of the high-k dielectric layer. however, the ratio may fall in the range from about 2:1 to about 10:1 or, more specifically, in the range from about 3:1 to about 8:1, from about 4:1 to about 6:1, or from about 4.5:1 to about 5.5:1. in some embodiments, the dielectric stack has a total thickness from about 70 nm to about 300 nm. the stack may completed with single or multiple polymer and/or hydrophobic layers for further protection. in one embodiment, there may one or more polymer dielectric layers over the dielectric stack which are then covered with a hydrophobic layer. alternatively, there may be just a single hydrophobic layer on top of the dielectric stack. in one example, the stack is covered with a film of silane adhesion promoter on which a layer of protective coating, e.g., parylene c, is formed. as disclosed above, the protective coating may in turn be covered with a hydrophobic, chemically inert outer layer which forms the bottom surface of the microfluidic space, for example teflon, fluorinated polysiloxanes, cytop™, or fluoropel™. in addition to the hydrophobic outer layer, a material like parylene af-4 or parylene ht may serve as added protection and as outer hydrophobic layer both included in a single layer. in some embodiments where the high-k dielectric is not included, the adhesion and polymeric layers provide all of the additional protection for the device in addition to the relatively thick low-k dielectric layer. fig. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device that can be used to perform one or more steps of the methods provided by exemplary embodiments. the computing device 600 includes one or more non-transitory computer-readable media for storing one or more computer-executable instructions or software for implementing exemplary embodiments. the non-transitory computer-readable media can include, but are not limited to, one or more types of hardware memory, non-transitory tangible media (for example, one or more magnetic storage disks, one or more optical disks, one or more usb flashdrives), and the like. for example, memory 606 included in the computing device 600 can store computer-readable and computer-executable instructions or software for implementing exemplary embodiments. the computing device 600 also includes processor 602 and associated core 604 , and optionally, one or more additional processor(s) 602 ′ and associated core(s) 604 ′ (for example, in the case of computer systems having multiple processors/cores), for executing computer-readable and computer-executable instructions or software stored in the memory 606 and other programs for controlling system hardware. processor 602 and processor(s) 602 ′ can each be a single core processor or multiple core ( 604 and 604 ′) processor. the computing device 600 also includes a graphics processing unit (gpu) 605 . in some embodiments, the computing device 600 includes multiple gpus. virtualization can be employed in the computing device 600 so that infrastructure and resources in the computing device can be shared dynamically. a virtual machine 614 can be provided to handle a process running on multiple processors so that the process appears to be using only one computing resource rather than multiple computing resources. multiple virtual machines can also be used with one processor. memory 606 can include a computer system memory or random access memory, such as dram, sram, edo ram, and the like. memory 606 can include other types of memory as well, or combinations thereof. a user can interact with the computing device 600 through a visual display device 618 , such as a touch screen display or computer monitor, which can display one or more user interfaces 619 . the visual display device 618 can also display other aspects, elements and/or information or data associated with exemplary embodiments. the computing device 600 can include other i/o devices for receiving input from a user, for example, a keyboard or any suitable multi-point touch interface 608 , a pointing device 610 (e.g., a pen, stylus, mouse, or trackpad). the keyboard 608 and the pointing device 610 can be coupled to the visual display device 618 . the computing device 600 can include other suitable conventional i/o peripherals. the computing device 600 can also include one or more storage devices 624 , such as a hard-drive, cd-rom, or other computer readable media, for storing data and computer-readable instructions and/or software that implements exemplary embodiments of the notification system as described herein, or portions thereof, which can be executed to generate user interface 619 on display 618 . exemplary storage device 624 can also store one or more databases for storing any suitable information required to implement exemplary embodiments. the databases can be updated by a user or automatically at any suitable time to add, delete or update one or more items in the databases. exemplary storage device 624 can store one or more databases 626 for storing provisioned data, and other data/information used to implement exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods described herein. the computing device 600 can include a network interface 612 configured to interface via one or more network devices 622 with one or more networks, for example, local area network (lan), wide area network (wan) or the internet through a variety of connections including, but not limited to, standard telephone lines, lan or wan links (for example, 802.11, t1, t3, 56 kb, x.25), broadband connections (for example, isdn, frame relay, atm), wireless connections, controller area network (can), or some combination of any or all of the above. the network interface 612 can include a built-in network adapter, network interface card, pcmcia network card, card bus network adapter, wireless network adapter, usb network adapter, modem or any other device suitable for interfacing the computing device 600 to any type of network capable of communication and performing the operations described herein. moreover, the computing device 600 can be any computer system, such as a workstation, desktop computer, server, laptop, handheld computer, tablet computer (e.g., the ipad® tablet computer), mobile computing or communication device (e.g., the iphone® communication device), or other form of computing or telecommunications device that is capable of communication and that has sufficient processor power and memory capacity to perform the operations described herein. the computing device 600 can run any operating system 616 , such as any of the versions of the microsoft® windows® operating systems, the different releases of the unix and linux operating systems, any version of the macos® for macintosh computers, any embedded operating system, any real-time operating system, any open source operating system, any proprietary operating system, any operating systems for mobile computing devices, or any other operating system capable of running on the computing device and performing the operations described herein. in exemplary embodiments, the operating system 616 can be run in native mode or emulated mode. in an exemplary embodiment, the operating system 616 can be run on one or more cloud machine instances. in describing exemplary embodiments, specific terminology is used for the sake of clarity. for purposes of description, each specific term is intended to at least include all technical and functional equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. additionally, in some instances where a particular exemplary embodiment includes multiple system elements, device components or method steps, those elements, components or steps may be replaced with a single element, component or step. likewise, a single element, component or step may be replaced with multiple elements, components or steps that serve the same purpose. moreover, while exemplary embodiments have been shown and described with references to particular embodiments thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various substitutions and alterations in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. further still, other embodiments, functions and advantages are also within the scope of the present disclosure. it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous changes and modifications can be made in the embodiments of the technology described herein without departing from the scope of the invention. accordingly, the whole of the foregoing description is to be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limitative sense. the functional aspects described herein that are implemented on a processing unit, as will be understood from the teachings hereinabove, may be implemented or accomplished using any appropriate implementation environment or programming language, such as c, c++, cobol, pascal, java, java-script, html, xml, dhtml, assembly or machine code programming, and the like. all of the contents of the aforementioned patents and applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. in the event of any inconsistency between the content of this application and any of the patents and applications incorporated by reference herein, the content of this application shall control to the extent necessary to resolve such inconsistency.
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137-693-380-880-161
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JP
|
[
"JP",
"KR",
"TW",
"US"
] |
H01L27/146,H01L29/786,H01L21/336,H01L21/8234,H01L21/8238,H01L27/06,H01L27/088,H01L27/092,H04N5/369,H04N5/374,H01L29/41,H01L29/82
| 2014-04-23T00:00:00 |
2014
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[
"H01",
"H04"
] |
imaging device
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to provide an imaging device having high imaging quality and capable of being manufactured at low cost.solution: an imaging device comprises a first circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, and a second circuit including the second transistor and a photodiode. the first transistor is provided on a first surface of a silicon substrate. the second transistor is provided on the first surface of the silicon substrate via a first insulating layer. the silicon substrate includes a second insulating layer. the second insulating layer is provided so as to surround a side surface of the photodiode. the first transistor is a p-ch type transistor including an active region on the silicon substrate. the second transistor is an n-ch type transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer as an active layer. a light-receiving surface of the photodiode is provided on a surface on the side opposite to the first surface of the silicon substrate.selected drawing: figure 1
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1. a semiconductor device comprising: a first circuit over a first surface of a silicon substrate, the first circuit comprising a first transistor and a second transistor; a second circuit comprising a photodiode in the silicon substrate and a third transistor; and a light-controlling layer in the silicon substrate, wherein: the first transistor includes an active region in the silicon substrate; the photodiode includes a first electrode and a second electrode in the silicon substrate; the light-controlling layer surrounds a side surface of the photodiode; an insulating layer is over the first transistor and the photodiode; the second transistor and the third transistor are over the insulating layer; each of the first to third transistors comprises a gate, a first terminal, and a second terminal; the first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the second transistor; the first electrode of the photodiode is electrically connected to the first terminal of the third transistor; the gate of the third transistor overlaps with the photodiode in a direction which is perpendicular to the first surface of the silicon substrate; and the photodiode does not overlap with the first transistor in the direction which is perpendicular to the first surface of the silicon substrate. 2. the semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first transistor is a p-channel transistor. 3. the semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the third transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. 4. the semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. 5. the semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the light-controlling layer comprises an insulator. 6. the semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a light-receiving surface of the photodiode is a second surface of the silicon substrate, which is opposite to the first surface, and wherein the second electrode is on a side of the second surface of the silicon substrate. 7. the semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a metal passes through the light-controlling layer. 8. an imaging device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 1 . 9. an electronic device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 1 . 10. a semiconductor device comprising: a first circuit over a first surface of a silicon substrate, the first circuit comprising a first transistor and a second transistor; a second circuit comprising a photodiode in the silicon substrate, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, and a fifth transistor; and a light-controlling layer in the silicon substrate, wherein: the first transistor includes an active region in the silicon substrate; the photodiode includes a first electrode and a second electrode in the silicon substrate; the light-controlling layer surrounds a side surface of the photodiode; an insulating layer is over the first transistor and the photodiode; the second transistor and the third transistor are over the insulating layer; each of the first to fifth transistors comprises a gate, a first terminal, and a second terminal; the gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the gate of the second transistor; the first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the second transistor; the first electrode of the photodiode is electrically connected to the first terminal of the third transistor; the second terminal of the third transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the fourth transistor and the gate of the fifth transistor; and the gate of the third transistor overlaps with the photodiode in a direction which is perpendicular to the first surface of the silicon substrate; and the photodiode does not overlap with the first transistor in the direction which is perpendicular to the first surface of the silicon substrate. 11. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein the second circuit further comprises a sixth transistor having a gate, a first terminal, and a second terminal, and wherein the first terminal of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal of the sixth transistor. 12. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein the first transistor is a p-channel transistor. 13. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein the third transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. 14. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein the second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. 15. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein the fourth transistor and the fifth transistor each include an oxide semiconductor. 16. the semiconductor device according to claim 11 , wherein the sixth transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. 17. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein the light-controlling layer comprises an insulator. 18. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein a light-receiving surface of the photodiode is a second surface of the silicon substrate, which is opposite to the first surface, and wherein the second electrode is on a side of the second surface of the silicon substrate. 19. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein a metal passes through the light-controlling layer. 20. an imaging device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 10 . 21. an electronic device comprising the semiconductor device according to claim 10 . 22. the semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the light-controlling layer does not overlap with the third transistor in the direction which is perpendicular to the first surface of the silicon substrate. 23. the semiconductor device according to claim 10 , wherein the light-controlling layer does not overlap with the third transistor in the direction which is perpendicular to the first surface of the silicon substrate.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention one embodiment of the present invention relates to an imaging device including an oxide semiconductor. note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above technical field. specifically, examples of the technical field of one embodiment of the present invention disclosed in this specification include a semiconductor device, a display device, a method for driving any of them, and a method for manufacturing any of them. in this specification and the like, a semiconductor device generally means a device that can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics. a transistor and a semiconductor circuit are embodiments of semiconductor devices. a storage device, a display device, an imaging device, or an electronic appliance includes a semiconductor device. 2. description of the related art a technique to form transistors by using semiconductor thin films formed over a substrate having an insulating surface has been attracting attention. the transistor is used in a wide range of electronic devices such as an integrated circuit (ic) or an image display device (also simply referred to as a display device). as semiconductor thin films applicable to the transistors, silicon-based semiconductor materials have been widely used, and oxide semiconductors have been attracting attention as alternative materials. for example, a technique for forming a transistor using zinc oxide or an in—ga—zn-based oxide semiconductor as an oxide semiconductor is disclosed (see patent documents 1 and 2). patent document 3 discloses that a transistor including an oxide semiconductor and having an extremely low off-state current is used in at least part of a pixel circuit and a transistor including a silicon semiconductor with which a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (cmos) circuit can be formed is used in a peripheral circuit, whereby an imaging device with high speed operation and low power consumption can be manufactured. reference patent document [patent document 1] japanese published patent application no. 2007-123861 [patent document 2] japanese published patent application no. 2007-096055 [patent document 3] japanese published patent application no. 2011-119711 summary of the invention in view of the usage in various environments, imaging devices are required to have the capability of capturing high quality images even in a low illuminance environment and in the case of capturing an image of a moving subject. furthermore, an imaging device which satisfies the requirement and can be formed at a lower cost is demanded. therefore, an object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an imaging device capable of capturing an image under a low illuminance condition. another object is to provide an imaging device with a wide dynamic range. another object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an imaging device with high resolution. another object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a highly integrated imaging device. another object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an imaging device which can be used in a wide temperature range. another object is to provide an imaging device that is suitable for high-speed operation. another object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an imaging device with low power consumption. another object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an imaging device with a high aperture ratio. another object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an imaging device formed at low cost. another object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide an imaging device with high reliability. note that the descriptions of these objects do not disturb the existence of other objects. in one embodiment of the present invention, there is no need to achieve all the objects. other objects will be apparent from and can be derived from the description of the specification, the drawings, the claims, and the like. one embodiment of the present invention relates to an imaging device including a pixel circuit including a transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor, a photoelectric conversion element formed using silicon, and a peripheral circuit including a transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor and a transistor formed using silicon. one embodiment of the present invention is an imaging device including a first circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, and a second circuit including a third transistor and a photodiode. the first transistor is provided over a first surface of a silicon substrate; the photodiode is provided to the silicon substrate, the second transistor is provided over the first transistor; the silicon substrate includes a first insulating layer; the first insulating layer surrounds a side surface of the photodiode; the first transistor is a p-channel transistor; the first transistor includes an active region in the silicon substrate; the second transistor and the third transistor is an n-channel transistor; active layers of the second transistor and the third transistor each include an oxide semiconductor; and a light-receiving surface of the photodiode is a surface of the silicon substrate opposite to the first surface. the first transistor and the second transistor can form a cmos circuit. the second circuit may further include fourth to sixth transistors; the fourth to sixth transistors are n-channel transistors; active layers of the fourth to sixth transistors include an oxide semiconductor; one of a source and a drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to an anode or a cathode of the photodiode; the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the fourth transistor; the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the fifth transistor; and one of a source and a drain of the fifth transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the sixth transistor. the oxide semiconductor layer preferably includes in, zn, and m (m is al, ti, ga, sn, y, zr, la, ce, nd, or hf). the plane orientation of a crystal in the first surface of the silicon substrate is preferably (110). according to one embodiment of the present invention, an imaging device capable of taking an image under low illuminance can be provided. an imaging device with a wide dynamic range can be provided. an imaging device with high resolution can be provided. a highly integrated imaging device can be provided. an imaging device which can be used in a wide temperature range can be provided. an imaging device that is suitable for high-speed operation can be provided. an imaging device with low power consumption can be provided. an imaging device with a high aperture ratio can be provided. an imaging device which is formed at low cost can be provided. an imaging device with high reliability can be provided. note that the description of these effects does not disturb the existence of other effects. one embodiment of the present invention does not necessarily achieve all the effects listed above. other effects will be apparent from and can be derived from the description of the specification, the drawings, the claims, and the like. brief description of the drawings figs. 1a to 1c are a cross-sectional view and circuit diagrams illustrating an imaging device. figs. 2a and 2b are cross-sectional views of an imaging device. figs. 3a and 3b illustrate the structure of an imaging device. figs. 4a and 4b illustrate driver circuits of an imaging device. figs. 5a and 5b each illustrate a configuration of a pixel circuit. figs. 6a to 6c are timing charts showing the operation of a pixel circuit. figs. 7a and 7b each illustrate a configuration of a pixel circuit. figs. 8a and 8b each illustrate a configuration of a pixel circuit. figs. 9a and 9b each illustrate a configuration of a pixel circuit. figs. 10a to 10c each illustrate an integrator circuit. fig. 11 illustrates a configuration of a pixel circuit. fig. 12 illustrates a configuration of a pixel circuit. fig. 13 illustrates a configuration of a pixel circuit. fig. 14 illustrates a configuration of a pixel circuit. figs. 15a to 15d illustrate a configuration of a pixel circuit. figs. 16a and 16b are timing charts illustrating the operations in a global shutter system and a rolling shutter system, respectively. figs. 17a and 17b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 18a and 18b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 19a and 19b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 20a and 20b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 21a and 21b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 22a and 22b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 23a and 23b each illustrate a cross section of a transistor in the channel width direction. figs. 24a to 24c each illustrate a cross section of a transistor in the channel length direction. figs. 25a to 25c each illustrate a cross section of a transistor in the channel length direction. figs. 26a and 26b each illustrate a cross section of a transistor in the channel width direction. figs. 27a to 27c are a top view and cross-sectional views illustrating a semiconductor layer. figs. 28a to 28c are a top view and cross-sectional views illustrating a semiconductor layer. figs. 29a and 29b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 30a and 30b are a top view and a cross-sectional views illustrating a transistor. figs. 31a and 31b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 32a and 32b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 33a and 33b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 34a and 34b are a top view and a cross sectional view illustrating a transistor. figs. 35a and 35b each illustrate a cross section of a transistor in the channel width direction. figs. 36a to 36c each illustrate a cross section of a transistor in the channel length direction. figs. 37a to 37c each illustrate a cross section of a transistor in the channel length direction. figs. 38a and 38b each illustrate a cross section of a transistor in the channel width direction. figs. 39a and 39b are each a top view illustrating a transistor. figs. 40a to 40c illustrate a method for manufacturing a transistor. figs. 41a to 41c illustrate a method for manufacturing a transistor. figs. 42a to 42c illustrate a method for manufacturing a transistor. figs. 43a to 43c illustrate a method for manufacturing a transistor. fig. 44a is a cross-sectional view of a transistor, and figs. 44b and 44c are band diagrams of the transistor. fig. 45 shows a calculation model. figs. 46a and 46b show an initial state and a final state, respectively. fig. 47 shows an activation barrier. figs. 48a and 48b show an initial state and a final state, respectively. fig. 49 shows an activation barrier. fig. 50 shows the transition levels of voh. figs. 51a to 51f illustrate electronic appliances. figs. 52a to 52f are cross-sectional views each illustrating a transistor. figs. 53a to 53f are cross-sectional views each illustrating a transistor. figs. 54a to 54e are cross-sectional views each illustrating a transistor. fig. 55 shows an image processing engine of an imaging device. figs. 56a to 56d are cross-sectional views each illustrating an imaging device. figs. 57a to 57d are cross-sectional views each illustrating an imaging device. figs. 58a to 58d are cross-sectional views each illustrating an imaging device. figs. 59a to 59f are top views each illustrating a photodiode portion. figs. 60a to 60c are top views each illustrating a photodiode portion. figs. 61a and 61b are cross-sectional views each illustrating an imaging device. figs. 62a to 62d are top views illustrating an imaging device. detailed description of the invention embodiments will be described in detail with reference to drawings. note that the present invention is not limited to the following description and it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modes and details can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention. therefore, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of embodiments below. note that in structures of the present invention described below, the same portions or portions having similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals in different drawings, and description thereof is not repeated in some cases. it is also to be noted that the same components are denoted by different hatching patterns in different drawings, or the hatching patterns are omitted in some cases. note that in this specification and the like, when it is explicitly described that x and y are connected, the case where x and y are electrically connected, the case where x and y are functionally connected, and the case where x and y are directly connected are included therein. here, x and y each denote an object (e.g., a device, an element, a circuit, a line, an electrode, a terminal, a conductive film, a layer, or the like). accordingly, another element may be interposed between elements having a connection relation shown in drawings and texts, without limiting to a predetermined connection relation, for example, the connection relation shown in the drawings and the texts. for example, in the case where x and y are electrically connected, one or more elements that enable electrical connection between x and y (e.g., a switch, a transistor, a capacitor, an inductor, a resistor, a diode, a display element, a light-emitting element, or a load) can be connected between x and y. a switch is controlled to be on or off that is, a switch is conducting or not conducting (turned on or off) to determine whether current flows therethrough or not. alternatively, the switch has a function of selecting and changing a current path. for example, in the case where x and y are functionally connected, one or more circuits that enable functional connection between x and y (e.g., a logic circuit such as an inverter, a nand circuit, or a nor circuit; a signal converter circuit such as a da converter circuit, an ad converter circuit, or a gamma correction circuit; a potential level converter circuit such as a power supply circuit (e.g., a dc-dc converter, a step-up dc-dc converter, or a step-down dc-dc converter) or a level shifter circuit for changing the potential level of a signal; a voltage source; a current source; a switching circuit; an amplifier circuit such as a circuit that can increase signal amplitude, the amount of current, or the like, an operational amplifier, a differential amplifier circuit, a source follower circuit, or a buffer circuit; a signal generator circuit; a memory circuit; and/or a control circuit) can be connected between x and y. when a signal output from x is transmitted to y, it can be said that x and y are functionally connected even if another circuit is provided between x and y. note that when it is explicitly described that x and y are connected, the case where x and y are electrically connected (i.e., the case where x and y are connected with another element or another circuit positioned therebetween), the case where x and y are functionally connected (i.e., the case where x and y are functionally connected with another circuit positioned therebetween), and the case where x and y are directly connected (i.e., the case where x and y are connected without another element or another circuit positioned therebetween) are included therein. that is, when it is explicitly described that “x and y are electrically connected”, the description is the same as the case where it is explicitly only described that “a and b are connected”. even when independent components are electrically connected to each other in a circuit diagram, one component has functions of a plurality of components in some cases. for example, when part of a wiring also functions as an electrode, one conductive film functions as the wiring and the electrode. thus, “electrical connection” in this specification includes in its category such a case where one conductive film has functions of a plurality of components. note that, for example, the case where a source (or a first terminal or the like) of a transistor is electrically connected to x through (or not through) z1 and a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of the transistor is electrically connected to y through (or not through) z2, or the case where a source (or a first terminal or the like) of a transistor is directly connected to one part of z1 and another part of z1 is directly connected to x while a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of the transistor is directly connected to one part of z2 and another part of z2 is directly connected to y, can be expressed by using any of the following expressions. the expressions include, for example, “x, y, a source (or a first terminal or the like) of a transistor, and a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of the transistor are electrically connected to each other, and x the source (or the first terminal or the like) of the transistor, the drain (or the second terminal or the like) of the transistor, and y are electrically connected to each other in this order”, “a source (or a first terminal or the like) of a transistor is electrically connected to x a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of the transistor is electrically connected to y, and x the source (or the first terminal or the like) of the transistor, the drain (or the second terminal or the like) of the transistor, and y are electrically connected to each other in this order”, and “x is electrically connected to y through a source (or a first terminal or the like) and a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of a transistor, and x the source (or the first terminal or the like) of the transistor, the drain (or the second terminal or the like) of the transistor, and y are provided to be connected in this order”. when the connection order in a circuit configuration is defined by an expression similar to the above examples, a source (or a first terminal or the like) and a drain (or a second terminal or the like) of a transistor can be distinguished from each other to specify the technical scope. note that these expressions are examples and there is no limitation on the expressions. here, x, y, z1, and z2 each denote an object (e.g., a device, an element, a circuit, a wiring, an electrode, a terminal, a conductive film, and a layer). embodiment 1 in this embodiment, an imaging device that is one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to drawings. fig. 1a is a cross-sectional view illustrating a structure of the of one embodiment of the present invention. the imaging device in fig. 1a includes a transistor 51 including an active region in a silicon substrate 40 , transistors 52 and 53 each including an oxide semiconductor layer as an active layer, and a photodiode 60 provided in the silicon substrate 40 . each transistor and the photodiode 60 are electrically connected to wiring layers and conductors 70 embedded in insulating layers. an anode 61 of the photodiode 60 is electrically connected to the conductor 70 through a low-resistance region 63 . note that although the low-resistance region 63 can be formed by a p-type region obtained by adding an impurity to the silicon substrate 40 , a metal may be used instead, as illustrated in fig. 58a . alternatively, the low-resistance region 63 may have a structure in which the metal passes through the p-type region as illustrated in fig. 58b . note that the above-described electrical connection between the components is only an example. in addition, the same reference numeral is used for wirings, electrodes, and the like which are provided over the same surface or formed by the same process, and only a typical one is denoted by the reference numeral in the drawings. all the conductors embedded in the insulating layers are collectively denoted by the reference numeral 70 . although the wirings, the electrodes, and the conductors 70 are illustrated as independent components in the drawings, components that are electrically connected to each other in the drawings may be regarded as one component in an actual device. the imaging device includes a first layer 1100 including the transistor 51 provided on the silicon substrate 40 , and the photodiode 60 and a light-controlling layer 64 provided in the silicon substrate 40 ; a second layer 1200 including a wiring layer 71 and insulating layers 81 and 82 ; a third layer 1300 including the transistors 52 and 53 and an insulating layer 83 ; and a fourth layer 1400 including wiring layers 72 , wiring layers 73 , and insulating layers 84 and 85 . the first layer 1100 , the second layer 1200 , the third layer 1300 , and the fourth layer 1400 are stacked in this order. there are a case where one or more of the wirings are not provided and a case where another wiring or transistor is included in any of the layers. furthermore, another layer may be included in the stacked-layer structure. in addition, one or more of the layers are not included in some cases. the insulating layers 81 to 85 each function as an interlayer insulating film. the side surface of the photodiode 60 included in the first layer 1100 is surrounded by the light-controlling layer 64 . the light-controlling layer 64 also functions as an element separation layer between the photodiode and an adjacent photodiode. light passing through the light-receiving surface toward the side surface of the photodiode 60 is reflected or attenuated by the light-controlling layer 64 . thus, the light can be prevented from entering the photodiode 60 of an adjacent pixel, so that an image with little noise can be obtained. a material which has a lower refractive index than silicon is preferably used for the light-controlling layer 64 . for example, the light-controlling layer 64 can be formed using an insulator such as aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, silicon nitride, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, or tantalum oxide. an organic material such as an acrylic resin or a polyimide may be used. use of a material having a lower refractive index than silicon readily allows total reflection of light incident on the side surface of the photodiode 60 . furthermore, a gas such as air, nitrogen, oxygen, argon, or helium can be used instead of the above material. in this case, the gas may have a pressure lower than an atmospheric pressure. a material which efficiently absorbs light may be used for the light-controlling layer 64 . for example, it is possible to use a resin to which a material such as a carbon-based black pigment (e.g., carbon black), a titanium-based black pigment (e.g., titanium black), an oxide of iron, a composite oxide of copper and chromium, or a composite oxide of copper, chromium, and zinc is added. note that as illustrated in fig. 58c , part of the side surface of the photodiode 60 may not be provided with the light-controlling layer 64 . here, a metal such as tungsten, tantalum, titanium, or aluminum is used for the low-resistance region 63 to reflect incident light so that the low-resistance region 63 functions as the light-controlling layer. alternatively, a metal having low reflectivity, such as molybdenum or chromium, may be used. as illustrated in fig. 58d , the metal may passed through the light-controlling layer 64 . note that part of the metal in the light-controlling layer 63 can be electrically connected to the anode 61 of the photodiode 60 . a top shape of a portion denoted by a dashed-dotted line a 1 -a 2 in fig. 1a (the photodiode portion) in the depth direction of the drawing can be any of shapes illustrated in figs. 59a to 59f , for example. in fig. 59a , the top surface of a light-receiving portion 60 p of the photodiode 60 has a substantially quadrangular shape, and the light-controlling layer 64 is provided around the light-receiving portion 60 p. in fig. 59b , the top surface of the light-receiving portion 60 p has a substantially quadrangular shape, and the light-controlling layer 64 is provided on part of the periphery of the light-receiving portion 60 p . note that the top surfaces of the light-receiving portions 60 p in figs. 59a and 59b each have a substantially square shape; however, the top surface may have, for example, a substantially rectangular shape or a substantially trapezoidal shape. fig. 59c illustrates an example of a top view of the photodiode portion in the structure of fig. 58c . in fig. 59d , the top surface of the light-receiving portion 60 p has a substantially hexagonal shape, and the light-controlling layer 64 is provided around the light-receiving portion 60 p. in fig. 59e , the top surface of the light-receiving portion 60 p has a substantially triangular shape, and the light-controlling layer 64 is provided around the light-receiving portion 60 p. in fig. 59f , the top surface of the light-receiving portion 60 p has a substantially circular shape, and the light-controlling layer 64 is provided around the light-receiving portion 60 p. a structure in which the light-controlling layer 64 is provided on part of the periphery of the light-receiving portion 60 p may be employed also in the structures illustrated in any of figs. 59c to 59f . the top surface of the light-receiving portion 60 p may have a polygonal shape or an elliptical shape other than the aforementioned shapes. the low-resistance region 63 may have a structure including the metal as illustrated in fig. 58b . the light-controlling layer 64 may have a structure including the conductor as illustrated in fig. 58d . since the side surface of the photodiode is covered with the light-controlling layer 64 or the like as described above, light which travels toward the side surface of the photodiode 60 from a variety of angles can be reflected into the photodiode 60 or attenuated. the low-resistance region 63 can be shared by a plurality of photodiodes (a plurality of pixels). sharing the low-resistance region 63 can reduce the number of wirings and the like. for example, in the case where the top surface of the light-receiving portion 60 p has a substantially quadrangular shape as illustrated in fig. 59a , the low-resistance region 63 can be shared by four photodiodes as illustrated in fig. 60a . in the case where the top surface of the light-receiving portion 60 p has a substantially hexagonal shape as illustrated in fig. 59d , the low-resistance region 63 can be shared by three photodiodes as illustrated in fig. 60b . in the case where the top surface of the light-receiving portion 60 p has a substantially triangular shape as illustrated in fig. 59e , the low-resistance region 63 can be shared by six photodiodes as illustrated in fig. 60c . note that the silicon substrate 40 is not limited to a bulk silicon substrate and may be an soi substrate. furthermore, the silicon substrate 40 can be replaced with a substrate made of germanium, silicon germanium, silicon carbide, gallium arsenide, aluminum gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, gallium nitride, or an organic semiconductor. in the aforementioned stacked-layer structure, an insulating layer 80 is provided between the first layer 1100 including the transistor 51 and the photodiode 60 and the third layer 1300 including the transistors 52 and 53 . dangling bonds of silicon are terminated with hydrogen in an insulating layer provided in the vicinity of the active region of the transistor 51 . therefore, the hydrogen has an effect of improving the reliability of the transistor 51 . meanwhile, hydrogen in insulating layers which are provided in the vicinities of the oxide semiconductor layers that are the active layers of the transistors 52 and 53 and the like causes generation of carriers in the oxide semiconductor layers. therefore, the hydrogen may reduce the reliability of the transistors 52 and 53 and the like. thus, in the case where the layer including a transistor using a silicon-based semiconductor material and the other layer including a transistor using an oxide semiconductor are stacked, it is preferable that the insulating layer 80 having a function of preventing diffusion of hydrogen be provided between these layers. hydrogen is confined in the one layer by the insulating layer 80 , whereby the reliability of the transistor 51 can be improved. furthermore, diffusion of hydrogen from the one layer to the other layer is prevented, whereby the reliability of each of the transistors 52 and 53 and the like can be increased. the insulating layer 80 can be, for example, formed using aluminum oxide, aluminum oxynitride, gallium oxide, gallium oxynitride, yttrium oxide, yttrium oxynitride, hafnium oxide, hafnium oxynitride, or yttria-stabilized zirconia (ysz). the transistor 52 and the photodiode 60 form a circuit 91 , and the transistor 51 and the transistor 53 form a circuit 92 . the circuit 91 can function as a pixel circuit, and the circuit 92 can function as a driver circuit for driving the circuit 91 . the circuit 91 can have a configuration shown in a circuit diagram of fig. 1b . one of a source and a drain of the transistor 52 is electrically connected to a cathode 62 of the photodiode 60 ; and the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 , a gate of a transistor 54 (not illustrated in fig. 1a ), one of a source and a drain of a transistor 55 (not illustrated in fig. 1a ) are electrically connected to a charge storage portion (fd). specifically, the charge storage portion is formed of the depletion layer capacitance of the sources or the drains of the transistors 52 and 53 , the gate capacitance of the transistor 54 , wiring capacitance, and the like. here, the transistor 52 can function as a transfer transistor for controlling the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) in response to output of the photodiode 60 . the transistor 54 can function as an amplifying transistor configured to output a signal corresponding to the potential of the charge storage portion (fd). the transistor 55 can function as a reset transistor for initializing the potential of the charge storage portion (fd). the circuit 92 may include a cmos inverter shown in a circuit diagram of fig. 1c , for example. a gate of the transistor 51 is electrically connected to a gate of the transistor 53 . one of a source and a drain of the transistor 51 is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor 53 . the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 51 is electrically connected to a wiring and the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 53 is electrically connected to another wiring. in other words, the transistor 51 including the active region in the silicon substrate and the transistor 53 including the oxide semiconductor layer as the active layer form the cmos circuit. in the imaging device, the transistor 51 including the active region in the silicon substrate 40 is a p-channel transistor, and the transistors 52 to 55 each including the oxide semiconductor layer as the active layer are n-channel transistors. all the transistors included in the circuit 91 are formed in the third layer 1300 , in which a structure making electrical connection therebetween can be simplified, resulting in a simplified manufacturing process. extremely low off-state current characteristics of the transistor including an oxide semiconductor can widen the dynamic range of image-capturing. in the circuit shown in fig. 1b , an increase in the intensity of light entering the photodiode 60 reduces the potential of the charge storage portion (fd). since the transistor using an oxide semiconductor has an extremely small off-state current, a current corresponding to the gate potential can be accurately output even when the gate potential is extremely low. thus, it is possible to widen the detection range of illuminance, i.e., the dynamic range. a period during which charge can be retained in the charge storage portion (fd) can be extremely long owing to the low off-state current characteristics of the transistors 52 and 55 . therefore, a global shutter system, in which accumulation operation is performed in all the pixel circuits at the same time, can be used without a complicated circuit configuration and operation method, and thus, an image with little distortion can be easily obtained even in the case of a moving object. furthermore, exposure time (a period for conducting charge accumulation operation) can be long in a global shutter system; thus, the imaging device is suitable for image-capturing even in a low illuminance environment. in addition, the transistor including an oxide semiconductor has lower temperature dependence of change in electrical characteristics than the transistor including silicon, and thus can be used at an extremely wide range of temperatures. therefore, an imaging device and a semiconductor device which include transistors formed using an oxide semiconductor are suitable for use in automobiles, aircrafts, and spacecrafts. it is preferred that the transistors 52 and 55 and the like which are used for controlling the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) be transistors with little noise. a transistor including two or three oxide semiconductor layers, which is described later, has a buried channel, and thus has extremely high resistance to noise; therefore, use of the transistor makes it possible to obtain an image with little noise. in the circuit 91 , the photodiode 60 provided in the first layer 1100 and the transistor provided in the third layer 1300 can be formed to overlap each other; thus, the integration degree of pixels can be increased. in other words, the resolution of the imaging device can be increased. furthermore, since no transistor is formed in the silicon substrate in the circuit 91 , the area of the photodiode can be large. thus, an image with little noise can be obtained even in a low illuminance environment. formation of the circuit 92 does not require a process for forming an n-channel transistor including an active region in the silicon substrate 40 ; therefore, steps of forming a p-type well, an n-type impurity region, and the like can be omitted and the number of steps can be drastically reduced. moreover, the n-channel transistor of the cmos circuit can be formed at the same time as the transistors included in the circuit 91 . in the imaging device shown in figs. 1a to 1c , a surface of the silicon substrate 40 opposite to a surface where the transistor 51 is formed includes a light-receiving surface of the photodiode 60 . therefore, an optical path can be secured without the influence by the transistors or wirings, and therefore, a pixel with a high aperture ratio can be formed. note that the light-receiving surface of the photodiode 60 can be the same as the surface where the transistor 51 is formed. note that the structure of the transistors and the photodiode included in the imaging device described in this embodiment is only an example. therefore, for example, the circuit 91 may be formed using transistors in which active regions or an active layers include silicon or the like. furthermore, the circuit 92 may be formed using transistors including an oxide semiconductor layer as an active layer. in addition, an amorphous silicon layer may be used as a photoelectric conversion layer of the photodiode 60 . the transistor 51 including the active region in the silicon substrate 40 can be an n-channel transistor. fig. 2a is a cross-sectional view of an example of a mode in which color filters and the like are added to the imaging device in fig. 1a , illustrating three regions (region 91 a , 91 b , and 91 c ) corresponding to three pixels and each including the circuit 91 and a region 92 a including the circuit 92 . an insulating layer 1500 is formed over the photodiode 60 provided in the first layer 1100 . as the insulating layer 1500 , for example, a silicon oxide film with a high visible-light transmitting property can be used. in addition, a silicon nitride film may be stacked as a passivation film. a dielectric film of hafnium oxide or the like may be stacked as an anti-reflection film. note that as illustrated in fig. 56a , a structure not including the insulating layer 1500 may be employed. a light-blocking layer 1510 is formed over the insulating layer 1500 . the light-blocking layer 1510 has a function of inhibiting color mixing of light passing through the color filter. furthermore, the light-blocking layer 1510 over the region 92 a has a function of inhibiting a change in characteristics of the transistor including the active region in the silicon substrate 40 due to light irradiation. the light-blocking layer 1510 can be formed of a metal layer of aluminum, tungsten, or the like, or a stack including the metal layer and a dielectric film functioning as an anti-reflection film. note that as illustrated in fig. 56b , a structure not including the light-blocking layer 1510 may be employed. an organic resin layer 1520 is formed as a planarization film over the insulating layer 1500 and the light-blocking layer 1510 . a color filter 1530 a , a color filter 1530 b , and a color filter 1530 c are formed over the region 91 a , the region 91 b , and the region 91 c to be paired up with the region 91 a , the region 91 b , and the region 91 c , respectively. the color filter 1530 a , the color filter 1530 b , and the color filter 1530 c have colors of r (red), g (green), and b (blue), whereby a color image can be obtained. note that as illustrated in fig. 56c , a structure not including the organic resin layer 1520 may be employed. alternatively, as illustrated in fig. 56d , a structure including none of the insulating layer 1500 , the light-blocking layer 1510 , and the organic resin layer 1520 may be employed. alternatively, although not illustrated, a structure not including any two of the insulating layer 1500 , the light-blocking layer 1510 , and the organic resin layer 1520 may be employed. a microlens array 1540 is provided over the color filters 1530 a , 1530 b , and 1530 c . thus, light passing through the lenses included in the microlens array 1540 further passes through the color filters positioned under the lenses to reach the photodiodes. as illustrated in fig. 57a , the light-blocking layer 1510 may be provided between the color filters. as illustrated in fig. 57b , the light-blocking layer 1510 may be provided to cover the boundary between the lenses of the microlens array 1540 . as illustrated in fig. 57c , a structure in which the light-blocking layer 1510 is not provided and the light-controlling layer 64 extends to the space between the color filters may be employed. as illustrated in fig. 57d , a structure in which the light-blocking layer 1510 is not provided and the light-controlling layer 64 extends to the space between the lenses of the microlens array 1540 may be employed. the light-controlling layer 64 may not necessarily cover the entire side surface of the photodiode 60 , and may be formed to cover part of the side surface of the photodiode 60 which is close to the light-receiving surface as illustrated in fig. 61a . alternatively, as illustrated in fig. 61b , the light-controlling layer 64 may be formed to cover part of the side surface of the photodiode 60 which is away from the light-receiving surface. note that a region 66 is part of the silicon substrate 40 and may be part of the structure of the photodiode 60 . fig. 62a is a top view of the photodiodes 60 and the light-controlling layer 64 . fig. 62b is a top view of the light-blocking layer 1510 . fig. 62c is a top view of color filters 1530 . fig. 62d illustrates a structure in which the components of figs. 62a to 62c and transistors 50 included in the circuit 91 overlap one another. since the transistors 50 included in the circuit 91 and the photodiode 60 can be provided to overlap one another, the aperture ratio of the photodiode 60 can be increased. a supporting substrate 1600 is provided in contact with the fourth layer 1400 . as the supporting substrate 1600 , a hard substrate such as a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate), a glass substrate, a metal substrate, or a ceramic substrate can be used. note that an inorganic insulating layer or an organic resin layer may be between the fourth layer 1400 and the supporting substrate 1600 . the circuits 91 and 92 may be connected to a power supply circuit, a controlling circuit, or the like provided on the outside with the wiring layer 72 or the wiring layer 73 in the fourth layer 1400 . in the structure of the imaging device, when an optical conversion layer 1550 (see fig. 2b ) is used instead of the color filters 1530 a , 1530 b , and 1530 c , the imaging device can take images in various wavelength regions. for example, when a filter which blocks light having a wavelength shorter than or equal to that of visible light is used as the optical conversion layer 1550 , an infrared imaging device can be obtained. when a filter which blocks light having a wavelength shorter than or equal to that of near infrared light is used as the optical conversion layer 1550 , a far-infrared imaging device can be obtained. when a filter which blocks light having a wavelength longer than or equal to that of visible light is used as the optical conversion layer 1550 , an ultraviolet imaging device can be obtained. note that in the case of an infrared imaging device, the sensitivity to infrared light may be increased by adding germanium is added to narrow the band gap of the photoelectric conversion layer of the photodiode 60 . in the case of an ultraviolet imaging device, the sensitivity to ultraviolet rays may be increased with the use of an oxide semiconductor layer or the like with a wide band gap as the photoelectric conversion layer of the photodiode 60 . furthermore, when a scintillator is used as the optical conversion layer 1550 , an imaging device which captures an image visualizing the intensity of radiation and is used for an x-ray imaging device, for example, can be obtained. radiation such as x-rays passes through a subject to enter a scintillator, and then is converted into light (fluorescence) such as visible light or ultraviolet light owing to a phenomenon known as photoluminescence. then, the photodiode 60 detects the light to obtain image data. furthermore, the imaging device having the structure may be used in a radiation detector or the like. a scintillator is formed of a substance that, when irradiated with radial rays such as x-rays or gamma-rays, absorbs energy of the radial rays to emit visible light or ultraviolet light or a material containing the substance. examples of the known materials include gd 2 o 2 s:tb, gd 2 o 2 s:pr, gd 2 o 2 s:eu, bafcl:eu, nai, csi, caf 2 , baf 2 , cef 3 , lif, lii, and zno, and a resin or ceramics in which any of the materials is dispersed. figs. 3a and 3b are schematic views illustrating the configuration of the imaging device. a circuit 1730 and a circuit 1740 are provided on the sides of a pixel matrix 1700 including the circuit 91 . the circuit 1730 can serve as a driver circuit for a reset transistor, for example. in this case, the circuit 1730 is electrically connected to the transistor 55 in fig. 1b . the circuit 1740 can serve as a driver circuit for a transfer transistor, for example. in this case, the circuit 1740 is electrically connected to the transistor 52 in fig. 1b . note that although the circuit 1730 and the circuit 1740 are separately provided in figs. 3a and 3b , the circuit 1730 and the circuit 1740 may be collectively arranged in one region. a circuit 1750 is connected to the pixel matrix 1700 . for example, the circuit 1750 can function as a driver circuit which selects a vertical output line which is to be electrically connected to the transistor 54 . a circuit 1760 may be connected to the pixel matrix 1700 . the circuit 1760 can have a function of a circuit separated from the circuit 1750 , a power supply circuit, a memory circuit, or the like. note that a structure not including the circuit 1760 may be employed. an example of a specific positional relationship of the circuits is illustrated in fig. 3b . for example, the circuit 1730 , the circuit 1740 , the circuit 1750 , and the circuit 1760 are provided in the respective four regions. note that the position and the occupation area of each circuit are not limited to those illustrated in fig. 3b . the pixel matrix 1700 is provided on the inside of the regions where these circuits are provided. signal lines, power supply lines, and the like connected to the circuit 1730 , the circuit 1740 , the circuit 1750 , the circuit 1760 , and the pixel circuits in the pixel matrix 1700 are electrically connected to wirings formed over the silicon substrate 40 . furthermore, the wirings are electrically connected to terminals 1770 formed in the inner periphery of the silicon substrate 40 . the terminals 1770 formed on the silicon substrate 40 can be electrically connected to an external circuit by wire bonding or the like. the circuit 1730 and the circuit 1740 are each a driver circuit that outputs signals having binary values of high level and low level; therefore, their operations can be conducted with a combination of a shift register 1800 and a buffer circuit 1900 as illustrated in fig. 4a . the circuit 1750 can include a shift register 1810 , a buffer circuit 1910 , and analog switches 2100 , as illustrated in fig. 4b . vertical output lines 2110 are selected with the analog switches 2100 , and the potentials of the selected output lines 2110 are output to an image output line 2200 . the analog switches 2100 are sequentially selected by the shift register 1810 and the buffer circuit 1910 . in one embodiment of the present invention, one or more of the circuit 1730 , the circuit 1740 , and the circuit 1750 include the circuit 92 . that is, one or more of the shift register 1800 , the buffer circuit 1900 , the shift register 1810 , the buffer circuit 1910 , and the analog switches 2100 include a cmos circuit including a p-channel transistor including an active region in silicon substrate 40 and an n-channel transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer as an active layer. in embodiment 1, one embodiment of the present invention has been described. other embodiments of the present invention are described in embodiments 2 to 7. note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above examples. although an example in which one embodiment of the present invention is applied to an imaging device is described, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. depending on circumstances, one embodiment of the present invention is not necessarily applied to an imaging device. one embodiment of the present invention may be applied to a semiconductor device with an another function, for example. this embodiment can be implemented in an appropriate combination with any of the structures described in the other embodiments. embodiment 2 in this embodiment, the circuit 91 described in embodiment 1 is described. fig. 5a shows details of connections between the circuit 91 in fig. 1b and a variety of wirings. the circuit in fig. 5a includes the photodiode 60 , the transistor 52 , the transistor 54 , the transistor 55 , and a transistor 56 . the anode of the photodiode 60 is electrically connected to a wiring 316 , and the cathode of the photodiode 60 is electrically connected to one of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 . the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 is electrically connected to the charge storage portion (fd), and a gate of the transistor 52 is electrically connected to a wiring 312 (tx). one of a source and a drain of the transistor 54 is electrically connected to a wiring 314 (gnd), the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 54 is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor 56 , and the gate of the transistor 54 is electrically connected to the charge storage portion (fd). one of the source and the drain of the transistor 55 is electrically connected to the charge storage portion (fd), the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 55 is electrically connected to a wiring 317 , and a gate of the transistor 55 is electrically connected to a wiring 311 (rs). the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 56 is electrically connected to a wiring 315 (out), and a gate of the transistor 56 is electrically connected to a wiring 313 (se). note that all the above connections are electrical connections. a potential such as gnd, vss, or vdd may be supplied to the wiring 314 . here, a potential or a voltage has a relative value. therefore, the potential gnd is not necessarily 0 v. the photodiode 60 is a light-receiving element and can have a function of generating current corresponding to the amount of light incident on the pixel circuit. the transistor 52 can have a function of controlling supply of charge from the photodiode 60 to the charge storage portion (fd). the transistor 54 can have a function of executing an operation of outputting a signal which corresponds to the potential of the charge storage portion (fd). the transistor 55 can have a function of executing an operation of resetting the potential of the charge storage portion (fd). the transistor 56 can have a function of executing an operation of controlling selection of the pixel circuit at the time of reading. note that the charge storage portion (fd) is a charge retention node and retains charge that is changed depending on the amount of light received by the photodiode 60 . note that the transistor 54 and the transistor 56 can be connected in series between the wiring 315 and the wiring 314 . the wiring 314 , the transistor 54 , the transistor 56 , and the wiring 315 may be arranged in order, or the wiring 314 , the transistor 56 , the transistor 54 , and the wiring 315 may be arranged in order. the wiring 311 (rs) can function as a signal line for controlling the transistor 55 . the wiring 312 (tx) can function as a signal line for controlling the transistor 52 . the wiring 313 (se) can function as a signal line for controlling the transistor 56 . the wiring 314 (gnd) can function as a signal line for supplying a reference potential (e.g., gnd). the wiring 315 (out) can function as a signal line for reading a signal output from the transistor 54 . the wiring 316 can function a signal line for outputting charge from the charge storage portion (fd) through the photodiode 60 and is a low-potential line in the circuit in fig. 5a . the wiring 317 can function as a signal line for resetting the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) and is a high-potential line in the circuit in fig. 5a . the circuit 91 may have a configuration illustrated in fig. 5b . the circuit illustrated in fig. 5b includes the same components as those in the circuit in fig. 5a but is different from the circuit in that the anode of the photodiode 60 is electrically connected to one of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 and the cathode of the photodiode 60 is electrically connected to the wiring 316 . in this case, the wiring 316 functions as a signal line for supplying charge to the charge storage portion (fd) through the photodiode 60 and is a high-potential line in the circuit in fig. 5b . the wiring 317 is a low-potential line. next, a structure of each component illustrated in figs. 5a and 5b is described. an element formed using a silicon substrate with a pn junction or a pin junction can be used as the photodiode 60 , for example. a silicon semiconductor such as amorphous silicon, microcrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, or single crystal silicon can be used to form the transistor 52 , the transistor 54 , the transistor 55 , and the transistor 56 . an oxide semiconductor is preferably used to form the transistors. a transistor in which a channel formation region is formed of an oxide semiconductor has an extremely low off-state current. in particular, when the transistors 52 and 55 connected to the charge storage portion (fd) has a high leakage current, charge accumulated in the charge storage portion (fd) cannot be retained for a sufficiently long time. the use of an oxide semiconductor for the transistors 52 and 55 prevents undesirable output of charge from the charge storage portion (fd). undesirable output of charge also occurs in the wiring 314 or the wiring 315 when the transistor 54 and the transistor 56 have a large leakage current; thus, transistors in which a channel formation region is formed of an oxide semiconductor are preferably used as these transistors. an example of the operation of the circuit in fig. 5a is described using a timing chart shown in fig. 6a . in fig. 6a , a potential of each wiring is denoted as a signal which varies between two levels for simplicity. because each potential is an analog signal, the potential can, in practice, have various levels in accordance with situations without limitation on two levels. in the drawing, a signal 701 corresponds to the potential of the wiring 311 (rs); a signal 702 , the potential of the wiring 312 (tx); a signal 703 , the potential of the wiring 313 (se); a signal 704 , the potential of the charge storage portion (fd); and a signal 705 , the potential of the wiring 315 (out). the potential of the wiring 316 is always at low level, and the potential of the wiring 317 is always at high level. at time a, the potential of the wiring 311 (signal 701 ) is at high level and the potential of the wiring 312 (signal 702 ) is at high level, so that the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) is initialized to the potential of the wiring 317 (high level), and reset operation is started. the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) is precharged to high level. at time b, the potential of the wiring 311 (signal 701 ) is set at low level, whereby the reset operation is completed to start accumulation operation. here, a reverse bias is applied to the photodiode 60 , whereby the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) starts to decrease due to a reverse current. since irradiation of the photodiode 60 with light increases the reverse current, the rate of decrease in the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) changes depending on the amount of the light irradiation. in other words, channel resistance between the source and the drain of the transistor 54 changes depending on the amount of light emitted to the photodiode 60 . at time c, the potential of the wiring 312 (signal 702 ) is set to low level to complete the accumulation operation, so that the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) becomes constant. here, the potential is determined by the amount of electrical charge generated by the photodiode 60 during the accumulation operation. that is, the potential changes depending on the amount of light emitted to the photodiode 60 . since the transistor 52 and the transistor 55 are each a transistor which includes a channel formation region formed of an oxide semiconductor layer and which has an extremely small off-state current, the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) can be kept constant until a subsequent selection operation (read operation) is performed. note that when the potential of the wiring 312 (signal 702 ) is set at low level, the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) might change owing to parasitic capacitance between the wiring 312 and the charge storage portion (fd). in the case where this potential change is large, the amount of electrical charge generated by the photodiode 60 during the accumulation operation cannot be obtained accurately. examples of effective methods to reduce the change in the potential include reducing the capacitance between the gate and the source (or between the gate and the drain) of the transistor 52 , increasing the gate capacitance of the transistor 54 , and providing a storage capacitor to connect the charge storage portion (fd). note that in this embodiment, the change in the potential can be ignored by these methods. at time d, the potential of the wiring 313 (signal 703 ) is set at high level to turn on the transistor 56 , whereby selection operation starts and the wiring 314 and the wiring 315 are electrically connected to each other through the transistor 54 and the transistor 56 . also, the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) starts to decrease. note that precharge of the wiring 315 is completed before the time d. here, the rate at which the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) decreases depends on the current between the source and the drain of the transistor 54 . that is, the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) changes depending on the amount of light emitted to the photodiode 60 during the accumulation operation. at time e, the potential of the wiring 313 (signal 703 ) is set at low level to turn off the transistor 56 , so that the selection operation is completed and the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) becomes a constant value which depends on the amount of light emitted to the photodiode 60 . therefore, the amount of light emitted to the photodiode 60 during the accumulation operation can be determined by measuring the potential of the wiring 315 . specifically, when the photodiode 60 is irradiated with light with high intensity, the potential of the charge storage portion (fd), that is, the gate voltage of the transistor 54 is low. therefore, current flowing between the source and the drain of the transistor 54 becomes small; as a result, the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) is gradually decreased. thus, a relatively high potential can be read from the wiring 315 . in contrast, when the photodiode 60 is irradiated with light with low intensity, the potential of the charge storage portion (fd), that is, the gate voltage of the transistor 54 is high. therefore, the current flowing between the source and the drain of the transistor 54 becomes large; thus, the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) rapidly decreases. thus, a relatively low potential can be read from the wiring 315 . next, an example of the operation of the circuit in fig. 5b is described with reference to a timing chart in fig. 6b . the wiring 316 is always at high level, and the potential of the wiring 317 is always at low level. at time a, the potential of the wiring 311 (signal 701 ) is at high level and the potential of the wiring 312 (signal 702 ) is at high level, so that the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) is initialized to the potential of the wiring 317 (low level), and reset operation is started. the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) is precharged to high level. at time b, the potential of the wiring 311 (signal 701 ) is set at low level, whereby the reset operation is completed to start accumulation operation. here, a reverse bias is applied to the photodiode 60 , whereby the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) starts to increase due to a reverse current. the description of the timing chart of fig. 6a can be referred to for operations at and after the time c. the amount of light emitted to the photodiode 60 during the accumulation operation can be determined by measuring the potential of the wiring 315 at time e. the circuit 91 may have any of configurations illustrated in figs. 7a and 7b . the configuration of a circuit in fig. 7a is different from that of the circuit in fig. 5a in that the transistor 55 , the wiring 316 , and the wiring 317 are not provided, and the wiring 311 (rs) is electrically connected to the anode of the photodiode 60 . the other structures are the same as those in the circuit fig. 5a . the circuit in fig. 7b includes the same components as those in the circuit in fig. 7a but is different in that the anode of the photodiode 60 is electrically connected to one of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 and the cathode of the photodiode 60 is electrically connected to the wiring 311 (rs). like the circuit in fig. 5a , the circuit in fig. 7a can be operated in accordance with the timing chart shown in fig. 6a . at time a, the potential of the wiring 311 (signal 701 ) is set at high level and the potential of the wiring 312 (signal 702 ) is set at high level, whereby a forward bias is applied to the photodiode 60 and the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) is set at high level. in other words, the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) is initialized to the potential of the wiring 311 (rs) (high level) and brought into a reset state. the above is the start of the reset operation. the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) is precharged to high level. at time b, the potential of the wiring 311 (signal 701 ) is set at low level, whereby the reset operation is completed to start accumulation operation. here, a reverse bias is applied to the photodiode 60 , whereby the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) starts to decrease due to a reverse current. the description of the circuit configuration of fig. 5a can be referred to for operations at and after time c. the amount of light emitted to the photodiode 60 during the accumulation operation can be determined by measuring the potential of the wiring 315 at time e. the circuit in fig. 7b can be operated in accordance with the timing chart shown in fig. 6c . at time a, the potential of the wiring 311 (signal 701 ) is set at low level and the potential of the wiring 312 (signal 702 ) is set at high level, whereby a forward bias is applied to the photodiode 60 and the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) is set at low level to be in a reset state. the above is the start of the reset operation. the potential of the wiring 315 (signal 705 ) is precharged to high level. at time b, the potential of the wiring 311 (signal 701 ) is set at high level, whereby the reset operation is completed to start accumulation operation. here, a reverse bias is applied to the photodiode 60 , whereby the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) (signal 704 ) starts to increase due to a reverse current. the description of the circuit configuration of fig. 5a can be referred to for operations at and after time c. the amount of light emitted to the photodiode 60 during the accumulation operation can be determined by measuring the potential of the wiring 315 at time e. note that figs. 5a and 5b and figs. 7a and 7b each show the example in which the transistor 52 is provided; however, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. as shown in figs. 8a and 8b , the transistor 52 may be omitted. the transistor 52 , the transistor 54 , and the transistor 56 in the circuit 91 may each have a back gate as illustrated in figs. 9a and 9b . fig. 9a illustrates a configuration of applying a constant potential to the back gates, which enables control of the threshold voltages. fig. 9b illustrates a configuration in which the back gates are supplied with the same potential as their respective front gates, which enables an increase in on-state current. although the back gates are electrically connected to the wiring 314 (gnd) in fig. 9a , they may be electrically connected to a different wiring to which a constant potential is supplied. furthermore, although figs. 9a and 9b each illustrate an example in which back gates are provided in the transistors of the circuit in fig. 7a , the circuits in figs. 5a and 5b , fig. 7b , and figs. 8a and 8b may have a similar configuration. moreover, a configuration of applying the same potential to a front gate and a back gate, a configuration of applying a constant potential to a back gate, and a configuration without a back gate may be arbitrarily combined as necessary for the transistors in one circuit. note that in the circuit example, an integrator circuit illustrated in fig. 10a, 10b , or 10 c may be connected to the wiring 315 (out). the circuit enables an s/n ratio of a reading signal to be increased, which makes it possible to sense weaker light, that is, to increase the sensitivity of the imaging device. fig. 10a illustrates an integrator circuit using an operational amplifier circuit (also referred to as an op-amp). an inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit is connected to the wiring 315 (out) through a resistor r. a non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit is grounded. an output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit is connected to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit through a capacitor c. fig. 10b illustrates an integrator circuit including an operational amplifier circuit having a structure different from that in fig. 10a . the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit is connected to the wiring 315 (out) through a resistor r and a capacitor c 1 . the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit is grounded. the output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit is connected to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit through a capacitor c 2 . fig. 10c illustrates an integrator circuit using an operational amplifier circuit having a structure different from those in figs. 10a and 10b . the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit is connected to the wiring 315 (out) through the resistor r. the output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit is connected to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit. the resistor r and the capacitor c constitute a cr integrator circuit. the operational amplifier circuit is a unity gain buffer. this embodiment can be implemented in an appropriate combination with any of the structures described in the other embodiments. embodiment 3 in this embodiment, a circuit configuration in which a transistor for initializing the potential of the charge storage portion (fd), a transistor for outputting a signal corresponding to the potential of the charge storage portion (fd), and various wirings (signal lines) are shared by pixels (of plural circuits 91 ) is described. in a pixel circuit shown in fig. 11 , as in the circuit shown in fig. 5a , the transistor 52 (functioning as a transfer transistor), the transistor 54 (functioning as an amplifying transistor), the transistor 55 (functioning as a reset transistor), the transistor 56 (functioning as a selection transistor), and the photodiode 60 are provided in each pixel. the wiring 311 (functioning as a signal line for controlling the transistor 55 ), the wiring 312 (functioning as a signal line for controlling the transistor 52 ), the wiring 313 (functioning as a signal line for controlling the transistor 56 ), the wiring 314 (functioning as a high-potential line), the wiring 315 (functioning as a signal line for reading a signal which is output from the transistor 54 ), and the wiring 316 (functioning as a reference potential line (gnd)) are electrically connected to the pixel circuit. the wiring 314 corresponds to gnd and the wiring 317 corresponds to a high-potential line in the circuit shown in fig. 5a ; on the other hand, in the pixel circuit in fig. 11 , since the wiring 314 corresponds to a high-potential line (e.g., vdd) and the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 56 is connected to the wiring 314 , the wiring 317 is not provided. the wiring 315 (out) is reset to low potential. as described below, the wiring 314 , the wiring 315 , and the wiring 316 can be shared by a pixel circuit in a first line and a pixel circuit in a second line, and in addition, the wiring 311 can be shared by the pixel circuits depending on an operation mode. fig. 12 shows a vertical-sharing-type configuration of four pixels, in which the transistor 54 , the transistor 55 , the transistor 56 , and the wiring 311 are shared by the vertically adjacent four pixels in first to four lines. a reduction in the numbers of transistors and wirings can miniaturize the circuit due to reduction in the area of a pixel, and can improve a yield in the production. the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 in each of the vertically adjacent four pixels, one of the source and the drain of the transistor 55 , and the gate of the transistor 54 are electrically connected to the charge storage portion (fd). the transistors 52 of all the pixels are sequentially operated, and accumulation operation and reading operation are repeated, whereby data can be obtained from all the pixels. fig. 13 shows a horizontal-vertical-sharing-type configuration of four pixels, in which the transistor 54 , the transistor 55 , the transistor 56 , the wiring 313 , and the wiring 311 are shared by the horizontally and vertically adjacent four pixels. in a manner similar to that of the configuration of vertically arranged four pixels, a reduction in the numbers of transistors and wirings can miniaturize the circuit due to reduction in the area of a pixel, and can improve an yield in the production. the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 in each of the horizontally and vertically adjacent four pixels, one of the source and the drain of the transistor 55 , and the gate of the transistor 54 are electrically connected to the charge storage portion (fd). the transistors 52 of all the pixels are sequentially operated, and accumulation operation and reading operation are repeated, whereby data can be obtained from all the pixels. fig. 14 shows a configuration, in which the transistor 54 , the transistor 55 , the transistor 56 , the wiring 311 , and the wirings 312 and 314 are shared by horizontally and vertically adjacent four pixels. this configuration corresponds to the above-described configuration of horizontally and vertically adjacent four pixels in which the wiring 312 is shared by the four pixels. the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 in each of the horizontally and vertically adjacent four pixels (in the first row, two pixels that are adjacent to each other horizontally), one of the source and the drain of the transistor 55 , and the gate of the transistor 54 are electrically connected to the charge storage portion (fd). in the circuit configuration, the wiring 312 is shared between two transfer transistors (transistors 52 ) positioned vertically, so that transistors which operate concurrently are provided in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. note that although different from the configurations in which the transistors and the signal line(s) are shared by the pixels, a configuration of a pixel circuit including a plurality of photodiodes may be employed. for example, as shown in a pixel circuit in fig. 15a , photodiodes 60 a , 60 b , and 60 c , transistors 58 a , 58 b , and 58 c , and the like are provided between the wiring 316 and the one of the source and the drain of the transistor 52 . the transistors 58 a , 58 b , and 58 c function as switches for selecting the photodiodes 60 a , 60 b , and 60 c which are connected to the transistors 58 a , 58 b , and 58 c , respectively. although three photodiodes and three transistors functioning as switches are combined in fig. 15a , the numbers of photodiodes and transistors are not limited thereto. for example, a configuration with two photodiodes and two transistors illustrated in fig. 15b can be employed. the numbers of photodiodes and transistors may be four or more. for example, as the photodiodes 60 a , 60 b , and 60 c , photodiodes which differ in sensitivity to illuminance can be used and those suited to image-capturing under each of environments from low illuminance to high illuminance are selected. for example, as a photodiode for high illuminance, a photodiode which is combined with a dimming filter so that output for illuminance has linearity can be used. note that a plurality of photodiodes may be operated at the same time. alternatively, as the photodiodes 60 a , 60 b , and 60 c , photodiodes which differ in sensitivity to a wavelength can be used and those suited to image-capturing in each of wavelengths from ultraviolet rays to far infrared rays are selected. for example, with a combination of a filter which transmits light having a target wavelength range and a photodiode, image-capturing utilizing ultraviolet light, image-capturing utilizing visible light, image-capturing utilizing infrared light, and the like can be separately performed. the pixel circuit may include a plurality of photodiodes whose light-receiving portions have different areas. in the case of a structure including two photodiodes, for example, the photodiodes can have different light-receiving areas, and the ratio of the light-receiving area of one photodiode to that of the other photodiode can be 1:10, 1:100, or the like. the value of a current output from a photodiode might be saturated owing to the influence of series resistance and the like. in this case, in accordance with ohm's law, as the current value decreases, linearity with respect to illuminance becomes favorable. therefore, a photodiode with a large area of the light-receiving portion is normally used for capturing images in order to increase sensitivity, whereas in an environment with high illuminance, a photodiode with a small area of the light-receiving portion is used for capturing images. thus, the imaging device can have high sensitivity and a wide dynamic range. note that as a pixel structure including photodiodes whose light-receiving portions have different areas, a structure of fig. 15c in which photodiodes 60 a and 60 b with different areas are provided in a pixel 90 , or a structure of fig. 15d in which the photodiodes 60 a and 60 b with different areas are alternately provided for the pixels 90 may be used. this embodiment can be implemented in an appropriate combination with any of the structures described in the other embodiments. embodiment 4 in this embodiment, an example of a driving method of a pixel circuit is described. as described in embodiment 2, the operation of the pixel circuit is repetition of the reset operation, the accumulation operation, and the selection operation. as capturing modes in which the whole pixel matrix is controlled, a global shutter system and a rolling shutter system are known. fig. 16a shows a timing chart in a global shutter system. fig. 16a shows operations of a capturing device in which a plurality of pixel circuits illustrated in fig. 5a are arranged in a matrix. specifically, fig. 16a show operations of the pixel circuits from the first row to the n-th row (n is a natural number of three or more). the following description for operation can be applied to any of the circuits in fig. 5b , figs. 7a and 7b , and figs. 8a and 8b . in fig. 16a , a signal 501 , a signal 502 , and a signal 503 are input to the wirings 311 (rs) connected to the pixel circuits in the first row, the second row, and the n-th row, respectively. a signal 504 , a signal 505 , and a signal 506 are input to the wirings 312 (tx) connected to the pixel circuits in the first row, the second row, and the n-th row, respectively. a signal 507 , a signal 508 , and a signal 509 are input to the wirings 313 (se) connected to the pixel circuits in the first row, the second row, and the n-th row, respectively. a period 510 is a period required for one capturing. in a period 511 , the pixel circuits in each row perform the reset operation at the same time. in a period 520 , the pixel circuits in each row perform the accumulation operation at the same time. the selection operation is sequentially performed in the pixel circuits for each row. for example, in a period 531 , the selection operation is performed in the pixel circuits in the first row. as described above, in the global shutter system, the reset operation is performed in all the pixel circuits substantially at the same time, the accumulation operation is performed in all the pixel circuits substantially at the same time, and then the read operation is sequentially performed for each row. that is, in the global shutter system, since the accumulation operation is performed in all the pixel circuits substantially at the same time, capturing is simultaneously performed in the pixel circuits in all the rows. therefore, an image with little distortion can be obtained even in the case of a moving object. on the other hand, fig. 16b is a timing chart of the case where a rolling shutter system is used. the description of fig. 16a can be referred to for the signals 501 to 509 . a period 610 is the time taken for one capturing. a period 611 , a period 612 , and a period 613 are reset periods in the first row, the second row, and the n-th row, respectively. a period 621 , a period 622 , and a period 623 are accumulation operation periods in the first row, the second row, and the n-th row, respectively. in a period 631 , the selection operation is performed in the pixel circuits in the first row. as described above, in the rolling shutter system, the accumulation operation is not performed at the same time in all the pixel circuits but is sequentially performed for each row; thus, capturing is not simultaneously performed in the pixel circuits in all the rows. therefore, the timing of capturing in the first row is different from that of capturing in the last row, and thus an image with large distortion is obtained in the case of a moving object. to perform the global shutter system, the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) needs to be kept for a long time until sequential reading of signals from the pixels is terminated. when a transistor including a channel formation region formed of an oxide semiconductor and having an extremely small off-state current is used as the transistor 52 and the like, the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) can be kept for a long time. in the case where a transistor including a channel formation region formed of silicon or the like is used as the transistor 52 and the like, the potential of the charge storage portion (fd) cannot be kept for a long time because of a high off-state current, which makes it difficult to use the global shutter system. the use of transistors including a channel formation region formed of an oxide semiconductor in the pixel circuits facilitates the global shutter system. this embodiment can be implemented in an appropriate combination with any of the structures described in the other embodiments. embodiment 5 in this embodiment, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor that can be used in one embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to drawings. in the drawings in this embodiment, some components are enlarged, reduced in size, or omitted for easy understanding. figs. 17a and 17b are a top view and a cross-sectional view illustrating a transistor 101 of one embodiment of the present invention. a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line b 1 -b 2 in fig. 17a is illustrated in fig. 17b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line b 3 -b 4 in fig. 17a is illustrated in fig. 23a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line b 1 -b 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line b 3 -b 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 101 includes an insulating layer 120 in contact with a substrate 115 ; an oxide semiconductor layer 130 in contact with the insulating layer 120 ; a conductive layer 140 and a conductive layer 150 electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 ; an insulating layer 160 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , the conductive layer 140 , and the conductive layer 150 ; a conductive layer 170 in contact with the insulating layer 160 ; an insulating layer 175 in contact with the conductive layer 140 , the conductive layer 150 , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 ; and an insulating layer 180 in contact with the insulating layer 175 . the transistor 101 may also include, for example, an insulating layer 190 (planarization film) in contact with the insulating layer 180 as necessary. here, the conductive layer 140 , the conductive layer 150 , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 can function as a source electrode layer, a drain electrode layer, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode layer, respectively. a region 231 , a region 232 , and a region 233 in fig. 17b can function as a source region, a drain region, and a channel formation region, respectively. the region 231 and the region 232 are in contact with the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 , respectively. when a conductive material that is easily bonded to oxygen is used for the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 , the resistance of the region 231 and the region 232 can be reduced. specifically, since the oxide semiconductor layer 130 is in contact with the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 , oxygen vacancy is generated in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , and interaction between the oxygen vacancy and hydrogen that remains in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 or diffuses into the oxide semiconductor layer 130 from the outside changes the region 231 and the region 232 to n-type regions with low resistance. note that functions of a “source” and a “drain” of a transistor are replaced with each other when a transistor of opposite polarity is used or when the direction of current flow is changed in circuit operation, for example. therefore, the terms “source” and “drain” can be replaced with each other in this specification. in addition, the term “electrode layer” can be replaced with the term “wiring”. the conductive layer 170 includes two layers, a conductive layer 171 and a conductive layer 172 , in the drawing, but also may be a single layer or a stack of three or more layers. the same applies to other transistors described in this embodiment. each of the conductive layers 140 and 150 is a single layer in the drawing, but also may be a stack of two or more layers. the same applies to other transistors described in this embodiment. the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 18a and 18b . fig. 18a is a top view of a transistor 102 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line c 1 -c 2 in fig. 18a is illustrated in fig. 18b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line c 3 -c 4 in fig. 18a is illustrated in fig. 23b . the direction of the dashed-dotted line c 1 -c 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line c 3 -c 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 102 has the same structure as the transistor 101 except that an end portion of the insulating layer 160 functioning as a gate insulating film is not aligned with an end portion of the conductive layer 170 functioning as a gate electrode layer. in the transistor 102 , wide areas of the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 are covered with the insulating layer 160 and accordingly the resistance between the conductive layer 170 and the conductive layers 140 and 150 is high; therefore, the transistor 102 has a feature of low gate leakage current. the transistor 101 and the transistor 102 each have a top-gate structure including a region where the conductive layer 170 overlaps each of the conductive layers 140 and 150 . to reduce parasitic capacitance, the width of the region in the channel length direction is preferably greater than or equal to 3 nm and less than 300 nm. meanwhile, since an offset region is not formed in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , a transistor with high on-state current can be easily be formed. the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 19a and 19b . fig. 19a is a top view of a transistor 103 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line d 1 -d 2 in fig. 19a is illustrated in fig. 19b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line d 3 -d 4 in fig. 19a is illustrated in fig. 23a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line d 1 -d 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line d 3 -d 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 103 includes the insulating layer 120 in contact with the substrate 115 ; the oxide semiconductor layer 130 in contact with the insulating layer 120 ; the insulating layer 160 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 ; the conductive layer 170 in contact with the insulating layer 160 ; the insulating layer 175 covering the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 ; the insulating layer 180 in contact with the insulating layer 175 ; and the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 through openings provided in the insulating layer 175 and the insulating layer 180 . the transistor 103 may also include, for example, the insulating layer 190 (planarization film) in contact with the insulating layer 180 , the conductive layer 140 , and the conductive layer 150 as necessary. here, the conductive layer 140 , the conductive layer 150 , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 can function as a source electrode layer, a drain electrode layer, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode layer, respectively. the region 231 , the region 232 , and the region 233 in fig. 19b can function as a source region, a drain region, and a channel formation region, respectively. the region 231 and the region 232 are in contact with the insulating layer 175 . when an insulating material containing hydrogen is used for the insulating layer 175 , for example, the resistance of the region 231 and the region 232 can be reduced. specifically, interaction between oxygen vacancy generated in the region 231 and the region 232 in the steps up to the formation of the insulating layer 175 and hydrogen that diffuses into the region 231 and the region 232 from the insulating layer 175 changes the region 231 and the region 232 to n-type regions with low resistance. as the insulating material containing hydrogen, for example, a silicon nitride film, an aluminum nitride film, or the like can be used. the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 20a and 20b . fig. 20a is a top view of a transistor 104 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line e 1 -e 2 in fig. 20a is illustrated in fig. 20b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line e 3 -e 4 in fig. 20a is illustrated in fig. 23a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line e 1 -e 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line e 3 -e 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 104 has the same structure as the transistor 103 except that the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 overlap with and are in contact with end portions of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . in fig. 20b , a region 331 and a region 334 can function as a source region, a region 332 and a region 335 can function as a drain region, and a region 333 can function as a channel formation region. the resistance of the region 331 and the region 332 can be reduced in a manner similar to that of the region 231 and the region 232 in the transistor 101 . the resistance of the region 334 and the region 335 can be reduced in a manner similar to that of the region 231 and the region 232 in the transistor 103 . in the case where the length of the region 334 and the region 335 in the channel length direction is less than or equal to 100 nm, preferably less than or equal to 50 nm, a gate electric field prevents a significant decrease in on-state current; therefore, a reduction in resistance of the region 334 and the region 335 as described above is not necessarily performed. the transistor 103 and the transistor 104 each have a self-aligned structure not including a region where the conductive layer 170 overlaps each of the conductive layers 140 and 150 . a transistor with a self-aligned structure, which has extremely small parasitic capacitance between a gate electrode layer and source and drain electrode layers, is suitable for applications that require high-speed operation. the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 21a and 21b . fig. 21a is a top view of a transistor 105 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line f 1 -f 2 in fig. 21a is illustrated in fig. 21b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line f 3 -f 4 in fig. 21a is illustrated in fig. 23a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line f 1 -f 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line f 3 -f 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 105 includes the insulating layer 120 in contact with the substrate 115 ; the oxide semiconductor layer 130 in contact with the insulating layer 120 ; a conductive layer 141 and a conductive layer 151 electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 ; the insulating layer 160 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , the conductive layer 141 , and the conductive layer 151 ; the conductive layer 170 in contact with the insulating layer 160 ; the insulating layer 175 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , the conductive layer 141 , the conductive layer 151 , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 ; the insulating layer 180 in contact with the insulating layer 175 ; and a conductive layer 142 and a conductive layer 152 electrically connected to the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 , respectively, through openings provided in the insulating layer 175 and the insulating layer 180 . the transistor 105 may also include, for example, the insulating layer 190 (planarization film) in contact with the insulating layer 180 , the conductive layer 142 , and the conductive layer 152 as necessary. here, the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 are in contact with the top surface of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 and are not in contact with side surfaces of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . the transistor 105 has the same structure as the transistor 101 except that the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 are provided, that openings provided in the insulating layer 175 and the insulating layer 180 are provided, and that the conductive layer 142 and the conductive layer 152 electrically connected to the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 , respectively, through the openings are provided. the conductive layer 140 (the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 142 ) can function as a source electrode layer, and the conductive layer 150 (the conductive layer 151 and the conductive layer 152 ) can function as a drain electrode layer. the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 22a and 22b . fig. 22a is a top view of a transistor 106 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line g 1 -g 2 in fig. 22a is illustrated in fig. 22b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line g 3 -g 4 in fig. 22a is illustrated in fig. 23a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line g 1 -g 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line g 3 -g 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 106 includes the insulating layer 120 in contact with the substrate 115 ; the oxide semiconductor layer 130 in contact with the insulating layer 120 ; the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 ; the insulating layer 160 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 ; the conductive layer 170 in contact with the insulating layer 160 ; the insulating layer 175 in contact with the insulating layer 120 , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , the conductive layer 141 , the conductive layer 151 , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 ; the insulating layer 180 in contact with the insulating layer 175 ; and the conductive layer 142 and the conductive layer 152 electrically connected to the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 , respectively, through openings provided in the insulating layer 175 and the insulating layer 180 . the transistor 106 may also include, for example, the insulating layer 190 (planarization film) in contact with the insulating layer 180 , the conductive layer 142 , and the conductive layer 152 as necessary. here, the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 are in contact with the top surface of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 and are not in contact with side surfaces of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . the transistor 106 has the same structure as the transistor 103 except that the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 are provided. the conductive layer 140 (the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 142 ) can function as a source electrode layer, and the conductive layer 150 (the conductive layer 151 and the conductive layer 152 ) can function as a drain electrode layer. in the structures of the transistor 105 and the transistor 106 , the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 are not in contact with the insulating layer 120 . these structures make the insulating layer 120 less likely to be deprived of oxygen by the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 and facilitate oxygen supply from the insulating layer 120 to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . note that an impurity for forming oxygen vacancy to increase conductivity may be added to the region 231 and the region 232 in the transistor 103 and the region 334 and the region 335 in the transistor 104 and the transistor 106 . as an impurity for forming oxygen vacancy in an oxide semiconductor layer, for example, one or more of the following can be used: phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, boron, aluminum, silicon, nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, indium, fluorine, chlorine, titanium, zinc, and carbon. as a method for adding the impurity, plasma treatment, an ion implantation method, an ion doping method, a plasma immersion ion implantation method, or the like can be used. when the above element is added as an impurity element to the oxide semiconductor layer, a bond between a metal element and oxygen in the oxide semiconductor layer is cleaved, whereby oxygen vacancy is formed. interaction between oxygen vacancy in the oxide semiconductor layer and hydrogen that remains in the oxide semiconductor layer or is added to the oxide semiconductor layer in a later step can increase the conductivity of the oxide semiconductor layer. when hydrogen is added to an oxide semiconductor in which oxygen vacancy is formed by addition of an impurity element, hydrogen enters an oxygen vacant site and forms a donor level in the vicinity of the conduction band. consequently, an oxide conductor can be formed. here, an oxide conductor refers to an oxide semiconductor that is transformed to be conductive. the oxide conductor is a degenerate semiconductor, and it is suggested that the conduction band edge equals to or substantially equals to the fermi level. for that reason, an ohmic contact is obtained between an oxide conductor layer and conductive layers functioning as a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer; thus, contact resistance between the oxide conductor layer and the conductive layers functioning as a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer can be reduced. the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may include a conductive layer 173 between the oxide semiconductor layer 130 and the substrate 115 as illustrated in the cross-sectional views in the channel length direction in figs. 24a to 24c and figs. 25a to 25c and the cross-sectional views in the channel width direction in figs. 26a and 26b . when the conductive layer 173 is used as a second gate electrode layer (back gate), the on-state current can be further increased or the threshold voltage can be controlled. in the cross-sectional views in figs. 24a to 24c and figs. 25a to 25c , the width of the conductive layer 173 may be shorter than that of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . moreover, the width of the conductive layer 173 may be shorter than that of the conductive layer 170 . in order to increase the on-state current, for example, the conductive layer 170 and the conductive layer 173 are set to have the same potential, and the transistor is driven as a double-gate transistor. further, to control the threshold voltage, a fixed potential, which is different from a potential of the conductive layer 170 , is supplied to the conductive layer 173 . to set the conductive layer 170 and the conductive layer 173 at the same potential, for example, as shown in fig. 26b , the conductive layer 170 and the conductive layer 173 may be electrically connected to each other through a contact hole. the transistors 101 to 106 shown in figs. 17a and 17b , figs. 18a and 18b , figs. 19a and 19b , figs. 20a and 20b , figs. 21a and 21b , and figs. 22a and 22b are examples in which the oxide semiconductor layer 130 is a single layer; alternatively, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 may be a stacked layer. the oxide semiconductor layer 130 in the transistors 101 to 106 can be replaced with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 shown in figs. 27a to 27c or figs. 28a to 28c . figs. 27a to 27c are a top view and cross-sectional views of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 with a two-layer structure. fig. 27b illustrates a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line a 1 -a 2 in fig. 27a . fig. 27c illustrates a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line a 3 -a 4 in fig. 27a . figs. 28a to 28c are a top view and cross-sectional views of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 with a three-layer structure. fig. 28b illustrates a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line a 1 -a 2 in fig. 28a . fig. 28c illustrates a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line a 3 -a 4 in fig. 28a . oxide semiconductor layers with different compositions, for example, can be used as an oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , an oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and an oxide semiconductor layer 130 c. the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 29a and 29b . fig. 29a is a top view of a transistor 107 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line h 1 -h 2 in fig. 29a is illustrated in fig. 29b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line h 3 -h 4 in fig. 29a is illustrated in fig. 35a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line h 1 -h 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line h 3 -h 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 107 includes the insulating layer 120 in contact with the substrate 115 ; a stack of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , in contact with the insulating layer 120 ; the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 electrically connected to the stack; the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c in contact with the stack, the conductive layer 140 , and the conductive layer 150 ; the insulating layer 160 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ; the conductive layer 170 in contact with the insulating layer 160 ; the insulating layer 175 in contact with the conductive layer 140 , the conductive layer 150 , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 ; and the insulating layer 180 in contact with the insulating layer 175 . the transistor 107 may also include, for example, the insulating layer 190 (planarization film) in contact with the insulating layer 180 as necessary. the transistor 107 has the same structure as the transistor 101 except that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes two layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b ) in the region 231 and the region 232 , that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes three layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ) in the region 233 , and that part of the oxide semiconductor layer (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ) exists between the insulating layer 160 and the conductive layers 140 and 150 . the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 30a and 30b . fig. 30a is a top view of a transistor 108 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line 11 - 12 in fig. 30a is illustrated in fig. 30b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line 13 - 14 in fig. 30a is illustrated in fig. 35b . the direction of the dashed-dotted line 11 - 12 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line 13 - 14 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 108 is different from the transistor 107 in that end portions of the insulating layer 160 and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are not aligned with the end portion of the conductive layer 170 . the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 31a and 31b . fig. 31a is a top view of a transistor 109 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line j 1 -j 2 in fig. 31a is illustrated in fig. 31b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line j 3 -j 4 in fig. 31a is illustrated in fig. 35a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line j 1 -j 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line j 3 -j 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 109 includes the insulating layer 120 in contact with the substrate 115 ; a stack of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , in contact with the insulating layer 120 ; the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c in contact with the stack; the insulating layer 160 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ; the conductive layer 170 in contact with the insulating layer 160 ; the insulating layer 175 covering the stack, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 ; the insulating layer 180 in contact with the insulating layer 175 ; and the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 electrically connected to the stack through openings provided in the insulating layer 175 and the insulating layer 180 . the transistor 109 may also include, for example, the insulating layer 190 (planarization film) in contact with the insulating layer 180 , the conductive layer 140 , and the conductive layer 150 as necessary. the transistor 109 has the same structure as the transistor 103 except that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes two layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b ) in the region 231 and the region 232 and that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes three layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ) in the region 233 . the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 32a and 32b . fig. 32a is a top view of a transistor 110 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line k 1 -k 2 in fig. 32a is illustrated in fig. 32b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line k 3 -k 4 in fig. 32a is illustrated in fig. 35a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line k 1 -k 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line k 3 -k 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 110 has the same structure as the transistor 104 except that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes two layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b ) in the region 331 and the region 332 and that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes three layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ) in the region 333 . the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 33a and 33b . fig. 33a is a top view of a transistor 111 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line l 1 -l 2 in fig. 33a is illustrated in fig. 33b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line l 3 -l 4 in fig. 33a is illustrated in fig. 35a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line l 1 -l 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line l 3 -l 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 111 includes the insulating layer 120 in contact with the substrate 115 ; a stack of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , in contact with the insulating layer 120 ; the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 electrically connected to the stack; the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c in contact with the stack, the conductive layer 141 , and the conductive layer 151 ; the insulating layer 160 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ; the conductive layer 170 in contact with the insulating layer 160 ; the insulating layer 175 in contact with the stack, the conductive layer 141 , the conductive layer 151 , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 ; the insulating layer 180 in contact with the insulating layer 175 ; and the conductive layer 142 and the conductive layer 152 electrically connected to the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 , respectively, through openings provided in the insulating layer 175 and the insulating layer 180 . the transistor 111 may also include, for example, the insulating layer 190 (planarization film) in contact with the insulating layer 180 , the conductive layer 142 , and the conductive layer 152 as necessary. the transistor 111 has the same structure as the transistor 105 except that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes two layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b ) in the region 231 and the region 232 , that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes three layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ) in the region 233 , and that part of the oxide semiconductor layer (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ) exists between the insulating layer 160 and the conductive layers 141 and 151 . the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have a structure illustrated in figs. 34a and 34b . fig. 34a is a top view of a transistor 112 . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line m 1 -m 2 in fig. 34a is illustrated in fig. 34b . a cross section in the direction of a dashed-dotted line m 3 -m 4 in fig. 34a is illustrated in fig. 35a . the direction of the dashed-dotted line m 1 -m 2 may be referred to as a channel length direction, and the direction of the dashed-dotted line m 3 -m 4 may be referred to as a channel width direction. the transistor 112 has the same structure as the transistor 106 except that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes two layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b ) in the region 331 , the region 332 , the region 334 , and the region 335 and that the oxide semiconductor layer 130 includes three layers (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ) in the region 333 . the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may include the conductive layer 173 between the oxide semiconductor layer 130 and the substrate 115 as illustrated in the cross-sectional views in the channel length direction in figs. 36a to 36c and figs. 37a to 37c and the cross-sectional views in the channel width direction in figs. 38a and 38b . when the conductive layer is used as a second gate electrode layer (back gate), the on-state current can be further increased or the threshold voltage can be controlled. in the cross-sectional views in figs. 36a to 36c and figs. 37a to 37c , the width of the conductive layer 173 may be shorter than that of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . moreover, the width of the conductive layer 173 may be shorter than that of the conductive layer 170 . the conductive layer 140 (source electrode layer) and the conductive layer 150 (drain electrode layer) of the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention may have any of structures illustrated in top views of figs. 39a and 39b . note that figs. 39a and 39b each illustrate only the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , the conductive layer 140 , and the conductive layer 150 . as illustrated in fig. 39a , the width (w sd ) of the conductive layers 140 and 150 may be larger than the width (w os ) of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . alternatively, as illustrated in fig. 39b , w sd may be smaller than w os . when w os ≧w sd (w sd is less than or equal to w os ) is satisfied, a gate electric field is easily applied to the entire oxide semiconductor layer 130 , so that electrical characteristics of the transistor can be improved. in the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention (any of the transistors 101 to 112 ), the conductive layer 170 functioning as a gate electrode layer electrically surrounds the oxide semiconductor layer 130 in the channel width direction with the insulating layer 160 functioning as a gate insulating film positioned therebetween. this structure increases the on-state current. such a transistor structure is referred to as a surrounded channel (s-channel) structure. in the transistor including the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c and the transistor including the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c , selecting appropriate materials for the two or three layers forming the oxide semiconductor layer 130 allows current to flow in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b . since current flows in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , the current is hardly influenced by interface scattering, leading to a high on-state current. note that increasing the thickness of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b can increase the on-state current. the thickness of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b may be, for example, 100 nm to 200 nm. a semiconductor device using a transistor with any of the above structures can have favorable electrical characteristics. note that in this specification, the channel length refers to, for example, a distance between a source (a source region or a source electrode) and a drain (a drain region or a drain electrode) in a region where a semiconductor (or a portion where a current flows in a semiconductor when a transistor is on) and a gate electrode overlap each other or a region where a channel is formed in a top view of the transistor. in one transistor, channel lengths in all regions are not necessarily the same. in other words, the channel length of one transistor is not limited to one value in some cases. therefore, in this specification, the channel length is any one of values, the maximum value, the minimum value, or the average value in a region where a channel is formed. the channel width refers to, for example, the length of a portion where a source and a drain face each other in a region where a semiconductor (or a portion where a current flows in a semiconductor when a transistor is on) and a gate electrode overlap each other, or a region where a channel is formed. in one transistor, channel widths in all regions do not necessarily have the same value. in other words, a channel width of one transistor is not fixed to one value in some cases. therefore, in this specification, a channel width is any one of values, the maximum value, the minimum value, or the average value in a region where a channel is formed. note that depending on transistor structures, a channel width in a region where a channel is formed actually (hereinafter referred to as an effective channel width) is different from a channel width shown in a top view of a transistor (hereinafter referred to as an apparent channel width) in some cases. for example, in a transistor having a gate electrode covering a side surface of a semiconductor, an effective channel width is greater than an apparent channel width, and its influence cannot be ignored in some cases. for example, in a miniaturized transistor having a gate electrode covering a side surface of a semiconductor, the proportion of a channel region formed in a side surface of a semiconductor is higher than the proportion of a channel region formed in a top surface of a semiconductor in some cases. in that case, an effective channel width is greater than an apparent channel width. in such a case, an effective channel width is difficult to measure in some cases. for example, to estimate an effective channel width from a design value, it is necessary to assume that the shape of a semiconductor is known as an assumption condition. therefore, in the case where the shape of a semiconductor is not known accurately, it is difficult to measure an effective channel width accurately. therefore, in this specification, an apparent channel width is referred to as a surrounded channel width (scw) in some cases. further, in this specification, in the case where the term “channel width” is simply used, it may denote a surrounded channel width and an apparent channel width. alternatively, in this specification, in the case where the term “channel width” is simply used, it may denote an effective channel width in some cases. note that a channel length, a channel width, an effective channel width, an apparent channel width, a surrounded channel width, and the like can be determined by analyzing a cross-sectional tem image and the like. note that in the case where electric field mobility, a current value per channel width, and the like of a transistor are calculated, a surrounded channel width may be used for the calculation. in that case, a value might be different from one calculated by using an effective channel width. this embodiment can be combined as appropriate with any of the other embodiments in this specification. embodiment 6 in this embodiment, components of the transistors described in embodiment 5 are described in detail. the substrate 115 includes a silicon substrate provided with a transistor and a photodiode; and an insulating layer, a wiring, and a conductor functioning as a contact plug which are provided over the silicon substrate. the substrate 115 corresponds to the first layer 1100 and the second layer 1200 in fig. 1a . when p-channel transistors are formed using the silicon substrate, a silicon substrate with n − -type conductivity is preferably used. it is also possible to use an soi substrate including an n − -type or i-type silicon layer. a surface of the silicon substrate where the transistor is formed preferably has a (110) plane orientation. forming a p-channel transistor with the (110) plane can increase the mobility. the insulating layer 120 may have a function of supplying oxygen to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 as well as a function of preventing diffusion of impurities from components included in the substrate 115 . for this reason, the insulating layer 120 is preferably an insulating film containing oxygen and further preferably, an insulating film containing oxygen more than its stoichiometric composition. for example, the insulating layer 120 is preferably a film in which the amount of released oxygen estimated in oxygen atoms is 1.0×10 19 atoms/cm 3 or more in thermal desorption spectroscopy (tds) analysis performed such that the surface temperature is higher than or equal to 100° c. and lower than or equal to 700° c., preferably higher than or equal to 100° c. and lower than or equal to 500° c. the insulating layer 120 also has a function as an interlayer insulating film and may be subjected to planarization treatment such as chemical mechanical polishing (cmp) treatment so as to have a flat surface. for example, the insulating layer 120 can be formed using an oxide insulating film including aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, tantalum oxide, or the like, a nitride insulating film including silicon nitride, silicon nitride oxide, aluminum nitride, aluminum nitride oxide, or the like, or a mixed material of any of these oxides. the insulating layer 120 may be a stack of any of the above materials. in this embodiment, detailed description is given mainly on the case where the oxide semiconductor layer 130 of the transistor has a three-layer structure in which the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are stacked in this order from the insulating layer 120 side. note that in the case where the oxide semiconductor layer 130 is a single layer, a layer corresponding to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , which is described in this embodiment, is used. in the case where the oxide semiconductor layer 130 has a two-layer structure, a stack in which a layer corresponding to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b and a layer corresponding to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are stacked in this order from the insulating layer 120 side, which is described in this embodiment, is used. in such a case, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c can be replaced with each other. in the case where the oxide semiconductor layer 130 has a stacked-layer structure of four or more layers, for example, a structure in which another oxide semiconductor layer is added to the three-layer stack of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 described in this embodiment can be employed. for the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , for example, an oxide semiconductor whose electron affinity (an energy difference between a vacuum level and the conduction band minimum) is higher than those of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c is used. the electron affinity can be obtained by subtracting an energy difference between the conduction band minimum and the valence band maximum (an energy gap) from an energy difference between the vacuum level and the valence band maximum (an ionization potential). the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c each contain one or more kinds of metal elements contained in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b . for example, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are preferably formed using an oxide semiconductor whose conduction band minimum is closer to a vacuum level than that of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b by 0.05 ev or more, 0.07 ev or more, 0.1 ev or more, or 0.15 ev or more and 2 ev or less, 1 ev or less, 0.5 ev or less, or 0.4 ev or less. in such a structure, when an electric field is applied to the conductive layer 170 , a channel is formed in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b whose conduction band minimum is the lowest in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . since the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a contains one or more kinds of metal elements contained in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , an interface state is unlikely to be formed at the interface between the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a compared with an interface formed by contacting the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b with the insulating layer 120 . the interface state tends to form a channel; therefore, the threshold voltage of the transistor might be changed. thus, with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , fluctuations in electrical characteristics of the transistor, such as a threshold voltage, can be reduced. further, the reliability of the transistor can be improved. since the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c contains one or more kinds of metal elements contained in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , scattering of carriers is unlikely to occur at the interface between the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c compared with an interface formed by contacting the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b with the gate insulating film (insulating layer 160 . thus, with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c , the field-effect mobility of the transistor can be increased. for the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c , for example, a material containing al, ti, ga, ge, y, zr, sn, la, ce, or hf with a higher atomic ratio than that used for the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b can be used. specifically, an atomic ratio of any of the above metal elements in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c is 1.5 times or more, preferably 2 times or more, further preferably 3 times or more as much as that in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b . any of the above metal elements is strongly bonded to oxygen and thus has a function of suppressing generation of oxygen vacancy in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c . that is, oxygen vacancy is difficult to be generated in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c than in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b. an oxide semiconductor that can be used for each of the oxide semiconductor layers 130 a , 130 b , and 130 c preferably contains at least in or zn. both in and zn are preferably contained. in order to reduce fluctuations in electrical characteristics of the transistor including the oxide semiconductor, the oxide semiconductor preferably contains a stabilizer in addition to in and zn. as a stabilizer, ga, sn, hf, al, zr, and the like can be given. as another stabilizer, lanthanoid such as la, ce, pr, nd, sm, eu, gd, tb, (dy, ho, er, tm, yb, or lu can be given. as the oxide semiconductor, for example, any of the following can be used: indium oxide, tin oxide, gallium oxide, zinc oxide, an in—zn oxide, a sn—zn oxide, an al—zn oxide, a zn—mg oxide, a sn—mg oxide, an in—mg oxide, an in—ga oxide, an in—ga—zn oxide, an in—al—zn oxide, an in—sn—zn oxide, a sn—ga—zn oxide, an al—ga—zn oxide, a sn—al—zn oxide, an in—hf—zn oxide, an in—la—zn oxide, an in—ce—zn oxide, an in—pr—zn oxide, an in—nd—zn oxide, an in—sm—zn oxide, an in—eu—zn oxide, an in—gd—zn oxide, an in—tb—zn oxide, an in—dy—zn oxide, an in—ho—zn oxide, an in—er—zn oxide, an in—tm—zn oxide, an in—yb—zn oxide, an in—lu—zn oxide, an in—sn—ga—zn oxide, an in—hf—ga—zn oxide, an in—al—ga—zn oxide, an in—sn—al—zn oxide, an in—sn—hf—zn oxide, and an in—hf—al—zn oxide. for example, “in—ga—zn oxide” means an oxide containing in, ga, and zn as its main components. the in—ga—zn oxide may contain another metal element in addition to in, ga, and zn. note that in this specification, a film containing the in—ga—zn oxide is also referred to as an igzo film. a material represented by inmo 3 (zno) m (m>0 is satisfied, and m is not an integer) may be used. note that m represents one or more metal elements selected from ga, y, zr, la, ce, and nd. alternatively, a material represented by in 2 sno 5 (zno) n (n>0, n is an integer) may be used. when each of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c is an in-m-zn oxide containing at least indium, zinc, and m (m is a metal such as al, ti, ga, ge, y, zr, sn, la, ce, or hf), and when the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a has an atomic ratio of in to m and zn which is x 1 :y 1 :z 1 , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b has an atomic ratio of in to m and zn which is x 2 :y 2 :z 2 , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c has an atomic ratio of in to m and zn which is x 3 :y 3 :z 3 , each of y 1 /x 1 and y 3 /x 3 is preferably larger than y 2 /x 2 . each of y 1 /x 1 and y 3 /x 3 is 1.5 times or more, preferably 2 times or more, further preferably 3 times or more as large as y 2 /x 2 . at this time, when y 2 is greater than or equal to x 2 in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , the transistor can have stable electrical characteristics. however, when y 2 is 3 times or more as large as x 2 , the field-effect mobility of the transistor is reduced; accordingly, y 2 is preferably smaller than 3 times x 2 . in the case where zn and o are not taken into consideration, the proportion of in and the proportion of m in each of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are preferably less than 50 atomic % and greater than or equal to 50 atomic %, respectively, further preferably less than 25 atomic % and greater than or equal to 75 atomic %, respectively. in the case where zn and o are not taken into consideration, the proportion of in and the proportion of m in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b are preferably greater than or equal to 25 atomic % and less than 75 atomic %, respectively, further preferably greater than or equal to 34 atomic % and less than 66 atomic %, respectively. the indium content in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b is preferably higher than those in the oxide semiconductor layers 130 a and 130 c . in an oxide semiconductor, the s orbital of heavy metal mainly contributes to carrier transfer, and when the proportion of in in the oxide semiconductor is increased, overlap of the s orbitals is increased. therefore, an oxide having the proportion of in higher than that of m has higher mobility than an oxide having the proportion of in equal to or lower than that of m. thus, with the use of an oxide having a high content of indium for the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , a transistor having high field-effect mobility can be obtained. the thickness of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a is greater than or equal to 3 nm and less than or equal to 100 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 5 nm and less than or equal to 50 nm, further preferably greater than or equal to 5 nm and less than or equal to 25 nm. the thickness of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b is greater than or equal to 3 nm and less than or equal to 200 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 10 nm and less than or equal to 150 nm, further preferably greater than or equal to 15 nm and less than or equal to 100 nm. the thickness of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c is greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 50 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 2 nm and less than or equal to 30 nm, further preferably greater than or equal to 3 nm and less than or equal to 15 nm. the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b is preferably thicker than the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c. note that in order that a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer serves as a channel has stable electrical characteristics, it is effective to reduce the concentration of impurities in the oxide semiconductor layer to make the oxide semiconductor layer intrinsic (i-type) or substantially intrinsic. the term “substantially intrinsic” refers to the state where an oxide semiconductor layer has a carrier density which is lower than lower than 1×10 15 /cm 3 , lower than 1×10 13 /cm 3 , lower than 8×10 11 /cm 3 , or lower than 1×10 8 /cm 3 , and is higher than or equal to 1×10 −9 /cm 3 . in the oxide semiconductor layer, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, silicon, and a metal element other than main components of the oxide semiconductor layer are impurities. for example, hydrogen and nitrogen form donor levels to increase the carrier density. in addition, silicon in the oxide semiconductor layer forms an impurity level. the impurity level serves as a trap and might cause deterioration of electrical characteristics of the transistor. accordingly, in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c and at interfaces between these layers, the impurity concentration is preferably reduced. in order to form an intrinsic or substantially intrinsic oxide semiconductor layer, the oxide semiconductor layer is arranged to have a region in which the concentration of silicon estimated by secondary ion mass spectrometry (sims) is lower than 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 , preferably lower than 5×10 18 atoms/cm 3 , further preferably lower than 1×10 18 atoms/cm 3 . further, the oxide semiconductor layer is arranged to have a region in which the concentration of hydrogen is lower than or equal to 2×10 20 atoms/cm 3 , preferably lower than or equal to 5×10 19 atoms/cm 3 , further preferably lower than or equal to 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 , still further preferably lower than or equal to 5×10 18 atoms/cm 3 . further, the concentration of nitrogen is controlled to be lower than 5×10 19 atoms/cm 3 , preferably lower than or equal to 5×10 18 atoms/cm 3 , further preferably lower than or equal to 1×10 18 atoms/cm 3 , still further preferably lower than or equal to 5×10 17 atoms/cm 3 . increase in concentration of silicon or carbon might reduce the crystallinity of the oxide semiconductor layer. in order to avoid the reduction of the crystallinity of the oxide semiconductor layer, for example, the oxide semiconductor layer is arranged to have a region in which the concentration of silicon is lower than 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 , preferably lower than 5×10 18 atoms/cm 3 , further preferably lower than 1×10 18 atoms/cm 3 . further, the oxide semiconductor layer is arranged to have a region in which the concentration of carbon is lower than 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 , preferably lower than 5×10 18 atoms/cm 3 , further preferably lower than 1×10 18 atoms/cm 3 , for example. as described above, a transistor in which a highly purified oxide semiconductor film is used for a channel formation region has an extremely low off-state current. for example, in the case where the voltage between the source and the drain is set to approximately 0.1 v, 5 v, or 10 v, the off-state current per channel width of the transistor can be as low as several yoctoamperes per micrometer to several zeptoamperes per micrometer. note that as the gate insulating film of the transistor, an insulating film containing silicon is used in many cases; thus, it is preferable that, as in the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention, a region of the oxide semiconductor layer, which serves as a channel, not be in contact with the gate insulating film for the above-described reason. in the case where a channel is formed at the interface between the gate insulating film and the oxide semiconductor layer, scattering of carriers occurs at the interface, whereby the field-effect mobility of the transistor is reduced. from the view of the above, it is preferable that the region of the oxide semiconductor layer, which serves as a channel, be separated from the gate insulating film. accordingly, with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 having a stacked-layer structure including the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c , a channel can be formed in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b ; thus, the transistor can have a high field-effect mobility and stable electrical characteristics. in a band structure, the conduction band minimums of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are continuous. this can be understood also from the fact that the compositions of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are close to one another and oxygen is easily diffused among the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c . thus, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c have a continuous physical property although they have different compositions and form a stack. in the drawings, interfaces between the oxide semiconductor layers of the stack are indicated by dotted lines. the oxide semiconductor layer 130 in which layers containing the same main components are stacked is formed to have not only a simple stacked-layer structure of the layers but also a continuous energy band (here, in particular, a well structure having a u shape in which the conduction band minimums are continuous (u-shape well)). in other words, the stacked-layer structure is formed such that there exists no impurity that forms a defect level such as a trap center or a recombination center at each interface. if impurities exist between the stacked oxide semiconductor layers, the continuity of the energy band is lost and carriers disappear by a trap or recombination at the interface. for example, an in—ga—zn oxide whose atomic ratio of in to ga and zn is 1:3:2, 1:3:3, 1:3:4, 1:3:6, 1:4:5, 1:6:4, or 1:9:6 can be used for the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c . an in—ga—zn oxide whose atomic ratio of in to ga and zn is 1:1:1, 2:1:3, 5:5:6, or 3:1:2 can be used for the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b . in each of the oxide semiconductor layers 130 a , 130 b , and 130 c , the proportion of each atom in the atomic ratio varies within a range of ±20% as an error. the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 serves as a well, so that a channel is formed in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b . note that since the conduction band minimums are continuous, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 can also be referred to as a u-shaped well. a channel formed to have such a structure can also be referred to as a buried channel. note that trap levels due to impurities or defects might be formed in the vicinity of the interface between an insulating layer such as a silicon oxide film and each of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c . the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b can be distanced away from the trap levels owing to existence of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c. however, when the energy differences between the conduction band minimum of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b and the conduction band minimum of each of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are small, an electron in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b might reach the trap level by passing over the energy differences. when the electron is trapped in the trap level, a negative charge is generated at the interface with the insulating layer, whereby the threshold voltage of the transistor is shifted in the positive direction. the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c preferably include crystal parts. in particular, when crystals with c-axis alignment are used, the transistor can have stable electrical characteristics. moreover, crystals with c-axis alignment are resistant to bending; therefore, using such crystals can improve the reliability of a semiconductor device using a flexible substrate. as the conductive layer 140 functioning as a source electrode layer and the conductive layer 150 functioning as a drain electrode layer, for example, a single layer or a stacked layer formed using a material selected from al, cr, cu, ta, ti, mo, w, ni, mn, nd, sc, and alloys of any of these metal materials can be used. typically, it is preferable to use ti, which is particularly easily bonded to oxygen, or w, which has a high melting point and thus allows subsequent process temperatures to be relatively high. it is also possible to use a stack of any of the above materials and cu or an alloy such as cu—mn, which has low resistance. note that in the transistors 105 , 106 , 111 , and 112 , for example, it is possible to use w for the conductive layer 141 and the conductive layer 151 and use a stack of ti and al for the conductive layer 142 and the conductive layer 152 . the above materials are capable of abstracting oxygen from an oxide semiconductor layer. therefore, in a region of the oxide semiconductor layer that is in contact with any of the above materials, oxygen is released from the oxide semiconductor layer and oxygen vacancy is formed. hydrogen slightly contained in the layer and the oxygen vacancy are bonded to each other, whereby the region is changed to an n-type region. accordingly, the n-type region can serve as a source or a drain of the transistor. the insulating layer 160 functioning as a gate insulating film can be formed using an insulating film containing one or more of aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, silicon nitride, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, and tantalum oxide. the insulating layer 160 may be a stack including any of the above materials. the insulating layer 160 may contain la, nitrogen, or zr as an impurity. an example of a stacked-layer structure of the insulating layer 160 is described. the insulating layer 160 includes, for example, oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, or hafnium. specifically, the insulating layer 160 preferably includes hafnium oxide and silicon oxide or silicon oxynitride. hafnium oxide and aluminum oxide have higher dielectric constant than silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride. therefore, the thickness can be increased as compared with silicon oxide; thus, leakage current due to tunnel current can be reduced. that is, it is possible to provide a transistor with a low off-state current. moreover, hafnium oxide with a crystalline structure has higher dielectric constant than hafnium oxide with an amorphous structure. therefore, it is preferable to use hafnium oxide with a crystalline structure in order to provide a transistor with a low off-state current. examples of the crystalline structure include a monoclinic crystal structure and a cubic crystal structure. note that one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above examples. a surface over which the hafnium oxide having a crystal structure is formed might have interface states due to defects. the interface states might function as trap centers. therefore, in the case where the hafnium oxide is provided close to the channel region of the transistor, the electrical characteristics of the transistor might deteriorate owing to the interface states. in order to reduce the influence of the interface state, it is preferable to separate the channel region of the transistor and the hafnium oxide from each other by providing another film therebetween. the film has a buffer function. the film having a buffer function may be included in the insulating layer 160 or included in the oxide semiconductor film. that is, the film having a buffer function can be formed using silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, an oxide semiconductor, or the like. the film having a buffer function is formed using, for example, a semiconductor or an insulator having a larger energy gap than a semiconductor to be the channel region. alternatively, the film having a buffer function is formed using, for example, a semiconductor or an insulator having lower electron affinity than a semiconductor to be the channel region. further alternatively, the film having a buffer function is formed using, for example, a semiconductor or an insulator having higher ionization energy than a semiconductor to be the channel region. meanwhile, charge is trapped by the interface states (trap centers) of the hafnium oxide having a crystal structure, whereby the threshold voltage of the transistor may be controlled. in order to make the electric charge exist stably, for example, a semiconductor or an insulator having a larger energy gap than hafnium oxide may be provided between the channel region and the hafnium oxide. alternatively, a semiconductor or an insulator having smaller electron affinity than the hafnium oxide is provided. the film having a buffer function may be formed using a semiconductor or an insulator having higher ionization energy than hafnium oxide. use of such a semiconductor or an insulator inhibits discharge of the charge trapped by the interface states, so that the charge can be retained for a long time. examples of such an insulator include silicon oxide and silicon oxynitride. an electric charge can be trapped at the interface state in the insulating layer 160 by transferring electron from the oxide semiconductor layer 130 toward the gate electrode layer (conductive layer 170 ). as a specific example, the potential of the gate electrode layer (conductive layer 170 ) is kept higher than the potential of the source electrode or the drain electrode under high temperature conditions (e.g., a temperature higher than or equal to 125° c. and lower than or equal to 450° c., typically higher than or equal to 150° c. and lower than or equal to 300° c.) for one second or longer, typically for one minute or longer. the threshold voltage of a transistor in which a predetermined amount of electrons are trapped in interface states in the insulating layer 160 or the like shifts in the positive direction. the amount of electrons to be trapped (the amount of change in threshold voltage) can be controlled by adjusting a voltage of the gate electrode layer (conductive layer 170 ) or time in which the voltage is applied. note that a location in which charge is trapped is not necessarily limited to the inside of the insulating layer 160 as long as charge can be trapped therein. a stacked-layer film having a similar structure may be used for another insulating layer. the insulating layer 120 and the insulating layer 160 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 130 may include a region with a low density of states caused by nitrogen oxide. as the oxide insulating layer with a low density of states of a nitrogen oxide, a silicon oxynitride film that releases less nitrogen oxide, an aluminum oxynitride film that releases less nitrogen oxide, or the like can be used. note that a silicon oxynitride film that releases less nitrogen oxide is a film which releases ammonia more than nitrogen oxide in tds analysis; the amount of released ammonia is typically greater than or equal to 1×10 18 /cm 3 and less than or equal to 5×10 19 /cm 3 . note that the amount of released ammonia is that released by heat treatment at the film surface temperature higher than or equal to 50° c. and lower than or equal to 650° c., preferably higher than or equal to 50° c. and lower than or equal to 550° c. by using the above oxide insulating layer for the insulating layer 120 and the insulating layer 160 , a shift in the threshold voltage of the transistor can be reduced, which leads to reduced fluctuations in the electrical characteristics of the transistor. for the conductive layer 170 functioning as a gate electrode layer, for example, a conductive film formed using al, ti, cr, co, ni, cu, y, zr, mo, ru, ag, mn, nd, sc, ta, w, or the like can be used. it is also possible to use an alloy or a conductive nitride of any of these materials. it is also possible to use a stack of a plurality of materials selected from these materials, alloys of these materials, and conductive nitrides of these materials. typically, tungsten, a stack of tungsten and titanium nitride, a stack of tungsten and tantalum nitride, or the like can be used. it is also possible to use cu or an alloy such as cu—mn, which has low resistance, or a stack of any of the above materials and cu or an alloy such as cu—mn. in this embodiment, tantalum nitride is used for the conductive layer 171 and tungsten is used for the conductive layer 172 to form the conductive layer 170 . as the insulating layer 175 , a silicon nitride film, an aluminum nitride film, or the like containing hydrogen can be used. in the transistors 103 , 104 , 106 , 109 , 110 , and 112 described in embodiment 2, using an insulating film containing hydrogen as the insulating layer 175 allows the oxide semiconductor layer to be partly changed to n-type. in addition, a nitride insulating film functions as a blocking film against moisture and the like and can improve the reliability of the transistor. an aluminum oxide film can also be used as the insulating layer 175 . it is particularly preferable to use an aluminum oxide film as the insulating layer 175 in the transistors 101 , 102 , 105 , 107 , 108 , and 111 described in embodiment 2. the aluminum oxide film has a high blocking effect of preventing permeation of both oxygen and impurities such as hydrogen and moisture. accordingly, during and after the manufacturing process of the transistor, the aluminum oxide film can suitably function as a protective film that has effects of preventing entry of impurities such as hydrogen and moisture into the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , preventing release of oxygen from the oxide semiconductor layer, and preventing unnecessary release of oxygen from the insulating layer 120 . further, oxygen contained in the aluminum oxide film can be diffused into the oxide semiconductor layer. the insulating layer 180 is preferably formed over the insulating layer 175 . the insulating layer 180 can be formed using an insulating film containing one or more of magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, silicon nitride, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide, lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, and tantalum oxide. the insulating layer 180 may be a stack of any of the above materials. here, like the insulating layer 120 , the insulating layer 180 preferably contains oxygen more than that in the stoichiometric composition. oxygen released from the insulating layer 180 can be diffused into the channel formation region in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 through the insulating layer 160 , so that oxygen vacancy formed in the channel formation region can be filled with the oxygen. in this manner, stable electrical characteristics of the transistor can be achieved. high integration of a semiconductor device requires miniaturization of a transistor. however, it is known that miniaturization of a transistor causes degradation of the electric characteristics of the transistor. when a channel width is decreased, the on-state current is decreased. in the transistors 107 to 112 of embodiments of the present invention, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c is formed to cover the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b where a channel is formed; thus, a channel formation layer is not in contact with the gate insulating film. accordingly, scattering of carriers at the interface between the channel formation layer and the gate insulating film can be reduced and the on-state current of the transistor can be increased. in the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the gate electrode layer (the conductive layer 170 ) is formed to electrically surround the oxide semiconductor layer 130 in the channel width direction; accordingly, a gate electric field is applied to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 in a direction perpendicular to its side surface in addition to a direction perpendicular to its top surface. in other words, a gate electric field is applied to the entire channel formation layer and an effective channel width is increased, leading to a further increase in the on-state current. furthermore, in the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention in which the oxide semiconductor layer 130 has a two-layer structure or a three-layer structure, since the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b where a channel is formed is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the formation of an interface state is effectively inhibited. in the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention in which the oxide semiconductor layer 130 has a three-layer structure, since the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b is positioned at the middle of the three-layer structure, the influence of an impurity that enters from upper and lower layers on the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b is effectively eliminated as well. therefore, the transistor can achieve not only the increase in the on-state current of the transistor but also stabilization of the threshold voltage and a reduction in the s value (subthreshold value). thus, icut (current when gate voltage vg is 0 v) can be reduced and power consumption can be reduced. further, since the threshold voltage of the transistor is stabilized, long-term reliability of the semiconductor device can be improved. in addition, the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention is suitable for a highly integrated semiconductor device because deterioration of electrical characteristics due to miniaturization is reduced. this embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate. embodiment 7 in this embodiment, methods for manufacturing the transistors 101 and 107 described in embodiment 5 are described. first, an example of a method for manufacturing a silicon transistor included in the substrate 115 is described. an n − -type single crystal silicon substrate is used as a silicon substrate, and an element formation region isolated with an insulating layer (also referred to as a field oxide film) is formed on the surface. an element separation region is formed by local oxidation of silicon (locos), shallow trench isolation (sti), or the like. here, the substrate is not limited to the single crystal silicon substrate. a silicon on insulator (soi) substrate or the like can be used as well. next, a gate insulating film is formed so as to cover the element formation region. for example, a silicon oxide film is formed by oxidation of a surface of the element formation region by heat treatment. after the silicon oxide film is formed, a surface of the silicon oxide film may be nitrided by nitriding treatment. next, a conductive film is formed so as to cover the gate insulating film. the conductive film can be formed using an element selected from ta, w, ti, mo, al, cu, cr, nb, and the like, or an alloy material or a compound material containing such an element as a main component. alternatively, a metal nitride film obtained by nitridation of any of these elements can be used. alternatively, a semiconductor material typified by polycrystalline silicon doped with an impurity element such as phosphorus can be used. then, the conductive film is selectively etched, whereby a gate electrode layer is formed over the gate insulating film. next, an insulating film such as a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film is formed to cover the gate electrode layer and etch back is performed, whereby sidewalls are formed on side surfaces of the gate electrode layer. next, a resist mask is selectively formed so as to cover regions except the element formation region, and an impurity element is added with the use of the resist mask and the gate electrode layer as masks, whereby pt-type impurity regions are formed. here, in order to form a p-channel transistor, an impurity element imparting p-type conductivity such as b or ga can be used as the impurity element. then, in order to form a photodiode, a resist mask is selectively formed. here, in order to form a cathode of the photodiode over a surface of the single crystal silicon substrate which is the same as a surface where the transistor is formed, an n + -type shallow impurity region is formed by introduction of p or as that are impurity elements imparting n-type conductivity. a pt-type deep impurity region may be formed in order to electrically connect an anode of the photodiode and a wiring. note that the anode (the pt-type shallow impurity region) of the photodiode is formed over a surface of the single crystal silicon substrate opposite to the surface where the cathode of the photodiode is formed in a later step. here, as illustrated in fig. 1a , an opening is formed in a region in contact with the side surface of the photodiode by etching, and an insulating layer is provided in the opening. the insulating layer can be a silicon oxide layer, a silicon nitride layer, or the like formed by a deposition method such as a chemical vapor deposition (cvd) method, a thermal oxidation method, or the like. through the above steps, a p-channel transistor including an active region in the silicon substrate and the photodiode are completed. a passivation film such as a silicon nitride film is preferably formed over the transistor. next, an interlayer insulating film is formed using a silicon oxide film or the like over the silicon substrate where the transistor is formed, and conductors and wiring layers are formed. in addition, as described in embodiment 1, an insulating layer made of aluminum oxide or the like for preventing diffusion of hydrogen is formed. the substrate 115 includes the silicon substrate where the transistor and the photodiode are formed, and the interlayer insulating layer, the wiring layers, the conductors and the like formed over the silicon substrate. a method for manufacturing the transistor 102 is described with reference to figs. 40a to 40c and figs. 41a to 41c . a cross section of the transistor in the channel length direction is shown on the left side, and a cross section of the transistor in the channel width direction is shown on the right side. the cross-sectional views in the channel width direction are enlarged views; therefore, components on the left side and those on the right side differ in apparent thickness. the case where the oxide semiconductor layer 130 has a three-layer structure of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c is described as an example. in the case where the oxide semiconductor layer 130 has a two-layer structure, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b are used. in the case where the oxide semiconductor layer 130 has a single-layer structure, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b is used. first, the insulating layer 120 is formed over the substrate 115 . embodiment 6 can be referred to for description of the kinds of the substrate 115 and a material used for the insulating layer 120 . the insulating layer 120 can be formed by a sputtering method, a cvd method, a molecular beam epitaxy (mbe) method, or the like. oxygen may be added to the insulating layer 120 by an ion implantation method, an ion doping method, a plasma immersion ion implantation method, plasma treatment, or the like. adding oxygen enables the insulating layer 120 to supply oxygen much easily to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . in the case where a surface of the substrate 115 is made of an insulator and there is no influence of impurity diffusion to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 to be formed later, the insulating layer 120 is not necessarily provided. next, an oxide semiconductor film 130 a to be the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , an oxide semiconductor film 130 b to be the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and an oxide semiconductor film 130 c to be the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are formed over the insulating layer 120 by a sputtering method, a cvd method, an mbe method, or the like (see fig. 40a ). in the case where the oxide semiconductor layer 130 has a stacked-layer structure, oxide semiconductor films are preferably formed successively without exposure to the air with the use of a multi-chamber deposition apparatus (e.g., a sputtering apparatus) including a load lock chamber. it is preferable that each chamber of the sputtering apparatus be able to be evacuated to a high vacuum (approximately 5×10 −7 pa to 1×10 −4 pa) by an adsorption vacuum evacuation pump such as a cryopump and that the chamber be able to heat a substrate to 100° c. or higher, preferably 500° c. or higher, so that water and the like acting as impurities of an oxide semiconductor are removed as much as possible. a combination of a turbo molecular pump and a cold trap is preferably used to prevent back-flow of a gas containing a carbon component, moisture, or the like from an exhaust system into the chamber. a combination of a turbo molecular pump and a cryopump may be used as an exhaust system. not only high vacuum evacuation of the chamber but also high purity of a sputtering gas is preferred to obtain a highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor. an oxygen gas or an argon gas used for a sputtering gas is highly purified to have a dew point of −40° c. or lower, preferably −80° c. or lower, further preferably −100° c. or lower, whereby entry of moisture or the like into the oxide semiconductor film can be prevented as much as possible. for the oxide semiconductor film 130 a, the oxide semiconductor film 130 b, and the oxide semiconductor film 130 c, any of the materials described in embodiment 6 can be used. in the case where a sputtering method is used for deposition, the materials described in embodiment 6 can be used as a target. note that as described in detail in embodiment 6, a material that has an electron affinity higher than that of the oxide semiconductor film 130 a and that of the oxide semiconductor film 130 c is used for the oxide semiconductor film 130 b. note that the oxide semiconductor films are preferably formed by a sputtering method. as a sputtering method, an rf sputtering method, a dc sputtering method, an ac sputtering method, or the like can be used. after the oxide semiconductor film 130 c is formed, first heat treatment may be performed. the first heat treatment may be performed at a temperature higher than or equal to 250° c. and lower than or equal to 650° c., preferably higher than or equal to 300° c. and lower than or equal to 500° c., in an inert gas atmosphere, an atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas at 10 ppm or more, or at a reduced pressure. alternatively, the first heat treatment may be performed in such a manner that heat treatment is performed in an inert gas atmosphere, and then another heat treatment is performed in an atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas at 10 ppm or more, in order to compensate released oxygen. the first heat treatment can increase the crystallinity of the oxide semiconductor film 130 a, the oxide semiconductor film 130 b, and the oxide semiconductor film 130 c and remove impurities such as water and hydrogen from the insulating layer 120 , the oxide semiconductor film 130 a, the oxide semiconductor film 130 b, and the oxide semiconductor film 130 c. note that the first heat treatment may be performed after etching for forming the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c described later. next, a first conductive layer is formed over the oxide semiconductor film 130 a. the first conductive layer can be, for example, formed by the following method. first, a first conductive film is formed over the oxide semiconductor film 130 a. as the first conductive film, a single layer or a stacked layer can be formed using a material selected from al, cr, cu, ta, ti, mo, w, ni, mn, nd, and sc and alloys of any of these metal materials. next, a resist film is formed over the first conductive film and the resist film is exposed to light by electron beam exposure, liquid immersion exposure, or euv exposure and developed, so that a first resist mask is formed. an organic coating film is preferably formed as an adherence agent between the first conductive film and the resist film. alternatively, the first resist mask may be formed by nanoimprint lithography. then, the first conductive film is selectively etched using the first resist mask, and the first resist mask is subjected to ashing; thus, the conductive layer is formed. next, the oxide semiconductor film 130 a, the oxide semiconductor film 130 b, and the oxide semiconductor film 130 c are selectively etched using the conductive layer as a hard mask, and the conductive layer is removed; thus, the oxide semiconductor layer 130 including a stack of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c is formed (see fig. 40b ). it is also possible to form the oxide semiconductor layer 130 using the first resist mask without forming the conductive layer. here, oxygen ions may be implanted into the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . next, a second conductive film is formed to cover the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . the second conductive film can be formed using a material that can be used for the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 described in embodiment 6. a sputtering method, a cvd method, an mbe method, or the like can be used for the formation of the second conductive film. then, a second resist mask is formed over portions to be a source region and a drain region. then, part of the second conductive film is etched, whereby the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 are formed (see fig. 40c ). next, an insulating film 160 a serving as a gate insulating film is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , the conductive layer 140 , and the conductive layer 150 . the insulating film 160 a can be formed using a material that can be used for the insulating layer 160 described in embodiment 6. a sputtering method, a cvd method, an mbe method, or the like can be used for the formation of the insulating film 160 a. after that, second heat treatment may be performed. the second heat treatment can be performed in a condition similar to that of the first heat treatment. the second heat treatment enables oxygen implanted into the oxide semiconductor layer 130 to diffuse into the entire oxide semiconductor layer 130 . note that it is possible to obtain this effect by third heat treatment without performing the second heat treatment. then, a third conductive film 171 a and a fourth conductive film 172 a to be the conductive layer 170 are formed over the insulating film 160 a. the third conductive film 171 a and the fourth conductive film 172 a can be formed using materials that can be used for the conductive layer 171 and the conductive layer 172 described in embodiment 6. a sputtering method, a cvd method, an mbe method, or the like can be used for the formation of the third conductive film 171 a and the fourth conductive film 172 a. next, a third resist mask 156 is formed over the fourth conductive film 172 a (see fig. 41a ). the third conductive film 171 a, the fourth conductive film 172 a, and the insulating film 160 a are selectively etched using the third resist mask 156 , whereby the conductive layer 170 including the conductive layer 171 and the conductive layer 172 and the insulating layer 160 are formed (see fig. 41b ). after that, the insulating layer 175 is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer 130 , the conductive layer 140 , the conductive layer 150 , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 . embodiment 6 can be referred to for a material used for the insulating layer 175 . in the transistor 101 , an aluminum oxide film is preferably used. the insulating layer 175 can be formed by a sputtering method, a cvd method, an mbe method, or the like. next, the insulating layer 180 is formed over the insulating layer 175 (see fig. 41c ). embodiment 6 can be referred to for a material used for the insulating layer 180 . the insulating layer 180 can be formed by a sputtering method, a cvd method, an mbe method, or the like. oxygen may be added to the insulating layer 175 and/or the insulating layer 180 by an ion implantation method, an ion doping method, a plasma immersion ion implantation method, plasma treatment, or the like. adding oxygen enables the insulating layer 175 and/or the insulating layer 180 to supply oxygen much easily to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . next, third heat treatment may be performed. the third heat treatment can be performed in a condition similar to that of the first heat treatment. by the third heat treatment, excess oxygen is easily released from the insulating layer 120 , the insulating layer 175 , and the insulating layer 180 , so that oxygen vacancy in the oxide semiconductor layer 130 can be reduced. next, a method for manufacturing the transistor 107 is described. note that detailed description of steps similar to those for manufacturing the transistor 101 described above is omitted. the insulating layer 120 is formed over the substrate 115 , and the oxide semiconductor film 130 a to be the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor film 130 b to be the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b are formed over the insulating layer by a sputtering method, a cvd method, an mbe method, or the like (see fig. 42a ). next, the first conductive film is formed over the oxide semiconductor film 130 b, and the conductive layer is formed using the first resist mask in the above-described manner. then, the oxide semiconductor film 130 a and the oxide semiconductor film 130 b are selectively etched using the conductive layer as a hard mask, and the conductive layer is removed, whereby a stack of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b is formed (see fig. 42b ). it is also possible to form the stack using the first resist mask without forming the hard mask. here, oxygen ions may be implanted into the oxide semiconductor layer 130 . next, a second conductive film is formed to cover the stack. then, a second resist mask is formed over portions to be a source region and a drain region, and part of the second conductive film is etched using the second resist mask, whereby the conductive layer 140 and the conductive layer 150 are formed (see fig. 42c ). after that, the oxide semiconductor film 130 c to be the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c is formed over the stack of the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , the conductive layer 140 , and the conductive layer 150 . furthermore, the insulating film 160 a serving as a gate insulating film, the third conductive film 171 a and the fourth conductive film 172 a serving as the conductive layer 170 are formed over the oxide semiconductor film 130 c. then, the third resist mask 156 is formed over the fourth conductive film 172 a (see fig. 43a ). the third conductive film 171 a, the fourth conductive film 172 a, the insulating film 160 a, and the oxide semiconductor film 130 c are selectively etched using the resist mask, whereby the conductive layer 170 including the conductive layer 171 and the conductive layer 172 , the insulating layer 160 , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c are formed (see fig. 43b ). note that if the insulating film 160 a and the oxide semiconductor film 130 c are etched using a fourth resist mask, the transistor 108 can be manufactured. next, the insulating layer 175 and the insulating layer 180 are formed over the insulating layer 120 , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 (the oxide semiconductor layer 130 a , the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b , and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c ), the conductive layer 140 , the conductive layer 150 , the insulating layer 160 , and the conductive layer 170 (see fig. 43c ). through the above steps, the transistor 107 can be manufactured. although the variety of films such as the metal films, the semiconductor films, and the inorganic insulating films which are described in this embodiment typically can be formed by a sputtering method or a plasma cvd method, such films may be formed by another method, e.g., a thermal cvd method. a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (mocvd) method or an atomic layer deposition (ald) method may be employed as an example of a thermal cvd method. a thermal cvd method has an advantage that no defect due to plasma damage is generated since it does not utilize plasma for forming a film. deposition by a thermal cvd method may be performed in such a manner that a source gas and an oxidizer are supplied to the chamber at a time, the pressure in the chamber is set to an atmospheric pressure or a reduced pressure, and reaction is caused in the vicinity of the substrate or over the substrate. deposition by an ald method is performed in such a manner that the pressure in a chamber is set to an atmospheric pressure or a reduced pressure, source gases for reaction are introduced into the chamber and reacted, and then the sequence of the gas introduction is repeated. an inert gas (e.g., argon or nitrogen) may be introduced as a carrier gas with the source gases. for example, two or more kinds of source gases may be sequentially supplied to the chamber. in this case, after the reaction of a first source gas, an inert gas is introduced, and then a second source gas is introduced so that the source gases are not mixed. alternatively, the first source gas may be exhausted by vacuum evacuation instead of the introduction of the inert gas, and then the second source gas may be introduced. the first source gas is adsorbed on the surface of the substrate and reacted to form a first layer; then the second source gas introduced thereafter is absorbed and reacted; as a result, a second layer is stacked over the first layer, so that a thin film is formed. the sequence of the gas introduction is repeated plural times until a desired thickness is obtained, whereby a thin film with excellent step coverage can be formed. the thickness of the thin film can be adjusted by the number of repetition times of the gas introduction; therefore, an ald method makes it possible to accurately adjust a thickness and thus is suitable for manufacturing a minute fet. the variety of films such as the metal film, the semiconductor film, and the inorganic insulating film which have been disclosed in the embodiments can be formed by a thermal cvd method such as a mocvd method or an ald method. for example, in the case where an in—ga—zn—o film is formed, trimethylindium (in(ch 3 ) 3 ), trimethylgallium (ga(ch 3 ) 3 ), and dimethylzinc (zn(ch 3 ) 2 ) can be used. without limitation to the above combination, triethylgallium (ga(c 2 h 5 ) 3 ) can be used instead of trimethylgallium and diethylzinc (zn(c 2 h 5 ) 2 ) can be used instead of dimethylzinc. for example, in the case where a hafnium oxide film is formed with a deposition apparatus employing ald, two kinds of gases, i.e., ozone (o 3 ) as an oxidizer and a source material gas which is obtained by vaporizing liquid containing a solvent and a hafnium precursor (hafnium alkoxide and a hafnium amide such as hafnium tetrakis(dimethylamide)hafnium (tdmah, hf[n(ch 3 ) 2 ] 4 ) and tetrakis(ethylmethylamide)hafnium) are used for example, in the case where an aluminum oxide film is formed using a deposition apparatus employing ald, two kinds of gases, e.g., h 2 o as an oxidizer and a source gas which is obtained by vaporizing liquid containing a solvent and an aluminum precursor (e.g., trimethylaluminum (tma, al(ch 3 ) 3 )) are used. examples of another material include tris(dimethylamide)aluminum, triisobutylaluminum, and aluminum tris(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate). for example, in the case where a silicon oxide film is formed with a deposition apparatus employing ald, hexachlorodisilane is adsorbed on a surface where a film is to be formed and radicals of an oxidizing gas (e.g., o 2 or dinitrogen monoxide) are supplied to react with the adsorbate. for example, in the case where a tungsten film is formed using a deposition apparatus employing ald, a wf 6 gas and a b 2 h 6 gas are sequentially introduced to form an initial tungsten film, and then a wf 6 gas and an h 2 gas are sequentially introduced, so that a tungsten film is formed. note that an sih 4 gas may be used instead of a b 2 h 6 gas. for example, in the case where an oxide semiconductor film, e.g., an in—ga—zn—o film is formed using a deposition apparatus employing ald, an in(ch 3 ) 3 gas and an o 3 gas are sequentially introduced to form an in—o layer, a ga(ch 3 ) 3 gas and an o 3 gas are sequentially introduced to form a gao layer, and then a zn(ch 3 ) 2 gas and an o 3 gas are sequentially introduced to form a zno layer. note that the order of these layers is not limited to this example. a mixed compound layer such as an in—ga—o layer, an in—zn—o layer, or a ga—zn—o layer may be formed by using these gases. note that although an h 2 o gas which is obtained by bubbling with an inert gas such as ar may be used instead of an o 3 gas, it is preferable to use an o 3 gas, which does not contain h. this embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate. embodiment 8 a structure of an oxide semiconductor film which can be used for one embodiment of the present invention is described below. in this specification, the term “parallel” indicates that the angle formed between two straight lines is greater than or equal to −10° and less than or equal to 10°, and accordingly also includes the case where the angle is greater than or equal to −5° and less than or equal to 5°. a term “perpendicular” indicates that the angle formed between two straight lines is greater than or equal to 80° and less than or equal to 100°, and accordingly includes the case where the angle is greater than or equal to 85° and less than or equal to 95°. in this specification, trigonal and rhombohedral crystal systems are included in a hexagonal crystal system. an oxide semiconductor film is classified roughly into a non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film and a single-crystal oxide semiconductor film. the non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film includes any of a c-axis aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor (caac-os) film, a polycrystalline oxide semiconductor film, a microcrystalline oxide semiconductor film, an amorphous oxide semiconductor film, and the like. first, a caac-os film is described. the caac-os film is one of oxide semiconductor films having a plurality of c-axis aligned crystal parts. with a transmission electron microscope (tem), a combined analysis image (also referred to as a high-resolution tem image) of a bright-field image and a diffraction pattern of the caac-os film is observed. consequently, a plurality of crystal parts are observed clearly. however, in the high-resolution tem image, a boundary between crystal parts, that is, a grain boundary is not observed. thus, in the caac-os film, a reduction in electron mobility due to the grain boundary is less likely to occur. according to the high-resolution cross-sectional tem image of the caac-os film observed in a direction substantially parallel to the sample surface, metal atoms are arranged in a layered manner in the crystal parts. each metal atom layer has a morphology reflecting unevenness of a surface over which the caac-os film is formed (hereinafter, a surface over which the caac-os film is formed is referred to as a formation surface) or a top surface of the caac-os film, and is arranged parallel to the formation surface or the top surface of the caac-os film. on the other hand, according to the high-resolution plan tem image of the caac-os film observed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sample surface, metal atoms are arranged in a triangular or hexagonal configuration in the crystal parts. however, there is no regularity of arrangement of metal atoms between different crystal parts. a caac-os film is subjected to structural analysis with an x-ray diffraction (xrd) apparatus. for example, when the caac-os film including an ingazno 4 crystal is analyzed by an out-of-plane method, a peak appears frequently when the diffraction angle (2θ) is around 31°. this peak is derived from the (009) plane of the ingazno 4 crystal, which indicates that crystals in the caac-os film have c-axis alignment, and that the c-axes are aligned in a direction substantially perpendicular to the formation surface or the top surface of the caac-os film. note that when the caac-os film with an ingazno 4 crystal is analyzed by an out-of-plane method, a peak of 2θ may also be observed at around 36°, in addition to the peak of 2θ at around 31°. the peak of 2θ at around 36° indicates that a crystal having no c-axis alignment is included in part of the caac-os film. it is preferable that in the caac-os film, a peak of 2θ appear at around 31° and a peak of 2θ not appear at around 36°. the caac-os film is an oxide semiconductor film having low impurity concentration. the impurity is an element other than the main components of the oxide semiconductor film, such as hydrogen, carbon, silicon, or a transition metal element. in particular, an element that has higher bonding strength to oxygen than a metal element included in the oxide semiconductor film, such as silicon, disturbs the atomic arrangement of the oxide semiconductor film by depriving the oxide semiconductor film of oxygen and causes a decrease in crystallinity. further, a heavy metal such as iron or nickel, argon, carbon dioxide, or the like has a large atomic radius (molecular radius), and thus disturbs the atomic arrangement of the oxide semiconductor film and causes a decrease in crystallinity when it is contained in the oxide semiconductor film. note that the impurity contained in the oxide semiconductor film might serve as a carrier trap or a carrier generation source. the caac-os film is an oxide semiconductor film having a low density of defect states. in some cases, oxygen vacancy in the oxide semiconductor film serves as a carrier trap or serves as a carrier generation source when hydrogen is captured therein. the state in which impurity concentration is low and density of defect states is low (the number of oxygen vacancies is small) is referred to as a “highly purified intrinsic” or “substantially highly purified intrinsic” state. a highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor film has few carrier generation sources, and thus can have a low carrier density. thus, a transistor including the oxide semiconductor film rarely has negative threshold voltage (is rarely normally on). the highly purified intrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor film has a low density of defect states, and thus has few carrier traps. accordingly, the transistor including the oxide semiconductor film has little variation in electrical characteristics and high reliability. electric charge trapped by the carrier traps in the oxide semiconductor film takes a long time to be released, and might behave like fixed electric charge. thus, the transistor which includes the oxide semiconductor film having high impurity concentration and a high density of defect states has unstable electrical characteristics in some cases. with the use of the caac-os film in a transistor, variation in the electrical characteristics of the transistor due to irradiation with visible light or ultraviolet light is small. next, a microcrystalline oxide semiconductor film is described. a microcrystalline oxide semiconductor film has a region where a crystal part is observed in a high resolution tem image and a region where a crystal part is not clearly observed in a high resolution tem image. in most cases, a crystal part in the microcrystalline oxide semiconductor film is greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 100 nm, or greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm. a microcrystal with a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, or a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 3 nm is specifically referred to as nanocrystal (nc). an oxide semiconductor film including nanocrystal is referred to as an nc-os (nanocrystalline oxide semiconductor) film. in a high resolution tem image of the nc-os film, a grain boundary are not always found clearly in the nc-os film. in the nc-os film, a microscopic region (for example, a region with a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, in particular, a region with a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 3 nm) has a periodic atomic order. note that there is no regularity of crystal orientation between different crystal parts in the nc-os film. thus, the orientation of the whole film is not observed. accordingly, in some cases, the nc-os film cannot be distinguished from an amorphous oxide semiconductor film depending on an analysis method. for example, when the nc-os film is subjected to structural analysis by an out-of-plane method with an xrd apparatus using an x-ray having a diameter larger than that of a crystal part, a peak which shows a crystal plane does not appear. further, a halo pattern is shown in an electron diffraction pattern (also referred to as a selected-area electron diffraction pattern) of the nc-os film obtained by using an electron beam having a probe diameter (e.g., 50 nm or larger) larger than the diameter of a crystal part. meanwhile, spots are shown in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the nc-os film obtained by using an electron beam having a probe diameter close to, or smaller than the diameter of a crystal part. further, in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the nc-os film, circumferentially distributed spots can be observed. also in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the nc-os film, a plurality of spots is shown in a ring-like region in some cases. the nc-os film is an oxide semiconductor film that has high regularity as compared to an amorphous oxide semiconductor film. therefore, the nc-os film has a lower density of defect states than an amorphous oxide semiconductor film. however, there is no regularity of crystal orientation between different crystal parts in the nc-os film; hence, the nc-os film has a higher density of defect states than the caac-os film. next, an amorphous oxide semiconductor film is described. the amorphous oxide semiconductor film has disordered atomic arrangement and no crystal part. for example, the amorphous oxide semiconductor film does not have a specific state as in quartz. in the high-resolution tem image of the amorphous oxide semiconductor film, crystal parts cannot be found. when the amorphous oxide semiconductor film is subjected to structural analysis by an out-of-plane method with an xrd apparatus, a peak which shows a crystal plane does not appear. a halo pattern is shown in an electron diffraction pattern of the amorphous oxide semiconductor film. further, a halo pattern is shown but a spot is not shown in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the amorphous oxide semiconductor film. note that an oxide semiconductor film may have a structure having physical properties between the nc-os film and the amorphous oxide semiconductor film. the oxide semiconductor film having such a structure is specifically referred to as an amorphous-like oxide semiconductor (amorphous-like os) film. in a high-resolution tem image of the amorphous-like os film, a void can be observed. furthermore, in the high-resolution tem image, there are a region where a crystal part is clearly observed and a region where a crystal part is not observed. in the amorphous-like os film, crystallization by a slight amount of electron beam used for tem observation occurs and growth of the crystal part is found sometimes. in contrast, crystallization by a slight amount of electron beam used for tem observation is scarcely observed in the nc-os film having good quality. note that the crystal part size in the amorphous-like os film and the nc-os film can be measured using high-resolution tem images. for example, an ingazno 4 crystal has a layered structure in which two ga—zn—o layers are included between in—o layers. a unit cell of the ingazno 4 crystal has a structure in which nine layers of three in—o layers and six ga—zn—o layers are layered in the c-axis direction. accordingly, the spacing between these adjacent layers is equivalent to the lattice spacing on the (009) plane (also referred to as d value). the value is calculated to 0.29 nm from crystal structure analysis. thus, focusing on lattice fringes in the high-resolution tem image, each of lattice fringes in which the lattice spacing therebetween is greater than or equal to 0.28 nm and less than or equal to 0.30 nm corresponds to the a-b plane of the ingazno 4 crystal. note that an oxide semiconductor film may be a stacked film including two or more films of an amorphous oxide semiconductor film, an amorphous-like os film, a microcrystalline oxide semiconductor film, and a caac-os film, for example. the structure described in this embodiment can be used in appropriate combination with the structure described in any of the other embodiments. embodiment 9 a band structure of the transistor of one embodiment of the present invention is described. fig. 44a is a cross-sectional view of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer according to one embodiment of the present invention. the transistor illustrated in fig. 44a includes an insulating layer 401 over a substrate 400 , a conductive layer 404 a over the insulating layer 401 , a conductive layer 404 b over the conductive layer 404 a , an insulating layer 402 a over the insulating layer 401 , the conductive layer 404 a , and the conductive layer 404 b , an insulating layer 402 b over the insulating layer 402 a , a semiconductor layer 406 a over the insulating layer 402 b , a semiconductor layer 406 b over the semiconductor layer 406 a , an insulating layer 412 over the semiconductor layer 406 b , a conductive layer 414 a over the insulating layer 412 , a conductive layer 414 b over the conductive layer 414 a , an insulating layer 408 over the insulating layer 402 b , the semiconductor layer 406 a , the semiconductor layer 406 b , the insulating layer 412 , the conductive layer 414 a , and the conductive layer 414 b , an insulating layer 418 over the insulating layer 408 , a conductive layer 416 a 1 and a conductive layer 416 b 1 over the insulating layer 418 , a conductive layer 416 a 2 and a conductive layer 416 b 2 respectively over the conductive layer 416 a 1 and the conductive layer 416 b 1 , and an insulating layer 428 over the insulating layer 418 , the conductive layer 416 a 2 , and the conductive layer 416 b 2 . the insulating layer 401 is able to have a function of suppressing entry of impurities such as copper to a channel formation region of the transistor. the stacked conductive layers 404 a and 404 b are collectively referred to as a conductive layer 404 . the conductive layer 404 has a function of a gate electrode of the transistor. the conductive layer 404 may have a function of shielding the channel formation region of the transistor from light. the insulating layers 402 a and 402 b are collectively referred to as an insulating layer 402 . the insulating layer 402 has a function of a gate insulating layer of the transistor. furthermore, the insulating layer 402 a may have a function of suppressing entry of impurities such as copper to the channel formation region of the transistor. the semiconductor layers 406 a and 406 b are collectively referred to as a semiconductor layer 406 . the semiconductor layer 406 has a function of the channel formation region of the transistor. for example, the semiconductor layer 406 a and the semiconductor layer 406 b correspond to the oxide semiconductor layer 130 b and the oxide semiconductor layer 130 c described in the above embodiment, respectively. the semiconductor layer 406 a includes a region 407 a 1 and a region 407 b 1 which overlap none of the insulating layer 412 , the conductive layer 414 a , the conductive layer 414 b . furthermore, the semiconductor layer 406 b includes a region 407 a 2 and a region 407 b 2 which overlap none of the insulating layer 412 , the conductive layer 414 a , the conductive layer 414 b . the region 407 a 1 and the region 407 b 1 have lower resistance than the region overlapping the insulating layer 412 , the conductive layer 414 a , the conductive layer 414 b in the semiconductor layer 406 a . the region 407 a 2 and the region 407 b 2 have lower resistance than the region overlapping the insulating layer 412 , the conductive layer 414 a , the conductive layer 414 b in the semiconductor layer 406 b . the region with low resistance can also be referred to as a region with high carrier density. the region 407 a 1 and the region 407 a 2 are collectively referred to as a region 407 a . the region 407 b 1 and the region 407 b 2 are collectively referred to as a region 407 b . the region 407 a and the region 407 b have functions of the source region and the drain region of the transistor. the conductive layers 414 a and 414 b are collectively referred to as a conductive layer 414 . the conductive layer 414 has a function of a gate electrode of the transistor. the conductive layer 414 may have a function of shielding the channel formation region of the transistor from light. the insulating layer 412 has a function of a gate insulating layer of the transistor. the insulating layer 408 may have a function of suppressing entry of impurities, such as copper included in the conductive layer 416 a 2 , the conductive layer 416 b 2 , or the like, to the channel formation region of the transistor. the insulating layer 418 may have a function of an interlayer insulating layer of the transistor, which contributes to the reduction of parasitic capacitance between wirings of the transistor. the conductive layers 416 a 1 and 416 a 2 are collectively referred to as a conductive layer 416 a . the conductive layers 416 b 1 and 416 b 2 are collectively referred to as a conductive layer 416 b . the conductive layer 416 a and the conductive layer 416 b have functions of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the transistor. the insulating layer 428 may have a function of suppressing entry of impurities to the channel formation region of the transistor. now, a band structure in the p 1 -p 2 cross section including the channel formation regions of the transistor is illustrated in fig. 44b . here, the semiconductor layer 406 a has a slightly narrower energy gap than the semiconductor layer 406 b . the insulating layer 402 a , the insulating layer 402 b , and the insulating layer 412 have wider energy gaps than the semiconductor layer 406 a and the semiconductor layer 406 b . the fermi levels (denoted by ef) of the semiconductor layer 406 a , the semiconductor layer 406 b , the insulating layer 402 a , the insulating layer 402 b , and the insulating layer 412 are assumed to be equal to the intrinsic fermi levels thereof (denoted by ei). work functions of the conductive layer 404 and the conductive layer 414 are assumed equal to the fermi levels. when a gate voltage is set to be higher than or equal to the threshold voltage of the transistor, an electron flows preferentially in the semiconductor layer 406 a owing to the difference between the energies of the conduction band minimums of the semiconductor layers 406 a and 406 b . that is, it is considered that an electron is embedded in the semiconductor layer 406 a . the energy at the conduction band minimum is denoted by ec, and the energy at the valence band maximum is denoted by ev. accordingly, in the transistor according to one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic embedding reduces the influence of interface scattering. therefore, the channel resistance of the transistor according to one embodiment of the present invention is low. next, fig. 44c shows a band structure in the q 1 -q 2 cross section including the source region or the drain region of the transistor. here, the regions 407 a 1 , 407 b 1 , 407 a 2 , and 407 b 2 are in a degenerate state. the fermi level of the semiconductor layer 406 a is approximately the same as the energy of the conduction band minimum in the region 407 b 1 . the fermi level of the semiconductor layer 406 b is approximately the same as the energy of the conduction band minimum in the region 407 b 2 . the same can apply to the regions 407 a 1 and 407 a 2 . at this time, an ohmic contact is made between the conductive layer 416 b functioning as a source electrode or a drain electrode and the region 407 b 2 because an energy barrier therebetween is sufficiently low. furthermore, an ohmic contact is made between the region 407 b 2 and the region 407 b 1 . similarly, an ohmic contact is made between the conductive layer 416 a functioning as a source electrode or a drain electrode and the region 407 a 2 because an energy barrier therebetween is sufficiently low. furthermore, an ohmic contact is made between the region 407 a 2 and the region 407 a 1 . therefore, electron transfer is conducted smoothly between the conductive layers 416 a and 416 b and the semiconductor layers 406 a and 406 b. as described above, the transistor according to one embodiment of the present invention is a transistor in which the channel resistance is low, electron transfer between the channel formation region and the source and the drain electrodes is conducted smoothly, and the off-state current is extremely low. that is, the transistor has excellent switching characteristics. this embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate. embodiment 10 in this embodiment, effects of oxygen vacancy in an oxide semiconductor layer and hydrogen to which the oxygen vacancy is bonded are described below. <(1) formation and stability of v o h> in the case where an oxide semiconductor film (hereinafter referred to as igzo) is a complete crystal, h preferentially diffuses along the a-b plane at a room temperature. in heat treatment at 450° c., h diffuses along the a-b plane and in the c-axis direction. here, description is made on whether h readily enters oxygen vacancy v o if the oxygen vacancy v o exists in igzo. a state in which h is in oxygen vacancy v o is referred to as v o h. an ingazno 4 crystal model shown in fig. 45 was used for calculation. the activation barrier (e a ) along the reaction path where h in v o h is released from v o and bonded to oxygen was calculated by a nudged elastic band (neb) method. the calculation conditions are shown in table 1. table 1softwarevaspcalculation methodneb methodfunctionalgga-pbepseudopotentialpawcut-off energy500 evk points2 × 2 × 3 in the ingazno 4 crystal model, there are four kinds of oxygen atoms 1 to 4 as shown in fig. 45 which differ from each other in metal elements bonded to the oxygen atoms and the number of bonded metal elements. here, calculation was made on the oxygen atoms 1 and 2 from which an oxygen vacancy v o is easily formed. first, calculation was made on the oxygen atom 1 , which is s bonded to three in atoms and one zn atom. fig. 46a shows a model in the initial state and fig. 46b shows a model in the final state. fig. 47 shows the calculated activation barrier (e a ) in the initial state and the final state. note that here, the initial state refers to a state in which a hydrogen atom exists in an oxygen vacancy v o (v o h) that is formed by elimination of the oxygen atom 1 , and the final state refers to a state (h—o) formed by the bonding of the hydrogen atom transferred from the oxygen vacancy v o with an oxygen atom bonded to one ga atom and two zn atoms. from the calculation results, the transfer of the hydrogen atom from oxygen vacancy v o to bond with another oxygen atom needs an energy of approximately 1.52 ev, while the transfer of the hydrogen atom bonded to the oxygen atom into the oxygen vacancy v o needs an energy of approximately 0.46 ev. reaction frequency (f) was calculated from formula 1 with use of the activation barriers (e a ) obtained by the calculation. in formula 1, k b represents the boltzmann constant and t represents the absolute temperature. the reaction frequency at 350° c. was calculated on the assumption that the frequency factor v=10 13 [1/sec]. the frequency of the hydrogen-atom transfer from the model shown in fig. 46a to the model shown in fig. 46b was 5.52×10° [1/sec], whereas the frequency of the hydrogen-atom transfer from the model shown in fig. 46b to the model shown in fig. 46a was 1.82×10 9 [1/sec]. this suggests that the hydrogen atom diffusing in igzo readily forms v o h, and the hydrogen atom is unlikely to be eliminated from the oxygen vacancy v o once v o h is formed. next, calculation was made on the oxygen atoms 2 which is bonded to one ga atom and two zn atoms. fig. 48a shows a model in the initial state and fig. 48b shows a model in the final state. fig. 49 shows the calculated activation barrier (e a ) in the initial state and the final state. note that here, the initial state refers to a state in which a hydrogen atom exists in an oxygen vacancy v o (v o h) that is formed by elimination of the oxygen atom 2 , and the final state refers to a state (h—o) formed by the bonding of the hydrogen atom transferred from the oxygen vacancy v o with an oxygen atom bonded to one ga atom and two zn atoms. from the calculation results, the transfer of the hydrogen atom inform the oxygen vacancy v o to bond with another oxygen atom needs an energy of approximately 1.75 ev, while the transfer of the hydrogen atom to the oxygen atom into the oxygen vacancy v o needs an energy of approximately 0.35 ev. reaction frequency (f) was calculated from formula 1 with use of the activation barriers (e a ) obtained by the calculation. the reaction frequency at 350° c. was calculated on the assumption that the frequency factor v=10 13 [1/sec]. the frequency of the hydrogen-atom transfer from the model shown in fig. 48a to the model shown in fig. 48b was 7.53×10 −12 [1/sec], whereas the frequency of the hydrogen-atom transfer from the model shown in fig. 48b to the model shown in fig. 48a was 1.44×10 10 [1/sec]. this suggests that the hydrogen atom is unlikely to be eliminated from the oxygen vacancy v o once v o h is formed. from the above results, it was found that a hydrogen atom in igzo is easily diffused in annealing and if an oxygen vacancy v o exists, the hydrogen atom is readily trapped in the oxygen vacancy v o to form a v o h. <(2) transition level of v o h> the aforementioned calculation by the neb method indicates that in the case where an oxygen vacancy v o exists in igzo, the hydrogen atom easily forms a stable v o h. to determine whether v o h is related to a carrier trap, the transition level of v o h was calculated. the model used for calculation is an ingazno 4 crystal model (112 atoms). v o h models of the oxygen atoms 1 and 2 shown in fig. 45 were made to calculate the transition levels. the calculation conditions are shown in table 2. table 2softwarevaspmodelingazno 4 crystal (112 atoms)functionalhse06ratio of exchange terms0.25pseudopotentialgga-pbecut-off energy800 evk points1 × 1 × 1 the ratio of exchange terms was adjusted to have a band gap close to the experimental value. as a result, the band gap of the ingazno 4 crystal model without defects was 3.08 ev that was close to the experimental value, 3.15 ev. the transition level (∈(q|q′)) of a model having defect d can be calculated by the following formula 2. note that δe(d q ) represents the formation energy of defect d at charge q and is calculated by formula 3. in formulae 2 and 3, e tot (d q ) represents the total energy of the model having defect d at the charge q in, e tot (bulk) represents the total energy in a model without defects (complete crystal), δn i represents a change in the number of atoms i contributing to defects, ∥ i represents the chemical potential of atom i, ∈ vbm represents the energy of the valence band maximum in the model without defects, δv q represents the correction term relating to the electrostatic potential, and e f represents the fermi energy. fig. 50 shows the transition levels of v o h obtained from the above formulae. the numbers in fig. 50 represent the depth from the conduction band minimum. in fig. 50 , the transition level of v o h in the oxygen atom 1 is at 0.05 ev from the conduction band minimum, and the transition level of v o h in the oxygen atom 2 is at 0.11 ev from the conduction band minimum. therefore, these v o h are related to electron traps, that is, v o h was proven to behave as a donor. furthermore, igzo including v o h was found to have conductivity. this embodiment can be combined as appropriate with any of the other embodiments in this specification. embodiment 11 an imaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention and a semiconductor device including the imaging device can be used for display devices, personal computers, and image reproducing devices provided with recording media (typically, devices that reproduce the content of recording media such as digital versatile discs (dvds) and have displays for displaying the reproduced images). other than the above, as an electronic appliances which can use the imaging device according to one embodiment of the present invention or the semiconductor device including the imaging device, mobile phones, game consoles including portable game consoles, portable information terminals, e-book readers, cameras such as video cameras and digital still cameras, goggle-type displays (head mounted displays), navigation systems, audio reproducing devices (e.g., car audio systems and digital audio players), copiers, facsimiles, printers, multifunction printers, automated teller machines (atm), vending machines, and the like can be given. figs. 51a to 51f illustrate specific examples of these electronic appliances. fig. 51a illustrates a portable game console including a housing 901 , a housing 902 , a display portion 903 , a display portion 904 , a microphone 905 , a speaker 906 , an operation key 907 , a stylus 908 , a camera 909 , and the like. although the portable game console in fig. 51a has the two display portions 903 and 904 , the number of display portions included in a portable game console is not limited to this number. the imaging device of one embodiment of the present invention can be used in the camera 909 . fig. 51b illustrates a portable information terminal, which includes a first housing 911 , a display portion 912 , a camera 919 , and the like. a touch panel function of the display portion 912 enables input and output of information. the imaging device of one embodiment of the present invention can be used in the camera 919 . fig. 51c illustrates a digital camera including a housing 921 , a shutter button 922 , a microphone 923 , a light-emitting portion 927 , a lens 925 , and the like. the imaging device of one embodiment of the present invention can be used in a portion corresponding to a focus of the lens 925 . fig. 51d illustrates a wrist-watch-type information terminal, which includes a housing 931 , a display portion 932 , a wristband 933 , a camera 939 , and the like. the display portion 932 may be a touch panel. the imaging device of one embodiment of the present invention can be used in the camera 939 . fig. 51e illustrates a video camera including a first housing 941 , a second housing 942 , a display portion 943 , operation keys 944 , a lens 945 , a joint 946 , and the like. the operation keys 944 and the lens 945 are provided for the first housing 941 , and the display portion 943 is provided for the second housing 942 . the first housing 941 and the second housing 942 are connected to each other with the joint 946 , and the angle between the first housing 941 and the second housing 942 can be changed with the joint 946 . images displayed on the display portion 943 may be switched in accordance with the angle at the joint 946 between the first housing 941 and the second housing 942 . the imaging device of one embodiment of the present invention can be used in a portion corresponding to a focus of the lens 945 . fig. 51f illustrates a mobile phone which includes a display portion 952 , a microphone 957 , a speaker 954 , a camera 959 , an input/output terminal 956 , an operation button 955 , and the like in a housing 951 . the imaging device of one embodiment of the present invention can be used in the camera 959 . this embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate. embodiment 12 in this embodiment, modification examples of the transistor described in the above embodiment will be described with reference to figs. 52a to 52f , figs. 53a to 53f , and figs. 54a to 54e . the transistors illustrated in figs. 52a to 52f each includes, over a substrate 821 , an oxide semiconductor layer 828 over an insulating layer 824 , an insulating layer 837 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 828 , and a conductive layer 840 in contact with the insulating layer 837 and overlapping the oxide semiconductor layer 828 . the insulating layer 837 functions as a gate insulating film. the conductive layer 840 functions as a gate electrode layer. the transistors are provided with an insulating layer 846 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 828 and an insulating layer 847 in contact with the insulating layer 846 . moreover, conductive layers 856 and 857 in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 828 through the openings in the insulating layer 846 and the insulating layer 847 are provided. the conductive layers 856 and 857 function as a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer. as the conductive layers, the oxide semiconductor layer, and the insulating layers included in the transistor described in this embodiment, those described in the above embodiments can be used as appropriate. in the transistor illustrated in fig. 52a , the oxide semiconductor layer 828 includes a region 828 a overlapping the conductive layer 840 and regions 828 b and 828 c containing an impurity element. the regions 828 b and 828 c are formed so that the region 828 a is sandwiched therebetween. the conductive layers 856 and 857 are in contact with the regions 828 b and 828 c respectively. the region 828 a functions as a channel region. the regions 828 b and 828 c have lower resistivity than the region 828 a . the regions 828 b and 828 c function as a source region and a drain region. alternatively, as in the transistor illustrated in fig. 52b , the oxide semiconductor layer 828 may have a structure in which an impurity element is not added to regions 828 d and 828 e in contact with the conductive layers 856 and 857 . in this case, the regions 828 b and 828 c containing an impurity element are provided between the region 828 a and the regions 828 d and 828 e in contact with the conductive layers 856 and 857 . the regions 828 d and 828 e have conductivity when the voltage is applied to the conductive layers 856 and 857 ; thus, the regions 828 d and 828 e function as a source region and a drain region. note that the transistor illustrated in fig. 52b can be formed in such a manner that after the conductive layers 856 and 857 are formed, an impurity element is added to the oxide semiconductor layer using the conductive layer 840 and the conductive layers 856 and 857 as masks. an end portion of the conductive layer 840 may have a tapered shape. the angle θ 1 formed between a surface where the insulating layer 837 and the conductive layer 840 are in contact with each other and a side surface of the conductive layer 840 may be less than 90°, greater than or equal to 10° and less than or equal to 85°, greater than or equal to 15° and less than or equal to 85°, greater than or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 85°, greater than or equal to 45° and less than or equal to 85°, or greater than or equal to 60° and less than or equal to 85°. such an angle allows the improvement of the coverage of the side surfaces of the insulating layer 837 and the conductive layer 840 with the insulating layer 846 . next, modification examples of the regions 828 b and 828 c are described. figs. 52c to 52f are each an enlarged view of the oxide semiconductor layer 828 and its vicinity illustrated in fig. 52a . the channel length l indicates a distance between a pair of regions containing an impurity element. as illustrated in fig. 52c , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the boundaries between the region 828 a and the regions 828 b and 828 c are aligned or substantially aligned with the end portion of the conductive layer 840 with the insulating layer 837 positioned therebetween. in other words, the boundaries between the region 828 a and the regions 828 b and 828 c are aligned or substantially aligned with the end portion of the conductive layer 840 , when seen from the above. alternatively, as illustrated in fig. 52d , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the region 828 a has a region that does not overlap the end portion of the conductive layer 840 . the region functions as an offset region. the length of the offset region in the channel length direction is referred to as l off . note that when a plurality of offset regions are provided, l off indicates the length of one offset region. the offset region is included in the channel region. note that l off is smaller than 20%, smaller than 10%, smaller than 5%, or smaller than 2% of the channel length l. alternatively, as illustrated in fig. 52e , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the regions 828 b and 828 c each have a region overlapping the conductive layer 840 with the insulating layer 837 positioned therebetween. the regions function as an overlap region. the overlap region in the channel length direction is referred to as l ov . l ov is smaller than 20%, smaller than 10%, smaller than 5%, or smaller than 2% of the channel length l. alternatively, as illustrated in fig. 52f , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, a region 828 f is provided between the region 828 a and the region 828 b , and a region 828 g is provided between the region 828 a and the region 828 c . the regions 828 f and 828 g have lower concentration of an impurity element and higher resistivity than the regions 828 b and 828 c . although the regions 828 f and 828 g overlap the insulating layer 837 in this case, they may overlap the insulating layer 837 and the conductive layer 840 . note that in figs. 52c to 52f , the transistor illustrated in fig. 52a is described; however, the transistor illustrated in fig. 52b can employ any of the structures in figs. 52c to 52f as appropriate. in the transistor illustrated in fig. 53a , the end portion of the insulating layer 837 is positioned on an outer side than the end portion of the conductive layer 840 . in other words, the insulating layer 837 has a shape such that the end portion extends beyond the end portion of the conductive layer 840 . the insulating layer 846 can be kept away from the region 828 a ; thus, nitrogen, hydrogen, and the like contained in the insulating layer 846 can be prevented from entering the region 828 a functioning as a channel region. in the transistor illustrated in fig. 53b , the insulating layer 837 and the conductive layer 840 each have a tapered shape, and the angles of the tapered shapes are different from each other. in other words, the angle θ 1 formed between a surface where the insulating layer 837 and the conductive layer 840 are in contact with each other and a side surface of the conductive layer 840 is different from an angle θ 2 formed between a surface where the oxide semiconductor layer 828 and the insulating layer 837 are in contact with each other and the side surface of the insulating layer 837 . the angle θ 2 may be less than 90°, greater than or equal to 30° and less than or equal to 85°, or greater than or equal to 45° and less than or equal to 70°. for example, when the angle θ 2 is less than the angle θ 1 , the coverage with the insulating layer 846 is improved. alternatively, when the angle θ 2 is greater than the angle θ 1 , the insulating layer 846 can be kept away from the region 828 a ; thus, nitrogen, hydrogen, or the like contained in the insulating layer 846 can be prevented from entering the region 828 a functioning as a channel region. next, modification examples of the regions 828 b and 828 c are described with reference to figs. 53c to 53f . note that figs. 53c to 53f are each an enlarged view of the oxide semiconductor layer 828 and its vicinity illustrated in fig. 53a . as illustrated in fig. 53c , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the boundaries between the region 828 a and the regions 828 b and 828 c are aligned or substantially aligned with the end portion of the conductive layer 840 with the insulating layer 837 positioned therebetween. in other words, when seen from the above, the boundaries between the region 828 a and the regions 828 b and 828 c are aligned or substantially aligned with the end portion of the conductive layer 840 . as illustrated in fig. 53d , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the region 828 a has a region that does not overlap the conductive layer 840 . the region functions as an offset region. in other words, when seen from the above, the end portions of the regions 828 b and 828 c are aligned or substantially aligned with the end portion of the insulating layer 837 and do not overlap the end portion of the conductive layer 840 . as illustrated in fig. 53e , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the regions 828 b and 828 c each have a region overlapping the conductive layer 840 with the insulating layer 837 positioned therebetween. such a region is referred to as an overlap region. in other words, when seen from the above, the end portions of the regions 828 b and 828 c overlap the conductive layer 840 . as illustrated in fig. 53f , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the region 828 f is provided between the region 828 a and the region 828 b , and the region 828 g is provided between the region 828 a and the region 828 c . the regions 828 f and 828 g have lower concentration of an impurity element and higher resistivity than the regions 828 b and 828 c . although the regions 828 f and 828 g overlap the insulating layer 837 in this case, they may overlap the insulating layer 837 and the conductive layer 840 . note that in figs. 53c to 53f , the transistor illustrated in fig. 53a is described; however, the transistor illustrated in fig. 53b can employ any of the structures in figs. 53c to 53f as appropriate. in the transistor illustrated in fig. 54a , the conductive layer 840 has a stacked structure including a conductive layer 840 a in contact with the insulating layer 837 and a conductive layer 840 b in contact with the conductive layer 840 a . the end portion of the conductive layer 840 a is positioned on an outer side than the end portion of the conductive layer 840 b . in other words, the conductive layer 840 a has such a shape that the end portion extends beyond the end portion of the conductive layer 840 b. next, modification examples of the regions 828 b and 828 c are described. note that figs. 54b to 54e are each an enlarged view of the oxide semiconductor layer 828 and its vicinity illustrated in fig. 54a . as illustrated in fig. 54b , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the boundaries between the region 828 a and the regions 828 b and 828 c are aligned or substantially aligned with the end portion of the conductive layer 840 a in the conductive layer 840 with the insulating layer 837 positioned therebetween. in other words, when seen from the above, the boundaries between the region 828 a and the regions 828 b and 828 c are aligned or substantially aligned with the end portion of the conductive layer 840 . as illustrated in fig. 54c , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the region 828 a has a region that does not overlap the conductive layer 840 . the region functions as an offset region. in other words, when seen from the above, the end portions of the regions 828 b and 828 c do not overlap the end portion of the conductive layer 840 . as illustrated in fig. 54d , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the regions 828 b and 828 c each have a region overlapping the conductive layer 840 , specifically the conductive layer 840 a . such a region is referred to as an overlap region. in other words, when seen from the above, the end portions of the regions 828 b and 828 c overlap the conductive layer 840 a. as illustrated in fig. 54e , in a cross-sectional view in the channel length direction, the region 828 f is provided between the region 828 a and the region 828 b , and the region 828 g is provided between the region 828 a and the region 828 c . the impurity element is added to the regions 828 f and 828 g through the conductive layer 840 a ; thus, the regions 828 f and 828 g have lower concentration of impurity element and higher resistivity than the regions 828 b and 828 c . although the regions 828 f and 828 g overlap the conductive layer 840 a , they may overlap both the conductive layer 840 a and the conductive layer 840 b. the end portion of the insulating layer 837 may be positioned on the outer side than the end portion of the conductive layer 840 a. alternatively, the side surface of the insulating layer 837 may be curved. alternatively, the insulating layer 837 may have a tapered shape. in other words, an angle formed between a surface where the oxide semiconductor layer 828 and the insulating layer 837 are in contact with each other and a side surface of the insulating layer 837 may be less than 90°, preferably greater than or equal to 30° and less than 90°. as described with fig. 54e , the oxide semiconductor layer 828 includes the region 828 f and the region 828 g having lower concentration of an impurity element and higher resistivity than the regions 828 b and 828 c , whereby the electric field of the drain region can be relaxed. thus, a deterioration of the transistor due to the electric field of the drain region, such as a shift of the threshold voltage of the transistor, can be inhibited. this embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate. embodiment 13 in this embodiment, an example of an image processing engine of an imaging device (image sensor) is described with reference to fig. 55 . the imaging device includes an imaging unit 4000 , an analog memory unit 4010 , an image processing engine unit 4020 , and an a/d converter 4030 . the imaging unit 4000 includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, a driver circuit 4001 , and a reading circuit 4002 . each pixel includes a photodiode and a transistor. the analog memory unit 4010 includes a plurality of analog memories 4011 . here, each analog memory 4011 includes memory cells the number of which is greater than the number of pixels in the imaging unit 4000 . that is, each analog memory 4011 can store first imaging data 4005 of one frame obtained by the imaging unit 4000 . the operation of the imaging device is described below. as a first step, a first imaging data 4005 of one frame is obtained in each pixel. image-capturing may be conducted by what is called a rolling shutter system, in which pixels are sequentially exposed to light and first imaging data 4005 is sequentially read out, or by what is called a global shutter system, in which all the pixels are exposed to light at a time and the imaging data 4005 is sequentially read out. in the case of the rolling shutter system, during a period in which the imaging data 4005 of pixels in a certain row is read out, light exposure can be performed on pixels in another row; as a result, the frame frequency of imaging can be easily increased. in the case of the global shutter system, even when an object is moving, an image with little distortion can be obtained. as a second step, the first imaging data 4005 obtained in each pixel is stored in a first analog memory 4011 through the reading circuit 4002 . here, unlike in a general imaging device, it is effective that the first imaging data 4005 that is analog data is stored in the first analog memory 4011 as it is. in other words, analog-to-digital conversion processing is unnecessary, and thus the frame frequency of image-capturing can be easily increased. subsequently, the first step and the second step are repeated n times. note that in the n-th repetition, n-th imaging data 4005 obtained in each pixel is stored in an n-th analog memory 4011 through the reading circuit 4002 . as a third step, with use of the first to n-th imaging data 4005 stored in the plurality of analog memories 4011 , desired image processing is performed in the image processing engine unit 4020 to obtain processed imaging data 4025 . as a fourth step, the processed imaging data 4025 is subjected to analog-to-digital conversion in the a/d converter 4030 to obtain image data 4035 . as a method of the image processing, processed imaging data 4025 having no focus blur is obtained from a plurality of pieces of imaging data 4005 . since the sharpness of all the imaging data 4005 is calculated, most clear imaging data 4005 can be obtained as the processed imaging data 4025 . alternatively, a region with high sharpness is extracted from each piece of imaging data 4005 and the obtained regions are connected to each other, whereby the processed imaging data 4025 can be obtained. furthermore, as another method of the image processing, processed data 4025 having optimal brightness is obtained from the plurality of pieces of imaging data 4005 . the processed imaging data 4025 can be obtained as follows: the highest brightness of each piece of imaging data 4005 is calculated, and the processed imaging data 4025 are obtained from the imaging data 4005 except the imaging data 4005 whose highest brightness has reached a saturation value. in addition, the lowest brightness of each piece of imaging data 4005 is calculated, and the processed imaging data 4025 are obtained from the imaging data 4005 except imaging data 4005 whose lowest brightness has reached a saturation value. note that in the case where the first and second steps are executed in time with lighting of a flash light for image-capturing, imaging data 4005 corresponding to the timing at which irradiation with an optimal amount of light is conducted can be obtained. this embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate. this application is based on japanese patent application serial no. 2014-088747 filed with japan patent office on apr. 23, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
|
138-009-381-242-930
|
FR
|
[
"EP",
"FR",
"US",
"DE"
] |
H01L27/07,H01L29/74
| 1996-07-26T00:00:00 |
1996
|
[
"H01"
] |
monolithic assembly of an igbt transistor and a fast diode
|
the present invention relates to a monolithic assembly of a vertical igbt transistor and a vertical fast diode connected to the drain of the igbt transistor, implemented in an n-type semiconductor substrate. the rear (or lower) surface of the structure is uniformly formed of a p-type layer having many openings through which the n-type substrate appears. this rear surface is covered with a material for establishing a schottky contact with the substrate and an ohmic contact with the p-type layer.
|
a monolithic assembly of a vertical igbt transistor and a vertical fast diode connected to the drain of the igbt transistor, implemented in an n-type semiconductor substrate, the rear surface of the structure being uniformly comprised of a p-type layer (2) having several openings through which the n-type substrate (1) appears, this rear surface being covered with a material (10) for establishing a schottky contact with the substrate and an ohmic contact with the p-type layer, characterized in that this rear surface structure extends not only in register with the cells of the vertical mos transistor formed on the front surface, but also in register with an n + region (17) formed on the same front surface and constituting the cathode of said diode. an assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the circumference of the structure is occupied by a p-type drive-in (19).
|
background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to a monolithic assembly of a fast diode and an igbt transistor. 2. discussion of the related art in many circuits, component connections of the type illustrated in fig. 1 including a mos power transistor having its drain connected to the anode of a diode can be found. this configuration is notably found in booster circuits such as those used in a.c./d.c. or d.c./d.c. converter circuits. in such applications, the mos transistor must be able to withstand a relatively high voltage and the diode has to be very fast. this raises integration problems. indeed, fig. 2 shows, in its left portion, a conventional structure of a cell of a vertical mos transistor and, in its right portion, a conventional structure of a vertical diode. in figs. 1 and 2, the gate, the source, and the drain of the mos transistor, and the cathode of the diode have been referred to by the same references g, s, d, and k, respectively. for the diode to be fast, its substrate n is doped with gold or platinum or is submitted to another process to increase its speed. such processes are difficult to perform on a portion of the component only. thus, if a single component integrating the diode and the mos transistor is implemented, the processing to increase the speed of the diode reduces the voltage withstanding ability of the high voltage mos transistor and increases the value of its on-state resistance. summary of the invention an object of the present invention is to monolithically implement a diode coupled to a high voltage mos transistor so as to obtain a fast diode without being prejudicial to the characteristics of the mos transistor. u.s. patent application ser. no. 08/659422 filed jun. 6, 1996, describes implementation of a fast diode on a same substrate as another vertical component by choosing the fast schottky/bipolar type diode. this application is incorporated herein by reference. it will be shown that such a structure is particularly well adapted to solving the afore-mentioned problems as it brings specific advantages and a great simplicity of fabrication. more specifically, a fast diode coupled to a high voltage transistor is achieved by a monolithic assembly of a vertical igbt transistor and a vertical fast diode connected to the drain of the igbt transistor. the monolithic assembly is implemented in an n-type semiconductor substrate, wherein the rear (or lower) surface of the structure is uniformly formed of a p-type layer having several openings through which the n-type substrate appears, and wherein this rear surface is covered with a material for establishing a schottky contact with the substrate and an ohmic contact with the p-type layer. according to an embodiment of the present invention, the circumference of the structure is occupied by a p-type drive-in. these objects, characteristics and advantages as well as others, of the present invention, will be discussed in detail in the following non-limiting description of a specific embodiment in relation with the accompanying drawings. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 shows a circuit that includes a mos transistor and a diode; fig. 2 shows a conventional monolithic embodiment of a mos transistor and a diode; and fig. 3 shows a monolithic assembly according to the present invention of a circuit that includes a fast diode and a high voltage transistor. detailed description the simplified cross-sectional views of figs. 2 and 3 are not to scale, as is conventional in the field of the representation of semiconductor components. according to an aspect of the present invention, an igbt transistor is substituted for the mos transistor. it will be shown that this enables a simpler integration. in addition, this substitution enables the circuit to withstand a reverse voltage (whereas a pn diode exists inherently between the source and the drain of a mos transistor). as shown in fig. 3, the present invention provides a structure formed on an n-type substrate 1. in the left portion of the drawing, a vertical igbt transistor is formed and in the right portion of the drawing, a fast vertical diode is formed. the rear (or lower) surface of substrate 1 is coated with a p-type layer 2 having a great number of openings. by adjusting the size of the openings, the speed of the diode may be changed. in particular, given a constant total area for the anode of the diode (i.e., the lower right portion of the drawing), the larger the openings, the faster the diode. this rear surface is coated with a metallization 10 for establishing an ohmic contact with the p-type regions and a schottky contact with the lightly-doped n-type regions. this metallization 10 is then coated with a metallization 11, for example aluminum. in the upper portion of the drawing, is a cell of a vertical mos transistor including a p-type region 13 within which are formed n-type rings 14. the central portion of the p-type region, substantially at the center of rings 14, includes a more strongly doped p-type region 15. above the portions of region 13 located between the external circumference of rings 14 and the apparent portions of the substrate is formed a gate metallization g separated from the surface of the silicon substrate by a thin oxide layer 20. a metallization s is in contact with the upper surface of at least a portion of n-type rings 14 and central region 15. given the presence of the p-type areas of layer 2 on the lower surface of the substrate, this structure operates as an igbt transistor by injecting charges of minority p.sup.+ carriers in the n material, which lowers its resistivity and thus enables an on-state resistance which is much lower than that of a conventional mos transistor. conversely, the existence of a schottky junction between the p-type areas improves the switching of the igbt transistor. indeed, the nominal current flowing through the igbt structure is formed, in this case, partly of charges injected in the schottky junction (which are not stored since they are majority carriers) and partly of charges injected by the p.sup.+ /n junction (which are stored, since they are minority). compared with a conventional igbt structure where the p.sup.+ /n junction occupies the entire rear surface area, the quantity of charges to be evacuated is much lower and thus, the switching is much faster. it can thus be seen that the integration of a fast diode in a mos transistor, provided the rapidity of the fast diode is implemented by a schottky/bipolar diode association, turns this mos transistor, on the one hand, into an igbt which results in a gain in silicon surface for an identical on-state resistance, and on the other hand, into a fast igbt without having to use conventional processings (irradiation, gold or platinum doping) used to reduce the quantity of stored charges. in the right portion of the drawing, an n.sup.+ -type region 17 connected to a cathode metallization k of a diode is found at the upper portion of the wafer. thus, according to an advantage of the present invention, by virtue of a schottky/bipolar type configuration on the lower surface, the operation of the diode and the operation of the igbt transistor are simultaneously improved. such a structure is easy to manufacture since the same processing is performed on the entire lower surface. further shown in fig. 3 are p.sup.+ -type drive-ins 19 at the circumference of the device for improving its insulation and its voltage withstanding ability and to avoid any risk of short-circuit in the case where the brazing for attaching the rear surface to a radiator (i.e., heatsink) would overflow laterally. it should be noted that the drive-ins 19 should not be electrically connected to the schottky/bipolar anode of the integrated diode, in order to avoid the injection of additional charges. the drive-ins 19 should be isolated with an oxide 21, as is shown in fig. 3. those skilled in the art will note that, in practice, on the upper substrate surface side, a great number of cells 13, 14, 15, will be used to obtain a transistor having the desired power. of course, each of the components of the present invention is likely to have various alterations, modifications and improvements currently applied to prior art components of same nature. it should also be noted that a light doping with metallic ions can be further applied to the structure according to the present invention to further improve its speed. as an example, a structure according to the present invention can be implemented by using the following data (with x.sub.j referring to a drive-in depth and c.sub.s to a surface concentration): wafer thickness: between 80 .mu.m and 240 .mu.m according to the voltage which covers the range from 600 v to 1200 v, rear surface bipolar schottky structure: areas of 6 .mu.m spaced by 6 .mu.m with x.sub.j =5 .mu.m and c.sub.s =5.10.sup.18, the structures of the front surface are those of a vertical mos, that is: ##equ1## the surface of the structure is adjusted to withstand a current intensity ranging from 3 a to 50 a according to a density of 2 a/mm.sup.2. such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be within the spirit and the scope of the present invention. accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting. the present invention is limited only as defined in the following claims and the equivalents thereto.
|
138-793-530-683-169
|
GB
|
[
"GB",
"WO"
] |
H02J3/32,G01R31/392,H02J7/00
| 2019-09-02T00:00:00 |
2019
|
[
"H02",
"G01"
] |
method and system for optimissing battery usage
|
we describe a system and method for optimising battery usage, particularly within an energy storage system. the method may comprise measuring a set of variables for the at least one battery; selecting parameters for a degradation model which predicts degradation of the at least one battery; obtaining a degradation value for the battery using a predicted degradation value which is predicted using the degradation model and the selected parameters; obtaining historical data from one or more services to which the energy storage system is connectable; determining, using the degradation value and the historical data, an optimum state for the at least one battery for each of a plurality of time windows, and controlling the energy storage system based on the determined states for the at least one battery
|
claims 1. a method for optimising usage of an energy storage system comprising at least one battery, the method comprising: measuring a set of variables for the at least one battery; selecting parameters for a degradation model which predicts degradation of the at least one battery; obtaining a degradation value for the battery using a predicted degradation value which is predicted using the degradation model and the selected parameters; obtaining historical data from one or more services to which the energy storage system is connectable; determining, using the degradation value and the historical data, an optimum state for the at least one battery for each of a plurality of time windows, and controlling the energy storage system based on the determined states for the at least one battery. 2. the method of claim 1 , wherein the optimum state is one of discharge to one of the one or more services, charge to one of the one or more services or remain idle. 3. the method of claim 2, wherein determining the optimum state comprises determining a quantity of energy by which the at least one battery is to be charged or a quantity of energy by which the at least one battery is to be discharged. 4. the method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein determining the optimum state comprises determining any boundary conditions which must be met at a start or end of each time window. 5. the method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more services comprise at least one short-term service and at least one long-term service and determining the optimum state comprises determining the optimum state for the at least one battery for the at least one long term service for each of the plurality of time windows; determining whether there are any time windows in which the at least one battery is available and is not connected to the at least one long-term service; and when it is determined that there are available time windows, determining the optimum state for the at least one battery for the at least one short-term service in the available time windows. 6. the method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein determining the optimum state comprises determining an optimisation value for each of the one or more services for each of the plurality of time windows. 7. the method of claim 6, comprising selecting the service having the highest optimisation value in each of the time windows. 8. the method of claim 6 or claim 7, comprising determining the optimisation value from a bidding strategy and a probability of success for the bidding strategy. 9. the method of any one of claims 8, comprising determining the bidding strategy and probability of success using a markov model. 10. the method of any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the one or more services comprises a balancing mechanism (bm) service and the optimisation value for the bm service is determined by determining a set of actions l(s) from where l(s) is the set of actions to be taken a is an action from the set of actions a(s) s is the current state at settlement index k=i s’ is the next state at settlement index k=i+1 from the set of states s p a (s, s’) is the success probability r a (s, s’) is the reward function y is a discount factor have a value between [0,1], batdeg is the battery degradation model including cycle counting algorithm with soc(s’): state of charge as a function of state, t(s’): temperature as a function of state and rc: residual, normalised total capacity of the battery system at the initial state, capex: current capex costs for the battery system eolend of life of the battery as a percentage value [0,100] of the battery as determined by manufacturer warranty bol: begin of life as a percentage value [0,100] of the battery system associated with capex value. 11. the method of any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein the one or more services comprises a wholesale market (wsm) service and the optimisation value for the wsm service is determined by minimising an objective function f defined as: d d _ 100 x capex f = — —socd x costd + — socc x costc + batdeg(soc(t), t(t), rc ) x - - dt dt ( eol — bol) with socd: state of charge as a function of time during discharging socc: state of charge as a function of time during charging costd: electricity price as determined from day ahead market forecast for selling electricity (e.g. input market data) costc: electricity cost as determined from day ahead market forecast for buying electricity (e.g. input market data) batdeg: battery degradation model including cycle counting algorithm with soc(t): state of charge as a function of time t(t): temperature as a function of time rc: residual, normalised total capacity of the battery system at the begin of the day capex: current capex costs for the battery system eol: end of life of the battery as a percentage value [0,100] of the battery as determined by manufacturer warranty bol: begin of life as a percentage value [0,100] of the battery system associated with capex value 12. the method of any one of the preceding claims wherein the degradation model comprises a calendar ageing component and a cycling ageing component and obtaining the degradation value comprises obtaining an estimated degradation value for the battery using the set of measured parameters; and outputting a degradation value based on the estimated and predicted degradation values. 13. the method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the measured variables comprise at least one of current, voltage, state of charge, depth of discharge, temperature, number of cycles, cp-rate, minimum power out, maximum power out, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, maximum cell voltage balance, minimum and maximum soc.. 14. a computer readable medium carrying processor control code which when implemented in a system causes the system to carry out the method of any one of claims 1 to 13. 15. a battery optimisation system comprising at least one sensor for measuring a battery parameter; a processor which is configured to carry out the method of any one of claims 1 to 13, and a user interface which is configured to display the output result which is generated by the processor.
|
method and system for optimising battery usage field of invention the present invention relates to a method and system for optimising battery usage, for example for lithium ion batteries within an energy storage system. background of invention lithium ion batteries are increasingly being deployed in a variety of applications, including grid-scale power storage and in electric vehicles. for these various applications to perform optimally, a detailed understanding of the degradation of relevant life cycle battery metrics is essential. the relevant parameters may include the capacity and the resistance of the battery and their degradation is dependent on a number of factors. a generic physico chemical model is typically therefore not suitable to give reliable end of life (eol) prediction or even more detailed state of health (soh) information for specific batteries. a paper entitled “review of the remaining useful life prognostics of vehicle lithium-ion batteries using data-driven methodologies” by wu et al published in applied sciences, vol 6, no 6, p166 may 2016 reviews various machine learning algorithms for predicting the remaining useful life (rul) of vehicle lithium-ion batteries. for grid-scale power usage systems, a contributing factor to the degradation is the use of the battery in an energy storage system which is supplying a particular market or service at a particular time. the different markets and services may have different technical requirements, different legal requirements and offer different revenue potential. for example, one service is termed the firm frequency response (ffr) and has various requirements, e.g. a minimum of 1mw response energy. other example markets and services include the short-term operating reserve (stor) service, the wholesale market (wsm) and the uk’s balancing mechanism (bm) service. therefore, there is a desire to provide an improved method and system for optimising battery usage, particularly for lithium ion batteries within an energy storage system. summary of invention according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for optimising usage of an energy storage system comprising at least one battery. the method comprises measuring a set of variables for the at least one battery; selecting parameters for a degradation model which predicts degradation of the at least one battery; obtaining a degradation value for the battery using a predicted degradation value which is predicted using the degradation model and the selected parameters; obtaining historical data from at least one service to which the energy storage system is connectable; determining, using the degradation value and the historical data, an optimum state for the at least one battery for each of a plurality of time windows, and controlling the energy storage system based on the determined states for the at least one battery. the at least one service may comprise a plurality of services which may include both services and markets. for example, the plurality of services may comprise one or more of a balancing market (bm) service, a short-term operating reserve (stor) service, a wholesale market (wsm) and a firm frequency response (ffr) service. the energy storage system may be connected to each service when a bid to supply the service has been accepted. the bm service and the wsm market may be considered to be short-term services because typically a bid to supply such services is made shortly, e.g. hours, before the energy storage system must be connected to the service to deliver the supply. the stor service and the ffr service may be considered to be long-term services because bids are typically made and accepted a long-time, e.g. days, before the supply is required. depending on the service, there may be one or both of a requirement to provide energy, e.g. to discharge energy from the at least one battery into the service or to remove energy, e.g. to discharge energy from the at least one battery into the service. the optimum state may be one of discharge to one of the plurality of services, charge to one of the plurality of services or remain idle. in other words, the optimum state may be to connect to a service selected from the at least one service, either to charge or discharge thereto as appropriate. when there is only one service, e.g., the bm service which allows an energy storage system to both charge and/or discharge, the optimum states may be to connect to the bm service, either to charge or discharge thereto as appropriate. determining the optimum state may comprise determining a quantity of energy (e.g. volume) by which the at least one battery is to be charged in the charge state and/or a quantity of energy by which the at least one battery is to be discharged in the discharge state. the quantity of energy to be charged/discharged may be determined based on the degradation value. historical data may be obtained from a plurality of services. determining the optimum state may comprise determining any boundary conditions which must be met at a start or end of each time window, e.g. when switching between services. boundary conditions may comprise for example one or more of a required level of capacity at the start of a time window, a required level of capacity which must be maintained when charging a service. the one or more services may comprise at least one short-term service and at least one long-term service. determining the optimum state may comprise determining the optimum state for the at least one battery for the at least one long-term service for each of the plurality of time windows; determining whether there are any time windows in which the at least one battery is available and is not connected to the at least one long-term service; and when it is determined that there are available time windows, determining the optimum state for the at least one battery for the at least one short-term service in the available time windows. in other words, the method comprises a short-term optimiser step in which available gaps are utilised for the short-term markets or services. the method may thus be considered iterative. determining the optimum state may comprise determining an optimisation value for each of the one or more services for each of the plurality of time windows. the optimisation value may be determined independently for each of the at least one services. where there is a plurality of services, the highest optimisation value for each service may be selected for each time window. determining the optimisation value may comprise determining a bidding strategy and a probability of success for the bidding strategy. a bidding strategy may include an offer of a volume of energy to be charged/discharged and may be associated with a bid price. for example, only bids having a success probability above a certain threshold, e.g. 60%, may be offered. the bidding strategy together with the degradation value may be used to determine the optimisation value. the optimisation value may be indicative of the profit margin. developing bidding strategies may be an integral part of the bm, stor and ffr services but not the wsm market. bidding strategies in general use historical data from the specific market or service to predict a suitable bid price and a corresponding success probability. a battery operator may not be participating on the market with his own bids and offers, but may go through an energy supplier, e.g. when the battery is relatively small and/or short time in delivery. the contract with the energy supplier may be the wsm prices that are going to be paid to the battery operator or the wsm prices that the battery operator has to pay depending on whether the battery operator is discharging or charging. the wsm prices are as published by a third-party service, e.g. elexon and a forecast 3 rd party source may be used to estimate a day ahead. for example, for the stor service, the ffr service and the bm service, the bidding strategy and success probability may be obtained from the historical data, e.g. analysis of events in the power grid and/or from the historical market information which is available. the historical data may comprise prices and successful bids as a function of time (intraday, week-days/-ends, seasons). this historical data may be continuously updated with new data from the service to further optimize the optimisation value. for example, for the bm service or the ffr service, the optimisation value may be determined using a markov decision process. for example, the set of actions l(s) for a bm service may be determined from where l(s) is the set of actions to be taken a is an action from the set of actions a(s) s is the current state at settlement index k=i s’ is the next state at settlement index k=i+1 from the set of states s p a (s, s’) is the success probability r a (s, s’) is the reward function y is a discount factor have a value between [0,1], batdeg is the battery degradation model including cycle counting algorithm with soc(s’): state of charge as a function of state, t(s’): temperature as a function of state and rc: residual, normalised total capacity of the battery system at the initial state, capex: current capex costs for the battery system eol: end of life of the battery as a percentage value [0,100] of the battery as determined by manufacturer warranty bol: begin of life as a percentage value [0,100] of the battery system associated with capex value. the success probability p a (s, s’) may be determined from the input historical data, particularly the input historical market data. for example, the probability may be a function of the market price and quantity. the probability of success may also be a function of the energy storage characteristics, namely how much energy a particular system could supply for that settlement period. thus, the success probability may be based on the degradation value. the revenue function r a (s, s’) may be generated from the volume multiplied by the unit price. for the wsm market, the optimisation value may be calculated using an optimization engine which finds the minimum of an objective function f. the optimisation engine may comprise boundary conditions. the objective function f may be defined as: d d _ 100 x capex f = — —socd x costd + — socc x costc + batdeg(soc(t), t(t), rc ) x - - dt dt ( eol — bol) with socd: state of charge as a function of time during discharging socc: state of charge as a function of time during charging costd: electricity price as determined from day ahead market forecast for selling electricity (e.g. input market data) costc: electricity cost as determined from day ahead market forecast for buying electricity (e.g. input market data) batdeg: battery degradation model including cycle counting algorithm with soc(t): state of charge as a function of time t(t): temperature as a function of time rc: residual, normalised total capacity of the battery system at the begin of the day capex: current capex costs for the battery system (not including inverter, transformer, etc..) eol: end of life of the battery as determined by manufacturer warranty (e.g. 70% of original total capacity) as % [0, 100] bol: begin of life total of battery system associated with capex value (usually 100%) as % [0, 100] the degradation model may comprise a calendar ageing component and a cycling ageing component. obtaining the degradation value may comprise obtaining an estimated degradation value for the battery using the set of measured parameters; and outputting a degradation value based on the estimated and predicted degradation values. by including separate calendar and cycling ageing components, it is possible to model the effect of time and usage on degradation separately. the predicted, estimated and final degradation values may be a value for the current capacity of the battery. the estimated degradation value which is obtained from the variables may be obtained from live measurements of the battery. the method may further comprise updating the measurements of the set of measured variables for the battery; predicting an updated predicted degradation value for the battery using the degradation model and the updated degradation model parameters; obtaining an updated estimated degradation value for the battery using the updated set of measured variables; repeating the updating of the parameters for the degradation model based on the updated estimated and updated predicted degradation values and outputting an updated final degradation value based on the updated predicted and estimated degradation values. the updating of the measurements may be done in real-time whereby the measurements are live measurements of the battery. in other words, the method may be iterative and may be repeated at multiple time intervals, both to update the parameters for the degradation model and to generate an up-to-date output value using the updated degradation values. the measured set of variables may comprise at least one of current, voltage, state of charge, depth of discharge, temperature, number of cycles, cp-rate, minimum power out, maximum power out, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, maximum cell voltage balance, minimum and maximum soc. these may be measured using any suitable technique. when updating the measurements, a sub-set of the variables may be remeasured. by measuring a smaller number of variables, the updates may be done in real-time. the parameters for the degradation model may be selected based on the characteristics of the battery and at least some of the original measured set of variables. the characteristics may comprise at least one of a manufacturer of the battery and chemistry of the battery. the chemistry of the battery may represent the composition of the chemicals within the battery and example chemistries include lithium iron phosphate (lfp), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (nmc), lithium titanate oxide (lto), lithium cobalt oxide (lco), lithium manganese oxide (lmo), lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (nca). these selected parameters may be termed the initial or starting parameters. the parameters may be selected from a stored set of parameters, e.g. a plurality of constants arranged in a look up table against the appropriate manufacturer and chemistry. the calendar ageing component which may also be termed a calendar ageing equation may be a function of the variables: state of charge, temperature and time. for example, the calendar ageing component may be defined using equation 1 below: where soc is state of charge, t is temperature, t is time, r is the gas constant in kjmol 1 (8.314....e-03), e ai is the activation energy in kjmol 1 k 1 , bi, ai and bi are the parameters (which are selected or updated) bi, ai and bi are dimensionless fitting parameters. the cycling ageing component may be a function of different variables to that of the calendar ageing component. some of the variables may overlap. the cycling ageing component which may also be termed a cycling ageing equation may be a function of the variables: state of charge, depth of discharge, constant power (discharge/charge) rate, equivalent full cycles and temperature. the cycling ageing component may be defined using equation 2 below: where efc is equivalent full cycles, soc is state of charge, dod is depth of discharge, cp rate is constant power (discharge/charge) rate, t is temperature, e a 2 is the activation energy in kjmol 1 k 1 , b2, a2, b2, c2, and d2are the parameters (which are selected or updated). b2, a2, b2, c2, and d2 are dimensionless fitting parameters. updating the parameters for the degradation model based on the updated first and second degradation values may comprise using a kalman filter, e.g. an extended kalman filter. outputting the final degradation value may comprise outputting a weighted sum of the estimated degradation value and the predicted degradation value. the final degradation value (and the updated final degradation value where appropriate) may be determined using a kalman filter. a dual kalman filter may be used to both update the parameters and output the final degradation value. as set out above, the parameters may be selected from stored data such as a look-table. the method may further comprise collecting data relating to the degradation of a plurality of batteries. the degradation model may be generated using the collected data. the parameters may be generated as fitting parameters. according to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a (non-transitory) computer readable medium carrying processor control code which when implemented in a system (e.g. a battery analyser) causes the system to carry out the method described above. another aspect of the present invention is a system for predicting battery degradation. the system may comprise a processor which is configured to carry out the method described above. the system may also comprise one or more sensors for collecting data from a battery. for example, the one or more sensors may include a voltage meter for measuring the voltage of the battery. the one or more sensors may include an ammeter for measuring the current of the battery. the system may also comprise a user interface which is configured to display the output from the processor. brief description of the drawings the above mentioned attributes and other features and advantages of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein fig. 1 shows a flowchart of a method implementing according to one aspect of the invention; fig. 2 is a graph of measured state of charge (soc) against time; fig. 3 is a graph of predicted normalised total capacity against time; fig. 4 is a graph of predicted normalised total capacity against time for a segment of fig. 3; fig. 5 shows a flowchart of a method implemented in conjunction with the method of fig. 1 ; fig. 6 is a graph of normalised capacity against time for a battery; fig. 7 is an example of a graph plotting the correlation in the dimensionless fit parameters ai and bi with the graph shown in fig 6; fig. 8 is a flowchart for obtaining a set of actions for a battery system; fig. 9 is an example of predicted data for a plurality of markets and services which may be determined in the method of fig. 8; fig. 10 is a state diagram for use in a model within the method of fig. 9 illustrating the state of the battery at different indices k=1 , 2, ... , n and actions to transition from one state to the next state; fig. 11 is a state diagram for use in a different model within the method of fig. 9; fig. 12 plots profit against settlement period which may be determined in the method of fig. 8; fig. 13 plots commitment to provide a supply against time which may be determined in the method of fig. 9 fig. 14 shows a schematic block diagram of a system which can be used to carry out the methods above. detailed description of invention figure 1 shows a flowchart for analysing battery performance. in a first step, the initial characteristics of the battery are obtained (s100). the initial characteristics may include the manufacturer of the battery and example manufacturers are lg chem, samsung, toshiba, sk innovation or sony. the initial characteristics may also include the chemistry of the battery and example chemistries include lithium iron phosphate (lfp), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (nmc), lithium titanate oxide (lto), lithium cobalt oxide (lco), lithium manganese oxide (lmo), and lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (nca). the next step is to set the parameters which are to be used in the degradation model (s102). initially, the start parameters may be optimised for the manufacturer and the chemistry of the battery based on measurements which were taken under laboratory conditions as described in more detail in relation to figure 5. once the model parameters are set, various variables may then be measured (s104). it will be appreciated that the measurements may be taken simultaneously with obtaining the battery characteristics. these measurements may be termed live data because they are captured in real-time. these measured variables may include some or all of: • current (ampere), • voltage (volt), • state of charge (soc) which has a floating value between [0,1] and represents the remaining charge inside the battery relative to its current total capacity; a value of 1 is a “full” battery and 0 is an “empty” battery; • depth of discharge (dod) which has a floating value between [0,1] and represents the absolute difference in the minimum and maximum state of charge of a given semi-charge or discharge cycle, • temperature of the interior of the battery (which has a floating value in kelvin) - may be estimated or measured, • equivalent full cycles (efc) which has a floating value and is a measure of the amount of charge from both charging/discharging divided by the associated total capacity of the battery; • constant power (charge/discharge) rate (cp-rate) which has a floating value and represents the ratio between current total capacity (a h ) divided by (charge/discharge) current [a] and • time t in days. it is noted that soc and dod may also be expressed as a percentage between [0,100] but the models defined below use a floating value of [0,1] for example, figure 2 shows how soc (%) may vary over time for a battery which is being monitored. the chart below shows examples of values of the variables which may also be captured at a point in time for the specific battery: the variables may be measured or determined using standard techniques. it is noted that soc for the cycling ageing component described below may be the average soc because the soc is not constant during a semi-cycle. these measurements are used to obtain a value for the capacity of the battery which is based on the measurements and may thus be termed a measured capacity (step s106). the measured capacity may be an indication of the state of health (soh) of the battery. the value may be obtained in any suitable way, e.g. using a c-estimation algorithm such as using the equation below: where z ) is the battery cell soc at time t2, z(h) is the battery cell soc at time h, q is the battery cell total capacity in ampere-hours, i(t) is the battery cell current at time t in amperes, h is a unitless efficiency factor which may take on different values depending on whether the current is positive or negative and time is measured in seconds. the factor of 3600 converts seconds to hours. suitable variations of the equation above are set out in “recursive approximate weighted total least squares estimation of battery cell total capacity” by plett published in journal of power sources 196 (2011) 2319-23331. as shown in figure 1 , at the same time as the measured capacity is being obtained, a prediction for the capacity may also be obtained using a degradation model (step s106). this predicted value for the capacity may be based on the model parameters which were set in step s102 and the variables which were measured in step s104 and may be termed a predicted capacity. like the measured capacity, the predicted capacity may be an indication of the state of health (soh) of the battery. it will be appreciated that it is optional to simultaneously obtain the measured and predicted capacity and the predicted capacity may alternatively be obtained after or before the measured capacity. the degradation model may comprise two components: a first component which models degradation of the battery over time and which may be termed a calendar ageing component and a second component which models degradation of the battery resulting from the number of cycles through which the battery has cycled and which may be termed a cycling ageing component. both components may model the physico-chemical basics of battery degradation but may contain different parameters such as state of charge (soc), depth of discharge (dod), temperature (t), time (t), constant power (discharge/charge) rate (cp rate) and equivalent full cycles (efc). as explained in more detail below, each component may be an empirical model which comprises a set of fitting constants (i.e. parameters) for each of the variables which are included in the component. when using the degradation model, the measured soc profile (such as that shown in figure 2) may be segmented into parametrised semi-cycles and time periods of calendar ageing (with no discharging/charging). the separate segments si, s2 , ... sn are indicated on figure 2 and the end points of each segment represent changes in the trend for the soc value. for example, in the first semi-cycle, the soc is gradually increasing but in the second semi cycle, the soc is constant in value. the parametrised semi-cycles may be input into either the calendar or cycling ageing components to provide a predicted value for the change in total capacity (ac or dc) for each semi-cycle. for example, the change in the calendar ageing component in a time interval at of the capacity may be defined using the equation below which incorporates equation 1 above: with where c s is the total normalised total capacity before the calendar ageing event, soc is state of charge, t is temperature, t is time, r is the gas constant in kjmol 1 (8.314....e-03), e ai is the activation energy in kjmol 1 k 1 , bi, ai, and bi, are fitting parameters which are selected based on the battery cell chemistry and manufacturer identified in the initial method step. the determination of the fitting parameters is described in more detail below. for example, the change in the cycling ageing component of the capacity for an efc of aefc may be defined using the equation below which incorporates equation 2 above: with where c s is the total normalised total capacity before the cycling ageing event, efc is equivalent full cycles, soc is state of charge, dod is depth of discharge, cp rate is constant power (discharge/charge) rate, t is temperature, e a 2 is the activation energy in kjmol 1 k 1 , b2, a2, b2, c2, and d2, are fitting parameters which are selected based on the battery cell chemistry and manufacturer identified in the initial method step. the determination of the parameters which include the fitting parameters is described in more detail below. the output predicted capacity c p may be predicted by iteratively subtracting from the original value for the capacity co all the predicted changes in total capacity (dc,) for each of n semi cycles, e.g. cp = c 0 - dci in the example above, the two components both include the variables temperature and state of charge which can be readily measured. each of the components also includes one or more additional variables which are specific to that component, e.g. time for the calendar ageing component and equivalent full cycles (efc), depth of discharge (dod) and constant power (discharge/charge) rate (cp rate) for the cycling ageing component. the next step is then to compare the measured capacity with the predicted capacity (step s110). the comparison may be performed using a kalman filter, e.g. an extended kalman filter. a suitable kalman filter is described in detail in “extended kalman filtering for battery management systems of lipb-based hev battery packs” by plett published in journal of power sources 134 (2004) 262 to 292. as described with more detail in relation to figure 3, the comparison step may lead to an output value for the current capacity which is based on both the estimated and the predicted values (step s112). the comparison step may also be used to output updated values of the parameters in the degradation model (step s114). these updated values may be used as the new set of model parameters in step s102 so the process is iterative. the other steps are then repeated to generate a new output value of the current capacity of the battery and a new updated set of parameters which are based on the new measured battery variables. the updated parameters may also be used together with an input planned usage profile (step s116) to obtain a future capacity of the battery using the updated degradation model and the planned usage profile (step s118). as described above, the method combines an empirical model (namely the degradation model) with an iterative learning algorithm to output a value (e.g. capacity) which is indicative of the state of health (soh) of the battery and to update or adjust the model based on measured values. a dual kalman filter comprises a first kalman filter and a second kalman filter may be used for the comparison step of figure 1. a first kalman filter may apply a time update step which inputs the predicted states and the current and outputs the estimated states and estimated parameters. state estimation is done using the underlying degradation model and experimentally verified estimations for measurement uncertainties and errors in the shape of a gaussian covariance matrix. the first kalman filter may also apply a measurement update step in which the estimated capacity value and its associated estimated error and noise together with predicted capacity value and its associated error are input. the estimation algorithm described above may be used to estimate the error and noise of the estimated capacity value. both the estimated and the predicted capacity value are combined using a weighted average which is dependent on the covariance matrices of each measurement/model error to give an output for the current capacity value (soh). a second kalman filter may apply a time update step which inputs the predicted parameters and outputs the estimated parameters. these estimated parameters are used in the measurement update step of the first kalman filter. these estimated parameters are also used in a measurement update step of the second kalman filter together with the estimated parameters from the time update step of the first kalman filter. thus, there is an iterative adjustment of the model parameters. figure 3 plots the variation in the output predicted capacity over a long time period, e.g. between 0 to 275 days. the long-term prediction may be determined using the planned usage profile and the iteratively adjusted degradation model. figure 4 plots the variation in the output predicted capacity over a shorter time period, e.g. on day 50, to give a more fine grained analysis. figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating how the empirical model may be determined. there is a first “acquisition phase” in which data from a plurality of batteries is obtained. in an initial step, the batteries are set-up (step s200) so that the degradation of the battery over time may be measured. a plurality of batteries from different manufacturers and different chemistry types may be set-up. the effect (if any) of the conditions such as temperature, current etc. is also acquired by exposing different batteries to different conditions. the data comprises total capacity over time and an example set of values is plotted in figure 6. the time scale is hundreds and possibly thousands of days. each data set comprises one specific set of ageing parameters which is determined based on the component of the model. for the calendar ageing component, the data set comprises values for capacity and time with one of soc or t at different fixed values. merely, as an example, if the data shown in figure 6 were collected at a fixed temperature of 25 degrees celsius, the data set would also need to include the value for soc at each value for capacity and time. for the cycling ageing component, the data set comprises values for capacity and time with one of soc, dod, cp-rate and t at different fixed values. a sufficiently large data set is required for the model estimation step. merely as an example, there may need to be data collected for 3 different temperatures and 9 values of soc for the calendar ageing component to provide a sufficiently large data set. similarly, there may need to be data collected for 2 to 3 different temperatures, 2 to 3 different values of soc, 2 to 3 different values of dod, 2 to 3 different values of cp-rate which gives overall at least 16 sets of data for the cycling ageing component. accordingly, the next step is to obtain values for a plurality of battery variables at a plurality of intervals (step s202). for example, the variables may include current, voltage, soc, dod, temperature, cp-rate. the variables may be measured using standard techniques. the measurements may be taken at regular intervals, e.g. each week or each day when considering calendar ageing or after a certain number of cycles when considering cycling ageing. in addition to measurements, other values may be identified (step s204). for example, a capacity value which is indicative of the state of health (soh) of each battery cell may be calculated at each interval. all the values which have been obtained, through measurement or calculation, are then stored (step s206). for example, the values may be stored in a measurement grid and/or may be plotted in graphs. figure 6 is an example of a graph plotting the change in capacity value over time. the measurements points are indicated by crosses and a fit curve is generated by the model (+r 2 value = 0.96279). once the data has been gathered, it is used to generate the model. this includes fitting the model to the stored values (step s208). the calendar ageing equation may be defined initially as: similarly, the cycling ageing equation may be defined initially as: such equations have a low number of parameters and are relatively easy to handle but nevertheless give a good fit result. for both simplified equations, the fits of the measured data indicate that bi and b2 can be considered constant for all the measured data. accordingly, the dependency of the capacity on the measured data is expressed by ai and 02 which are functions of the relevant variables. this reduces cross-correlations between the parameters ai, 02, bi and b2. in other words: bi = constant; b 2 = constant (the constant values may be same or different); ch=f{soc, t) a 2 =f(soc, t, cp rate, dod ) an empirical approach based on studying the available data is then used to determine the functions which fully define ai and 02. various techniques can be used to fit the data to the equations. for example, the well-known least square approach may be used. the resulting functions are shown below: the definitions for the terms in the equations are the same as those above. the underlying structure of each equation is motivated on the one hand by the physico-chemcial considerations (e.g. in the use of the exponential arrhenius term for temperature dependency) as well as observed dependencies of degradation with measured values in laboratory experiments. the equations are relatively simplistic but sufficiently accurate representations of the chosen dependencies. concerning the number of cycles, the equations may only be valid in a certain range of capacity which should include the end of life (eol) capacity value. the parameters can be considered independent of efc or time. figure 7 is an example of a graph plotting the correlation in the dimensionless fitting constants ai and bi with the graph shown in figure 6. the values of ai and bi having a correlation value of 1 at r 2 =0.96279 are selected. other graphs may also be plotted for different batteries from different manufacturers. the data may also be presented in any suitable format, e.g. in a look-up table. as explained above, these initial values of the constants which are determined from historic data are updated for the specific battery being modelled using the measured variables. merely as an example, the following table provides the range of for the fitting parameters for different chemistries and manufacturers. figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating how the degradation model described above may be used in a method to operate a battery within a battery energy storage system. for example, the method may be used to determine which market or service is to be supplied by the battery energy storage system and where it is appropriate what is being supplied to the market or service. as detailed below, in certain markets and services, the battery energy storage system may supply energy into the markets or services, e.g. by discharging the battery system but in other markets or services, the battery energy storage may supply energy or may remove energy, e.g. by charging the battery system. in an initial phase, which may be determined a data collection phase, the current battery data may be obtained (step s900). this battery data may include measured data, e.g. soc and temperature and other data such as the soh. the soh may be obtained using the method described above and thus all the variables which are listed above may be measured. in addition the battery data may include some or all of minimum and maximum power out, minimum and maximum battery cell temperature, maximum cell voltage balance, minimum and maximum soc (when not [0,100]). in addition to the current battery data, historical data for the battery may also be obtained (step s904). this historical data may include the data previously obtained for the battery at earlier time indexes together with details of the markets and services (if any) the battery has previously supplied. the historical data may also comprise the historical data for the markets and/or services, e.g. the supply which was provided by the battery storage system, including volumes and prices. in addition to the historical data, the market data for the current and future time frame may be obtained (step s902). the market data may include the requirements for future energy level storage, the timing of these requirements and the revenue to be generated by providing battery systems to supply these requirements. example markets and services include the firm frequency response (ffr) service, the short term operating reserve (stor) service, the wholesale market (wsm) and the balancing mechanism (bc) service. once all the necessary data has been gathered, an estimation of the profit for each market or service may be made (step s906). the market data, battery data and historical data are shown as being obtained at the same time but it will be appreciated that these steps may be done in any order. figure 9 shows an example of the profit which may be obtained from each market or service for each time index. merely as an example, the time index is 48 settlement periods (time windows), that is 1 day but it will be appreciated that it may be a different time interval. as shown, the profit may vary from approximately £4 to £15 per megawatt for the ffr service with different time bands during a day having similar profits. the profit is determined based on the expected revenue from providing the service or trading in the market and any costs such as battery system degradation costs and other operational costs. accordingly, the profit may also be negative in some time periods as shown in the wsm graph. a different model may be appropriate for determining the profitability of each market or service. for example, the balancing mechanism (bm) service is a tool used by the national grid to balance electricity supply and demand close to real time. the service works on settlement periods of half-an-hour. participants known as balancing mechanism units (bmus) which include generators, energy storage systems, aggregators submit bids and offers to increase/decrease their generation/consumption one hour prior to real time. these offers and bids are accepted in a way that settles any imbalance (difference between generation and consumption) in the most economical way possible with a focus on energy storage participation. the bm in the uk is just one example of such a service and other countries may have similar services to which the method below may be adapted. figure 10 is a simplified state diagram illustrating some of the possible states, s, s 1 , s 2 , s 3 , s 12 , s 22 , s 23 at time indexes k = 1, 2, ... n for a battery energy storage system which may be used in a bm. it will be appreciated that for compactness, only part of the state diagram is shown. at each index and from each state, three actions are possible as described in more detail below. each state is represented by a set of battery data, e.g. measured data such as one or more of soc and temperature and determined data such as the soh. the soh may be determined as described above and thus other battery data may also need to be measured. the data for the current state s is obtained at the starting time index k=1. once the current state is known, there are three possible actions for controlling the battery: charge, discharge and idle. if the action “idle” is taken, the battery data will remain unchanged but the state will change to s 2 and the time index to k=2. if either of the actions “charge” or “discharge” are taken, the battery data will change. in the example, shown in figure 10, the action is for the battery to remain idle as the time index increases to k=2. at this time index, there are again three actions for progressing to the next time index of k=3. the action “idle” is included to allow the time index to be changed which is critical for the method of determining the actions to be taken with respect to the bm described below. it will be appreciated that not all bids are accepted. thus, each stage of this tree would be generated automatically from all possible states the system could end up in based on taking all possible actions, including charging-bid accepted, discharging-offer accepted, and staying idle because no bid offer was submitted. once all the data has been obtained (in whatever order), the next step is to obtain the probability of taking each of the actions which move the battery from state s at time index k=1 to state s 1 , s 2 , s 3 at time index k=2. this probability may be termed the success probability p a (s, s’) and is the probability of going from state s to s’ taking action a. the probability may be determined from the input historical data, particularly the input historical market data. for example, the probability may be calculated as a probability density function from the historical market price and quantity data. for the uk balancing mechanism service, an example source for such historical market data is the elexon website which includes for all settlement periods all the submitted bids and offers and all the information related to the accepted bids and offers. details of these bids and offers would include price and the volume which indicates the level of deviation the supplier is agreeing to provide in terms of increasing the generation or decreasing the demand. the probability of success may also be a function of the energy storage characteristics, namely how much energy a particular system could supply for that settlement period. those energy storage characteristics may be general properties like the set of variables mentioned earlier which are useful for determining bidding strategies, namely min/max power output, min/max cell temperature and cell voltage balance. the degradation model described above predicts the total capacity and associated costs. the determination of the energy storage characteristics could partly be predicted using the degradation model above as well as the nominal values for min/max power output, min/max cell temperature and cell voltage balance.. an estimation of the revenue which will be generated by providing the service is also determined. this may be termed the revenue function r a (s, s’). the revenue may be generated as a function of the offer or bid price range which is offered to meet the requirements of the identified service as well as the volume offered. the revenue may be obtained from the volume multiplied by the unit price. next a set of actions which determine how the battery is controlled over time, i.e. what state the battery should be placed in for participation in the bm service, are obtained. the set of actions may also include a bidding strategy for each time frame, e.g. a price and a volume to be offered. a bidding strategy predicts a suitable bid price and a corresponding success probability. the solution may be based on a markov decision process (mdp) which is a general framework to solve problems in which • actions taken depend on the system states (e.g. actions = charge/discharge/idle depend on available rewards and also on the future energy storage level which depends on past actions) • a cumulative reward is optimized (e.g. the reward is a cumulation of the individual rewards at each time index k) • only the current state (e.g. current battery data) and the past actions are known (e.g. historical data) and • the system may be non-stationary. as an example, the bellman equation may be used: where l(s) is the set of actions to be taken a is an action from the set of actions a(s) s is the current state at settlement index k=i s’ is the next state at settlement index k=i+1 from the set of states s p a (s, s’) is the success probability determined above r a (s, s’) is the reward function determined above y is a discount factor have a value between [0,1] batdeg is the battery degradation model including cycle counting algorithm with soc(s’): state of charge as a function of state, t(s’): temperature as a function of state and rc: residual, normalised total capacity of the battery system at the initial state, capex: current capex costs for the battery system eol: end of life of the battery as determined by manufacturer warranty bol: begin of life total of battery system associated with capex value. the discount factor represents the difference in importance between future and present rewards. in other words, the discount factor values the immediate reward above the future delayed reward and presents the uncertainty about the future. the discount factor is a parameter in mdp which is between [0,1] and is normally set at between 0.8 and 0.9, a mixed integer linear programming (milp) algorithm may be used to solve the mdp above. any suitable algorithm may be used for example as described by vvu, jianhui, and edmund h. durfee in "mixed-integer linear programming for transition-independent decentralized mdps." proceedings of the fifth international joint conference on autonomous agents and multiagent systems. acm, 2006. figure 9 also shows the profit per settlement period for the energy wholesale market (wsm) which is a relatively flexible short-term market, e.g. bids may be submitted an hour, day, week or month before the settlement period. the revenue from the wsm market may be predicted by standard third-party resources which provide the day ahead market price. for example, this may be calculated using a wholesale market tool comprising an optimization engine which finds the minimum of an objective function f which may be defined as: d d _ 100 x capex f = — —socd x costd + — socc x costc + batdeg(soc(t), t(t), rc ) x - - dt dt ( eol — bol) with socd: state of charge as a function of time during discharging socc: state of charge as a function of time during charging costd: electricity price as determined from day ahead market forecast for selling electricity (e.g. input market data) costc: electricity cost as determined from day ahead market forecast for buying electricity (e.g. input market data) batdeg: battery degradation model including cycle counting algorithm with soc(t): state of charge as a function of time t(t): temperature as a function of time rc: residual, normalised total capacity of the battery system at the begin of the day capex: current capex costs for the battery system (not including inverter, transformer, etc..) eol: end of life of the battery as determined by manufacturer warranty (e.g. 70% of original total capacity) as % [0, 100] bol: begin of life total of battery system associated with capex value (usually 100%) as % [0, 100] the socd may be determined by selecting the soc(t) segments where the previous soc values in the time series is higher and the later soc values in the time series are lower (i.e. the battery is discharging). similarly, the socc may be determined by selecting the soc(t) segments where the previous soc values in the time series is lower and the later soc values in the time series are higher (i.e. the battery is charging). the batdeg model may be the one described above. the optimization engine may also include boundary conditions for soc and battery system availability for each settlement period. boundary conditions represent any conditions which must be met at the beginning or end of each settlement period. they are discussed in further detail below in relation to the iterative nature of the method. the result of the optimization is a soc(t) profile that indicates when and how much power needs to be purchased from or sold to the wholesale market during the next 48 settlement periods in order to maximise profits from this market. profits are usually realized by a combination of a charge and discharge semi-cycle and therefore the associated profits may be spread over several settlement periods, hence the similar profit over several settlement periods in figure 9 for the wsm. negative profits are possible when the associated degradation costs of the battery system are higher than the net trade revenues from buying and selling energy. figure 9 also shows the profit per settlement period for the short-term operating reserve (stor) which is a long-term service, e.g. bids are submitted days or even months before they are implemented. the short term operating reserve (stor) service (sam matthews ; ivana kockar, “new short-term-operation-reserve services in the uk electricity market”, 2007 ieee power engineering society general meeting (2007)) requires a bidding strategy, a probability for service delivery (e.g. a success probability that the bid will be accepted) and associated battery degradation costs. the bidding strategy and success probability are obtained from historical data analysis of stor events in the power grid and from the historical market information which is available, e.g. from the elexon website, concerning prices and successful bids as a function of time (intraday, week-days/-ends, seasons). the historical data forms the basis for a recommendation system that suggests the bidding price and times and additionally returns a success probability. this historical dataset is continuously updated with new market data for the service to further optimize precision of the recommendation as well as adjust to changes in the service requirements or structure. the battery degradation model described above is combined with the probability model for a stor event and the bidding price model to yield the forecast for profits in respect to each settlement period as shown in figure 9. the combination may comprise using the bidding strategy with the probability of bid acceptance to give a value for the service revenue, e.g. by calculating the revenue value as the probability multiplied by volume multiplied by bid price. a known service model gives the probability that a certain power needs to be delivered in order to comply with the service (meaning there is a stor event). the battery degradation model above takes the assumed discharge cycle from the service model to calculate the associated degradation costs. the profit for each time window is then calculated from the sum of the service revenue and the value of the degradation costs multiplied by the probability of a stor event (this latter value will be negative). figure 9 also shows the profit per settlement period for the firm frequency response (ffr) which is another long-term service. the ffr model for modelling profit may comprise a semi-hidden markov model to anticipate the likelihood of frequency events as described for example by d.m. greenwood et al. in "frequency response services designed for energy storage", applied energy, volume 203, 2017, 115-127. figure 11 is an example of the states within the markov model and the transition probabilities. there are three types of events: low frequent event, high frequent event and no frequency event. the transition probabilities p are derived from historical data analysis and examples of values are shown in figure 11. these probabilities may be updated as new data is incorporated into the model. the markov model yields a probable soc(t) profile that the battery system is required to comply with in order to avoid penalty charges. as with the stor model, from the historical bidding and pricing data, a distribution of successful bids in correlation with timebands (morning, evening, night times, etc...), days (weekdays, weekends) and time of the year (seasonal dependencies of frequency events in the power grid). this data forms the basis for a recommendation system that suggests the bidding price and times and additionally returns a success probability. this historical dataset is continuously updated with new market data from the service to further optimize precision of the recommendation as well as adjust to changes in the service. the battery degradation model is included in the markov model and combined with the bidding price model to yield the forecast for profits in respect to each settlement period (time window) as shown in figure 9. the inclusion of the battery degradation model in the markov model may be similar to that described in relation to the bm service in which the battery degradation costs are part of the bellman equation, which would be driven from the markov tree. the optimal result for revenues and degradation costs from the bellman equation are combined with the bidding price model, which is basically the historical data analysis given the probability that the resulting bids and volume will be successful or not. the probability is then multiplied with the bellman equation result to give the profit over time graph shown in figure 9. returning to figure 8, once the individual profit per settlement period has been determined for each of the services and markets, the results from each market and service may be stacked to provide revenue maximisation across the period in question. for each settlement period, the market or service which provides the most profit may be selected. additionally, any technical constraints which must be met for each market or service together with any legal or service requirements for these markets or services are considered when stacking the individual results. for example, the technical and other legal or service requirements may define boundary conditions between service or market changes. an example boundary condition is that before switching to supply the stor service, the battery system is typically required to be at full capacity. accordingly, if a period of supply to the stor service is not preceded by a period of charging in the bm service, a short window (e.g. 30 minutes) must be left before the stor service to allow the charging. the ffr service also typically has upper and lower limits for capacity, e.g. 0.8 or 0.2 and thus a technical constraint before supplying the ffr service is normally to be at a value for the capacity which is mid-way between the two constraints. an example in the bm service is the requirement to give the bids and offers one hour in advance. however, definite information about the status of the battery system (e.g. soc, cell balance, etc) will not be available. therefore different (worst case) scenarios need to be considered when submitting bids/offers because not being able to provide the service results in high penalty charges. the wsm is a short-term market and as described above, the boundary conditions are incorporated into the model for determining the profit. accordingly, in between long-term services the wsm may be used to comply with boundary conditions like soc requirements for stor or ffr services. the bm may be used in a similar way. by contrast to the wsm and partly bm, for the stor and ffr services, the battery system operator has no influence on the operations after a bid was successful, therefore these services only impose constraints and boundary conditions on the adjacent services, but cannot be used to fulfil any. figure 12 shows an example of the actions to be taken (e.g. nature of bids to which markets/services and hence in which markets/services to participate at what time and in what way). for each settlement period (time window), figure 12 shows the market or service which offers the maximum profit during that time period. for example, for the initial five settlement periods, the optimal service is the ffr service 110 and for the next five settlement periods, the stor service 112 provides the highest profit. thereafter, the bm service 116 provides the optimal profit until k=20 when the stor market is once again optimal. the wsm market is optimal between k=30 and k=40. the structure of the revenue stacking algorithm may be modular so it is possible to remove or add new markets or services without changing the structure of already implemented markets and services. as shown above in relation to figure 12, the maximum revenue which can be obtained at each settlement period can be determined for each market or service. some of the markets and services (e.g. the stor and ffr services) have legal constraints which require a user to contract to supply the market or participate in the service a long time before the contract must be delivered, e.g. many days or even weeks in advance. once the user’s offer is accepted, the contract must be delivered to such long-term services at the contracted time period. other markets and services (e.g. the wsm market and bm service) have shorter time periods, e.g. hours and may thus be termed short-term services. there may be other suppliers who also offer their services and thus not all offers/bids will be accepted. accordingly, when controlling the battery, it is important to determine which markets and services must be supplied and when as well as how the battery is to be operated when meeting the contract. returning to figure 8, the next step may be to identify the availability of the battery (step s912). this may include determining which of the bids for the long-term services have been successful. figure 13 shows a graph of battery usage against time with the periods in which the battery must be used to supply a long-term service indicated. as shown in the corresponding graph below, the battery is thus available for supply to short-term services in the gaps between the periods in which the long-term services are being supplied. when periods of battery availability have been identified, the method may loop back to the start to optimize control of the battery for the remaining time periods. in other words, the steps which lead to obtaining a set of actions s908 may be repeated with the market data obtained in step s902 based on short-term services only. in this loop, the process may be considered to be an optimizer for short-term services. when no further optimisation is required, e.g. when there is no short-term availability for the battery, the set of actions may be output (step s914). the final output may be a set of actions to control the battery to supply different markets or services in different time periods and to charge or remain idle as appropriate based on the algorithm. the periods when a contract is being provided to different markets or services may be considered to be optimised for revenue. as explained above, the soh determined from the degradation model described above may be incorporated into the determinations as to whether to supply a particular market or service. for example, a limited capacity (soh) which is predicted from the degradation model may impact a decision not to supply or to reduce supply for future markets or services. when incorporating the degradation model, the model may be linearized so that the model is readily combined with other optimisation tools. linearization of the degradation model can be done using any suitable technique, e.g. the well-known taylor expansion. the degradation model itself consists of a set of equations that are highly non-linear. the taylor expansion approximates the equations around a specified value of each of the various variables. if required, quadratic terms in the equation can be linearized by using the mccormick envelope approach, which is a type of convex relaxation technique. for example, if the soh is expressed as: soh = 1 - f cyc l ing (soc, dod, cr, t, cyc ) - / ca l en d ar (soc, t, t) the taylor expansion gives: sohun = 1 — { f(rc ) + a(soc cyc ~ soc 0 cyc ) + b(dod — dod 0 ) + c(cr — cr 0 ) + d(t — t 0 ) + e(cyc - cyc 0 ) + f(soc cai ~ soc 0 cai ) + g(.t - t 0 )} where the variables and parameters are as defined above. a comprehensive and accurate comparison of markets/services and their profit potential may be determined by incorporating the market data, the technical constraints and other legal or service requirements of the markets and services as described above,. the optimal use of the battery system may thus be determined. the various requirements may be included via interdependencies of properties such as soc and opportunity costs of the battery itself. as explained above, the constraints and requirements may define boundary conditions between services or may be incorporated as part of the individual market/service model. figure 14 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the components of the system. the system comprises a battery analyser 600 which may perform the methods of figures 1 or 2 to analyse the degradation of a battery 550 and/or the method of figure 8 to select how to use the battery. the battery may be an individual battery cell, a battery pack comprising multiple cells or a battery system incorporating multiple battery cells or packs. the battery analyser 600 receives inputs from sensors 500, 502 which measure parameter values for the battery 550. it will be appreciated that the use of one battery and two sensors is merely indicative and the battery analyser may be analysing multiple batteries and receiving information from any number of sensors may be used. the outputs from the battery analysing, i.e. an indication of the state of the health (soh) of the battery may be output to a user 700 via any suitable user interface 702, e.g. a screen on a computer or other electronic device. the battery analyser 600 may also be connected to a database 800, which stores for example the training data 820 which is used to train the model as well as the degradation model 814 and the parameters which are most appropriate to be used as a starting set of parameters for a particular battery (e.g. based on manufacturer and chemistry). the battery analyser 600 may be formed from one or more servers and the steps (or tasks) in figures 1 and 2 may be split across the one or more servers or the cloud. the battery analyser 600 may include one or more processors 604, one or more memory devices 606 (generically referred to herein as memory 606), one or more input/output ("i/o") interface(s) 608, one or more data ports 610, and data storage 612. the battery analyser 600 may further include one or more buses that functionally couple various components of the battery analyser 600. the data storage 612 may store one or more operating systems (o/s) 614; and one or more program modules, applications, engines, computer-executable code, scripts, or the like such as, for example, a model engine 616 and a comparison engine 618. the model engine 616 may apply the degradation model and the comparison engine 618 may compare measured and predicted values as described in figure 1. any of the components depicted as being stored in data storage 612 may include any combination of software, firmware, and/or hardware. the software and/or firmware may include computer-executable code, instructions, or the like that may be loaded into the memory 606 for execution by one or more of the processor(s) 604 to perform any of the operations described earlier in connection with correspondingly named engines. the bus(es) may include at least one of a system bus, a memory bus, an address bus, or a message bus, and may permit exchange of information (e.g., data (including computer- executable code), signalling, etc.) between various components of the battery analyser 600. the bus(es) may include, without limitation, a memory bus or a memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and so forth. the bus(es) may be associated with any suitable bus architecture including, without limitation, an industry standard architecture (isa), a micro channel architecture (mca), an enhanced isa (eisa), a video electronics standards association (vesa) architecture, an accelerated graphics port (agp) architecture, a peripheral component interconnects (pci) architecture, a pci-express architecture, a personal computer memory card international association (pcmcia) architecture, a universal serial bus (usb) architecture, and so forth. the memory 606 of the battery analyser 600 may include volatile memory (memory that maintains its state when supplied with power) such as random access memory (ram) and/or non-volatile memory (memory that maintains its state even when not supplied with power) such as read-only memory (rom), flash memory, ferroelectric ram (fram), and so forth. persistent data storage, as that term is used herein, may include non-volatile memory. in certain example embodiments, volatile memory may enable faster read/write access than non-volatile memory. however, in certain other example embodiments, certain types of non volatile memory (e.g., fram) may enable faster read/write access than certain types of volatile memory. in various implementations, the memory 606 may include multiple different types of memory such as various types of static random access memory (sram), various types of dynamic random access memory (dram), various types of unalterable rom, and/or writeable variants of rom such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (eeprom), flash memory, and so forth. the memory 606 may include main memory as well as various forms of cache memory such as instruction cache(s), data cache(s), translation lookaside buffer(s) (tlbs), and so forth. further, cache memory such as a data cache may be a multi level cache organized as a hierarchy of one or more cache levels (l1, l2, etc.). the data storage 612 and/or the database 800 may include removable storage and/or non- removable storage including, but not limited to, magnetic storage, optical disk storage, and/or tape storage. the data storage 612 and/or the database 800 may provide non-volatile storage of computer-executable instructions and other data. the memory 606, the database 800 and the data storage 612, removable and/or non-removable, are examples of computer- readable storage media (crsm). the data storage 612 may store computer-executable code, instructions, or the like that may be loadable into the memory 606 and executable by the processor(s) 604 to cause the processor(s) 604 to perform or initiate various operations. the data storage 612 may additionally store data that may be copied to memory 606 for use by the processor(s) 604 during the execution of the computer-executable instructions. moreover, output data generated as a result of execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor(s) 604 may be stored initially in memory 606, and may ultimately be copied to data storage 612 for non-volatile storage or into the database 800. the data storage 612 may further store various types of data utilized by components of the battery analyser 600. any data stored in the data storage 612 may be loaded into the memory 606 for use by the processor(s) 604 in executing computer-executable code. in addition, any data depicted as being stored in the data storage 612 may potentially be stored in one or more of the datastores and may be accessed and loaded in the memory 606 for use by the processor(s) 604 in executing computer-executable code. the processor(s) 604 may be configured to access the memory 606 and execute computer- executable instructions loaded therein. for example, the processor(s) 604 may be configured to execute computer-executable instructions of the various program modules, applications, engines, or the like of the system to cause or facilitate various operations to be performed in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. the processor(s) 604 may include any suitable processing unit capable of accepting data as input, processing the input data in accordance with stored computer-executable instructions, and generating output data. the processor(s) 604 may include any type of suitable processing unit including, but not limited to, a central processing unit, a microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computer (risc) microprocessor, a complex instruction set computer (cisc) microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (asic), a field-programmable gate array (fpga), a system-on-a-chip (soc), a digital signal processor (dsp), and so forth. further, the processor(s) 604 may have any suitable microarchitecture design that includes any number of constituent components such as, for example, registers, multiplexers, arithmetic logic units, cache controllers for controlling read/write operations to cache memory, branch predictors, or the like. the microarchitecture design of the processor(s) 604 may be capable of supporting any of a variety of instruction sets. referring now to other illustrative components depicted as being stored in the data storage 612, the o/s 614 may be loaded from the data storage 612 into the memory 606 and may provide an interface between other application software executing on the battery analyser 600 and hardware resources of the battery analyser 600. more specifically, the o/s 614 may include a set of computer-executable instructions for managing hardware resources of the system and for providing common services to other application programs (e.g., managing memory allocation among various application programs). in certain example embodiments, the o/s 614 may control execution of one or more of the program modules depicted as being stored in the data storage 612. the o/s 614 may include any operating system now known or which may be developed in the future including, but not limited to, any server operating system, any mainframe operating system, or any other proprietary or non proprietary operating system. referring now to other illustrative components of the battery analyser 600, the input/output (i/o) interface(s) 608 may facilitate the receipt of input information by the battery analyser 600 from one or more i/o devices as well as the output of information from the battery analyser 600 to the one or more i/o devices. the i/o devices may include any of a variety of components such as a display or display screen having a touch surface or touchscreen; an audio output device for producing sound, such as a speaker; an audio capture device, such as a microphone; an image and/or video capture device, such as a camera; a haptic unit; and so forth. any of these components may be integrated into the battery analyser 600 or may be separate. the i/o devices may further include, for example, any number of peripheral devices such as sensors, data storage devices, printing devices, and so forth. the i/o interface(s) 608 may also include an interface for an external peripheral device connection such as universal serial bus (usb), firewire, thunderbolt, ethernet port or other connection protocol that may connect to one or more networks. the i/o interface(s) 608 may also include a connection to one or more antennas to connect to one or more networks via a wireless local area network (wlan) (such as w-fi) radio, bluetooth, and/or a wireless network radio, such as a radio capable of communication with a wireless communication network such as a long term evolution (lte) network, wimax network, 3g network, etc. the battery analyser 600 may further include one or more data ports 610 via which the battery analyser 600 may communicate with any of the processing modules. the data ports(s) 610 may enable communication with the sensors 500, 502 and the database 800. it should be appreciated that the engines and the program modules depicted in the figures are merely illustrative and not exhaustive and that processing described as being supported by any particular engine or module may alternatively be distributed across multiple engines, modules, or the like, or performed by a different engine, module, or the like. in addition, various program module(s), script(s), plug-in(s), application programming interface(s) (api(s)), or any other suitable computer-executable code hosted locally on the system and/or hosted on other computing device(s) accessible via one or more of the network(s), may be provided to support the provided functionality, and/or additional or alternate functionality. further, functionality may be modularized differently such that processing described as being supported collectively by the collection of engines or the collection of program modules may be performed by a fewer or greater number of engines or program modules, or functionality described as being supported by any particular engine or module may be supported, at least in part, by another engine or program module. in addition, engines or program modules that support the functionality described herein may form part of one or more applications executable across any number of devices of the system in accordance with any suitable computing model such as, for example, a client-server model, a peer-to-peer model, and so forth. in addition, any of the functionality described as being supported by any of the engines or program modules may be implemented, at least partially, in hardware and/or firmware across any number of devices. it should further be appreciated that the system may include alternate and/or additional hardware, software, or firmware components beyond those described or depicted without departing from the scope of the disclosure. more particularly, it should be appreciated that software, firmware, or hardware components depicted as forming part of the system are merely illustrative and that some components may not be present or additional components may be provided in various embodiments. while various illustrative engines have been depicted and described as software engines or program modules, it should be appreciated that functionality described as being supported by the engines or modules may be enabled by any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. it should further be appreciated that each of the above-mentioned engines or modules may, in various embodiments, represent a logical partitioning of supported functionality. this logical partitioning is depicted for ease of explanation of the functionality and may not be representative of the structure of software, hardware, and/or firmware for implementing the functionality. accordingly, it should be appreciated that functionality described as being provided by a particular engine or module may, in various embodiments, be provided at least in part by one or more other engines or modules. further, one or more depicted engines or modules may not be present in certain embodiments, while in other embodiments, additional engines or modules not depicted may be present and may support at least a portion of the described functionality and/or additional functionality. moreover, while certain engines modules may be depicted or described as sub-engines or sub-modules of another engine or module, in certain embodiments, such engines or modules may be provided as independent engines or modules or as sub-engines or sub-modules of other engines or modules. the operations described and depicted in the illustrative methods of figures 1 and 5 may be carried out or performed in any suitable order as desired in various example embodiments of the disclosure. additionally, in certain example embodiments, at least a portion of the operations may be carried out in parallel. furthermore, in certain example embodiments, less, more, or different operations than those depicted in figures 1 and 5 may be performed. although specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that numerous other modifications and alternative embodiments are within the scope of the disclosure. for example, any of the functionality and/or processing capabilities described with respect to a particular system, system component, device, or device component may be performed by any other system, device, or component. further, while various illustrative implementations and architectures have been described in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that numerous other modifications to the illustrative implementations and architectures described herein are also within the scope of this disclosure. certain aspects of the disclosure are described above with reference to block and flow diagrams of systems, methods, apparatuses, and/or computer program products according to example embodiments. it will be understood that one or more blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and the flow diagrams, respectively, may be implemented by execution of computer-executable program instructions. likewise, some blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams may not necessarily need to be performed in the order presented, or may not necessarily need to be performed at all, according to some embodiments. further, additional components and/or operations beyond those depicted in blocks of the block and/or flow diagrams may be present in certain embodiments. accordingly, blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of elements or steps for performing the specified functions, and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. it will also be understood that each block of the block diagrams and flow diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and flow diagrams, may be implemented by special-purpose, hardware-based computer systems that perform the specified functions, elements or steps, or combinations of special-purpose hardware and computer instructions. program modules, applications, or the like disclosed herein may include one or more software components including, for example, software objects, methods, data structures, or the like. each such software component may include computer-executable instructions that, responsive to execution, cause at least a portion of the functionality described herein (e.g., one or more operations of the illustrative methods described herein) to be performed. a software component may be coded in any of a variety of programming languages. an illustrative programming language may be a lower-level programming language such as an assembly language associated with a particular hardware architecture and/or operating system platform. a software component comprising assembly language instructions may require conversion into executable machine code by an assembler prior to execution by the hardware architecture and/or platform. another example programming language may be a higher-level programming language that may be portable across multiple architectures. a software component comprising higher- level programming language instructions may require conversion to an intermediate representation by an interpreter or a compiler prior to execution. other examples of programming languages include, but are not limited to, a macro language, a shell or command language, a job control language, a script language, a database query or search language, or a report writing language. in one or more example embodiments, a software component comprising instructions in one of the foregoing examples of programming languages may be executed directly by an operating system or other software component without having to be first transformed into another form. a software component may be stored as a file or other data storage construct. software components of a similar type or functionally related may be stored together such as, for example, in a particular directory, folder, or library. software components may be static (e.g., pre-established or fixed) or dynamic (e.g., created or modified at the time of execution). software components may invoke or be invoked by other software components through any of a wide variety of mechanisms. invoked or invoking software components may comprise other custom-developed application software, operating system functionality (e.g., device drivers, data storage (e.g., file management) routines, other common routines and services, etc.), or third-party software components (e.g., middleware, encryption, or other security software, database management software, file transfer or other network communication software, mathematical or statistical software, image processing software, and format translation software). software components associated with a particular solution or system may reside and be executed on a single platform or may be distributed across multiple platforms. the multiple platforms may be associated with more than one hardware vendor, underlying chip technology, or operating system. furthermore, software components associated with a particular solution or system may be initially written in one or more programming languages, but may invoke software components written in another programming language. computer-executable program instructions may be loaded onto a special-purpose computer or other particular machine, a processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a particular machine, such that execution of the instructions on the computer, processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus causes one or more functions or operations specified in the flow diagrams to be performed. these computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium (crsm) that upon execution may direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement one or more functions or operations specified in the flow diagrams. the computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational elements or steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process. additional types of crsm that may be present in any of the devices described herein may include, but are not limited to, programmable random access memory (pram), sram, dram, ram, rom, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (eeprom), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disc read-only memory (cd-rom), digital versatile disc (dvd) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the information and which can be accessed. combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of crsm. alternatively, computer-readable communication media (crcm) may include computer-readable instructions, program modules, or other data transmitted within a data signal, such as a carrier wave, or other transmission. however, as used herein, crsm does not include crcm. although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. conditional language, such as, among others, "can," "could," "might," or "may," unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
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139-017-778-625-928
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US
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[
"US"
] |
G06Q10/08
| 2014-04-11T00:00:00 |
2014
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[
"G06"
] |
dynamic cubby logic
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systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory media of the various embodiments provide dynamic cubby logic that enables cubbies of a put wall to be assigned to orders as items for the orders are received at the put wall. in an embodiment, batches or waves of orders may be generated and released without cubbies of a put wall assigned to the orders. as the first item for an order is detected at the put wall a cubby from the available cubbies of the put wall may be selected for the order and all items of the order may be assigned the selected cubby. the cubby may be selected from the available cubbies based at least in part on a priority among the cubbies of the put wall.
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1. a method for operating a put wall of a material handling system, comprising: generating, by a distribution center server, a batch of one or more orders each having one or more items without assigning any cubbies of the put wall for the one or more orders, wherein the batch exceeds currently available cubbies of the put wall; sending, by the distribution center server to material handling equipment, a pick command for each item of each order of the batch; controlling, by the distribution center server, the material handling equipment to move the one or more items of the one or more orders of the batch to the put wall; moving, by the material handling equipment, the one or more items of the one or more orders of the batch to the put wall; detecting, by one or more scanners in communication with the distribution center server, a first item of a first order of the batch in a vicinity of the put wall; determining, by the distribution center server, available cubbies of the put wall in response to detecting the first item of the first order of the batch in the vicinity of the put wall, wherein at least one cubby became available for reuse during movement of the batch by the material handling equipment; dynamically selecting, by the distribution center server, one of the available cubbies; assigning, by the distribution center server, the selected cubby to all of the one or more items of the first order; and sending, by the distribution center server to a controller of the put wall, an indication that the selected cubby is the assigned cubby for all of the one or more items of the first order. 2. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: indicating, by the distribution center server, the selected cubby as unavailable in response to assigning the selected cubby to all of the one or more items of the first order; and sending, by the distribution center server to the controller of the put wall, a put indication for the first item. 3. the method of claim 2 , further comprising: determining, by the distribution center server, that all of the one or more items of the first order are put in the selected cubby; and indicating, by the distribution center server, the selected cubby as available in response to determining that all of the one or more items of the first order are put in the selected cubby. 4. the method of claim 1 , wherein the put wall comprises at least one of: (i) a radio frequency directed put wall; (ii) a light directed put wall; (iii) an eye display directed put wall; and (iv) a voice directed put wall. 5. the method of claim 1 , wherein selecting, by the distribution center server, one of the available cubbies comprises: sorting, by the distribution center server, the available cubbies based on priority attributes of the available cubbies; and selecting, by the distribution center server, a highest priority cubby of the available cubbies. 6. the method of claim 5 , wherein the priority attributes are based at least in part on a put wall employee efficiency metric. 7. the method of claim 6 , wherein the put wall employee efficiency metric is a travel distance from an item delivery point to each cubby. 8. the method of claim 1 , wherein controlling, by the distribution center server, the material handling equipment to move the one or more items of the batch to the put wall comprises: determining, by the distribution center server, a current available cubby percentage of the put wall in response to generating the batch; determining, by the distribution center server, whether the current available cubby percentage supports release of the batch; and controlling, by the distribution center server, the material handling equipment to move the batch in response to determining the current available cubby percentage supports release of the batch. 9. the method of claim 8 , further comprising in response to determining by the distribution center server, the current available cubby percentage does not support release of the batch: determining, by the distribution center server, in-process items in transit and transit times for the in-process items to reach their assigned cubbies of the put wall; determining, by the distribution center server, transit times for the one or more items of the one or more orders of the batch to reach the put wall in response to determining the current available cubby percentage does not support release of the batch; determining, by the distribution center server, an estimated available cubby percentage based at least in part on the determined in-process items in transit, the determined transit times for the in-process items to reach their assigned cubbies of the put wall, and the determined transit times for the items of the batch to reach the put wall; determining, by the distribution center server, whether the estimated available cubby percentage supports release of the batch; and controlling, by the distribution center server, the material handling equipment to move the batch in response to determining the estimated available cubby percentage supports release of the batch. 10. the method of claim 1 , wherein sending, by the distribution center server to the material handling equipment, the pick command for each item of each order of the batch comprises: sorting, by the distribution center server, the batch based on a number of items per order; determining, by the distribution center server, a current available cubby percentage of the put wall in response to sorting the batch; determining, by the distribution center server, whether the current available cubby percentage is below an order size switchover threshold; sending, by the distribution center server to the material handling equipment, a pick command for an order with a smallest number of items per order in response to determining the current available cubby percentage is below the order size switchover threshold; and sending, by the distribution center server to the material handling equipment, a pick command for an order with a largest number of items per order in response to determining the current available cubby percentage is not below the order size switchover threshold. 11. the material handling system of claim 1 , wherein the material handling equipment comprises at least one of a conveyor and a cart. 12. a material handling system comprising: material handling equipment configured to move one or more items; a scanner configured to detect one or more items; a put wall comprising a controller and one or more cubbies; a network interface in communication with the scanner, the material handling equipment, and the controller of the put wall; a distribution center server, comprising a processor connected to the network interface, wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform operations comprising: generating a batch of one or more orders each having one or more items without assigning any cubbies of the put wall for the one or more orders, wherein the batch exceeds currently available cubbies of the put wall; sending, to the material handling equipment, a pick command for each item of each order of the batch; controlling the material handling equipment to move the one or more items of the one or more orders of the batch to the put wall; receiving, from the scanner, a first indication that a first item of a first order of the batch is detected in a vicinity of the put wall; determining, based on the first indication, when the first item of the first order of the batch is detected in the vicinity of the put wall; determining available cubbies of the put wall in response to determining the first item of the first order is detected in the vicinity of the put wall, wherein at least one cubby became available for reuse during movement of the batch by the material handling equipment; selecting one of the available cubbies; assigning the selected cubby to all of the one or more items of the first order; and sending, to the controller of the put wall, a second indication that the selected cubby is the assigned cubby for all of the one or more items of the first order. 13. the material handling system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform operations further comprising: indicating the selected cubby as unavailable in response to assigning the selected cubby to all of the one or more items of the first order; and sending, to the controller of the put wall a put indication for the first item. 14. the material handling system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform operations further comprising: determining that all of the one or more items of the first order are put in the selected cubby; and indicating the selected cubby as available in response to determining that all of the one or more items of the first order are put in the selected cubby. 15. the material handling system of claim 12 , wherein the put wall comprises at least one of: (i) a radio frequency directed put wall; (ii) a light directed put wall; (iii) an eye display directed put wall; and (iv) a voice directed put wall. 16. the material handling system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform operations such that selecting one of the available cubbies comprises: sorting the available cubbies based on priority attributes of the available cubbies; and selecting a highest priority cubby of the available cubbies. 17. the material handling system of claim 16 , wherein the priority attributes are based at least in part on a put wall employee efficiency metric. 18. the material handling system of claim 17 , wherein the put wall employee efficiency metric is a travel distance from an item delivery point to each cubby. 19. the material handling system of claim 12 , wherein controlling material handling equipment to move the one or more items of the batch to the put wall comprises: determining a current available cubby percentage of the put wall in response to generating the batch; determining whether the current available cubby percentage supports release of the batch; and controlling the material handling equipment to move the batch in response to determining the current available cubby percentage supports release of the batch. 20. the material handling system of claim 19 , wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform operations further comprising in response to determining the current available cubby percentage does not support release of the batch: determining in-process items in transit and transit times for the in-process items to reach their assigned cubbies of the put wall; determining transit times for the one or more items of the one or more orders of the batch to reach the put wall in response to determining the current available cubby percentage does not support release of the batch; determining an estimated available cubby percentage based at least in part on the determined in-process items in transit, the determined transit times for the in-process items to reach their assigned cubbies of the put wall, and the determined transit times for the items of the batch to reach the put wall; determining whether the estimated available cubby percentage supports release of the batch; and controlling the material handling equipment to move the batch in response to determining the estimated available cubby percentage supports release of the batch. 21. the material handling system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor executable instructions to perform operations such that sending a pick command for each item of each order of the batch comprises: sorting the batch based on a number of items per order; determining a current available cubby percentage of the put wall in response to sorting the batch; determining whether the current available cubby percentage is below an order size switchover threshold; sending, to the material handling equipment, a pick command for an order with a smallest number of items per order in response to determining the current available cubby percentage is below the order size switchover threshold; and sending, to the material handling equipment, a pick command for an order with a largest number of items per order in response to determining the current available cubby percentage is not below the order size switchover threshold. 22. the material handling system of claim 12 , wherein the material handling equipment comprises at least one of a conveyor and a cart. 23. a non-transitory processor readable medium having stored thereon processor executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a distribution center server to perform operations, comprising: generating a batch of one or more orders each having one or more items without assigning any cubbies of a put wall for the one or more orders, wherein the batch exceeds currently available cubbies of the put wall; sending, to material handling equipment, a pick command for each item of each order of the batch; controlling the material handling equipment in communication with the processor of the distribution center server to move the one or more items of the one or more orders of the batch to the put wall; receiving, from one or more scanners in communication with the processor of the distribution center server, an indication that a first item of a first order of the batch is detected in a vicinity of the put wall; determining available cubbies of the put wall in response to receiving the indication that the first item of the first order of the batch is detected in the vicinity of the put wall, wherein at least one cubby became available for reuse during movement of the batch by the material handling equipment; selecting one of the available cubbies; and assigning the selected cubby to all of the one or more items of the first order; and sending, to a controller of the put wall, an indication that the selected cubby is the assigned cubby for all of the one or more items of the first order. 24. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising: indicating the selected cubby as unavailable in response to assigning the selected cubby to all of the one or more items of the first order; and sending, to the controller of the put wall, a put indication for the first item. 25. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising: determining that all of the one or more items of the first order are put in the selected cubby; and indicating the selected cubby as available in response to determining that all of the one or more items of the first order are put in the selected cubby. 26. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that sending, to the controller of the put wall, the indication that the selected cubby is the assigned cubby for all of the one or more items of the first order comprises: sending the indication to the put wall comprising at least one of: (i) a radio frequency directed put wall; (ii) a light directed put wall; (iii) an eye display directed put wall; and (iv) a voice directed put wall. 27. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that selecting one of the available cubbies comprises: sorting the available cubbies based on priority attributes of the available cubbies; and selecting a highest priority cubby of the available cubbies. 28. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that the priority attributes are based at least in part on a put wall employee efficiency metric. 29. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that the put wall employee efficiency metric is a travel distance from an item delivery point to each cubby. 30. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that controlling the material handling equipment to move the one or more items of the batch to the put wall comprises: determining a current available cubby percentage of the put wall in response to generating the batch; determining whether the current available cubby percentage supports release of the batch; and controlling the material handling equipment to move the batch in response to determining the current available cubby percentage supports release of the batch. 31. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising in response to determining the current available cubby percentage does not support release of the batch: determining in-process items in transit and transit times for the in-process items to reach their assigned cubbies of the put wall; determining transit times for the one or more items of the one or more orders of the batch to reach the put wall in response to determining the current available cubby percentage does not support release of the batch; determining an estimated available cubby percentage based at least in part on the determined in-process items in transit, the determined transit times for the in-process items to reach their assigned cubbies of the put wall, and the determined transit times for the items of the batch to reach the put wall; determining whether the estimated available cubby percentage supports release of the batch; and controlling the material handling equipment to move the batch in response to determining the estimated available cubby percentage supports release of the batch. 32. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that sending the pick command for each item of each order of the batch comprises: sorting the batch based on a number of items per order; determining a current available cubby percentage of the put wall in response to sorting the batch; determining whether the current available cubby percentage is below an order size switchover threshold; sending, to the material handling equipment, a pick command for an order with a smallest number of items per order in response to determining the current available cubby percentage is below the order size switchover threshold; and sending, to the material handling equipment, a pick command for an order with a largest number of items per order in response to determining the current available cubby percentage is not below the order size switchover threshold. 33. the non-transitory processor readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the material handling equipment comprises at least one of a conveyor and a cart.
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background distribution centers often include material handling systems comprised of various pieces of material handling equipment including a collection of one or more conveyors, carts, picking systems, put walls, and scanners, to move inventory items and/or assist employees in moving inventory items to fill customer orders. one piece of material handling equipment that is growing in use in distribution centers is the put wall. a put wall enables items to be consolidated into a common location, such as a cubby. by assigning all items for an order to the same cubby, the items may be grouped together for further processing, such as for packing into a single box for shipment. in current distribution centers, orders are often received and grouped together in batches or waves. in current material handling systems, when a put wall is used to consolidate items for orders, a cubby of the put wall for each order of the batch or wave is assigned at a time prior to items for the order being picked, such as at the time the batch or wave is generated or released. because each order is pre-assigned a cubby of the put wall, the number of orders in a batch or wave is constrained by the number of cubbies of the put wall in current material handling systems. thus, current material handling systems employing put walls require additional physical infrastructure changes, such as the addition of put wall cubbies, to increase batch or wave size support capabilities. additionally, because each order is pre-assigned a cubby of the put wall, cubbies are not reused within a batch or wave in current material handling systems. thus, current material handling systems employing put walls can force employees working at the put wall to travel to less ergonomic or inefficient cubbies during the processing of a wave or batch. summary the systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory media of the various embodiments provide dynamic cubby logic that enables cubbies of a put wall to be assigned to orders as items for the orders are received at the put wall. in an embodiment, batches or waves of orders may be generated and released without cubbies of a put wall assigned to the orders. as the first item for an order is detected at the put wall a cubby from the available cubbies of the put wall may be selected for the order and all items of the order may be assigned the selected cubby. in an embodiment, the cubby may be selected from the available cubbies based at least in part on a priority among the cubbies of the put wall. in an embodiment, a next batch or wave of orders may be released without assigned cubbies of a put wall based at least in part on an estimated available cubby percentage of the put wall. in an embodiment, pick commands for a batch or wave may be sent without assigned cubbies of a put wall based at least in part on the size of the order and the available cubby percentage. brief description of the drawings the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. fig. 1 is a system block diagram of a network suitable for use with the various embodiments. fig. 2 is a process flow diagram illustrating an embodiment method for generating a batch of one or more orders each having one or more items without assigning any cubbies of a put wall for the orders. fig. 3 is a data structure diagram illustrating potential elements of a batch table according to an embodiment. fig. 4 is a process flow diagram illustrating an embodiment method for assigning cubbies to orders as items are detected in the vicinity of a put wall. fig. 5 is a data structure diagram illustrating potential elements of the batch table illustrated in fig. 3 after assigning a selected cubby to all items of a first order. fig. 6 is a data structure diagram illustrating potential elements of a cubby assignment table according to an embodiment. fig. 7 is a process flow diagram illustrating an embodiment method for indicating a cubby is available or unavailable. fig. 8 is a data structure diagram illustrating potential elements of the cubby assignment table illustrated in fig. 6 after indicating a selected cubby is unavailable in response to assigning the selected cubby to all items of a first order. fig. 9 is a process flow diagram illustrating another embodiment method for assigning cubbies to orders as items are detected in the vicinity of a put wall. fig. 10 is a process flow diagram illustrating another embodiment method for generating a batch of one or more orders each having one or more items without assigning any cubbies of a put wall for the orders. fig. 11 is a process flow diagram illustrating an embodiment method for sending a pick command for each item of each order of a batch in response to releasing the batch. fig. 12 is a component diagram of an example computing device suitable for use with the various embodiments. fig. 13 is a component diagram of an example server suitable for use with the various embodiments. detailed description the various embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. references made to particular examples and implementations are for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention or the claims. the word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. as used herein, the term “computing device” is used to refer to any one or all of desktop computers, personal data assistants (pda's), laptop computers, tablet computers, smart books, palm-top computers, and similar electronic devices which include a programmable processor and memory and circuitry configured to provide the functionality described herein. the various embodiments are described herein using the term “server.” the term “server” is used to refer to any computing device capable of functioning as a server, such as a master exchange server, web server, mail server, document server, or any other type of server. a server may be a dedicated computing device or a computing device including a server module (e.g., running an application which may cause the computing device to operate as a server). a server module (e.g., server application) may be a full function server module, or a light or secondary server module (e.g., light or secondary server application) that is configured to provide synchronization services among the dynamic databases on computing devices. a light server or secondary server may be a slimmed-down version of server type functionality that can be implemented on a computing device, such as laptop computer, thereby enabling it to function as a server (e.g., an enterprise e-mail server) only to the extent necessary to provide the functionality described herein. as used herein, the term “put wall” is used to refer to a piece of material handling equipment that enables items of an order to be consolidated into a common location, such as a cubby, and indicates to an employee working at the put wall (i.e., a put wall employee) which cubby to place items into. put walls applicable to the various embodiments may include any type of put wall, such as radio frequency (rf) directed put walls, light directed put walls, eye display directed put walls, voice directed put walls, combination of rf, light, eye display, and/or voice directed put walls, etc. put walls are discussed herein as being located within a distribution center. the discussions of distribution centers are provided merely as examples to better illustrate the aspects of the various embodiments and are not intended to limit the various embodiments in any way. other facilities, such as warehouses, factories, etc., may be used with the various embodiments, and other facilities, such as warehouses, factories, etc., may be substituted in the various examples without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. the systems, methods, devices, and non-transitory media of the various embodiments provide dynamic cubby logic that enables cubbies of a put wall to be assigned to orders as items for the orders are received at the put wall. in an embodiment, batches or waves of orders may be generated and released without cubbies of a put wall assigned to the orders. as a first item for an order is detected at the put wall, a cubby from the available cubbies of the put wall may be selected for the order and all items of the order may be assigned the selected cubby. in this manner, the cubbies in the put wall may be assigned dynamically as orders being to arrive in the vicinity of the put wall. as used herein, the term “vicinity of the put wall” refers to an area associated with the put wall and outside of the cubbies of the put wall itself. as an example, an item on a conveyor moving from a divert point toward a put wall may be considered to be in the vicinity of a put wall. as another example, an item in a cart being wheeled to a put wall may be considered to be in the vicinity of a put wall. as a further example, an item being handled by a piece of material handling equipment such that the only delivery point possible from the item's current point in the distribution center is to a put wall employee working at the put wall may be considered to be in the vicinity of the put wall. as an additional example, an item picked up and/or scanned by a put wall employee working at the put wall may be considered to be in the vicinity of the put wall. in an embodiment, cubbies may be reused as cubbies become available for consolidation of further orders. in an embodiment, when all items for an order are indicated as present (or consolidated) at the assigned cubby, the cubby may be shifted from unavailable to available. for example, an indication for the cubby may be shifted from unavailable to available in a cubby assignment table when all items for an order are consolidated at the assigned cubby. in this manner, the cubby may be made available for use by other orders, such as other orders of the current batch and/or orders of a pending batch, and the cubby may be constantly reused as it becomes available. this may enable the number of orders in batches or waves to not be resource constrained by the number of cubbies in a put wall. for example, each wave or batch of orders may include more orders than are present in the put wall because early arriving orders may be cleared freeing the cubby for reuse by later arriving orders. in an embodiment, the cubby may be selected from the available cubbies based at least in part on a priority among the cubbies of the put wall. cubbies of a put wall may be assigned priority attributes and the priority attributes may enable prioritization of one cubby over another cubby. in an embodiment, priority attributes may be based at least in part on a put wall employee efficiency metric. put wall employee efficiency metrics may be measurements related to how an employee may interact with the put wall. as an example, an employee efficiency metric may be a travel distance from an item delivery point, such as an end of a conveyor delivery items, to each cubby of a put wall. the cubbies with shorter distances may be prioritized over cubbies with longer distances. additionally, employee efficiency metrics may be based on a height of the employee, or an average employee height, such that cubbies at a preferred zone in relation to the employee's height (e.g., between “knee to neck” sometimes referred to as being in the “golden zone”) may be prioritized over cubbies that are outside of the preferred zone. these cubbies may be more ergonomic cubbies (e.g., easier for the employee to reach) than cubbies outside the preferred zone (i.e., less ergonomic cubbies). in addition, priority attributes may be based on other factors in addition to or in place of efficiency metrics, such as the relationship between a cubby and another employee tasked with pulling items from the cubby, the relationship between a cubby and other pieces of material handling equipment, the usage rate of the cubby, the reliability or failure rate of the cubby, etc. by continually checking for available cubbies and assigning orders to the highest priority cubbies that are available as the orders arrive at the put wall, orders may be repeatedly assigned to the highest priority cubbies as those cubbies are cleared (i.e., made available again). this may enable the travel distance for a put wall employee to be reduced when for a batch (when compared with the same batch being assigned to cubbies when the batch is generated) because the cubbies with the shortest travel distance (i.e., the high priority cubbies) may be used repeatedly during the batch rather than only once per batch. in an embodiment, a next batch or wave of orders may be released without assigned cubbies of a put wall based at least in part on a determined current available cubby percentage. when a wave or batch of orders is generated by grouping a threshold number of orders together (e.g., any number of orders, such as 1 order, 2 orders, 10 orders, 100 orders, more than 100 orders, etc.), a determination of the current available cubby percentage may be made. in an embodiment, the current available cubby percentage may be determined by dividing the number of available cubbies for a put wall by the total number of cubbies for the put wall. in response to the available cubby percentage being at or above a minimum percentage value (i.e., a percentage of available cubbies supporting release of the pending batch of orders), the pending or next batch or wave of orders may be released and pick commands sent for the items of the batch or wave without assigning cubbies. the minimum percentage value need not be a 100% or even a number of cubbies equal to the number of orders in the pending batch. rather, the minimum percentage value may be a percentage of available cubbies equivalent to less than the number of orders in the pending batch because current unavailable cubbies may become available while the items for the orders of the pending batch are in transit from their respective picking locations to the pick wall. in this manner, by dynamically assigning cubbies, a next or pending batch or wave may be released prior to the completion of a current batch or wave and batches or waves of orders may overlap. in an embodiment, a next batch or wave of orders may be released without assigned cubbies of a put wall based at least in part on an estimated available cubby percentage. an estimated available cubby percentage may be based on the items in transit for the batch or wave being currently processed and the transit time for those items to reach their assigned cubbies of the put wall as well as the transit time for items in the pending batch or wave to move from their pick locations to the put wall. for example, based on the speed of pieces of material handling equipment in the distribution center (such as conveyor speeds) and the route to the put wall, the time needed for each remaining item of a current batch or wave that have not reached the put wall yet may be calculated. the time needed for each item of the pending batch or wave to reach the put wall from their inventory locations may also be calculated based on the speed of pieces of material handling equipment in the distribution center (such as conveyor speeds) and the route to the put wall. based on the transit time for the items of the current batch or wave the number of cubbies that become available before the first item of the pending batch would reach the vicinity of the put wall may be determined. this estimated number of available cubbies when the first item of the pending batch would reach the vicinity of the put wall may be used to determine the estimated available cubby percentage by dividing the number by the total number of cubbies. in response to the estimated available cubby percentage being at or above a minimum percentage value (i.e., a percentage of estimated available cubbies supporting release of the pending batch of orders), the pending or next batch or wave of orders may be released and pick commands sent for the items of the batch or wave without assigning cubbies. the minimum percentage value need not be a 100% or even a number of cubbies equal to the number of orders in the pending batch. rather, the minimum percentage value may be a percentage of estimated available cubbies equivalent to less than the number of orders in the pending batch because current unavailable cubbies may become available while the items for the orders of the pending batch are in transit from their respective picking locations to the pick wall. in this manner, by dynamically assigning cubbies, a next or pending batch or wave may be released prior to the completion of a current batch or wave and batches or waves of orders may overlap. in an embodiment, pick commands for a batch or wave may be sent without assigned cubbies of a put wall based at least in part on the size of the order and the available cubby percentage. in an embodiment, when a batch or wave is released the orders of the batch or wave may be sorted based on the number of items per order. in this manner, the orders of the batch or wave may be organized from the smallest orders to the largest orders or vice versa. a determination of the current available cubby percentage may be made, for example by dividing the number of available cubbies for a put wall by the total number of cubbies for the put wall. the current available cubby percentage may be compared to an order size switchover threshold, which may be a predetermined percentage selected to control which types of orders are picked first (e.g., large orders or small orders). when the current available cubby percentage is below the order size switchover threshold, pick commands for the items of the smallest number of items order may be sent without assigning a cubby to the order. in this manner, smaller orders (i.e., those with fewer items per order) which should clear through a cubby of the put wall quicker than larger orders (because there are fewer items to consolidate) may be selected to pick because the current available cubby percentage is below the order size switchover threshold. when the current available cubby percentage is at or above the order size switchover threshold, pick commands for the items of the largest number of items order may be sent without assigning a cubby to the order. in this manner, large orders (i.e., those with more items per order) which may take longer to clear through a cubby of the put wall quicker than smaller orders (because there are more items to consolidate) may be selected to pick because the current available cubby percentage is at or above the order size switchover threshold. fig. 1 is a system block diagram of a network 100 suitable for use with the various embodiments. the network 100 may include one or more ordering computing device 105 , one or more distribution center user computing device 104 , one or more distribution center server 102 , and various pieces of material handling equipment including one or more conveyor 107 , carts 112 and 120 , one or more put wall 113 , and/or scanners 108 , 111 , 122 , and 126 . the ordering computing device 105 , the distribution center server 102 , and the distribution center user computing device 104 , may each be connected to the internet 103 . the ordering computing device 105 may be a computing device used by a customer, such as a customer ordering via a website, and/or another entity, such as a retail outlet, to generate orders for items stocked in the distribution center 106 . the distribution center user computing device 104 may be connected, via the internet 103 or directly, to the distribution center server 102 , and may be a computing device used by an employee in the distribution center 106 to input information, such as user selectable thresholds, settings, or other values, into the distribution center server 102 . the distribution center server 102 may be connected, via wired or wireless connections, to the pieces of material handling equipment within the distribution center 106 such as the conveyor 107 , carts 112 and 120 , put wall 113 , and scanners 108 , 111 , 122 , and 126 and the distribution center server 102 , conveyor 107 , carts 112 and 120 , put wall 113 , and/or scanners 108 , 111 , 122 , and 126 may exchange data with one another via their respective connections. in various embodiments, the distribution center server 102 may control the operation of the pieces of material handling equipment within the distribution center 106 , such as the conveyor 107 , carts 112 and 120 , put wall 113 , and scanners 108 , 111 , 122 , and 126 to move items within the distribution center 106 to fill orders. in operation, the ordering computing device 105 may send orders to the distribution center server 102 via the internet 103 . the distribution center server 102 may receive the orders and generate batches or orders to be filed by inventory in the distribution center 106 . the distribution center server 102 may release the batched orders and generate pick commands for the items of the orders and control material handling equipment within the distribution center 106 , including conveyor 107 and/or carts 112 and 120 , to move the picked items toward the pick wall. in an embodiment, batches may be generated and released and the pick commands sent without cubbies of the put wall 113 being assigned for orders. as items, such as items 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , and 119 enter the vicinity of the put wall 113 , the items may be scanned by scanners 108 and/or 122 . for example, the scanners 108 and 122 may image and read barcodes of labels affixed to the items. in an embodiment, when a first item of an order is determined to be within the vicinity of the put wall 113 the distribution center server 102 may assign a cubby of the put wall 113 , to the order of the first item. when the employee 110 working at the put wall scans the item 117 at the end of the conveyor 107 (or the next item 118 in the next cart 112 ) with his or her scanner 111 , the distribution center server 102 may recognize the item 117 (or 118 ) is ready to be put in its respective assigned cubby 114 . the distribution center server 102 may send an indication to the controller 125 of the put wall 113 that cubby 114 is the assigned cubby for the item 117 (or 118 ), and the controller 125 may control the lights of the put wall 113 to illuminate an indication of cubby 114 . illumination of a light or display is only one manner of operation for a put wall 113 , other examples include radio frequency directed put walls, an eye display directed put wall (e.g., a goggle worn by the employee 110 indicates the assigned cubby 114 visually), or a voice directed put wall (e.g., a headset worn by the employee 110 generates an audible indication of the assigned cubby 114 ). the employee 110 may place the item 117 (or 118 ) in the assigned cubby 114 , and may indicate the item as placed in the cubby (e.g., via a voice confirmation). when all items for an order are consolidated in their assigned cubby, another employee 123 (for example an employee on the other side of a pass through type put wall) may pull the consolidated items from their assigned cubby and transport the consolidated order to its next destination, such as a packing station for eventual shipment out of the distribution center 106 . the other employee 123 may scan the items for the order and/or the assigned cubby with the scanner 126 when pulling the items to indicate to the distribution center server 102 the items are pulled. fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment method 200 for generating a batch of one or more orders each having one or more items without assigning any cubbies of a put wall for the orders. in an embodiment, the operations of method 200 may be performed by a processor of a computing device, such as a processor of a distribution center server. in an embodiment, the operations of method 200 may be performed in conjunction with the operations of methods 400 , 700 , 900 , and/or 1100 described below. in block 202 the processor may receive one or more orders each including one or more items. the orders may be any type of orders, including direct to customer shipments (e.g., e-commerce orders), inventory replenishment orders from retail locations (e.g., a restocking order), etc. the orders may be received individually or in groups from one or more various sources, including sources external to the distribution center, such as a central order processing system, directly from an e-commerce server, directly from a customer or retailer computing device, etc. and/or sources internal to the distribution center, such as an order processing module of the distribution center server, an order entry terminal, etc. in determination block 204 the processor may determine whether an order batch threshold is met. in an embodiment, an order batch threshold may be a set value reflecting a minimum number of orders and/or number of items needed before releasing an order. the minimum number of orders and/or items may be selected to reflect a level of work that justifies efforts in processing orders. in this manner, costs and time associated with operating material handling equipment and processing orders may not be expended until a minimum number of orders and/or items are collected. in response to determining the batch threshold is not met (i.e., determination block 204 =“no”), the processor may continue to receive orders in block 202 and check the number of received orders and/or items against the batch threshold in determination block 204 . in response to determining the batch threshold is met (i.e., determination block 204 =“yes”), in block 206 the processor may group the orders into a pending batch. in an embodiment, the processor may group the orders into a batch by creating a data structure including data for all the orders, such as batch table described below. other examples for grouping orders may include assigning a batch number to orders in a database table, or otherwise relating the orders in a database. in block 208 the processor may release the pending batch and generate pick commands for the items of batched orders without assigning cubbies to the items. releasing a pending batch may include sending one or more indications of orders within the batch, such as a data structure including the information for the orders, to a picking module which may control material handling equipment to enable items for orders to be picked. the picking module may receive the released batch and generate pick commands to enable the items for the orders within the batch to be picked from their current inventory locations. for example, a generated pick command may be an indication sent to a voice picking system to output a voice indication directing a picking employee to pick an item and quantity for the item needed to fill an order of the batch. pick commands may be generated and sent in any order for the batch, sequentially and/or simultaneously, and may be sent to one or more pieces of material handling equipment or other systems enabling items to be picked to fill orders. in an embodiment, cubbies in the put wall may not be assigned at the time the pending batch is released or when pick commands are generated or sent. in this manner, items may be picked and moved from their inventory locations toward the put wall without the cubby for the order being assigned. for example, a cubby field in a batch table may be blank because the cubbies for the orders may not be assigned when the pending batch is released and pick commands are generated and sent. fig. 3 is a data structure diagram illustrating potential elements of a batch table 300 according to an embodiment. the batch table 300 may include various data fields, including an order number 302 , item name 304 , stock keeping unit (“sku”) 306 , pick location 308 , cubby 310 , and final destination 312 . the batch table 300 may be stored in a memory available to a processor of a distribution center server. order number 302 , item name 304 , stock keeping unit (“sku”) 306 , pick location 308 , cubby 310 , and final destination 312 are merely examples of data fields that may be included in the batch table 300 , and more or less data fields may be included in batch table 300 . as an example, the order number 302 may be an indication of the unique order number assigned to an order to be filled in a distribution center. one or more items may be associated with each order number 302 in the batch table 300 . as an example, an item name 304 may be the name of an item stocked in the distribution center. as an example, a stock keeping unit (“sku”) 306 may be the unique identifying number assigned to each item stocked in the distribution center enabling items to be distinguished from one another. as an example, a pick location 308 may be the inventory location from which the item is to be drawn or picked to fill the order. as an example, the cubby 310 may be the assigned cubby of the put wall the items of the order are to be consolidated into. in an embodiment, when generated and when released the batch table 300 may not list any cubbies for orders as the cubbies may not be assigned for an order until a first item of the order of the batch is detected in a vicinity of the put wall. as an example, the final destination 312 may be the area the order may be destined for some time after being consolidated, such as a packing area prior to shipment from the distribution center. fig. 3 illustrates the batch table 300 at a time before any items for the batch may have been determined to be in the vicinity of the put wall. thus the cubby data field 310 for each order may be blank. without the cubby 310 listed for the orders, the batch table 300 may enable items to be picked and placed onto conveyors or into carts to start moving toward the put wall, for example because the final destination 312 may be indicated. in this manner, items to fill orders for the batch may start moving through the distribution center without cubbies being assigned. fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment method 400 for assigning cubbies to orders as items are detected in the vicinity of a put wall. in an embodiment, the operations of method 400 may be performed by a processor of a computing device, such as a processor of a distribution center server. in an embodiment, the operations of method 400 may be performed in conjunction with the operations of method 200 described above and/or the operations of methods 700 , 1000 , and/or 1100 described below. in block 402 the processor may monitor for items entering the put area. the put area may be the vicinity of the put wall, such as an area associated with the put wall and outside of the cubbies of the put wall itself. as an example, an item on a conveyor moving from a divert point toward a put wall may be considered to be in the vicinity of a put wall. as another example, an item in a cart being wheeled to a put wall may be considered to be in the vicinity of a put wall. as a further example, an item being handled by a piece of material handling equipment such that the only delivery point possible from the item's current point in the distribution center is to a put wall employee working at the put wall may be considered to be in the vicinity of the put wall. as an additional example, an item picked up and/or scanned by a put wall employee working at the put wall may be considered to be in the vicinity of the put wall. in an embodiment, a scanner, camera, and/or other imaging device may scan the items as the items enter the vicinity of the put wall and may send an indication of any detected item (e.g., its sku, order number, item name, and/or any other information detected on a barcode label affixed to the item) to the processor enabling the processor to monitor items entering the put area. in determination block 404 the processor may determine whether an item is detected in the vicinity of the put wall. in an embodiment, the processor may determine whether a valid indication of an item is received from the scanner, camera, and/or other imaging device scanning the items as the items enter the vicinity of the put wall. in response to determining an item is not detected in the vicinity of the put wall (i.e., determination block 404 =“no”), in block 402 the processor may continue to monitor for items entering the put area. in response to determining an item is detected in the vicinity of the put wall (i.e., determination block 404 =“yes”), in determination block 406 the processor may determine whether a cubby is assigned for the item. in an embodiment, orders and the items of the orders may not initially be assigned cubbies when a batch is released and/or when items are picked. the processor may compare the information for the item to a batch table to determine whether the item is assigned a cubby or not. in response to determining the item is assigned a cubby (i.e., determination block 406 =“yes”), in block 402 the processor may continue to monitor for items entering the put area. in response to determining the item is not assigned a cubby (i.e., determination block 406 =“no”), in block 408 the processor may identify the order of the item. as an example, the processor may reference a batch table to identify the order associated with the item. in block 410 the processor may determine the available cubbies in the put wall. in an embodiment, available cubbies in the put wall may be cubbies that are not currently assigned to an order. as an example, the processor may reference a cubby assignment table to determine the status of the cubbies of the put wall and may determine the available cubbies as those cubbies with a status indicating they are available. in block 412 the processor may select a cubby for the order from the available cubbies. in the various embodiments, cubbies may be selected in various manners, including in order, randomly, based on a priority among cubbies, based on attributes of the items of the orders, etc. in block 414 the processor may assign the selected cubby for the order to all items for the order. as an example, the processor may indicate the selected cubby by populating an indication of the selected cubby in a cubby field of a batch table for all items of the order. in this manner, all items for the order may be assigned a cubby when or after the first item is determined to be in the vicinity of the put wall, whether or not additional items of the order have arrived at the vicinity of the put wall. in block 416 the processor may send an indication of the cubby assignment. in an embodiment, indications of the cubby assignment may be sent to a controller of the put wall and/or to a put wall control module to enable the status of the selected cubby to be changed from available to unavailable. fig. 5 is a data structure diagram illustrating potential elements of the batch table 300 illustrated in fig. 3 after assigning a selected cubby to all items of a first order. for example, the first item of order “10001” to arrive in the vicinity of the put wall may be determined to be the “battery” with sku “b1010” picked from location “a45” and destined for “pack area 1”. as described above, cubby “102” may be selected for consolidating the order “10001” and the cubby “102” may be assigned to the order by indicating the cubby “102” in the cubby field 310 for the “battery” and the other items of order “10001” regardless of whether the “phone” sku “p1001” or “case” sku “c2020” have arrived in the vicinity of the put wall. fig. 6 is a data structure diagram illustrating potential elements of a cubby assignment table 600 according to an embodiment. the cubby assignment table 600 may include various data fields, including a cubby field 602 , attribute field 604 , priority field 606 , and status field 608 . the cubby assignment table 600 may be stored in a memory available to a processor of a distribution center server, such as a memory of a put wall. the cubby field 602 may be an indication of the cubbies of a put wall. the attributes field 604 may be an indication of the attributes of the cubby, for example the size of the cubby “medium”, “small”, “large”, etc. the priority field 606 may be the assigned priority of one cubby over another cubby. the priority field 606 may indicate the cubbies assigned priority attribute. in this manner, the cubbies with higher priority, such as those cubbies in the golden zone, may be separated from those cubbies with lower priority, such as those cubbies that are less ergonomic (e.g., outside the golden zone). the status field 608 may indicate the availability or unavailability of the cubbies. fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment method 700 for indicating a cubby is available or unavailable. in an embodiment, the operations of method 700 may be performed by a processor of a computing device, such as a processor of a distribution center server or a processor of a put wall controller. in an embodiment, the operations of method 700 may be performed in conjunction with the operations of methods 200 and/or 400 described above and/or methods 900 , 1000 , and/or 1100 described below. in block 702 the processor may receive an indication of a cubby assignment. as described above, an indication of a cubby assignment may be generated upon determining a first item of an order is in the vicinity of the put wall, and may, for example, be received at a put wall control module or put wall controller. the indication of the cubby assignment may indicate identify the cubby that was selected for an order. in block 704 the processor may indicate the cubby as unavailable. in determination block 706 the processor may determine whether an item for the cubby was received at the put wall. as an example, the processor may determine whether an item was received at the put wall based on the item being scanned or otherwise identified by an employee working at the put wall. in response to determining an item for the cubby was not received (i.e., determination block 706 =“no”), in block 704 the processor may continue to indicate the cubby as unavailable. in response to determining an item for the cubby was received at the put wall (i.e., determination block 706 =“yes”), in block 708 the processor may generate and send a put indication for the cubby and item. as an example, the distribution center server processor may generate and send a command/indication to the put wall controller indicating a light to illuminate, a sound (e.g., voice command) to generate, and/or some other output to generate to indicate the item is to be placed in the cubby for that order and the put wall controller may illuminate the light, generate the sound, and/or generate the other output as the put indication for the item. as another example, the put wall controller may generate and send the put indication independent of the distribution center server by illuminating a light, generating a sound (e.g., voice command), and/or generating some other output to indicate the item is to be placed in the cubby it is assigned. in determination block 709 the processor may determine whether the item in cubby indication is received. as an example, the distribution center server processor and/or put wall controller processor may determine whether a voice confirmation from the put wall employee is received indicating the item was stowed in the correct cubby. other item in cubby indications may include rfid indications, button press events, etc. in response to determining the item in cubby indication is not received (i.e., determination block 709 =“no”), the processor may continue to determine whether the item in cubby indication is received in determination block 709 . in response to determining the item in cubby indication is received (i.e., determination block 709 =“yes”), in determination block 710 the processor may determine whether all items for the order are put in the cubby. as an example, the processor may compare the indications of items placed in the cubby to the items associated with the order, such as in a batch order table, to determine whether any items remain to be consolidated in the cubby. in response to determining all items for the order are not in the cubby (i.e., determination block 710 =“no”), in block 704 the processor may continue to indicate the cubby as unavailable. in response to determining all items for the order are in the cubby (i.e., determination block 710 =“yes”), in optional block 712 the processor may wait for a cubby clearance delay or cubby clearance indication. in this optional embodiment, the delay or indication of cubby clearance may enable the items within the cubby to be physically removed prior to changing the status of the cubby. the delay or indication of clearance may be optional because the time to clear the cubbies may be low enough compared to the time to receive another item in the cubby when reused that items for two different orders may not be at risk of overlapping. in block 714 the processor may indicate the cubby as available. in this manner, once the items for the current order have been consolidated in the cubby the cubby may be made available for use by a follow on order enabling cubbies to be reused for multiple orders of a batch and/or additional batches to be released prior to the completion of a current batch. fig. 8 is a data structure diagram illustrating potential elements of the cubby assignment table 600 illustrated in fig. 6 after indicating a selected cubby is unavailable in response to assigning the selected cubby to all items of a first order. for example, the cubby “102” may be assigned to consolidate the items for an order, such as order “10001” described above and the status of cubby “102” may be indicated as “unavailable” in the status field 608 . thus, the cubby assignment table 600 may indicate that only cubbies “103”, “104”, and “105” are currently available for selection to consolidate orders. the cubby “102” may have been selected because it had the highest relative priority “1” when all cubbies were available. while illustrated as “1” being the highest priority, other ranking systems may be used, for example with the highest value priority in the priority field 606 indicating the highest priority cubby. fig. 9 illustrates another embodiment method 900 for assigning cubbies to orders as items are detected in the vicinity of a put wall. in an embodiment, the operations of method 900 may be performed by a processor of a computing device, such as a processor of a distribution center server. in an embodiment, the operations of method 900 may be performed in conjunction with the operations of methods 200 and/or 700 described above and/or methods 1000 and/or 1100 described below. in blocks 402 , 404 , 406 , 408 , and 410 the processor may perform operations of like numbered blocks of method 400 described above with reference to fig. 4 . in block 902 the processor may sort the available cubbies based on priority attributes of the available cubbies. in the various embodiments, priority attributes may be priorities among the cubbies assigned to each cubby enabling cubbies to be compared to one another. priority attributes may be based at least in part on a put wall employee efficiency metrics, such as a travel distance from an item delivery point (e.g., the end of a conveyor) to each cubby. for example, cubbies farther from the end of the conveyor may be given a lower priority than cubbies closer to the end of the conveyor. the priority attribute may be a number ranking, letter value, or some other indication of the relative priority of the cubbies. the processor may use the priority attributes to sort the available cubbies such that the available cubbies are ranked in order from highest priority available cubby to lowest priority available cubby. in block 904 the processor may select the highest priority cubby suitable for the order from the sorted available cubbies. in this manner, the highest priority cubby available may be used to consolidate the order. as described above, in block 414 the processor may assign the selected cubby for the order to all items for the order. fig. 10 illustrates another embodiment method 1000 for generating a batch of one or more orders each having one or more items without assigning any cubbies of a put wall for the orders. in an embodiment, the operations of method 1000 may be performed by a processor of a computing device, such as a processor of a distribution center server. in an embodiment, the operations of method 1000 may be performed in conjunction with the operations of methods 400 , 700 , and/or 900 described above and/or method 1100 described below. as described above, in block 202 the processor may receive one or more orders including one or more items, in determination block 204 the processor may determine whether the order batch threshold is met, and in block 206 the processor may group one or more orders into pending batches. in block 1002 the processor may determine the current available cubby percentage. in an embodiment, the current available cubby percentage may be determined as the number of available cubbies over the number of total cubbies in the put wall. as an example, the available cubbies may be identified based on a cubby assignment table as described above. in determination block 1004 the processor may determine whether the available cubby percentage supports pending batch release. as an example, the processor may compare the current available cubby percentage to a batch release threshold to determine whether the batch release threshold is met or exceeded indicating the current available cubby percentage supports release of the batch. for example, the batch release threshold may be a percentage value selected based on the speed of the conveyors in the distribution center, size of batches, etc. the batch release threshold may be user selectable and may be adjustable, for example based on current operating conditions in the distribution center. in response to determining the available cubby percentage supports release of the batch (i.e., determination block 1004 =“yes”), as described above in block 208 the processor may release the pending batch and send pick commands for items of the batched orders without assigning cubbies. in response to determining the available cubby percentage does not support release of the batch (i.e., determination block 1004 =“no”), in block 1006 the processor may determine in-process batch or batches items in transit and transit time for items to reach assigned cubbies of the put wall. for example, based on the speed of pieces of material handling equipment in the distribution center (such as conveyor speeds) and the route to the put wall, the time needed for each remaining item of a current batch or wave that have not reached the put wall yet may be calculated. in block 1008 the processor may determine transit times for items in the pending batch to reach the put wall. the time needed for each item of the pending batch or wave to reach the put wall from their inventory locations may also be calculated based on the speed of pieces of material handling equipment in the distribution center (such as conveyor speeds) and the route to the put wall. in block 1010 the processor may determine the estimated available cubby percentage based at least in part on the in-process batch items in transit and the transit times to reach the assigned cubbies of the put wall and the transit time for items in the pending batch to reach the put wall. for example, based on the transit time for the items of the current batch or wave the number of cubbies that become available before the first item of the pending batch would reach the vicinity of the put wall may be determined. this estimated number of available cubbies when the first item of the pending batch would reach the vicinity of the put wall may be used to determine the estimated available cubby percentage by dividing the number by the total number of cubbies. in determination block 1012 the processor may determine whether the estimated available cubby percentage supports releasing the pending batch. as an example, the processor may compare the estimated available cubby percentage to a batch release threshold to determine whether the batch release threshold is met or exceeded indicating the estimated available cubby percentage supports release of the batch. for example, the batch release threshold may be a percentage value selected based on the speed of the conveyors in the distribution center, size of batches, etc. the batch release threshold may be user selectable and may be adjustable, for example based on current operating conditions in the distribution center. the batch release threshold against which the estimated available cubby percentage may be compared may be the same or different than the batch release threshold against which the current available cubby percentage may be compared. in response to determining the estimated available cubby percentage does not support release of the batch (i.e., determination block 1006 =“no”), in block 1002 the processor may again determine the current available cubby percentage. in this manner, the pending batch may not be released until the current available cubby percentage or estimated available cubby percentage support batch release. in response to determining the estimated available cubby percentage supports release of the batch (i.e., determination block 1006 =“yes”), as described above in block 208 the processor may release the pending batch and send pick commands for items of the batched orders without assigning cubbies. fig. 11 illustrates an embodiment method 1100 for sending a pick command for each item of each order of a batch in response to releasing the batch. in an embodiment, the operations of method 1100 may be performed by a processor of a computing device, such as a processor of a distribution center server. in an embodiment, the operations of method 1100 may be performed in conjunction with the operations of methods 200 , 400 , 700 , 900 , and/or 1000 described above. in block 1102 the processor may release the pending batch without cubbies assigned. releasing a pending batch may include sending one or more indications of orders within the batch, such as a data structure including the information for the orders, to a picking module which may control material handling equipment to enable items for orders to be picked. in block 1104 the processor may sort the batched orders based on the number of items per order. for example, orders may be sorted from largest to smallest number of items or smallest to largest number of items. in block 1106 the processor may determine the available cubby percentage. in an embodiment, the available cubby percentage may be determined as the number of available cubbies over the number of total cubbies in the put wall. as an example, the available cubbies may be identified based on a cubby assignment table as described above. in determination block 1108 the processor may determine whether the available cubby percentage is below an order size switchover threshold. in an embodiment, an order size switchover threshold may be a value selected to control whether smaller orders or larger orders are picked and sent toward the put wall. the order size switchover threshold may be user selectable and may be adjustable, for example based on current operating conditions in the distribution center. as an example, when the available cubby percentage is below the order size switchover threshold order with less items compared to the rest of the batch may be selected to be picked. because these items have relatively less orders the items may take relatively less time to consolidate at the put wall than other orders of the batch, thereby freeing up cubbies at a faster pace than orders with higher numbers of items. when the available cubby percentage is at or above the order size switchover threshold there may be more available cubbies and orders of the batch with relatively more numbers of items may be picked because the number of available cubbies may support the relatively longer period of time needed to consolidate these relatively larger item orders without impacting order processing (e.g., without causing wait times for cubbies to become available). in response to determining the available cubby percentage is below the order size switchover threshold (i.e., determination block 1108 =“yes”), in block 1110 the processor may send pick commands for items of the smallest number of items order not indicated as sent without assigning a cubby to that order. in response to determining the available cubby percentage is at or above the order size switchover threshold (i.e., determination block 1108 =“no”), in block 1112 the processor may send pick commands for items of the largest number of items order not indicated as sent without assigning a cubby to that order. in block 1114 the processor may indicate whichever order pick commands were sent for in blocks 1110 or 1112 as being sent. for example, a data structure, such as a batch table, may be updated to indicate that order was sent. in determination block 1116 the processor may determine whether all orders are indicated as sent. in response to determining all orders are not indicated as sent (i.e., determination block 1116 =“no”), in block 1106 the processor may again determine the current available cubby percentage. once all orders are indicated as sent (i.e., determination block 1116 =“yes”), in block 1118 the processor may indicate the pending batch pick commands as completed. the various embodiments may be implemented in any of a variety of computing devices, an example of which is illustrated in fig. 12 . a computing device 1200 will typically include a processor 1201 coupled to volatile memory 1202 and a large capacity nonvolatile memory, such as a disk drive 1205 of flash memory. the computing device 1200 may also include a floppy disc drive 1203 and a compact disc (cd) drive 1204 coupled to the processor 1204 . the computing device 1200 may also include a number of connector ports 1206 coupled to the processor 1201 for establishing data connections or receiving external memory devices, such as a usb or firewire® connector sockets, or other network connection circuits for establishing network interface connections from the processor 1201 to a network or bus, such as a local area network coupled to other computers and servers, the internet, the public switched telephone network, and/or a cellular data network. the computing device 1200 may also include the trackball 1207 , keyboard 1208 and display 1209 all coupled to the processor 1201 . the various embodiments may also be implemented on any of a variety of commercially available server devices, such as the server 1300 illustrated in fig. 13 . such a server 1300 typically includes a processor 1301 coupled to volatile memory 1302 and a large capacity nonvolatile memory, such as a disk drive 1303 . the server 1300 may also include a floppy disc drive, compact disc (cd) or dvd disc drive 1304 coupled to the processor 1301 . the server 1300 may also include network access ports 1306 coupled to the processor 1301 for establishing network interface connections with a network 1307 , such as a local area network coupled to other computers and servers, the internet, the public switched telephone network, and/or a cellular data network. the processors 1201 and 1301 may be any programmable microprocessor, microcomputer or multiple processor chip or chips that can be configured by software instructions (applications) to perform a variety of functions, including the functions of the various embodiments described above. in some devices, multiple processors may be provided, such as one processor dedicated to wireless communication functions and one processor dedicated to running other applications. typically, software applications may be stored in the internal memory 1202 , 1205 , 1302 , and 1303 before they are accessed and loaded into the processors 1201 and 1301 . the processors 1201 and 1301 may include internal memory sufficient to store the application software instructions. in many devices the internal memory may be a volatile or nonvolatile memory, such as flash memory, or a mixture of both. for the purposes of this description, a general reference to memory refers to memory accessible by the processors 1201 and 1301 including internal memory or removable memory plugged into the device and memory within the processor 1201 and 1301 themselves. the foregoing method descriptions and the process flow diagrams are provided merely as illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed in the order presented. as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art the order of steps in the foregoing embodiments may be performed in any order. words such as “thereafter,” “then,” “next,” etc. are not intended to limit the order of the steps; these words are simply used to guide the reader through the description of the methods. further, any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an” or “the” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular. the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. to clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention. the hardware used to implement the various illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (dsp), an application specific integrated circuit (asic), a field programmable gate array (fpga) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. a general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but, in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. a processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a dsp and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a dsp core, or any other such configuration. alternatively, some steps or methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function. in one or more exemplary aspects, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. if implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or more instructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable medium or non-transitory processor-readable medium. the steps of a method or algorithm disclosed herein may be embodied in a processor-executable software module which may reside on a non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium. non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage media may be any storage media that may be accessed by a computer or a processor. by way of example but not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable media may include ram, rom, eeprom, flash memory, cd-rom or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that may be accessed by a computer. disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (cd), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (dvd), floppy disk, and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. combinations of the above are also included within the scope of non-transitory computer-readable and processor-readable media. additionally, the operations of a method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of codes and/or instructions on a non-transitory processor-readable medium and/or computer-readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computer program product. the preceding description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
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139-190-719-454-531
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TW
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[
"US",
"TW"
] |
G01C15/00
| 2001-01-12T00:00:00 |
2001
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[
"G01"
] |
compact optical calibrating apparatus for multiple orientations
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a compact optical calibrating apparatus includes: a housing having a base formed on a bottom of the housing, a horizontality calibrator universally pendulously mounted in the housing, a plurality of illuminators embedded or secured in a plumb pendulously secured to the horizontality calibrator, and a switch device pivotally secured in the housing for switching on or off a power source supplied to the illuminators and for braking or releasing the pendulous movement of the plumb; whereby upon embedding of the illuminators in the plumb, the height and volume of the calibrating apparatus is decreased for obtaining a compact optical calibrating instrument.
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1 . an optical calibrating apparatus comprising: a housing having a base formed on a bottom of said housing and an upper cover encasing the base; a horizontality calibrator universally pendulously mounted in said housing defining a longitudinal axis at a longitudinal center of said calibrator; an illuminating means including a plurality of illuminators embedded and secured in a plumb pendulously hung to said calibrator; whereby upon adjusting of a gravity center of said calibrator and said illuminators loaded on said calibrator to align the gravity center with a plumb line of said calibrator and said illuminators, said illuminators respectively emit at least a horizontal optical line projectively perpendicular to said plumb line and a vertical optical line projectively parallel to said plumb line. 2 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said horizontality calibrator includes: a bracket secured on an upper portion of the housing, a sleeve member pivotally secured in the bracket by a pair of outer pivots diametrically disposed on opposite sides of the sleeve member, an axial rod concentrically secured in the sleeve member about the longitudinal axis of the calibrator by a pair of inner pivots diametrically disposed on opposite sides of the axial rod to be projectively perpendicular to the pair of outer pivots, and a plurality of adjusting screws each rotatably engaged in a screw hole radially formed in the axial rod for adjusting the gravity center of the calibrator and the illuminating means secured on the calibrator to coincide the longitudinal axis of the calibrator with the plumb line of the calibrator and the illuminating means loaded on the calibrator. 3 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said calibrator further includes a dampening fluid filled in between the axial rod, the sleeve member and the bracket for dampening pendulous movement thereof. 4 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said illuminating means includes: a plurality of horizontal-line illuminators horizontally secured on said plumb which is coaxially secured to the axial rod of the horizontality calibrator and pendulously hung on the calibrator on the housing, with each said horizontal-line illuminator perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the calibrator and operatively emitting a horizontal optical line, perpendicular to the plumb line for levelling, through a transparent glass inclinedly secured in each window formed through the housing; a lower plumb-line illuminator coaxially secured in the plumb to be coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the calibrator and operatively emitting a downward plumb optical line downwardly; and an upper plumb-line illuminator coaxially secured to the axial rod to be coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the calibrator and operatively emitting an upward plumb optical line upwardly. 5 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a switch device having: a lever with an inner end portion pivotally secured in the housing, a handle portion formed on an outer end portion of the lever and angularly moved along a slot transversely cut in the base of the housing, and a central opening formed in a middle portion of the lever allowing an emission of a downward optical line emitted from said illuminator, an intermediate electric contactor formed in the handle portion to be electrically contacted with a lower contactor electrically connected to a power source stored in said base, and contacted with an upper contactor electrically connected to the illuminating means, whereby upon an angular pivotal movement of the lever to disconnect the intermediate contactor on the handle portion from the lower and upper contactors, a power supply from the power source will be switched off to turn off the illuminators of the illuminating means. 6 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said switch device further includes: a pair of driving wedge portions oppositely formed on a middle portion of the lever to be engageable with a pair of follower wedge portions formed on a bottom of a coupling disk resiliently held on a cylindrical holder formed in the base of the housing, whereby upon a pivotal biasing movement of the lever to allow the driving wedge portions on the lever to thrust the follower wedge portions formed on the coupling disk to engage a braking pad formed on the disk with a bottom plug formed on a bottom of the plumb to brake the plumb without pendulous vibration. 7 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said coupling disk is resiliently held on the cylindrical holder by a plurality of guiding bolts fixed on the cylindrical holder, each said guiding bolt having a tension spring disposed thereabout to normally resiliently urge the coupling disk downwardly to be tighly rested on the cylindrical holder to separate the braking pad from the bottom plug of the plumb for pendulously hanging the plumb on the calibrator on the housing. 8 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said upper contactor is secured to a cylindrical holder resiliently held on said base and electrically connected to the illuminators; and said lower contactor is electrically connected to said power source in the base. 9 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said horizontality calibrator includes: a bracket secured on an upper portion of the housing, a crank-arm block pivotally secured to the bracket by an upper pivot, a link member pendulously pivotally secured to the crank-arm block by a lower pivot, a plurality of adjusting screws each transversely rotatably secured in the link member for adjusting a gravity center of the calibrator on the housing, said plumb pendulonsly secured to the link member and defining a longitudinal axis at a longitudinal center thereof, with the upper pivot projectively perpendicularly intersecting the lower pivot to be aligned with the longitudinal axis of the plumb, an illuminator of the illuminating means coaxially secured in the plumb for emitting a vertical optical beam aligned with the plumb line, and a prism mounted in the plumb beyond the illuminator for refracting the vertical optical beam from the illuminator into horizontal optical lines horizontally emitting through a plurality of slots formed through the plumb and through the windows formed through the housing. 10 . an optical calibrating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said illuminating means includes a horizontal-line illuminator horizontally mounted in the plumb for emitting a horizontal line and a vertical-line illuminator mounted in the plumb for emitting a vertical line perpendicular to the horizontal line; with said vertical-line illuminator angularly mounted in the plumb. 11 . an optical calibrating apparatus comprising: a housing having a plumb pendulonsly hung to a horizontal calibrator universally mounted in said housing, having an illuminator secured on a first side portion of the plumb for emitting a horizontal optical beam which is refracted into plural vertical optical lines through a prism mounted in a side casing formed on a side portion of the housing; and having a counter weight secured on a second side portion of the plumb for a gravitational balance on opposite sides of the plumb.
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background of the invention a conventional laser beam level instrument is quite complex for its structure or mechanism and also occupies a larger volume. the automatic optical levelling, plumbing and verticality-determining apparatus of u.s. pat. no. 6,035,540 also granted to the same inventor of this application includes a frame ( 3 ) for securing the illuminators ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) and the plumb device ( 4 ) on the frame ( 3 ) rotatably mounted on the base ( 1 ), easily causing precision problem by such a rotatable mechanism; and a longer stem ( 42 ) for mounting the plumb device ( 4 ) on the stem on the frame ( 3 ), thereby increasing the total height of the instrument and causing unstable standing and inconvenient handling of the instrument. the present inventor has found the drawbacks of the conventional laser levelling or calibrating instrument and invented the present compact optical calibrating apparatus. summary of the invention the object of the present invention is to provide a compact optical calibrating apparatus including: a housing having a base formed on a bottom of the housing, a horizontality calibrator universally pendulously mounted in the housing, a plurality of illuminators embedded or secured in a plumb pendulously secured to the horizontality calibrator, and a switch device pivotally secured in the housing for switching on or off a power source supplied to the illuminators and for braking or releasing the pendulous movement of the plumb; whereby upon embedding of the illuminators in the plumb, the height and volume of the calibrating apparatus is decreased for obtaining a compact optical calibrating instrument. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a sectional drawing of the present invention. fig. 2 is a side view of the present invention as shown in fig. 1 . fig. 3 is a sectional drawing of the present invention when disconnecting the power source supply from the embodiment of fig. 1 . fig. 4 is a cross sectional drawing of the present invention as viewed from 4 - 4 direction of fig. 2 . fig. 5 is a cross sectional drawing of the present invention as viewed from 5 - 5 direction of fig. 3 . fig. 6 is a sectional drawing of another preferred embodiment of the present invention. fig. 7 is a side view of the present invention as shown in fig. 6 . fig. 8 shows still another preferred embodiment of the present invention. fig. 9 shows further preferred embodiment of the present invention. fig. 10 shows still further preferred embodiment of the present invention. fig. 11 shows a modification of the embodiment as shown in fig. 10 . fig. 12 shows the other preferred embodiment of the present invention. fig. 13 is a cross sectional drawing showing different positioning of the switch device of the present invention. detailed description as shown in figs. 1 5 , the present invention comprises: a housing 1 ; a horizontality calibrator 2 universally pendulously mounted in the housing 1 ; an illuminating means 3 secured on the horizontality calibrator 2 ; and a power source 42 formed in a base 4 formed on a bottom of the housing 1 for powering the illuminating means 3 . the illuminating means 3 includes plural illuminators which may be laser illuminators. the housing 1 includes: an upper cover 10 encasing the upper portion of the base 4 , having a plurality of windows 11 circumferentially formed through a middle portion of the housing 1 . a switch device 13 is pivotally secured in a lower portion of the housing 1 or in the base 4 for switching on or off of the power source 42 supplied to the illuminating means 3 and for braking or releasing the pendulous movement of the illuminating means 3 as secured on the horizontality calibrator 2 . the horizontality calibrator 2 includes: a bracket 21 secured on an upper portion of the housing 1 , a sleeve member 22 pivotally secured in the bracket 21 by a pair of outer pivots 221 diametrically disposed on opposite sides of the sleeve member 22 , an axial rod 23 concentrically secured in the sleeve member 22 about a longitudinal axis x of the calibrator 2 by a pair of inner pivots 231 diametrically disposed on opposite sides of the axial rod 23 to be projectively perpendicular to the pair of outer pivots 221 , and a plurality of adjusting screws 24 each rotatably engaged in a screw hole 241 radially formed in the axial rod 23 for adjusting gravity center (horizontality) of the calibrator 2 and the illuminating means 3 secured on the calibrator 2 to coincide the longitudinal axis x of the calibrator 2 with a plumb line p of the calibrator 2 and the illuminating means 3 loaded on the calibrator 2 . a dampening fluid or grease 20 is filled in an interface between the axial rod 23 , the sleeve member 22 and the bracket 21 for dampening the pendulous movement of the elements of the present invention. the illuminating means 3 includes: a plurality of (or four) horizontal-line illuminators 32 horizontally radially or diagonally secured on a plumb 31 which is coaxially secured to the axial rod 23 of the horizontality calibrator 2 and pendulously hung on the calibrator 2 on the housing 1 , with each horizontal-line illuminator 32 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis x of the calibrator 2 and operatively emitting a horizontal optical beam or line h, perpendicular to the plumb line p for levelling, through a transparent glass 12 inclinedly secured in each window 11 formed through the housing 1 (the inclined glass 12 provided for preventing retroreflective optical images); a lower plumb-line illuminator 34 coaxially secured in the plumb 31 to be coaxial to the longitudinal axis x of the calibrator 2 and operatively emitting a downward plumb optical beam or line d downwardly through openings formed in the relevant elements of the present invention; and an upper plumb-line illuminator 33 coaxially secured to the axial rod 23 to be coaxial to the longitudinal axis x of the calibrator 2 and operatively emitting an upward plumb optical beam or line u upwardly through a top window 101 formed in the upper cover 10 , with the upper and lower plumb-line illuminators 33 , 34 provided for plumbing use. the switch device 13 includes: a lever 130 having an inner end portion 130 i pivotally secured in the housing 1 by a pivot 132 , a handle portions 131 formed on an outer end portion of the lever 130 and angularly moved along a slot 14 transversely cut in the base 4 of the housing 1 , and a central opening 133 formed in a middle portion of the lever 130 allowing an emission of a downward plumb-line optical line d, an intermediate electric contactor 18 formed in the handle portion 131 to be electrically contacted with a lower contactor 41 electrically connected to the power source 42 which may be at least a battery and contacted with an upper contactor 41 electrically connected to the illuminating means 3 , whereby upon an angular pivotal movement of the lever 130 about the pivot 132 to disconnect the intermediate contactor 18 on the handle portion 131 from the lower and upper contactors 41 , 41 , a power supply from the power source 42 will be switched off to turn off the illuminators 32 , 33 , 34 of the illuminating means 3 . the switch device 13 further includes: a pair of driving wedge portions 16 oppositely formed on a middle portion of the lever 130 to fit be engageable with a pair of follower wedge portions 151 formed on a bottom of a coupling disk 15 resiliently held on a cylindrical holder 40 formed in the base 4 of the housing 1 , whereby upon a pivotal biasing movement of the lever 130 to allow the driving wedge portions 16 on the lever 130 to thrust the follower wedge portions 151 formed on the coupling disk 15 to engage a braking pad 17 formed on the disk 15 with a bottom plug 35 formed on a bottom of the plumb 31 (from fig. 2 to fig. 3 ; or from fig. 4 to fig. 5 ) to brake the plumb 31 without pendulous vibration when switching off the power source supply for a stable handling of the instrument of the present invention. the coupling disk 15 is resiliently held on the cylindrical holder 40 by a plurality of guiding bolts 152 fixed on the cylindrical holder 40 , each guiding bolt 152 having a tension spring 153 disposed thereabout to normally resiliently urge the coupling disk 15 downwardly to be tightly rested on the cylindrical holder 40 to separate the braking pad 17 from the bottom plug 35 of the plumb 31 for pendulously hanging the plumb 31 on the calibrator 2 on the housing 1 . the upper contactor 41 may be secured to the cylindrical holder 40 and connected to the illuminators by passing through a hole formed in the disk 15 . the lower contactor 41 may be secured to the base 4 . the downward optical line d from the illuminator 34 is emitted through a central opening 150 in the disk 15 , the central opening 133 in the lever 130 and a central hole 421 formed in the base 4 of the housing 1 to be projected downwardly as shown in fig. 2 . the present invention discloses a plumb 31 embedded therein with several illuminators 32 , 34 which also serve as a weight of the plumb 31 , thereby minimizing the volume and shortening the height of the instrument to form a compact unit convenient for optical calibration and handling. the mechanism is simplified, while the precision of the instrument is not influenced. so, the present invention is superior to the conventional laser instruments for levelling and plumbing. as shown in figs. 6, 7 , the horizontality calibrator 2 a has been modified from that as aforementioned to include: a bracket 21 a secured on an upper portion of the housing 1 , a crank-arm block 22 a pivotally secured to the bracket 21 a by an upper pivot 221 a , a link member 23 a pendulously pivotally secured to the crank-arm block 22 a by a lower pivot 231 a , a plurality of adjusting screws 24 a each transversely rotatably secured in the link member 23 a for adjusting a gravity center of the calibrator 2 a on the housing 1 , a plumb 31 a pendulously secured to the link member 23 a and defining a longitudinal axis x at a longitudinal center thereof, with the upper pivot 221 a projectively perpendicularly intersecting the lower pivot 231 a to be aligned with the longitudinal axis x of the plumb 31 a , an illuminator 32 a of the illuminating means 3 a coaxially secured in the plumb 31 a for emitting a vertical optical beam v aligned with the plumb line p, and a prism 33 a mounted in the plumb 31 a beyond the illuminator 32 a for refracting the vertical optical beam from the illuminator 32 a into horizontal optical lines h radially horizontally emitting through a plurality of slots 30 formed through the plumb and through the windows 11 formed through the housing 1 , each window 11 having an inclined glass 12 embedded therein, adapted for levelling use. other configurations such as switch device 13 , base 4 and batteries 42 of this embodiment ( figs. 6, 7 ) may be referred to that as aforementioned and as shown in figs. 1 5 . as shown in fig. 8 , the horizontality calibrator 2 a may be referred to that as shown in figs. 6, 7 ; while the other elements may be referred to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention as shown in figs. 1 5 , except that the upper plum-line illuminator 33 has been eliminated in fig. 8 . as shown in fig. 9 , the mechanism and structure are the same as that shown in figs. 1 5 , except that the illuminator(s) embedded in the plumb 31 has (have) been modified to the illuminator 32 a and prism 33 a as shown in figs. 6, 7 . as shown in fig. 10, a horizontal-line illuminator 32 b of the illuminating means 3 b is horizontally mounted in the plumb 31 b for emitting a horizontal line h and a vertical-line illuminator 33 b mounted in the plumb 31 b for emitting a vertical line v perpendicular to the horizontal line h and parallel to the plumb line p. several weight screws 34 b are secured in the plumb 31 b to increase the weight of the plumb 31 b . the vertical-line illuminator 33 b may be angularly mounted in the plumb 31 b as shown in dotted line ( fig. 10 ) for displaying the optical line image on a desired target area (not shown). several adjusting screws 24 a are provided on the calibrator 2 a for adjusting a gravity center of the calibrator 2 a and the plumb 31 b hung thereunder to be aligned with a plumb line p of the instrument. all the optical lines v, h as emitted from the illuminators 33 b , 32 b will pass through a transparent window 11 b formed on the housing 1 . as shown in fig. 11 , the horizontality calibrator 2 is the same as that of the calibrator 2 as shown in figs. 1 5 . the horizontal-line illuminator 32 b and the vertical-line illuminator 33 b are respectively mounted on the plumb 31 b as shown in fig. 10 . as shown in fig. 12 , the plumb 31 has an illuminator 32 a secured on a first (right) side portion of the plumb 31 for emitting a horizontal optical beam h which is then refracted into plural vertical optical lines v through a prism 33 a mounted in a side casing 10 a formed on a side portion of the housing 1 , with the vertical optical lines v projecting towards a target wall (not shown) through plural windows 11 d formed through the side casing 10 a; and a counter weight 34 d secured on a second (left) side portion of the plumb 31 for gravitational balance on the opposite sides of the plumb 31 . the lower portion of the housing 1 including the switch device 13 , the power source 42 and other elements mounted in (or on) the base 4 as shown in figs. 6 12 are same or similar as that shown in figs. 1 5 . as shown in fig. 13 , the switch device 13 is pivotally moved rightwardly opposite to that as shown in fig. 5 for an alternative switching operation. by suitable modification, the switch device 13 may be designed to merely switch on or off the power source supply, not to brake the plumb 31 of the present invention by those skilled in the art. the present invention may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
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139-333-430-148-619
|
JP
|
[
"JP",
"US"
] |
H01L21/26,H05B3/06,A21B2/00
| 2006-11-22T00:00:00 |
2006
|
[
"H01",
"H05",
"A21"
] |
thermal treatment equipment
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<p>problem to be solved: to provide thermal treatment equipment capable of effectively cooling a flash lamp. <p>solution: a reflector 52 is provided covering the array of the plurality of flash lamps 69 for radiating flash light, and a cooling box 20 is installed on the upper side of the reflector 52. a buffer space 21 is built inside the cooling box 20, and a plurality of jetting holes 22 communicated with the buffer space 21 are perforated through the bottom part of the cooling box 20 and the reflector 52. each of the plurality of jetting holes 22 is provided so as to be positioned right above a gap between the lamps in the array of the plurality of flash lamps 69. a nitrogen gas jetted from the plurality of jetting holes 22 passes through the gap between the adjacent lamps in the array of the flash lamps 69 and is blown to a lamp light radiation window 53. the flash lamps 69 are effectively cooled by direct cooling by the nitrogen gas and the temperature decline of the lamp light radiation window 53. <p>copyright: (c)2008,jpo&inpit
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1. a heat treatment apparatus for exposing a substrate to a flash of light to heat the substrate, comprising: a chamber configured for receiving a substrate therein, said chamber including a holding part configured for holding the substrate, said holding part including a preheating mechanism configured for preheating the substrate held by said holding part before the substrate is exposed to a flash of light, and a chamber window configured for allowing a flash of light to pass therethrough into said holding part; and a lamp house configured for emitting a flash of light, said lamp house including a light source including a plurality of flash lamps arranged in an array and each having a rodlike discharge tube configured for directing a flash of light from the discharge tubes toward the substrate held by said holding part within said chamber, a radiation window provided in opposed relation to said chamber window configured for allowing a flash of light emitted from said light source to pass therethrough toward said chamber, and a gas ejection part configured for causing a gas to pass through gaps between said plurality of flash lamps arranged in the array and to be blown against said radiation window; wherein said gas ejection part includes: a buffer space divided into a plurality of compartments, and a plurality of jet openings extending through wall surfaces of said plurality of compartments toward the gaps between said plurality of flash lamps, said heat treatment apparatus further comprising: a gas supply element configured for individually supplying a gas to said plurality of compartments of said buffer space; and a flow rate adjustment element configured for individually adjusting the flow rate of the gas supplied from said gas supply element to each of said plurality of compartments. 2. the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said lamp house includes a plurality of exhaust elements disposed symmetrically with respect to said gas ejection part for exhausting the gas blown from said gas ejection part against said radiation window to the outside. 3. the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said lamp house includes an exhaust element disposed only on one side of said gas ejection part for exhausting the gas blown from said gas ejection part against said radiation window to the outside, and the number of jet openings disposed on said one side of said gas ejection part is greater than the number of jet openings disposed on the other side of said gas ejection part opposite from said one side. 4. the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said lamp house includes an exhaust element disposed only on one side of said gas ejection part for exhausting the gas blown from said gas ejection part against said radiation window to the outside, and said flow rate adjustment element adjusts the flow rate of the gas supplied to each of said plurality of compartments so as to reduce nonuniformity of a temperature distribution across said radiation window resulting from the exhausting of the gas by said exhaust element. 5. the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of compartments are arranged symmetrically with respect to a central axis of said gas ejection part. 6. the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of jet openings are arranged in the form of a square-lattice. 7. the heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of jet openings are arranged in the form of a triangular-lattice.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus which emits a flash of light to expose a substrate including a semiconductor wafer, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device and the like to the flash of light, thereby heating the substrate. 2. description of the background art conventionally, a lamp annealer employing a halogen lamp has been typically used in the step of activating ions in a semiconductor wafer after ion implantation. such a lamp annealer carries out the activation of ions in the semiconductor wafer by heating (or annealing) the semiconductor wafer to a temperature of, for example, about 1000° c. to about 1100° c. such a heat treatment apparatus utilizes the energy of light emitted from the halogen lamp to raise the temperature of a substrate at a rate of about hundreds of degrees per second. in recent years, with the increasing degree of integration of semiconductor devices, it has been desired to provide a shallower junction as the gate length decreases. it has turned out, however, that even the execution of the process of activating ions in a semiconductor wafer by the use of the above-mentioned lamp annealer which raises the temperature of the semiconductor wafer at a rate of about hundreds of degrees per second produces a phenomenon in which the ions of boron, phosphorus and the like implanted in the semiconductor wafer are diffused deeply by heat. the occurrence of such a phenomenon causes the depth of the junction to exceed a required level, giving rise to an apprehension about a hindrance to good device formation. to solve the problem, there has been proposed a technique for exposing the surface of a semiconductor wafer to a flash of light by using a xenon flash lamp to raise the temperature of only the surface of the semiconductor wafer implanted with ions in an extremely short time (several milliseconds or less). this technique is disclosed, for example, in u.s. pat. nos. 6,998,580 and 6,936,797. the xenon flash lamp has a spectral distribution of radiation ranging from ultraviolet to near-infrared regions. the wavelength of light emitted from the xenon flash lamp is shorter than that of light emitted from the conventional halogen lamp, and approximately coincides with a basic absorption band of a silicon semiconductor wafer. it is therefore possible to rapidly raise the temperature of the semiconductor wafer, with a small amount of light transmitted through the semiconductor wafer, when the semiconductor wafer is exposed to a flash of light emitted from the xenon flash lamp. also, it has turned out that a flash of light emitted in an extremely short time of several milliseconds or less can achieve a selective temperature rise only near the surface of the semiconductor wafer. therefore, the temperature rise in an extremely short time by using the xenon flash lamp allows the execution of only the ion activation without deeply diffusing the ions. in the heat treatment apparatus which performs flash heating as described above, air is supplied into and exhausted from a lamp house including a xenon flash lamp provided therein for the purpose of cooling down the xenon flash lamp. thus, the heat within the lamp house is exhausted, and the xenon flash lamp itself is cooled down by the air. many heat treatment apparatuses which perform flash heating are provided with a hot plate for preheating a semiconductor wafer before exposing the semiconductor wafer to a flash of light. an attempt to heat the surface of the semiconductor wafer up to 1000° c. or higher only by exposing the semiconductor wafer to the flash of light requires the emission of a flash of light having an extremely large amount of energy. this causes the rapid heating of only the wafer surface to give rise to an apprehension about a crack in the semiconductor wafer. to prevent this, the hot plate is used to preheat the semiconductor wafer placed thereon up to about 500° c., and thereafter a flash of light is emitted from the xenon flash lamp to cause the temperature of the semiconductor wafer to reach a predetermined annealing temperature. however, infrared radiation of a relatively long wavelength depending on the temperature of the hot plate emanates from the hot plate. the discharge tube (made of quartz) of the xenon flash lamp is externally heated by the radiant heat from the hot plate. if the xenon flash lamp is heated by the radiant heat from the hot plate at a relatively high temperature of 500° c. or higher, the xenon flash lamp is not sufficiently cooled down only by the above-mentioned supply and exhaust of air, but there arise problems such that the color change of the discharge tube reduces the lifetime of the xenon flash lamp and such that the deterioration of the xenon flash lamp proceeds rapidly to result in the rupture of the xenon flash lamp in the worst case. in the conventional techniques, the upper limit of the preheating temperature attained by the hot plate is hence restricted, and the treating conditions of the annealing process of the semiconductor wafer are also inevitably limited. a lamp house having a xenon flash lamp provided therein includes a quartz plate which allows a flash of light emitted from the xenon flash lamp to pass therethrough and which serves as a lamp light radiation window. the lamp light radiation window is also heated by far infrared radiation of a long wavelength emanating from the hot plate. if air is supplied into and exhausted from the lamp house for the purpose of cooling down the xenon flash lamp, the lamp light radiation window is also cooled down, and the distribution of temperature thereof becomes nonuniform. the infrared radiation of a long wavelength emanates also from the heated lamp light radiation window to influence the temperature of the semiconductor wafer w. the nonuniformity of the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window might cause variations in the temperature distribution across a semiconductor wafer to be treated. summary of the invention the present invention is intended for a heat treatment apparatus for exposing a substrate to a flash of light to heat the substrate. according to the present invention, the heat treatment apparatus comprises: a chamber for receiving a substrate therein, the chamber including a holding part for holding the substrate, the holding part including a preheating mechanism for preheating the substrate held by the holding part before the substrate is exposed to a flash of light, and a chamber window for allowing a flash of light to pass therethrough into the holding part; and a lamp house for emitting a flash of light, the lamp house including a light source including a plurality of flash lamps arranged in an array and each having a rodlike discharge tube for directing a flash of light from the discharge tubes toward the substrate held by the holding part within the chamber, a radiation window provided in opposed relation to the chamber window for allowing a flash of light emitted from the light source to pass therethrough toward the chamber, and a gas ejection part for causing a gas to pass through gaps between the plurality of flash lamps arranged in the array and to be blown against the radiation window. the gas passing through the gaps between the plurality of flash lamps arranged in the array is blown against the radiation window. thus, not only the direct cooling of the flash lamps by using the gas but also the decrease in temperature of the radiation window suppresses a lamp temperature rise resulting from radiation from the radiation window, to thereby accomplish the effective cooling of the flash lamps. preferably, the gas ejection part includes a buffer space divided into a plurality of compartments, and a plurality of jet openings extending through wall surfaces of the plurality of compartments toward the gaps between the plurality of flash lamps. the heat treatment apparatus further comprises: a gas supply element for individually supplying a gas to the plurality of compartments of the buffer space; and a flow rate adjustment element for individually adjusting the flow rate of the gas supplied from the gas supply element to each of the plurality of compartments. the individual adjustment of the flow rate of the gas supplied to each of the plurality of compartments of the buffer space allows the cooling of the flash lamps with higher accuracy. more preferably, the lamp house includes a plurality of exhaust elements disposed symmetrically with respect to the gas ejection part for exhausting the gas blown from the gas ejection part against the radiation window to the outside. the production of symmetric gas flows within the lamp house provides good uniformity of a temperature distribution across the radiation window to improve the uniformity of an in-plane temperature distribution across the substrate. according to another aspect of the present invention, the heat treatment apparatus comprises: a holding part for holding a substrate; a flash lamp having a rodlike discharge tube for directing a flash of light from the discharge tube toward the substrate held by the holding part; a radiation window disposed between the flash lamp and the holding part for allowing a flash of light directed from the flash lamp to pass therethrough into the holding part; and a gas ejection part for causing a gas to pass by the flash lamp and to be blown against the radiation window. the gas passing by the flash lamp is blown against the radiation window. thus, not only the direct cooling of the flash lamp by using the gas but also the decrease in temperature of the radiation window suppresses a lamp temperature rise resulting from radiation from the radiation window, to thereby accomplish the effective cooling of the flash lamp. it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a heat treatment apparatus capable of effectively cooling a flash lamp. it is another object of the present invention to provide a heat treatment apparatus capable of improving the uniformity of an in-plane temperature distribution across a substrate. these and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing the construction of a heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention; fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a gas passage in the heat treatment apparatus of fig. 1 ; fig. 3 is a plan view showing a hot plate; fig. 4 is a side sectional view showing the construction of the heat treatment apparatus of fig. 1 ; fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of a cooling box according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; fig. 6 schematically illustrates a gas supply mechanism for the cooling box shown in fig. 5 ; fig. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of jet openings according to the first preferred embodiment; fig. 8 shows a gas ejected from the jet openings toward a light source; fig. 9 is a side sectional view showing the construction of a heat treatment apparatus according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; fig. 10 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of a cooling box according to the second preferred embodiment; fig. 11 schematically illustrates a gas supply mechanism for the cooling box shown in fig. 10 ; and fig. 12 is a plan view showing the arrangement of jet openings according to the second preferred embodiment. description of the preferred embodiments preferred embodiments according to the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1. first preferred embodiment first, the overall construction of a heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention will be outlined. fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing the construction of a heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the present invention. the heat treatment apparatus 1 is a flash lamp annealer for exposing a generally circular semiconductor wafer w serving as a substrate to a flash of light to heat the semiconductor wafer w. the heat treatment apparatus 1 includes a chamber 6 of a generally cylindrical configuration for receiving a semiconductor wafer w therein, and a lamp house 5 including a plurality of flash lamps 69 incorporated therein. the heat treatment apparatus 1 further includes a controller 3 for controlling operating mechanisms provided in the chamber 6 and the lamp house 5 to cause the operating mechanisms to perform heat treatment on the semiconductor wafer w. the chamber 6 is provided under the lamp house 5 . the chamber 6 includes a chamber side portion 63 having an inner wall of a generally cylindrical configuration, and a chamber bottom portion 62 for covering a bottom portion of the chamber side portion 63 . a space surrounded by the chamber side portion 63 and the chamber bottom portion 62 is defined as a heat treatment space 65 . a top opening 60 is formed over the heat treatment space 65 . a chamber window 61 is mounted in the top opening 60 to close the top opening 60 . the chamber window 61 constituting a ceiling portion of the chamber 6 is a disk-shaped member made of, for example, quartz, and allows light emitted from the lamp house 5 to pass therethrough into the heat treatment space 65 . the chamber bottom portion 62 and the chamber side portion 63 which constitute the main body of the chamber 6 are made of, for example, a metal material having high strength and high heat resistance such as stainless steel and the like. a ring 631 provided in an upper portion of the inner side surface of the chamber side portion 63 is made of an aluminum (al) alloy and the like having greater durability against degradation resulting from exposure to light than stainless steel. an o-ring provides a seal between the chamber window 61 and the chamber side portion 63 so as to maintain the hermeticity of the heat treatment space 65 . specifically, the o-ring is fitted between a lower peripheral portion of the chamber window 61 and the chamber side portion 63 , and a clamp ring 90 abuts against an upper peripheral portion of the chamber window 61 and is secured to the chamber side portion 63 by screws, thereby forcing the chamber window 61 against the o-ring. the chamber bottom portion 62 is provided with a plurality of (in this preferred embodiment, three) upright support pins 70 extending through a holding part 7 for supporting the lower surface (a surface opposite from a surface onto which light is directed from the lamp house 5 ) of the semiconductor wafer w. the support pins 70 are made of, for example, quartz, and are easy to replace because the support pins 70 are fixed externally of the chamber 6 . the chamber side portion 63 includes a transport opening 66 for the transport of the semiconductor wafer w therethrough into and out of the chamber 6 . the transport opening 66 is openable and closable by a gate valve 185 pivoting about an axis 662 . an inlet passage 81 for introducing a processing gas (for example, an inert gas including nitrogen (n 2 ) gas, helium (he) gas, argon (ar) gas and the like, or oxygen (o 2 ) gas and the like) into the heat treatment space 65 is formed on the opposite side of the chamber side portion 63 from the transport opening 66 . the inlet passage 81 has a first end connected through a valve 82 to a gas supply mechanism not shown, and a second end connected to a gas inlet buffer 83 formed inside the chamber side portion 63 . the transport opening 66 is provided with an outlet passage 86 for exhausting the gas from the interior of the heat treatment space 65 . the outlet passage 86 is connected through a valve 87 to an exhaust mechanism not shown. fig. 2 is a sectional view of the chamber 6 taken along a horizontal plane at the level of the gas inlet buffer 83 . as shown in fig. 2 , the gas inlet buffer 83 extends over approximately one-third of the inner periphery of the chamber side portion 63 on the opposite side from the transport opening 66 shown in fig. 1 . the processing gas introduced through the inlet passage 81 to the gas inlet buffer 83 is fed through a plurality of gas feed holes 84 into the heat treatment space 65 . the heat treatment apparatus 1 further includes the holding part 7 of a generally disk-shaped configuration for preheating a semiconductor wafer w prior to the exposure of the semiconductor wafer w to a flash of light while holding the semiconductor wafer w in a horizontal position within the chamber 6 , and a holding part elevating mechanism 4 for moving the holding part 7 upwardly and downwardly relative to the chamber bottom portion 62 serving as the bottom surface of the chamber 6 . the holding part elevating mechanism 4 shown in fig. 1 includes a shaft 41 of a generally cylindrical configuration, a movable plate 42 , guide members 43 (three guide members 43 are actually provided around the shaft 41 in this preferred embodiment), a fixed plate 44 , a ball screw 45 , a nut 46 , and a motor 40 . the chamber bottom portion 62 serving as the bottom portion of the chamber 6 is formed with a bottom opening 64 of a generally circular configuration having a diameter smaller than that of the holding part 7 . the shaft 41 made of stainless steel is inserted through the bottom opening 64 and connected to the lower surface of the holding part 7 (a hot plate 71 of the holding part 7 in a strict sense) to support the holding part 7 . the nut 46 for threaded engagement with the ball screw 45 is fixed to the movable plate 42 . the movable plate 42 is slidably guided by the guide members 43 fixed to the chamber bottom portion 62 and extending downwardly therefrom, and is vertically movable. the movable plate 42 is coupled through the shaft 41 to the holding part 7 . the motor 40 is provided on the fixed plate 44 mounted to the lower end portions of the respective guide members 43 , and is connected to the ball screw 45 through a timing belt 401 . when the holding part elevating mechanism 4 moves the holding part 7 upwardly and downwardly, the motor 40 serving as a driver rotates the ball screw 45 under the control of the controller 3 to move the movable plate 42 fixed to the nut 46 vertically along the guide members 43 . as a result, the shaft 41 fixed to the movable plate 42 moves vertically, whereby the holding part 7 connected to the shaft 41 smoothly moves upwardly and downwardly between a transfer position shown in fig. 1 in which the semiconductor wafer w is transferred and a treatment position shown in fig. 4 in which the semiconductor wafer w is treated. an upright mechanical stopper 451 of a generally semi-cylindrical configuration (obtained by cutting a cylinder in half in a longitudinal direction) is provided on the upper surface of the movable plate 42 so as to extend along the ball screw 45 . if the movable plate 42 is to move upwardly beyond a predetermined upper limit because of any anomaly, the upper end of the mechanical stopper 451 strikes an end plate 452 provided at an end portion of the ball screw 45 , whereby the abnormal upward movement of the movable plate 42 is prevented. this avoids the upward movement of the holding part 7 above a predetermined position lying under the chamber window 61 , to thereby prevent a collision between the holding part 7 and the chamber window 61 . the holding part elevating mechanism 4 further includes a manual elevating part 49 for manually moving the holding part 7 upwardly and downwardly during the maintenance of the interior of the chamber 6 . the manual elevating part 49 has a handle 491 and a rotary shaft 492 . rotating the rotary shaft 492 by means of the handle 491 causes the rotation of the ball screw 45 connected through a timing belt 495 to the rotary shaft 492 , thereby moving the holding part 7 upwardly and downwardly. an expandable/contractible bellows 47 surrounding the shaft 41 and extending downwardly from the chamber bottom portion 62 is provided under the chamber bottom portion 62 , and has an upper end connected to the lower surface of the chamber bottom portion 62 . the bellows 47 has a lower end mounted to a bellows lower end plate 471 . the bellows lower end plate 471 is screw-held and mounted to the shaft 41 by a collar member 411 . the bellows 47 contracts when the holding part elevating mechanism 4 moves the holding part 7 upwardly relative to the chamber bottom portion 62 , and expands when the holding part elevating mechanism 4 moves the holding part 7 downwardly. when the holding part 7 moves upwardly and downwardly, the bellows 47 contracts and expands to maintain the heat treatment space 65 hermetically sealed. the holding part 7 includes the hot plate (or heating plate) 71 for preheating (or assist-heating) the semiconductor wafer w, and a susceptor 72 provided on the upper surface (a surface on which the holding part 7 holds the semiconductor wafer w) of the hot plate 71 . the shaft 41 for moving the holding part 7 upwardly and downwardly as mentioned above is connected to the lower surface of the holding part 7 . the susceptor 72 is made of quartz (or may be made of aluminum nitride (aln) or the like). pins 75 for preventing the semiconductor wafer w from shifting out of place are mounted on the upper surface of the susceptor 72 . the susceptor 72 is provided on the hot plate 71 , with the lower surface of the susceptor 72 in face-to-face contact with the upper surface of the hot plate 71 . thus, the susceptor 72 diffuses heat energy from the hot plate 71 to transfer the heat energy to the semiconductor wafer w placed on the upper surface of the susceptor 72 , and is removable from the hot plate 71 for cleaning during maintenance. the hot plate 71 includes an upper plate 73 and a lower plate 74 both made of stainless steel. resistance heating wires such as nichrome wires for heating the hot plate 71 are provided between the upper plate 73 and the lower plate 74 , and an electrically conductive brazing metal containing nickel (ni) fills the space between the upper plate 73 and the lower plate 74 to seal the resistance heating wires therewith. the upper plate 73 and the lower plate 74 have brazed or soldered ends. fig. 3 is a plan view of the hot plate 71 . as shown in fig. 3 , the hot plate 71 has a circular zone 711 and an annular zone 712 arranged in concentric relation with each other and positioned in a central portion of a region opposed to the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 , and four zones 713 to 716 into which a substantially annular region surrounding the zone 712 is circumferentially equally divided. slight gaps are formed between these zones 711 to 716 . the hot plate 71 is provided with three through holes 77 receiving the respective support pins 70 therethrough and circumferentially spaced 120° apart from each other in a gap between the zones 711 and 712 . in the six zones 711 to 716 , the resistance heating wires independent of each other are disposed so as to make a circuit to form heaters, respectively. the heaters incorporated in the respective zones 711 to 716 individually heat the respective zones. the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 is heated by the heaters incorporated in the six zones 711 to 716 . a sensor 710 for measuring the temperature of each zone by using a thermocouple is provided in each of the zones 711 to 716 . the sensors 710 pass through the interior of the generally cylindrical shaft 41 and are connected to the controller 3 . for heating the hot plate 71 , the controller 3 controls the amount of power supply to the resistance heating wires provided in the respective zones 711 to 716 so that the temperatures of the six zones 711 to 716 measured by the sensors 710 reach a previously set predetermined temperature. the temperature control in each zone by the controller 3 is pid (proportional, integral, derivative) control. in the hot plate 71 , the temperatures of the respective zones 711 to 716 are continually measured until the heat treatment of the semiconductor wafer w (the heat treatment of all semiconductor wafers w when the plurality of semiconductor wafers w are successively heat-treated) is completed, and the amounts of power supply to the resistance heating wires provided in the respective zones 711 to 716 are individually controlled, that is, the temperatures of the heaters incorporated in the respective zones 711 to 716 are individually controlled, whereby the temperatures of the respective zones 711 to 716 are maintained at the set temperature. the set temperature for the zones 711 to 716 may be changed by an individually set offset value from a reference temperature. the resistance heating wires provided in the six zones 711 to 716 are connected through power lines passing through the interior of the shaft 41 to a power source (not shown). the power lines extending from the power source to the zones 711 to 716 are disposed inside a stainless tube filled with an insulator of magnesia (magnesium oxide) or the like so as to be electrically insulated from each other. the interior of the shaft 41 is open to the atmosphere. next, the lamp house 5 will be described. the lamp house 5 includes a light source having the plurality of (in this preferred embodiment, 30) xenon flash lamps (referred to simply as “flash lamps” hereinafter) 69 , a reflector 52 provided over the light source so as to cover the light source, and a cooling box 20 provided over the reflector 52 . the light source, the reflector 52 , and the cooling box 20 are disposed within an enclosure 51 . a lamp light radiation window 53 is mounted in a bottom portion of the enclosure 51 of the lamp house 5 . the lamp light radiation window 53 constituting a floor portion of the lamp house 5 is a plate-like member made of quartz. the provision of the lamp house 5 over the chamber 6 places the lamp light radiation window 53 in opposed relation to the chamber window 61 . the lamp house 5 heats a semiconductor wafer w by directing a flash of light from the flash lamps 69 through the lamp light radiation window 53 and the chamber window 61 onto the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 within the chamber 6 . the plurality of flash lamps 69 each of which is a rodlike lamp having an elongated cylindrical configuration are arranged in an array in a plane so that the longitudinal directions of the respective flash lamps 69 are in parallel with each other along a major surface of the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 (in a horizontal direction). the plane defined by the array of the flash lamps 69 is a horizontal plane. each of the flash lamps 69 includes a rodlike glass tube (or discharge tube) containing xenon gas sealed therein and having positive and negative electrodes provided on opposite ends thereof and connected to a capacitor, and a trigger electrode wound on the outer peripheral surface of the glass tube. because the xenon gas is electrically insulative, no current flows in the discharge tube in a normal state. however, if a high voltage is applied to the trigger electrode to produce an electrical breakdown, electricity stored in the capacitor flows momentarily in the discharge tube, and the joule heat evolved at this time heats the xenon gas to cause light emission. the flash lamps 69 have the property of being capable of emitting much intenser light than a light source that stays lit continuously because previously stored electrostatic energy is converted into an ultrashort light pulse ranging from 0.1 millisecond to 10 milliseconds. the discharge tube of each of the flash lamps 69 according to the first preferred embodiment has a diameter of about 13 mm, and a spacing between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 in the lamp array is about 2 mm. a distance between the reflector 52 and the flash lamps 69 is about 20 mm, and a distance between the flash lamps 69 and the lamp light radiation window 53 is about 5 mm. fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of the cooling box 20 according to the first preferred embodiment. fig. 6 schematically illustrates a gas supply mechanism for the cooling box 20 . the cooling box 20 is a box-shaped member of a rectangular plan configuration with a buffer space 21 incorporated therein, and is disposed in face-to-face contact with the upper surface of the reflector 52 which is a reflecting plate for the flash lamps 69 . the fundamental function of the reflector 52 is to reflect a flash of light emitted from the plurality of flash lamps 69 toward the holding part 7 . the reflector 52 is a plate made of an aluminum (al) alloy, and has a surface (a surface facing the flash lamps 69 ) roughened by abrasive blasting to produce a satin finish thereon. the reason for such roughening is that the reflector 52 having a perfect mirror surface causes a regular pattern in the intensity of the light reflected from the plurality of flash lamps 69 to deteriorate the uniformity of the surface temperature distribution across the semiconductor wafer w. the reflector 52 may be affixed to the outer surface of the bottom portion of the cooling box 20 . alternatively, the reflector 52 and the cooling box 20 may be formed integrally. the buffer space 21 inside the cooling box 20 is divided into four compartments, i.e., subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d . the cooling box 20 includes a top plate (not shown in fig. 5 ) mounted over the structure shown in fig. 5 . with the top plate mounted over the structure shown in fig. 5 , the atmospheres in the respective subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d are isolated from each other by a partition wall. the bottom surface of each of the four subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d is formed with a plurality of jet openings 22 . the jet openings 22 are formed through a lower wall surface of the cooling box 20 and the reflector 52 . each of the jet openings 22 is an cylindrical hole having a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, and is formed so that the axis of the cylindrical hole extends in a vertical direction. each of the jet openings 22 has an upper end open to communicate with the buffer space 21 , and has a lower end open toward the light source including the plurality of flash lamps 69 . in other words, the jet openings 22 are provided so as to extend from the buffer space 21 toward the light source. as shown in fig. 5 , four gas supply ports 23 a , 23 b , 23 c and 23 d are provided on an outer side wall of the cooling box 20 . the gas supply port 23 b is in communication with an opening 24 b for the subspace 21 b via a pipe 24 a routed around the outer walls of the cooling box 20 and via a pipe formed to extend through the interior of the partition wall for partitioning the buffer space 21 . similarly, the gas supply port 23 a is in communication with an opening (positioned in symmetric relation to the opening 24 b ) for the subspace 21 a via a pipe formed to extend through the interior of the partition wall. the gas supply port 23 c , on the other hand, is in communication with an opening 24 c for the subspace 21 c via a pipe surrounding the outer walls. similarly, the gas supply port 23 d is in communication with an opening (positioned in symmetric relation to the opening 24 c ) for the subspace 21 d via a pipe surrounding the outer walls. a gas supply mechanism 30 supplies a predetermined gas (in this preferred embodiment, nitrogen gas) into the buffer space 21 of the cooling box 20 . the gas supply mechanism 30 includes a manual valve 31 , a regulator 32 , an air-operated valve 33 , and a filter 34 which are inserted in a gas pipe 37 . the gas pipe 37 has a proximal end connected in communication with a nitrogen gas supply source 99 . the nitrogen gas supply source 99 used herein may employ a utility system in a factory in which the heat treatment apparatus 1 is installed. the gas pipe 37 , on the other hand, has a distal end divided into four paths, i.e., branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d . the four branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d are connected to the gas supply ports 23 a , 23 b , 23 c and 23 d , respectively. thus, the four subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d into which the buffer space 21 is divided are connected in communication with the nitrogen gas supply source 99 via the gas pipe 37 . the manual valve 31 is a valve for manually opening and closing the gas pipe 37 . the regulator 32 regulates the pressure of the nitrogen gas passing through the gas pipe 37 . the air-operated valve 33 is provided to close the gas pipe 37 when the power is shut off, and is open when the heat treatment apparatus 1 is in normal operation. the filter 34 removes fine particles and the like from the nitrogen gas passing through the gas pipe 37 to purify the nitrogen gas. the manual valve 31 and the air-operated valve 33 are opened and the regulator 32 regulates the pressure based on a set value, whereby the nitrogen gas at a predetermined pressure fed from the nitrogen gas supply source 99 to the gas pipe 37 is separated and flows into the four branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d . in other words, the gas supply mechanism 30 supplies the nitrogen gas individually to the four subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d. needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d , and flow meters 36 a , 36 b , 36 c and 36 d are inserted in the four branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d , respectively. each of the needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d adjusts the flow rate of nitrogen gas flowing through a corresponding one of the branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d . each of the flow meters 36 a , 36 b , 36 c and 36 d measures the flow rate of nitrogen gas flowing through a corresponding one of the branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d . each of the needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d adjusts the flow rate, based on a set value, to thereby accomplish the individual adjustment of the flow rates of nitrogen gas supplied from the gas supply mechanism 30 to the four subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d . specifically, the controller 3 may automatically adjust the set values of the respective needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d , based on the measurement results of the flow meters 36 a , 36 b , 36 c and 36 d . alternatively, an operator of the heat treatment apparatus 1 may manually adjust the set values of the respective needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d while monitoring the flow meters 36 a , 36 b , 36 c and 36 d . in place of the flow meters and the needle valves, mass flow meters having the functions of both the flow meters and the needle valves may be inserted in the branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d , respectively. the nitrogen gas supplied through the four branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d is temporarily stored in the subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d , and is then ejected from the jet openings 22 formed in each of the subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d toward the light source. the pressure of the nitrogen gas in the buffer space 21 at this time is slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. fig. 7 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the jet openings 22 according to the first preferred embodiment. the plurality of jet openings 22 according to the first preferred embodiment are arranged in the form of a square-lattice in the bottom surface of each of the subspaces of the cooling box 20 , and are positioned just over gaps between the plurality of flash lamps 69 in the lamp array. thus, the nitrogen gas supplied into the subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d is ejected from the plurality of jet openings 22 toward the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 , as shown in fig. 8 . the ejected nitrogen gas passes through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 without being obstructed by the flash lamps 69 . the nitrogen gas ejected from the jet openings 22 and passing through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 is then blown against the lamp light radiation window 53 , as illustrated in fig. 8 . the flow rates of nitrogen gas supplied to the four subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d are individually adjustable in the first preferred embodiment. the flow rates of nitrogen gas ejected from the jet openings 22 in the subspaces are accordingly adjusted on a subspace-by-subspace basis. as a result, the flow rate of nitrogen gas blown against the lamp light radiation window 53 varies depending on regions lying over the lamp light radiation window 53 . referring again to figs. 1 and 4 , the lamp house 5 is provided with a pair of exhaust outlets 56 . the pair of exhaust outlets 56 are connected in communication with an exhaust mechanism not shown via exhaust pipes 57 , respectively. exhaust valves 58 are inserted in the respective exhaust pipes 57 . by opening the exhaust valves 58 , the gas within the lamp house 5 is exhausted through the exhaust outlets 56 to the outside. although the pair of exhaust pipes 57 and the pair of exhaust valves 58 are shown in figs. 1 and 4 , the exhaust pipes 57 connecting with the pair of exhaust outlets 56 may be joined together and a common exhaust valve 58 may be inserted therein. the nitrogen gas ejected from the cooling box 20 toward the light source passes through the gaps between the flash lamps 69 , and then reaches the lamp light radiation window 53 . thereafter, the nitrogen gas is formed into a pair of gas flows directed along the upper surface of the lamp light radiation window 53 toward the pair of exhaust outlets 56 . the pair of gas flows are sucked out and exhausted through the pair of exhaust outlets 56 . in the first preferred embodiment, the pair of exhaust outlets 56 are positioned symmetrically with respect to the cooling box 20 within the lamp house 5 . that is, the pair of exhaust outlets 56 exhaust the gas in two directions from the lamp house 5 , and the gas flows produced within the lamp house 5 by exhausting the gas are symmetric. the controller 3 shown in figs. 1 and 4 is similar in hardware construction to a typical computer. specifically, the controller 3 includes a cpu for performing various computation processes, a rom or read-only memory for storing a basic program therein, a ram or readable/writable memory for storing various pieces of information therein, a magnetic disk for storing control software and data therein, and the like. the controller 3 controls the motor 40 , the valves 82 and 87 , a feeder circuit for the flash lamps 69 , a feeder circuit for the heaters of the hot plate 71 , the exhaust valves 58 , and the gas supply mechanism 30 . the heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the first preferred embodiment includes a cooling structure (not shown) to prevent an excessive temperature rise in the chamber 6 because of the heat energy generated from the flash lamps 69 and the hot plate 71 during the heat treatment of the semiconductor wafer w. specifically, the chamber side portion 63 and the chamber bottom portion 62 of the chamber 6 are provided with a water cooling tube to exhaust the heat from the chamber 6 . next, a procedure for the treatment of a semiconductor wafer w in the heat treatment apparatus 1 will be briefly described. the semiconductor wafer w to be treated herein is a semiconductor substrate doped with impurities by an ion implantation process. the activation of the implanted impurities is achieved by a flash heating process in the heat treatment apparatus 1 . first, the holding part 7 is moved downwardly from the treatment position shown in fig. 4 to the transfer position shown in fig. 1 . the “treatment position” is a position in which the holding part 7 lies when the semiconductor wafer w is exposed to a flash of light emitted from the flash lamps 69 . the “treatment position” is the position of the holding part 7 shown in fig. 4 within the chamber 6 . the “transfer position” is a position in which the holding part 7 lies when the semiconductor wafer w is transported into and out of the chamber 6 . the “transfer position” is the position of the holding part 7 shown in fig. 1 within the chamber 6 . the reference position of the holding part 7 in the heat treatment apparatus 1 is the treatment position, and the holding part 7 is in the treatment position prior to the treatment. for the start of the treatment, the holding part 7 is moved downwardly to the transfer position. after the holding part 7 is moved downwardly to the transfer position, the holding part 7 is in close proximity to the chamber bottom portion 62 , and the upper ends of the support pins 70 protrude through the holding part 7 upwardly out of the holding part 7 , as shown in fig. 1 . next, when the holding part 7 is moved downwardly to the transfer position, the valve 82 and the valve 87 are opened to introduce nitrogen gas at room temperature into the heat treatment space 65 of the chamber 6 . subsequently, the transport opening 66 is opened by opening the gate valve 185 , and a transport robot outside the heat treatment apparatus 1 transports the ion-implanted semiconductor wafer w through the transport opening 66 into the chamber 6 and places the semiconductor wafer w onto the plurality of support pins 70 . the amount of nitrogen gas fed into the chamber 6 during the transport of the semiconductor wafer w into the chamber 6 shall be about 40 liters per minute. the nitrogen gas fed in the chamber 6 flows from the gas inlet buffer 83 in a direction indicated by the arrows ar 4 of fig. 2 , and is exhausted through the outlet passage 86 and the valve 87 shown in fig. 1 by using a utility exhaust system. part of the nitrogen gas fed into the chamber 6 is also exhausted from a discharge outlet (not shown) provided inside the bellows 47 . in steps to be described below, the nitrogen gas always continues to be fed into and exhausted from the chamber 6 , and the amount of nitrogen gas fed into the chamber 6 is changed to various amounts in accordance with the process steps of the semiconductor wafer w. after the semiconductor wafer w is transported into the chamber 6 , the gate valve 185 closes the transport opening 66 . next, the holding part elevating mechanism 4 moves the holding part 7 upwardly from the transfer position to the treatment position close to the chamber window 61 . in the course of the upward movement of the holding part 7 from the transfer position, the semiconductor wafer w is transferred from the support pins 70 to the susceptor 72 of the holding part 7 , and is placed and held on the upper surface of the susceptor 72 . when the holding part 7 is moved upwardly to the treatment position, the semiconductor wafer w placed on the susceptor 72 is also held in the treatment position. each of the six zones 711 to 716 of the hot plate 71 is already heated up to a predetermined temperature by the heater (the resistance heating wire) individually provided within each of the zones 711 to 716 (between the upper plate 73 and the lower plate 74 ). the holding part 7 is moved upwardly to the treatment position and the semiconductor wafer w comes in contact with the holding part 7 , whereby the semiconductor wafer w is preheated by the heaters incorporated in the hot plate 71 , and the temperature of the semiconductor wafer w increases gradually. preheating the semiconductor wafer w in the treatment position for about 60 seconds increases the temperature of the semiconductor wafer w up to a previously set preheating temperature t 1 . the preheating temperature t 1 shall range from about 200° c. to about 600° c., preferably from about 350° c. to about 550° c., at which there is no apprehension that the impurities implanted in the semiconductor wafer w are diffused by heat. a distance between the holding part 7 and the chamber window 61 is adjustable to any value by controlling the amount of rotation of the motor 40 of the holding part elevating mechanism 4 . after a lapse of the preheating time of about 60 seconds, a flash of light is emitted from the flash lamps 69 of the lamp house 5 toward the semiconductor wafer w under the control of the controller 3 while the holding part 7 remains in the treatment position. part of the light emitted from the flash lamps 69 travels directly to the holding part 7 within the chamber 6 . the remainder of the light is reflected by the reflector 52 , and the reflected light travels to the interior of the chamber 6 . such emission of the flash of light achieves the flash heating of the semiconductor wafer w. the flash heating, which is achieved by the emission of a flash of light from the flash lamps 69 , can raise the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer w in a short time. specifically, the flash of light emitted from the flash lamps 69 of the lamp house 5 is an intense flash of light emitted for an extremely short period of time ranging from about 0.1 millisecond to about 10 milliseconds because the previously stored electrostatic energy is converted into such an ultrashort light pulse. the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer w subjected to the flash heating by the emission of the flash of light from the flash lamps 69 momentarily rises to a treatment temperature t 2 of about 1000° c. to about 1100° c. after the impurities implanted in the semiconductor wafer w are activated, the surface temperature decreases rapidly. because of the capability of increasing and decreasing the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer w in an extremely short time, the heat treatment apparatus 1 can achieve the activation of the impurities while suppressing the diffusion of the impurities implanted in the semiconductor wafer w due to heat. such a diffusion phenomenon is also known as a round or dull profile of the impurities implanted in the semiconductor wafer w. because the time required for the activation of the implanted impurities is extremely short as compared with the time required for the thermal diffusion of the implanted impurities, the activation is completed in a short time ranging from about 0.1 millisecond to about 10 milliseconds during which no diffusion occurs. preheating the semiconductor wafer w by the holding part 7 prior to the flash heating allows the emission of the flash of light from the flash lamps 69 to rapidly increase the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer w up to the treatment temperature t 2 . after waiting in the treatment position for about 10 seconds following the completion of the flash heating, the holding part 7 is moved downwardly again to the transfer position shown in fig. 1 by the holding part elevating mechanism 4 , and the semiconductor wafer w is transferred from the holding part 7 to the support pins 70 . subsequently, the gate valve 185 opens the transport opening 66 having been closed, and the transport robot outside the heat treatment apparatus 1 transports the semiconductor wafer w placed on the support pins 70 outwardly. thus, the flash heating process of the semiconductor wafer w in the heat treatment apparatus 1 is completed. as discussed above, the nitrogen gas is continuously fed into the chamber 6 during the heat treatment of the semiconductor wafer w in the heat treatment apparatus 1 . the amount of nitrogen gas fed into the chamber 6 shall be about 30 liters per minute when the holding part 7 is in the treatment position, and be about 40 liters per minute when the holding part 7 is in other than the treatment position. the repeated execution of a series of flash heating processes as discussed above causes gradual accumulation of heat in the discharge tubes of the flash lamps 69 to increase the temperature thereof. this results mainly from the influence of the radiant heat from the hot plate 71 of the holding part 7 , rather than from the influence of the instantaneous emission of pulsed light from the flash lamps 69 themselves. specifically, the temperature of the hot plate 71 is raised up to about 200° c. to about 600° c. for the preheating of the semiconductor wafer w, and far infrared radiation of a relatively long wavelength emanates from the hot plate 71 . infrared radiation of a long wavelength is absorbed also by quartz. for this reason, the infrared radiation emanating from the hot plate 71 is first absorbed by the quartz chamber window 61 of the chamber 6 to raise the temperature of the chamber window 61 . in particular, since the reference position of the holding part 7 is the treatment position in close proximity to the chamber window 61 in the heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the first preferred embodiment, the hot plate 71 is in close proximity to the chamber window 61 except when the semiconductor wafer w is transported into and out of the chamber 6 , and the temperature of the chamber window 61 is easily raised by the radiant heat from the hot plate 71 . as the temperature of the chamber window 61 rises, infrared radiation of a long wavelength emanates also from the chamber window 61 , to thereby raise the temperature of the lamp light radiation window 53 (made of quartz) of the lamp house 5 . then, infrared radiation of a long wavelength emanates also from the lamp light radiation window 53 at a raised temperature, and is absorbed by the discharge tubes (made of quartz) of the flash lamps 69 to raise the temperature of the flash lamps 69 . part of the infrared radiation emanating from the hot plate 71 passes through the chamber window 61 and the lamp light radiation window 53 to directly heat the discharge tubes of the flash lamps 69 . in this manner, the discharge tubes of the flash lamps 69 are heated directly by the radiant heat from the hot plate 71 or indirectly via the chamber window 61 and the lamp light radiation window 53 . because of the continuous emanation of the infrared radiation from the hot plate 71 , heat is gradually accumulated in the flash lamps 69 to raise the temperature of the flash lamps 69 . the temperature of the flash lamps 69 is also raised by the radiant heat from the preheated semiconductor wafer w. in contrast, the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 is also thermally affected by the chamber window 61 and the lamp light radiation window 53 . specifically, infrared radiation emanates from the lamp light radiation window 53 at a raised temperature not only toward the flash lamps 69 but also toward the chamber window 61 . the infrared radiation emanating from the lamp light radiation window 53 toward the chamber window 61 is absorbed by the chamber window 61 to exert a thermal effect on the chamber window 61 . then, infrared radiation emanates also from the chamber window 61 toward the holding part 7 , and reaches the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 to exert an influence on the temperature of the semiconductor wafer w. for this reason, the heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the first preferred embodiment is adapted to eject the nitrogen gas from the jet openings 22 of the cooling box 20 toward the light source. the nitrogen gas ejected from the jet openings 22 passes through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 in the lamp array (or passes by the flash lamps 69 ), and is then blown against the lamp light radiation window 53 . the ejected nitrogen gas makes a heat exchange with the discharge tubes to cool down the flash lamps 69 when passing through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 . the ejected nitrogen gas further makes a heat exchange by being blown against the lamp light radiation window 53 , to cool down the lamp light radiation window 53 . that is, the cooling box 20 ejects the nitrogen gas toward the light source to thereby cool down not only the flash lamps 69 but also the lamp light radiation window 53 . in this manner, the plurality of flash lamps 69 constituting the light source are cooled down directly by the nitrogen gas ejected from the cooling box 20 . additionally, the lamp light radiation window 53 is cooled down to a lowered temperature, whereby the temperature rise due to the radiation from the lamp light radiation window 53 is suppressed. from the standpoint of the flash lamps 69 , the lamp light radiation window 53 is a main heat source from which the flash lamps 69 directly receive infrared radiation, and the cooling of the lamp light radiation window 53 means the decrease in the factors responsible for the heating of the flash lamps 69 because of the decrease in temperature of the main heat source. as a result, both the direct cooling using the nitrogen gas and the decrease in temperature of the lamp light radiation window 53 accomplish the effective cooling of the plurality of flash lamps 69 . the effective cooling of the flash lamps 69 not only prevents the deterioration of the flash lamps 69 to increase the lifetime of the flash lamps 69 but also allows a high setting of the preheating temperature of the semiconductor wafer w by the hot plate 71 , thereby achieving wide treating conditions of the annealing process of the semiconductor wafer w. further, the four subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d are arranged in symmetrically partitioned relation in the first preferred embodiment, as shown in figs. 5 and 6 . more strictly speaking, the subspaces 21 a and 21 b are arranged in symmetric relation to each other with respect to a central axis of the cooling box 20 extending in a vertical direction, and the subspaces 21 c and 21 d are arranged in symmetric relation to each other with respect to the central axis. in each of the subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d , the jet openings 22 are equidistantly spaced relative to each other to form a square-lattice. additionally, since the nitrogen gas supplied from the gas supply mechanism 30 is temporarily stored in the buffer space 21 and is then ejected from the plurality of jet openings 22 , uniform nitrogen gas flows are ejected from the plurality of jet openings 22 . thus, the flows of nitrogen gas produced by the ejection from the cooling box 20 are symmetric with respect to the central axis of the cooling box 20 extending in a vertical direction. the pair of exhaust outlets 56 , on the other hand, are positioned symmetrically with respect to the cooling box 20 within the lamp house 5 . thus, flows of nitrogen gas produced within the lamp house 5 by exhausting the gas through the pair of exhaust outlets 56 are symmetric with respect to the above-mentioned central axis of the cooling box 20 . as a result, the flows of nitrogen gas produced within the lamp house 5 by the cooling box 20 and the pair of exhaust outlets 56 , that is, the flows of nitrogen gas directed along the upper surface of the lamp light radiation window 53 toward the pair of exhaust outlets 56 are symmetric with respect to the above-mentioned central axis of the cooling box 20 . thus, the flows of nitrogen gas symmetric with respect to the central axis of the cooling box 20 cool down the lamp light radiation window 53 to provide good uniformity of the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 . the good uniformity of a temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 provides good uniformity of a temperature distribution across the chamber window 61 disposed in opposed relation to the lamp light radiation window 53 , and further improves the uniformity of an in-plane temperature distribution across the semiconductor wafer w held in opposed relation to and in close proximity to the chamber window 61 by the holding part 7 . if the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 becomes nonuniform, the needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d according to the first preferred embodiment may be used to individually adjust the flow rates of nitrogen gas supplied to the four subspaces 21 a , 21 b , 21 c and 21 d , respectively. this allows the individual adjustment of the flow rates of nitrogen gas blown against the respective regions of the lamp light radiation window 53 positioned under the subspaces of the cooling box 20 , thereby easily eliminating the nonuniformity of the temperature distribution occurring across the lamp light radiation window 53 . as an example, if there is a tendency for the lamp light radiation window 53 to be extremely higher in temperature in a peripheral portion thereof than in a central portion thereof, the adjustment is made so that the nitrogen gas is supplied at higher flow rates to the subspaces 21 c and 21 d of the cooling box 20 corresponding to the peripheral portion of the lamp light radiation window 53 . this increases the flow rates of nitrogen gas blown against the peripheral portion of the lamp light radiation window 53 to decrease the temperature of the peripheral portion of the lamp light radiation window 53 , thereby eliminating the nonuniformity of the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 . as a result, this improves the in-plane temperature distribution across the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 . 2. second preferred embodiment next, a second preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described. fig. 9 is a side sectional view showing the construction of a heat treatment apparatus 1 a according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. components in fig. 9 identical with those of the first preferred embodiment are designated by like reference numerals and characters illustrated in figs. 1 and 4 . the heat treatment apparatus 1 a according to the second preferred embodiment differs in gas supply and exhaust mechanisms in the lamp house 5 from the heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the first preferred embodiment. although the pair of exhaust outlets 56 are provided in the lamp house 5 according to the first preferred embodiment, a suction inlet 55 is provided in place of one of the exhaust outlets 56 in the lamp house 5 according to the second preferred embodiment. that is, the suction inlet 55 and the exhaust outlet 56 are provided in the lamp house 5 , as shown in fig. 9 . the exhaust outlet 56 is connected in communication with an exhaust mechanism not shown via the exhaust pipe 57 . the exhaust valve 58 is inserted in the exhaust pipe 57 . by opening the exhaust valve 58 , a negative pressure is exerted on the interior of lamp house 5 through the exhaust outlet 56 . as a result, outside air is sucked into the lamp house 5 through the suction inlet 55 . the lamp house 5 is designed so that the air sucked into the lamp house 5 through the suction inlet 55 flows between the reflector 52 and the lamp light radiation window 53 , that is, around the plurality of flash lamps 69 in a generally horizontal direction, and is exhausted through the exhaust outlet 56 . an air supply mechanism for supplying air to the suction inlet 55 may be additionally provided. in the second preferred embodiment, the exhaust outlet 56 is provided only on one side of a cooling box 120 , and the suction inlet 55 is provided on the other side thereof opposite from the one side. thus, the one-sided exhausting of the gas through the exhaust outlet 56 on one side of the cooling box 120 produces a one-way gas flow (or an asymmetric gas flow) directed from the suction inlet 55 toward the exhaust outlet 56 within the lamp house 5 . such a one-way gas flow is directed between the reflector 52 and the lamp light radiation window 53 , that is, along the upper surface of the lamp light radiation window 53 the temperature of which is raised by the radiant heat from the hot plate 71 and the semiconductor wafer w. this creates a temperature gradient along the one-way gas flow to result in a significantly nonuniform temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 . specifically, a first portion of the lamp light radiation window 53 which is closer to the suction inlet 55 is effectively cooled down so that the temperature of the first portion is greatly decreased because the first portion is always in contact with the gas flow at ordinary temperature. on the other hand, a second portion of the lamp light radiation window 53 which is closer to the exhaust outlet 56 is not cooled down so much so that the temperature of the second portion is decreased slightly because the second portion is always in contact with the gas flow the temperature of which is raised to some extent within the lamp house 5 . as a result, a temperature gradient such that the temperature increases in a direction from the suction inlet 55 toward the exhaust outlet 56 is created across the lamp light radiation window 53 . the temperature gradient created across the lamp light radiation window 53 exerts a thermal effect on the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 to make the in-plane temperature distribution across the semiconductor wafer w nonuniform. to solve such a problem, the cooling box 120 as shown in figs. 10 and 11 is provided in the lamp house 5 according to the second preferred embodiment. fig. 10 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of the cooling box 120 according to the second preferred embodiment. fig. 11 schematically illustrates a gas supply mechanism for the cooling box 120 . the cooling box 120 is a box-shaped member of a rectangular plan configuration with a buffer space 121 incorporated therein, and is disposed in face-to-face contact with the upper surface of the reflector 52 which is a reflecting plate for the flash lamps 69 . the cooling box 120 according to the second preferred embodiment is generally similar in external configuration to the cooling box 20 according to the first preferred embodiment, and the reflector 52 according to the second preferred embodiment is similar in construction and function to that according to the first preferred embodiment. the buffer space 121 inside the cooling box 120 is divided into four compartments, i.e., subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d . the cooling box 120 includes a top plate (not shown in fig. 10 ) mounted over the structure shown in fig. 10 . with the top plate mounted over the structure shown in fig. 10 , the atmospheres in the respective subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d are isolated from each other by a partition wall. the bottom surface of each of the four subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d is formed with the plurality of jet openings 22 . as in the first preferred embodiment, each of the jet openings 22 is an cylindrical hole having a diameter ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, and is formed through a lower wall surface of the cooling box 120 and the reflector 52 so that the axis of the cylindrical hole extends in a vertical direction. each of the jet openings 22 has an upper end open to communicate with the buffer space 121 , and has a lower end open toward the light source including the plurality of flash lamps 69 . in other words, the jet openings 22 are provided so as to extend from the buffer space 121 toward the light source. as shown in fig. 10 , four gas supply ports 123 a , 123 b , 123 c and 123 d are provided on an outer side wall of the cooling box 120 . the four gas supply ports 123 a , 123 b , 123 c and 123 d are in communication with the subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d , respectively. the gas supply mechanism 30 supplies a predetermined gas (in this preferred embodiment, nitrogen gas) into the buffer space 121 of the cooling box 120 . the gas supply mechanism 30 of the second preferred embodiment is exactly identical in construction with that of the first preferred embodiment, and components of the gas supply mechanisms 30 of the second preferred embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and characters as in fig. 6 . specifically, the gas supply mechanism 30 supplies the nitrogen gas from the nitrogen gas supply source 99 through the gas pipe 37 into the buffer space 121 . the four branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d into which the gas pipe 37 is divided are connected to the gas supply ports 123 a , 123 b , 123 c and 123 d , respectively. thus, the gas supply mechanism 30 supplies the nitrogen gas individually to the four subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d . each of the needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d adjusts the flow rate, based on a set value, to thereby accomplish the individual adjustment of the flow rates of nitrogen gas supplied from the gas supply mechanism 30 to the four subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d. the nitrogen gas supplied through the four branch pipes 37 a , 37 b , 37 c and 37 d flows into the subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d , respectively. at this time, the nitrogen gas fed from the branch pipe 37 a through the gas supply port 123 a impinges once on a buffer plate 125 a to decrease in gas flow velocity, thereby flowing into the subspace 121 a uniformly. the buffer plate 125 a is equal in height to the partition wall for partitioning the buffer space 121 . the nitrogen gas fed from the branch pipe 37 b through the gas supply port 123 b impinges once on a buffer plate 125 b to decrease in gas flow velocity, thereby flowing into the subspace 121 b uniformly. the buffer plate 125 b is constructed as part of the partition wall for partitioning the buffer space 121 . similarly, the nitrogen gas fed from the branch pipe 37 c through the gas supply port 123 c impinges once on a buffer plate 125 c to decrease in gas flow velocity, thereby flowing into the subspace 121 c uniformly. the buffer plate 125 c is equal in height to the partition wall for partitioning the buffer space 121 . on the other hand, the nitrogen gas fed from the branch pipe 37 d through the gas supply port 123 d flows through a flow passage space 125 d , passes over a buffer wall 125 e , and then flows into the subspace 121 d . the height of the buffer wall 125 e is less than that of the partition wall for partitioning the buffer space 121 . the flow of nitrogen gas passes over the buffer wall 125 e to thereby flow into the subspace 121 d uniformly. it should be noted that the flow passage space 125 d is not a component of the buffer space 121 . the nitrogen gas supplied into the subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d in this manner is temporarily stored therein, and is then ejected from the jet openings 22 formed in each of the subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d toward the light source. the pressure of the nitrogen gas in the buffer space 121 at this time is slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. fig. 12 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the jet openings 22 according to the second preferred embodiment. the plurality of jet openings 22 according to the second preferred embodiment are arranged in the form of a triangular-lattice in the bottom surface of each of the subspaces of the cooling box 120 , and are positioned just over gaps between the plurality of flash lamps 69 in the lamp array. thus, the nitrogen gas supplied into the subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d is ejected from the plurality of jet openings 22 toward the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 , as in the first preferred embodiment (see fig. 8 ). the ejected nitrogen gas passes through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 without being obstructed by the flash lamps 69 . the nitrogen gas ejected from the jet openings 22 and passing through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 is then blown against the lamp light radiation window 53 . as illustrated in fig. 11 , the cooling box 120 according to the second preferred embodiment is formed with the jet openings 22 arranged asymmetrically. as discussed above, a temperature gradient such that the temperature increases in a direction from the suction inlet 55 toward the exhaust outlet 56 (or the temperature increases in a direction indicated by the arrow ar 11 ) is created across the lamp light radiation window 53 because of the gas flow produced by the suction inlet 55 and the exhaust outlet 56 . the number of jet openings 22 disposed in a portion of the cooling box 120 closer to the exhaust outlet 56 (or a region of the cooling box 120 opposed to a relatively high temperature region of the lamp light radiation window 53 ) is greater than the number of jet openings 22 disposed in a portion of the cooling box 120 closer to the suction inlet 55 (or a region of the cooling box 120 opposed to a relatively low temperature region of the lamp light radiation window 53 ). thus, more nitrogen gas flows are blown against the relatively high temperature region of the lamp light radiation window 53 than against the relatively low temperature region thereof. the jet openings 22 are arranged at a uniform density throughout the cooling box 120 , and the four subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d are approximately equal in the number of jet openings 22 . thus, the supply of nitrogen gas at an equal flow rate into the subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d provides an approximately equal flow rate of nitrogen gas ejected from the individual jet openings 22 formed in the cooling box 120 without making a distinction between the subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d. the flow rates of nitrogen gas supplied to the four subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d are individually adjustable also in the second preferred embodiment. the flow rates of nitrogen gas ejected from the jet openings 22 in the subspaces are accordingly adjusted on a subspace-by-subspace basis. as a result, the flow rate of nitrogen gas blown against the lamp light radiation window 53 varies depending on regions lying over the lamp light radiation window 53 . the heat treatment apparatus 1 a according to the second preferred embodiment is similar in construction except the foregoing to the heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the first preferred embodiment. the procedure for the treatment of the semiconductor wafer w in the heat treatment apparatus 1 a according to the second preferred embodiment is also similar to that according to the first preferred embodiment. the heat treatment apparatus 1 a according to the second preferred embodiment is also adapted to eject the nitrogen gas from the jet openings 22 of the cooling box 120 toward the light source. the nitrogen gas ejected from the jet openings 22 passes through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 in the lamp array, and is then blown against the lamp light radiation window 53 . the ejected nitrogen gas makes a heat exchange with the discharge tubes to cool down the flash lamps 69 when passing through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps 69 . the ejected nitrogen gas further makes a heat exchange by being blown against the lamp light radiation window 53 , to cool down the lamp light radiation window 53 . in this manner, the plurality of flash lamps 69 constituting the light source are cooled down directly by the nitrogen gas ejected from the cooling box 120 , as in the first preferred embodiment. additionally, the lamp light radiation window 53 is cooled down to a lowered temperature, whereby the temperature rise due to the radiation from the lamp light radiation window 53 is suppressed. as a result, both the direct cooling using the nitrogen gas and the decrease in temperature of the lamp light radiation window 53 accomplish the effective cooling of the plurality of flash lamps 69 . the effective cooling of the flash lamps 69 not only prevents the deterioration of the flash lamps 69 to increase the lifetime of the flash lamps 69 but also allows a high setting of the preheating temperature of the semiconductor wafer w by the hot plate 71 , thereby achieving wide treating conditions of the annealing process of the semiconductor wafer w. in the second preferred embodiment, the one-sided exhausting of the gas through the exhaust outlet 56 provided only on one side of the cooling box 120 creates a temperature gradient across the lamp light radiation window 53 such that the temperature increases in a direction from the suction inlet 55 toward the exhaust outlet 56 . in corresponding relation to the temperature gradient, the cooling box 120 is formed with the plurality of jet openings 22 arranged asymmetrically so that the number of jet openings 22 in the region of the cooling box 120 opposed to the relatively high temperature region of the lamp light radiation window 53 is greater than the number of jet openings 22 in the region of the cooling box 120 opposed to the relatively low temperature region of the lamp light radiation window 53 . thus, more nitrogen gas flows are blown against the relatively high temperature region of the lamp light radiation window 53 than against the relatively low temperature region thereof. the relatively high temperature region is cooled down more intensively. in other words, the jet openings 22 are arranged asymmetrically in the cooling box 120 so as to reduce the nonuniformity of the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 resulting from the one-sided exhausting of the gas through the exhaust outlet 56 , whereby the flow rate of the nitrogen gas ejected is adjusted. as a result, the good uniformity of the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 provides good uniformity of the temperature distribution across the chamber window 61 disposed in opposed relation to the lamp light radiation window 53 , and further improves the uniformity of an in-plane temperature distribution across the semiconductor wafer w held in opposed relation to and in close proximity to the chamber window 61 by the holding part 7 . if the supply of nitrogen gas at an equal flow rate into the four subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d does not sufficiently eliminate the nonuniformity of the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 , the needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d may be used to individually adjust the flow rates of nitrogen gas supplied to the four subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d , respectively, thereby easily eliminating the nonuniformity of the temperature distribution occurring across the lamp light radiation window 53 . as an example, if the temperature of the second portion of the lamp light radiation window 53 closer to the exhaust outlet 56 is still high, the adjustment is made so that the nitrogen gas is supplied at a higher flow rate to the subspace 121 a of the cooling box 120 closer to the exhaust outlet 56 . this increases the flow rate of nitrogen gas blown against the second portion of the lamp light radiation window 53 closer to the exhaust outlet 56 to decrease the temperature of the second portion of the lamp light radiation window 53 , thereby eliminating the nonuniformity of the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 . as a result, this improves the in-plane temperature distribution across the semiconductor wafer w held by the holding part 7 . that is, the individual adjustment of the flow rates of nitrogen gas supplied to the four subspaces 121 a , 121 b , 121 c and 121 d may be made using the needle valves 35 a , 35 b , 35 c and 35 d so as to reduce the nonuniformity of the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 resulting from the one-sided exhausting of the gas through the exhaust outlet 56 . the first preferred embodiment provides the uniform temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 more easily because of the capability of making the gas flows produced within the lamp house 5 symmetric with respect to the central axis. the first preferred embodiment also accomplishes more effective cooling of the flash lamps 69 and the lamp light radiation window 53 by the use of the high flow rate of nitrogen gas because of the arrangement of the jet openings 22 in the form of a square-lattice. the first preferred embodiment, however, is required to supply all of the gas for cooling the lamp house 5 through the cooling box 20 , resulting in the consumption of a large amount of nitrogen gas for cooling. the second preferred embodiment, on the other hand, finds slight difficulty in adjusting the flow rates of nitrogen gas supplied to the respective subspaces so as to make the temperature distribution across the lamp light radiation window 53 uniform. however, the second preferred embodiment requires a small amount of nitrogen gas supplied through the cooling box 120 because of the capability of introducing the cooling gas also through the suction inlet 55 . it is hence preferred to implement the first preferred embodiment when a utility system in a factory in which the heat treatment apparatus is installed can provide a large amount of cooling gas, and to implement the second preferred embodiment when the utility system can provide only a small amount of cooling gas. 3. modifications although the preferred embodiments according to the present invention have been described hereinabove, various modifications in addition to the above may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. for example, the plurality of jet openings 22 according to the first preferred embodiment may be arranged in the form of a triangular-lattice, and the plurality of jet openings 22 according to the second preferred embodiment may be arranged in the form of a square-lattice. the arrangement of the plurality of jet openings 22 in the form of a square-lattice allows the ejection of a greater amount of nitrogen gas. this provides an increased contact area between the nitrogen gas and the discharge tubes of the flash lamps 69 to improve a cooling effect. on the other hand, the arrangement of the plurality of jet openings 22 in the form of a triangular-lattice allows the reduction in the total number of jet openings 22 . this suppresses the increase in the consumption of the nitrogen gas. the cooling gas ejected from the cooling boxes 20 and 120 is the nitrogen gas in the preferred embodiments described above. the type of gas used herein, however, is not limited to the nitrogen gas, but may be a gas having a cooling function. as an example, air may be used as the cooling gas. since the cooling gas is consumed in large amounts, inexpensive air or nitrogen gas is preferably used as the cooling gas from the viewpoint of suppressing the increase in costs. each of the cooling boxes 20 and 120 is divided into four compartments in the preferred embodiments described above. however, the number of compartments into which the cooling box is divided is not limited to four, but may be any number equal to or greater than two. although the 30 flash lamps 69 are provided in the lamp house 5 according to the preferred embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited to this. any number of flash lamps 69 may be provided. the flash lamps 69 are not limited to the xenon flash lamps but may be krypton flash lamps. the preferred embodiments described above suppress the thermal effect of the chamber window 61 to suppress the accumulation of heat in the flash lamps 69 by blowing the nitrogen gas against the lamp light radiation window 53 of the lamp house 5 . in an instance where the lamp house 5 and the chamber 6 are provided integrally and a single common quartz member serving as both the lamp light radiation window and the chamber window is used as a radiation window, the use of the nitrogen gas blown through the gaps between the flash lamps 69 against the radiation window suppresses the temperature rise of the radiation window, to thereby suppress the accumulation of heat in the flash lamps 69 , as in the preferred embodiments described above. in the preferred embodiments described above, the ion activation process is performed by exposing the semiconductor wafer to light. the substrate to be treated by the heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the semiconductor wafer. for example, the heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention may perform the treatment on a glass substrate formed with various silicon films including a silicon nitride film, a polycrystalline silicon film and the like. as an example, silicon ions are implanted into a polycrystalline silicon film formed on a glass substrate by a cvd process to form an amorphous silicon film, and a silicon oxide film serving as an anti-reflection film is formed on the amorphous silicon film. in this state, the heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention may expose the entire surface of the amorphous silicon film to light to polycrystallize the amorphous silicon film, thereby forming a polycrystalline silicon film. another modification may be made in a manner to be described below. a tft substrate is prepared such that an underlying silicon oxide film and a polysilicon film produced by crystallizing amorphous silicon are formed on a glass substrate and the polysilicon film is doped with impurities such as phosphorus or boron. the heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention may expose the tft substrate to light to activate the impurities implanted in the doping step. while the invention has been described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive. it is understood that numerous other modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention.
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140-533-677-367-663
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JP
|
[
"JP",
"US",
"CN"
] |
F15B9/09,G05B23/02,G05B15/02,F16K37/00,F16K31/02,F15B5/00
| 2012-03-12T00:00:00 |
2012
|
[
"F15",
"G05",
"F16"
] |
device and method for acquiring parameter
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problem to be solved: to obtain hysteresis, intercepts and other parameters all together by only one operation achieving a gain of input and output characteristics.solution: an epm operation signal (control signal) mv is changed in a specific order, and a data pair of the control signal mv and a valve opening signal pv is obtained. for example, pv(1) and mv(1-1) as a first data pair, pv(2) and mv(2-1) as a second data pair, pv(2) and mv(2-2) as a third data pair and pv(1) and mv(1-2) as a forth data pair are obtained. from these first-forth data pairs, gain g, hysteresis h and intercept c are obtained all together. it is possible to omit the forth data pair, from the first to third data pair, and obtain gain g, hysteresis h and intercept c all one time.
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1 : a parameter acquiring device for acquiring parameters for a control valve that is structured from a regulator valve and a positioner that controls an opening of the regulator valve, the parameter acquiring device comprising: a controlling valve operating unit that operates a controlling valve in an opening direction and in a closing direction by changing, in a specific sequence, a control signal that controls the opening of the regulator valve; a valve opening signal acquiring unit that acquires, as a valve opening signal, a signal indicating an actual opening of the regulator valve; and a parameter calculator that defines, as a first data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a first intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction, defines, as a second data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a second intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction, defines, as a third data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a third intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction, defines, as a fourth data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a fourth intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction, acquires at least three of the first through fourth data pairs, and calculates a parameter of the control valve based on the data pairs that have been acquired. 2 : the parameter acquiring device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the parameter calculator calculates, as a parameter, a gain of an input/output characteristic of the control valve. 3 : the parameter acquiring device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the parameter calculator calculates, as a parameter, a hysteresis of an input/output characteristic of the control valve. 4 : the parameter acquiring device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the parameter calculator calculates, as a parameter, an intercept of an input/output characteristic of the control valve. 5 : the parameter acquiring device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the parameter calculator calculates a control parameter for operation in the opening direction, for use when the regulator valve is operated in the opening direction, based on the first data pair and the second data pair, and a control parameter for operation in the closing direction, for use when the regulator valve is operated in the closing direction, based on the third data pair and the fourth data pair. 6 : the parameter acquiring device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the parameter calculator defines the first intermediate opening and the fourth intermediate opening as a same opening and defines the second intermediate opening and the third intermediate opening as a same opening, and calculates a parameter for the control valve based on the data pairs obtained. 7 : the parameter acquiring device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the control signal is an input signal to the positioner, a drive signal to an electropneumatic converter within the positioner, an input pressure into a pressure amplifier within the positioner, or an input pressure from the positioner into an operating device that drives the regulator valve. 8 : a parameter acquiring method for acquiring parameters for a control valve that is structured from a regulator valve and a positioner that controls an opening of the regulator valve, the parameter acquiring method comprising: a step for operating a controlling valve in an opening direction and in a closing direction by changing, in a specific sequence, a control signal for controlling the opening of the regulator valve; a valve opening signal acquiring step for acquiring, as a valve opening signal, a signal indicating an actual opening of the regulator valve; and a parameter calculating step for defining, as a first data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a first intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction, defining, as a second data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a second intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction, defining, as a third data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a third intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction, defining, as a fourth data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a fourth intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction, acquiring at least three of the first through fourth data pairs, and calculating a parameter of the control valve based on the data pairs that have been acquired.
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cross reference to related application this application claims priority to japanese patent application no. 2012-054763, filed on mar. 12, 2012, the entire content of which being hereby incorporated herein by reference. field of technology the present invention relates to a parameter acquiring device and method for acquiring parameters for a control valve that is structured from a regulator valve and a positioner that controls the opening of the regulator valve. background conventionally, in chemical plants, and the like, positioners are provided for regulator valves that are used in flow rate processes, where the openings of the regulator valves are controlled by the positioners. a positioner is provided with a calculating portion for calculating a deviation between an opening setting value, which is sent from a higher-level device, and the actual opening that is fed back from the regulator valve, to generate, as a control output, a control signal that is dependent on that deviation, an electropneumatic converting device for converting the control output that is generated by the calculating portion into a pneumatic pressure signal, and a pilot relay for amplifying the pneumatic pressure signal, converted by the electropneumatic converting device, and outputting it to an operating device of the regulator valve as an amplified pneumatic pressure signal. see, for example, japanese unexamined utility model registration application publication s62-28118. fig. 6 illustrates the flow of input/output signals in a control valve structured from a positioner and a regulator valve. in this figure, 100 is the positioner, 200 is the regulator valve, and 300 is the control valve that is structured from the positioner 100 and the regulator valve 200 , where the positioner 100 is provided with an electric module 1 , an epm (an electropneumatic converting module) 2 , and a pilot relay (a pneumatic pressure amplifying module) 3 . the electric module 1 inputs an opening setting signal iin and a signal (the valve opening signal) pv that indicates the actual opening x of a valve, fed back from the regulator valve 200 , to produce, as a control output, an epm driving signal (a pwm signal (duty signal)) mv. the epm 2 inputs the epm driving signal mv from the electric module 1 , and converts this epm driving signal mv into a nozzle back pressure pn. the pilot relay 3 inputs the nozzle back pressure pn from the epm 2 , to produce the operating device pressure po from the nozzle back pressure pn. the regulator valve 200 inputs the operating device pressure po from the positioner 100 , to regulate the opening x of the valve depending on the operating device pressure po. in such a control valve 300 , the positioner 100 has an auto tuning function, and, for example, automatically obtains the gain of the input/output characteristics of the control valve 300 in order to determine the control parameter. for example, in the positioner disclosed in japanese patent 4244507, as illustrated in fig. 7 , the initial value mv(0) for the epm driving signal mv is outputted and a check is performed as to whether or not the valve opening signal pv(0) is in the operating range, the epm driving signal mv(1) is outputted and the valve opening signal pv(1) is obtained, following which the epm driving signal mv(2) is outputted and the valve opening signal pv(2) is obtained, and the input/output characteristic gain of the control valve is calculated from the amount of change between the epm drive signals mv(1) and mv(2) and the amount of change between the valve opening signals pv(1) and pv(2). in this case, the epm drive signals mv are changed in the same direction, that is, the opening of the valve is changed in the same direction, and thus the input/output characteristic gain is calculated with the hysteresis canceled out. however, in the method illustrated in fig. 7 , it is not possible to calculate all at once parameters such as input/output characteristic hysteresis and intercept, and the like, through the single action of calculating the gain for the input/output characteristics. fig. 8 illustrates the relationship between the epm driving signal mv and the valve opening signal pv (that is, the input/output characteristics) when the regulator valve is caused to undergo reciprocating motion. in these input/output characteristics, h indicates a hysteresis and c indicates the intercept. note that hysteresis is used when determining control parameters (referencing, for example, japanese patent 3511458), and used as a parameter in fault evaluations. in japanese unexamined patent application publication 2003-308101, for example, the hysteresis is used in a comparison with the frictional force at the time of proper operation. the intercept can be used as a parameter when calculating a fluid reactive force. the present invention was created in order to solve such problems, and an aspect of the present invention is to provide a parameter acquiring device and method wherein it is possible to calculate all at once other parameters, such as hysteresis and the intercept, in a single operation of calculating the gain of the input/output characteristics. summary in order to achieve the above-described aspect, the present invention provides a parameter acquiring device for acquiring parameters for a control valve that is structured from a regulator valve and a positioner that controls the opening of the regulator valve. the parameter acquiring device has a controlling valve operating unit that operates a controlling valve in an opening direction and in a closing direction by changing, in a specific sequence, a control signal that controls the opening of the regulator valve, a valve opening signal acquiring unit that acquires, as a valve opening signal, a signal indicating the actual opening of the regulator valve, a parameter calculator that defines, as a first data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a first intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction, defines, as a second data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a second intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction, defines, as a third data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a third intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction, defines, as a fourth data pair, the valve opening signal and the control signal when the regulator valve is at a fourth intermediate opening when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction, acquires at least three of the first through fourth data pairs, and calculates a parameter of the control valve based on the data pairs that have been acquired. in this invention, if, for example, a first intermediate opening and a fourth intermediate opening are defined as the same opening, a second intermediate opening and a third intermediate opening are defined as the same opening, the valve opening signal at the first intermediate opening for a regulator valve when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction is defined as pv(1) and the control signal at that time is defined as mv(1−1), the valve opening signal at the second intermediate opening for a regulator valve when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction is defined as pv(2) and the control signal at that time is defined as mv(2−1), and the valve opening signal at the third intermediate opening for a regulator valve when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction is defined as pv(2) and the control signal at that time is defined as mv(2−2), the valve opening signal at the fourth intermediate opening for a regulator valve when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction is defined as pv(1) and the control signal at that time is defined as mv(1−2), then, of a first data pair (pv(1), mv(1−1)), a second data pair (pv(2), mv(2−1)), a third data pair (pv(2), mv(2−2)), and a fourth data pair (pv(1), mv(1−2)), at least three data pairs are acquired, and the parameters of the control valve are calculated based on the data pairs that are acquired. for example, when the first data pair (pv(1), mv(1−1)), the second data pair (pv(2), mv(2−1)), the third data pair (pv(2), mv(2−2)), and the fourth data pair (pv(1), mv(1−2)) are used, the gain g can be calculated following equation (a), below, the hysteresis h can be calculated following equation (b), below, and the intercept c can be calculated following equation (c), below. g= 2×( pv (2)− pv (1))/{( mv (2−1)+ mv (2−2))−( mv (1−1)+ mv (1−2))} (a) h ={( mv (2−1)− mv (2−2))+( mv (1−1)− mv (1−2))}/2 (b) c=pv (1)− gx ( mv (1−1)+ mv (1−2))/2 (c) for example, when the first data pair (pv(1), mv(1−1)), the second data pair (pv(2), mv(2−1)), and the third data pair (pv(2), mv(2−2)) are used, the gain g can be calculated following equation (d), below, the hysteresis h can be calculated following equation (e), below, and the intercept c can be calculated following equation (f), below. g =( pv (2)− pv (1))/( mv (2−1)− mv (1−1)) (d) h=mv (2−1)− mv (2−2) (e) c=pv (2)− gx ( mv (2−1)+ mv (2−2))/2 (f) for example, when the first data pair (pv(1), mv(1−1)), the second data pair (pv(2), mv(2−1)), and the fourth data pair (pv(1), mv(1−2)) are used, the gain g can be calculated following equation (g), below, the hysteresis h can be calculated following equation (h), below, and the intercept c can be calculated following equation (i), below. g =( pv (2)− pv (1))/( mv (2−1)− mv (1−1)) (g) h=mv (1−1)− mv (1−2) (h) c=pv (1)− gx ( mv (1−1)+ mv (1−2))/2 (i) in this invention, the first intermediate opening and the fourth intermediate opening, and the second intermediate opening and the third intermediate opening, need not necessarily be identical openings, but all may be different openings. even if all are different openings, the gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c can still all be calculated easily using geometric calculations. moreover, a control parameter for operating in the opening direction, for use when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction, can be calculated based on the first data pair and the second data pair, and a control parameter for operating in the closing direction, for use when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction, can be calculated based on the third data pair and the fourth data pair. moreover, in the present invention the control signal may use an input signal into a positioner, a drive signal into an electropneumatic converter within a positioner, an input pressure into a pressure amplifier within a positioner, or an input pressure from a positioner into an operating device for driving the regulator valve. moreover, the present invention may be embodied as a parameter acquiring method rather than a parameter acquiring device. in the present invention, a valve opening signal, and the control signal at that time, at a first intermediate opening of a regulator valve when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction is defined as a first data pair, a valve opening signal, and the control signal at that time, at a second intermediate opening of a regulator valve when the regulator valve is operating in the opening direction is defined as a second data pair, a valve opening signal, and the control signal at that time, at a third intermediate opening of a regulator valve when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction is defined as a third data pair, and a valve opening signal, and the control signal at that time, at a fourth intermediate opening of a regulator valve when the regulator valve is operating in the closing direction is defined as a fourth data pair, and at least three of these first through fourth data pairs are acquired, to calculate control valve parameters based on the data pairs that have been acquired, thus making it possible to calculate, all at once, other parameters, such as the hysteresis and the intercept, in the same single operation as calculating the gain of the input/output characteristics. moreover, because, in the present invention, other parameters, such as the hysteresis and the intercept, can be calculated all at once in the single operation for calculating the gain of the input/output characteristics, that is, because the function for calculating the other parameters such as the hysteresis and the intercept, and the like, can be combined with the function for calculating the gain of the input/output characteristics, it is possible to eliminate any cost increases that would result from the additional function. furthermore, combining these functions ties to an increase in operational efficiency and a decrease in operating errors on behalf of an operator who would have to handle many different types of operations since a behavior to be understood in advance can be limited to one behavior when setting the fault evaluating parameters separately from the control parameters rather than performing automatic tuning. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the structure of an example of a parameter acquiring device according to the present invention. fig. 2 is a flowchart of example of a processing operation executed by a cpu in the parameter acquiring device. fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the change sequence of the epm driving signal mv in response to operating instructions from the cpu in the example. fig. 4 is a flowchart of another example of a processing operation executed by a cpu in the parameter acquiring device. fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the change sequence of the epm driving signal mv in response to operating instructions from the cpu in the another example. fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating the flow of input/output signals in a control valve structured from a positioner and a regulator valve. fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operations when acquiring the gain input/output characteristic of the control valve for the positioner illustrated in japanese patent 4244507. fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the epm driving signal mv and the valve opening signal pv (the input/output characteristics) in the case of a reciprocating operation of the regulator valve. detailed description examples according to the present invention will be explained below in detail, based on the drawings. fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a parameter acquiring device according to the present invention. in this figure, codes that are the same as those in fig. 6 indicate identical or equivalent structural elements as the structural elements explained in reference to fig. 6 , and explanations thereof are omitted. in the example, a parameter acquiring device 400 is provided with a cpu 4 , a memory portion 5 such as a rom or a ram, and interfaces 6 and 7 . note that this parameter acquiring device 400 may be provided within a positioner 100 , or may be provided outside of the positioner 100 . fig. 1 illustrates the example wherein it is provided outside of the positioner 100 . the cpu 4 branch inputs, through the interface 6 , the valve opening signal pv that is fed back from the regulator valve 200 , and branch inputs, through the interface 7 , the epm drive signal mv from the electric module 1 to the epm 2 . furthermore, the cpu 4 operates following a parameter acquiring program pg that is stored in the memory portion 5 to send, to the electric module 1 , operating instructions s 1 for changing the epm drive signal mv in a specific sequence. example fig. 2 and fig. 3 will be referenced below to explain example of processing operations executed by the cpu 4 following the parameter acquiring program pg. note that fig. 2 shows a flowchart of the processing operations executed by the cpu 4 , and fig. 3 shows the sequence of changes in the epm drive signal mv in response to operating instructions s 1 from the cpu 4 . in the below, the epm drive signal mv that changes in response to an operating instruction s 1 will be termed a “control signal.” the cpu 4 sets the control signal mv to an initial value mv(0), and waits for the valve opening signal pv to stabilize (step s 101 ). after the valve opening signal pv has stabilized to become the valve opening signal pv(0), the control signal mv is increased until the valve opening signal pv goes to pv(2) (step s 102 ). this causes the regulator valve 200 to operate in the opening direction. in the process of increasing the valve opening signal pv from pv(0) to pv(2), the cpu 4 stores, as a control signal mv(1−1) at a first intermediate opening x 1 , the control signal mv at the time that the valve opening signal pv has reached pv(1) (step s 102 - 1 , referencing arrow ( 1 ) in fig. 3 ), and stores as the control signal mv(2−1) at a second intermediate opening x 2 the control signal mv from when the valve opening signal pv reached pv(2) (step s 102 - 2 , referencing arrow ( 2 ) in fig. 3 ). following this, when the cpu 4 confirms that the valve opening signal pv has reached pv(2), it reduces the control signal mv until the valve opening signal pv reaches pv(1) (step s 103 ). this causes the regulator valve 200 to operate in the closing direction. in the process of decreasing the valve opening signal pv from pv(2) to pv(1), the cpu 4 stores, as a control signal mv(2−2) at a second intermediate opening x 2 , the control signal mv at the time that the valve opening signal pv begins to move (step s 103 - 1 , referencing arrow ( 3 ) in fig. 3 ), and stores as the control signal mv(1−2) at the first intermediate opening x 1 the control signal mv from when the valve opening signal pv reached pv(1) (step s 103 - 2 , referencing arrow ( 4 ) in fig. 3 ). moreover, the cpu 4 defines pv(1) and mv(1−1) as a first data pair, pv(2) and mv(2−1) as a second data pair, pv(2) and mv(2−2) as a third data pair, and pv(1) and mv(1−2) as a fourth data pair, and calculates, from the first data pair (pv(1), mv(1−1)), the second data pair (pv(2), mv(2−1)), the third data pair (pv(2), mv(2−2)), and the fourth data pair (pv(1), mv(1−2)), the input/output characteristic gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c, for the control valve 300 all at once (step s 104 ). at this time, the cpu 4 calculates the gain g following equation (1), below, calculates the hysteresis h following equation (2), below, and calculates the intercept c following equation (3), below: g= 2×( pv (2)− pv (1))/{( mv (2−1)+ mv (2−2))−( mv (1−1)+ mv (1−2))} (1) h ={( mv (2−1)− mv (2−2))+( mv (1−1)− mv (1−2))}/2 (2) c=pv (1)− gx ( mv (1−1)+ mv (1−2))/2 (3) note that equation (1) is an equation that that may be rewritten as: g =( pv (2)− v (1))/[{( mv (2−1)+ mv (2−2))/2}−{( mv (1−1)+ mv (1−2))/2}] after this, the cpu 4 stores the calculated gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c in the memory portion 5 as parameters for the control valve 300 (step s 105 ). another example fig. 4 and fig. 5 will be referenced next to explain another example of processing operations executed by the cpu 4 following the parameter acquiring program pg. the cpu 4 sets the control signal mv to an initial value mv(0), and waits for the valve opening signal pv to stabilize (step s 201 ). after the valve opening signal pv has stabilized to become the valve opening signal pv(0), the control signal mv is increased until the valve opening signal pv arrives at to pv(1) (step s 202 , referencing arrow ( 1 ) in fig. 5 ). this causes the regulator valve 200 to operate in the opening direction. following this, the cpu 4 stores, as the control signal mv(1−1) at the first intermediate opening x 1 , the control signal mv at the time that the valve opening signal pv has reached pv(1) (step s 203 ). following this, when the cpu 4 confirms that the valve opening signal pv has reached pv(1), it reduces the control signal mv until the valve opening signal pv begins to move (step s 204 , referencing arrow ( 2 ) in fig. 5 ). this causes the regulator valve 200 to operate in the closing direction. following this, the cpu 4 stores, as the control signal mv(1−2) at the second intermediate opening x 1 , the control signal mv at the time that the valve opening signal pv began to move (step s 205 ). following this, when the cpu 4 has confirmed that the valve opening signal pv has begun to move, it increases the control signal mv until the valve opening signal pv has reached pv(2) (step s 206 , referencing the arrows ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) in fig. 5 ). this causes the regulator valve 200 to operate in the opening direction. following this, the cpu 4 stores, as the control signal mv(2−1) at the first intermediate opening x 2 , the control signal mv at the time that the valve opening signal pv has reached pv(2) (step s 207 ). following this, when the cpu 4 confirms that the valve opening signal pv has reached pv(2), it reduces the control signal mv until the valve opening signal pv begins to move (step s 208 , referencing arrow ( 5 ) in fig. 5 ). this causes the regulator valve 200 to operate in the closing direction. following this, the cpu 4 stores, as the control signal mv(2−2) at the second intermediate opening x 2 , the control signal mv at the time that the valve opening signal pv began to move (step s 209 ). following this, when the cpu 4 has confirmed that the valve opening signal pv has begun to move, it increases the control signal mv until the valve opening signal pv begins to move) (step s 210 , referencing the arrow ( 6 ) in fig. 5 ). moreover, the cpu 4 defines pv(1) and mv(1−1) as a first data pair, pv(2) and mv(2−1) as a second data pair, pv(2) and mv(2−2) as a third data pair, and pv(1) and mv(1−2) as a fourth data pair, and calculates, from the first data pair (pv(1), mv(1−1)), the second data pair (pv(2), mv(2−1)), the third data pair (pv(2), mv(2−2)), and the fourth data pair (pv(1), mv(1−2)), the input/output characteristic gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c, for the control valve 300 all at once (step s 211 ). at this time, the cpu 4 calculates the gain g following equation (1), above, calculates the hysteresis h following equation (2), above, and calculates the intercept c following equation (3), above. after this, the calculated gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c are stored in the memory portion 5 as parameters for the control valve 300 (step s 212 ). as can be understood from comparing fig. 3 and fig. 5 , in the another example, the reciprocating operation of the regulator valve 200 is limited to a small range of the first intermediate opening x 1 and the second intermediate opening x 2 , and thus has the benefit of being completed more quickly than the operation in the example. note that, in the example and another example, the sequence with which the control signals mv are changed is not limited to one of the sequences illustrated in fig. 3 and fig. 5 . furthermore, while in fig. 3 and fig. 5 the gain and the intercept were calculated at the center portion of the reciprocating operation, if the slopes are different when the control signal mv is rising versus falling, then two different gains may be obtained, and used when establishing the control parameters. in this case, the gain of the regulator valve 200 when operating in the opening direction may be calculated as gopen=(pv(2)−pv(1))/(mv(2−1)−mv(1−1)) and the gain of the regulator valve 200 when operating in the closing direction may be calculated as gclose=(pv(2)−pv(1))/(mv(2−2)−mv(1−2)), the control parameters for an operation in the opening direction, used when the regulator valve 200 is operating in the opening direction, may be calculated based on the gain gopen for when operating in the opening direction, and the control parameters for an operation in the closing direction, used when the regulator valve 200 is operating in the closing direction, may be calculated based on the gain gclose for when operating in the closing direction. moreover, while in the example and another example, set forth above, the four data pairs, namely the first data pair (pv(1), mv(1−1)), the second data pair (pv(2), mv(2−1)), the third data pair (pv(2), mv(2−2)), and the fourth data pair (pv(1), mv(1−2)), were used to calculate the gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c, any one of these for data pairs may be omitted. for example, if the fourth data pair (pv(1), mv(1−2)), the last obtained in the sequence in fig. 3 , were omitted, still the gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c could be calculated using equations (4), (5), and (6), below. g =( pv (2)− pv (1))/( mv (2−1)− mv (1−1)) (4) h=mv (2−1)− mv (2−2) (5) c=pv (2)− gx ( mv (2−1)+ mv (2−2))/2 (6) for example, if the third data pair (pv(2), mv(2−2)), the last obtained in the sequence in fig. 5 , were omitted, still the gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c could be calculated using equations (7), (8), and (9), below. g =( pv (2)− pv (1))/( mv (2−1)− mv (1−1)) (7) h=mv (1−1)− mv (1−2) (8) c=pv (1)− gx ( mv (1−1)+ mv (1−2))/2 (9) because the gain g, hysteresis h, and the intercept c can be calculated from three data pairs, using equations (4), (5), and (6) or equations (7), (8), or (9), instead of equations (1), (2), and (3), there is the advantage of being able to complete the operation more quickly. note that while in the examples set forth above the control signals that were changed following a specific sequence were the epm drive signals my to the epm 2 in the positioner 100 , instead the opening setting signals iin to the positioner 100 (the input signal to the positioner), the nozzle back pressure pn to a pilot relay 3 within the positioner 100 (the input pressure to the pressure amplifier within the positioner), or the operating device pressure po from the positioner 100 to the regulator valve 200 (the input pressure to the operating device that drives the regulator valve) could be changed following a specific sequence and used as the control signal. moreover, while in the examples set forth above the valve opening for obtaining the first data pair (pv(1), mv(1−1)) and the valve opening for obtaining the fourth data pair (pv(1), mv(1−2)) were both the same intermediate opening x 1 , and the valve opening for obtaining the second data pair (pv(2), mv(2−1)) and the valve opening for obtaining the third data pair (pv(2), mv(2−2)) were both the same intermediate opening x 2 , these need not necessarily be identical openings, but rather each data pair may have different openings. even if each of the data pairs has different openings, still the gain g, the hysteresis h, and the intercept c can be calculated easily through geometric calculations. extended examples while the present invention has been explained above in reference to examples, the present invention is not limited to the examples set forth above. the structures and details of the present invention may be modified in a variety of ways, as can be understood by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the present invention. moreover, the present invention may be embodied through combining the various examples, insofar as there are no contradictions.
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141-495-797-737-00X
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US
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[
"US"
] |
H04W36/30,H04W24/06
| 2014-03-07T00:00:00 |
2014
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[
"H04"
] |
neighbor access node determination
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a first access node receives from a wireless device in communication with the first access node an identifier of a second access node detected by the wireless device. it is determined that a communication link has not previously been established between the first access node and the second access node based on the identifier. the wireless device is instructed to provide a signal level of a signal from the second access node, and when the signal level of the second access node signal meets a criteria, a communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node.
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1. a method of neighbor access node determination, comprising: receiving from a wireless device in communication with a first access node an identifier of a second access node detected by the wireless device; determining, based on the identifier, that a communication link has not previously been established between the first access node and the second access node; when the communication link between the first access node and the second access node has not been established, instructing the wireless device to provide information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with a network provider of the first access node and instructing the wireless device to provide a signal level of a signal from the second access node; verifying, at the first access node, that the second access node is associated with the network provider of the first access node and that the signal level of the second access node meets a reporting threshold; establishing the communication link between the first access node and the second access node when the network provider of the second access node is verified and when the signal level of the second access node meets the reporting threshold; and enabling the performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node. 2. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: preventing the performance of the handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node before the determining that the signal level of the second access node signal meets the reporting threshold; and enabling the performance of the handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. 3. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving from the wireless device the identifier of the second access node when the signal level of the signal from the second access node received at the wireless device is greater than a signal level of a signal from the first access node received at the wireless device. 4. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining a frequency band of the signal from the second access node; and adjusting the reporting threshold based on the determined frequency band. 5. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: instructing the wireless device with a connection reconfiguration message to decrease the reporting threshold; and receiving from the wireless device information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with a network provider of the first access node and the signal level of the signal from the second access node when the signal level from the second access node meets the decreased reporting threshold. 6. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving from the wireless device a handover request comprising the signal level of the second access node and the information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with the network provider of the first access node. 7. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: performing a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. 8. a system for neighbor access node determination, comprising: a processing node, configured to receive from a wireless device in communication with a first access node an identifier of a second access node detected by the wireless device; determine, based on the identifier, that a communication link has not previously been established between the first access node and the second access node; when the communication link between the first access node and the second access node has not been established, instruct the wireless device to provide information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with a network provider of the first access node and instruct the wireless device to provide a signal level of a signal from the second access node; verify, at the first access node, that the second access node is associated with the network provider of the first access node and that the signal level of the second access node meets a reporting threshold; establish the communication link between the first access node and the second access node when the network provider of the second access node is verified and when the signal level of the second access node meets the reporting threshold; and enable the performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node. 9. the system of claim 8 , wherein the processing node is further configured to: prevent the performance of the handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node before the determining that the signal level of the second access node signal meets the reporting threshold; and enable the performance of the handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. 10. the system of claim 8 , wherein the processing node is further configured to: receive from the wireless device the identifier of the second access node when the signal level of the signal from the second access node received at the wireless device is greater than a signal level of a signal from the first access node received at the wireless device. 11. the system of claim 8 , wherein the processing node is further configured to: determine a frequency band of the signal from the second access node; and adjust the reporting threshold based on the determined frequency band. 12. the system of claim 8 , wherein the processing node is further configured to: instruct the wireless device with a connection reconfiguration message to decrease the reporting threshold; and receive from the wireless device information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with a network provider of the first access node and the signal level of the signal from the second access node when the signal level from the second access node meets the decreased reporting threshold. 13. the system of claim 8 , wherein the processing node is further configured to: receive from the wireless device a handover request comprising the signal level of the second access node and the information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with the network provider of the first access node. 14. the system of claim 8 , wherein the processing node is further configured to: perform a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node.
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technical background to enable wireless device mobility, access nodes in communication with a wireless device are configured to perform a handover of the wireless device to another access node. some access nodes can be further configured to maintain an indication of proximate access nodes, such as a neighbor relation table or another similar indication, and the indication of proximate access nodes can be used to facilitate a wireless device handover. configuring the indication of proximate access nodes is typically performed manually by a network provider for each access node deployed in a communication system. further, the presence of invalid entries, such as a false indication that an access node is capable of supporting a handover from another access node, can degrade network performance by causing interrupted communication sessions and failed handover attempts. overview in operation, an identifier is received from a wireless device in communication with a first access node, where the identifier is associated with a second access node which is detected by the wireless device. it is determined that a communication link has not previously been established between the first access node and the second access node based on the identifier. the wireless device is then instructed to provide a signal level of a signal from the second access node. when the signal level of the second access node signal meets a criteria, the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. in an embodiment, a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node is prevented before it is determined that the signal level of the second access node signal meets the criteria. additionally, or alternatively, the performance of the handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node is enabled when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary communication system for neighbor access node determination. fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary method of neighbor access node determination. fig. 3 illustrates another exemplary communication system for neighbor access node determination. fig. 4 illustrates another exemplary method of neighbor access node determination. fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary data flow diagram of neighbor access node determination. fig. 6 illustrates an exemplary processing node. detailed description fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary communication system 100 for neighbor access node determination comprising wireless device 102 , access node 104 , access node 106 , and communication network 108 . examples of wireless device 102 can comprise a cell phone, a smart phone, a computing platform such as a laptop, palmtop, or tablet, a personal digital assistant, or an internet access device, including combinations thereof. wireless device 102 can communicate with access node 104 over communication link 110 , and with access node 106 over communication link 112 . access nodes 104 and 106 are each is a network node capable of providing wireless communications to wireless device 102 , and can comprise, for example, a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an enodeb device, or an enhanced enodeb device. access nodes 104 and 106 can comprise a larger access node, such as a macro node, or they can comprise a smaller access node, such as a micro node, a pico node, a femto node, and the like. varying size access nodes can be characterized by available transmission power, frequency bands supported, coverage areas of the frequency bands, and number of simultaneous connections supported, among other things. a first access node (e.g., access node 104 ) can comprise a first coverage area, and a second access node (e.g., access node 106 ) can comprise a second coverage area, at least a portion of which overlaps the first coverage area. access node 104 is in communication with communication network 108 over communication link 116 , and access node 106 is in communication with communication network 108 over communication link 118 . access nodes 104 and 106 can also communicate with each other over communication link 114 , which may be established between access nodes 104 and 106 , as further described below. communication network 108 can comprise a wired and/or wireless communication network, and can comprise processing nodes, routers, gateways, and physical and/or wireless data links for carrying data among various network elements, including combinations thereof, and can include a local area network, a wide area network, and an internetwork (including the internet). communication network 108 can be capable of carrying voice information and other data, for example, to support communications by a wireless device such as wireless device 102 . wireless network protocols may comprise code division multiple access (cdma) 1×rtt, global system for mobile communications (gsm), universal mobile telecommunications system (umts), high-speed packet access (hspa), evolution data optimized (ev-do), ev-do rev. a, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (wimax), and third generation partnership project long term evolution (3gpp lte). wired network protocols that may be utilized by communication network 108 comprise ethernet, fast ethernet, gigabit ethernet, local talk (such as carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance), token ring, fiber distributed data interface (fddi), and asynchronous transfer mode (atm). communication network 108 may also comprise a wireless network, including base stations, wireless communication nodes, telephony switches, internet routers, network gateways, computer systems, communication links, or some other type of communication equipment, and combinations thereof. communication links 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 and 118 can comprise wired or wireless communication links. wired communication links can comprise, for example, twisted pair cable, coaxial cable or fiber optic cable, or combinations thereof. wireless communication links can comprise a radio frequency, microwave, infrared, or other similar signal, and can use a suitable communication protocol, for example, global system for mobile telecommunications (gsm), code division multiple access (cdma), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (wimax), or long term evolution (lte), or combinations thereof. other wireless protocols can also be used. other network elements may be present in communication system 100 to facilitate wireless communication but are omitted for clarity, such as base stations, base station controllers, gateways, mobile switching centers, dispatch application processors, and location registers such as a home location register or visitor location register. furthermore, other network elements may be present to facilitate communication between access node 104 , access node 106 , and communication network 108 which are omitted for clarity, including additional processing nodes, routers, gateways, and physical and/or wireless data links for carrying data among the various network elements. manual configuration of access nodes during deployment or network development, such as configuring relationships with proximate access nodes, is labor intensive and is typically performed by a network provider for each access node deployed in a communication system. the presence of invalid neighbor relations, such as a false indication that a proximate access node is capable of supporting a handover, can degrade network performance by causing interrupted communication sessions or failed handover attempts. automated configuration of relationships with proximate access nodes can also result in the presence of invalid neighbor relations. for example, during a period of rapid network development or deployment during which new access nodes are deployed, an access node may be detected as proximate or as a neighbor of another access node which, after full network deployment, may in fact be too distant, or which may have other access nodes ultimately interposed between them. invalid neighbor relations can also be caused by environmental factors, such as a seasonal change in foliage which alters signal reception, or the nearby presence of a large body of water, which can reflect distant signals from access nodes which are not actually proximate. additional evaluation of detected neighbors can reduce the establishment of invalid neighbor relations, which can increase network efficiency and improve overall network performance during a period of access node deployment. in operation, from wireless device 102 in communication with first access node 104 , an identifier of second access node 106 which has been detected by wireless device 102 is received. it is determined that a communication link (e.g., communication link 114 ) has not previously been established between first access node 104 and second access node 106 based on the identifier. the wireless device is instructed to provide a signal level of a signal from the second access node, and when the signal level of the second access node signal meets a criteria, the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. in an embodiment, the performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node can be prevented before it is determined that the signal level of the second access node signal meets the criteria. further, the performance of the handover from the first access node to the second access node can be enabled when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. fig. 2 illustrates an exemplary method of neighbor access node determination. in operation 202 , at a first access node, an identifier of a second access node is received from a wireless device, where the second access node is detected by the wireless device. for example, wireless device 102 can establish a communication session with access node 104 . as another example, wireless device 102 can be in a low power state, an idle state, and the like, in which wireless device 102 is not involved in an active communication session, and wireless device 102 can be located in a coverage area of access node 104 . wireless device 102 can provide an indication to access node 104 that wireless device 102 has detected a second access node, such as access node 106 . the indication can comprise an identifier of the second access node, such as a physical cell identifier (pci), a cell global identity (cgi), a e-utran cell global identity (ecgi), and the like. it can be determined that a communication link has not been previously established between the first access node and the second access node based on the identifier (operation 204 ). for example, access node 104 can use the identifier of access node 106 to determine whether communication link 114 has been established. access node 104 can send a request to a network element of communication network 108 , such as a mobility management entity (mme) or another element of communication network 108 , to make the determination. additionally, or alternatively, access node 104 can use an indication of existing communication links with other access nodes, such as a neighbor relation table or a similar indication, to make the determination. the wireless device is then instructed to provide a signal level of a signal from the second access node (operation 206 ). for example, wireless device 102 can be instructed to provide access node 104 with a signal level of a signal from access node 106 . the signal level can comprise an indication of signal strength, such as a reference signal receive power (rsrp), a received signal strength indication (rssi), a signal-to-noise ratio (snr), a carrier to noise ratio (cnr) value, a signal noise and distortion (sinad), a signal to interference (sii), a signal to noise plus interference (snir), a signal to quantization noise ratio (sqnr), and the like. the signal level can further comprise an indication of signal quality, such as a reference signal receive quality (rsrq), a channel quality indicator (cqi), or another measurement of signal quality. the signal of access node 106 can comprise a reference signal, a pilot signal, a bearer signal, or some other signal, including combinations of the foregoing. when the signal level of the second access node signal meets a criteria, the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node (operation 210 ). the criteria can comprise a signal level threshold, such as a minimum signal strength indication, signal quality indication, or some combination thereof. when the signal level of the signal from access node 106 , which is reported to access node 104 by wireless device 102 , meets the criteria, communication link 114 can be established between access nodes 104 and 106 . an indication of the new communication link can also be stored at access node 104 , access node 106 , and or another network element of communication system 100 . fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary communication system 300 for neighbor access node determination comprising wireless device 302 , access node 304 , access node 306 , controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , and communication network 312 . examples of wireless device 302 can comprise a cell phone, a smart phone, a computing platform such as a laptop, palmtop, or tablet, a personal digital assistant, or an internet access device, including combinations thereof. wireless device 302 can communicate with access node 304 over communication link 314 , and with access node 306 over communication link 316 . access nodes 304 and 306 are each is a network node capable of providing wireless communications to wireless device 302 , and can comprise, for example, a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an enodeb device, or an enhanced enodeb device. access nodes 304 and 306 can comprise a larger access node, such as a macro node, or they can comprise a smaller access node, such as a micro node, a pico node, a femto node, and the like. varying size access nodes can be characterized by available transmission power, frequency bands supported, coverage areas of the frequency bands, and number of simultaneous connections supported, among other things. a first access node (e.g., access node 304 ) can comprise a first coverage area, and a second access node (e.g., access node 306 ) can comprise a second coverage area, at least a portion of which overlaps the first coverage area. access node 304 is in communication with controller node 308 over communication link 320 and with gateway node 310 over communication link 324 . access node 306 is in communication with controller node 308 over communication link 322 and with gateway node 310 over communication link 326 . access nodes 304 and 306 can also communicate with each other over communication link 318 , which may be established between access nodes 304 and 306 , as further described below. controller node 308 can comprise a processor and associated circuitry to execute or direct the execution of computer-readable instructions, and can be configured to control the setup and maintenance of a communication session over communication network 312 for wireless device 302 , as well as to determine neighbor access nodes of an access node. controller node 308 can comprise a mobile switching center (msc), a dispatch call controller (dcc), a mobility management entity (mme), or another similar network node. controller node 308 can retrieve and execute software from storage, which can include a disk drive, flash drive, memory circuitry, or some other memory device, and which can be local or remotely accessible. the software comprises computer programs, firmware, or some other form of machine-readable instructions, and may include an operating system, utilities, drivers, network interfaces, applications, or some other type of software, including combinations thereof. controller node 308 can receive instructions and other input at a user interface. controller node 308 is in communication with communication network 312 over communication link 330 , and with gateway node 310 over communication link 328 . gateway node 310 can comprise a processor and associated circuitry to execute or direct the execution of computer-readable instructions, and can be configured to determine neighbor access nodes of an access node. gateway node 310 can retrieve and execute software from storage, which can include a disk drive, flash drive, memory circuitry, or some other memory device, and which can be local or remotely accessible. the software comprises computer programs, firmware, or some other form of machine-readable instructions, and may include an operating system, utilities, drivers, network interfaces, applications, or some other type of software, including combinations thereof. gateway node 310 can receive instructions and other input at a user interface. examples of gateway node 310 can include a standalone computing device, a computer system, or a network component, such as an access service network gateway (asn-gw), a packet data network gateway (p-gw), a serving gateway (s-gw), a mobile switching controller (msc), a packet data serving node (pdsn), call processing equipment, a home agent, a radio node controller (rnc), a subscriber profile system (sps), authentication, authorization, and accounting (aaa) equipment, and a network gateway, including combinations thereof. gateway node 310 is in communication network 312 over communication link 332 . communication network 312 can comprise a wired and/or wireless communication network, and can comprise processing nodes, routers, gateways, and physical and/or wireless data links for carrying data among various network elements, including combinations thereof, and can include a local area network, a wide area network, and an internetwork (including the internet). communication network 108 can be capable of carrying voice information and other data, for example, to support communications by a wireless device such as wireless device 302 . wireless network protocols may comprise code division multiple access (cdma) 1×rtt, global system for mobile communications (gsm), universal mobile telecommunications system (umts), high-speed packet access (hspa), evolution data optimized (ev-do), ev-do rev. a, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (wimax), and third generation partnership project long term evolution (3gpp lte). wired network protocols that may be utilized by communication network 312 comprise ethernet, fast ethernet, gigabit ethernet, local talk (such as carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance), token ring, fiber distributed data interface (fddi), and asynchronous transfer mode (atm). communication network 312 may also comprise a wireless network, including base stations, wireless communication nodes, telephony switches, internet routers, network gateways, computer systems, communication links, or some other type of communication equipment, and combinations thereof. communication links 314 , 316 , 318 , 320 , 322 , 324 , 326 , 328 , 330 , and 332 can comprise wired or wireless communication links. wired communication links can comprise, for example, twisted pair cable, coaxial cable or fiber optic cable, or combinations thereof. wireless communication links can comprise a radio frequency, microwave, infrared, or other similar signal, and can use a suitable communication protocol, for example, global system for mobile telecommunications (gsm), code division multiple access (cdma), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (wimax), or long term evolution (lte), or combinations thereof. other wireless protocols can also be used. other network elements may be present in communication system 300 to facilitate wireless communication but are omitted for clarity, such as base stations, base station controllers, gateways, mobile switching centers, dispatch application processors, and location registers such as a home location register or visitor location register. furthermore, other network elements may be present to facilitate communication between access nodes 304 and 306 , controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , and communication network 312 which are omitted for clarity, including additional processing nodes, routers, gateways, and physical and/or wireless data links for carrying data among the various network elements. fig. 4 illustrates another exemplary method of neighbor access node determination. in operation 402 , at a first access node, an identifier of a second access node is received from a wireless device, where the second access node is detected by the wireless device. for example, wireless device 302 can establish a communication session with access node 304 . as another example, wireless device 302 can be in a low power state, an idle state, and the like, in which wireless device 302 is not involved in an active communication session, and wireless device 302 can be located in a coverage area of access node 304 . wireless device 302 can provide an indication to access node 304 that wireless device 302 has detected a second access node, such as access node 306 . the indication can comprise an identifier of the second access node, such as a physical cell identifier (pci), a cell global identity (cgi), a e-utran cell global identity (ecgi), and the like. it can be determined that a communication link has not been previously established between the first access node and the second access node based on the identifier (operation 404 ). for example, access node 304 can use the identifier of access node 306 to determine whether communication link 318 has been established. access node 304 can send a request to a network element of communication network 308 , such as controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , or another element of communication network 312 , to make the determination. additionally, or alternatively, access node 304 can use an indication of existing communication links with other access nodes, such as a neighbor relation table or a similar indication, to make the determination. when it the communication link has not been established between the first and second access nodes, a handover of wireless device 302 from access node 304 to access node 306 is prevented (operation 406 ). for example, wireless device 302 can be instructed not to request the performance of a handover when the communication link has not been established. the instruction can be provided by access node 304 , controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , or another network element of communication system 300 . additionally, or alternatively, access node 304 , controller node 308 , and/or gateway node 310 can prevent the performance of the handover. in operation, the performance of the handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node can be prevented before it is determined that a signal level of the second access node signal meets a criteria, as further described below. then the wireless device is instructed to decrease a reporting threshold (operation 408 ). the reporting threshold can comprise a signal level of a signal from the second access node (e.g., access node 306 ). the signal level can comprise an indication of signal strength, such as a reference signal receive power (rsrp), a received signal strength indication (rssi), a signal-to-noise ratio (snr), a carrier to noise ratio (cnr) value, a signal noise and distortion (sinad), a signal to interference (sii), a signal to noise plus interference (snir), a signal to quantization noise ratio (sqnr), and the like. the signal level can further comprise an indication of signal quality, such as a reference signal receive quality (rsrq), a channel quality indicator (cqi), or another measurement of signal quality. the signal of access node 306 can comprise a reference signal, a pilot signal, a bearer signal, or some other signal, including combinations of the foregoing. in an embodiment, wireless device 302 can be instructed by access node 304 using a connection reconfiguration message to decrease the reporting threshold. when the signal level of the signal from access node 306 meets the decreased reporting threshold, access node 304 can receive from wireless device 304 additional information about the second access node. the wireless device can then be instructed to provide additional information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with a network provider of the first access node and to provide the signal level of the signal from the second access node (operation 410 ). the additional information from the second access node (e.g., access node 306 ) can comprise an identifier of the second access node, a frequency band of the signal, and/or additional information about the second access node, to verify that the second access node is associated with a network provider of the first access node (e.g., access node 304 ), as well as the signal level of the signal from the second access node. the identifier of access node 306 can comprise a physical cell identifier (pci), a cell global identity (cgi), a e-utran cell global identity (ecgi), and the like. when it is determined that access node 306 is not associated with the network provider of access node 304 , access node 306 can be determined to not be a valid neighbor of access node 304 , and an indication of this determination can be stored at access node 304 , controller node 308 , and/or gateway node 310 . in an embodiment, the additional information about the second access node can be received from the wireless device in a handover request. that is, additional information about the second access node can be received from wireless device 302 in separate messages, or in some combination of messages. in an embodiment, a handover request can be received from wireless device 302 , and the handover request can comprise the signal level of the second access node and the information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with the network provider of the first access node. when it is determined that access node 306 is associated with the network provider of access node 304 , a frequency band of the signal from the second access node can be determined, and the criteria can be adjusted based on the determined frequency band (operation 412 ). the frequency band can be determined, for example, based on the additional information from the second access node. the criteria can comprise a signal level threshold, such as a minimum signal strength indication, signal quality indication, or some combination thereof. access node 306 can provide wireless communications over a plurality of frequency bands, for example, 800 mhz, 1.9 ghz, 2.5 ghz, and the like. each frequency band can comprise different coverage areas, structure penetration characteristics, possible data rates, available carrier bandwidths, and the like. based on the determined frequency band, the criteria can be adjusted. for example, when it is determined that the signal comprises a 2.5 ghz frequency band, the criteria may be decreased to encourage the performance of a handover of wireless device 302 to access node 306 , due to the smaller coverage area and higher communication rate relative to other frequency bands. as another example, when it is determined that the signal comprises a 800 mhz frequency band, the criteria may be increased, to raise the requirements for the performance of a handover of wireless device 302 to access node 308 , due to the larger coverage area and relatively higher signal level at greater distances from access node 306 relative to other frequency bands. other examples are also possible. when the signal level of the second access node signal meets the criteria, the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node (operation 414 ). for example, when the signal level of the signal from access node 306 , which can be reported to access node 404 by wireless device 302 , meets the criteria, communication link 318 can be established between access nodes 304 and 306 . an indication of the new communication link can also be stored at access node 304 , access node 306 , controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , and/or another network element of communication system 300 . when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node, the performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node is enabled (operation 416 ). for example, wireless device 302 can be instructed that it is permitted to request the performance of a handover when the communication link is established. the instruction can be provided by access node 304 , controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , or another network element of communication system 300 . additionally, or alternatively, access node 304 , controller node 308 , and/or gateway node 310 can permit the performance of the handover. in an embodiment, the performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node is prevented before the determining that the signal level of the second access node signal meets the criteria, and the performance of the handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node is enabled when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. then, when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node, a handover is performed of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node. for example, when communication link 318 is established between access node 304 and access node 306 , a performance of a handover of wireless device 302 can be performed from access node 304 to access node 306 . the handover can comprise instructing wireless device 302 to change from communicating with access node 304 to communicating with access node 306 , when wireless device 302 is conducting an active communication session with access node 304 (e.g., an application running on wireless device 302 is sending data to or receiving data from access node 304 , an application running on wireless device 302 is participating in a voice communication session, and the like). the handover can further comprise cell reselection, for example, when wireless device 302 is in an idle mode or low power mode and moves from a coverage area of access node 304 to a coverage area of access node 306 . other examples are also possible, including combinations of the foregoing. fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary data flow diagram of neighbor access node determination. when wireless device 302 detects second access node 306 ( 502 ), wireless device 302 sends an indication ( 504 ) to access node 304 that wireless device 302 has detected access node 306 . the indication can comprise an identifier of access node 306 , or some other indicator. the identifier of access node 306 can comprise a physical cell identifier (pci) or another identifier. the indication can be used to determine whether a communication link has been established between access nodes 304 and 306 . the determination can be made, for example, at access node 304 , controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , or another network element of a communication system. when it is determined that the communication link between access nodes 304 and 306 has not been previously established, access node 304 can initiate a process of neighbor discovery, such as an automatic neighbor relation (anr) process, or a similar process of determining proximate or neighbor access nodes. wireless device 302 is then instructed ( 506 ) to provide additional information about access node 306 . instruction 506 can further comprise an instruction to decrease a reporting threshold, such as a signal level of a signal from access node 306 . the additional information can comprise an identifier of access node 306 with more information than the pci, such as a cell global identity (cgi), a e-utran cell global identity (ecgi), and the like. the additional information can further comprise signal level information of a signal from access node 306 . instruction 506 can further comprise an instruction to wireless device 302 not to request a handover from access node 304 to access node 306 , to prevent the performance of such a handover. additionally, or alternatively, access node 304 , controller node 308 , and/or gateway node 310 can be instructed to prevent the performance of such a handover if a request to perform a handover of wireless device 302 to access node 306 is received, e.g., at access node 304 from wireless device 302 , at controller node 308 and/or at gateway node 310 from access node 304 , and the like. in an embodiment, instruction 506 can comprise a connection reconfiguration message, such as an rrc connection reconfiguration message. the signal of access node 306 can comprise a reference signal, a pilot signal, a bearer signal, or some other signal, including combinations of the foregoing. the signal level can comprise an indication of signal strength, such as a reference signal receive power (rsrp), a received signal strength indication (rssi), a signal-to-noise ratio (snr), a carrier to noise ratio (cnr) value, a signal noise and distortion (sinad), a signal to interference (sii), a signal to noise plus interference (snir), a signal to quantization noise ratio (sqnr), and the like. the signal level can further comprise an indication of signal quality, such as a reference signal receive quality (rsrq), a channel quality indicator (cqi), or another measurement of signal quality. the additional information ( 508 ) can be received at wireless device 302 , and wireless device 302 can provide the additional information to access node 304 ( 510 ). the additional information about the second access node can be received from the wireless device in a handover request. that is, additional information about the second access node can be received from wireless device 302 in separate messages, or in some combination of messages. in an embodiment, additional information 510 can comprise a handover request from wireless device 302 , which can comprise the signal level of the second access node and the detailed identifier information about the second access node to verify that the second access node is associated with the network provider of the first access node. using the additional information, it can be determined that access node 306 is associated with the same network provider as access node 304 , and that the signal level of the signal from access node 306 meets a criteria. in an embodiment, a frequency band of the signal from the second access node can be determined, and the criteria can be adjusted based on the determined frequency band. the frequency band can be determined, for example, based on the additional information from the second access node. the criteria can be adjusted to encourage or discourage the performance of a handover of wireless device 302 to access node 306 . when the signal level of the second access node signal meets the criteria, the communication link is established ( 512 ) between the first access node and the second access node. for example, when the signal level of the signal from access node 306 , meets the criteria, communication link 318 can be established between access nodes 304 and 306 . an indication of the new communication link can also be stored at access node 304 , access node 306 , controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , and/or another network element of communication system 300 . the criteria can comprise a signal level threshold, such as a minimum signal strength indication, signal quality indication, or some combination thereof. when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node, the performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node can be enabled. for example, wireless device 302 can be instructed ( 514 ) that it is permitted to request the performance of a handover when the communication link is established. additionally, or alternatively, instruction 514 can comprise a handover instruction to initiate a handover of wireless device 302 to access node 306 . the instruction can be initiated by access node 304 , controller node 308 , gateway node 310 , or another network element of communication system 300 , and ultimately sent from access node 304 to wireless device 302 . access node 304 can also send a notification ( 516 ) to access node 306 of the initiation of the handover of wireless device 302 . in an embodiment, while the performance of a handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node is prevented before the determining that the signal level of the second access node signal meets the criteria, the performance of the handover of the wireless device from the first access node to the second access node is later enabled when the communication link is established between the first access node and the second access node. the handover can comprise instructing wireless device 302 to change from communicating with access node 304 to communicating with access node 306 , when wireless device 302 is conducting an active communication session with access node 304 (e.g., an application running on wireless device 302 is sending data to or receiving data from access node 304 , an application running on wireless device 302 is participating in a voice communication session, and the like). the handover can further comprise cell reselection, for example, when wireless device 302 is in an idle mode or low power mode and moves from a coverage area of access node 304 to a coverage area of access node 306 . other examples are also possible, including combinations of the foregoing. subsequently, communication ( 518 ) is established between wireless device 302 and access node 306 . fig. 6 illustrates an exemplary processing node 600 in a communication system. processing node 600 comprises communication interface 602 , user interface 604 , and processing system 606 in communication with communication interface 602 and user interface 604 . processing node 600 can be configured to determine a neighbor access node of an access node in a communication system. processing system 606 includes storage 608 , which can comprise a disk drive, flash drive, memory circuitry, or other memory device. storage 608 can store software 610 which is used in the operation of the processing node 600 . storage 608 may include a disk drive, flash drive, data storage circuitry, or some other memory apparatus. software 610 may include computer programs, firmware, or some other form of machine-readable instructions, including an operating system, utilities, drivers, network interfaces, applications, or some other type of software. processing system 606 may include a microprocessor and other circuitry to retrieve and execute software 610 from storage 608 . processing node 600 may further include other components such as a power management unit, a control interface unit, etc., which are omitted for clarity. communication interface 602 permits processing node 600 to communicate with other network elements. user interface 604 permits the configuration and control of the operation of processing node 600 . examples of processing node 600 include access nodes 104 and 106 , access nodes 304 and 306 , controller node 308 , and gateway node 310 . processing node 600 can also be an adjunct or component of a network element, such as an element of access nodes 104 and 106 , access nodes 304 and 306 , controller node 308 , and gateway node 310 . processing node 600 can also be another network element in a communication system. further, the functionality of processing node 600 can be distributed over two or more network elements of a communication system. the exemplary systems and methods described herein can be performed under the control of a processing system executing computer-readable codes embodied on a computer-readable recording medium or communication signals transmitted through a transitory medium. the computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data readable by a processing system, and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media, and contemplates media readable by a database, a computer, and various other network devices. examples of the computer-readable recording medium include, but are not limited to, read-only memory (rom), random-access memory (ram), erasable electrically programmable rom (eeprom), flash memory or other memory technology, holographic media or other optical disc storage, magnetic storage including magnetic tape and magnetic disk, and solid state storage devices. the computer-readable recording medium can also be distributed over network-coupled computer systems so that the computer-readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. the communication signals transmitted through a transitory medium may include, for example, modulated signals transmitted through wired or wireless transmission paths. the above description and associated figures teach the best mode of the invention. the following claims specify the scope of the invention. note that some aspects of the best mode may not fall within the scope of the invention as specified by the claims. those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features described above can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the invention, and that various modifications may be made to the configuration and methodology of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the present teachings. those skilled in the art also will appreciate that various features disclosed with respect to one exemplary embodiment herein may be used in combination with other exemplary embodiments with appropriate modifications, even if such combinations are not explicitly disclosed herein. as a result, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but only by the following claims and their equivalents.
|
143-936-539-441-883
|
US
|
[
"US",
"EP",
"JP",
"KR",
"DE",
"TW",
"WO"
] |
F04B43/02,F04B49/24,F04B53/10
| 1994-07-07T00:00:00 |
1994
|
[
"F04"
] |
booster pump with sealing gasket including inlet and outlet check valves
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a pump comprising a housing including first and second housing sections and a gasket between the first and second housing sections. the housing has a first pumping chamber, an inlet, an inlet passage in the housing leading from the inlet to the pumping chamber, an outlet and an outlet passage in the housing leading from the pumping chamber to the outlet. a pumping member is movable in the pumping chamber to pump fluid through the pump. inlet and outlet check valves are provided in the inlet and outlet passages, respectively with each of the check valves including a movable valve element. the gasket forms a seal between the first and second housing sections and includes at least one of the valve elements for the check valves.
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1. a pump comprising: a housing including first and second housing sections; a gasket between the first and second housing sections; at least one fastener for holding the first and second housing sections together; said housing having at least first and second pumping chambers, an inlet, an inlet passage in the housing leading from the inlet to the pumping chambers, an outlet and an outlet passage in the housing leading from the pumping chambers to the outlet; first and second pumping members movable in the first and second pumping chambers, respectively, on an intake stroke whereby a fluid from the inlet passage is drawn into the pumping chamber and a discharge stroke whereby fluid in the pumping chamber is discharged into the outlet passage; a drive for moving the pumping members on the intake and discharge strokes; said gasket cooperating with the housing sections to form an inlet chamber in the inlet passage and an outlet chamber in the outlet passage; first and second inlet check valves for the first and second pumping chambers, respectively, each of said first and second inlet check valves including a movable valve element in the inlet chamber and a valve seat; first and second outlet check valves for the first and second pumping chambers, respectively, each of said first and second outlet check valves including a movable valve element in the outlet chamber and a valve seat; and said gasket forming a seal between the first and second housing sections and including the valve elements of the first and second inlet and outlet check valves. 2. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein the gasket includes a seal ridge which forms a seal around the inlet chamber. 3. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein the outlet passage includes an opening in the gasket leading from the outlet chamber toward the outlet. 4. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein the inlet and outlet chambers are in the second housing section and the first and second pumping chambers are in the housing and outside of the second housing section. 5. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein the gasket includes seal ridges which form seals around the outlet chamber. 6. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein the gasket includes a hinge of flexible material joined to a first of the valve elements whereby the first valve element is pivotable between open and closed positions. 7. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein the gasket includes a section of flexible material and a first of the valve elements is integrally joined to said section about a hinge whereby the first valve element is pivotable between open and closed positions. 8. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein the gasket is integrally molded as a unitary, one piece element. 9. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein the inlet passage includes an inlet passage section in the first housing section leading from the inlet to the inlet chamber and an opening in the gasket providing communication between the inlet chamber and the inlet passage section and the valve seats of the inlet check valves are in the second housing chamber. 10. a pump as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive includes a wobble plate for driving the pumping members and a wobble mechanism mounted in said housing for imparting wobbling motion to the wobble plate, and the pump includes a diaphragm between the wobble plate and the pumping members for sealing one end of the pumping chambers and each of said pumping member having a pedestal engaging the diaphragm to assist in transmitting the wobbling motion to the pumping member. 11. a pump as defined in claim 1 including a quick disconnect coupling which includes a quick disconnect housing defining one of said inlet and said outlet and said quick disconnect housing is molded integrally with one of said first and second housing sections. 12. a pump as defined, in claim 1 including a bypass passage in said housing leading from a location in the outlet passage downstream of the outlet check valves to a location in the inlet passage upstream of the inlet check valves, a bypass valve including a bypass valve seat in the bypass passage, a region of said gasket and a biasing member for biasing said region of the gasket against the bypass valve seat to close the bypass passage, said region of the gasket being responsive to fluid under pressure from the outlet passage exceeding a magnitude for moving off of the bypass valve seat to open the bypass passage.
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background of the invention this invention relates to a pump and more particularly to a positive displacement booster pump useful for pumping various liquids, such as water. pumps have been known for many years and the pump field is highly developed. one kind of pump which has been found very useful in pumping various liquids, such as water, is a diaphragm pump driven by a wobble plate. pumps of this general nature are shown by way of example in hartley u.s. pat. nos. 4,153,391 and 4,610,605. although diaphragm pumps of this type have been found very useful, there is an ongoing need to reduce the number of parts, simplify construction and assembly and reduce cost. it is also desirable to minimize the number of potential leak paths, and all of this must be accomplished while maintaining maximum efficiency. summary of the invention this invention achieves these goals. specifically, the number of parts and potential leak paths are reduced and assembly is facilitated while maintaining or increasing pump efficiency. one feature of this invention is to use a gasket for multiple functions thereby obtaining multiple functions out of what may be a single integral component of the pump. for example, with this invention a gasket may be utilized to both form a seal between first and second housing sections of the pump and to provide a valve element for either or both of the inlet and outlet check valves of the pump. alternatively or in addition thereto the gasket may be used to both seal between first and second housing sections of the pump and to cooperate with at least one of the housing sections to form an inlet and/or outlet chamber for the pump. according to another feature of the invention, a gasket is used to provide the valve elements for both the inlet and outlet check valves of the pump. it is sometimes necessary or desirable for a pump to have a bypass passage in the housing leading from a location in the outlet passage downstream of the outlet check valve to a location in the inlet passage upstream of the inlet check valve. a bypass valve opens in response to fluid under pressure from the outlet passage exceeding some magnitude to allow flow through the bypass passage back toward the inlet. another feature of this invention is that the bypass valve may include a region of the gasket and a biasing member for biasing such region of the gasket against a bypass valve seat to close the bypass passage. this region of the gasket is responsive to the fluid under pressure from the outlet passage exceeding some magnitude for moving off the bypass valve seat to open the bypass. the gasket also serves to keep the biasing member in a part of the housing which is not subjected to the fluid being pumped. another feature of the invention is particularly useful when the pump includes a wobble plate for driving a pumping member and a wobble mechanism for imparting wobbling motion to the wobble plate. a diaphragm is used between the wobble plate and the pumping member for sealing one end of a pumping chamber in which the pumping member moves. in this event, the pumping member may have a pedestal which engages the diaphragm to assist in transmitting the wobbling motion to the pumping member. the pedestal is believed to transmit the wobbling motion in a smooth manner. a pump constructed in accordance with this invention may comprise a housing including first and second housing sections, a gasket between the first and second housing sections and at least one fastener for holding the housing sections together. the housing has at least a first pumping chamber, an inlet, an inlet passage in the housing leading from the inlet to the pumping chamber, an outlet and an outlet passage in the housing leading from the pumping chamber to the outlet. a first pumping member is movable in the pumping chamber on an intake stroke wherein a fluid from the inlet passage is drawn into the pumping chamber and a discharge stroke wherein fluid in the pumping chamber is discharged into the outlet passage. a drive is provided for moving the pumping member on the intake and discharge strokes. an inlet check valve and an outlet check valve are provided in the inlet passage and the outlet passage, respectively with each of the check valves including a movable valve element and a valve seat. the gasket forms a seal between the first and second housing sections and performs any one or more of the following functions: (i) provides one or more of the valve elements of the inlet and outlet check valves, (ii) cooperates with at least one of the housing sections to form a chamber in one of the inlet and discharge passages, and/or (iii) forms a portion of a bypass valve. alternatively, the gasket may not form a seal between housing sections and provide the valve elements for both the inlet and outlet check valves. preferably the gasket includes a hinge of flexible material joined to the valve element whereby the valve element can be pivoted between open and closed positions. viewed from a different perspective, the gasket includes a section of flexible material and the valve element is integrally joined to such section about a hinge. although the gasket can be formed from multiple components, preferably it is integrally molded as a unitary, one piece element. the invention, together with additional features and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one preferred form of pump constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on a generally axial plane through the pump with parts broken away. fig. 2a is a rear view of a pumping member. fig. 3 is a plan view of the gasket. fig. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along lines 4--4 of fig. 3. fig. 5 is a view taken generally along line 5--5 of fig. 2 with the outer housing section removed and with portions of the gasket broken away. fig. 6 is a view taken generally along line 6--6 of fig. 2 with a portion of the diaphragm broken away and with two of the pistons removed. figs. 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary sectional views taken generally along lines 7--7, 8--8 and 9--9 of fig. 5. fig. 10 is a view showing the inner face of the outer housing section. description of the preferred embodiment fig. 1 shows a pump assembly 11 which generally comprises a motor 13 and a pump 15. the motor 13 may be a conventional 110 volt ac motor having a rotatable output shaft 17 and a base plate 19. the pump 15 includes a housing 21 (fig. 2) which includes an inner housing section 23, an intermediate housing section 25 and an outer housing section or cover 27 (figs. 1 and 2) which are held together and mounted on the motor 13 in any suitable manner such as by threaded fasteners 29 (fig. 1). each of the housing sections 23, 25 and 27 is preferably a one piece, molded member of a suitable polymeric material. as described more fully below, the pump 15, and in particular the intermediate housing section 25 has three identical pumping chambers 31 which are equally spaced circumferentially (fig. 2) and these pumping chambers have identical pumping members 37, respectively, movable in the pumping chambers to pump a fluid or liquid such as water through the pump from an inlet 43 to an outlet 45. although the pumping members 37 can be any kind of member that will pump a fluid, in this embodiment each of them is in the form of a piston. a drive 47 (fig. 1) reeves the pumping members 37 in the associated pumping chambers 31. although the drive 47 may be any device which accomplishes this function, in this embodiment it includes a bushing 49 driven by the output shaft 17 of the meter 13, a ball bearing 51 which receives a portion of the bushing 47 as shown in fig. 2 and a wobble plate 53 which has a pocket 55 in which the ball bearing 51 is received. the bushing 49 and the bearing 51 form a wobble mechanism for imparting wobbling motion to the wobble plate 53. as shown in fig. 2, the output shaft 17 is rotatably supported by a bearing 57 supported by a motor housing 59 of the motor. flats 61 on the output shaft 17 and on a bore 63 through the bushing 49 enables the output shaft to rotate the bushing. the bushing 49 has a cylindrical surface 65 with an axis which is skewed relative to the axis of the bore 63 and the ball bearing 51 has an inner race 67 which is suitably affixed to the cylindrical surface 65 and an outer race 69 which is suitably affixed to the wobble plate 53. accordingly, rotation of the output shaft 17 causes the wobble plate 53 to undergo a wobbling or nutating motion which can sequentially drive the pumping members 37 on intake and discharge strokes. the drive 47 is not novel per se, and a similar wobble plate drive is shown in hartley u.s. pat. no. 4,396,357. the wobble plate 53 is received within the inner housing section 23 and has three projections 71 (fig. 1) which are received respectively in three openings 73 of the inner housing section. a diaphragm 75 of a suitable flexible, resilient material, which may be a polymeric material or an elastomer with santoprene sold by monsanto being preferred, is sandwiched between the inner housing section 23 and the intermediate housing section 25. the diaphragm 75 is formed with integral annular seals 77 (fig. 2) for forming a fluid tight seal with the projections 71, respectively and three annular seals 79 which form seals around the three pumping chambers 31, respectively, between the inner housing section 23 and the intermediate housing section 25. the pumping members 37 which, in this embodiment are in the form of pistons, are suitably attached to the projections 71 by screws 81 which pass through openings in the diaphragm 75. integral pins 83 (fig. 1) on the diaphragm 75 are received in corresponding holes 85 in each of the pumping members 37 to index the pumping members against rotation about the associated screw 81. a feature of the pumping members 37 is that each of them has an annular pedestal 87 which seats on a region of the diaphragm 75 and in particular the associated seal 77. as best in seen in fig. 2a, the pedestal 87 preferably has a circular periphery. during the wobbling or nutating motion of the wobble plate 53, the pedestals 87 on the pumping members 37 are believed to smoothly transmit the wobbling motion to the pumping members 37. the intermediate housing section 25, the outer housing section 27 and a gasket or diaphragm 89 cooperate to define a flow path through the housing 21 from the inlet 43 to the outlet 45. as shown in figs. 2 and 7, the gasket 89 is sandwiched between the intermediate housing section 25 and the outer housing section 27. an inlet passage 91 leads from the inlet 43 to each of the pumping chambers 31. more specifically, the inlet passage 91 includes a bore 93 (fig. 7) in the intermediate housing section 25, an opening 95 (figs. 3, 4 and 7) in the gasket 89 and an inlet chamber 97. three identical inlet check valves 99 are provided in the chamber 97, and the inlet passage 91 also includes three bores 101 in the intermediate housing section 25 leading from the inlet check valves to the three pumping chambers 31, respectively. the inlet chamber 97 is formed by a groove 103 (figs. 7 and 10) in the outer housing section 27 and by a central portion 105 (figs. 3 and 7) of the gasket 89. as shown in fig. 10, the groove 103 has three legs 107 leading respectively to the three bores 101 in the central housing section 25 which lead to the three pumping chambers 31. thus, the inlet chamber 97 is a common inlet chamber for all three of the pumping chambers 31. the inlet chamber 97 is sealed by a generally triangular shaped seal or seal ridge 109 formed integrally with the gasket 87 and received in a correspondingly generally triangular shaped groove 111 (figs. 7 and 10). each of the inlet check valves 99 includes a valve seat 113 (fig. 7) which is a surface of the outer housing section 27 and a movable valve element 115 (figs. 3-5 and 7). the gasket 89 is integrally molded from a suitable resilient, flexible material such as a polymeric material or an elastomer with santoprene being preferred, and as such forms a hinge joining each of the valve elements 115 to the remainder of the gasket 89 for pivotal movement between open and closed positions. in this embodiment, the gasket has a generally u-shaped slot 117 partially around each of the valve elements 115 to separate the valve element from the surrounding regions of the gasket. an outlet passage 119 leads from the pumping chambers 31 to the outlet 45. the outlet passage 119 includes three outlet bores 121 (figs. 2, 6 and 8) leading from the three pumping chambers 31, respectively, three identical outlet check valves 123 (figs. 2 and 8), an outlet chamber 125 (figs. 2, 7 and 8), openings 127 (figs. 3 and 7) in the gasket 89 and a bore 129 (fig. 7) in the intermediate housing section 25 leading to the outlet 45. each of the outlet check valves 123 includes a valve seat 130 (fig. 8), which is a surface of the intermediate housing section 25, and a valve element 131. as shown in fig. 3, there are three of the valve elements 131, one for each of the pumping chambers 31. the valve elements 131 are formed integrally with the gasket 89 in the same manner as described above for the valve elements 115, and like the valve elements 115, each of them is partially circumscribed by a generally u-shaped slot 133. thus, the valve elements 131 can be pivoted between open and closed positions in the same manner as the valve elements 115. as best shown in figs. 3 and 4, each of the valve elements 115 and 131 has a central thickened region in the form of a dome 134 which strengthens the valve element. the outlet chamber 125 is formed by a groove 133 (figs. 8 and 10) in the outer housing section 27 and by a correspondingly shaped zone 135 (fig. 3) of the gasket 89 which confronts the groove 133. the gasket 89 has a seal or seal ridge 137 which cooperates with the seal ridge 109 to form a seal around the outlet chamber 125. the outer housing section 27 has a groove 138 (fig. 10) to receive the seal ridge 137. accordingly, the outlet chamber 125 serves as a common outlet chamber for all three of the pumping chambers 31. the pump 15 has a bypass passage 139 (fig. 9) which leads from the outlet chamber 125, i.e. a location in the outlet passage 119 (fig. 7) downstream of the outlet check valves 123, to a location in the inlet passage 91 upstream of the inlet check valves 97. the bypass passage 139 includes a bypass opening 140 in the gasket 89 and a bypass passage section or groove 142 in the intermediate housing section which is covered by the gasket. a bypass valve 141 (fig. 9) includes a bypass valve seat 143, a region 145 (figs. 2, 3, 5 and 9) and a biasing member in the form of a coil compression spring 147 which acts against such region of the gasket to bias such region against the valve seat 143. the spring 147 is received in a bore 149 of the outer housing section 127 and acts against a shoulder in that bore. the region 145 of the gasket 89 serves as a bypass valve element in that it cooperates with the valve seat 143 and the spring 147 to open and close the bypass valve 141. if the pressure in the outlet chamber 125 is sufficient, it will force the region 145 of the gasket 89 upwardly as viewed in fig. 9 off of the bypass valve seat 143 so that the fluid can be returned to the inlet passage 91. the gasket 89 has a circular seal ridge 151 (fig. 3) surrounding the region 145 which cooperates with a correspondingly shaped groove 153 (fig. 10) in the outer housing section 27 to seal the bore 149, which contains the spring 147 against liquid entry. as shown in fig. 3, the gasket 89 has mounting ears 155 and pins 157 (figs. 5 and 8) extend through apertures in the mounting ears 155 to locate the gasket on the intermediate housing section 125. each of the mounting ears 155 has a seal ridge 159 which cooperates with the seal ridge 137 to completely surround the mounting ear. the outer housing section 27 has grooves 161 (fig. 10) to receive the seal ridges 159. identical quick disconnect fittings 163 (fig. 1) are provided at the inlet 43 and the outlet 45, respectively, for enabling inlet and outlet conduits (not shown) to be quickly connected to, and disconnected from, the inlet and outlet. each of the fittings 163 includes a quick disconnect housing 165 and the components of the female portion of the fittings 163 are shown in fig. 2 and are removed in fig. 7. the fittings 163 are conventional except that the housings 165 are molded integrally with the intermediate housing section 25. it can be seen from the foregoing that the gasket 89 performs many valuable functions. first, the gasket seals between the housing sections 25 and 27 and also provides the valve elements 115 and 131 for the check valves 99 and 123, respectively. the gasket 89 also cooperates with the outer housing section 27 to provide the inlet chamber 97 and the outlet chamber 125. the gasket 89 also provides the region 145 which serves as the valve element for the bypass valve 141 and provides the seal ridge 151 (figs. 3 and 9) to exclude the fluid being pumped from the bore 149 which houses the spring 147. the gasket 89 also provides various openings, such as the openings 95, 127 and 140 (fig. 3) which permit fluid flow through the pump 15 from the inlet 43 to the outlet 45. consequently, a large number of functions are obtained from a one piece, unitary member, i.e. the gasket 89, and this gasket can be integrally molded from a suitable material. in use of the pump 15, the quick disconnect fittings 163 (fig. 1) are coupled to inlet and outlet conduits, respectively. the motor 13 is energized to rotate the output shaft 17 (fig. 2), the bushing 49 and the inner race 67. this causes the wobble plate 53 to wobble or nutate in a known manner to thereby drive the pumping members 37 on intake and discharge strokes which are out of phase with each other. on the intake stroke of a pumping member 37, the pumping member draws liquid from the inlet passage 91 (fig. 7) and in particular the inlet chamber 97 through the inlet check valve 99 and the bore 101 into the pumping chamber 31. the reduced pressure caused by movement of the pumping member 37 on the intake stroke causes the valve element 115 of the check valve 99 to pivot to the open position as shown in fig. 7. on the discharge stroke, the pumping member 37 forces fluid from the pumping chamber 31 through the outlet check valve 123 (fig. 8), the outlet chamber 125, the openings 127 and the bore 129 to the outlet 45. during the discharge stroke, the higher pressure in the pumping chamber 31 forces the valve element 115 of the inlet check valve 99 against the valve seat 113 to a closed position. conversely, during the intake stroke, the lower pressure within the pumping chamber 31 holds the valve element 131 of the outlet check valve 123 against its valve seat 130. this pumping action occurs in each of the pumping chambers 31, but in an out of phase relationship. fluid in the outlet chamber 125 also enters the bypass passage 139 to act on the region 145 of the gasket 89 as shown in fig. 9. under ordinary operating conditions, the force of the spring 147 is sufficient to hold the region 149 against the valve seat 143 thereby maintaining the bypass valve 141 closed. however, if the pump 15 continues operation and pressure in the output chamber 125 increases as a result of a restriction downstream of the outlet 45, the pressure in the bypass passage 139 acting against the region 145 of the gasket 89 and the spring 147 increases sufficiently to lift the region 145 off of the valve seat 143 thereby opening the bypass valve 141 and allowing flow through the bypass passage 139 back to the inlet passage 91. although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, many changes, modifications and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.
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145-064-305-014-915
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JP
|
[
"CN",
"US",
"JP",
"KR"
] |
H01L51/05,G02F1/167,H01L27/28,H01L29/08,H01L47/00,H01L29/786,H01L21/28,H01L29/41,H01L29/417,H01L29/423,H01L29/49,H01L35/24
| 2006-09-26T00:00:00 |
2006
|
[
"H01",
"G02"
] |
film transistor, electro-optical device and electronic equipment
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the present invention provides a good reliability film transistor, an electrooptical device and an electronic apparatus. the film transistor (1) related to the present embodiment has: a source electrode (3) and a drain electrode (4) arranged relatively on the plane; an organic semiconductor layer (5), at least arranged between the source electrode (3) and the drain electrode (4); a plurality of grid lines (7), spanning the source electrode (3), the organic semiconductor layer (5) and the drain electrode (4) and expending; and a grid insulating layer, existing among each grid line (7) and the source electrode (3), drain electrode (4) and the organic semiconductor insulating layer (5).
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1. a thin film transistor comprising: a source electrode and a drain electrode which are disposed to face each other; an organic semiconductor layer provided at least between the source electrode and the drain electrode; a plurality of gate lines extending over the source electrode, the organic semiconductor layer, and the drain electrode; and a gate insulating layer interposed between the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the organic semiconductor layer and the plurality of gate lines, wherein each one of the plurality of gate lines is electrically isolated from all other of the plurality of gate lines, and wherein, in plan view, gap lengths between the source electrode and the drain electrode in portions where the plurality of gate lines overlap the source electrode and the drain electrode are different for each gate line of the plurality of gate lines. 2. the thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the source electrode comprises a plurality of source electrodes portions and the drain electrode comprises a plurality of drain electrodes portions, and wherein the plurality of source electrode portions and the plurality of drain electrode portions are disposed alternately along an extending direction of the plurality of gate lines, and wherein the plurality of gate lines intersect the plurality of the source electrodes portions and the plurality of drain electrodes portions. 3. the thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein the source electrode and the drain electrode are formed in a comb-teeth-like shape. 4. the thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein, in plan view, at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode is formed in a taper-like or a step-like plane shape. 5. the thin film transistor according to claim 1 , wherein widths of the plurality of gate lines are different for each gate line. 6. an electro-optical device having the thin film transistor according to claim 1 . 7. an electronic apparatus having the electro-optical device according to claim 6 . 8. the thin film transistor according to claim 1 , further configured to receive a voltage to induce a conductive channel between the source electrode and the drain electrode, the voltage only being applied to one of the plurality of gate lines at a time.
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background 1. technical field the present invention relates to a thin film transistor, more particularly, to a thin film transistor using an organic semiconductor layer, and an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus which have the thin film transistor. 2. related art since delicate circuits of organic thin film transistors can be produced by using a simple process in which, for example, circuits are mixed with solvents for being printed, which is different from known transistor producing methods, the organic thin film transistors have excellent advantages in view of facilitating mass-production and increasing in areas thereof at low cost. furthermore, since the organic thin film transistors can be produced on flexible substrates, they are expected to be used for electronic paper or the like (see jp-a-2005-223286). in the organic thin film transistors, bulk resistance thereof decreases due to a minute amount of remaining oxygen when application of voltage is repeated, whereby the on/off state thereof deteriorates, and finally there is a possibility that modulation is not performed in a gate thereof. in other words, there is a problem that characteristics of the organic thin film transistors change in accordance with repetition of voltage application so as to have insufficient reliability, that is, the organic thin film transistors has low durability. summary an advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a thin film transistor having high reliability and an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus which have the thin film transistor. according to a first aspect of the invention, a thin film transistor includes: a source electrode and a drain electrode which are disposed to face each other; an organic semiconductor layer provided at least between the source electrode and the drain electrode; a plurality of gate lines extending over the source electrode, the organic semiconductor layer, and the drain electrode; and a gate insulating layer interposed between the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the organic semiconductor layer and the plurality of gate lines. since the thin film transistor has the plurality of gate lines, when a predetermined voltage value is applied to the gate lines, independent channels are induced in portions of the organic semiconductor layer which are overlapped with the gate lines. thus, in a case where one gate line is continuously used to deteriorate the on/off characteristics of one transistor, a normal operation of the thin film transistor which has a characteristic close to an initial characteristic thereof can be performed by switching to another gate line. in addition, a unit driving time for each gate line can be decreased by sequentially applying driving pulses to the plurality of the gate lines, and thereby the deterioration of the characteristic of the organic semiconductor layer can be suppressed. preferably, in the thin film transistor, a plurality of the source electrodes and a plurality of the drain electrodes may be disposed alternately along an extending direction of the plurality of gate lines, and the plurality of gate lines may intersect the plurality of the source electrodes and the plurality of drain electrodes. accordingly, when a predetermined voltage value is applied to the gate lines, a plurality of short channels are induced along the extending direction of the gate lines. by forming a plurality of channels having short channel lengths, the driving current of the thin film transistor can be increased. the source electrode and the drain electrode may be formed in a comb-teeth-like shape. in such a case, a plurality of channels having short channel lengths can be formed, and thereby the driving current of the thin film transistor can be increased. the gaps between the source electrode and the drain electrode in portions in which the plurality of gate lines are overlapped with the source electrode and the drain electrode for each one of the plurality of gate lines may be different from each other. in such a case, when a voltage equal to or greater than a threshold value is applied to the gate line, a channel is induced in a portion of the semiconductor layer which is overlapped with the gate line, and thereby a driving current flows between the source electrode and the drain electrode. the driving current depends on the channel length, that is, a gap between the source electrode and the drain electrode. in particular, as the gap between the source electrode and the drain electrode decreases, the driving current increases. accordingly, in the thin film transistor, it is possible to control the driving current by selecting a gate line without changing the gate voltage value. at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode may be formed in a taper-like or a step-like plane shape. in such a case, the gaps between the source electrode and the drain electrode for the gate lines can be formed to be different from each other. preferably, widths of the plurality of gate lines may be different for each gate line. in such a case, when a voltage equal to or greater than a threshold value is applied to the gate line, a channel is induced in a portion of the semiconductor layer which is overlapped with the gate line, and thereby a driving current flows between the source electrode and the drain electrode. the driving current depends on the channel width, that is, the width of the gate line. in particular, as the width of the gate line increases, the driving current increases. accordingly, in the thin film transistor, it is possible to control the driving current by selecting a gate line without changing the gate voltage value. according to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an electro-optical device having the thin film transistor. accordingly, the whole defect of the electro-optical device due to deterioration of the characteristic of the thin film transistor can be prevented, and thereby an electro-optical device having high reliability can be implemented. according to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus having the electro-optical device. accordingly, the whole defect of the electronic apparatus due to deterioration of the characteristic of the thin film transistor can be prevented, and thereby an electronic apparatus having high reliability can be implemented. according to some aspects of the present invention, a thin film transistor having high reliability and an electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus which have the thin film transistor can be provided. brief description of the drawings the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. fig. 1 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to a first embodiment of the present invention. fig. 2 is a sectional view of a thin film transistor according to the first embodiment of the invention. figs. 3a to 3d are sectional views of the thin film transistor according to the first embodiment of the invention for each production process. figs. 4a and 4b are diagrams illustrating a method of driving the thin film transistor. fig. 5 is a sectional view of a thin film transistor according to a second embodiment of the invention. fig. 6 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to a third embodiment of the invention. fig. 7 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. fig. 8 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. fig. 9 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to a sixth embodiment of the invention. fig. 10 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to a seventh embodiment of the invention. fig. 11 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to an eighth embodiment of the invention. fig. 12 is a plan view of an electro-optical device according to an embodiment of the invention, as an example. fig. 13 is a sectional view of an electro-optical device according to an embodiment of the invention, as an example. fig. 14 is a perspective view of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. description of exemplary embodiments first embodiment first, a structure of a thin film transistor according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. fig. 1 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to an embodiment of the invention. fig. 2 is a sectional view of fig. 1 taken along line a-a′. as shown in fig. 2 , the thin film transistor 1 includes a source electrode 3 and a drain electrode 4 which are formed on a substrate 2 , an organic semiconductor layer 5 that is provided at least between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 , an insulating layer 6 formed on the organic semiconductor layer 5 , and gate lines 7 formed on the insulating layer 6 . as shown in fig. 1 , the thin film transistor 1 has a plurality of gate lines 7 , which is a feature of this embodiment. in fig. 1 , a case where three gate lines 7 a , 7 b , and 7 c are disposed is shown. when each one of the gate lines 7 a , 7 b , and 7 c is not required to be identified, it will be simply referred to as a gate line 7 . both of the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 are formed in a comb-teeth-like shape. electrode portions 3 a and 4 a of the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 are alternately arranged along a channel length l direction and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. in the organic semiconductor layer 5 of the thin film transistor 1 , areas between the electrode portions 3 a of the source electrode 3 and the electrode portions 4 a of the drain electrode 4 become channels through which carriers move. there are seven channel areas for each one of the gate lines 7 a , 7 b , and 7 c . in other words, the number of the channels for each gate line is seven. the number of the channels is not limited to seven but may be two or more. lengths of areas between the electrode portions 3 a of the source electrode 3 and the electrode portions 4 a of the drain electrode 4 in a moving direction of carriers, that is, distances between the electrode portions 3 a and 4 a correspond to a channel length l. a width of the gate line 7 corresponds to an approximate width w. the electrode portions 3 a or 4 a are connected to each other with a connection portion 3 b or 4 b. the thin film transistor 1 has a structure in which the organic semiconductor layer 5 is disposed on a substrate 2 side relative to the gate line 7 , that is, a top-gate structure. hereinafter constituent portions of the thin film transistor 1 will be described one by one. the substrate 2 serves to support other layers (parts) constituting the thin film transistor 1 . as the substrate 2 , for example, a glass substrate, a plastic substrate (resin substrate) made of a polyimide (pi), polyethylene terephthalate (pet), polyethylene naphthalate (pen), poly methyl methacrylate (pmma), polycarbonate (pc), polyethersulfone (pes), an aromatic polyester (liquid crystal polymer), or the like, a quartz substrate, a silicon substrate, or a gallium arsenide substrate may be used. when flexibility is to be imparted to the thin-film transistor 1 , a resin substrate is selected as the substrate 2 . an underlying layer may be formed on the substrate 2 . the underlying layer serves to prevent ions from being diffused from the surface of the substrate 2 and also serves to improve the adhesion (connectivity) between the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 and the substrate 2 . although there is no particular restriction on the material of the underlying layer, silicon oxide (sio 2 ) or silicon nitride (sin), polyimide, a polymer insolubilized by cross-linking, or the like is preferably used. the materials of the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 are not particularly limited, and an example of the materials is a conductive material such as pd, pt, au, w, ta, mo, al, cr, ti, or cu, an alloy of two or more of such conductive materials, a conductive oxide material such as ito, fto, ato, sno 2 , a carbon material such as carbon black, carbon nanotube, or fullerene, polythiophene such as polyacetylene, polypyrrole, or pedot (polyethylenedioxythiophene), a conductive polymer material such as polyaniline, poly(p-phenylene), polyfluorene, polycarbazole or polysilane, or a derivative thereof. such materials may be used individually, or two or more of the materials may be used in combination. when the conductive polymer material is used, it is doped with a polymer such as an iron oxide, iodine, an inorganic acid, an organic acid, and a polystyrene sulfuric acid, and conductivity is imparted thereto. among such materials, ni, cu, co, au, or pd or an alloy thereof is preferably used as the main material of the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 . although there is no particular restriction on the thickness (average thickness) of the source and gate electrodes 3 and 4 , the thickness thereof is preferably in the range of 30 to 300 nm, and more preferably in the range of 50 to 150 nm. a width h of each electrode portion 3 a or 4 a is preferably equal to or less than 20 μm, and is more preferably in the range from several μm to 10 μm. a length of each electrode portion 3 a or 4 a , for example, is equal to or more than several tens of μm. the distance (gap distance) between the source and drain electrode portions 3 a and 4 a , that is, the channel length l is preferably set to be in the range of 2 to 20 μm, and is more preferably set to be in the range of 3 to 10 μm. as the channel length l decreases, a relatively large driving current (drain current) can be controlled and capacity of the gate line can be decreased. however, when the channel length l is set to be lower than the above-described lower limit, high-precision photolithography is required for electrode patterning, which results in an increase in production cost. in addition, there are cases where expected advantages cannot be acquired due to contact resistance between the source electrode and the organic semiconductor layer, even when a short channel length is attained. on the other hand, when the channel length l is set to be higher than the upper limit, a value of the driving current decreases, which may result in a characteristic of the thin film transistor 1 being insufficient. preferably, a gate width w is set to be in the range of several μm to several tens of μm. when the channel width w is lower than the lower limit, a value of the drain current decreases, which may result in a characteristic of the thin film transistor 1 being insufficient. the upper limit of the channel width w depends on the number of the gates. the organic semiconductor layer 5 is mainly formed of an organic semiconductor material (organic material behaving as a semiconductor in electrical conduction). preferably, at least the channel area (an area overlapping the gate) of the organic semiconductor layer 5 is aligned substantially parallel to the channel direction c. accordingly, the mobility of carriers in the channel area becomes high, whereby the operation speed of the thin film transistor 1 increases. as a low-molecular-weight organic semiconductor material, a low-molecular-weight organic semiconductor material such as naphthalene, anthracene, tetracene, pentacene, hexacene, phthalocyanine, perylene hydrazone, triphenylmethane, diphenyl methane, stilbene, arylvinyl pyrazoline, triphenylamine, triarylamine, oligothiophene, or phthalocyanine or a derivative thereof or a high-molecular-weight organic polymer semiconductor material (conjugated polymer material) such as poly-n-vinylcarbazol, polyvinyl pyrene, polyvinylanthracene, polythiophene, polyhexylthiophene, poly(p-phenylenevinylene), polytynylenevinylene, poly-allylamine, a pyrene formaldehyde resin, an ethylcarbazole formaldehyde resin, a fluorene-bithiophene copolymer, or a fluorene-allylamine copolymer or a derivative thereof may be used. such organic semiconductor materials may be used alone or any combination of two or more such organic semiconductor materials may be used. however, it is preferable to mainly use the high-molecular-weight organic semiconductor materials (conjugated polymer material). the conjugated polymer materials have a high mobility of carriers due to their unique electron cloud spreading. the high-molecular-weight organic semiconductor material can be formed as a film in an easy manner and can be aligned relatively easily. of those materials, the organic semiconductor material includes as a main ingredient at least one among a copolymer such as a fluorene-bithiophene copolymer which contains fluorine and bithiophene, a polymer such as poly-allylamine or a fluorene-allylamine copolymer which contains allylamine, and derivatives thereof, more preferably. the organic semiconductor material preferably includes at least one among poly-allylamine, a fluorene-bithiophene copolymer, and derivatives thereof as a main ingredient. since the organic semiconductor layer 5 formed of such an organic semiconductor material has high water resistance and high oxidation resistance even when being temporally exposed in a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, deterioration of quality thereof is prevented, whereby the organic semiconductor layer 5 can be chemically stable. the organic semiconductor layer 5 that is mainly made of an organic semiconductor material can be made thin and light and has excellent flexibility, and accordingly, it is appropriate to be used in a thin film transistor used as a switching element of a flexible display or the like. the depth (average) of the organic semiconductor layer 5 is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 1000 nm, is more preferably in the range of 10 to 500 nm, and is further more preferably in the range of 10 to 100 nm. the gate insulating layer 6 serves to insulate the gate line 7 from the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 . it is preferable that the gate insulating layer 6 is mainly made of an organic material (particularly, an organic polymer material). the gate insulating layer 6 that is mainly made of the organic polymer material can be formed in an easy manner, and adhesiveness between the organic semiconductor layer 5 and the gate insulating layer 6 can be improved. as the organic polymer material, for example, an acrylic resin such as a polystyrene resin, a polyimide resin, a polyamide-imide resin, polyvinylphenylene resin, a polycarbonate (pc) resin, and a poly methyl methacrylate resin, a halogenated resin such as a polytetrafluoroethylene (ptfe) resin, a phenolic resin such as a polyvinylphenol resin or a novolac resin, and an olefinic resin such as a polyethylene resin, a polypropylene resin, a polyisobutylene resin, or a polybutene resin may be used. among such materials, one may be used, or a combination of two or more materials may be used. although the depth (average) of the gate insulating layer 6 is not particularly limited, it is preferably in the range of about 10 to 5000 nm, and is more preferably in the range of about 100 to 1000 nm. by setting the depth of the gate insulating layer 6 in the above-described range, increase in the size (particularly, increase in thickness) of the thin film transistor 1 can be prevented while insulation between the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 and the gate line 7 can be assuredly made. the structure of the gate insulating layer 6 is not limited to a single layer and may be laminated as multiple layers. as the material of the gate insulating layer 6 , for example, an inorganic insulating material such as sio 2 can be used. in such a case, sio 2 used for the gate insulating layer 6 can be acquired by coating a solution such as silicate, polysiloxane, or polysilazane to form a coated film and heating the coated film in the presence of oxygen or vapor. alternatively, the inorganic insulating material can be acquired (as known as a sol-gel method) by coating a metal alkoxide solution and heating the coating in oxygen ambient. the material of the gate line 7 may be a conductive material such as a metal material or a metal oxide material such as ag, pd, pt, au, w, ta, mo, al, cr, ti, cu, or ni, an alloy thereof, indium tin oxide (ito), indium oxide (io), indium zinc oxide (izo), antimony tin oxide (ato), and tin oxide (sno 2 ). among such materials, one may be used alone, or a combination of two or more materials may be used. moreover, as the conductive material, for example, the conductive polymer material for the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 described above can be used. among such materials, it is preferable that the material of the gate line is mainly made of at least one of au, ag, cu, pt, pd, or ni or an alloy thereof. such materials are preferable, since they have high conductivity. in the thin-film transistor 1 , the current flowing between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 is controlled by controlling the voltage applied to the gate line 7 . in other words, when the thin film transistor 1 is in an off state in which no voltage is applied to the gate line 7 , there is substantially no carrier in the organic semiconductor layer 5 , and thus substantially no current flows even if a voltage is applied between the source electrode 3 (source electrode portion 3 a ) and the drain electrode 4 (drain electrode portion 4 a ). on the other hand, when the thin film transistor 1 is in an on state in which a voltage is applied to the gate line 7 , carriers are induced in a portion of the organic semiconductor layer 5 which contacts the gate insulating layer 6 , and a channel is formed. in this state, if a voltage is applied between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 , a current flows through the channel. in this embodiment, although a structure in which both of the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 are formed in comb-teeth-like shapes and comb-teeth portions thereof are arranged alternately has been described, however, the shapes of the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 are not limited thereto. method of producing thin film transistor figs. 3a to 3d are sectional views of the thin film transistor 1 for each production process for illustrating a method of producing thereof. as shown in fig. 3a , the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 are formed by forming a metal film on the substrate 2 and patterning the metal film. the metal film can be formed by, for example, chemical vapor deposition (cvd) such as plasma cvd, thermal cvd, or laser cvd, a dry plating process such as vacuum evaporation, sputtering, or ion plating, a wet plating process such as electroplating, immersion plating, or electroless plating, thermal spraying, a sol-gel method, or a metal organic deposition (mod) method. it is preferable to form the metal film by using an electroless plating process. by using the electrolytic plating process, the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 formed with a high precision can be formed at low cost in an easy manner without using a large-scale apparatus such as a vacuum apparatus. when a resin substrate such as polyimide is used as the substrate 2 , it is preferable to form the adhesion layer before performing the metal film forming process so as to improve adhesiveness of the metal film to the substrate 2 . the patterning process is performed by forming a resist mask on the metal film using lithography technology and then etching the metal film using the resist mask. this etching process may be performed by using one or combining two or more physical etching methods such as plasma etching, reactive etching, beam etching, or photo-assisted etching, chemical etching such as wet etching, or the like. of those etching processes, it is preferable to use the wet etching. accordingly, the etching process can be performed by using a simple apparatus and a simple process without using a large-scale apparatus such as a vacuum apparatus. as an etching solution used in the wet etching process, for example, a solution containing ferric chloride, a solution containing sulfuric acid, nitric acid, or acetic acid, or the like can be used. then, the resist mask is removed. for the removal of the resist mask, it is preferable to use a resist peeling solution. however, for example, the above-described physical etching process may be used for the removal of the resist mask. as described above, by combining the photo lithography method and the etching process, it is possible to assuredly form the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 with high dimensional precision in an easy manner. thus, it becomes possible to set the width h of the source and drain electrode portions 3 a and 4 a and a distance (channel length l) between the source electrode portion 3 a and the drain electrode portion 4 a to be relatively small, and accordingly it is possible to acquire a thin film transistor 1 that has a low absolute value of threshold voltage and a high driving current, that is, a thin film transistor having an excellent characteristic as a switching element can be acquired. alternatively, the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 may be formed by using a lift-off method. in other words, a resist mask having an opening corresponding to the form of the source and the drain electrodes 3 and 4 is formed on a substrate 2 and the substrate 2 on which the resist mask is formed is dipped in a plating solution, thereby a plating film corresponding to the form of the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 is formed. thereafter, the resist mask is peeled off, and thereby the source and the drain electrodes 3 and 4 can be acquired. next, as shown in fig. 3b , an organic semiconductor layer 5 is formed on the substrate 2 on which the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 are formed. the organic semiconductor layer 5 , for example, can be formed by coating (supplying) a solution containing an organic polymer material or a precursor thereof so as to cover the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 on the substrate 2 by using a coating method and performing appropriate post-processing (for example, heating, infrared ray radiation, or ultrasonic wave application) as is needed. here, as the coating method, for example, a spin coating method, a casting method, a micro gravure coating method, a gravure coating method, a bar coating method, a roll coating method, a wire bar coating method, a dip coating method, a spray coating method, a screen printing method, a flexo printing method, an offset printing method, an ink-jet printing method, or a micro contact printing method may be used. the coating process may be performed by using one of such coating methods described above or any combination of two or more thereof. among such methods, it is preferable to use the ink-jet method for forming the organic semiconductor layer 5 . by using the ink-jet method, it is possible to form the organic semiconductor layer 5 only on the channel area without forming a resist mask. accordingly, it is possible to decrease a usage amount of the organic semiconductor material and to reduce the production cost of the thin film transistor. in addition, by using the ink-jet method, a photo resist, a chemical agent such as a developing solution or a film-peeling solution, or a plasma process such as an oxygen plasma process or a cf 4 plasma process is not required. thus, there is no problem that the characteristics of the organic semiconductor material are changed (for example, is doped) or deteriorated. an area for forming the organic semiconductor layer 5 is not limited to that shown in the figure, and the organic semiconductor layer 5 may be formed so as to cover the source electrode portion 3 a and the drain electrode portion 4 a. as a solvent for dissolving the organic semiconductor material, for example, an inorganic solvent such as nitric acid, sulfuric acid, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, water, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, or ethylene carbonate, an organic solvent including: a ketone solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone (mek), acetone, diethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone (mibk), methyl isopropyl ketone (mipk), or cyclohexanone; an alcohol solvent such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol (deg), or glycerin; an ether solvent such as diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, 1,2-dimethoxyethane (dme), 1,4-dioxane, tetrahydrofuran (thf), tetrahydropyran (thp), anisole, diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (diglyme), or diethylene glycol ethyl ether (carbitol); a cellosolve based solvent such as methylcellosolve, ethylcellosolve, or phenylcellosolve; an aliphatic hydrocarbon based solvent such as hexan, pentane, heptane, or cyclohexan; an aromatic hydrocarbon based solvent such as toluene, xylene, or benzene; a heteroaromatic compound based solvent such as pyridine, pyrazine, furan, pyrrole, thiophene, or methyl pyrrolidone; an amide based solvent such as n,n-dimethylformamide (dmf) or n,n-dimethylacetamide (dma); a halogen compound-based solvent such as dichloromethane, chloroform, or 1,2-dichloroethane; an ester based solvent such as ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, or ethyl formate; a sulfur compound-based solvent such as dimethyl sulfoxide (dmso) or sulfolane; or a nitrile based solvent such as acetonitrile, propionitrile, or acrylonitrile; an organic acid-based solvent such as formic acid, acetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, or trifluoroacetic acid, or a mixed solvent containing a number of the above-described solvents may be used. since the organic semiconductor material includes a conjugate system such as an aromatic hydrocarbon radical or a heterocyclic group, it is easily dissolved by an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent. toluene, xylene, trimethylbenzene, tetramethylbenzene, cyclohexylbenzene, or the like is a particularly appropriate solvent for the organic semiconductor material. next, as shown in fig. 3c , a gate insulating layer 6 is formed so as to, at least, cover the organic semiconductor layer 5 . the gate insulating layer 6 , for example, can be formed by coating (supplying) the organic semiconductor layer 5 with a solution containing an insulating material or a precursor thereof using a coating method and performing appropriate post-processing (for example, heating, infrared ray radiation, or ultrasonic wave application) for the coated film as is needed. alternatively, the gate insulating lay 6 may be formed by using the ink-jet method. as the coating method, the above-described method can be used. as described above, since the organic semiconductor material can be easily dissolved by an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, it is desirable to suppress dissolution of the organic semiconductor material when the insulating material is coated. thus, it is preferable to use a water-based solvent, an alcohol solvent, a ketone solvent, an ether solvent, an ester solvent, an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, or a fluorinated solvent. next, as shown in fig. 3d , a gate line 7 is formed on the gate insulating layer 6 . as the method of forming the gate line 7 , an ink-jet method in which a liquid material containing conductive particles or the above-described lift-off method can be used. alternatively, the gate line 7 may be formed by forming a resist mask using lithography technology after formation of a conduction film and etching the conduction film using the resist mask. as described above, the thin film transistor 1 shown in fig. 2 can be acquired. advantages of the thin film transistor according to the above-described embodiment will now be described. in the embodiment, a plurality of the gate lines 7 are disposed, and thereby a plurality of independent channels are induced in the organic semiconductor layer 5 between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 . as a result, for example, when the organic semiconductor layer 5 below a gate line 7 a shown in fig. 1 is deteriorated to be changed in properties due to repetitive application of voltages to the gate line 7 a , other gate lines 7 b and 7 c can be used so as to induce channels in areas on the organic semiconductor layer 5 different from that of the gate line 7 a . accordingly, a normal operation of the thin film transistor which has a characteristic close to an initial characteristic thereof can be performed, and it is possible to improve durability and reliability of the thin film transistor 1 . furthermore, since the organic semiconductor layer 5 is gradually deteriorated as the application of the voltage is repeated, it is possible to delay the deterioration due to operations with equivalent switching operation being maintained by using the plurality of gate lines 7 alternately. as an example, it is assumed that a required switching characteristic can be acquired by applying a driving pulse shown in fig. 4a to the gate lines 7 . in such a case, the same characteristic as the required switching characteristic can be acquired by applying driving pulses of frequency shown in fig. 4b to the gate lines 7 a , 7 b , and 7 c , in the embodiment. in other words, for example, by turning on/off n gate lines 7 one by one, a unit driving time per one gate line 7 can be set to 1/n. if the unit driving time can be reduced, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the organic semiconductor layer 5 , whereby it is possible to improve durability and reliability of the thin film transistor 1 . furthermore, for example, when a defect occurs in a partial area of the organic semiconductor layer 5 during a production process thereof, a gate line 7 that induces a channel in an area other than the defective area can be used. accordingly, the whole thin film transistor 1 becoming defective due to a defect of the partial area of the organic semiconductor layer 5 can be prevented. a driving current of the transistor is inversely proportional to the square of a channel length and is proportional to the mobility of carriers. thus, the channel length l may be shortened so as to increase the driving current of the thin film transistor 1 . in the embodiment, since the channel length l per one channel is shortened by dividing the organic semiconductor layer 5 into a plurality of the source electrodes 3 (electrode portions 3 a ) and a plurality of drain electrodes 4 (electrode portions 4 a ), it is possible to increase the driving current of the thin film transistor 1 . the driving current of the transistor is also proportional to a channel width thereof. in the embodiment, when a gate voltage is applied to one gate line 7 , a plurality of channels are induced along an extending direction of the gate line 7 . as a result, since a channel width of the whole transistor is “gate width w×number n of distances (gaps) between the electrode portions 3 a and the electrode portions 4 a ”, an advantage that the channel width substantially increases is obtained. consequently, the driving current of the thin film transistor 1 can increase. second embodiment fig. 5 is a sectional view of a thin film transistor 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention. as shown in fig. 5 , the thin film transistor 1 includes gate lines 7 formed on a substrate 2 , a gate insulating layer 6 formed on the gate lines 7 , a source electrode 3 and a drain electrode 4 which are formed on the gate insulating layer 6 , and an organic semiconductor layer 5 that is provided between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 . the thin film transistor 1 has a structure in which the gate lines 7 are provided on a substrate 2 side relative to the organic semiconductor layer 5 , that is, a bottom-gate structure. as described above, the thin film transistor 1 whose structure is a bottom-gate type can be used. third embodiment fig. 6 is a plan view of a thin film transistor 1 according to a third embodiment of the invention. as shown in fig. 6 , both a source electrode 3 and a drain electrode 4 are formed in the shape of an approximate rectangle and extend along a longitudinal direction of a channel c. in addition, three gate lines 7 extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the channel c. as described above, the thin film transistor 1 that has a simple structure including a general source electrode 3 and a general drain electrode 4 other than the comb-teeth-like shaped source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 can be used. in such a case, since a plurality of independent channels can be induced between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 , it is possible to improve durability and reliability of the thin film transistor 1 , as in the first embodiment. fourth embodiment fig. 7 is a plan view of a thin film transistor 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. as shown in fig. 7 , a source electrode 3 and a drain electrode 4 which face each other intersect gate lines 7 several times. to be more specific, the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 are formed in the shape of a spiral. accordingly, a plurality of channels having short channel lengths are induced for each gate line 7 , whereby the driving current of the thin film transistor can be increased. the shape of the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 is not limited to the comb-teeth-like shape or the spiral shape, and the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 may have a shape in which channels can be divided along the gate lines. to be more specific, a plurality of pairs of the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 that face each other are to be provided along an extending direction of the gate lines 7 . fifth embodiment fig. 8 is a plan view of a thin film transistor according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. fig. 8 shows the positional relationship among gate lines 7 , source electrodes 3 , and drain electrodes 4 of one thin film transistor. as shown in fig. 8 , the thin film transistor 1 according to the embodiment includes a plurality of the gate lines 7 . in fig. 8 , although a case where four gate lines 7 - 1 , 7 - 2 , 7 - 3 , and 7 - 4 are disposed is shown, the number of the gate lines is not limited to four. hereinafter, when individual gate lines 7 - 1 , 7 - 2 , 7 - 3 , and 7 - 4 are not required to be identified, they will be simply referred to as gate lines 7 . each gate line 7 extends over the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrodes 4 . in addition, organic semiconductor layers 5 are provided on an under layer of the gate lines 7 between the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrodes 4 with a gate insulating layer 6 ( fig. 2 ) being interposed therebetween. the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrode 4 are disposed to be insulated from the gate lines 7 . in this embodiment, a plane shape (pattern shape) of each source electrode 3 is formed to be a taper. accordingly, gaps l between the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrodes 4 in portions in which the source and drain electrodes are overlapped with the gate lines 7 are different for each gate line 7 . to be more specific, gaps between the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrodes 4 are the smallest in a gate line 7 - 1 side and are the largest in a gate line 7 - 4 side. alternatively, the drain electrodes 4 may be formed in the shape of a taper, and both of the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrodes 4 may be formed in the shape of a taper. although two source electrodes 3 that are protrusions in the shape of a taper are provided in fig. 8 , the present invention is not limited thereto, and any plural source electrodes may be used. the number of the drain electrodes is determined in correspondence with the number of the source electrodes 3 . a channel length induced in a case where a gate voltage is applied to the gate line 7 is influenced by the gap l between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 . in other words, as the gap between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 becomes large, the corresponding channel length becomes large. the driving current of the transistor is in inverse proportion to the square of the channel length. accordingly, in a case where a value of the gate voltage is the same, when the gate voltage is applied to the gate line 7 - 1 , the largest driving current can be acquired. on the other hand, when the gate voltage is applied to the gate line 7 - 4 , the smallest driving current can be acquired. in this embodiment, the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrodes 4 are disposed alternately in an extending direction of the gate lines 7 , and the whole electrodes are in the shape of comb-teeth. thus, the total channel width of one transistor is the channel width w multiplied by the number n of the gate lines 7 . accordingly, the same effect as in a case where the channel width is increased can be acquired, whereby the driving current of the transistor can be increased. the gap l between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 is preferably in the range of approximate 2 to 20 μm and is more preferably in the range of 3 to 10 μm. the smaller becomes the gap l, the larger driving current (drain current) can be controlled. however, when the gap l becomes smaller than the above-described lower limit, photolithographic technology for electrode patterning with high precision is required, thereby a production cost thereof is increased. furthermore, even when a small gap l is formed, there are cases where an expected effect cannot be acquired due to contact resistance between the source electrode and the organic semiconductor layer. on the other hand, when the gap l becomes larger than the upper limit, the value of the driving current decreases, whereby there is a possibility that the characteristic of the thin film transistor 1 becomes insufficient. when the thin film transistor 1 is in an off state in which a voltage value is not applied to the gate lines 7 , even if a voltage value is applied between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 , carriers scarcely exist in the organic semiconductor layer 5 , whereby a current scarcely flows. on the other hand, when the thin film transistor 1 is in an on state in which a voltage value exceeding a threshold value is applied to the gate lines 7 , carriers are induced in a portion of the organic semiconductor layer 5 facing the gate insulating layer 6 , whereby a channel is formed. when a voltage value is applied between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 in this status, a current flows through this channel. the driving current is in inverse proportion to the square of the channel length. accordingly, in a case where a value of the gate voltage is the same, when the gate voltage is applied to the gate line 7 - 1 , the largest driving current can be acquired. on the other hand, when the gate voltage is applied to the gate line 7 - 4 , the smallest driving current can be acquired. an advantage of the thin film transistor according to this embodiment will now be described. in the thin film transistor according to this embodiment, even when the same gate voltage is applied to the gate lines, plural types (in this example, four types) of driving currents can be acquired by selection of the gate lines 7 - 1 to 7 - 4 . in other words, even when the same gate voltage is applied to the gate lines 7 , the driving current can be controlled by selection of the gate lines 7 , by disposing a plurality of the gate lines 7 and changing the gaps between the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrodes 4 for each gate line 7 . as a result, the driving current can be controlled by selection of the gate lines 7 without changing the gate voltage value. in addition, like a general transistor, the current amount flowing between the source electrodes 3 and the drain electrodes 4 can be controlled by changing a voltage value applied to the gate lines 7 . furthermore, in a case where an organic thin film transistor is used, the following advantages can be acquired. when the thin film transistor according to this embodiment is used, a gate line 7 generating a driving current closest to a driving current appropriate for its use is selected and the gate voltage is controlled as is required, whereby a required driving current can be acquired. thus, when n gate lines 7 are provided, if simply averaged, the unit driving time for one gate line 7 can be reduced to 1/n. as a result, the deterioration of the organic semiconductor layer 5 right below the gate lines 7 can be suppressed, whereby it is possible to improve durability and reliability of the thin film transistor 1 . sixth embodiment fig. 9 is a plan view of a thin film transistor 1 according to a sixth embodiment of the invention. as shown in fig. 9 , a source electrode 3 of the thin film transistor 1 according to this embodiment is in the plane shape of a step. thus, gaps l between source electrodes 3 and drain electrodes 4 in portions in which the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 and gate lines 7 are overlapped with each other are different for each gate line 7 . to be more specific, the gap between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 is the smallest in a gate line 7 - 1 side and is the largest in a gate line 7 - 4 side. alternatively, the drain electrode 4 may be formed in the shape of a step, and both the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 may be formed in the shape of a step. thus, when the thin film transistor 1 according to the sixth embodiment is used, the driving current can be controlled by selection of the gate lines 7 . in this embodiment, the source electrodes 3 are in the shape of a step, and sides of the shape of the step intersecting the gate lines 7 are parallel to a side of the source electrodes 3 . thus, even when the gate lines 7 are formed to be slightly deviated to the right/left side due to a non-uniform production process thereof or the like, the gaps between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 are not influenced thereby, and accordingly, it is possible to suppress variation of the driving current due to positional deviation of the gate lines 7 . in other words, according to the second embodiment, the thin film transistor 1 , which is capable of absorbing the non-uniformity in a production process and has a structure producible in an easy manner, having advantages of the first embodiment can be provided. since the thin film transistor can absorb the non-uniformity in a production process, a fabrication yield thereof is increased, and accordingly, it is possible to produce the thin film transistor 1 at low cost. seventh embodiment fig. 10 is a plan view of a thin film transistor 1 according to a seventh embodiment of the invention. as shown in fig. 10 , widths (gate widths) of gate lines 7 of the thin film transistor 1 according to this embodiment are different for each gate line 7 . to be more specific, it is set to be w 1 >w 2 >w 3 , wherein w 1 , w 2 , and w 3 are gate widths of gate lines 7 - 1 , 7 - 2 , and 7 - 3 . in an extending direction of the gate lines 7 , source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 in a rectangular shape are arranged alternately. the width h of the electrodes 3 and 4 is preferably equal to or less than 20 μm and is more preferably in the range of several μm to 10 μm. the driving current of the transistor is in proportion to the width of the gate. thus, in a case where a value of the gate voltage is the same, the largest driving current can be acquired when the gate line 7 - 1 is selected. on the other hand, the least driving current can be acquired when the gate line 7 - 3 is selected. as described above, in the thin film transistor 1 according to the seventh embodiment, a driving current can be controlled by selection of the gate lines 7 . in addition, since the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 are disposed to be parallel to each other, it is possible to suppress variation of the driving current due to positional deviation of the gate lines 7 . consequently, the same advantages as in the sixth embodiment can be acquired in the thin film transistor 1 according to the seventh embodiment. eighth embodiment fig. 11 is a plan view of a thin film transistor 1 according to an eight embodiment of the invention. as shown in fig. 11 , one pair of source electrode 3 and drain electrode 4 , other than the source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 in the shape of comb-teeth, is formed along an extending direction of gate lines 7 . in this embodiment, a side of an outer edge of the source electrode 3 which faces the drain electrode 4 is formed to be in the shape of a step. thus, gaps between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 are different for each gate line 7 . alternatively, the drain electrodes 4 may be formed to be in the shape of a step. by using this structure, even when the gate lines 7 are formed to be slightly deviated to the right/left side, the gaps between the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 are not influenced thereby. consequently, the same advantages as in the second embodiment can be acquired in the thin film transistor 1 according to the fourth embodiment. as described above, the thin film transistor 1 that has a simple structure including a general source electrode 3 and a general drain electrode 4 other than the comb-teeth-like shaped source and drain electrodes 3 and 4 can be used. even in such as a case, the driving current can be controlled by selection of the gate lines 7 . electro-optical device fig. 12 is a diagram showing a wiring substrate of an electro-optical device according to an embodiment of the invention. the wiring substrate of the electro-optical device has a plurality of the above-described thin film transistors 1 . the wiring substrate 10 shown in fig. 12 includes a substrate 2 , thin film transistors 1 provided on the substrate 2 , pixel electrodes 41 , connection terminals 8 , source lines 13 , and gate lines 7 . the pixel electrodes 41 are used for constituting one electrode for applying voltage to pixels when an electronic-optical device is built by using the wiring substrate 10 . the pixel electrodes 41 are arranged in the form of a matrix. to each one of the pixel electrodes 41 , a drain electrode 4 of the thin film transistor 1 arranged in the form of a matrix is connected. thus, driving operations of the pixels of the electro-optical device can be controlled by controlling operations of the thin film transistors 1 . the connection terminals 8 have a plurality of first terminals 81 and a plurality of second terminals 82 . the first terminals 81 and the second terminals 82 constitute terminals for connecting to driving ics. the gate lines 7 are commonly connected to the thin film transistors 1 arranged in a column direction. in this embodiment, a case where two gate lines 7 are disposed for each thin film transistor 1 is shown. one ends of the gate lines 7 are connected to the first terminals 81 . the source lines 13 are commonly connected to the source electrodes 3 of the thin film transistors 1 arranged in a row direction. the source lines 13 are formed simultaneously with the source electrodes 3 . one ends of the source lines 13 are connected to the second terminals. as a material of the pixel electrodes 41 , connection terminals 8 (first terminals 81 and second terminals 82 ), or the source lines 13 , any material having conductivity can be used. however, for example, the same material as the above-described material used for the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 can be used. accordingly, the source electrodes 3 , the drain electrodes 4 , the pixel electrodes 41 , the connection terminals 8 , and the source lines 13 can be formed simultaneously, besides the above-described materials, as the material of the gate lines 7 , the materials used for the source electrode 3 and the drain electrode 4 may be used. hereinafter, an electrophoretic display device as an electro-optical device including the above-described wiring substrate 10 will be described as an example. fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an electrophoretic display device in which the wiring substrate 10 according to an embodiment of the invention is used. the electrophoretic display device 20 shown in fig. 13 includes a wiring substrate 10 and an electrophoretic display unit 25 provided on the wiring substrate 10 . as shown in fig. 13 , the electrophoretic display unit 25 includes an opposing substrate 251 , an opposing electrode 252 , microcapsules 40 , and a binding material 45 . on the opposing substrate 251 , the opposing electrode 252 is laminated, and the microcapsules 40 (display media) are fixed on the opposing electrode 252 by the biding material 45 . the pixel electrodes 41 are disposed in a matrix form, are connected to a drain electrode 4 of a thin film transistor 1 , and are covered with a gate insulating layer 6 . the electrophoretic display unit 25 and the wiring substrate 10 are bonded together through a protection film 30 . the protection film 30 serves to protect the thin film transistor 1 in a mechanical manner and, to be described later, prevent diffusion of a lipophilic liquid to a wiring substrate 10 side. inside each capsule 40 , an electrophoretic dispersion liquid 400 containing plural types of electrophoretic particles having different characteristics, in this embodiment, containing two types of electrophoretic particles 401 and 402 having different electric charges and colors (hue) is sealed. to connection terminals 8 (terminals 81 and 82 ) of the wiring substrate 10 , a terminal of a driving ic is connected, thereby it is possible to shift the thin film transistor 1 (switching element) on the wiring substrate 10 between on/off states. in other words, in the electrophoretic display device 20 , when a selection signal (selection voltage) is supplied to one or more gate lines 7 , a thin film transistors 1 connected to the gate line 7 to which this selection signal (selection voltage) is supplied becomes the on state. accordingly, a source line 13 and a pixel electrode 41 which are connected to the thin-film transistor 1 are electrically conducted. in this case, when desired data (voltage) is supplied to the source line 13 , the data (voltage) is supplied to the pixel electrode 41 . thus, an electric field is generated between the pixel electrode 41 and the opposing electrode 252 , whereby the electrophoretic particles 401 and 402 are subjected to electrophoresis in a direction of one between the electrodes in accordance with the direction and intensity of the electric field, characteristics of the electrophoretic particles 401 and 402 , and the like. on the other hand, when the supply of the selection signal (selection voltage) to the gate line 7 is stopped in this state, the thin-film transistor 1 becomes the off state, whereby the source line 13 and the pixel electrode 41 which are connected to the thin film transistor 1 become non-conductive. thus, a desired image (information) can be displayed on a display side (opposing substrate) of the electrophoretic display device 20 by appropriately combining the supply and stop of a selection signal for the gate line 7 or the supply or stop of data for the source line 13 . since the electrophoretic display device 20 according to this embodiment uses the wiring substrate 10 having the thin film transistor 1 according to an embodiment of the invention, it is possible to improve the durability and reliability of the electrophoretic display device 20 . an electro-optical device according to an embodiment of the invention is not limited to the electrophoretic display device 20 and may be a liquid crystal display device, an organic or inorganic el display device, or the like. electronic apparatus the electro-optical device such as the above-described electrophoretic display device 20 may be installed to various electronic apparatuses. as an example of the electronic apparatus, an electronic paper will now be described. fig. 14 is a perspective view of an electronic paper. the electronic paper 600 shown in fig. 14 includes a main body 601 formed of a rewritable sheet having the same texture and flexibility as paper and a display unit 602 . the display unit 602 of this electronic paper 600 includes the above-described electrophoretic display device 20 . the electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention is not limited to the above-described apparatuses. the electronic apparatus, for example, includes a television set, a viewfinder-type or monitor direct view-type video cassette recorder, a car navigator, a pager, an electronic diary, a calculator, an electronic newspaper, a word processor, a personal computer, a workstation, a video phone, a pos terminal, an apparatus having a touch panel, or the like. an electro-optical device having the thin film transistor 1 according to the embodiment can be used in display units of these various electronic apparatuses. although, a thin film transistor, an electro-optical device, and an electronic apparatus according to embodiments of the invention have been described, the present invention is not limited thereto. therefore, various changes may be made therein without departing from the gist of the invention.
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145-660-729-384-777
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US
|
[
"US"
] |
G06F17/10,G06F7/60,G03F1/00,G06F17/50
| 2006-08-30T00:00:00 |
2006
|
[
"G06",
"G03"
] |
method, program product and apparatus for modeling resist development of a lithography process
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a method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system. the method includes the steps of defining the optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by the optical imaging system; and defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system and the process, where the model equation includes a resist performance component, and the resist performance component includes a non-linear model of the resist performance.
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1 . a method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system; said method comprising the steps of: defining said optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by said optical imaging system; and defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of said optical imaging system and said process, said model equation including a resist performance component; wherein said resist performance component includes a non-linear model of the resist performance. 2 . the method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said model equation includes tunable parameters. 3 . the method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein said resist performance component is modeled utilizing a function selected from the group consisting of a sigmoid function, a logistic sigmoid function and a generalized logistic sigmoid function. 4 . a method of simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system; said method comprising the steps of: defining said optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by said optical imaging system; defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of said optical imaging system and said process, said model equation including a resist performance component; processing a target pattern utilizing said model equation so as to generate a simulated imaging result; wherein said resist performance component includes a non-linear model of the resist performance. 5 . the method of simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system according to claim 4 , wherein said model equation includes tunable parameters. 6 . the method of simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system according to claim 4 , wherein said resist performance component is modeled utilizing a function selected from the group consisting of a sigmoid function, a logistic sigmoid function and a generalized logistic sigmoid function. 7 . a computer program product having a computer readable medium bearing a computer program for generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system, the computer program, when executed, causing a computer to perform the steps of: defining said optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by said optical imaging system; and defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of said optical imaging system and said process, said model equation including a resist performance component; wherein said resist performance component includes a non-linear model of the resist performance. 8 . the computer program product according to claim 7 , wherein said model equation includes tunable parameters. 9 . the computer program product according to claim 7 , wherein said resist performance component is modeled utilizing a function selected from the group consisting of a sigmoid function, a logistic sigmoid function and a generalized logistic sigmoid function.
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priority claim this application claims priority to provisional application ser. no. 60/840,953, filed on aug. 30, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein in its entirety. technical field this disclosure relates generally to lithographic simulation tools. more particularly, it relates to a method for modeling the resist development in a lithography process so as to allow for the generation of a more accurate model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system. background lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ics). in such a case, the mask may contain a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of the ic, and this pattern can be imaged onto a target portion (e.g., comprising one or more dies) on a substrate (silicon wafer) that has been coated with a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). in general, a single wafer will contain a whole network of adjacent target portions that are successively irradiated via the projection system, one at a time. in one type of lithographic projection apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by exposing the entire mask pattern onto the target portion in one go; such an apparatus is commonly referred to as a wafer stepper. in an alternative apparatus, commonly referred to as a step-and-scan apparatus, each target portion is irradiated by progressively scanning the mask pattern under the projection beam in a given reference direction (the “scanning” direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate table parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. since, in general, the projection system will have a magnification factor m (generally >1), the speed v at which the substrate table is scanned will be a factor m times that at which the mask table is scanned. more information with regard to lithographic devices as described herein can be gleaned, for example, from u.s. pat. no. 6,046,792, incorporated herein by reference. in a manufacturing process using a lithographic projection apparatus, a mask pattern is imaged onto a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist). prior to this imaging step, the substrate may undergo various procedures, such as priming, resist coating and a soft bake. after exposure, the substrate may be subjected to other procedures, such as a post-exposure bake (peb), development, a hard bake and measurement/inspection of the imaged features. this array of procedures is used as a basis to pattern an individual layer of a device, e.g., an ic. such a patterned layer may then undergo various processes such as etching, ion-implantation (doping), metallization, oxidation, chemo-mechanical polishing, etc., all intended to finish off an individual layer. if several layers are required, then the whole procedure, or a variant thereof, will have to be repeated for each new layer. eventually, an array of devices will be present on the substrate (wafer). these devices are then separated from one another by a technique such as dicing or sawing, whence the individual devices can be mounted on a carrier, connected to pins, etc. for the sake of simplicity, the projection system may hereinafter be referred to as the “optics;” however, this term should be broadly interpreted as encompassing various types of projection systems, including refractive optics, reflective optics, and catadioptric systems, for example. the radiation system may also include components operating according to any of these design types for directing, shaping or controlling the projection beam of radiation, and such components may also be referred to below, collectively or singularly, as a “lens.” further, the lithographic apparatus may be of a type having two or more substrate tables (and/or two or more mask tables). in such “multiple stage” devices the additional tables may be used in parallel, or preparatory steps may be carried out on one or more tables while one or more other tables are being used for exposures. twin stage lithographic apparatus are described, for example, in u.s. pat. no. 5,969,441, incorporated herein by reference. the photolithographic masks referred to above comprise geometric patterns corresponding to the circuit components to be integrated onto a silicon wafer. the patterns used to create such masks are generated utilizing cad (computer-aided design) programs, this process often being referred to as eda (electronic design automation). most cad programs follow a set of predetermined design rules in order to create functional masks. these rules are set by processing and design limitations. for example, design rules define the space tolerance between circuit devices (such as gates, capacitors, etc.) or interconnect lines, so as to ensure that the circuit devices or lines do not interact with one another in an undesirable way. a critical dimension of a circuit can be defined as the smallest width of a line or hole or the smallest space between two lines or two holes. thus, the cd determines the overall size and density of the designed circuit. due to an accuracy requirement for optical proximity correction (opc) at very low k1 (<0.4), more accurate representation of the performance of the exposure tool in simulations has become critical to accommodate the reduction of device pattern dimensions. as is known, the modeling of complex optical imaging and patterning processes often relies on empirical models with adjustable parameters that have to be calibrated using measured data. such empirical models are used in photolithography and advanced imaging applications, including optical proximity correction (opc) of layouts in photolithography, post-opc layout verification, die-to-database photomask pattern inspection, etc. the empirical models of the imaging process have adjustable parameters that are optimized, or “calibrated”, using measured data. in other words, the adjustable parameters are adjusted until the simulated imaging result matches the actual imaging result (i.e., the measured data) within some predefined error criteria. in case of opc in lithographic patterning, the calibration data may be, for example, cd sem measurements of patterns from semiconductor wafers. in case of mask inspection, the calibration data may be, for example, images of the mask measured on the inspection tool. although physically based models of lithographic patterning are well understood, their use in modeling full-chip designs is limited by available computation time and resources. consequently, less complicated and more efficient empirical patterning models are typically used in opc applications. as noted, empirical models have adjustable parameters that are optimized, or “calibrated”, using measured patterns and/or critical dimension (cd) information from semiconductor wafers patterned with the lithographic process of interest. since each empirical model does not completely capture the physics of the patterning process, its usefulness depends on how well it can match the observed measurements and predict the process behavior. currently, in existing prior art imaging models, the resist performance is modeled by only considering the optical intensity at given points within the resist. this can be done, for example, by convolving the optical intensity with known curves, such as a gaussian curve, so as to model the performance of the resist. however, this approach wholly neglects the non-linear effects of the resist, which are dependent, for example, on the pattern and resist type. as such, the current imaging model techniques do not accurately model the resist performance and thereby exhibit an inherent error with respect to modeling resist performance. as the design requirements continue to become more demanding, there is a continuing need for the simulation models to be more accurate. accordingly, there exists a need for a modeling process which considers and models actual resist performance so as to produce a simulation model capable of producing simulation results exhibiting increased accuracy relative to the actual imaging performance. summary in view of the foregoing deficiencies in the prior art imaging models, the present invention relates to a method of generating an imaging model which includes and considers the effects of the actual resist response. in particular, as noted in more detail below, the present invention models the resist component of the imaging model utilizing a non-linear function, which more accurately represents actual resist performance during the imaging process. as a result, a more accurate imaging model and more accurate imaging results are produced. more specifically, the present invention relates to a method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system. the method includes the steps of defining the optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by the optical imaging system; and defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system and the process, where the model equation includes a resist performance component, and the resist performance component includes a non-linear model of the resist performance. in addition, the present invention relates to a method of simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system. the method includes the steps of defining the optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by the optical imaging system; defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system and the process, and processing a target pattern utilizing the model equation so as to generate a simulated imaging result, where the model equation includes resist performance component and the resist performance component includes a non-linear model of the resist performance. as explained in more detail below, the method of the present invention provides significant advantages over the prior art. most importantly, the present invention provides an imaging model which utilizes a non-linear function to represent the resist response. as a result, a more accurate imaging model is produced, which benefits all applications utilizing such simulation processes. for example, increased model accuracy results in improved opc application and verification, which are important aspects of the mask design process. although specific reference may be made in this text to the use of the invention in the manufacture of ics, it should be explicitly understood that the invention has many other possible applications. for example, it may be employed in the manufacture of integrated optical systems, guidance and detection patterns for magnetic domain memories, liquid-crystal display panels, thin-film magnetic heads, etc. the skilled artisan will appreciate that, in the context of such alternative applications, any use of the terms “reticle,” “wafer” or “die” in this text should be considered as being replaced by the more general terms “mask,” “substrate” and “target portion,” respectively. although specific reference may be made in this text to the use of the invention in the manufacture of ics, it should be explicitly understood that the invention has many other possible applications. for example, it may be employed in conjunction with the manufacture of integrated optical systems, guidance and detection patterns for magnetic domain memories, liquid-crystal display panels, thin-film magnetic heads, etc. the skilled artisan will appreciate that, in the context of such alternative applications, any use of the terms “reticle”, “wafer” or “die” in this text should be considered as being replaced by the more general terms “mask”, “substrate” and “target portion”, respectively. in the present document, the terms “radiation” and “beam” are used to encompass all types of electromagnetic radiation, including ultraviolet radiation (e.g. with a wavelength of 365, 248, 193, 157 or 126 nm) and euv (extreme ultra-violet radiation, e.g. having a wavelength in the range 5-20 nm). the term mask as employed in this text may be broadly interpreted as referring to generic patterning means that can be used to endow an incoming radiation beam with a patterned cross-section, corresponding to a pattern that is to be created in a target portion of the substrate; the term “light valve” can also be used in this context. besides the classic mask (transmissive or reflective; binary, phase-shifting, hybrid, etc.), examples of other such patterning means include: a programmable mirror array. an example of such a device is a matrix-addressable surface having a viscoelastic control layer and a reflective surface. the basic principle behind such an apparatus is that (for example) addressed areas of the reflective surface reflect incident light as diffracted light, whereas unaddressed areas reflect incident light as undiffracted light. using an appropriate filter, the said undiffracted light can be filtered out of the reflected beam, leaving only the diffracted light behind; in this manner, the beam becomes patterned according to the addressing pattern of the matrix-addressable surface. the required matrix addressing can be performed using suitable electronic means. more information on such mirror arrays can be gleaned, for example, from united states patents u.s. pat. no. 5,296,891 and u.s. pat. no. 5,523,193, which are incorporated herein by reference. a programmable lcd array. an example of such a construction is given in united states patent u.s. pat. no. 5,229,872, which is incorporated herein by reference. the invention itself, together with further objects and advantages, can be better understood by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary method of generating a model of an optical imaging system which incorporates a non-linear model of the resist performance in accordance with the present invention. fig. 2 illustrates a comparison of simulated contours for a multi-pitch line pattern. fig. 3 illustrates a plot of the reactive sites concentration vs. the aerial image intensity for different patterns. fig. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system 100 which can assist in the generation of a model of an optical imaging system which incorporates a non-linear model of the resist performance in accordance with the present invention. fig. 5 schematically depicts an exemplary lithographic projection apparatus that could be the basis of the imaging model to be developed and calibrated in accordance with the process of the present invention. detailed description as noted above, the present invention relates to a method of generating a model of an optical imaging system which incorporates a non-linear model of the resist performance. in general, the generation of the imaging model includes generating a function of position, hereinafter referred to as a “system pseudo intensity function” (spif), from the image intensity i(x,y,z), which reflects the non-linear performance of the resist. once generated, the imaging model function can be thresholded to produce contours of the printed pattern that are desired for various applications, such as opc treatment or verification. fig. 1 illustrates a flow chart of an exemplary method of generating a model of an optical imaging system which incorporates a non-linear model of the resist performance in accordance with the present invention. the imaging model (also referred to herein as the model function) is produced from the image intensity using the following steps. referring to fig. 1 , the first step (step 10 ) in the process is to define the optical lithography system and the process which is to be utilized (or modeled). the next step (step 20 ) is to calculate an optical image intensity i(x,y,z) inside photoresist layer or in air (or in liquid when utilizing immersion lithography). the next step (step 30 ) is to apply a local nonlinear transform j(x,y,z, a 1 , a 2 , . . . , a m )=ƒ(i(x,y,z), a 1 , a 2 , . . . , a m ) to the image intensity. the transform function ƒ is a nonlinear one-to-one map over the range from 0 to i max of the normalized intensity l here i max is the maximum image intensity and it is assumed that i is normalized to clear-field intensity of unity. the transform function ƒ is designed to generally have an “s” shape as the image intensity varies over the entire range from 0 to i max . the shape of ƒ(i) vs. i is controlled with one or more adjustable parameters a i . continuing, the next step in the process (step 40 ) is to convolve the transformed intensity j=ƒ(i) with a series of convolution functions h n (x,y,z), also referred to as “diffusion kernels”, to produce a correction term σ n d n h n (x,y,z)*ƒ(i(x,y,z)), where d n are adjustable parameters and * denotes convolution. thereafter, a correction term is added to the intensity i(x,y,z) to produce the “system pseudo intensity function” (spif), which is defined as: spif (x,y,z)= ai ( x,y,z )+σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z )), where a is an adjustable parameter that controls the relative weight of the main term and the intensity correction term. one alternative for generating the system pseudo intensity function is to add the correction term to the transformed intensity ƒ(i(x,y,z)) to obtain: spif ( x,y,z )= a ƒ( i ( x,y,z ))+σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z )). it is also possible to add an adjustable constant offset b term to the optical intensity function to obtain: spif ( x,y,z )= a ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )+σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b ), or spif ( x,y,z )= a ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )+σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b ), where b can be set to 0 if desired. the resulting function spif(x,y,z) (step 50 ) represents the effective intensity with resist and/or etch effects for the given lithographic system and process defined in step 10 . in other words, the function spif(x,y,z) represents the simulated performance of the imaging system for the given lithography system and process, and reflects the non-linear performance of the resist in the imaging result. it is noted that when a constant threshold (step 0 ) is applied to the spif(x,y,z) to simulate the resist contours, the model will produce position-dependent adjustment of the contours (step 70 ) relative to contours of the aerial image. this adjustment includes the non-linear resist effects. it is also noted that during the calibration process of the imaging model, the model contours associated with a target/calibration pattern resulting from thresholding the spif(x,y,z) function are compared against measured contours (step 80 ), which are actual images produced by imaging the target/calibration pattern utilizing the given lithography system and process, and the differences between simulated contours and the actual contours are utilized to adjust a cost function (step 90 ), which adjusts tunable parameters (step 95 ) such that the results of the simulated image correspond with the actual imaging results within some predefined error criteria. it is further noted that variations of the foregoing method for generating the model detailed above are possible. the following discussion sets forth some possible variations, however, other variations are also possible. as a first variation, it is possible to perform the convolution with the “diffusion” terms before applying the non-linear transform, which results in the spif function being defined as: spif ( x,y,z )= a ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )+ƒ(σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*( i ( x,y,z )+ b )), or spif ( x,y,z )= a ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )+ƒ(σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*( i ( x,y,z )+ b )). another possible variation is to apply a second non-linear transform j′(x,y,z, a 1 ′, a 2 ′, . . . , a m ′)=ƒ′( i ( x,y,z ), a 1 ′, a 2 ′, . . . , a m ′) either after step 40 or after step 50 in the method disclosed above. this results in four possible versions of the imaging model: spif ( x,y,z )= a ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )+ƒ′(σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )), or spif ( x,y,z )= a ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )+ƒ′(σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )), or spif ( x,y,z )= a ƒ′( i ( x,y,z ))+ƒ′(σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )), or spif ( x,y,z )= a ƒ′( i ( x,y,z )))+ƒ′(σ n d n h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z )+ b )). in another variation, the correction term is replaced with another term with a convolution taken to the n th power. as a result, the correction term becomes: σ n d′ n ( h n ( x,y,z )*ƒ( i ( x,y,z ))) n . in yet another variation, the correction term is replaced with another term with an absolute value of the convolution taken to the n th power. as a result, the correction term becomes: σ n d″ n |h n (x,y,z)*ƒ(i(x,y,z))| n . in yet another variation, the image intensity i(x,y,z) in the model above is replaced with an effective intensity i eff (x,y,z) that itself contains a series of squared and unsquared convolution correction terms. specifically, i eff ( x,y,z )= i ( x,y,z )+σ k y k u k ( x,y,z )* m ( x,y,z )+σ l z l |s l ( x,y,z )* m ( x,y,z )| 2 , where m(x,y,z) represents the complex representation of the pattern of the mask that is being imaged; y k and z l are adjustable parameters for the squared and unsquared intensity correction terms; and u k (x,y,z) and s l (x,y,z) are the squared and unsquared convolution functions, respectively. it is further noted that the convolution functions h n (x,y,z) should be spatially confined and decay to 0 for large values of the spatial coordinates x, y, and z to produce valid results. furthermore, the fourier transforms of the convolution functions should be substantially non-zero only over a limited range of spatial frequencies. for example, h n (x,y,z) may be gaussian functions of different widths. the convolution functions can also be orthogonal functions, such as, but not limited to, the hermite-gaussian functions, zernike polynomials, fourier transforms of zernike polynomials, bessel functions, etc. combinations of different orthogonal and non-orthogonal functions with the desired spatial and spatial frequency behavior may also be utilized. a suitable nonlinear transform ƒ (or ƒ′) utilized to operate on the normalized intensity i may be, for example, an “s” shaped curve, also referred to as a sigmoid function. its value at zero intensity corresponds to “reactivity” ƒ min of the unexposed resist, while at the normalized intensity of unity ƒ(i=1) corresponds to resist “reactivity” under clear field exposure. since the normalized intensity can exceed unity, owing to localized image interference, the transform ƒ(i) is preferably defined for input values up to the maximum intensity i max . for very large intensities the transform ƒ(i) will reach a saturation value that corresponds to the maximum reactivity of the resist ƒ max . sigmoid functions include, for example, but not limited to, those based on the logistic function, the error function, and the arctangent function. since in some applications only the resist pattern contour extracted from the model function is important, the nonlinear transform ƒ(or ƒ′) may be chosen such that the model fits the measured data only for a relatively small range of intensities. the important input intensity range for the transform ƒ(i) is near the threshold intensity i threshold that was used to expose the patterns in the calibration data set. in this case, an n th -order polynomial series may be a suitable nonlinear transform function. in developing the model of the present invention which incorporates the non-linear response of the resist, the inventor performed a simulation study of resist patterning that employed a physically based model of the photolithography patterning process. the simulation study compared the final printed resist contours to image contours as well as to contours of several different functions that describe the photoresist properties during the exposure and development process. specifically, printed resist contours were compared to the aerial image, the image in resist, the photoacid generator concentration before (pag1) and after post-exposure bake (pag2), the normalized concentration of reactive resist sites (m), and the resist development rate. it was found that the printed resist contours closely matched the contours of the concentration of reactive resist sites m for a variety of pattern feature types. the feature types included lines, spaces, resist elbows, elbow-shaped resist trenches, as well as more complex patterns. some example contours comparisons are given in fig. 2 . next, the variation of the reactive sites concentration vs. the image intensity was analyzed. the plot of the reactive sites concentration vs. the aerial image intensity for all spatial locations in the patterns used in the study is shown in fig. 3 . as shown, the plot has a well-defined shape that effectively describes the nonlinear resist response to intensity. the resist acid diffusion effects are apparent in the spread of the points at a given intensity in fig. 3 . as noted above, a function with adjustable parameters that describes the shape of the curve in fig. 3 can be used as the nonlinear transform j(x,y,z)=ƒ(i(x,y,z)) in the imaging model of the present invention. such a transform captures the nonlinear resist response to the intensity, while the convolution terms in the model describe the non-localized “diffusion-like” effects in the resist response. it is noted that because the model parameters are adjustable, the model can be utilized to describe a variety of different resist patterning processes. as mentioned above, the method of the present invention provides significant advantages over the prior art. most importantly, the imaging model described herein represents a novel approach to opc model generation. since the model uses the input aerial image and includes simplified physical characteristics of the resist patterning process, its ability to predict contours of patterns not included in the calibration data exceeds that of other prior art models based primarily on convolution kernels or on variable thresholds. moreover, the formulation of the model advantageously does not result in significant computational overhead during the opc generation or verification compared to prior art approaches. variations of the embodiment described above are also possible. for example, some examples of s-shaped curves that may be suitable for the empirical resist function are given below. in these examples, the adjustable parameters include the upper and lower asymptotes, ƒ min and ƒ max , respectively, the approximate position where the curve is increasing i increase , the parameter that controls the rate of increase of the function a rate , and the parameter that changes the shape of the curve, a shape . among these examples, the generalized logistics function appears to be the most flexible. the examples are: sigmoid function based on the error function: ƒ( i )=(ƒ max +ƒ min )/2+(ƒ max −ƒ min )/2 erf ( a rate ( i−i increase )); sigmoid function based on the arctangent function: ƒ( i )=(ƒ max +ƒ min )/2+(ƒ max −ƒ min )/π a tan( a rate ( i−i increase )); logistic sigmoid function: ƒ( i )=ƒ min +(ƒ max −ƒ min )/(1+exp(− a rate ( i−i increase ))); and generalized logistic sigmoid function: ƒ( i )=ƒ min +(ƒ max −ƒ min )/(1 +a shape. *exp(−a rate ( i−i increase ))) 1./ashape . fig. 4 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system 100 which can assist in the generation of a model of an optical imaging system which incorporates a non-linear model of the resist performance in accordance with the present invention. computer system 100 includes a bus 102 or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor 104 coupled with bus 102 for processing information. computer system 100 also includes a main memory 106 , such as a random access memory (ram) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to bus 102 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 104 . main memory 106 also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 104 . computer system 100 further includes a read only memory (rom) 108 or other static storage device coupled to bus 102 for storing static information and instructions for processor 104 . a storage device 110 , such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, is provided and coupled to bus 102 for storing information and instructions. computer system 100 may be coupled via bus 102 to a display 112 , such as a cathode ray tube (crt) or flat panel or touch panel display for displaying information to a computer user. an input device 1 14 , including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to bus 102 for communicating information and command selections to processor 104 . another type of user input device is cursor control 1 16 , such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to processor 104 and for controlling cursor movement on display 112 . this input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specify positions in a plane. a touch panel (screen) display may also be used as an input device. determination and calibration of the imaging model may be performed by computer system 100 in response to processor 104 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory 106 . such instructions may be read into main memory 106 from another computer-readable medium, such as storage device 110 . execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory 106 causes processor 104 to perform the process steps described herein. one or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement may also be employed to execute the sequences of instructions contained in main memory 106 . in alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the invention. thus, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software. the term “computer-readable medium” as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to processor 104 for execution. such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage device 110 . volatile media include dynamic memory, such as main memory 106 . transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus 102 . transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio frequency (rf) and infrared (ir) data communications. common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a cd-rom, dvd, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a ram, a prom, and eprom, a flash-eprom, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read. various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to processor 104 for execution. for example, the instructions may initially be borne on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. the remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. a modem local to computer system 100 can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infrared transmitter to convert the data to an infrared signal. an infrared detector coupled to bus 102 can receive the data carried in the infrared signal and place the data on bus 102 . bus 102 carries the data to main memory 106 , from which processor 104 retrieves and executes the instructions. the instructions received by main memory 106 may optionally be stored on storage device 110 either before or after execution by processor 104 . computer system 100 also preferably includes a communication interface 118 coupled to bus 102 . communication interface 118 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 120 that is connected to a local network 122 . for example, communication interface 118 may be an integrated services digital network (isdn) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. as another example, communication interface 118 may be a local area network (lan) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible lan. wireless links may also be implemented. in any such implementation, communication interface 118 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information. network link 120 typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. for example, network link 120 may provide a connection through local network 122 to a host computer 124 or to data equipment operated by an internet service provider (isp) 126 . isp 126 in turn provides data communication services through the worldwide packet data communication network, now commonly referred to as the “internet” 128 . local network 122 and internet 128 both use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. the signals through the various networks and the signals on network link 120 and through communication interface 118 , which carry the digital data to and from computer system 100 , are exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information. computer system 100 can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), network link 120 , and communication interface 118 . in the internet example, a server 130 might transmit a requested code for an application program through internet 128 , isp 126 , local network 122 and communication interface 118 . in accordance with the invention, one such downloaded application provides for the determination of the calibration test patterns. the received code may be executed by processor 104 as it is received, and/or stored in storage device 110 , or other non-volatile storage for later execution. in this manner, computer system 100 may obtain application code in the form of a carrier wave. generating a model of an optical imaging system which incorporates a non-linear model of the resist performance in accordance with the present invention. fig. 5 schematically depicts an exemplary lithographic projection apparatus that could be the basis of the imaging model to be developed and calibrated in accordance with the process of the present invention. the apparatus comprises: a radiation system ex, il, for supplying a projection beam pb of radiation. in this particular case, the radiation system also comprises a radiation source la; a first object table (mask table) mt provided with a mask holder for holding a mask ma (e.g., a reticle), and connected to first positioning means for accurately positioning the mask with respect to item pl; a second object table (substrate table) wt provided with a substrate holder for holding a substrate w (e.g., a resist-coated silicon wafer), and connected to second positioning means for accurately positioning the substrate with respect to item pl; a projection system (“lens”) pl (e.g., a refractive, catoptric or catadioptric optical system) for imaging an irradiated portion of the mask ma onto a target portion c (e.g., comprising one or more dies) of the substrate w. as depicted herein, the apparatus is of a transmissive type (i.e., has a transmissive mask). however, in general, it may also be of a reflective type, for example (with a reflective mask). alternatively, the apparatus may employ another kind of patterning means as an alternative to the use of a mask; examples include a programmable mirror array or lcd matrix. the source la (e.g., a mercury lamp or excimer laser) produces a beam of radiation. this beam is fed into an illumination system (illuminator) il, either directly or after having traversed conditioning means, such as a beam expander ex, for example. the illuminator il may comprise adjusting means am for setting the outer and/or inner radial extent (commonly referred to as a-outer and a-inner, respectively) of the intensity distribution in the beam. in addition, it will generally comprise various other components, such as an integrator in and a condenser co. in this way, the beam pb impinging on the mask ma has a desired uniformity and intensity distribution in its cross-section. it should be noted with regard to fig. 5 that the source la may be within the housing of the lithographic projection apparatus (as is often the case when the source la is a mercury lamp, for example), but that it may also be remote from the lithographic projection apparatus, the radiation beam that it produces being led into the apparatus (e.g., with the aid of suitable directing mirrors); this latter scenario is often the case when the source la is an excimer laser (e.g., based on krf, arf or f 2 lasing). the current invention encompasses at least both of these scenarios. the beam pb subsequently intercepts the mask ma, which is held on a mask table mt. having traversed the mask ma, the beam pb passes through the lens pl, which focuses the beam pb onto a target portion c of the substrate w. with the aid of the second positioning means (and interferometric measuring means if), the substrate table wt can be moved accurately, e.g. so as to position different target portions c in the path of the beam pb. similarly, the first positioning means can be used to accurately position the mask ma with respect to the path of the beam pb, e.g., after mechanical retrieval of the mask ma from a mask library, or during a scan. in general, movement of the object tables mt, wt will be realized with the aid of a long-stroke module (coarse positioning) and a short-stroke module (fine positioning), which are not explicitly depicted in fig. 5 . however, in the case of a wafer stepper (as opposed to a step-and-scan tool) the mask table mt may just be connected to a short stroke actuator, or may be fixed. the depicted tool can be used in two different modes: in step mode, the mask table mt is kept essentially stationary, and an entire mask image is projected in one go (i.e., a single “flash”) onto a target portion c. the substrate table wt is then shifted in the x and/or y directions so that a different target portion c can be irradiated by the beam pb; in scan mode, essentially the same scenario applies, except that a given target portion c is not exposed in a single “flash”. instead, the mask table mt is movable in a given direction (the so-called “scan direction”, e.g., the y direction) with a speed v, so that the projection beam pb is caused to scan over a mask image; concurrently, the substrate table wt is simultaneously moved in the same or opposite direction at a speed v=mv, in which m is the magnification of the lens pl (typically, m=¼ or ⅕). in this manner, a relatively large target portion c can be exposed, without having to compromise on resolution. the concepts disclosed herein may simulate or mathematically model any generic imaging system for imaging sub wavelength features, and may be especially useful with emerging imaging technologies capable of producing wavelengths of an increasingly smaller size. emerging technologies already in use include euv (extreme ultra violet) lithography that is capable of producing a 193 nm wavelength with the use of a arf laser, and even a 157 nm wavelength with the use of a fluorine laser. moreover, euv lithography is capable of producing wavelengths within a range of 20-5 nm by using a synchrotron or by hitting a material (either solid or a plasma) with high energy electrons in order to produce photons within this range. because most materials are absorptive within this range, illumination may be produced by reflective mirrors with a multi-stack of molybdenum and silicon. the multi-stack mirror has a 40 layer pairs of molybdenum and silicon where the thickness of each layer is a quarter wavelength. even smaller wavelengths may be produced with x-ray lithography. typically, a synchrotron is used to produce an x-ray wavelength. since most material is absorptive at x-ray wavelengths, a thin piece of absorbing material defines where features would print (positive resist) or not print (negative resist). while the apparatus disclosed herein may be used for imaging on a substrate such as a silicon wafer, it shall be understood that the disclosed concepts may be used with any type of lithographic imaging systems, e.g., those used for imaging on substrates other than silicon wafers. although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
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145-902-275-625-685
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US
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[
"US"
] |
F23D1/00,F23D11/10,F23D23/00
| 1989-03-14T00:00:00 |
1989
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[
"F23"
] |
smokeless ignitor
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the smokeless ignitor of the present invention prevents visible emissions upon cold or hot start-up of coal-fired or oil-fired utility boilers. the smokeless ignitor satisfies flame stability and combustion requirements by establishing a flame with 15-30% mass recirculation rate, a recirculation zone length of 0.75-1.5 effective throat diameters, a spray smd of less than 120 microns and a stu value of .+-.50% or less.
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1. a furnace comprising a main burner adapted to burn heavy hydrocarbonaceous feed comprising means to admix a liquid or solid combustible fuel with less than a stoichiometric quantity of air to form a fluidized fuel; means for mixing this fluidized fuel with additional air sufficient to at least approximate a stoiciometric mixture of fuel and air; and means for igniting said fuel; wherein said igniting means is disposed in a throat of said main burner and is also operative to heat said furnace from an ambient temperature condition to a heated operating temperature condition, while minimizing the emission of smoke to not substantially more smoke than is emitted by combustion of said fluidized fuel in said main burner after said furnace has been warmed up to operating temperature by the heating action of said ignitor, prior to ignition of the fuel in said main burner; which ignitor means comprises: means for feeding liquid fuel to said ignitor; means for atomizing said liquid fuel with an atomizing fluid and admixing such with combustion air into a spray, with a sauter mean diameter (smd) of less than 120 microns, and a spatial transport uniformity value of +/-50% or less; means to spray said admixture into said furnace; and flame stabilizing means disposed in said furnace operatively associated with said spray means, adapted to control said sprayed admixture into a spray cone angle of 55.degree. to 100.degree., said spray means and said flame stabilizing means cooperating to spray said admixture into a recirculation zone within said furnace having a longitudinal dimension of about 0.75 to 1.5 times the diameter of said throat; said recirculation zone being so designed and operated that 20 to 25% of the mass of fluids therein are recirculated; and high energy means for igniting said sprayed mixture of liquid fuel and air to form a heating flame within said recirculation zone, whereby heating said furnace to said heated operating temperature condition by means of said flame in said recirculation zone; and, means, operative after said furnace has been heated by said flame from said ignitor to said heated operating temperature condition, for feeding said fluidized fuel and combustion air to said main burner; whereby igniting such with the flame of said ignitor whereby to operate said furnace. 2. a furnace according to claim 1 wherein said spray means is an internal mixing atomizer. 3. a furnace according to claim 2 wherein said atomizing fluid and liquid fuel impact at an angle of 90.degree. on an intermediate mixing plate of the internal mixing atomizer. 4. a furnace according to claim 2 wherein said atomizing fluid and liquid fuel impact at an angle of 90.degree. on a rear surface of a tip of said atomizer. 5. a furnace according to claim 2 wherein said atomizer has a plurality of holes. 6. a furnace according to claim 1 wherein said cone angle is 140.degree. with an 80% blockage area. 7. a furnace according to claim 1 wherein said atomizing fluid is air. 8. a furnace according to claim 1 wherein said atomizing fluid is steam. 9. a furnace according to claim 1 wherein said sauter mean diameter is 50-90 microns. 10. a furnace according to claim 1 wherein said sauter mean diameter is 65-75 microns. 11. a furnace according to claim 1 wherein said spray cone angle is 70.degree.-90.degree.. 12. a furnace according to claim 1 wherein said spray cone angle is 75.degree.-85.degree.. 13. a furnace as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluidized fuel is coal and said atomizing fluid is less than a stoichiometric quantity of air.
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field of the invention the smokeless ignitor of the present invention enables the start-up and initial heating of a large fossil-fuel powered steam generator (i.e., boiler) from cold conditions without any visible emissions from the exhaust stack. background of the invention one type of boiler, which can be found at brandon shores station of baltimore gas and electric company, is a pulverized coal fired boiler having rows of burners situated on opposing furnace walls, for example, five rows of five burners. ignitors, identified as "lighters", are installed in each burner. the ignitors are used to warm up the boiler and ignite the pulverized coal flames. combustion air is distributed to the burners by a compartmented windbox. as generically illustrated in fig. 1, the burner rows 1 are grouped in compartments 2 with air flows controlled by dampers 3 and measured using air foils 4 at both ends. this design permits balancing of air flows between compartments without changing burner register or vane settings, thus, effectively uncoupling air flow re-distribution between burners from burner aerodynamics. during start-up, all burner inlet dampers are open and a minimum air flow of 25% of full load air is established. the minimum air flow specification is categorized as a "safe operating practice". it is generally referred to as a purge requirement to flush-out pockets of combustible (even explosive) mixtures of gases from within the boiler enclosure. this practice has been adopted by most utility boiler operations in the u.s. and is based on recommendations from insurance underwriters. the principal features of the burners are illustrated in fig. 2. coal from the pulverizer is transported to the burner in a primary air flow (normally 10-20% of the total combustion air requirement) and is directed into the furnace through a central coal pipe 5. a distributor 6, mounted at the inlet, is intended to minimize flow mal-distributions within the coal pipe. additional combustion air enters the burners through two cylindrical registers 6.1 outer and 6.2 inner. the register dampers can be rotated from a fully closed to an almost radial direction. the dampers are intended to be used to establish the relative air flows between the inner and outer annular regions of the burner. a set of "spin vanes" 6.3 are located in the annular space between the coal pipe and the inner register sleeve. these vanes rotate around radial axes and can induce flow directions from clockwise to counterclockwise. the midpoint of the vane's rotation provides axial flow. while the functions of the spin vanes is to provide only enough turbulence to the inner air to establish an ignition zone and maintain stable combustion, their location and design alone provides a means for independently controlling the swirl in the inner annulus while maintaining a desired inner/outer air flow ratio. the control rods for the registers and spin vanes are connected to levers outside the burner faceplate. the lever positions are set by engaging notches in a fixed plate 6.4. once determined (during the initial start-up of the unit) the register and vane positions are designed to be kept at these "proper" settings under all operating conditions including; purge, light-off and firing cycles. as illustrated in figs. 3a and 3b, the ignitors consist of an air atomized light oil fired burner 7, a high energy spark probe 8, and a "lighter shield" 9 incorporated into a drive and support assembly 10. a separate pneumatic drive for the spark probe allows the electrode to be retracted after the lighter flame is established. this provision is intended to avoid overheating the high energy electrode. also shown are a high energy ignitor power supply unit 11, power supply cable 12, atomizing air/steam supply 15, oil supply 16, and oil atomizer 17. the operating sequence for start-up is unit specific and depends on the configuration of burners and pulverizers and the operating philosophy of the company using the burner. one type of operating sequence for start-up of the ignitors is illustrated in fig. 4. the critical step in the light-off sequence is the trial for ignition. at the end of this 15 second period the spark probe is de-energized and retracted. at this time all five ignitors in a row must be proven by the flame detectors. if not, the control system terminates ignition and initiates the purge and shutdown sequence. multiple shut-downs and re-attempts to light and prove lighter flames are a typical occurrence during cold start-ups. in addition to oil sprays which do not ignite, it is not unusual for the flame detectors to fail to prove an existing flame. figs. 3a and 3b, the atomizer 17 is an air-atomized, light-oil, 5 orifice y-jet design. these atomizers produce flames with 5 distinct "fingers". with an 80.degree. spray angle for the atomizer, the distance between flame "fingers" is generally the same as the axial distance from the atomizer at which the flame is viewed. for example, there is a 12-inch gap between flame "fingers" 12 inches from the ignitor. the orientation of the atomizer exit holes with respect to the flame detector is random. therefore, it is possible that the failure of a flame detector to prove an established flame results from the detector sighting in on the gap between adjacent flame "fingers". in either case (ignition failures or failure to prove lit flames), approximately 0.4-0.5 gallons of light oil is sprayed into the boiler for each unlit ignitor. a further contribution results from purging fuel from all five ignitors (including those that had been firing). this unburned oil can deposit on boiler surfaces, particularly in the convective passes and the air heater. as temperatures rise, oil retained in the boiler will re-vaporize into the gas flow. therefore, failures to light and prove ignitor flames, can affect opacity at the time of attempted light-off and for several hours later. typical opacity levels for cold start-ups are greater than 40% for up to several hours. in addition to opacity resulting from lighter start-up problems, smoke is consistently observed in the furnace after the lighter flames are established. as shown in fig. 5 (the opacity chart record for a prior cold start) the combined affects of both mechanisms results in opacity exceeding 10% for approximately 4 hours of the 4 hour and 50 minute period between the start of lighter fuel flow and the energization of the precipitator. summary of the invention the objective of the smokeless ignitor of the present invention is to develop a consistently ignitable and stable flame, having a minimum radiative surface area and a high volumetric heat release rate. the flames must be attained under adverse combustion conditions such as cold boiler walls with high energy absorption, ambient temperature combustion air, high air velocities and high air to oil fuel ratios. converting these flame characteristics into hardware specifications requires the integration of oil spray properties, flame stabilizer performance, and the burner aerodynamics in the ignitor region. while a generic atomizer and a generic flame stabilizer components which comprise the smokeless ignitor are not novel, the present invention has integrated the parameters which control flame characteristics (the size distribution, spray angle and spatial uniformity of the atomized oil, and the flame surface geometry and combustion product mass recirculation rate within the flame envelope) into a design for an atomizer and flame stabilizer which, for the first time, meets the technical requirements for cold, smokeless start-up of utility boilers. oil vaporization rate and oil/air mixing requirements for smokeless flames are provided by optimizing atomizer performance to produce a sauter mean diameter (smd) less than 150 microns when measured at a location 12 inches from the atomizer tip along the jet axis. the mass distribution in the atomized spray is characterized by the spatial transport uniformity parameter (stu), derived from the distribution of oil mass flow per unit spray area in a plane perpendicular to the spray axis 12 inches from the atomizer. the stu value is expressed as a percentage deviation from the mean. a minimum stu value is desired. an internal mixing dual-fluid (air or steam) atomizer, operated with a constant pressure differential between the oil and the atomizing fluid, was selected as the most appropriate generic design to satisfy the oil spray requirements although other atomizer designs may be used if desired. the atomizer designed for the smokeless ignitor produces a spray smd less than 120 microns (i.e., a preferred range of 50-90 microns with a recommended range of 65-75 microns) and an stu value of .+-.50% (or less). the smokeless ignitor satisfies flame stability and combustion requirements by establishing a flame with a 15-30% mass recirculation rate (with a preferred rate of 20-25%) and a recirculation zone length of 0.75 to 1.50 effective throat diameters (measured along the ignitor axis). the recirculation zone length depends upon the specific geometry of the burner. the ignitor design is based upon the integration of the oil spray properties (above) with a flame stabilizer, an oil spray angle of 55.degree.-100.degree. (where a preferred angle range is 70.degree.-90.degree., the most preferred range is 75.degree.-85.degree.), and the main burner aerodynamics. while the data and test results hereinunder represent data from tests conducted at the brandon shores station of baltimore gas and electric, the present invention is not limited thereto and cover all modifications falling within the true spirit and scope of the invention. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a typical prior art compartment windbox; fig. 2 is a prior art burner cross-section; fig. 3a is a prior art ignitor assembly while fig. 3b shows an end view of the ignitor assembly; fig. 4 shows the prior art ignitor start-up procedure; fig. 5 shows the prior art opacity during another cold start-up; fig. 6 shows predicted prior art opacity versus particle size for constant mass; fig. 7 shows prior art opacity process for oil-fired boilers; fig. 8 shows prior art particle characteristics from fuel oil combustion; fig. 9 shows prior art variation of particulate emissions with air preheat; fig. 10 shows the prior art effect of axial mixing factor on radiative hate flux, total emissivity and flame diameter; fig. 11 shows the prior art relationship between flame length and axial mixing factor; fig. 12 shows the basic design of the internal mixing atomizer of the present invention; fig. 13 compares the volume flux distribution of a y-jet atomizer and the internal mixing of the present invention; fig. 14 shows the swirl number versus control lever settings; figs. 15a-15c show the effect of flame stabilize geometry on near zone burner aerodynamics; fig. 16 shows an example of a bluff body flame stabilizer of the present invention; fig. 17 shows a general configuration of the present invention as used in a single register burner; fig. 18 shows the opacity during cold start-up with the present invention; and fig. 19 shows the test results for the fuel spray produced by the atomizer of the present invention. description of the preferred embodiment large fossil-fueled powered steam generators often use distillate oil-fired ignitors to ignite and provide stability for pulverized coal flames. in some instances, during cold start-up, the ignitors are used to warm up the boiler surfaces and initiate steam generation before coal is introduced to the boiler. in this period, soot particles, resulting from incomplete combustion of vaporized hydrocarbons, result in excessive opacity unless the boiler is hot or the electrostatic precipitator is energized. the object of the present invention is to eliminate visible opacity related to the oil-fired ignition by modifying the combustion characteristics of the ignitor flames. during the start-up period, four conditions exist which are not the norm for liquid fuel firing in utility boilers and which adversely impact the stability of the flames and completeness of combustion: a) the combustion air is initially at ambient temperature, b) the cold boiler walls act as black-body heat sinks for flame radiation, c) inter-flame energy transfer is minimized and d) the ratio of air to oil is several times the stoichiometric mixture. the present invention developed oil atomization and flame stabilization hardware and operating procedures which resolve deficiencies in current equipment and produce stable, high intensity ignitor flames under some or all of these four conditions. in boiler applications, the term "opacity" is used as a descriptor (both qualitative and quantitative) of the interaction between light and light scattering properties of the flue gases or stack exhaust plumes. the mathematical expression for this interaction (known as the beer-lambert law) is presented as equation 1. ______________________________________ equation 1 i/i.sub.o = e.sup.-acl ______________________________________ where: i.sub.o = the intensity of the incident radiation i = the intensity of transmitted radiation l = the optical path length c = concentration of scattering matter entrained in the gases a = the attenuation coefficient: particle size index of refraction wavelength of incident light ______________________________________ in generation practice, the reduction of transmitted radiation is expressed as % opacity (rather than the fraction of transmitted to incident radiation, i/i.sub.o). this involves a minor rearrangement of the beer-lambert law as shown in equation 2 % opacity=100.times.(1-e.sup.-acl) equation 2 the relative simplicity of equation 2 contrasts with the difficulty of accurately determining the attenuation coefficient associated with light scattering species in the flue gases. this is particularly true when these species are of the same dimensions as the wavelength of the incident light. in this case, there is a direct interaction between the electromagnetic properties of the incident radiation and the equivalent properties of the scattering medium. for visible light, the most sensitive scattering region occurs with particle dimensions in the range of 0.3 microns to 0.8 microns. this condition is illustrated in fig. 6, in which opacity is plotted as a function of particle size with the total mass of particles held constant. as shown in fig. 6, particles with diameters greater than 10 microns exhibit opacity levels below 10%. in comparison, the same mass of particles in the 0.3 to 1.0 micron range can result in opacity levels greater than 50%. thus, while the other parameters such as total mass emissions and refractive index are contributing factors to opacity, the prime requirement for the cold start-up application is to minimize the mass of submicron particles. the complexity of the opacity process for liquid fuel fired boilers is illustrated in fig. 7. in an oil-fired boiler, the oil is atomized into droplets which exhibit a size distribution dependent upon the asfired viscosity of the oil and the atomizer design and operation. in the furnace these droplets begin to vaporize, starting with the lighter hydrocarbons. if insufficient oxygen is present, these hydrocarbons can undergo successive dehydrogenation, ultimately yielding submicron carbon. as the fuel droplets vaporize, they also increase in temperature. this internal heating continues until the remaining components lose their hydrogen atoms, yielding a moderately porous coke particle. the size of these particles depends upon the initial droplet size and the relative content of coke forming hydrocarbons in the oil. once formed, carbonaceous particles (resulting from either of the above mechanisms) will burn completely if sufficient oxygen and residence times and temperatures are available. the combined effect of fuel properties, fuel/air mixing, atomization, and excess air levels results in a bi-modal particle size distribution, as shown in fig. 8. efforts to minimize opacity during cold start-ups are directed at those factors which control soot formation and burnout such as fuel/air mixing in the region close to the ignitor and the temperature/time history of the soot particles. the temperature of the combustion air has a direct impact on the heat release/radiative loss balance in the flame. lower temperatures extend the flame envelop through influences on fuel vaporization rates, fuel/air mixing, and combustion rates (thereby increasing radiative surface area for a fixed fuel flow). an example of changes in carbon emissions resulting from relative changes in combustion air temperature is illustrated in fig. 9. combustion criteria for minimum opacity cold start-up must account for the effect of the relatively low air temperature on combustion rates by modifications to the design and operating parameters which establish residence time in the higher temperature regions of the flame. in the initial stages of boiler start-up, the furnace walls act as a black-body heat sink for energy radiated from the flame. since the principal source of this radiation is from components in the outer surface of the flame envelope, the high emissivities of soot particles in this region promote high radiation transfer. the simultaneous effects from this process are a warming of the boiler surfaces and a decrease in soot particle temperature. if the soot falls below the ignition point, further combustion is halted. since the particle is on the boundary of the flame, it has a high probability of exiting the boiler and thus contributing to opacity. warming up the boiler without excessive soot-derived opacity requires a balance between heat release within the flame envelope and radiative losses to boiler surfaces. correlations in the technical literature indicate that flame radiation is considerably influenced by the rate of fuel/air mixing, and that axial mixing can be used to provide a quantitative relationship between flame radiation and atomizing conditions. these correlations are based on a parameter called the axial mixing factor, which is defined as atomizer fuel flow rate, w.sub.f, divided by the square root of the momentum of the fuel jet sprayed by the atomizing medium, g. fig. 10 shows the results of experiments measuring the heat flux of radiation, the total emissivity, and the diameter of the flame for varying axial mixing factors. the relationship between axial mixing factor and the length of the flame is shown in fig. 11. as can be seen, as the axial mixing factor decreases (better mixing), the heat flux of flame radiation and the flame emissivity both decrease. this results in physically smaller flames and subsequently, an increase in the volumetric heat release. we have, thus, found that opacity during cold start-up with oil fuels is a direct result of the formation of submicron soot particles and the quenching of the combustion of these particles before they can burn completely. minimizing this effect requires flames with high fuel/air mixing and volumetric heat release rates. the smokeless ignitors of the present invention provide spark ignitibility, a stable flame with approximately 30% of the full load air flow through the burners, consistent proving of the ignitor flame with an existing, flame detection system and are capable of igniting a coal flame from a burner. the atomizer of the present invention must provide an oil spray smd on the order of 120 microns or less to establish desired flame characteristics. a preferable range of smd is 50-90 microns and the optimal range is 65-75 microns. the mass flow uniformity of the oil spray as quantified by the spatial transport uniformity (stu) parameter, should not exceed .+-.50%. as shown in fig. 12, in the internal mixing atomizer 29, the oil and atomizing medium impact at 90.degree. angles through a number of ports 31 and slots 30, either in an intermediate mixing plate 32, or incorporated into the rear surface of the atomizer tip 33. the spray angle of the atomizer must be between 55.degree. to 100.degree.. a preferred range is between 70.degree.-90 .degree. and preferably 75.degree.-85.degree.. preferred internal atomizers have 8 to 10 ports. however, the invention is not limited thereto. the exact design of the atomizer will depend upon the air flow, main burner geometry and burner operating variables but will always have an smd of less than 120 microns, an stu value of 50% or less and a spray angle between 55.degree.-100.degree.. significant features of the preferred internal mixing design for the ignitor include: the ability to accommodate either fuel or air in the center without affecting atomization quality. the number of individual exit holes can be increased more readily than with a y-jet. this provides a capability for developing a more uniform fuel distribution in the oil spray, (i.e., lower stu value). orifice size can be increased to prevent plugging without significantly affecting spray quality. the condition of the atomizer components can be visually assessed; particularly compared to the y-jet in which the critical oil/air intersection point and mixing chamber surface are imbedded in the spray plate. an internal mixing atomizer of the present invention was designed to meet the spray and operating requirements specified above. a prototype was fabricated and performance characteristics quantified in an atomizer laboratory. the test results, shown in fig. 19, verified that the atomizer satisfied all of the design objectives. although the internal mixing atomizer was used in the tests for the present invention, the invention does not exclude use of y-jets or other atomizers provided they produce an smd of less than 120 microns, an stu value of 50% or less and a spray angle between 55.degree.-100.degree.. a phase doppler particle analyzer (pdpa), used to characterize the atomized sprays, measures droplet velocity and volume flux in addition to the droplet size distribution. measurements of the volume flux between the centerlines of adjacent spray jets for the standard atomizer with 5 jets and the internal mixing atomizers with 8 jets of the present invention are compared in fig. 13, where the zero position is a centerline of an individual jet. the data for the y-jet exhibits two reasonably symmetric peaks on either side of the jet axis. this result is consistent with the y-jet atomizing mechanism. the indicated improvement in spray flux distribution with the internal mixing design of the present invention is a combined result of better atomization and the increased number of fuel jets. the preferred internal mixing atomizer used in the present invention provides improved spray uniformity compared to standard atomizers. the combination of smaller drops and more uniform fluxes with the new design, increases the oil vaporization rate and accelerates flue/air mixing, both of which enhance combustion in the near burner zone. in addition to atomizer improvements, the flame stability and burner aerodynamics in the ignitor region were improved (for both light-oil start-up and coal ignition) through the installation of an ignitor flame stabilizer and the specification of appropriate register and vane settings. for example, for a dual-register burner (although the present invention is not limited to a dual-register burner and may be used with a single register burner or rectangular burners located at the corners of boilers), the outer register settings affect both air flow and swirl. in contrast, the inner register setting establishes the air flow in the inner annulus while the swirl is independently controllable by the spin vanes. the inner/outer annulus air flow split, air velocity, momentum, flow angle, static pressure, swirl number, pressure losses and recirculation parameters were computed as a function of register and spin vane angles using a burner internal aerodynamics computer code. meeting flame criteria for cold light-off at the ignitor firing position required that the inner register be set close to the full open position (notch settings from 13-15 for the brandon shores boilers). the relationship between swirl number and notch settings for the outer register is presented in fig. 14. as illustrated in fig. 14, an upper boundary on swirl number was established to avoid jet-type flow due to excessive recirculation while the lower boundary was set by air flow requirements. the result is an operating range of 4-6 notches for the brandon shores boilers, for the outer register which results in a 1.5-2.0 range in swirl number. while not as effective as a properly matched swirler, the low velocity region behind a bluff body is often utilized for flame stability. relationships between the specific geometry of the bluff body and recirculation zone characteristics are presented in figs. 15a-15c. recommended operating envelopes (based upon experience) are also indicated. the lighter shield incorporated in the standard 20 ignitor is typically a 3.75 inch diameter cylinder (fig. 3). this geometry does not satisfy criteria for reliable ignition, or produce desired recirculation zone characteristics identified in figs. 15a-15c. once ignited, the flame will remain stable. however, the minimal recirculation rate (estimated at 5% from fig. 15) is inadequate for establishing a minimum opacity flame. a bluff body flame stabilizer, designed to produce a recirculation zone geometry and mass recirculation rate within the recommended limits for the present invention, while remaining compatible with the internal burner aerodynamics, is illustrated in fig. 16. as shown, the bluff body flame stabilizer 34 has a 140.degree. included angle cone with 85% blockage area 35 and a 5.75 inch outer diameter. however, the present invention is not limited to the design of fig. 16, but will vary depending upon the particular burner where the flame stabilizer is installed. in particular, the bluff body flame stabilizer design must satisfy the requirements of forming a recirculation zone having a length of 0.75 to 1.5 burner throat diameters (or hydraulic diameters in the case of rectangular burners) and a mass recirculation rate of 15 to 30% with a preferred mass recirculation rate of 20-25%. fig. 17 shows an example of the present invention which could be used in a single register burner. the fossil fuel and primary air 104 are fed through the windbox wall 103 and through the burner throat in the boiler furnace wall 107 through a central pipe 114. secondary combustion air 106, provided by fans (not shown), is fed into the windbox; from which it flows through the burner registers 105 and into the furnace. the ignitor 111 includes an atomizer 109 and an ignitor flame stabilizer 110. the atomizer 109 has two feed means 101 and 102 for input of, for example, oil and atomizing fluid such as air or steam. the alignment of the atomizer 109 and ignitor flame stabilizer 110, a spark ignitor (not shown), flame sensor (not shown) and other main burner components can vary among burner designs. an asymmetric placement of the ignitor 111 with respect to the burner centerline is indicated in fig. 17. however, the present invention is not limited to this design. the critical aspects of the present invention illustrated in fig. 17 are the spray zone 108 and the recirculation zone 112. the spray cone angle must be between 55.degree. and 100.degree. with a preferred range of 70.degree.-90.degree., and a more preferred range of 75.degree.-85.degree.. the recirculation zone length 112 must be between 0.75 to 1.5 burner throat diameters and depends upon the specific geometry of the burner. in addition, the mass recirculation rate must be 15-30% (and preferably 20-25%). the sauter mean diameter (smd) of the spray of the atomizer must be less than 120 microns (and preferably in the range of 50-90 microns and optimally in the range of 65-75 microns) and have an stu value of .+-.50% or less when operated with a preferred air to oil mass ratio of 0.20 to 0.30 and an atomizing air to oil pressure differential greater than 20 psig. an amount of air which is stoichiometric or greater must be provided in the ignitor firing position such that it can mix with and completely burn the ignitor oil. for dual register burners, the ignitor flame is dominated by the secondary air flow. in one test, the smokeless ignitor was designed for a secondary air flow rate of 55-60% of the total burner air flow and a swirl number from 0.6 to 1.0. the corresponding range of swirl numbers for the tertiary (outer register) air flow is 1.5 to 2.0. these parameters are based upon an oil spray angle of 75 to 85 degrees and a bluff-body conical diffuser with the following characteristics: ______________________________________ diffuser blockage ratio: 0.2-0.4 (the ratio of the area of the diffusers to the are of the ai flow affected by the presence of the diffuser). diffuser open area: 0.10-0.20 (the total area of holes in the diffuser as a fraction of the total diffuser area - for cooling and limited air admission). air mass loading: 0.016-0.024 (the air mass flow per unit area of the diffuser). ______________________________________ the atomizer tip for this test is positioned 0.5 to 1.0 inches downstream of the diffuser hub. the corresponding position of the spark electrode is from 2.25 to 3.0 inches from the exit plane of the diffuser. the firing position for the ignitor is 4.5 to 5.5 inches downstream of the shroud which separates the inner and outer air flows. the design criteria specified above for dual register burners are also directly applicable to single register burners. the principal differences for a simple register burner is the specification of appropriate air flows, main burner geometry, and burner operating variables. the diffusers are preferably fabricated from 310 stainless steel. the atomizers are preferably machined from h 13 tool steel and hardened to a rockwall # of 50-53. these materials were selected based upon prior experience with similar combustion hardware. alternative materials can be used (if necessary) to address specific problems or applications, without affecting the smokeless ignition characteristics. cold starts and transitions to steady state flames were performed with the flame stabilizer and 8 and 10 hole 70.degree. and 80.degree. spray angle internal mixing atomizers. the opacity readout remained under 4% for all conditions (other than an initial spike due to combustion control system transients) and no emissions could be observed from the stack. the opacity record for a cold boiler start with the present invention (fig. 18), shown that the only detected opacity movements in this period were an instrument calibration and during operation of the electrostatic precipitator rappers shortly before the precipitator was energized. the smokeless ignitor requires the integration of specific designs for atomization and flame stabilization into one system. how these two systems are combined, under the constraints for a cold start-up, is unique and results in the dramatically improved performance relative to conventional smoky ignitors. for example, it is accomplished using combustion air from main burners at 25-30% purge flow rates and does not require an independent source of combustion air that is specifically metered and directed to support ignitor requirements. from the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that many modifications may be made therein. it should be understood that these embodiments are intended as one example of the invention only, and that the invention is not limited thereto. therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
|
145-912-929-537-932
|
FR
|
[
"US",
"FR",
"GB",
"WO"
] |
F01D25/20,B64C11/30,B64D27/00,F01D5/02,F01D15/12,F01D25/18,F01M1/16,F02C7/06,F02K3/072,F04D29/053,F04D29/32,F16N7/40,F16N27/00,B64D35/06,B64C11/48
| 2014-06-11T00:00:00 |
2014
|
[
"F01",
"B64",
"F02",
"F04",
"F16"
] |
lubrication device for a turbine engine
|
the invention relates to a lubrication device for a turbine engine, comprising an oil intake pipe ( 23 ) provided with a pump ( 24 ) for supplying oil and control means ( 25 ) located downstream from the supply pump ( 24 ), a supply pipe ( 26 ) intended for supplying oil to a member to be lubricated and a recirculation pipe ( 27 ), the control means ( 25 ) making it possible to direct all or part of the flow of oil from the intake pipe ( 23 ) towards the supply pipe ( 26 ) and/or towards the recirculation pipe ( 27 ), the pump ( 24 ) being driven by at least one rotary member of an accessory gearbox of the turbine engine.
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1. a lubrication device for a turbine engine, comprising an oil intake pipe provided with a supply pump for supplying oil and control means located downstream from the supply pump, a supply pipe intended for supplying oil to a member to be lubricated and an oil recirculation pipe, with the control means configured to direct all or part of the flow of oil from the intake pipe towards the supply pipe and/or towards the recirculation pipe, with the supply pump being driven by at least one rotary member of an accessory gearbox of the turbine engine, wherein the control means comprise a controlled metering valve having an inlet connected to the intake pipe and an outlet connected to the supply pipe, with the control means further comprising a control valve comprising an inlet connected to the intake pipe and an outlet connected to the recirculation pipe, with the position of the control valve being controlled by first and second oil pressures from the inlet and the outlet of the metering valve respectively, and wherein the control valve comprises a variable position piston, the position of which affects the oil flow at the outlet of the control valve, with said piston being adapted to be subjected to a first pressing force generated by applying the first oil pressure in a first pressure chamber of the control valve and a second pressing force, opposite the first pressing force, generated by applying the second oil pressure in a second pressure chamber of the control valve; and wherein the metering valve comprises a mobile member, the position of which affects the oil flow at the outlet of said metering valve, with said position of the mobile member being measured by a sensor, the control means further configured to control said position of the mobile member by using a control law establishing a relationship between a set oil flow at the outlet of the metering valve, the measured position of the mobile member, and a temperature of the oil flow going through the metering valve as measured by a means for measuring the temperature of the oil flow through the metering valve. 2. the lubrication device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first tapping pipe connecting the intake pipe or the inlet of the metering valve and the first pressure chamber, and a second tapping pipe connecting the supply pipe or the outlet of the metering valve and the second pressure chamber. 3. the lubrication device according to claim 1 , wherein the control valve comprises a return spring adapted to generate a return force on the piston. 4. the lubrication device according to claim 1 , wherein the metering valve comprises at least one metering slot. 5. the lubrication device according to claim 1 , wherein the control valve is so dimensioned and controlled as to maintain a constant pressure difference between the outlet and the inlet of the metering valve. 6. the lubrication device according to claim 1 , wherein the recirculation pipe opens into the intake pipe upstream from the supply pump. 7. the lubrication device according to claim 1 , further comprising an oil recovery pipe adapted to recover the oil from the member to be lubricated, with said recovery pipe being provided with a recovery pump, with the recirculation pipe opening into the recovery pipe downstream from the recovery pump. 8. a turbine engine comprising the lubrication device according to claim 1 , a first and a second counter-rotating impellers driven into rotation by a low pressure turbine, through an epicyclic speed reduction gear, with the supply pipe being intended to supply the speed reduction gear with oil. 9. the turbine engine according to claim 8 , further comprising a high pressure body comprising a high pressure compressor and a high pressure turbine rotationally coupled by a first shaft, and an additional body comprising a low pressure compressor and an intermediate pressure turbine, rotationally coupled by a second shaft, with the speed of rotation of the at least one rotary member of the accessory gear box depending on the speed of rotation of the first shaft of the high pressure body.
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technical field the present invention relates to a lubrication device for a turbine engine, such as for instance the turbine engine on a plane. background the invention more particularly applies to an <<open rotor>> turbine engine, i.e. comprising an unducted fan. such a turbine engine, more particularly known from the patent application fr 2 940 247, conventionally comprises a high pressure body comprising a high pressure compressor and a high pressure turbine rotationally coupled by means of a first shaft and an additional body comprising a low pressure compressor and an intermediate pressure turbine rotationally coupled by means of a second shaft. the turbine engine further comprises a free power turbine, forming a low pressure turbine and comprising a first rotor (or internal rotor) and a second rotor (or external rotor). the turbine engine also comprises a system of contra-rotating impellers, i.e. respectively a first impeller and a second impeller driven by the low pressure turbine via an epicyclic speed reduction gear. the impeller system also comprises a stator. the epicyclic speed reduction gear more particularly comprises a planet gear rotating about an axis, meshing with planets about axes belonging to a planet carrier, with the planets meshing with a radially toothed external crown gear, itself supported by a crown gear shaft. the shaft of the crown gear is rotationally coupled with the second rotor. besides, the shaft of the planet gear is rotationally coupled with the first rotor. additionally, the shaft of the planet carrier is rotationally coupled with the first impeller and the shaft of the crown gear is rotationally coupled with the second impeller. the turbine engine comprises an oil system lubricating and cooling the epicyclic speed reduction gear and the bearings supporting the rotating parts. such system comprises an oil intake pipe provided with a pump for supplying oil and if need be control means located downstream from the supply pump, a supply pipe intended for supplying oil to a member to be lubricated and a recirculation pipe connected upstream from the supply pump, with the control means making it possible to direct all or part of the flow of oil from the intake pipe towards the supply pipe and/or towards the recirculation pipe. the fixed-displacement pump is driven into rotation by a mobile member of an accessory gear box positioned close thereto, via a power shaft. considering the footprint constraints, connecting a power shaft (i.e. a shaft making it possible to transmit a relatively high torque, for instance ranging from 90 to 900 n.m) with a mobile member of the epicyclic speed reduction gear is relatively complicated. now, driving into rotation such oil supply pump cannot be obtained but with a power shaft. it is reminded that an accessory gear box, or a.g.b. comprises a box containing a certain number of gears connected to devices or accessories, such as, for instance an electric generator, a starter, an alternator, hydraulic fuel or oil pumps, etc. . . . to drive such various gears, the power of the turbine engine is partially taken off at the high pressure body through a power take-off shaft. the speed of rotation of the various mobile members of the accessory gear box directly depends on the speed of rotation of the high pressure body of the turbine engine. on the contrary, the speed of rotation of the various mobile members of the epicyclic speed reduction gear is not directly dependent on the speed of rotation of the high pressure body, but is directly dependent on the speed of rotation of the rotors of the low pressure turbine. the oil requirements of the speed reduction gear are thus uncoupled from the speed of rotation of the high pressure body. the oil system, and more particularly the pump, has a capacity covering the maximum oil rate required, and thus supercharges the epicyclic speed reduction gear with oil out of the operation point for which the capacity of the pump has been designed. such supercharging is combined with a limited capacity of discharging oil because of the speed reduction gear, more particularly at low rotation speed (oil discharge by centrifugal effect). the risk of flooding the speed reduction gear exists, which affects the operation, the performances and the service life thereof, generates heating and creates unbalance. summary the invention more particularly aims at providing a simple, efficient and cost-effective solution to this problem. for this purpose, it provides for a lubrication device for a turbine engine, comprising an oil intake pipe provided with a pump for supplying oil and control means located downstream from the supply pump, a supply pipe intended for supplying oil to a member to be lubricated and a recirculation pipe connected upstream from the supply pump, with the control means making it possible to direct all or part of the flow of oil from the intake pipe towards the supply pipe and/or towards the recirculation pipe, with the pump being driven by at least one rotating member of an accessory gear box of the turbine engine, characterized in that the control means comprise a controlled metering valve comprising an inlet connected to the intake pipe and an outlet connected to the supply pipe, with the control means further comprising a control valve comprising an inlet connected to the intake pipe and an outlet connected to the recirculation pipe, with the position of the control valve being controlled according to the oil pressure at the metering valve inlet and outlet. the pump is driven by at least one rotating member of the accessory gear box or a.g.b. for instance through a power shaft. it should be noted that, in the case of the a.g.b., the footprint constraints are not as high as in the case of the speed reduction gear. a high torque can thus be taken at the a.g.b. through a power shaft in order to drive the supply pump. besides, the metering valve may be controlled using a law which specifically takes into account the speed of rotation of a particular element, such as, for instance, the speed of rotation of one element of the speed reduction gear or the low-pressure turbine. any underfeeding or overfeeding with oil of the member to be lubricated, the speed reduction gear, for instance, is thus prevented. the metering valve control law may also take into account other parameters of the turbine engine (temperature, rating, power, torque, other engine parameters, . . . ). the control valve makes it possible to recirculate the oil flow, generated by the main pump, which is not required for lubricating the above-mentioned member. according to one embodiment of the invention, the control valve may comprise a variable position piston, the position of which affects the oil flow at the outlet of the control valve, with said piston being adapted to be subjected to a first pressing force generated by applying a first pressure in a first pressure chamber of the control valve and a second pressing force, opposite the first pressing force, generated by applying a second pressure in a second pressure chamber of the control valve. then the device may comprise a first tapping pipe connecting the intake pipe or the inlet of the metering valve and the first pressure chamber, and a second tapping pipe connecting the supply pipe or the outlet of the metering valve and the second pressure chamber. the control valve is thus controlled by the pressure difference between the metering valve outlet and inlet. besides, the control valve may include a return spring adapted to generate a return force on the piston, so as to maintain a constant difference in pressure between the metering valve outlet and inlet. besides, the metering valve may include at least one metering slot and a mobile member, the position of which is controlled, for instance using a servo-valve, and affects the oil flow at the metering valve outlet. the oil flow at the outlet of the metering valve then depends on the position of said metering valve only. controlling the later is thus relatively easy. the control law can thus be simply and reliably established. such control law then gives the flow rate at the outlet of the metering valve depending on the position of said metering valve. in operation, the position of the control valve then automatically adapts to redirect a portion of the oil flow to the recirculation pipe. the recirculation pipe may open into the intake pipe, upstream from the supply pump. as an alternative solution, the device comprises an oil recovery pipe adapted to recover the oil from the member to be lubricated for example, with said recovery pipe being provided with a recovery pump, with the recirculation pipe opening into the recovery pipe downstream from the recovery pump. besides, the metering valve may comprise a mobile member, the position of which affects the oil flow at the outlet of said metering valve, with said position of the mobile member being measured by a sensor and controlled by a control law establishing a relationship between the set oil flow at the outlet and the measured position of the mobile member, with the device comprising means for measuring the temperature of the oil going through the metering valve, with said control law taking the temperature of the measured oil into account. the invention also relates to a turbine engine comprising a lubrication device of the type mentioned above, a first and a second contra-rotating impellers driven into rotation by a low pressure turbine, through an optionally epicyclic speed reduction gear, with the supply pipe being intended to supply the speed reduction gear with oil. the turbine engine may then comprise a high pressure body comprising a high pressure compressor and a high pressure turbine rotationally coupled by a first shaft, and an additional body comprising a low pressure compressor and an intermediate pressure turbine, rotationally coupled by a second shaft, with the speed of rotation of the accessory gear box rotating member depending on (being a multiple of) the speed of rotation of the shaft of the high pressure body. brief description of the drawings the invention will be better understood, and other details, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear upon reading the following description given by way of a non restrictive example while referring to the appended drawings wherein: fig. 1 is a half-view, in longitudinal cross-section, of a turbine engine with an unducted fan according to the invention, fig. 2 is a detailed view of a part of fig. 1 , fig. 3 is a schematic view of a lubrication device according to the invention, fig. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of a lubrication device according to the invention, fig. 5 is a schematic view of a lubrication device according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. detailed description figs. 1 and 2 show a so-called <<open rotor>> turbine engine with an unducted fan. the latter comprises a high pressure body comprising a high pressure compressor 2 and a high pressure turbine 3 rotationally coupled by means of a first shaft 4 and an additional body comprising a low pressure compressor 5 and an intermediate pressure turbine 6 rotationally coupled by means of a second shaft 7 . a combustion chamber 8 is positioned between the high pressure compressor 2 and the high pressure turbine 3 . the turbine engine 1 further comprises a free power turbine 9 , forming a low pressure turbine and comprising a first rotor 10 (or internal rotor) and a second rotor 11 (or external rotor), to be seen in fig. 2 . the turbine engine 1 also comprises a system of contra-rotating impellers, i.e. a first impeller 12 and a second impeller 13 respectively driven by the low pressure turbine 9 via an epicyclic speed reduction gear 14 . the impeller system also comprises a stator 15 . the epicyclic speed reduction gear 14 more particularly comprises a planet gear 16 rotating about the axis a of the turbine engine, meshing with planets 17 about axes b belonging to a planet carrier 18 , with the planets 17 meshing with a radially toothed external crown gear 19 , itself supported by a crown gear shaft 20 . the shaft 20 of the crown gear 19 is rotationally coupled with the second rotor 11 . besides, the shaft 21 of the planet gear 16 is rotationally coupled with the first rotor 10 . besides, the shaft 22 of the planet carrier 18 is rotationally coupled with the first impeller 12 and the shaft 20 of the crown gear is rotationally coupled with the second impeller 13 . the turbine engine 1 comprises an oil system more particularly providing lubrication and cooling of the epicyclic speed reduction gear 14 . such system conventionally comprises an oil intake pipe 23 connected upstream with a tank and provided with a pump 24 for supplying oil and control means 25 located downstream from the supply pump 24 , a supply pipe 26 intended to supply oil to the speed reduction gear 14 and a recirculation pipe 27 opening upstream from the supply pump 24 , with the control means 25 making it possible to direct all or part of the flow of oil from the intake pipe 23 towards the supply pipe 26 and/or towards the recirculation pipe 27 . the fixed-displacement pump 24 is driven into rotation by a mobile member of an accessory gear box (not shown), positioned close thereto, via a power shaft 28 . as seen above, the speed of rotation of the various mobile members of the accessory gear box directly depends on (i.e. is a multiple of) the speed of rotation of the high pressure body of the turbine engine. as best seen in fig. 3 , the control means 25 comprise a metering valve 29 controlled by a servo-valve, for instance, with such metering valve comprising an inlet 31 connected to the intake pipe 23 and an outlet 32 connected to the supply pipe 26 . the oil pressure at the inlet 31 of the metering valve 29 is referenced p 1 and the pressure at the outlet 32 of the metering valve 29 is referenced p 2 . the control valve 34 is so designed as to maintain a pressure difference p 1 -p 2 substantially constant at the ports of the metering valve 29 (except for transient speed, if need be). the oil flow at the outlet 32 of the metering valve 29 then depends on the position of said metering valve only. the means for controlling the metering valve 29 may include a control loop taking account of a measure of the valve 29 position and/or a measure of the oil flow at the outlet 32 of the metering valve 29 . the metering valve 29 comprises metering slots or apertures as well as a mobile member 33 , the position of which affects the flow of fluid at the outlet 32 of said metering valve 29 . an easily determined, for instance exponential, linear or discrete law can thus be obtained, between the flow of oil at the outlet 32 of the metering valve 29 , and the position of the mobile member 33 . such position can be detected using a sensor 30 of the lvdt type, for instance. it should be noted that oil is a fluid with a relatively high viscosity, as well as a high viscosity variation, depending on temperature. the feature giving the flow rate at the outlet 32 of the metering valve 29 according to the position of the mobile member 33 is thus substantially modified by the oil temperature, which affects the accuracy in metering the oil flow through the metering valve 29 . it should be noted, for instance, that viscosity varies by a 17 factor for type ii oil, from 20° c. to 120° c. oil temperature should then preferably be taken into account in the control law of the metering valve 29 . besides, the need for oil of the speed reduction gear 14 actually depends on the speed of rotation thereof, at the low speed of the turbine engine, and on the thermal rejections at the high speed of the turbine engine. the rating, the oil temperature and/or the speed of rotation of one element of the speed reduction gear 14 should also be taken into account in the metering valve 29 control law. the control means further comprise a control valve 34 with an inlet 35 connected to the intake pipe 23 and an outlet 36 connected to the recirculation pipe 27 . the control valve 34 more particularly comprises a piston 37 , the position of which affects the oil flow at the outlet of the control valve 34 , with said piston 37 being adapted to be subjected to a first pressing force generated by applying a first pressure p 1 in a first pressure chamber 38 of the control valve and a second pressing force, opposite the first pressing force, generated by applying a second pressure p 2 in a second pressure chamber 39 of the control valve 34 . a first tapping pipe 40 connects the intake pipe or the inlet 31 of the metering valve 29 and the first pressure chamber 38 , and a second tapping pipe 41 connects the supply pipe 26 or the outlet 32 of the metering valve 29 and the second pressure chamber 39 . the first pressure chamber 38 is thus subjected to pressure p 1 and the second pressure chamber 39 is subjected to pressure p 2 . the first pressing force depends on pressure p 1 and the surface of application s 1 of the pressure p 1 . the second pressing force depends on pressure p 2 and the surface of application s 2 of the pressure p 2 . the control valve 34 further comprises a return spring 42 mounted in the second pressure chamber 39 and adapted to generate a return force on the piston 37 , opposite the first pressing force. the control valve 34 is so dimensioned that the piston 37 stroke and the return spring 42 stiffness are weak, so as to regulate a pressure difference pl-p 2 , which is substantially constant. it should be noted that the end 35 and/or the outlet 36 do not open into any pressure chambers 38 , 39 , and that the tapping pipes 40 , 41 open into said pressure chambers 38 , 39 . regulating the flow of oil intended to supply the speed reduction gear 14 makes it possible to prevent any damage to said speed reduction gear 14 further to a flooding thereof in operation, for instance, and to optimize the performances and thermal stresses of said speed reduction gear 14 . fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention which is different from the one disclosed above in that the lubrication device comprises an oil recovery pipe 43 adapted to recover oil from the speed reduction gear 14 . the recovery pipe 43 is provided with a recovery pump 44 . in this alternative solution, the recirculation pipe 27 opens into the recovery pipe 43 , downstream from the recovery pump 44 , relative to the oil flow direction. the lubrication device according to the invention may of course be used for supplying with oil other members to be lubricated, such as rolling bearings of the turbine engine, for instance.
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149-680-698-995-105
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US
|
[
"US"
] |
F03B3/00,F03B17/06,F03B13/10,B64C11/18,F03B13/12,H02N2/18,F03B13/00,H01L41/08
| 2007-05-01T00:00:00 |
2007
|
[
"F03",
"B64",
"H02",
"H01"
] |
pliant mechanisms for extracting power from moving fluid
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flexible and elastic mechanisms for extracting power from a moving fluid. sheet-like material is deformed during fabrication through an applied force so as to create undulations in said material, whose stresses are maintained through restraining components, thereby maintaining the occurrence of said deformations in the material. when placed in moving fluid, the resulting pressure differentials cause the positions of the undulations within the material to travel along said material in the same direction as the moving fluid. power is extracted in one of two principle ways. the first is via a mechanical coupling of the sheet-like material to a rotating mechanism, which turns an electro-magnetic dynamo or other output device. the second is via the utilization of a flexible material which exhibits an electrical response to mechanical strain, whereby the strains caused by the travel of undulations along the material create an electrical current which is extracted via two or more electrodes.
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1 . a power generator for extracting power from fluid motion, said power generator having a structure adapted to be disposed in a flowing fluid which comprises, in combination: a. a plurality of restraining components; b. a plurality of fronds for converting fluid motion into power, each of said fronds having a longitudinal axis, being made of a flexible sheet material and being attached to at least one of said restraining components to maintain said material in a deformed state under continuous internal stress by securing different sections of said fronds, said material being configured in the deformed state so as to create wave-shaped undulations in the respective frond, such that, when the fronds are subjected to the forces of a moving fluid directed along their longitudinal axes, the positions of the undulations in said fronds move in unison and in the direction of the moving fluid; and c. a device for extracting power from undulations of said fronds. 2 . the power generator defined in claim 1 , wherein said restraining components and said fronds are arranged to hold the plurality of fronds in a prescribed pattern, when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the moving fluid, said pattern being selected from the group consisting of an array, an asterisk, a polygonal ring, and a honeycomb. 3 . the power generator defined in claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is elastic. 4 . the power generator defined in claim 1 , wherein the flowing fluid is selected from the group consisting of air and water. 5 . the power generator defined in claim 1 , wherein undulations form traveling waves in the fronds. 6 . the power generator defined in claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fronds form electrical transducers for converting mechanical motion into electrical energy, wherein the undulations of such fronds create a voltage potential therein and wherein said power extracting device includes at least two electrodes, coupled to such fronds, for extracting electrical power from such fronds. 7 . the power generator defined in claim 1 , wherein the power extracting device is at least one mechanical component, configured for movement by the undulations of said fronds. 8 . the power generator defined in claim 7 , wherein said power extracting device includes a drive shaft mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis and at least one mechanical device configured to translate the undulations of said fronds into rotational movement of said shaft about its axis. 9 . the power generator defined in claim 8 , wherein said mechanical device includes at least one ratchet mechanism for rotating said shaft in one direction in response to the undulations of said fronds. 10 . the power generator defined in claim 8 , wherein said at least one ratchet mechanism includes a plurality of ratchet mechanisms configured to continuously rotate said shaft in said one direction. 11 . the power generator defined in claim 1 , wherein pairs of said fronds are further mechanically coupled to each other along a common longitudinal edge such that they undulate in unison. 12 . the power generator defined in claim 1 , wherein said restraining components and said fronds are arranged in an array of one or more parallel frond lines, each of said frond lines comprises at least two of said fronds mechanically coupled to each other along a common longitudinal edge, such that said frond lines undulate in unison. 13 . the power generator defined in claim 12 , wherein undulations of each frond in a frond line from said frond lines are out-of-phase with undulations of adjacent fronds in the frond line. 14 . the power generator defined in claim 2 , wherein the pattern of arrangement of said restraining components and said fronds is in the shape of an asterisk, and wherein an inner longitudinal edge of each of said fronds is mechanically coupled to a first restraining component from said restraining components, an outer longitudinal edge of each of said fronds is mechanically coupled to at least a second restraining component from said restraining components, such that undulations of said fronds are in-phase. 15 . the power generator defined in claim 14 , wherein mechanical coupling of inner longitudinal edges of said fronds to the first restraining component forms a polygonal cross-section, mechanical couplings of outer longitudinal edges of said fronds to the second restraining component form v-shaped cross-sections. 16 . the power generator defined in claim 15 , wherein the polygonal cross-section is closed by a plurality of plates stacked along a longitudinal axis, the first restraining component is a hollow tube passing through the plurality of plates along the longitudinal axis. 17 . the power generator defined in claim 15 , wherein the v-shaped cross-sections are closed. 18 . the power generator defined in claim 14 , wherein the second restraining component comprises at least one of (a) rigid members attached to radial rings and (b) a tube covering said fronds. 19 . the power generator defined in claim 2 , wherein the pattern of arrangement of said restraining components and said fronds is in the shape of a polygonal ring, and wherein pairs of said fronds are mechanically coupled to each other along a common longitudinal edge, said fronds being surrounded by a third restraining component from said restraining components. 20 . the power generator defined in claim 19 , wherein undulations of each of said fronds are out-of-phase with undulations of adjacent fronds. 21 . the power generator defined in claim 19 , wherein the third restraining component is a polygonal outer-casing. 22 . the power generator defined in claim 19 , wherein junctions of two adjacent fronds from said fronds and the third restraining component form channels having triangular cross-sections. 23 . the power generator defined in claim 21 , wherein each of said channels is closed by a plurality of plates stacked along a longitudinal axis, and said restraining components comprise a plurality of hollow tubes passing through the plurality of plates of each of said channels along the longitudinal axis. 24 . the power generator defined in claim 19 , wherein the polygonal ring is restrained by a fourth restraining component from said restraining components, such that the polygonal ring surrounds the fourth restraining component, and the fourth restraining component comprises a closed polygonal tube. 25 . the power generator defined in claim 2 , wherein the pattern of arrangement of said restraining components and said fronds is in the shape of a honeycomb, said honeycomb comprising a plurality of polygonal rings parallel to each other, wherein each of said polygonal rings comprises more than two fronds from said fronds mechanically coupled to each other along longitudinal edges of each of the more than two fronds, and wherein the honeycomb is restrained by an additional restraining component from said restraining components. 26 . the power generator defined in claim 25 , wherein undulations of each of the more than two fronds are out-of-phase with undulations of adjacent fronds. 27 . the power generator defined in claim 25 , wherein undulations of each of the more than two fronds are in-phase with undulations of adjacent fronds. 28 . the power generator defined in claim 25 , wherein each of said polygonal rings is out-of-phase with adjacent polygonal rings. 29 . the power generator defined in claim 25 , wherein the additional restraining component is a polygonal outer-casing. 30 . the power generator defined in claim 25 , wherein junctions of more than two polygonal rings form channels having triangular cross-sections. 31 . the power generator defined in claim 30 , wherein each of said channels is closed by a plurality of plates stacked along a longitudinal axis, and said restraining components comprise a plurality of hollow tubes passing through the plurality of plates of each of said channels along the longitudinal axis. 32 . the power generator defined in claim 31 , further comprising: at least one axle situated within and substantially concentric with one of the plurality of hollow tubes and ratchetedly coupled to a corresponding subset of the plurality of plates. 33 . the power generator defined in claim 25 , wherein junctions of more than three polygonal rings from channels having square cross-sections. 34 . the power generator defined in claim 25 , wherein one or more polygonal rings from said polygonal rings are restrained by one or more sixth restraining components from said restraining components, such that each of the one or more polygonal rings is surrounded by a corresponding sixth restraining component from said one or more sixth restraining components. 35 . the power generator defined in claim 34 , wherein said one or more sixth restraining components are closed polygonal tubes. 36 . the power generator defined in claim 34 , wherein one or more polygonal rings from said polygonal rings are additionally restrained by one or more seventh restraining components from said restraining components, such that each of the one or more polygonal rings surrounds a corresponding seventh restraining component from said one or more seventh restraining components. 37 . the power generator defined in claim 36 , wherein said one or more seventh restraining components are closed polygonal tubes. 38 . the power generator defined in claim 25 , wherein said polygonal rings comprise polygonal rings having different shapes and sizes.
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cross-reference to related applications this application claims benefit of u.s. patent application ser. no. 12/150,910, filed on may 1, 2008, now abandoned, which claims benefit of provisional application no. 60/926,984, filed on may 1, 2007. technical field the present application relates generally to extracting power from a moving current of fluid with flexible mechanisms, and more specifically provides a power generator for converting the kinetic energy of fluid motion into usable mechanical energy and/or electrical energy. background the kinetic energy of moving water has been utilized by man for thousands of years, and has been harnessed to generate electricity since the 19th century. today hydroelectric power supplies 20% of global electricity demand and is by far the largest source of renewable energy. electricity from a typical hydroelectric mechanism is generated by harnessing the forces of moving water via kinetic-energy-receiving turbine-blades, which transfer these forces into the rotational movement of a shaft, which turns an electromagnetic dynamo. progress in the field of materials science is seeing the emergence of novel materials capable of converting mechanical strain within a material into electrical energy without a rotating mechanism, and therefore, without a turbine and electro-magnetic dynamo. the potential advantages of turbine-free power generation include simplicity of design with fewer or no articulated moving parts and potentially greater efficiency. this invention embodies a range of mechanisms that share common principles for the creation of scalable hydro-electric generators, employing these novel materials and designed to anticipate the utilization of novel materials yet to be discovered or invented. one important but not exclusive application of this invention is in the field of so-called “free-flow” or “run-of-the-river” hydroelectric power generation, where the kinetic energy of rivers, streams or tidal currents is harnessed without the need for dams. a dam built in the path of flowing water creates a high energy potential differential above and below the dam, allowing water to pass through turbines at high speed and pressure. however, dams are expensive to construct and have a high environmental impact. efforts to harness the low-speed-high-volume flow of naturally-occurring water-ways have not yet proven viable largely due to the following: (1.) the high-cost of the energy-harnessing mechanisms relative to the low quantity of energy harnessed; and (2.) the physical vulnerability of existing energy-harnessing mechanisms. with this invention, problem 1 is solved with the utilization of large “capture” surface-areas that collectively harness a significant quantity of energy using a potentially cheap mass-produced material. problem 2 is solved because the mechanism primarily includes flexible and elastic components which are more capable of deflecting or absorbing shocks such as an impacting log or tree branch. a further and related advantage is a more gentle physical interaction with fish and other aquatic animals. the advantages of this invention for free-flow hydropower generation notwithstanding, the mechanisms of this invention are also applicable as an alternative to conventional turbines in dammed hydropower installations, and certain embodiments of this invention are designed to power a conventional electromagnetic dynamo, or other power output device such as a pump. overview embodiments of the present invention utilize a sheet-like elastic material which may be comprised of a single layer, multiple layers, a woven mesh or other composite sheet-like elastic material, and where said sheet-like material has been deformed and therefore stressed, with an applied first force. the material may accommodate this applied first force through a combination of deflection, compression and stretching of the material. if the material is appropriately restrained prior to the removal of this applied first force, the energy of this applied force will remain as potential energy within the material. the shape of this material in its relaxed state prior to the application the first force is defined by the spatial arrangement of molecules within the material. after the application of this first force and the restraining of the material so that this first force is maintained as potential energy within the material, the shape of the material is defined by the spatial arrangement of its molecules but also by its internal energy state, which, with the introduction of a second force, can take on a virtually infinite number of configurations. the mechanisms of this invention utilize a plurality of undulations in said material, where these undulations result from a first force applied to the material, and where these undulations are maintained in existence but not in position, by at least one restraining component. when a length of this material prepared in this way is then secured in a stream of fluid, and arranged so that the longitudinal axis of the length of material is parallel to the direction of the moving fluid, the upstream-sides of the material's undulations will obliquely face the direction of the movement of the fluid, and be subjected to the vector forces of the moving fluid. therefore, higher water pressures will result on the upstream-facing surfaces of the undulations in the material. conversely, the downstream surfaces of the undulations will experience lower water pressures. the pressure differential between the upstream and downstream surfaces of the undulations causes the positions of the undulations within the material to move in the direction of the moving fluid. the presence of undulations in the material is an expression of internal forces held as potential energy within the material by a restraining component. therefore, when an undulation being moved along the length of material moves off the end of this length of material, a new undulation must take its place at the upstream end of this length of material, because the internal energy state of this length of material has not changed, and the undulations are an expression of restrained forces within the material. the various embodiments of the present invention can be divided into two categories, or “groups”. the embodiments in the first group all utilize a single ribbon or a plurality of ribbons, said ribbons being made of a flexible or elastic sheet of material as described above. during operation of the mechanisms, this ribbon maintains a uniform or substantially uniform width. said ribbon of material as defined in this way is referred to hereafter as a “frond”. the embodiments of this first group all incorporate fronds, and are further categorized for convenience by their visual appearance when viewed from a plane perpendicular to the direction of fluid movement. said first group is comprised of: a parallel array, an asterisk, a polygonal ring, a dodecahedral honeycomb and an octagonal honeycomb. the embodiments of the second group all lack the fronds common to each embodiment of the first group. the embodiments of this second group are comprised of a tube of the same material described above, but do not incorporate fronds into their structure. the embodiments of this second group are further categorized for convenience by their visual appearance when viewed from a plane perpendicular to the direction of fluid movement. said second group is comprised of a first hexagonal honeycomb, second hexagonal honeycomb and concentric rings. embodiments of the first group contain single fronds or fronds connected to each other along their longitudinal axes in various ways, including in a manner which forms tubes, and in a manners whereby said tubes connect laterally to one another to create honeycomb-like patterns. it should be noted that tubes from the first group, being comprised of fronds, are distinct in form and action from tubes that comprise the second group. the tubes of the second group are comprised either of circular tubes of different diameters arranged concentrically one within another, or of polygonal tubes connected to each other laterally to create honey-comb like patterns. the polygonal tubes of this second group are distinct from the polygonal tubes in the first group because the sides of the tubes in this second group vary in width during operation, whereas the widths of fronds, comprising the sides of tubes in the first group, remain constant or substantially constant during operation. a further distinction can be made between embodiments of the first group with tubes comprised of fronds, and embodiments of the second group with no fronds. specifically, the overall diameter of tubes without fronds periodically increase and decrease under operation, whereas the overall diameters of tubes of the first group comprised of fronds, remain constant or substantially constant under operation. the deformations in material described above will remain so long as the material is prevented from returning to its relaxed state by at least one restraining component. since most of the embodiments of this invention utilize a plurality of deformations along a single length of material, another principal element of the mechanisms is a method for preventing the wave undulations in said length of material from combining into one single, larger deformation. various methods and configurations are described in the detailed description as to how this summing together of multiple deformations into a single deformation is prevented, thereby maintaining a series of wave undulations along the longitudinal axis of the material. power is harnessed by the mechanisms embodied in the present invention in two different ways. in the first way, as the forces of the moving water cause the wave undulations to move along the fronds, stresses are created within the sheet-like material or composite sheet-like material that comprise the fronds or tubes. this sheet-like material consists in whole or in part of a material which exhibits an electrical response to strains exerted within the material. as the wave undulations move along the material in the direction of the moving fluid, stresses also move through the material in the direction of the moving fluid, and electrical energy is generated from these stresses in the material. existing examples of such materials include electroactive polymers (eaps), which may exhibit electrostrostrictive, electrostatic, piezoelectric, and/or pyroelectric responses to electrical or mechanical fields, as well as ionic eaps, shape memory alloys, and nano-wires. at least two electrodes are utilized for embodiments extracting power in this first way. the second way that energy is harnessed by the mechanisms embodied in the present invention is by coupling the mechanical action of the traveling undulating motions of the material as described above to a shaft or axle. this axle turns an electromagnetic dynamo or other output device, such as for example, a pump. this invention does not rely on vortex currents to force the energy harnessing components of the embodiments into a morphology that is able to harness energy, distinguishing the present invention from the “piezoelectric eel” u.s. pat. no. 7,034,432 b1. when subject to the forces of moving fluid, the morphologies of the energy-harnessing components of the mechanisms of the present invention fluctuate in a periodic manner between states that lie within a range of possible morphology configurations. when not subject to the forces of moving fluid, the morphologies of the energy harnessing components of these mechanisms remain fixed in just one morphology configuration within that range. the mechanisms of the present invention are capable of receiving the forces of moving fluid regardless of whether the flow is laminar or turbulent, and the mechanisms are capable of receiving much higher loads. an additional advantage that the present invention has over the piezoelectric eel, with its reliance on vortices in the moving fluid, is scalability because there, are in principle, no upward limits on the dimensions to which embodiments of the present invention can be built. brief description of drawings the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more examples of embodiments and, together with the description of example embodiments, serve to explain the principles and implementations of the embodiments. in the drawings: fig. 1a is a diagram illustrating basic steps in the creation and operation of an embodiment of the present invention utilizing a flexible electroactive material; fig. 1b is a diagram illustrating basic steps in the creation and operation of an embodiment of the present invention utilizing the deflection of a flexible material; fig. 2a is a diagram showing the internal energy state at rest of an undulation in the material of a component of the present invention; fig. 2b is a diagram showing how energy is extracted from an embodiment of the present invention utilizing a flexible electroactive material; fig. 2c is a diagram showing how energy is extracted from an embodiment of the present invention utilizing a flexible material coupled to a mechanical output; fig. 3a illustrates how a frond is formed, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 3b-c illustrate how flexible or elastic crenated strips are formed. fig. 3d illustrates how the frond is combined with the flexible or elastic crenated strips, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 3e illustrates a perspective view of the arrangement of a frond and two connecting flexible or elastic crenated strips, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 4a-b illustrate the morphology of the flexible or elastic crenated strip, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 4c illustrates how a first crenated strip and a second crenated strip are attached together to form a double crenated strip, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 4d illustrates an array of rigid members inserted into the double crenated strip, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 4e illustrates how the double crenated strip is configured with and attached to adjacent fronds, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 4f illustrates a schematic view of the positions of wave undulations of two connected fronds adjacent to each other and with respect to a direction of the fluid flow, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 4g illustrates a pressure differential across wave undulations of a frond, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 5 illustrates a frond with the preferred minimum number of wave undulations per frond, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 6 illustrates a frond line, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 7 illustrates a parallel array of a plurality of frond lines, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 8a-c illustrate an asterisk formed by a plurality of fronds, crenated strips and restraining components, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 8d illustrates the mechanical coupling to a rotating axle of an asterisk formed by a plurality of fronds, crenated strips and restraining components, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 8e illustrates a detail of a mechanical coupling to a rotating axle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 9 illustrates stiffening, synchronizing and rotating components, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 10 references points of section cuts shown in figs. 11a-i during one cycle of operation of the asterisk, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 11a-i illustrate a series of sections cut through the asterisk at a given position, during one cycle of operation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 12a-b illustrate various mechanical couplings and the fronds in the asterisk, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 12c-d illustrate the use of rigid plates, instead of elastic plates, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. fig. 12e illustrates a coupling of rigid plates to an axle for mechanical power output, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 12f illustrates a detail of a mechanical ratcheted coupling of rigid plates to an axle for mechanical power output, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 13a-e illustrates a series of sections cut through the asterisk at a given position, during one cycle of operation, while fig. 13f illustrates the corresponding cycle of operation, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 14 and figs. 15a-d illustrate a non-free-flow application of the asterisk, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; figs. 16a-b illustrate a series of moving pockets formed inside a rigid tube, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 17-18 illustrate a hexagonal ring formed by six fronds, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 19 illustrates one of the three-sided tubes positioned at the corners of the hexagonal ring of fronds, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 20a-i illustrate a series of sections cut through the hexagonal ring of fronds at a given point during one cycle of operation; and fig. 21 illustrates the corresponding cycle of operation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 22 and figs. 23a-b illustrate a non-free-flow application of the polygonal ring, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; figs. 24a-e illustrate a series of sections cut through a hexagonal ring of fronds that comprise the dodecahedral honeycomb at a given point, during one half of a cycle of operation; and fig. 24f illustrates the corresponding one half of a cycle of operation, in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; figs. 25a-b illustrate two sections cuts through a dodecahedral honeycomb formed by a plurality of dodecahedron-shaped tubes, each tube comprised of a ring of fronds and connecting strips, at two different positions within a cycle of operation, in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; figs. 26a-i illustrate a series of sections cut through a dodecahedral honeycomb at a given position, during one cycle of operation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 26j locates that position within one cycle of operation; figs. 27a-e illustrate a series of sections cut through the dodecahedral honeycomb at a given position, during one half cycle of operation, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, and fig. 27f locates that position within the one half cycle of operation; fig. 28a illustrates the arrangement of elastic plates in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 28b illustrates the arrangement of non-elastic plates, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 28c illustrates the mechanical coupling of rigid plates to an axle for mechanical power output, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 28d illustrates the relationship of a dodecahedral tube with rigid plates and an axle to surrounding dodecahedral tubes in an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 29 illustrates how the dodecahedral honeycomb is restrained, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 29a-b illustrate how the dodecahedral honeycomb is attached to a polygonal outer-casing, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention; figs. 30a-b illustrate the preferred minimum portion of the wave cycle utilized for dodecahedron-shaped tubes, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; figs. 30c-g illustrate a series of sections cut through the same point during one half of a cycle of operation, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 30h illustrates the position of a series of section cuts within half a cycle of operation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. j illustrates an octagonal honeycomb formed by a plurality of octagonal-shaped tubes, each octagonal tube comprised of a ring of fronds and connecting strips, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 31a-d illustrate how wave undulations may be formed in a circular tube, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; figs. 31e-g illustrates how a plurality of circular tubes are arranged adjacent to each other, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 32 illustrates two distinct types of hexagonal tubes, in accordance with the first hexagonal honeycomb embodiment of the present invention; fig. 32a illustrates one cycle of operation; and fig. 33a-i illustrate a series of sections cut through the same point during one cycle of operation, in accordance with the first hexagonal honeycomb embodiment of the present invention; figs. 34a and 35 illustrate how a hexagonal honeycomb is formed by a plurality of type a hexagonal tubes and a plurality of type b hexagonal tubes, in accordance with the first hexagonal honeycomb embodiment of the present invention; figs. 34a-c illustrate a series of sections cut through a hexagonal honeycomb at the same point, during one half of a cycle of operation, in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention; fig. 36 illustrates three distinct types of hexagonal tubes, in accordance with the second hexagonal honeycomb embodiment of the present invention; fig. 37 illustrates how a hexagonal honeycomb is formed by a plurality of type c hexagonal tubes, a plurality of type d hexagonal tubes and a plurality of type e hexagonal tubes, in accordance with the second hexagonal honeycomb embodiment of the present invention; figs. 38-39 illustrate a hexagonal honeycomb where the type d and type e tubes are closed by a series of elastic plates, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention; fig. 40 illustrates how a hexagonal honeycomb is connected at its perimeter to a rigid frame or tube, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 41 illustrates concentric circular tubes and their corresponding restraining components, in accordance with the concentric rings embodiment of the present invention; figs. 42 and 43 illustrate a longitudinal section cut through concentric tubes, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 44 illustrates how the restraining components restrain the concentric tubes, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and figs. 45-50 illustrate longitudinal sections cut through the concentric tubes, in accordance with various concentric rings embodiments of the present invention. detailed description of example embodiments embodiments of the present invention provide undulating mechanisms for generating electricity from a moving stream of fluid in two ways, the first is by utilizing materials that exhibit an electrical response to material strain, the second is by mechanically coupling the undulating motions of the mechanisms to an electromagnetic dynamo, or other output device. in the descriptions herein for embodiments of the present invention, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or mechanisms, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. one skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the present invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. in other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention. fig. 1a is a diagram illustrating basic steps in the creation and operation of embodiments of the present invention utilizing an elastic or flexible material which exhibits an electrical response to material strain. fig. 1b is a diagram illustrating basic steps in the creation and operation of embodiments of the present invention utilizing the deflection of an elastic or flexible material to perform mechanical work which is then harnessed via an electromagnetic dynamo or other power output device. fig. 2a is a diagrammatic representation of the internal energy states of a single deformation 200 in the material and a single restraining component 201 . the deformation 200 in the material is in overall compression, and the restraining component 201 is in tension. fig. 2b is a diagrammatic representation showing an external force 203 exerted by a moving fluid upon said deformation 200 and the resulting change in position of said deformation 200 , and the retrieval of electricity generated by resulting stresses in the material via two electrodes 202 . the principles illustrated in this diagram are common to all embodiments of the present invention in which strains within the material are converted into electrical energy by utilizing an appropriate elastic or flexible material as described above, whether said material exists today or whether said material will be discovered or invented in the future. fig. 2c is a diagrammatic representation showing an external force 203 exerted by a moving fluid upon the deformation 200 in fig. 2a and the resulting change in position of said deformation 200 , causing deflection of the material 204 which can be mechanically coupled to an electromagnetic dynamo or other output device. the principles illustrated in this diagram are common to all embodiments of the present invention in which deflection of the material is converted into mechanical energy, which is mechanically coupled to an electromagnetic dynamo or other output device. as has been mentioned in the summary above, fronds are a universal component in a first group of embodiments which are further categorized according to their visual appearance as viewed from a plane perpendicular to the direction of moving fluid. this first group consists of a parallel array, an asterisk, a polygonal ring, a dodecahedral honeycomb and an octagonal honeycomb. fig. 3a illustrates how this frond 2 is formed, in accordance with the first group of embodiments of the present invention. the frond 2 is formed by pre-stressing a ribbon 71 of a flexible or elastic material. as described above, the flexible material can be any material or composite of material that exhibits an electrical response to mechanical strain. in an un-stressed state, the ribbon 71 is straight. when a force 72 is applied parallel to a longitudinal axis of the material, a series of wave undulations 73 occur within the material, and cause the ribbon 71 to take a form of an undulating ribbon. when no additional force is acting upon the frond 2 , it maintains a motion-less sine-wave profile along its longitudinal axis. the regularity of the wave undulations 73 can be set by a guiding mechanism to ensure that the applied force 72 causes deformation to occur in the desired periodic manner. as long as the frond 2 is restrained by a restraining component from returning to its unstressed state, the potential energy of the applied force 72 remains in the frond 2 , and therefore, the presence of wave undulations 73 remain. along both edges of the frond 2 are flexible or elastic strips 3 that take the form of geometrically hyperbolic planes, more commonly described as “scalloped” or “crenated”. the edge of a crenated strip 3 that is connected to the frond 2 is formed so as to follow the undulating profile of the frond 2 along the undulating line of attachment, creating a transition between the wavy edge of the frond and the straight line of attachment to a restraining component 4 . figs. 3b-c illustrate how the crenated strips 3 are created and combined with the frond 2 , in accordance with various embodiments of the first group in this invention. a first arch-shaped strip 74 of the flexible or elastic material is formed or cut from a flat sheet, multi-layered, woven or other composite sheet of the flexible or elastic material. the geometry of the first strip 74 has an inner edge 74 a and an outer edge 74 b formed by two arcs with a common center, such that the outer edge 74 b has a greater radius and a proportionally greater arc length than the inner edge 74 a. a force 75 is applied to the first strip 74 until the inner edge 74 a forms a straight line. in such a case, the inner edge 74 a is in tension and the outer edge 74 b is in overall compression. since the outer edge 74 b has a greater length than the inner edge 74 a, as defined by its greater arc length prior to the application of the force 75 , the outer edge 74 b becomes deformed into one or more wave undulations. the number of wave undulations and the regularity of wave undulations can be controlled by a guiding mechanism. this first flexible crenated strip 3 has a tendency to return to its unstressed state, and therefore, maintains the applied force 75 as potential energy as long as it is restrained from returning to its unstressed state. a second crenated strip 3 of flexible or elastic material with the same dimensions as the first is formed with the same number and shape of wave undulations as the first crenated strip 3 , except that the wave undulations of the second crenated strip 3 are out-of-phase with the wave undulations of the first crenated strip 3 . fig. 3d illustrates how the frond 2 is attached to the two crenated strips 3 , in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. the frond 2 has the same wave undulations as the first strip 3 , and is attached continuously along the undulating outer edge 74 b of the first strip 3 . the second strip 3 is rotated 180 degrees, and is fixed continuously along its outer edge 74 b to the frond 2 . the energy state of the frond 2 and the two crenated strips 3 is in equilibrium, as the internal energy of the first crenated strip 3 causes the first strip to “want” to straighten-out in one direction, but the internal energy state of the second crenated strip 3 causes this second strip to “want” to straighten-out in the opposite direction. the tension within the inner edges 74 b of the flexible crenated strips 3 therefore prevent the frond 2 from straightening-out. thus the crenated strip 3 also serves as the first restraining component. while the positions of the wave undulations in the crenated strips 3 and the frond 2 may move under the force of flowing fluid in the direction of the flowing fluid, the crenated strips 3 and the frond 2 remain synchronized with one another. waves that are moved off the end of the frond 2 must re-appear at the start of the frond 2 because the potential energy in the mechanism, expressed as stressed undulations in the material, has not been removed. fig. 3e illustrates a perspective view of the arrangement of the frond 2 and the crenated strips 3 , in accordance with the first group of embodiments of the present invention. the inner edges 74 a of the crenated strips 3 may be reinforced with a non-elastic material 4 , such as a cable. as mentioned above, each frond 2 is electrically coupled to at least one electrode, so as to retrieve harnessed electricity. wiring 4 a associated with the retrieval of harnessed electricity from the electrodes runs along the reinforced area 4 of the crenated strips 3 . figs. 4a-b illustrate the morphology of the crenated strip 3 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. a series of sections 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, and 3 d cut through the crenated strip 3 shows that the wave undulations of the crenated strip 3 decrease further away from the outer edge 74 b, and are eliminated altogether at the inner edge 74 a. figs. 4c illustrates how the first strip and the second strip are attached together to form a double flexible or elastic crenated strip 6 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. the inner edge 74 a of the second crenated strip 3 is attached to the inner edge 74 a of the first crenated strip 3 , as shown. the potential energy in the first crenated strip 3 “wants” to straighten-out the first crenated strip 3 in one direction and the potential energy in the second crenated strip 3 “wants” to straighten-out the second crenated strip 3 in the opposite direction. therefore, the two attached crenated strips form a double crenated strip 6 that is in energy equilibrium. fig. 4e illustrates how the double crenated strip 6 is used to attach adjacent fronds 2 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. the double crenated strip 6 is mechanically coupled with a frond 2 a above it and another frond 2 b below it. wave undulations of a frond are out-of-phase with wave undulations of adjacent fronds. a plurality of fronds may be connected one above another, as described. fig. 4d illustrates how wave undulations between the two edges of the double crenated strip 6 are synchronized and in opposite phase to each other, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. the synchronicity of wave undulations between the two edges of the double crenated strip 6 may be further ensured by the insertion of rows of narrow, straight, rigid members 6 a that run from the top of one edge to the bottom of the other edge. as the wave undulations pass along the double crenated strip 6 , these rigid members 6 a rotate partially about a central axis of the double crenated strip 6 . the synchronicity of the two edges of the double crenated strip 6 ensures the synchronicity of the fronds 2 a and 2 b. fig. 4f illustrates a schematic view of the wave undulations of the fronds 2 a and 2 b with respect to a direction 5 of the flow of the fluid. when anchored in the flowing fluid, higher fluid pressures result on faces of wave undulations that obliquely face upstream and lower fluid pressures result on faces of wave undulations that obliquely face downstream. fig. 4g illustrates a pressure differential across the wave undulations of two connected fronds 2 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. this pressure differential causes the wave undulations to travel down along the fronds 2 a and 2 b in the direction 5 of the flow. fig. 5 illustrates a frond 2 with the preferred minimum number of wave undulations per frond. the preferred minimum number of wave undulations per frond 2 is two, one to each side of the longitudinal central axis of the frond 2 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. as the fluid pressure moves the first wave in the direction 5 of the flow, a new wave begins to form upstream from the first wave, while at the same time the second wave begins to move off the end of the frond. the maximum number of wave undulations per frond 2 depends on the physical strength of the materials used to form fronds 2 and crenated strips 3 and double crenated strips 6 . as mentioned above in the summary, the sequence of wave undulations in a given length of frond 2 must be prevented from summing together into fewer or a single larger undulation. when viewing fig. 3a it is easy to visualize how the undulations 73 created by the applied force 72 would tend to converge into a single bulge. fig. 3e shows how each undulation is restrained from converging with one another, by restraining the frond 2 between two crenated strips 3 and non-elastic reinforcing material 4 . the straight edged side of the crenated strips 3 defines a line that passes through an axis which is the midpoint of the wave cycle, which is to say that this edge defines a straight line across which the waves extend either side to equal amplitudes. configured in this manner, one wave will not merge with another because to do so would require the wave to “leap” over the barrier of the maximum amplitude of the wave immediately adjacent to it. as the wave undulations move along the fronds 2 in the direction of the moving fluid, stresses move along the fronds 2 in the direction of moving fluid, and electrical energy is generated from these stresses created in the material. a plurality of fronds and restraining components are arranged in a prescribed pattern selected from the first group, said pattern being visible when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the direction of moving fluid. the pattern group consists of an array, an asterisk, a polygonal ring, a dodecahedral honeycomb and an octagonal honeycomb. details of the parallel array, the asterisk, the polygonal ring, the dodecahedral honeycomb and the octagonal honeycomb have been provided in conjunction with figs. 6-7 , figs. 8a-16b , figs. 17-23c , figs. 24a-30b , and figs. 30c-30j respectively. pattern: parallel array in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, at least two fronds 2 are mechanically coupled to each other along a common longitudinal edge to form a frond line. fig. 6 illustrates a frond line formed by three fronds 2 and two double crenated strips 6 . wave undulations of each frond 2 are out-of-phase with wave undulations of adjacent fronds 2 in the same frond line, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. the fronds 2 can be anchored in various ways to the floor of the fluid channel, to a structure spanning across the fluid channel, or through anchors 7 attached to vertical component 8 . the vertical components 8 can be formed in various designs so as to improve the hydrodynamics of the anchors 7 and the anchor's point of attachment to the frond, and therefore, how the fluid interacts with the fronds. fig. 7 illustrates an array of a plurality of frond lines, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. the frond lines are arranged parallel to each other, within the fluid channel, such that the frond lines undulate in unison. this creates greater fluid pressure by restricting the available paths through which the fluid can travel, and therefore creates stronger forces acting upon the frond undulations. pattern: asterisk figs. 8a-c illustrate an asterisk formed by a plurality of fronds 2 and restraining components, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. with reference to figs. 8a-c , the asterisk is formed of three fronds 2 . it should be noted here that further variations of the asterisk are possible with more or less than the three fronds 2 shown, and that such variations are intended to be included in the definition of the term “asterisk”. each of three fronds 2 are connected to two crenated strips 3 , one crenated strip being attached to either edge of each frond 2 . the inner crenated strip 3 of each frond is mechanically coupled to a second restraining component 13 comprised of a hollow tube, and this component prevents the fronds from straightening-out to their pre-stressed state. the outer crenated strip 3 of each frond is mechanically coupled to third restraining component, and this third restraining component also prevents the fronds from straightening-out to their pre-stressed state. this third restraining component may, for example, be a tube 9 surrounding the fronds 2 , or for example, rigid members 10 attached to radial rings 11 . the wave undulations of the fronds 2 are in-phase with each other so that the second and third fronds are duplicates of the first frond rotated twice about the central axis of the mechanism, which each rotation being 120 degrees, in the example shown here incorporating three fronds. as the wave undulations move along the fronds 2 in the direction of the moving fluid, stresses move along the fronds 2 in the direction of moving fluid, and electrical energy is generated from these stresses in the material. fig. 8d illustrates yet another embodiment comprised as above in figs. 8a-c , with an additional component being a central ratcheted axle 90 . the fronds 2 are mechanically coupled via the crenated strips 3 to the axle 90 by a ratchet system so that the clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation of the fronds 2 and connected crenated strips 3 as illustrated in figs. 11a-i , causes the axle 90 to rotate in one direction, thus mechanically powering an electromagnetic generator or other output device. fig. 8e illustrates a detail of an axle 90 and ratchet system, whereby forces received on the fronds 2 from moving fluid, and transferred to the inner crenated strips 3 , are transferred to rigid projections 15 which are embedded into the inner crenated strips 3 , and transferred to rigid rings 14 , causing the rigid rings to rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise. the rigid rings engage the axle 90 when rotating in one direction, and disengage from the axle 90 when rotating in the other direction, ensuring that the axle rotates continuously in only one direction. other mechanisms exist in prior art that will allow the rigid rings 14 to perform work on both their clockwise and counter-clockwise cycles. mechanisms for achieving such desired rotation of the axle 90 are known to those skilled in the art of mechanical engineering and need not be described here. in embodiments containing an axle 90 , the axle 90 may also serve as an additional restraining component. fig. 9 illustrates internal details of the arrangement relative to each other, of the rigid rings 14 and rigid projections 15 of the ratcheted asterisk embodiment above, as illustrate in figs. 8d-e . fig. 9 also illustrates equally well, stiffening mechanisms for incorporation into the non-ratcheted asterisk embodiment as shown in fig. 8a-c : coupled to the inside of the hollow tube 13 is a plurality of rigid rings 14 running along the length of the tube 13 . each ring 14 has three rigid projections 15 radiating out from the centre at an angle of 120 degrees from each other. each projection 15 is embedded into one of the three fronds 2 via the inner crenated strip 3 of each frond 2 . the rigid projections 15 attached to the rigid rings 14 maintain the position of the fronds 12 relative to each other, as the wave undulations travel down the fronds in the direction 5 of the flowing fluid. this, in turn, causes the rings 14 and rigid projections 15 to rotate clockwise and counter clockwise. the hollow tube 13 is made of a flexible or elastic material which allows the tube 13 to rotate partially clockwise and counter-clockwise, but which does not allow the tube to lengthen. wiring 16 associated with the retrieval of harnessed electricity may pass through the aforementioned flexible tube 13 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 8a . fig. 10 references points of section cuts shown in figs. 11a-i during one cycle of operation of the asterisk, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. a cycle of operation is defined here as the travel of a single wave from outset through transition to its original position. figs. 11a-i illustrate a series of sections cut through the asterisk at a given position, during one cycle of operation. fluid flowing through the tube 9 forces the wave undulation of a given frond 2 to move in the direction of the moving fluid. this causes the rigid rings 14 to rotate. this rotation is reinforced by the fluid pressure on the other two fronds 2 , causing the wave undulations of all three fronds 2 to travel in synchronization. figs. 12a-b illustrate an alternative mechanical coupling of the fronds 2 in the asterisk, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. the mechanical couplings of the outer longitudinal edges of the fronds 2 to the second restraining component, form v-shaped cross-sections, whose both halves are comprised of flexible or elastic crenated strips 3 . the v-shaped cross-sections can be open allowing the passage of fluid through, or closed, as shown in the figure, with a plurality of elastic plates 17 stacked, along a longitudinal axis, with planes parallel to each other. the inner edges of the three fronds 2 are not coupled to crenated strips 3 along their longitudinal edges but to each other via flexible bands 80 . this mechanical coupling of the inner longitudinal edges of the fronds 2 forms a triangular cross-section, whose sides are comprised of three flexible bands 80 . the polygonal cross-section can be closed by a plurality of elastic plates 18 , stacked along the longitudinal axis, with planes parallel to each other and each plate connecting at its corners to the three fronds 2 . as the waves move down the fronds 2 , the polygonal cross-section and the elastic plates 18 rotate clockwise and counterclockwise about the longitudinal axis. the elastic plates 18 expand and contract in area with clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation. a small flexible tube passes through the elastic plates 18 a along the longitudinal axis and is coupled to these elastic plates 18 a. this tube is made of a material which allows the tube to twist clockwise and counter-clockwise but does not allow the tubes to lengthen, acting as a fourth restraining component. wiring 16 associated with the retrieval of harnessed electricity passes through this tube figs. 12c-d illustrate the use of rigid plates 19 , instead of the elastic plates 18 , in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. the polygonal cross-section can be closed by a plurality of rigid plates 19 stacked along the longitudinal axis. the size of the polygonal cross-section remains constant throughout the cycle of operation. a small flexible tube passes through the rigid plates 19 along the longitudinal axis. this tube is made of a material which allows the tube to twist clockwise and counter-clockwise with the rotation of the rigid plates 19 . wiring 16 associated with the retrieval of harnessed electricity passes through this tube. the polygonal cross-section and the rigid plates 19 rotate 60 degrees clockwise and 60 degrees counter-clockwise. however, the degree of rotation can be different, and depends on various design factors. fig. 12e illustrates yet another embodiment with a central axle 90 passing through the plurality of rigid plates 19 and mechanically coupled to the rigid plates 19 through a ratchet system, so that the rotation of the rigid the plates 19 as described above clockwise and counter-clockwise, rotates the axle 90 in one direction but not the other, thus mechanically powering an electromagnetic generator or other output device. fig. 12f illustrates details of one possible mechanism for achieving the one-directional rotation of the axle from rigid plates 19 that rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise. other mechanisms exist in prior art that will allow the rigid plates 19 to perform work on both their clockwise and counter-clockwise cycles. several mechanisms for achieving such desired rotation of the axle 90 are well known to those skilled in the art of mechanical engineering and need not be described here. in embodiments containing an axle 90 , the axle 90 serves as a fifth restraining component. figs. 13a-e illustrates a series of sections cut through the asterisk of the embodiment above at a given position, during one cycle of operation, while fig. 13f illustrates the corresponding cycle of operation. fig. 14 and figs. 15a-d illustrate a non-free-flow application of the asterisk, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. the asterisk is encased in a rigid tube 20 that takes the form of the extruded profile of the asterisk. flowing fluid is channeled through a restricted space enclosed on all sides by the rigid tube 20 . the inner dimensions of this rigid tube 20 can be defined by wave amplitude 21 of the three fronds 2 , as shown in fig. 15d . dimensioned in this way, the rigid tube 20 restricts the passage of fluid so that a minimum amount of fluid is able to bypass the fronds 2 without exerting a force upon them. figs. 15a-c show three sections cut through the asterisk at the same position during one half of a cycle of operation. figs. 16a-b illustrates a series of moving pockets formed inside the rigid tube 20 . fluid entering the rigid tube 20 is enclosed in the series of moving pockets. consequently, the pressure on each wave undulation of a frond 2 is transferred to the next downstream wave undulation through the incompressible fluid in a pocket 21 a between the alternating wave undulations. fluid pressure at a first wave undulation overcomes the resistance in the first wave undulation. fluid pressure at the next wave undulation is reduced, and so on for each successive wave down the frond 2 . in an application where the asterisk is subject to very high fluid pressures, the fronds 2 can have very large number of wave undulations so as to provide appropriate resistance. the asterisk embodiment described above as a non-free-flow mechanism, and illustrated in figs. 14-16b , is nevertheless much less destructive to fish and other aquatic mammals than a conventional hydro-turbine. depending on the speed of water flow through the mechanism, fish migration upstream is still possible, in principle, thus overcoming one of the negative environmental impacts of traditional hydro-electric installations. pattern: polygonal ring in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of fronds 2 , crenated strips 3 and restraining components are arranged in a polygonal ring. a hexagonal ring is chosen here for simplicity but rings with a greater or lesser number of sides are intended to be included in this embodiment. each frond 2 is mechanically coupled to two other fronds through a flexible band 80 and crenated strips 3 such that the fronds 2 , flexible bands 80 and crenated strips 3 form a tube that in cross-section forms a hexagon or dodecahedron, depending on the position of the cross-section within the cycle of operation as shown in figs. 20a-i . figs. 17-18 illustrate a ring formed by six fronds 2 . the crenated strips 3 are mechanically coupled to a sixth restraining component from the restraining components. the sixth-restraining component is a hexagonal outer-casing 22 which takes the form of an extruded hexagon and is composed of a rigid material. the fronds are connected to the crenated strips 3 which are connect continuously along the inside corners of the outer-casing 22 via a hinged or flexible connection 25 . each frond 2 is also connected continuously along both edges via flexible bands 80 to the fronds 2 on either side of it. the junctions of two adjacent fronds and the sixth restraining component, via flexible strips 3 and flexible bands 80 , form a triangular tube 22 a which takes the form of a triangle in cross section. fig. 19 illustrates this triangular tube 22 a. figs. 20a-i illustrate a series of cross-sections at a given point during one cycle of operation, and fig. 21 illustrates the corresponding cycle of operation, in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention. one cycle of operation is defined here as the travel of a single wave from outset through transition to the point where this wave takes the position formerly occupied at outset by the next downstream wave. the wave undulations of the fronds 2 travel along the fronds 2 in the direction 5 of the fluid flow. as a series of undulations pass along the material, a series of stresses pass along the material, from which electrical energy is harnessed. the wave undulations of each frond 2 are out-of-phase with wave undulations of adjacent fronds 2 . the triangular cross-sections rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise, accommodating the wave undulations of the fronds 2 and maintaining the synchronization of wave undulations between the fronds 2 . in yet another embodiment of the polygonal ring pattern, a rigid plate 26 closes-off the opening of the triangular tube 22 a to the flow of water, and a series of rigid plates 26 is stacked parallel to this rigid plate 26 along the length of the triangular tube 22 a. the rigid triangular plates 26 used to close the triangular tube may also be elastic. it should be noted that rigid and elastic plates affect the behavior of the fronds 2 differently in multiple ways that do not affect the overall principles embodied in the present invention, and therefore, do not need to be described in detail. one affect of utilizing rigid as opposed to elastic plates is that the widths of the fronds 2 will increase and decrease slightly in a periodic manner corresponding to the cycles of operation. fig. 22 and figs. 23a-b illustrate a non-free-flow application of the polygonal ring, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention using rigid plates 26 . flowing fluid is channeled through a restricted space enclosed on all sides, such as an opening in the wall 25 a of a dam. each triangular cross-section is closed by a plurality of plates stacked along a longitudinal axis, preventing the fluid from entering the triangular cross-sections. a second rigid hexagonal tube 27 , forming a seventh restraining component, is set within the first rigid hexagonal tube 22 so that the fronds occupy a ring of space between the first rigid hexagonal tube 22 and the second rigid hexagonal tube 27 . the upstream end of the second rigid hexagonal tube 27 is closed by a cap 28 to the flow of fluid. in this way, the flowing fluid is forced to enter only through the ring of space occupied by the hexagonal ring of fronds. the inner rigid tube 27 is secured by secondary members 29 to the outer rigid tube 22 . fig. 23c illustrates yet another polygonal ring embodiment in which the rigid triangular plates 26 are mechanically coupled to a ratcheted axle 90 as described above in the asterisk embodiments of this invention which utilizes a ratcheted axle 90 , whereby rotational movement clockwise and counter-clockwise is mechanically coupled to an electromagnetic generator or other power-receiving output device, such as a pump. in embodiments containing an axle 90 , the axle 90 serves as the fifth restraining component. the polygonal ring embodiment described above as a non-free-flow mechanism, and illustrated in figs. 22-23b , is nevertheless much less destructive to fish and other aquatic mammals than a conventional hydro-turbine. depending on the speed of water flow through the mechanism, fish migration upstream is still possible, in principle, thus overcoming one of the negative environmental impacts of traditional hydro-electric installations. pattern: dodecahedral honeycomb in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of fronds 2 , flexible or elastic strips 31 and restraining components are arranged in a dodecahedral honeycomb. the “cells” of the honeycomb are dodecahedral tubes 30 having six sides which are fronds 2 , and another six sides which are flexible or elastic strips 31 . each frond 2 is mechanically coupled to flexible or elastic strips 31 along the length of both edges of the frond 2 . a plurality of dodecahedral tubes 30 aligned parallel to each other, and laterally connected to each other, comprise the dodecahedral honeycomb. in cross-section, each tube 30 takes the form of a dodecahedron whose cross-sectional shape changes through time during one cycle of operation in a manner which is repeated with each cycle of operation. figs. 24a-e illustrate a series of sections cut through a dodecahedral tube 30 at a given point, during one half of a cycle of operation; and fig. 24f illustrates the corresponding one half of a cycle of operation, in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention. for this dodecahedral honeycomb embodiment, the wave undulations of each frond 2 of a tube 30 are out-of-phase with the wave undulations of its adjacent two fronds 2 . the wave undulations of three fronds 2 c of a tube 30 are synchronized with each other, and are out-of-phase with the wave undulations of the other three fronds 2 d of a tube 30 . the wave undulations of the other three fronds 2 d are synchronized with each other. the force of fluid flowing through the polygonal ring 30 causes the wave undulations to travel down the lengths of the fronds 2 in the direction 5 of the flowing fluid. the sum of the lengths of the sides of the dodecahedron remains substantially the same at any point during the cycle of operation because the overall diameter of the dodecahedral tube 30 does not change during operation. when three of the fronds 2 comprising the tube 30 bulge outwards their most, the other three fronds 2 comprising the tube 30 bulge inwards their most. in this embodiment of the dodecahedral honeycomb, only the elastic strips 31 change in dimension, with a correlating minor change in the sum of the lengths of the sides of the dodecahedron. figs. 25a-b illustrate two sections cuts through a dodecahedral honeycomb formed by a plurality of dodecahedral tubes 30 at a given point, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. each dodecahedral tube 30 shares one of its six fronds 2 with a frond 2 from each of the six dodecahedral tubes 30 surrounding it. the junctions of three dodecahedral rings 30 form a plurality of triangular cross-sections, which include three connecting elastic strips 31 connecting to one frond 2 from each of the three dodecahedral tubes 30 . since each dodecahedral tube 30 shares fronds 2 with six surrounding dodecahedral tubes 30 , synchronicity of the wave undulations in all the dodecahedral tubes 30 is maintained during each cycle of operation. figs. 26a-i illustrate a series of sections cut through the dodecahedral honeycomb at a given position, during one cycle of operation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. a cycle of operation is defined as the travel of a single wave from outset through transition to its original position. fig. 26j illustrates points of section cuts during this cycle of operation. each cross-section taking the form of a triangle is closed by a plurality of plates 32 stacked along the longitudinal axis. during a cycle of operation, the plates 32 rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise in a manner that correlates to the phases of the fronds 2 attached to each of these plates 32 . with reference to figs. 26a-i , the plates 32 are elastic, and therefore, shrink and expand during each cycle of operation. figs. 27a-e illustrate a series of sections cut through the dodecahedral honeycomb at a given position, during one half cycle of operation, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, in which the plates 32 a are rigid. during operation, the size of each plate 32 a remains constant, thereby necessitating a slight stretching and shrinking of the width of the fronds 2 with the rotation of the plates 32 a. the eighth restraining component is a plurality of hollow tubes 33 passing through the plurality of rigid plates 32 a of each triangular cross-section along the longitudinal axis. the hollow tubes 33 allow rotational flexing, but are non-elastic along their longitudinal axis and are capable of receiving high tension strains. these tubes 33 act as a restraining component that keeps the potential energy of the applied force 72 within the fronds 2 , thereby preventing the fronds 2 from straightening-out and losing their wave undulations. the tubes 33 also serve as principal conduits for electrical wiring associated with the transfer of harnessed electricity. fig. 28a illustrates the arrangement and sizes relative to each other, of elastic plates 32 , in accordance with an embodiment of the dodecahedral honeycomb described above. fig. 28b illustrates the arrangement of non-elastic plates 32 a, in accordance with another dodecahedral embodiment. the sizes of the plates 32 a relative to the lengths of the fronds 2 in cross-section, and the degree of clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation can vary. all such variations are consistent with the principles laid out in the present invention, though not specified in detail. fig. 28c illustrates the defining component of yet another embodiment in which the rigid plates 32 a are mechanically coupled via a ratchet system to an axle 90 , thereby transferring the rotational movement of the plates 32 a clockwise and counter-clockwise, into a uni-directional rotation of the axle 90 , fig. 12f . the axle is mechanically coupled to an electromagnetic generator or other power-receiving output device. the relationship of a dodecahedral tube 30 with rigid plates 32 a and axle 90 to surrounding dodecahedral tubes is shown in fig. 28d . in embodiments where an axle 90 is present, the axle 90 forms the fifth restraining component. fig. 29 illustrates how the dodecahedral honeycomb embodiment is restrained, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. the dodecahedral honeycomb is restrained by an ninth restraining component from the restraining components. the ninth restraining component is a polygonal outer-casing 36 or rigid frame. further, the open central portions of the dodecahedral tubes 30 that receive the flow of fluid can be closed with a tenth restraining component, such that each dodecahedral tube 30 surrounds a corresponding tenth restraining component. the tenth restraining component can be rigid polygonal tubes 27 as described above, where said rigid tubes 27 are fixed to each other and to the polygonal outer-casing 36 via secondary members 29 . these rigid tubes are closed with a cap 28 , similar to the polygonal ring embodiment shown in figs. 23a-c . the maximum degree of undulations of the fronds 2 of the dodecahedral tubes 30 aligns with the spaces between rigid polygonal tube 27 and adjacent rigid polygonal tubes 27 , thereby restricting the available paths down which the fluid can travel to the spaces occupied by the fronds 2 . depending on the speed of water flow and on the number of dodecahedral tubes 30 in the dodecahedral honeycomb embodiment, an additional secondary structure connecting all rigid polygonal tube 27 and fixed to the polygonal rigid outer-casing 36 . this would be a familiar structure of beams or trusses and is not shown here for simplicity's sake. dodecahedral tubes 30 that are at the extremity of the honeycomb share fronds 2 with four instead of six other dodecahedral tubes 30 . these edge-condition dodecahedral tubes 30 are continuously connected via flexible or elastic crenated strips 3 to the polygonal outer-casing 36 . figs. 29a-b illustrate how the dodecahedral honeycomb is attached to the polygonal outer-casing 36 , in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention. each edge-conditional dodecahedral tube is connected via two flexible or elastic crenated strips 3 to the polygonal outer-casing 36 . the two crenated strips 3 are also connected to longitudinal edges of a flexible or elastic strip 31 which connects one frond 2 to another frond 2 within a single dodecahedral tube 30 . the two flexible or elastic crenated strips 3 and the flexible or elastic strips 31 form a triangular cross-section, which rotates partially clockwise and counter-clockwise during operation. the number of dodecahedral tubes 30 that can be included in a dodecahedral honeycomb depends on material strengths, the fluid flow speed and other parameters. depending on these parameters, a secondary supporting frame can be affixed to the polygonal outer-casing 36 at the upstream-end of the mechanism as described above. in embodiments without the rigid polygonal tube 27 , this supporting frame can be attached to each dodecahedral tubes 30 via the hollow tubes 33 , transferring operating loads from the fronds 2 and hollow tubes 33 to the polygonal outer-casing 36 . figs. 30a-b illustrate the minimum length of the dodecahedral tubes 30 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. the minimum length of the dodecahedral tubes 30 utilizes one half of a cycle of operation. it should be noted here that the maximum length of the dodecahedral tubes 30 and the maximum number of wave undulations are not determined. pattern: octagonal honeycomb the octagonal honeycomb embodiment illustrated in fig. 30j is included to demonstrate that embodiments of the present invention comprised of fronds 2 arranged into tubes are not limited to the dodecahedral honeycomb embodiment, and that tubes with any number of sides are included in the scope of this invention. in this embodiment, four fronds 2 are arranged in a ring connected to four elastic connecting strips 31 . the fronds 2 are each connected to one another via connecting strips 31 , creating an octagonal tube. four connecting strips together form a small square tube, which may be open to the flow of water or closed by elastic plates 85 , which are repeated in a series parallel to each other and along the length of the axis of the square tube. these plates 85 rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise as the wave undulations pass along the fronds 2 . passing through these plates and secured to each are small hollow tubes 33 described above as the eighth restraining component in the dodecahedral honeycomb embodiment. these tubes 33 allow twisting clockwise and counter-clockwise but are non-elastic in their longitudinal direction, preventing the fronds from lengthening to their relaxed states. figs. 30c-30g illustrate a series of sections cut through the same point during one half of a cycle of operation, in accordance with this octagonal honeycomb embodiment of the present invention. fig. 30h illustrates the position of a series of section cuts within this half a cycle of operation. if these plates 85 described above are rigid, and mechanically coupled through a ratchet mechanism to an axle 90 , the rotational movements of the plates clockwise and counter-clockwise can be used to rotate the axles 90 , whereby rotational movement in one direction is mechanically coupled to an electromagnetic generator or other power-receiving output device. as mentioned above, a second group of patterns consists of two different hexagonal honeycomb embodiments and a concentric ring embodiment. whereas in the first group the frond 2 is a component in all embodiments of the group, there are no fronds in this second group. the widths of ribbons comprising the fronds of the first group remain constant under operation in some described embodiments, and change only slightly in others. therefore, the sides of tubes comprised of fronds remain fairly constant in width, changing primarily in position, during each cycle of operation by contrast in this second group described as hexagonal honeycombs and concentric rings, wave bulges in the material comprising the tubes cause the material to expand and contract both longitudinally and laterally. therefore, the diameters of the tubes comprising these embodiments increase and decrease during each cycle of operation. figs. 31a-d illustrate how wave undulations are formed in a circular tube 37 . it should be noted here that an example of a circular tube has been taken, instead of a hexagonal tube for simplicity's sake, but the principles described here apply to the hexagonal tubes of the hexagonal honeycomb embodiments as well as the circular tubes of the concentric ring embodiments. if an elastic circular tube 37 of a given length 37 a has a first force 37 c applied perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the circular tube 37 , such that the force 37 c bulges-out the circular tube 37 about its circumference, the circular tube 37 will shorten in length. the circular tube 37 will return to its original shape and length, when the first force 37 c is removed. however, if a second force 37 d is applied such that the longitudinal dimension of the circular tube 37 is restrained, the circular tube 37 is prevented from returning to its original shape. therefore, the first force 37 c remains as potential energy within the circular tube 37 . if a sufficient third force 37 e is then applied in a direction parallel to the axis of the circular tube 37 , and therefore, obliquely to the face of the wave undulation, the position of the wave undulation will travel in the direction of this third force 37 e. when the wave undulation moves off the end of the circular tube 37 , the potential energy stored in the circular tube 37 from the first force 37 c has not been not removed from the circular tube 37 . therefore, a new wave undulation emerges so that the potential energy of the circular tube 37 remains constant, as long as the circular tube 37 is restrained from returning to its original shape. figs. 31e-g illustrate a plurality of circular tubes 37 are arranged parallel to each other. the circular tubes 37 are placed adjacent to one another so that one tube 37 is surrounded by other tube 37 , running parallel to it. the first force 37 c is applied perpendicular to the axis of the circular rings 37 in a series of evenly spaced locations, both inward and outwards, and in a manner so that each tube 37 has a series of wave undulations that are out-of-phase with tubes 37 adjacent to it. if the tubes 37 are restrained by the second force 37 d as described above, the circular rings 37 are prevented from returning to their original shape. in this way, the first force 37 c remains as potential energy within the tubes 37 . if a sufficient third force 37 e is applied in a direction parallel to the axis of the tubes 37 , and therefore, obliquely to the faces of the wave undulations in the tubes 37 , the positions of the wave undulations travel in the direction of this third force 37 e. since the potential energy held within the tubes 37 has not been removed after a wave undulation moves off the end of the tubes 37 , a new wave undulation forms at the upstream end of each tube 37 as a wave undulation moves off the end of the tubes 37 . because each tube is out-of-phase with all the tubes adjacent to it, the multiple undulations of a single tube resist converging into a single larger bulge in the tube, because each wave bulge one side of the mid-point of a wave cycle is isolated by adjacent wave bulges that are on the opposite side of the neutral axis. therefore, when anchored in a flowing fluid whose movement is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube, the wave undulations will move along the tube in the direction of the moving fluid. as a series of wave undulations move along the tube, a corresponding series of strains in the material move along the tube, which are converted from mechanical strain within the material into electrical energy, when utilizing an appropriate material exhibiting an electrical response to mechanical strain within that material. pattern: first hexagonal honeycomb fig. 32 illustrates two distinct types of hexagonal tubes, in accordance with the first hexagonal honeycomb embodiment of the present invention. six elastic sheets, or six elastic multi-layered sheet, or six elastic woven sheets or six elastic sheets of some other composite material, are connected continuously along their edges to form a hexagonal tube. a first force 37 c is applied adjacent to the central axis of the hexagonal tubes so as to create undulations as described above and illustrated in figs. 31a-g . two distinct types of hexagonal tubes, defined here as a type a hexagonal tube 38 and a type b hexagonal tube 39 , are created by different application of the first force 37 c, creating a series of wave undulations along their longitudinal axes. because these hexagonal tubes are pre-stressed as and restrained described above and as shown in figs. 31a-g , they maintain a series of wave undulations along their longitudinal axes. the force 37 e of fluid flowing through the polygonal rings causes the positions of the wave undulations to travel down the polygonal tubes in the direction of the fluid flow. the hexagon defined by a section cut through the type a hexagonal tube 38 is an equilateral hexagon. during once cycle of operation, the diameter of the type a hexagon section cut expands and contracts as the wave undulation passes through the region of the section cut. the sides of the hexagon defined by a section cut through the type b hexagonal tube 39 vary in size and in proportion to each other over time during one cycle of operation. each of the six sides of this hexagon lengthens and shortens in synchronization with two other sides of the hexagon. therefore, at all times during operation, three sides of the hexagon are at one equal length and three sides of the hexagon are at another equal length. three sides 46 of the hexagon formed by a section cut through the type b hexagonal tube 39 stretch laterally only, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. a hollow tube 47 capable of withstanding high tensile forces passes through the longitudinal axis of each of these three sides 46 . these hollow tubes 47 are an eleventh restraining component which, being in tension, maintains the force 37 d, thereby preventing the type b hexagonal tube 39 from lengthening and returning to its relaxed, non-undulating state. the hollow tubes 47 also serve as a principle conduit for electrical wiring associated with the transfer of harnessed electricity. fig. 32a illustrates the position of section cuts during one cycle of operation, and figs. 33a-i illustrate a corresponding series of sections cut through the same point during one cycle of operation. fig. 34a and fig. 35 illustrate how a first hexagonal honeycomb is formed by a plurality of type a hexagonal tubes 38 and a plurality of type b hexagonal tubes 39 , in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention. each hexagonal tube shares each of its six sides with one side of the six polygonal rings that surround it. each type a hexagonal tube 38 is surrounded by six type b hexagonal tubes 39 , and shares one of its sides with one side each of these six type b hexagonal tubes 39 . each type b hexagonal tube 39 shares three of its sides with one side of three type a hexagonal tubes 38 , and shares its other three sides with one side of three type b hexagonal tubes 39 . since the type b hexagonal tubes 39 are restrained and share sides with type a hexagonal tubes 38 , the type a hexagonal tubes 38 are also restrained. further, the wave undulations of the type a hexagonal tubes 38 and type b hexagonal tubes 39 are out-of-phase with each other. figs. 34a-c illustrate a series of sections cut through the honeycomb at the same point, during one half of a cycle of operation. half of the outermost hexagonal tubes 41 are bisected by an elastic membrane 42 and half of the outermost hexagonal tubes 43 share one of their six sides with the elastic membrane 42 . beyond this elastic membrane is a rigid outer-casing 44 which takes the form of an extruded hexagon. flexible strips 45 connect the elastic membrane 42 to this rigid outer-casing 44 . the edges of the flexible strips 45 that connect to the rigid outer-casing 44 form straight lines, while the edges of the flexible strips 45 that connect to the elastic membrane 42 form waves corresponding to the connecting hexagonal tubes on the other side of the elastic membrane 42 . depending on the material strengths, the fluid flow speed and other parameters, a secondary supporting structure or frame is affixed to the rigid outer-casing 44 at the upstream-end, and is also fixed to the upstream end of the hollow tubes 47 , thereby transferring loads from the small rigid tubes 47 to the rigid outer-casing 44 . this secondary supporting structure or frame would be of a familiar beam or truss design and is not illustrated here for simplicity. pattern: second hexagonal honeycomb fig. 36 illustrates three distinct types of polygonal rings, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, the second hexagonal honeycomb. six elastic sheets, or six elastic multi-layered sheet, or six elastic woven sheets or six elastic sheets of some other composite material, are connected continuously along their edges to form a hexagonal tube. two distinct types of hexagonal tubes, defined here as a type c hexagonal tube 49 and type e hexagonal tube 50 are created by different application of the first force 37 c, creating a series of wave undulations along their longitudinal axes. because these hexagonal tubes are pre-stressed and restrained as described above and as shown in figs. 31a-g , they maintain a series of wave undulations along their longitudinal axes. an addition third hexagonal tube, defined here as a type d hexagonal tube 51 is formed as above except that one side of the tube is comprised of a rigid material, which acts as a twelfth restraining component. each hexagonal tube takes the form of a hexagon in cross-section. fig. 37 illustrates how a hexagonal honeycomb is formed by a plurality of type c hexagonal tubes 49 , a plurality of type d hexagonal tubes 50 and a plurality of type e hexagonal tubes 51 , in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention. the type c hexagonal tube 49 includes six fronds 52 connected along their edges. each frond undulates in a wave and grows wider and narrower in synchronicity with the other fronds of the type c hexagonal tube 49 , thereby creating a series of wave undulations along the length of the type c hexagonal tube 49 . the force of fluid flowing through the type c hexagonal tube 49 causes these wave undulations to travel along the length of the type c hexagonal tube 49 in the direction of the fluid flow. a cross-section cut through this type c hexagonal tube 49 takes the form of an equilateral hexagon, whose sides lengthen and shorten in synchronicity with each other as the diameter of the hexagon expands and contracts during each cycle of operation. the type d hexagonal tube 50 takes the cross-sectional form of a hexagon having one side 53 which remains constant in length during operation, but is varied in position, and is connected to the corners of two type c hexagonal tubes 49 . the type d hexagonal tube 50 includes a seventh restraining component from the restraining components in the form of its one non-elastic side 54 . the non-elastic side 54 of the type d hexagonal tube hexagon is constant in length and fixed in position during operation, and is shared with an adjacent type d hexagonal tube 50 . two sides 55 of the type d hexagonal tube hexagon vary in length during operation and are shared with two adjacent type e hexagonal tube 51 . the other two sides 56 of the type d hexagonal tube hexagon vary in length during operation and are shared with two adjacent type c hexagonal tubes 49 . the type e hexagonal tube 51 takes the cross-sectional form of a hexagon having two sides 57 of varying lengths during operation that are shared with two adjacent type c hexagonal tubes 49 . the other four sides 58 of the type e hexagonal tube hexagon are of varying length during operation and are shared with four type d hexagonal tubes 50 . the wave undulations of each type c hexagonal tube 49 are out-of-phase with the wave undulations of the four closest adjacent type c hexagonal tubes 49 , being separated from these adjacent type c hexagonal tubes 49 by type d hexagonal tubes 50 and type e hexagonal tubes 51 , as shown in fig. 37 . further, a thirteenth restraining component, the non-elastic side 54 of the type d hexagonal tube 50 , prevents the tubes from lengthening to their unstressed non-undulating state. the side 54 is capable of withstanding high tension loads without lengthening. principle electrical conduits associated with the transfer of harnessed electricity pass along or through the side 54 of the type d hexagonal tube 50 . figs. 38-39 illustrate another embodiment of the present invention, which is an adaptation of the second hexagonal honeycomb embodiment. the type c hexagonal tubes 49 are open at both ends allowing fluid to flow through, while the type d hexagonal tubes 50 and the type e hexagonal tubes 51 are closed. the type d hexagonal tubes 50 and the type e hexagonal tubes 51 may be closed by a plurality of elastic plates 59 a spaced along the longitudinal axis of the hexagonal tubes. fig. 40 illustrates how the honeycomb is restrained externally by a fourteenth restraining component in the form of a rigid outer-casing 47 a, which encloses the hexagonal tubes. the outermost hexagonal tubes of this hexagonal honeycomb embodiment are fixed to the rigid outer-casing 47 a with flexible strips 47 b. depending on the material strengths, the fluid flow speed and other parameters, a secondary supporting frame structure is affixed to the rigid outer-casing 47 a at the upstream-end, and is also affixed to the sides 54 of the type d polygonal rings 50 at the upstream-end, thereby transferring loads from the sides 54 to the rigid outer-casing 47 a. this secondary supporting structure would be of a familiar beam or truss design and is not illustrated here for simplicity. pattern: concentric rings in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of concentric tubes is coupled to internal and external restraining components. fig. 41 illustrates principal components of this embodiment, defined as rigid tube 60 , radial membranes 61 , small hollow tubes 63 , and a plurality of concentric tubes 62 , one within the other take the form in cross-section of concentric rings. the rigid tube 60 is a fifteenth restraining component, the radial membranes 61 are a sixteenth restraining component, and the small hollow tubes 63 are a seventeenth restraining component, in accordance with the present invention. a force 37 c as described above is applied to the concentric tubes 62 in a manner so as to form a controlled series of bulge undulations along the lengths of the concentric tubes 62 . the diameter of these concentric tubes 62 is therefore larger at the bulges. in this stressed state, the radial membranes are mechanically coupled to each concentric tube 62 continuously along a tangent line of each concentric tube 62 . the radial membranes 61 are mechanically coupled along their outer edges and on their longitudinal axis to the restraining component of the rigid tube 60 figs. 42-43 illustrate a longitudinal section cut through the concentric ring embodiment. the diameters of the concentric tubes 62 vary along the lengths of each concentric tube 62 in a periodic manner, such that the longitudinal section presents sinusoidal wave undulations. fig. 44 illustrates how the restraining components restrain the concentric tubes 62 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. the restraining components further include a plurality of hollow tubes 63 attached to a secondary supporting frame 64 which is itself attached to the rigid tube 60 . these hollow tubes 63 are fixed to radial membranes 61 , which are themselves fixed to the concentric tubes 62 . these hollow tubes 63 are capable of withstanding high tension strains without deformation. therefore, these hollow tubes 63 maintain the approximate positions of the concentric tubes 62 under the force of flowing fluid. as described above, the concentric tubes are pre-stressed from their relaxed state so as to form wave undulations along their lengths. the hollow tubes 63 and radial membranes 61 prevent the polygonal rings from lengthening and returning to their unstressed, relaxed state. the hollow tubes 63 also provide a conduit for electrical wiring associated with retrieval of harnessed electricity. the radial membranes 61 are elastic in a direction perpendicular to the faces of attached polygonal rings. the radial membranes 61 are non-elastic in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the concentric tubes 62 . therefore, the radial membranes 61 are able to receive tensile loads. this property of the radial membranes 61 can be achieved in a number of ways. for example, non-elastic cables or strands running parallel to the longitudinal axis may be embedded within the radial membranes 61 . the concentric tubes 62 can be configured in various ways. figs. 45-50 illustrate longitudinal sections cut through the concentric tubes 62 , in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. with reference to fig. 45 , the wave undulations of each concentric tube 62 are out-of-phase with the adjacent concentric tube 62 within it and surrounding it. with reference to fig. 46 , each concentric tube 62 is in-phase with a first adjacent concentric tube 62 and is out-of-phase with a second adjacent concentric tube 62 . the space between the two in-phase concentric tubes is open to the flow of the fluid, while the space between the two out-of-phase concentric tubes is closed. the space between the two out-of-phase concentric tubes may be closed with an elastic plate 65 , such that the fluid passes only between the two in-phase concentric tubes. alternatively, the space between the two out-of-phase concentric tubes may be closed with elastic plates. these two in-phase concentric tubes 62 are arranged close to each together, thereby forcing the fluid to act more directly upon the concentric tubes 62 . with reference to fig. 47 , the concentric tubes 62 are in-phase with each other. in such a case, the radial membrane alone acts as the restraining component, maintaining the occurrence of the wave undulations in the polygonal rings. the central concentric tube 62 is closed with an elastic plate 65 . the space between the outer-most concentric tube 62 and the rigid tube 60 is also closed. with reference to fig. 48 , each concentric tube 62 is one-half-out-of-phase with the adjacent concentric tubes 62 within it and surrounding it. with reference to fig. 49 , each concentric tube 62 is one-half-out-of-phase with the adjacent concentric tubes 62 within it and surrounding it, while wave undulations of a first half of each concentric tube 62 are one-half-out-of-phase with wave undulations of a second half of the concentric tube 62 . with reference to fig. 50 , each concentric tube 62 is in-phase with adjacent polygonal rings within it and surrounding it, while wave undulations of a first half of concentric tubes 62 are one-half-out-of-phase with wave undulations of a second half of concentric tube 62 . in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the concentric tubes 62 are configured in a way that a first point on the section cut of a concentric tube 62 is out-of-phase with a second point 180 degrees from the first point within the section cut. in such a case, the wave undulations along the polygonal ring take the form of a spiral traveling along the length of the concentric tube 62 . the concentric rings 62 are suitable for an application where the flowing fluid is restricted, such as in a pipe or tunnel. the concentric ring embodiments are also suitable for a dammed hydro-electric installation. embodiments of the present invention that do not utilize mechanical action to rotate an axle do not specify in detail how electrical energy is harnessed and which parts components of these embodiments generate electrical energy under operation. electrical energy may be extracted from any component of the embodiments which is flexed, stretched, compressed or twisted during operation of the mechanism, thereby creating physical strains within the material of the mechanism. embodiments of the present invention cover the use of any materials which may be employed, existing or to be discovered or invented, that generate electrical energy when flexed, stretched, compressed or twisted, or otherwise receive internal material strains, during the operations described herein. there has thus been shown and described novel mechanisms for extracting power from a moving fluid, with undulating sheets of material exhibiting an electrical response to physical strains, and undulating sheets coupled to a mechanical device that turns an electromagnetic dynamo or other output device, and which fulfill all the objects and advantages sought therefore. many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering these specifications and the accompanying drawings which disclose the preferred embodiments thereof. all such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention, which is to be limited only by the claims which follow.
|
150-229-141-020-940
|
US
|
[
"AU",
"US",
"WO"
] |
C06C7/00
| 1994-09-06T00:00:00 |
1994
|
[
"C06"
] |
non-toxic primer for center-fire cartridges
|
a non-toxic primer composition for center-fire cartridges which provides improved ballistic data and is void of metallic oxidizing compounds. it is comprised of a mixture of about 10-30% by weight of nitrocellulose and/or a double based propellant such as hercules fines, approximately 30-75% by weight of two percussion-sensitive compounds such as ddnp and tetracene, and approximately 10-30% by weight of calcium silicide. the mixture provides improved propellant ignition and non-toxic ignition products, and minimizes misfires in that it contains no hygroscopic compounds.
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1. a non-toxic primer composition for small arms center-fire cartridges which is void of metallic oxidizing compounds and of hygroscopic compounds, comprising: a mixture of about 10-30% by weight of a suitable propellant; approximately 30-75% by weight of at least two percussion-sensitive compounds selected from a group consisting of a diazo, a triazole and a tetrazole compound; and 10-30% by weight calcium silicide. 2. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein the suitable propellant is nitrocellulose. 3. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein the suitable propellant consists of a finely ground double based propellant. 4. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein the suitable propellant consists of hercules fines. 5. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 4, wherein the proportion of hercules fines contained therein approximates 10-25% by weight. 6. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 4, wherein the proportion of hercules fines contained therein approximates 25-30% by weight. 7. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 4, wherein the proportion of hercules fines contained therein approximates 25% by weight. 8. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein said suitable propellant consists of approximately 20% by weight of nitrocellulose. 9. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two percussion-sensitive compounds is tetracene. 10. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said percussion-sensitive compounds consists of approximately 10-30% by weight of tetracene. 11. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two percussion-sensitive compounds consists of approximately 10% by weight of tetracene. 12. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two percussion-sensitive compounds consists of approximately 20% by weight of tetracene. 13. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two percussion-sensitive compounds consists of approximately 30% by weight of tetracene. 14. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two percussion-sensitive compounds is diazodinitrophenol. 15. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said percussion-sensitive compounds consists of approximately 20-45% by weight of diazodinitrophenol. 16. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two percussion-sensitive compounds consists of approximately 20% by weight of diazodinitrophenol. 17. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two percussion-sensitive compounds consists of approximately 30% by weight of diazodinitrophenol. 18. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two percussion-sensitive compounds consists of approximately 45% by weight of diazodinitrophenol. 19. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein said two percussion-sensitive compounds consist of tetracene and diazodinitrophenol. 20. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein said two percussion-sensitive compounds consist of about 10-30% tetracene and about 20-45% diazodinitrophenol. 21. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein said two percussion-sensitive compounds consist of about 10% tetracene and about 45% diazodinitrophenol. 22. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein said two percussion-sensitive compounds consist of about 10% by weight tetracene and about 45% by weight of diazodinitrophenol and the propellant consists of approximately 25% by weight of hercules fine. 23. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein said two percussion-sensitive compounds consist of about 10-30% by weight of tetracene and about 20-45% by weight of diazodinitrophenol and the proportion by weight of calcium silicide approximates 20%. 24. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein the proportion of calcium silicide contained therein approximates 10% by weight. 25. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein the proportion of calcium silicide contained therein approximates 30% by weight. 26. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein the proportion of calcium silicide contained therein approximates 10-20% by weight. 27. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein the proportion of calcium silicide contained therein approximates 20-30% by weight. 28. a non-toxic primer composition for small arms center-fire cartridges which is void of metallic oxidizing compounds and of hygroscopic compounds, comprising: a mixture of approximately 10-30% by weight of hercules fines; approximately 30-75% by weight of two percussion-sensitive compounds selected from the group consisting of diazo, a triazole and a tetrazole compound, and 10-30% by weight of calcium silicide. 29. a non-toxic primer composition which is void of metallic oxidizing compounds and of hygroscopic compounds, comprising: a mixture of approximately 10-30% by weight of a suitable propellant; approximately 20-45% by weight of diazodinitrophenol; approximately 10-30% by weight of tetracene; and approximately 10-30% by weight of calcium silicide. 30. a non-toxic primer composition for small arms center-fire cartridges which is void of metallic oxidizing compounds and of hygroscopic compounds, comprising: a mixture of approximately 45% by weight of diazodinitrophenol; approximately 10% by weight of tetracene; approximately 25% by weight of hercules fines; and approximately 20% by weight of calcium silicide. 31. a non-toxic primer composition for small arms center-fire cartridges which is void of metallic oxidizing compounds and of hygroscopic compounds, comprising: a mixture of approximately 20-45% by weight of diazodinitrophenol; approximately 10-30% by weight of tetracene; approximately 10-30% by weight of hercules fines; and approximately 10-30% of a non-toxic frictional agent. 32. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein said suitable propellant consists of approximately 10-20% by weight of nitrocellulose. 33. the non-toxic primer composition defined in claim 1, wherein said suitable propellant consists of approximately 20-30% by weight of nitrocellulose.
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background of the invention this invention provides an improved non-toxic primer mix for small arms center-fire ammunition which is free of metallic oxidizing compounds and of hygroscopic compounds. the need for such a non-toxic primer mix is well established, because there is a great deal of indoor shooting which requires that the air be free of the dust or oxides of any and all toxic elements. thus, it is highly desirable that all toxic metals be eliminated from the primer mixes which are utilized in the ammunition which is expended in such indoor shooting. in the past, the primers of small arms ammunition contained mercury, lead, potassium chlorate, antimony, and various other chemicals which were both toxic and corrosive. during the 1930's, these objectionable chemicals were replaced by other materials which were more chemically stable and did not corrode steel gun barrels. these replacement primers contained lead, barium, antimony, and aluminum metallic compounds. they were very stable chemically and were non-corrosive to firearms. over the ensuing years, because of environmental and health concerns, the demand has arisen that there be no mercury, lead, barium, antimony, beryllium, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, selenium, tin, or thallium included in such primer mixes. additional elements which have been considered undesirable by the environmental protection agency (epa) are zinc and copper and, therefore, they, too, have been included as undesirable components of primers. over the preceding years, many attempts have been made to solve the toxicity problems described above and which are still currently being experienced in the field. as a result, a substantial number of u.s. patents have issued, each claiming benefits in performance and, in many instances, with respect to toxicity. none of these patents, to the best of our knowledge, accomplish non-toxicity, in that almost all of them utilize metallic oxidizing compounds which are either toxic or have other undesirable characteristics. for example, u.s. pat. no. 2,689,788 utilizes ferric styphnate, lead styphnate, barium nitrate, and glass. u.s. pat. no. 4,363,679 utilizes zinc peroxide, calcium silicide, magnesium, nickel, and titanium. u.s. pat. no. 4,581,082 utilizes strontium nitrate, diazodinitrophenol, tetracene, and a propellant. u.s. pat. no. 4,608,102 utilizes ddnp, tetracene, nitrocellulose, aluminum, manganese dioxide, zinc dioxide, and zinc oxide. u.s. pat. no. 4,674,409 utilizes ddnp, tetracene, manganese dioxide, and glass. u.s. pat. no. 4,675,059 utilizes ddnp, tetracene, manganese dioxide, and glass. u.s. pat. no. 4,963,201 utilizes ddnp, tetracene, a propellant, and strontium nitrate. u.s. pat. no. 5,167,736 utilizes ddnp, tetracene, a propellant, calcium carbonate, and boron, the latter being at the core of the invention. u.s. pat. no. 4,689,185 utilizes ddnp, tetracene, magnanese dioxide and glass. u.s. pat. no. 5,216,199 utilizes ddnp, tetracene, strontium nitrate, glass and a suitable propellant. u.s. pat. no. 2,409,201 utilizes aluminum zinc oxide and fecl.sub.3. u.s. pat. no. 2,123,691 utilizes barium oxide, manganese, selenium, hgcl, potassium chlorate and carbon. u.s. pat. no. 4,566,921 utilizes hg, nitrotetrozole, potassium chlorate, pbscn, sb.sub.2 s.sub.3 and petn. u.s. pat. no. 4,508,580 utilizes barium nitrate, ferric oxide, mg/al, strontium, lead oxide and fe.sub.2 o.sub.2. u.s. pat. no. 4,405,392 utilizes sodium styphnate, pbhpo.sub.2, pb(no.sub.3).sub.2 and tetracene. u.s. pat. no. 4,376,002 utilizes, among others, ferric oxide, mno.sub.2 and sno.sub.2. u.s. pat. no. 4,349,612 utilizes zinc oxide and sodium hydroxide, among others. u.s. pat. no. 3,625,855 utilizes manganese and zinc oxide. u.s. pat. no. 3,320,104 utilizes barium nitrate and aluminum oxide along with barium sulfate and graphite. u.s. pat. no. 3,310,569 utilizes lead styphnate along with tetracene, barium nitrate, lead oxide and glass. u.s. pat. no. 2,262,818 utilizes ddnp, tetracene and lead nitrate along with glass. u.s. pat. no. 3,087,428 utilizes barium nitrate along with lead sulfide. u.s. pat. no. 3,257,892 utilizes barium nitrate and lead oxide along with tetracene, petn and others. u.s. pat. no. 3,420,137 utilizes tetracene, petn, aluminum and styphnate. u.s. pat. no. 3,499,386 utilizes barium nitrate and lead oxide as well as ferric oxide. u.s. pat. no. 3,321,343 utilizes barium nitrate along with tetracene and others. u.s. pat. no. 4,608,102 utilizes ddnp, tetracene, manganese dioxide and zinc dioxide along with others. u.s. pat. no. 3,423,259 utilizes calcium silicide and karaya gum. u.s. pat. no. 3,348,985 utilizes nh.sub.4 no.sub.3, potassium nitrate, and other oxides. u.s. pat. no. 3,862,866 utilizes potassium chlorate and sucrose. u.s. pat. no. 4,363,679 utilizes zinc oxide and calcium silicide. u.s. pat. no. 4,247,494 utilizes barium nitrate, tetracene and lead oxide along with others. u.s. pat. no. 4,412,492 utilizes lead nitrate along with tetracene and other oxides. u.s. pat. no. 4,432,819 utilizes lead nitrate with others. u.s. pat. no. 4,608,102 utilizes ddnp, tetracene and manganese dioxide. u.s. pat. no. 3,420,137 utilizes tetracene, petn and aluminum along with others. u.s. pat. no. 5,167,736 utilizes ddnp, strontium nitrate, tetracene and calcium carbonate along with other elements such as as boron. u.s. pat. no. 5,216,199 utilizes ddnp, tetracene along with strontium nitrate. u.s. pat. no. 4,363,679 utilizes zinc oxide along with petn and nitrocellulose. u.s. pat. no. 4,675,059 utilizes ddnp along with manganese dioxide and tetracene. u.s. pat. no. 4,581,082 utilizes zinc dioxide along with strontium and others. epo patent no. 58048681 utilizes cupric oxide along with tetracene, calcium silicide and other materials. the closest prior art within our knowledge is believed to be u.s. pat. no. 3,707,411 which utilizes the combination of ddnp or tetracene, nitrocellulose, and petn (pentaerythritol tetranitrate). this patent advocates the use of a single percussion-sensitive compound selected from the group consisting of a diazo, a triazole, and a tetrazole compound in combination with a mixture of nitrocellulose. it does not utilize a metallic oxidizing compound, but it discloses and claims the use of a single percussion-sensitive compound in combination with nitrocellulose and expressly specifies the exclusion of calcium silicide. as a consequence, the performance of the composition disclosed and claimed therein, as shown by tests which we have conducted, is less desirable than the performance accomplished through the use of our non-toxic composition as defined and claimed herein. brief summary of the invention we have discovered an improved non-toxic priming composition which provides improved ballistic data and can be made by utilizing nitrocellulose and/or a double-base smokeless propellant (hercules fines) with two diazo, triazole, or tetrazole compounds, preferably ddnp and tetracene. with these two primary percussion-sensitive explosives, we utilize calcium silicide as a "hot particle" producer, non-toxic frictionator, and non-explosive reaction moderator. the use of the two percussion-sensitive compounds improves both the sensitivity and the flame producing parameters. the following mix is preferred: ______________________________________ ddnp 20-45% by weight tetracene 10-30% by weight nitrocellulose or double-based 10-30% by weight propellant (such as hercules fines) calcium silicide 10-30% by weight gums 0.2-1.0% by weight ______________________________________ the above primer mix contains none of the toxic metals listed by the epa list of toxic materials, or any of the metals listed on the fbi list of toxic metals. this list includes lead, barium, beryllium, antimony, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, selenium, tin, thallium, mercury, zinc and copper. it will be noted that the nitrocellulose guncotton is what is termed a single-based propellant, whereas hercules fines is a double-based propellant in that it is comprised of both nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin. as indicated, either of these two propellants may be utilized, but the preferred and best component performance is provided through the use of hercules fines. we have found that the presence of calcium silicide in the amounts indicated does not present residue problems as discussed in u.s. pat. no. 3,707,411. the preferred mix at which we have arrived consists of 45% by weight of ddnp, 10% by weight of tetracene, 25% by weight of hercules fines, and 20% by weight of calcium silicide. it will be noted that neither guncotton nor petn are included. it will be seen from the above that our invention utilizes two percussion-sensitive explosives in combination with a suitable propellant and calcium silicide. 30-75% by weight of the mix is made up of the two primary explosives, ddnp and tetracene. 10-30% by weight is made up by calcium silicide. the remaining 10-30% by weight is a suitable propellant. by the term "suitable propellant," whenever used hereinafter, it is intended to connote either nitrocellulose or hercules fines. hercules fines is a finely divided propellant made up of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin. the finely divided particles are important in that it ignites more readily and, therefore, provides the necessary heat. this product is readily available on the market and is well known in the art. our non-toxic primer composition is designed to eliminate a number of the problems of the prior art. first of all, it eliminates the use of those metallic oxidizing compounds which are toxic or undesirable. it also eliminates the need for the use of reducing and oxidizing agents. in addition, it eliminates the use of hygroscopic oxidizers and thereby substantially reduces the likelihood of primer malfunctions. in addition, it substantially diminishes or eliminates the deposition of toxic or heavy metals on firearms, as well as the distribution of such metals into the atmosphere. thus, it has both practical and environmental attributes. detailed description of the invention in our earliest efforts, we utilized 20% by weight of ddnp, 30% by weight of tetracene, 30% by weight of calcium silicide, and 20% by weight of guncotton. we found this mixture to provide definite advantages, but we went on with many additional tests (in excess of 100) in our efforts to improve the mix. in doing so, we tested a composition consisting of 30% by weight of ddnp, 30% by weight of tetracene, 30% by weight of hercules fines, and 10% by weight of petn. thus, we substituted petn and altered the amount of ddnp to produce more heat. we also substituted hercules fines for nitrocellulose, in our efforts to facilitate ignition. the results of these tests were not as favorable as desired and, therefore, we continued our tests until we reached the preferred mix as described above. as indicated above, in our earliest form of the invention, we discovered that the combination of 20% by weight of ddnp, 30% by weight of tetracene, and 20% by weight of guncotton, when mixed with 30% by weight of calcium silicide, provided definite improved performances. the tetracene and ddnp provided the primary explosive function, the nitrocellulose or guncotton functioned as a fuel, and the calcium silicide provided hot particles and functioned as a frictionator. as indicated above, we suspected that the calcium silicide, when used in the indicated proportions, may have been impairing the ignition of the primer mix. in seeking to solve this problem, we sought to find a suitable substitute which would ignite and burn more readily. in doing so, we went to 30% by weight of hercules fines in the belief that this finely divided fuel would perform in an improved manner. this proved to be true, but the use of petn was not found to be satisfactory, in that the performance of the mix did not meet our expectations and goals. as a consequence of the above, we made many additional tests and have finally arrived at the preferred mix of 45% by weight of ddnp, 10% by weight of tetracene, 25% by weight of hercules fines, and 20% by weight of calcium silicide. thus, we have found that we can utilize less hercules fines than that used in earlier tests, because of the finely divided nature and energy of that propellant. photos of nitrocellulose and hercules fines, when compared, show that the latter have particle size larger than those of nitrocellulose. also, photos of ball powder, as described in some of the above patents, show that the particles thereof are substantially greater than both nitrocellulose and hercules fines, but have less surface area per unit volume due to their rounded configuration. as described above, we utilize two primary explosives, namely, ddnp and tetracene. we believe that the use of two such highly energetic materials might be too brisant without the use of calcium silicide as an explosive moderator. since that time, we have found that calcium silicide, when used in the indicated percentage (20% by weight), functions well as a frictionator and provider of hot particles without leaving residue in objectionable amounts. we have found that our new non-toxic primer mix constitutes a significant advancement over all previous primer mixes because it produces completely non-toxic ignition products. in addition, it provides definitely improved propellant ignition over no-metal priming mixes. also, since it does not contain any hygroscopic compounds, it diminishes or precludes misfires and other primer malfunctions. it will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention which comprises the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.
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150-612-563-812-157
|
CN
|
[
"JP",
"CN",
"EP",
"US",
"WO",
"KR"
] |
G11C7/10,G06F12/00,G11C11/4096,G11C11/401,G06F3/06,G11C11/4093,H03K17/16
| 2019-08-29T00:00:00 |
2019
|
[
"G11",
"G06",
"H03"
] |
configurable memory die capacitor
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methods, systems, and apparatus for configurable memory die capacitance are described. a memory device may include a capacitive component, which may include one or more capacitors and an associated switching component. the capacitive component may be coupled with an input/output (i/o) pad and an associated input buffer, and the one or more capacitors of the capacitive component may be selectively coupled with the i/o pad via the switching component. switching components may be individually, cooperatively, or not activated at all such that one, more, or none of the capacitors may be coupled with the i/o pads. the capacitive component, the i/o pad, and the input buffer may be included in the same die of the memory device. in some conditions, the configuration of the capacitive component may be based on signaling received from a host device.
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1 . an apparatus, comprising: a memory die that comprises an input/output (i/o) pad; an input buffer included in the memory die, the input buffer coupled with the i/o pad; and a capacitive component having an adjustable capacitance and included in the memory die, the capacitive component coupled with the i/o pad. 2 . the apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the capacitive component comprises a capacitor and a switching component operable to selectively couple the capacitor with the i/o pad. 3 . the apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the capacitive component comprises a plurality of capacitors and a plurality of switching components, each respective switching component of the plurality operable to selectively couple a respective capacitor of the plurality with the i/o pad. 4 . the apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a mode register operable to store one or more logic values: and a controller operable to cause the apparatus to configure the capacitive component to have one of a plurality of capacitances supported by the capacitive component based at least in part on the one or more logic values. 5 . the apparatus of claim 4 ,wherein: the capacitive component comprises a plurality of switching components; and the one or more logic values indicate a quantity of the plurality of switching components for the controller to close. 6 . the apparatus of claim 4 , wherein: the capacitive component comprises a plurality of switching components; and the one or more logic values comprise a bitmap, each bit of the bitmap indicating whether the controller is to open or close a respective one of the plurality of switching components. 7 . the apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a controller coupled with the capacitive component and operable to configure a slew rate of a signal received via the i/o pad based at least in part on configuring the adjustable capacitance of the capacitive component. 8 . the apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a second memory die that comprises a second i/o pad and a second capacitive component, the second capacitive component having a second adjustable capacitance and coupled with the second i/o pad. 9 . a system, comprising: a memory device comprising: a memory die comprising an input/output (i/o) pad; and a capacitive component having an adjustable capacitance and coupled with the i/o pad; and a host device coupled with the memory device, wherein: the host device is operable to provide configuration information to the memory device; and the memory device is operable to configure the adjustable capacitance of the capacitive component based at least in part on the configuration information. 10 . the system of claim 9 , wherein the capacitive component of the memory device comprises one or more capacitors and one or more switching components, each of the one or more switching components operable to selectively couple a respective capacitor of the one or more capacitors with the i/o pad. 11 . the system of claim 9 , wherein the host device is operable to provide the configuration information based at least in part on issuing, to the memory device, a command that indicates the configuration information. 12 . the system of claim 9 , wherein the memory device further comprises a mode register, and wherein the memory device is operable to configure the adjustable capacitance of the capacitive component based at least in part on one or more logic values stored in the mode register. 13 . the system of claim 12 , wherein: the host device is operable to provide the configuration information based at least in part on transmitting an indication of the one or more logic values to the memory device: and the memory device is operable to store the one or more logic values in the mode register based at least in part on the indication. 14 . the system of claim 9 , wherein the memory device further comprises an input buffer coupled with the i/o pad. 15 . the system of claim 9 , wherein the memory device further comprises one or more additional memory dies each comprising a respective i/o pad. 16 . the system of claim 15 , wherein the memory device is operable to couple the capacitive component with the respective i/o pad of at least one of the one or more additional memory dies. 17 . the system of claim 9 ,further comprising: one or more additional memory devices each comprising a respective memory die, the respective memory die comprising a respective i/o pad and a respective capacitive component, the respective capacitive component having a respective adjustable capacitance and coupled with the respective i/o pad. 18 . the system of claim 17 , wherein: the capacitive component of the memory device is configured to have a first capacitance; and a second capacitive component included in a second memory device of the one or more additional memory devices is configured to have a second capacitance. 19 . the system of claim 18 , wherein: the memory device is nearer the host device than the second memory device; and the first capacitance is greater than the second capacitance. 20 . the system of claim 18 , further comprising: a termination impedance for a bus coupled with the host device, the memory device, and the second memory device, wherein the memory device is farther from the termination impedance than the second memory device, and wherein the first capacitance is greater than the second capacitance. 21 . the system of claim 17 , wherein a single i/o pad of the host device is coupled with a plurality of i/o pads that includes the i/o pad of the memory device and the respective i/o pad of each of the one or more additional memory devices. 22 . the system of claim 9 , wherein a slew rate of a signal transmitted from the host device to the memory device is based at least in part on the adjustable capacitance of the capacitive component. 23 . a method comprising: receiving, at a memory device, configuration information associated with a target capacitance of an input/output (i/o) pad of the memory device; configuring, at the memory device, a capacitance of the i/o pad based at least in part on the configuration information: and receiving signaling from the host device via the i/o pad after configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad. 24 . the method of claim 23 , wherein: the memory device comprises a capacitive component having an adjustable capacitance and coupled with the i/o pad: configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad comprises configuring the capacitive component; and the configuration information indicates a configuration of the capacitive component. 25 . the method of claim 24 , further comprising: storing the configuration information to one or more mode registers: and configuring the capacitive component based at least in part on storing the configuration information to the one or more mode registers. 26 . the method of claim 23 , further comprising: transmitting, to the host device after configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad, an indication that the capacitance of the i/o pad has been configured. 27 . a method comprising: identifying a target configuration of a capacitive component of a memory device based at least in part on a target capacitance associated with an input/output (i/o) pad of the memory device; transmitting, to the memory device based at least in part on identifying the target configuration, configuration information indicating the target configuration; and transmitting signaling to the memory device via the i/o pad after transmitting the configuration information. 28 . the method of claim 27 , further comprising: identifying a second target configuration of a second capacitive component of a second memory device based at least in part on a second target capacitance associated with a second input/output (i/o) pad of the second memory device, wherein the second target capacitance is different than the target capacitance: and transmitting, to the second memory device based at least in part on identifying the second target configuration, second configuration information indicating the second target configuration. 29 . the method of claim 27 , wherein a slew rate of the signaling is based at least in part on the configuration information.
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cross reference the present application for patent is a 371 national phase filing of international patent application no. pct/cn2019/103342 by cheng et al., entitled “configurable memory die capacitance,” filed aug. 29, 2019, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein. background the following relates generally to a system that includes at least one memory device and more specifically to configurable memory die capacitance. memory devices are widely used to store information in various electronic devices such as computers, wireless communication devices, cameras, digital displays, and the like. information is stored by programming different states of a memory device. for example, binary devices most often store one of two states, often denoted by a logic 1 or a logic 0. in other devices, more than two states may be stored. to access the stored information, a component of the device may read, or sense, at least one stored state in the memory device. to store information, a component of the device may write, or program, the state in the memory device. various types of memory devices exist, including magnetic hard disks, random access memory (ram), read-only memory (rom), dynamic ram (dram), synchronous dynamic ram (sdram), ferroelectric ram (feram), magnetic ram (mram), resistive ram (rram), flash memory, phase change memory (pcm), and others. memory devices may be volatile or non-volatile. non-volatile memory, e.g., feram, may maintain their stored logic state for extended periods of time even in the absence of an external power source. volatile memory devices, e.g., dram, may lose their stored state when disconnected from an external power source. some systems may include one or more memory devices coupled with a host device, where the memory devices may provide data storage or other memory capabilities to the host device. in some cases, signaling between the host device and an associated memory device may experience interference or noise, which may degrade performance of the system. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 illustrates an example of a system that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. fig. 2 illustrates an example of a memory die that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. fig. 3 illustrates an example of a circuit that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. fig. 4 illustrates an example of a bus topology that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. fig. 5 illustrates an example of a memory device configuration that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. fig. 6 illustrates an example of a process flow that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. fig. 7 shows a block diagram of a memory device that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. fig. 8 shows a block diagram of a host device that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. figs. 9 through 11 show flowcharts illustrating a method or methods that support configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. detailed description a memory device may be configured to exchange signals with a host device, and, in some cases, signals exchanged between the memory device and the host device may experience interference (e.g., noise, crosstalk, and the like). for example, interference may arise due to reflections between the memory device and the host device, or due to other signals or reflections associated with other memory devices that may also be coupled with the host device (e.g., via a common bus with the memory device), or due to other causes that may be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. in some cases, increasing the slew rate (e.g., shrinking the rise and fall time) of signaling between the host device and the one or more memory devices may provide or be related to various benefits, such as increased data rates associated with higher speed (e.g., higher frequency) signaling. increasing the slew rate may, however, increase amounts of interference within the system (e.g., due to higher frequency harmonics and increased capacitive crosstalk, or other causes that may be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art). additionally or alternatively increasing the slew rate may decrease a voltage margin (e.g., for a data window for decoding signaling, which may also be referred to as an eye window) for interpreting signals at the memory device. reducing the slew rate of signals as transmitted by the host device to the one or more memory devices may be undesirable or unsupported by the host device in some cases. as described herein, however, signal reflections and other sources of interference as observed by a memory device may be mitigated by including a configurable (e.g., adjustable, tunable) capacitance at the memory device. the configurable capacitance may be included in a memory die within the memory device (e.g., may be a configurable on die capacitance), which may avoid the need for capacitors external to the device that may cause layout or other space concerns, among other benefits. the configurable capacitance at the memory device may be configured to have a capacitance that mitigates reflections and other sources of interference due, for example, to reflections of signals associated with other memory devices that are coupled with the memory device and the host device via a common bus (e.g., using a fly-by bus topology)., such as a common command/address (ca) bus. for example, a memory device may comprise a configurable capacitive component, the capacitance of which may be adjustable (tunable) in order to adjust or configure a capacitance associated with an i/o pad included in a memory die. the capacitive component may include one or more capacitors and one or more associated switching components (e.g., transistors). a switching component may be associated with one or more respective capacitors, and the one or more capacitors of the capacitive component may be selectively couplable with the i/o pad via the switching components. for example, one or more switching components may activate or switch on (close) and couple one or more capacitors with a conductive path between the i/o pad and the input buffer. switching components may be activated individually, in coordination, or not at all, such that any one or more of the capacitors may be coupled with the i/o pad, or none of the capacitors may be coupled with the i/o pad. the capacitive component may be operable to adjust or to configure a capacitance associated with the i/o pad (e.g., an input capacitance of a memory die of the memory device). in some cases, the capacitive component may be coupled with the i/o pad and an associated input buffer included in the die (e.g., the capacitive component may be coupled with a conductive line between the i/o pad and the input buffer). the memory device may identify a target configuration for the configurable capacitive component. for example, the host device may signal the memory device to indicate a target capacitance or related configuration information for the capacitive component. the memory device may receive the signaling from the host device and may configure the capacitive component based on the indicated target capacitance or configuration information. for example, a controller associated with the memory device may activate or deactivate one or more switching components in accordance with the indicated target capacitance or configuration. information. the adjusted capacitance of the i/o pad may adjust (e.g., decrease) a slew rate associated with signals received at the memory device and may reduce noise generated by reflected signals, which may increase the accuracy and reliability with which the memory device decodes signals received from the host device, among other benefits. among other implementations, such enhanced accuracy and reliability of signaling may provide safety and other benefits in automotive or other safety-critical deployments. features of the disclosure are initially described in the context of a memory system and memory die as described with reference to figs. 1 and 2 . features of the disclosure are described in the context of a circuit diagram, a system topology, a memory device configuration, and a process flow, as described with reference to figs. 3-6 . these and other features of the disclosure are further illustrated by and described with reference to an apparatus diagram and flowcharts that relate to configurable memory die capacitance as described with references to figs. 7-11 . fig. 1 illustrates an example of a system 100 that utilizes one or more memory devices in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. the system 100 may include an external memory controller 105 , a memory device 110 , and a plurality of channels 115 coupling the external memory controller 105 with the memory device 110 . the system 100 may include one or more memory devices, but for ease of description the one or more memory devices may be described as a single memory device 110 . the system 100 may include portions of an electronic device, such as a computing device, a mobile computing device, a wireless device, or a graphics processing device. the system 100 may be an example of a portable electronic device. the system 100 may be an example of a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a cellular phone, a wearable device, an internet-connected device, or the like. the memory device 110 may be component of the system configured to store data for one or more other components of the system 100 . at least portions of the system 100 may be examples of a host device. such a host device may be an example of a device that uses memory to execute processes such as a computing device, a mobile computing device, a wireless device, a graphics processing device, a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, a cellular phone, a wearable device, an internet-connected device, some other stationary or portable electronic device, a vehicle, a vehicle controller, or the like. in some cases, the host device may refer to the hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof that implements the functions of the external memory controller 105 . in some cases, the external memory controller 105 may be referred to as a host or host device. in some examples, system 100 is a graphics card. in some cases, a memory device 110 may be an independent device or component that is configured to be in communication with other components of the system 100 and provide physical memory addresses/space to potentially be used or referenced by the system 100 . in some examples, a memory device 110 may be configurable to work with at least one or a plurality of different types of systems 100 . signaling between the components of the system 100 and the memory device 110 may be operable to support modulation schemes to modulate the signals, different pin designs for communicating the signals, distinct packaging of the system 100 and the memory device 110 , clock signaling and synchronization between the system 100 and the memory device 110 , timing conventions, and/or other factors. the memory device 110 may be configured to store data for the components of the system 100 . in some cases, the memory device 110 may act as a slave-type device to the system 100 (e.g., responding to and executing commands provided by the system 100 through the external memory controller 105 ). such commands may include an access command for an access operation, such as a write command for a write operation, a read command for a read operation, a refresh command for a refresh operation, or other commands. the memory device 110 may include two or more memory dies 160 (e.g., memory chips) to support a desired or specified capacity for data storage. the memory device 110 including two or more memory dies may be referred to as a multi-die memory or package (also referred to as multichip memory or package). the system 100 may further include a processor 120 , a basic input/output system (bios) component 125 , one or more peripheral components 130 , and an input/output (i/o) controller 135 . the components of system 100 may be in electronic communication with one another using a bus 140 . the processor 120 may be configured to control at least portions of the system 100 . the processor 120 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (dsp), an application-specific integrated circuit (asic), a field-programmable gate array (fpga) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or it may be a combination of these types of components. in such cases, the processor 120 may be an example of a central processing unit (cpu), a graphics processing unit (gpu), a general purpose graphic processing unit (gpgpu), or a system on a chip (soc), among other examples. the bios component 125 may be a software component that includes a bios operated as firmware, which may initialize and run various hardware components of the system 100 . the bios component 125 may also manage data flow between the processor 120 and the various components of the system 100 , e.g., the peripheral components 130 , the i/o controller 135 , etc. the bios component 125 may include a program or software stored in read-only memory (rom), flash memory, or any other non-volatile memory. the peripheral component(s) 130 may be any input device or output device, or an interface for such devices, that may be integrated into or with the system 100 . examples may include disk controllers, sound controller, graphics controller, ethernet controller, modem, universal serial bus (usb) controller, a serial or parallel port, or peripheral card slots, such as peripheral component interconnect (pci) or specialized graphics ports. the peripheral component(s) 130 may be other components understood by those skilled in the art as peripherals. the i/o controller 135 may manage data communication between the processor 120 and the peripheral component(s) 130 , input devices 145 , or output devices 150 . the i/o controller 135 may manage peripherals that are not integrated into or with the system 100 . in some cases, the i/o controller 135 may represent a physical connection or port to external peripheral components. the input 145 may represent a device or signal external to the system 100 that provides information, signals, or data to the system 100 or its components. this may include a user interface or interface with or between other devices. in some cases, the input 145 may be a peripheral that interfaces with system 100 via one or more peripheral components 130 or may be managed by the i/o controller 135 . the output 150 may represent a device or signal external to the system 100 configured to receive an output from the system 100 or any of its components. examples of the output 150 may include a display, audio speakers, a printing device, or another processor on printed circuit board, and so forth. in some cases, the output 150 may be a peripheral that interfaces with the system 100 via one or more peripheral components 130 or may be managed by the i/o controller 135 . the components of system 100 may be made up of general-purpose or special purpose circuitry designed to carry out their functions. this may include various circuit elements, for example, conductive lines, transistors, capacitors, inductors, resistors, amplifiers, or other active or passive elements, configured to carry out the functions described herein. in some examples, conductive lines may couple system components or may couple sub-components within a system component. for example, some conductive lines may comprise printed circuit board (pcb) traces or other conductive interconnects configured to carry signals between system components. as another example, some conductive lines may comprise bond wires or other conductive interconnects configured to carry signals between a memory die and another component of a device or the system 100 . as another example, some conductive lines may comprise electrodes or other interconnects configured to carry signals within a memory die (e.g., from one component fabricated on the die to another component fabricated on the die). the memory device 110 may include a device memory controller 155 and one or more memory dies 160 . each memory die 160 may include a local memory controller 165 (e.g., local memory controller 165 - a , local memory controller 165 - b , and/or local memory controller 165 -n) and a memory array 170 (e.g., memory array 170 - a , memory array 170 - b , and/or memory array 170 -n). a memory array 170 may be a collection (e.g., a grid) of memory cells, with each memory cell being configured to store at least one bit of digital data. features of memory arrays 170 and/or memory cells are described in more detail with reference to fig. 2 . a memory die 160 may have one or more properties (e.g., a capacitance) that may be based on one or more elements (e.g., access lines, memory cells, circuitry, etc.) of the memory die 160 . the memory device 110 may be an example of a two-dimensional (2d) array of memory cells or may be an example of a three-dimensional (3d) array of memory cells. for example, a 2d memory device may include a single memory die 160 . a 3d memory device may include two or more memory dies 160 (e.g., memory die 160 - a , memory die 160 - b , and/or any quantity of memory dies 160 -n). in a 3d memory device, a plurality of memory dies 160 -n may be stacked on top of one another or next to one another. in some cases, memory dies 160 -n in a 3d memory device may be referred to as decks, levels, layers, or dies. a 3d memory device may include any quantity of stacked memory dies 160 -n (e.g., two high, three high, four high, five high, six high, seven high, eight high). this may increase the quantity of memory cells that may be positioned on a substrate as compared with a single 2d memory device, which in turn may reduce production costs or increase the performance of the memory array, or both. in some 3d memory device, different decks may share at least one common access line such that some decks may share at least one of a word line, a digit line, and/or a plate line. the device memory controller 155 may include circuits or components configured to control operation of the memory device 110 . as such, the device memory controller 155 may include the hardware, firmware, and software that enables the memory device 110 to perform commands and may be configured to receive, transmit, or execute commands, data, or control information related to the memory device 110 . the device memory controller 155 may be configured to communicate with the external memory controller 105 , the one or more memory dies 160 , or the processor 120 . in some cases, the memory device 110 may receive data and/or commands from the external memory controller 105 . for example, the memory device 110 may receive a write command indicating that the memory device 110 is to store certain data on behalf of a component of the system 100 (e.g., the processor 120 ) or a read command indicating that the memory device 110 is to provide certain data stored in a memory die 160 to a component of the system 100 (e.g., the processor 120 ). in some cases, the device memory controller 155 may control operation of the memory device 110 described herein in conjunction with the local memory controller 165 of the memory die 160 . examples of the components included in the device memory controller 155 and/or the local memory controllers 165 may include receivers for demodulating signals received from the external memory controller 105 , decoders for modulating and transmitting signals to the external memory controller 105 , logic, decoders, amplifiers, filters, or the like. the local memory controller 165 (e.g., local to a memory die 160 ) may be configured to control operations of the memory die 160 . also, the local memory controller 165 may be configured to communicate (e.g., receive and transmit data and/or commands) with the device memory controller 155 . the local memory controller 165 may support the device memory controller 155 to control operation of the memory device 110 as described herein. in some cases, the memory device 110 does not include the device memory controller 155 , and the local memory controller 165 or the external memory controller 105 may perform the various functions described herein. as such, the local memory controller 165 may be configured to communicate with the device memory controller 155 , with other local memory controllers 165 , or directly with the external memory controller 105 or the processor 120 . the external memory controller 105 may be configured to enable communication of information, data, and/or commands between components of the system 100 (e.g., the processor 120 ) and the memory device 110 . the external memory controller 105 may act as a liaison between the components of the system 100 and the memory device 110 so that the components of the system 100 may not need to know the details of the memory device’s operation. the components of the system 100 may present requests to the external memory controller 105 (e.g., read commands or write commands) that the external memory controller 105 satisfies. the external memory controller 105 may convert or translate communications exchanged between the components of the system 100 and the memory device 110 . in some cases, the external memory controller 105 may include a system clock that generates a common (source) system clock signal. in some cases, the external memory controller 105 may include a common data clock that generates a common (source) data clock signal. in some cases, the external memory controller 105 or other component of the system 100 , or its functions described herein, may be implemented by the processor 120 . for example, the external memory controller 105 may be hardware, firmware, or software, or some combination thereof implemented by the processor 120 or other component of the system 100 . while the external memory controller 105 is depicted as being external to the memory device 110 , in some cases, the external memory controller 105 , or its functions described herein, may be implemented by a memory device 110 . for example, the external memory controller 105 may be hardware, firmware, or software, or some combination thereof implemented by the device memory controller 155 or one or more local memory controllers 165 . in some cases, the external memory controller 105 may be distributed across the processor 120 and the memory device 110 such that portions of the external memory controller 105 are implemented by the processor 120 and other portions are implemented by a device memory controller 155 or a local memory controller 165 . likewise, in some cases, one or more functions ascribed herein to the device memory controller 155 or local memory controller 165 may in some cases be performed by the external memory controller 105 (either separate from or as included in the processor 120 ). the components of the system 100 may exchange information with the memory device 110 using a plurality of channels 115 . in some examples, the channels 115 may enable communications between the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 . each channel 115 may include one or more signal paths or transmission mediums (e.g., conductors) between terminals associated with the components of system 100 . for example, a channel 115 may include a first terminal including one or more pins at external memory controller 105 and one or more pins at the memory device 110 . a pin may be an example of and generically refer to any type of a conductive input or output point of a device of the system 100 (e.g., a ball of ball grid array (bga)), and a pin may be configured to act as part of a channel. in some cases, a pin may be part of a signal path of the channel 115 . additional signal paths may be coupled with a terminal of a channel for routing signals within a component of the system 100 . for example, the memory device 110 may include signal paths (e.g., signal paths internal to the memory device 110 or its components, such as internal to a memory die 160 ) that route a signal from a terminal of a channel 115 to the various components of the memory device 110 (e.g., a device memory controller 155 , memory dies 160 , local memory controllers 165 , memory arrays 170 ). channels 115 (and associated signal paths and terminals) may be dedicated to communicating specific types of information. in some cases, a channel 115 may be an aggregated channel and thus may include multiple individual channels. for example, a data channel 190 may be x4 (e.g., including four signal paths), x8 (e.g., including eight signal paths), x16 (e.g., including sixteen signal paths), and so forth. signals communicated over the channels may use a double data rate (ddr) timing scheme. for example, some symbols of a signal may be registered on a rising edge of a clock signal and other symbols of the signal may be registered on a falling edge of the clock signal. signals communicated over channels may use single data rate (sdr) signaling. for example, one symbol of the signal may be registered for each clock cycle. in some cases, the channels 115 may include one or more ca channels 186 . the ca channels 186 may be configured to communicate commands between the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 including control information associated with the commands (e.g., address information). for example, the ca channel 186 may include a read command with an address of the desired data. in some cases, the ca channels 186 may be registered on a rising clock signal edge and/or a falling clock signal edge. in some cases, a ca channel 186 may include any quantity of signal paths to decode address and command data (e.g., eight or nine signal paths). in some cases, the channels 115 may include one or more clock signal (ck) channels 188 . the ck channels 188 may be configured to communicate one or more common clock signals between the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 . each clock signal may be configured to oscillate between a high state and a low state and coordinate the actions of the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 . in some cases, the clock signal may be a differential output (e.g., a ck_t signal and a ck_c signal) and the signal paths of the ck channels 188 may be configured accordingly. in some cases, the clock signal may be single ended. a ck channel 188 may include any quantity of signal paths. in some cases, the clock signal ck (e.g., a ck_t signal and a ck_c signal) may provide a timing reference for command and addressing operations for the memory device 110 , or other system-wide operations for the memory device 110 . the clock signal ck therefore may be variously referred to as a control clock signal ck, a command clock signal ck, or a system clock signal ck. the system clock signal ck may be generated by a system clock, which may include one or more hardware components (e.g., oscillators, crystals, logic gates, transistors, or the like). in some cases, the channels 115 may include one or more data (dq) channels 190 . the data channels 190 may be configured to communicate data and/or control information between the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 . for example, the data channels 190 may communicate information (e.g., bi-directional) to be written to the memory device 110 or information read from the memory device 110 . in some cases, the channels 115 may include one or more other channels 192 that may be dedicated to other purposes. these other channels 192 may include any quantity of signal paths. in some cases, the other channels 192 may include one or more write clock signal (wck) channels. while the ‘w’ in wck may nominally stand for “write,” a write clock signal wck (e.g., a wck_t signal and a wck_c signal) may provide a timing reference for access operations generally for the memory device 110 (e.g., a timing reference for both read and write operations). accordingly, the write clock signal wck may also be referred to as a data clock signal wck. the wck channels may be configured to communicate a common data clock signal between the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 . the data clock signal may be configured to coordinate an access operation (e.g., a write operation or read operation) of the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 . in some cases, the write clock signal may be a differential output (e.g., a wck_t signal and a wck_c signal) and the signal paths of the wck channels may be configured accordingly. a wck channel may include any quantity of signal paths. the data clock signal wck may be generated by a data clock, which may include one or more hardware components (e.g., oscillators, crystals, logic gates, transistors, or the like). in some cases, the other channels 192 may include one or more error detection code (edc) channels. the edc channels may be configured to communicate error detection signals, such as checksums, to improve system reliability. an edc channel may include any quantity of signal paths. the channels 115 may couple the external memory controller 105 with the memory device 110 using a variety of different architectures. examples of the various architectures may include a bus, a point-to-point connection, a crossbar, a high-density interposer such as a silicon interposer, or channels formed in an organic substrate or some combination thereof. for example, in some cases, the signal paths may at least partially include a high-density interposer, such as a silicon interposer or a glass interposer. the memory device 110 may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive signals) with a host device. in some cases, the memory device 110 may experience interference or noise when receiving signals from the host device. for example, signals from the host device may reflect off components of the memory device 110 or off one or more neighboring memory devices 110 . the reflected signals may combine with the signals from the host device to the memory device 110 and may cause constructive and/or destructive interference. the interference experienced at the memory device 110 may depend on a signal slew rate, a system configuration or topology (e.g., bus topology, such as for a ca or dq bus), circuitry or other components of the memory device 110 , or the like. signals communicated over the channels 115 may be modulated using a variety of different modulation schemes. in some cases, a binary-symbol (or binary-level) modulation scheme may be used to modulate signals communicated between the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 . a binary-symbol modulation scheme may be an example of a m-ary modulation scheme where m is equal to two. each symbol of a binary-symbol modulation scheme may be configured to represent one bit of digital data (e.g., a symbol may represent a logic 1 or a logic 0). examples of binary-symbol modulation schemes include, but are not limited to, non-return-to-zero (nrz), unipolar encoding, bipolar encoding, manchester encoding, pulse amplitude modulation (pam) having two symbols (e.g., pam2), and/or others. in some cases, a multi-symbol (or multi-level) modulation scheme may be used to modulate signals communicated between the external memory controller 105 and the memory device 110 . a multi-symbol modulation scheme may be an example of a m-ary modulation scheme where m is greater than or equal to three. each symbol of a multi-symbol modulation scheme may be configured to represent more than one bit of digital data (e.g., a symbol may represent a logic 00, a logic 01, a logic 10, or a logic 11). examples of multi-symbol modulation schemes include, but are not limited to, pam3, pam4, pam8, etc., quadrature amplitude modulation (qam), quadrature phase shift keying (qpsk), and/or others. a multi-symbol signal (e.g., a pam3 signal or a pam4 signal) may be a signal that is modulated using a modulation scheme that includes at least three levels to encode more than one bit of information per symbol. multi-symbol modulation schemes and symbols may alternatively be referred to as non-binary, multi-bit, or higher-order modulation schemes and symbols. as described herein, a memory device 110 may be configured to transmit signals to and receive signals from a host device (e.g., external memory controller 105 ), and, in some cases, may experience interference or noise when receiving signals from the host device. for example, signals from the host device may have a high slew rate, which may contribute to increased levels of noise (e.g., via signal reflections on neighboring memory devices). in some cases, a capacitance of one or more neighboring memory devices 110 (not shown) may, at least partially, cause signal reflection. the host device may be configured to reduce the noise experienced by the memory device 110 by indicating a target capacitance or related configuration information associated with a configurable capacitive component of the memory device 110 . the memory device 110 may be operable to adjust or configure a capacitance associated with the configurable capacitive component, and thus with an i/o pad of the memory device 110 to which the configurable capacitive component may be coupled. in some cases, the configurable capacitive component may include one or more capacitors and one or more associated switching components (e.g., transistors) that may selectively couple the one or more capacitors with the i/o pad. in some cases, the configured capacitance of the configurable capacitive component may reduce a slew rate of signaling from the host device to the memory device 110 (e.g., a slew rate at the memory device 110 ), and the reduced slew rate may reduce signal reflection and associated noise. fig. 2 illustrates an example of a memory die 200 in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. the memory die 200 may be an example of the memory dies 160 described with reference to fig. 1 . in some cases, the memory die 200 may be referred to as a memory chip, a memory device, or an electronic memory apparatus. the memory die 200 may include one or more memory cells 205 that are programmable to store different logic states. each memory cell 205 may be programmable to store two or more states. for example, the memory cell 205 may be configured to store one bit of information at a time (e.g., a logic 0 or a logic 1). in some cases, a single memory cell 205 (e.g., a multi-level memory cell) may be configured to store more than one bit of information at a time (e.g., a logic 00, logic 01, logic 10, or a logic 11). a memory cell 205 may store a charge representative of the programmable states in a capacitor. dram architectures may include a capacitor that includes a dielectric material to store a charge representative of the programmable state. in other memory architectures, other storage devices and components are possible. for example, nonlinear (e.g., ferroelectric) dielectric materials may be employed. operations such as reading and writing may be performed on memory cells 205 by activating or selecting access lines such as a word line 210 and/or a digit line 215 . in some cases, digit lines 215 may also be referred to as bit lines. references to access lines, word lines and digit lines, or their analogues, are interchangeable without loss of understanding or operation. activating or selecting a word line 210 or a digit line 215 may include applying a voltage to the respective line. the memory die 200 may include the access lines (e.g., the word lines 210 and the digit lines 215 ) arranged in a grid-like pattern. memory cells 205 may be positioned at intersections of the word lines 210 and the digit lines 215 . by biasing a word line 210 and a digit line 215 (e.g., applying a voltage to the word line 210 or the digit line 215 ), a single memory cell 205 may be accessed at their intersection. accessing the memory cells 205 may be controlled through a row decoder 220 or a column decoder 225 . for example, a row decoder 220 may receive a row address from the local memory controller 260 and activate a word line 210 based on the received row address. a column decoder 225 may receive a column address from the local memory controller 260 and may activate a digit line 215 based on the received column address. for example, the memory die 200 may include multiple word lines 210 , labeled wl_1 through wl_m, and multiple digit lines 215 , labeled dl_1 through dl_n, where m and n depend on the size of the memory array. thus, by activating a word line 210 and a digit line 215 , e.g., wl_1 and dl_3, the memory cell 205 at their intersection may be accessed. the intersection of a word line 210 and a digit line 215 , in either a two-dimensional or three-dimensional configuration, may be referred to as an address of a memory cell 205 . the memory cell 205 may include a logic storage component, such as capacitor 230 and a switching component 235 . the capacitor 230 may be an example of a dielectric capacitor or a ferroelectric capacitor. a first node of the capacitor 230 may be coupled with the switching component 235 and a second node of the capacitor 230 may be coupled with a voltage source 240 . in some cases, the voltage source 240 may be the cell plate reference voltage, such as vpl, or may be ground, such as vss. in some cases, the voltage source 240 may be an example of a plate line coupled with a plate line driver. the switching component 235 may be an example of a transistor or any other type of switch device that selectively establishes or de-establishes electronic communication between two components. selecting or deselecting the memory cell 205 may be accomplished by activating or deactivating the switching component 235 . the capacitor 230 may be in electronic communication with the digit line 215 using the switching component 235 . for example, the capacitor 230 may be isolated from digit line 215 when the switching component 235 is deactivated, and the capacitor 230 may be coupled with digit line 215 when the switching component 235 is activated. in some cases, the switching component 235 is a transistor and its operation may be controlled by applying a voltage to the transistor gate, where the voltage differential between the transistor gate and transistor source may be greater or less than a threshold voltage of the transistor. in some cases, the switching component 235 may be a p-type transistor or an n-type transistor. the word line 210 may be in electronic communication with the gate of the switching component 235 and may activate/deactivate the switching component 235 based on a voltage being applied to word line 210 . a word line 210 may be a conductive line in electronic communication with a memory cell 205 that is used to perform access operations on the memory cell 205 . in some architectures, the word line 210 may be in electronic communication with a gate of a switching component 235 of a memory cell 205 and may be configured to control the switching component 235 of the memory cell. in some architectures, the word line 210 may be in electronic communication with a node of the capacitor of the memory cell 205 and the memory cell 205 may not include a switching component. a digit line 215 may be a conductive line that connects the memory cell 205 with a sense component 245 . in some architectures, the memory cell 205 may be selectively coupled with the digit line 215 during portions of an access operation. for example, the word line 210 and the switching component 235 of the memory cell 205 may be configured to couple and/or isolate the capacitor 230 of the memory cell 205 and the digit line 215 . in some architectures, the memory cell 205 may be in electronic communication (e.g., constant) with the digit line 215 . the sense component 245 may be configured to detect a state (e.g., a charge) stored on the capacitor 230 of the memory cell 205 and determine a logic state of the memory cell 205 based on the stored state. the charge stored by a memory cell 205 may be extremely small, in some cases. as such, the sense component 245 may include one or more sense amplifiers to amplify the signal output by the memory cell 205 . the sense amplifiers may detect small changes in the charge of a digit line 215 during a read operation and may produce signals corresponding to a logic state 0 or a logic state 1 based on the detected charge. during a read operation, the capacitor 230 of memory cell 205 may output a signal (e.g., discharge a charge) to its corresponding digit line 215 . the signal may cause a voltage of the digit line 215 to change. the sense component 245 may be configured to compare the signal received from the memory cell 205 across the digit line 215 to a reference signal 250 (e.g., reference voltage). the sense component 245 may determine the stored state of the memory cell 205 based on the comparison. for example, in binary-signaling, if digit line 215 has a higher voltage than the reference signal 250 , the sense component 245 may determine that the stored state of memory cell 205 is a logic 1 and, if the digit line 215 has a lower voltage than the reference signal 250 , the sense component 245 may determine that the stored state of the memory cell 205 is a logic 0. the sense component 245 may include various transistors or amplifiers to detect and amplify a difference in the signals. the detected logic state of the memory cell 205 may be provided as an output of the sense component 245 (e.g., to an input/output 255 ), and may indicate the detected logic state to another component of a memory device 110 that includes the memory die 200 , such as a device memory controller 155 (e.g., directly or using the local memory controller 260 ). the local memory controller 260 may control the operation of memory cells 205 through the various components (e.g., row decoder 220 , column decoder 225 , and sense component 245 ). the local memory controller 260 may be an example of the local memory controller 165 described with reference to fig. 1 . in some cases, one or more of the row decoder 220 , column decoder 225 , and sense component 245 may be co-located with the local memory controller 260 . the local memory controller 260 may be configured to receive commands and/or data from an external memory controller 105 (or a device memory controller 155 described with reference to fig. 1 ), translate the commands and/or data into information that can be used by the memory die 200 , perform one or more operations on the memory die 200 , and communicate data from the memory die 200 to the external memory controller 105 (or the device memory controller 155 ) in response to performing the one or more operations. the local memory controller 260 may generate row and column address signals to activate the target word line 210 and the target digit line 215 . the local memory controller 260 may also generate and control various voltages or currents used during the operation of the memory die 200 . in general, the amplitude, shape, or duration of an applied voltage or current discussed herein may be adjusted or varied and may be different for the various operations discussed in operating the memory die 200 . the local memory controller 260 (or another controller included in the memory device) may configure one or more components associated with the memory die 200 . for example, the controller may activate or deactivate one or more switching components of a configurable capacitive component of the memory die 200 based on a target capacitance or related configuration information, which may be indicated to the memory device or otherwise identified or determined by the memory device. in some cases, the local memory controller 260 may be configured to perform a write operation (e.g., a programming operation) on one or more memory cells 205 of the memory die 200 . during a write operation, a memory cell 205 of the memory die 200 may be programmed to store a desired logic state. in some cases, a plurality of memory cells 205 may be programmed during a single write operation. the local memory controller 260 may identify a target memory cell 205 on which to perform the write operation. the local memory controller 260 may identify a target word line 210 and a target digit line 215 in electronic communication with the target memory cell 205 (e.g., the address of the target memory cell 205 ). the local memory controller 260 may activate the target word line 210 and the target digit line 215 (e.g., applying a voltage to the word line 210 or digit line 215 ), to access the target memory cell 205 . the local memory controller 260 may apply a specific signal (e.g., voltage) to the digit line 215 during the write operation to store a specific state (e.g., charge) in the capacitor 230 of the memory cell 205 , the specific state (e.g., charge) may be indicative of a desired logic state. in some cases, the local memory controller 260 may be configured to perform a read operation (e.g., a sense operation) on one or more memory cells 205 of the memory die 200 . during a read operation, the logic state stored in a memory cell 205 of the memory die 200 may be determined. in some cases, a plurality of memory cells 205 may be sensed during a single read operation. the local memory controller 260 may identify a target memory cell 205 on which to perform the read operation. the local memory controller 260 may identify a target word line 210 and a target digit line 215 in electronic communication with the target memory cell 205 (e.g., the address of the target memory cell 205 ). the local memory controller 260 may activate the target word line 210 and the target digit line 215 (e.g., applying a voltage to the word line 210 or digit line 215 ), to access the target memory cell 205 . the target memory cell 205 may transfer a signal to the sense component 245 in response to biasing the access lines. the sense component 245 may amplify the signal. the local memory controller 260 may fire the sense component 245 (e.g., latch the sense component) and thereby compare the signal received from the memory cell 205 to the reference signal 250 . based on that comparison, the sense component 245 may determine a logic state that is stored on the memory cell 205 . the local memory controller 260 may communicate the logic state stored on the memory cell 205 to the external memory controller 105 (or the device memory controller 155 ) as part of the read operation. in some memory architectures, accessing the memory cell 205 may degrade or destroy the logic state stored in a memory cell 205 . for example, a read operation performed in dram architectures may partially or completely discharge the capacitor of the target memory cell. the local memory controller 260 may perform a re-write operation or a refresh operation to return the memory cell to its original logic state. the local memory controller 260 may re-write the logic state to the target memory cell after a read operation. in some cases, the re-write operation may be considered part of the read operation. additionally, activating a single access line, such as a word line 210 , may disturb the state stored in some memory cells in electronic communication with that access line. thus, a re-write operation or refresh operation may be performed on one or more memory cells that may not have been accessed. a memory die 200 may be configured to transmit signals to and receive signals from a host device, and, in some cases, may experience interference or noise when receiving signals from the host device. for example, signals from the host device may have a higher slew rate, which may lead to higher levels of noise (e.g., via signal reflections on neighboring memory devices). in some cases, a capacitance of one or more neighboring memory dies 200 may, at least partially, cause signal reflection. the host device may be configured to reduce the noise experienced by the memory die 200 by indicating a target capacitance or a configuration associated with a capacitive component of the memory die 200 . a capacitive component may be operable to adjust or configure a capacitance associated with an i/o pad of the memory die 200 and may include one or more capacitors and one or more associated switching components (e.g., transistors) that may selectively couple the one or more capacitors with the i/o pad. in some cases, a capacitance indicated by the target capacitance or the configuration of the capacitive component may reduce a slew rate of signaling from the host device to the memory die 200 (e.g., a slew rate at the memory die 200 ), and the reduced slew rate may reduce signal reflection and associated noise. fig. 3 illustrates an example of a circuit 300 that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. in some examples, circuit 300 may represent a portion of a memory device, where the memory device may include a memory die 200 as described with reference to fig. 2 . for example, a circuit represented by circuit 300 may include an i/o pad 305 the i/o pad 305 may be coupled with a bond wire or other interconnect, which may in turn couple the i/o pad 305 with a pin of the memory device, for example. though described as a “pad,” the claims and disclosure herein are not limited to any particular physical form factor of the i/o pad 305 . rather, an i/o pad such as the example of i/o pad 305 may refer to any conductive structure configured to received or transmit signals external to the memory die that includes the i/o pad. the circuit represented by circuit 300 may also include one or more conductive paths 330 (e.g., traces, wires (such as bond wires), conductive lines/layers, etc.), and an input buffer 310 . conductive paths 330 may be examples of conductive lines described with reference to figs. 1 and 2 . the circuit illustrated in circuit 300 may be configured to adjust or configure a capacitance of a memory die (e.g., by adjusting or configuring a capacitance of i/o pad 305 ). for example, the circuit illustrated by circuit 300 may include one or more capacitive components 315 , where a capacitive component 315 may be operable to adjust (e.g., configure) a capacitance associated with i/o pad 305 . the capacitive component 315 may include a capacitor 320 (e.g., capacitor 320 - a ) and an associated switching component 325 (e.g., switching component 325 - a ). in some examples, the capacitive component may include multiple capacitors 320 (e.g., capacitors 320 - b , 320 - b , and 320 - c ) and multiple switching components (e.g., switching components 325 - a , 325 - b , and 325 - c ). a switching component 325 (e.g., a transistor) may be associated with one or more respective capacitors 320 . for example, switching component 325 - a may be associated with capacitor 320 - a , switching component 325 - b may be associated with capacitor 320 - b , and so forth. the capacitive component 315 may be coupled with the i/o pad 305 , and thus one or more capacitors 320 of the capacitive component 315 may be selectively couplable with the i/o pad 305 via the switching components 325 . in some cases, the capacitive component 315 may also be coupled with the input buffer 310 , and thus one or more capacitors 320 of the capacitive component 315 may be selectively couplable with the input buffer 310 via the switching components 325 . for example, one or more switching components 325 may activate or switch on (closed) and couple one or more capacitors 320 with a conductive path 330 between the i/o pad 305 and the input buffer 310 . switching components 325 may be activated individually, in coordination, or not at all, such that any one or more of the capacitors 320 may be coupled with the i/o pad 305 , or none of the capacitors 320 may be coupled with the i/o pad 305 . because the capacitive component 315 may be coupled with the i/o pad 305 , the capacitive component 315 may be operable to adjust or to configure a capacitance associated with the i/o pad 305 (e.g., an input capacitance of a memory die). as described above, the switching components 325 of the capacitive component 315 may be operable to couple a number (e.g., one, multiple, or none) of the capacitors 320 of the capacitive component 315 with the i/o pad 305 . a host device or a memory device associated with the memory die may indicate the number of capacitors 320 to couple with the i/o pad 305 to adjust or configure the capacitance associated with the i/o pad 305 . in some cases, the host device may transmit signaling to the memory device indicating a target capacitance for one or more capacitive components 315 or indicating a configuration for one or more capacitive components 315 (e.g., indicating a number of capacitors 320 to couple with i/o pad 305 ). in a first example, the signaling from the host device may indicate for the memory device to store the target capacitance or related configuration information for the one or more capacitive components 315 in one or more mode registers of the memory device. in some cases, a mode register may include additional memory dedicated to storing a state of the one or more capacitive components 315 (e.g., a state of switching components 325 associated with the one or more capacitive components 315 ). for example, a mode register may store information (e.g., one or more logic values) indicating a number of switching components 325 to be closed or activated. additionally or alternatively a mode register may store one or more logic values as a bitmap, where each bit of the bitmap may correspond to a switching component 325 of a capacitive component 315 . as such, each bit of the bitmap may indicate whether the corresponding switching component 325 is to be activated (closed) or deactivated (open) (e.g., by indicating a logic 0 or a logic 1). accordingly, the memory device may store the target capacitance or related configuration information for the one or more capacitive components 315 in the mode register(s) and may use the stored target capacitance or related configuration information to configure the one or more capacitive components 315 (e.g., by activating and/or deactivating switching components 325 ) and thereby adjust a capacitance associated with the memory die (e.g., a capacitance associated with the i/o pad 305 ). for example, each time the memory device powers on, the memory device (e.g., a controller of the memory device) may access the mode register(s) and configure the one or more capacitive components 315 accordingly. in a second example, the signaling from the host device may indicate or command a target capacitance or a configuration for one or more capacitive components 315 (e.g., without specifying for the memory device to store the associated information in the one or more mode registers). as such, the memory device may configure the one or more capacitive components 315 according to the signaling (e.g., by activating and/or deactivating switching components 325 directly in respond to the signaling). the memory device may adjust the capacitive component without storing information associated with the received indication to the one or more mode registers (and later reading the information from the one or more mode registers). in some cases, the memory device may maintain the indicated target capacitance or configuration for the one or more capacitive components 315 until receiving new signaling from the host device indicating a new target capacitance or new configuration. in some cases, the memory device may store the target capacitance or configuration for the one or more capacitive components 315 in a mode register when powering down, if the new signaling has not been received. the target capacitance or configuration for the one or more capacitive components 315 may be based on one or more of a signal slew rate, a memory die capacitance (e.g., a parasitic capacitance or other capacitance other than that of the capacitive component 315 ), signal noise (e.g., reflection noise), or the like, or any combination thereof. in one example, a target capacitance or a configuration for the one or more capacitive components 315 may support a target slew rate. similarly, a target capacitance or a configuration for the one or more capacitive components 315 may be configured to lower a noise level (e.g., noise reflected from neighboring memory devices) for signals between the host device and the memory device. a target capacitance or a configuration for the one or more capacitive components 315 may also be based on a parasitic capacitance of one or more components (e.g., a gate capacitance of a pmos transistor and/or nmos transistor of an i/o buffer 310 ) of a memory die. for example, the target capacitance or configuration may be based on a parasitic capacitance of a memory die, such that a capacitance of a capacitive component 315 , together with the parasitic capacitance, may equal a target total capacitance. the target total capacitance may be based on a target slew rate or signal noise, as described above, and may additionally be based on memory device and/or host device simulation results or measurements. a target memory die capacitance or a configuration for the one or more capacitive components 315 may also be based on a placement of the memory device, a placement of one or more associated (coupled) memory devices) or a placement of one or more memory dies of the memory device. for example, the placement of the memory device or one or more associated memory dies may affect one or more parasitic capacitances (e.g., and associated noise) associated with the memory device, or may affect one or more other signaling parameters. as such, a target memory die capacitance or a configuration for the one or more capacitive components may be based on the capacitive or signaling effects introduced by the placement of the memory device or one or more associated memory devices and dies. additionally or alternatively, the target memory die capacitance or configuration may be based on signal routing and communications structures between the host device and the memory device. each memory die of a memory device may, in some cases, have a different target capacitance or a different configuration for an associated capacitive component 315 (e.g., based on placement and/or routing). each memory device coupled with a host device may also have a different target capacitance or a different configuration for associated capacitive component(s) 315 . for example, each memory device may have a target capacitance for a capacitive component 315 based on a location or placement of the memory device, and/or based on signal routing (e.g., relative to the host device or a termination impedance, such as in terms of the length of signal path (e.g., bus length) between he memory device and the host device or termination impedance). in one example, a host device may be coupled with two or more memory devices, and a first memory device closer to the host device may have a higher target capacitance (e.g., based on an associated configuration) for a capacitive component 315 than memory devices that are farther away from the host device than the first memory device (e.g., an additional 2 picofarads (pf)). additionally or alternatively, a bus coupling the host with the two or more memory devices may include an impedance (e.g., a termination impedance, such as a termination resistor (rtt)) that may sink or cancel some transmission noise. accordingly, a first memory device farther away from the impedance may have a higher target capacitance (e.g., based on an associated configuration) for a capacitive component 315 than memory devices that are closer to the impedance than the first memory device in one example, a memory die (e.g., a memory device including a memory die) may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive signals) with a host device and may experience interference or noise when receiving signals from the host device. for example, signals from the host device (e.g., ca signals) may have a smaller rising and/or falling time (higher slew rate), which may lead to (e.g., via signal reflections) higher levels of noise for neighboring memory devices. in some cases, a capacitance of one or more neighboring memory dies may, at least partially, cause signal reflection (e.g., due to printed circuit board (pcb) discontinuity). the host device may be configured to reduce the noise experienced by the memory die by indicating a target capacitance or a configuration to a capacitive component 315 of the memory die (e.g., by activating and/or deactivating switching components 325 ). in some cases, a capacitance indicated by the target capacitance or the configuration of the capacitive component 315 may reduce a slew rate of signaling from the host device to the memory die (e.g., a slew rate at the memory die), and the reduced slew rate may reduce signal reflection and associated noise. the host device may signal the memory die to indicate the target capacitance or configuration of the capacitive component 315 (e.g., including an indication of whether to use a mode register). the memory die may receive the signaling from the host device and may configure the capacitive component 315 based on the indicated target capacitance or configuration. for example, a controller associated with the memory die may activate or deactivate one or more switching components 325 in accordance with the indicated target capacitance or configuration. the switching components 325 may couple or decouple one or more associated capacitors 320 with an i/o pad 305 of the memory die and thus may alter the capacitance of the capacitive component 315 and the i/o pad 305 . the adjusted capacitance of the i/o pad 305 may adjust (e.g., decrease) the slew rate associated with signals received at the memory die and may reduce noise generated by reflected signals, which may increase memory device accuracy. fig. 4 illustrates an example of a bus topology 400 for memory devices that support configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. in some examples, one or more memory devices 405 may be coupled with a host device 410 (e.g., a system on a chip (soc)) using bus topology 400 . each memory device 405 may include a memory die, which may be an example of a memory die described with reference to figs. 2 and 3 . in some cases, a memory device 405 may include one memory die, and in other cases a memory device may include multiple memory dies. a memory die may include an i/o pad, which may be an example of an i/o pad described with reference to fig. 3 . the connections represented by bus topology 400 may also include one or more conductive paths (e.g., trace lines, wires, conductive lines/layers, etc.), which may be examples of signal paths or conductive lines described with reference to fig. 1 . the devices illustrated in bus topology 400 may be configured to adjust or configure a capacitance of a memory die (e.g., by adjusting or configuring a capacitance of an associated i/o pad). for example, each memory device illustrated by bus topology 400 may include one or more capacitive components, where a capacitive component may be an example of a capacitive component 315 described with reference to fig. 3 . each capacitive component may be selectively couplable with an associated i/o pad (e.g., via one or more switching components of the capacitive component) in order to adjust or configure a capacitance of the i/o pad (e.g., to a target capacitance). in some cases, a target capacitance of a memory die or associated i/o pad may be based on a configuration or topology of the one or more memory devices 405 , with respect to each other and/or with respect to the host device 410 (e.g., may be based on the characteristics of the bus topology 400 ). in one example, multiple memory devices 405 may be coupled with a host device 410 - a in a fly-by topology via one or more lines 415 , 420 , and/or 425 , in which the multiple memory devices 405 may be coupled with the host device 405 via a common trunk line 415 - a and respective branch lines 425 , where each branch line 425 couples a memory device 405 with the common trunk line 415 - a . a trunk line 415 - a (e.g., a trunk pcb trace) may couple the host device 410 - a with the memory devices 405 , and a length of trunk line 415 - a may depend on a distance between the host device 410 - a and the memory devices 405 . in some cases, trunk line 415 - a may be a longest line coupling the host device 410 - a with the memory devices 405 . trace lines 420 - a , 420 - b , 420 - c , 420 - d , and 420 - e may couple branch lines 425 for memory devices 405 with each other and, in some cases, may represent pcb traces between the branch lines 425 . a length associated with trace lines 420 may be based on a package size of the memory devices 405 . branch lines 425 - a , 425 - b , 425 - c , 425 - d , and 425 - e may represent pcb traces from trunk line 415 - a or the respective trace line 420 to a pin (e.g., a ball corresponding to a ball grid array (bga)) of memory devices 405 - a , 405 - b , 405 - c , 405 - d , and 405 - e , respectively. in some cases, branch lines 425 may be shorter than trace lines 420 or trunk line 415 - a . in some examples, lines 415 , 420 , and 425 may represent lines used for ca bus routing, and in some cases, multiple signals (e.g., 20 signals) may be carried over each line (e.g. each line illustrated in fig. 4 may correspond to a group of parallel lines). lines 415 420 , and 425 may represent one-to-many connections between the host device 410 - a and the memory devices 405 , where one pin or pad on the host device 410 - a may be coupled with a pin or pad on more than one of the memory devices 405 . for example, one pin on host device 410 - a may be coupled with a pin on each memory device 405 . a host device 410 may be coupled with multiple memory devices 405 to realize one or more benefits. for example, the host device 410 may be coupled with multiple memory devices 405 (e.g., four or five memory devices 405 ) in order to increase throughput, bandwidth, and memory density, for example, as part of automotive advanced driver assistance systems (adas), artificial intelligence (ai) applications, or other applications. in some cases, signals from the host device 410 (e.g., ca signals) to a memory device 405 may have a smaller rising and/or falling time, which may cause higher levels of noise to reflect off neighboring memory devices 405 . in some cases, the level of noise at a memory device 405 , which may impact a voltage margin associated with a data window for interpreting signaling, may fall below an input level of the memory device 405 and may cause timing errors at the memory device 405 . in some cases, a termination impedance (e.g., rtt 430 ) may absorb or sink reflection noise, and as such, memory devices 405 located farther away from rtt 430 (e.g., memory device 405 - a and/or 405 - b ) may experience more reflection noise from nearby memory devices 405 . as such, memory devices 405 , or one or more dies of memory devices 405 , may be configured with a capacitive component that may be operable to adjust or configure a capacitance of a memory die associated with the capacitive component (e.g., a capacitance of an i/o pad of the memory die). a capacitive component may reduce noise (e.g., reflection noise) at an associated memory device 405 by adjusting the capacitance of one or more memory dies of the memory device 405 . for example, the host device 410 may be configured to reduce the noise experienced by one or more memory devices 405 by indicating a target capacitance or a configuration for a capacitive component of the memory device 405 . in some cases, a resulting capacitance of the capacitive component (that is, a capacitance of the capacitive component as adjusted (tuned, configured) by the memory device 405 based on the indication) may reduce a slew rate of signals from the host device 410 to the memory device 405 (e.g., a slew rate at the memory device 405 ), and the reduced slew rate may reduce signal reflection and associated noise. for example, a memory device farther away from rtt 430 (e.g., memory device 405 - a and/or 405 - b ) may have a higher target capacitance (e.g., based on an associated configuration) for a capacitive component than memory devices 405 that are closer to rtt 430 (e.g., memory device 405 - c and/or 405 - d ). additionally or alternatively, a memory device closer to the host device 410 (e.g., memory device 405 - a and/or 405 - b ) may have a higher target capacitance (e.g., based on an associated configuration) for a capacitive component than memory devices 405 that are farther from the host device 410 (e.g., memory device 405 - c and/or 405 - d ). the host device 410 may signal the memory device 405 to indicate the target capacitance or configuration of the capacitive component (e.g., an indication of configuration information for the memory device 405 to store in a mode register, one or more commands comprising configuration information). the memory device 405 may receive the signal from the host device 410 and may configure the capacitive component based on the indicated target capacitance or configuration. for example, a controller associated with the memory device 405 may activate (close) or deactivate (open) one or more switching components of a capacitive component in accordance with the indicated target capacitance or configuration. when activated, the switching components may couple one or more associated capacitors with an i/o pad of a memory die of the memory device 405 , which may alter the capacitance of the i/o pad and the memory die (e.g., a memory die input capacitance). the adjusted capacitance of the i/o pad may configure (set) (e.g., decrease) the slew rate associated with signals received at the memory die, and at the memory device 405 , and may reduce noise generated by reflected signals. reduced noise may improve performance at the memory device 405 , for example, by increasing signal accuracy and voltage margins. fig. 5 illustrates an example of a memory device configuration 500 that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. in some examples, memory device configuration 500 may be or include a memory device 505 that includes multiple memory dies 510 , where a memory die 510 may be an example of a memory die described with reference to figs. 2-4 and memory device 505 may be an example of a memory device described with reference to figs. 3 and 4 . a memory die 510 may include an i/o pad, which may be an example of an i/o pad described with reference to figs. 3 and 4 . the memory device 505 may include one or more conductive paths 515 (e.g., trace lines, wires, conductive lines/layers, etc.), which may be examples of conductive lines or conductive paths described with reference to figs. 2 and 3 . the memory device 505 may be operable to adjust (tune, set, configure) a capacitance of one or more memory dies 510 (e.g., by adjusting or configuring a capacitance of associated i/o pads). for example, a memory die 510 of the memory device 505 may include one or more capacitive components, where a capacitive component may be an example of a capacitive component described with reference to figs. 3 and 4 . each capacitive component may be selectively couplable with an associated i/o pad (e.g., via one or more switching components of the capacitive component) in order to adjust or configure a capacitance of the i/o pad (e.g., to a target capacitance). in some cases, a target capacitance of a memory die 510 or associated i/o pad may be based on one or more characteristics of a configuration or topology of the one or more memory dies 510 , with respect to each other, and/or with respect to the memory device 505 . a target capacitance of a memory die 510 or associated i/o pad may additionally or alternatively be based on one or more characteristics of a configuration or topology of the memory device 505 with respect to one or more other memory devices 505 and/or a host device (e.g., a bus topology used to couple the host device with one or more memory devices 505 ). in one example, the memory device 505 may include a pin 520 (e.g., a ball of a bga, electrode, pin, pad, etc.) which may couple the memory device 505 to one or more other memory devices 505 and/or a host device (e.g., via one or more traces or other interconnects, such as described with reference to the example of fig. 4 ). the pin 520 may be coupled with one or more conductive paths 515 of the memory device 505 , where the one or more conductive paths 515 may couple the pin with one or more memory dies 510 . for example, a conductive path 515 may couple pin 520 to one or more i/o pads corresponding to one or more memory dies 510 . the conductive paths 515 may additionally or alternatively couple two or more memory dies 510 . for example, a conductive path 515 may couple two i/o pads of two corresponding memory dies 510 . in some cases, signals from a host device (e.g., ca signals) to memory device 505 may have a smaller rising and/or falling time (e.g., a higher slew rate), which may cause higher levels of noise to reflect off neighboring memory devices 505 . the level of noise at memory device 505 , which may be referred to as or may impact a voltage margin or other signaling window, may fall below a threshold level (e.g., based on a reliability threshold) for the memory device 505 and may cause timing errors or other adverse effects at the memory device 505 . as such, one or more dies 510 of memory device 505 may be configured with a capacitive component that may be used to adjust or configure a capacitance of the corresponding memory die 510 (e.g., a capacitance of an i/o pad of the memory die 510 ). additionally or alternatively, a capacitive component of one memory die 510 may be used to adjust or configure a capacitance of one or more other memory dies 510 (e.g., split an input capacitance among one or more other memory dies 510 , be coupled with one or more other memory dies 510 ). for example, a capacitive component of memory die 510 - a may be operable to adjust or configure a capacitance of memory dies 510 - a and 510 - b or memory dies 510 - a , 510 - b , and 510 - c (e.g., the capacitive component may be coupled (e.g., selectively) with an i/o pin of memory dies 510 - b and/or 510 - c ). one or more capacitive components may be operable to reduce noise (e.g., reflection noise) at memory device 505 by adjusting the capacitance of one or more memory dies 510 of the memory device 505 . for example, a host device may be configured to reduce the noise experienced by memory device 505 by indicating a target capacitance or a configuration for a capacitive component of one or more memory dies 510 of the memory device 505 . in some cases, a resulting capacitance associated with the capacitive component (e.g., a capacitance of the capacitive component as adjusted (tuned, configured) by the memory device 505 based on the indication) may reduce a slew rate of signals from the host device to the memory device 505 (e.g., a slew rate at the memory device 505 ), and the reduced slew rate may reduce signal reflection and associated noise. in some cases, the host device may signal the memory device 505 to indicate the target capacitance or configuration of one or more capacitive components (e.g., an indication of configuration information for the memory device 505 to store in a mode register, one or more commands comprising configuration information). the memory device 505 may receive the signal from the host device and may configure the one or more capacitive components based on the indicated target capacitance or configuration. for example, a controller associated with the memory device 505 may activate (close) or deactivate (open) one or more switching components of a capacitive component in accordance with the indicated target capacitance or configuration. when activated, the switching components may couple one or more associated capacitors with one or more i/o pads of one or more memory dies 510 of the memory device 505 , which may alter the capacitance of the one or more i/o pads and the one or more memory dies 510 (e.g., input capacitance). the adjusted capacitance of the one or more i/o pads may configure (set) (e.g., decrease) the slew rate associated with signals received at the one or more memory dies 510 , and at the memory device 505 , and may reduce noise generated by reflected signals. reduced noise may improve device performance by increasing signaling accuracy and margins (e.g. voltage margins). fig. 6 illustrates an example of a process flow 600 that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. in some examples, process flow 600 may be implemented by a memory device 605 and a host device, which may be examples of a memory device and a host device described with reference to figs. 3-5 . the memory device 605 may include one or more memory dies having one or more corresponding i/o pads, and the memory device 605 may be operable to adjust or configure a capacitance of the one or more memory dies (e.g., by adjusting or configuring a capacitance of associated i/o pads). for example, the host device 610 may indicate for the memory device 605 to configure or adjust the capacitance of the one or more memory dies. in the following description of the process flow 600 , the operations between the memory device 605 and the host device 610 may be transmitted in a different order than the order shown, or the operations performed by the host device 610 or the memory device 605 may be performed in different orders or at different times. specific operations may also be left out of the process flow 600 , or other operations may be added to the process flow 600 . although the host device 610 and the memory device 605 are shown performing the operations of process flow 600 , some aspects of some operations may also be performed by another device. at 615 , the host device 610 may identify a target configuration of a capacitive component of the memory device 605 based on a target capacitance associated with an i/o pad of the memory device 605 (e.g., associated with a memory die of the memory device 605 ). in some cases, the host device 610 may identify target configurations for one or more capacitive components of the memory device 605 based on target capacitances associated with one or more i/o pads of the memory device 605 (e.g., associated with one or more memory dies of the memory device 605 ). the target capacitance may be based on a location of the memory device 605 with respect to the host device 610 or with respect to one or more impedances associated with a bus coupling the host device 610 and the memory device 605 . the host device may also identify a second target configuration of a second capacitive component of a second memory device based on a second target capacitance associated with a second i/o pad of the second memory device. the second target capacitance may be different than the target capacitance and may be based on a location of the second memory device with respect to the host device 610 or with respect to one or more impedances associated with a bus coupling the host device 610 and the second memory device (e.g., a bus coupling the host device 610 , the memory device 605 , and the second memory device). at 620 , the host device 610 may transmit configuration information to the memory device 605 based on identifying the target configuration(s). the host device 610 may also transmit, to the second memory device based on identifying the second target configuration, second configuration information indicating the second target configuration. in some examples, the configuration information (e.g., or the second configuration information) may include a target configuration of a capacitive component of the memory device 605 (e.g., or of the second memory device). additionally or alternatively, the configuration information may include a target capacitance for a capacitive component of the memory device 605 (e.g., or of the second memory device). in some cases, the configuration information may include an indication of configuration information for the memory device 605 to store in a mode register or one or more commands including configuration information. at 625 , the memory device 605 may configure the capacitance(s) of the i/o pad(s) of the memory device 605 based on the configuration information. for example, as described with reference to figs. 3-5 , the memory device 605 may include one or more capacitive components having adjustable capacitances, where the one or more capacitive components may be coupled with the one or more i/o pads of the memory device 605 . in some cases, the memory device 605 may configure the capacitance of the i/o pad(s) by configuring the capacitive component(s) (e.g., according to the target configuration or the target capacitance). for example, a controller associated with the memory device 605 may activate (close) or deactivate (open) one or more switching components of a capacitive component in accordance with the configuration information. in some examples, the memory device 605 may store the received configuration information to one or more mode registers of the memory device 605 and may configure the capacitive component(s) based on storing the configuration information to the one or more mode registers. in some cases, the memory device 605 may identify a target configuration of one or more capacitive components of the memory device 605 based on a target capacitance associated with one or more i/o pads of the memory device 605 . as such, the memory device may configure the capacitance(s) of the i/o pad(s) of the memory device 605 based on the identified configuration. at 630 , the memory device 605 may, in some cases, transmit, to the host device 610 , an indication that the capacitance of the i/o pad has been configured. at 635 , the host device 610 may transmit signaling to the memory device 605 via the i/o pad (e.g., after transmitting the configuration information and after the memory device 605 has configured the capacitance of the i/o pad). in some cases, a slew rate of the signaling (e.g., a slew rate of the signaling at the memory device 605 ) may be based on the configuration information (e.g., based on a configuration of the one or more capacitive components of the memory device 605 ). for example, a capacitance of the capacitive component as adjusted (tuned, configured) by the memory device 605 based on the indication may adjust (e.g., reduce) a slew rate of signals from the host device 610 to the memory device 605 . in some examples, the slew rate may be lowered by the configuration of the one or more capacitive components and the lower slew rate may lower reflection noise at the memory device 605 . the reduction in noise at the memory device 605 may improve device performance by increasing signaling accuracy and thereby decreasing latency and improving reliability. fig. 7 shows a block diagram 700 of a memory device 705 that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. the memory device 705 may be an example of aspects of a memory device as described with reference to figs. 3-6 . the memory device 705 may include a configuration information reception component 710 , a capacitance configuration component 715 , and a signal reception component 720 . each of these modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses). the configuration information reception component 710 may receive, at a memory device, configuration information associated with a target capacitance of an i/o pad of the memory device. in some cases, the configuration information indicates a configuration of the capacitive component. the capacitance configuration component 715 may configure, at the memory device, a capacitance of the i/o pad based on the configuration information. in some examples, configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad includes configuring the capacitive component. in some examples, the capacitance configuration component 715 may store the configuration information to one or more mode registers. in some examples, the capacitance configuration component 715 may configure the capacitive component based on storing the configuration information to the one or more mode registers. in some examples, the capacitance configuration component 715 may transmit, to the host device after configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad, an indication that the capacitance of the i/o pad has been configured. in some cases, the memory device includes a capacitive component having an adjustable capacitance and coupled with the i/o pad. the signal reception component 720 may receive signaling from the host device via the i/o pad after configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad. fig. 8 shows a block diagram 800 of a host device 805 that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. the host device 805 may be an example of aspects of a host device as described with reference to figs. 3-6 . the host device 805 may include a capacitive configuration component 810 , a configuration information transmission component 815 , and a signal transmission component 820 . each of these modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses). the capacitive configuration component 810 may identify a target configuration of a capacitive component of a memory device based on a target capacitance associated with an i/o pad of the memory device. in some examples, the capacitive configuration component 810 may identify a second target configuration of a second capacitive component of a second memory device based on a second target capacitance associated with a second i/o pad of the second memory device, where the second target capacitance may be different than the target capacitance. the configuration information transmission component 815 may transmit, to the memory device based on identifying the target configuration, configuration information indicating the target configuration. in some examples, the configuration information transmission component 815 may transmit, to the second memory device based on identifying the second target configuration, second configuration information indicating the second target configuration. the signal transmission component 820 may transmit signaling to the memory device via the i/o pad after transmitting the configuration information. in some cases, a slew rate of the signaling is based on the configuration information. fig. 9 shows a flowchart illustrating a method or methods 900 that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. the operations of method 900 may be implemented by a memory device or its components as described herein. for example, the operations of method 900 may be performed by a memory device as described with reference to fig. 7 . in some examples, a memory device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the memory device to perform the described functions. additionally or alternatively, a memory device may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. at 905 , the memory device may receive, at a memory device, configuration information associated with a target capacitance of an i/o pad of the memory device. the operations of 905 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 905 may be performed by a configuration information reception component as described with reference to fig. 7 . at 910 , the memory device may configure, at the memory device, a capacitance of the i/o pad based on the configuration information. the operations of 910 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 910 may be performed by a capacitance configuration component as described with reference to fig. 7 . at 915 , the memory device may receive signaling from the host device via the i/o pad after configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad. the operations of 915 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 915 may be performed by a signal reception component as described with reference to fig. 7 . in some examples, an apparatus as described herein may perform a method or methods, such as the method 900 . the apparatus may include features, means, or instructions (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor) for receiving, at a memory device, configuration information associated with a target capacitance of an i/o pad of the memory device, configuring, at the memory device, a capacitance of the i/o pad based on the configuration information, and receiving signaling from the host device via the i/o pad after configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad. in some examples of the method 900 and the apparatus described herein, the memory device may include a capacitive component having an adjustable capacitance and coupled with the i/o pad, configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad may include configuring the capacitive component, and the configuration information may indicate a configuration of the capacitive component. some examples of the method 900 and the apparatus described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for storing the configuration information to one or more mode registers, and configuring the capacitive component based on storing the configuration information to the one or more mode registers. some examples of the method 900 and the apparatus described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for transmitting, to the host device after configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad, an indication that the capacitance of the i/o pad may have been configured. fig. 10 shows a flowchart illustrating a method or methods 1000 that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. the operations of method 1000 may be implemented by a memory device or its components as described herein. for example, the operations of method 1000 may be performed by a memory device as described with reference to fig. 7 . in some examples, a memory device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the memory device to perform the described functions. additionally or alternatively, a memory device may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. at 1005 , the memory device may receive, at a memory device, configuration information associated with a target capacitance of an i/o pad of the memory device. the operations of 1005 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 1005 may be performed by a configuration information reception component as described with reference to fig. 7 . at 1010 , the memory device may configure, at the memory device, a capacitance of the i/o pad based on the configuration information. the operations of 1010 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 1010 may be performed by a capacitance configuration component as described with reference to fig. 7 . at 1015 , the memory device may store the configuration information to one or more mode registers. the operations of 1015 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 1015 may be performed by a capacitance configuration component as described with reference to fig. 7 . at 1020 , the memory device may configure the capacitive component based on storing the configuration information to the one or more mode registers. the operations of 1020 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 1020 may be performed by a capacitance configuration component as described with reference to fig. 7 . at 1025 , the memory device may receive signaling from the host device via the i/o pad after configuring the capacitance of the i/o pad. the operations of 1025 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 1025 may be performed by a signal reception component as described with reference to fig. 7 . fig. 11 shows a flowchart illustrating a method or methods 1100 that supports configurable memory die capacitance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. the operations of method 1100 may be implemented by a host device or its components as described herein. for example, the operations of method 1100 may be performed by a host device as described with reference to fig. 8 . in some examples, a host device may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the host device to perform the described functions. additionally or alternatively, a host device may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. at 1105 , the host device may identify a target configuration of a capacitive component of a memory device based on a target capacitance associated with an i/o pad of the memory device. the operations of 1105 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 1105 may be performed by a capacitive component configuration as described with reference to fig. 8 . at 1110 , the host device may transmit, to the memory device based on identifying the target configuration, configuration information indicating the target configuration. the operations of 1110 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 1110 may be performed by a configuration information transmission component as described with reference to fig. 8 . at 1115 , the host device may transmit signaling to the memory device via the i/o pad after transmitting the configuration information. the operations of 1115 may be performed according to the methods described herein. in some examples, aspects of the operations of 1115 may be performed by a signal transmission component as described with reference to fig. 8 . in some examples, an apparatus as described herein may perform a method or methods, such as the method 1100 . the apparatus may include features, means, or instructions (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor) for identifying a target configuration of a capacitive component of a memory device based on a target capacitance associated with an i/o pad of the memory device, transmitting, to the memory device based on identifying the target configuration, configuration information indicating the target configuration, and transmitting signaling to the memory device via the i/o pad after transmitting the configuration information. in some examples of the method 1100 and the apparatus described herein, a slew rate of the signaling may be based on the configuration information. it should be noted that the methods described herein are possible implementations, and that the operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified and that other implementations are possible. further, portions from two or more of the methods may be combined. an apparatus is described. the apparatus may include a memory die that includes an i/o pad, an input buffer included in the memory die, the input buffer coupled with the i/o pad, and a capacitive component having an adjustable capacitance and included in the memory die, the capacitive component coupled with the i/o pad. in some examples, the capacitive component includes a capacitor and a switching component operable to selectively couple the capacitor with the i/o pad. in some examples, the capacitive component includes a set of capacitors and a set of switching components, each respective switching component of the set operable to selectively couple a respective capacitor of the set with the i/o pad. some examples of the apparatus may include a mode register operable to store one or more logic values, and a controller operable to cause the apparatus to configure the capacitive component to may have one of a set of capacitances supported by the capacitive component based on the one or more logic values. in some examples, the capacitive component includes a set of switching components, and the one or more logic values indicate a quantity of the set of switching components for the controller to close. in some examples, the capacitive component includes a set of switching components, and the one or more logic values include a bitmap, each bit of the bitmap indicating whether the controller may be to open or close a respective one of the set of switching components. some examples of the apparatus may include a controller coupled with the capacitive component and operable to configure a slew rate of a signal received via the i/o pad based on configuring the adjustable capacitance of the capacitive component. some examples of the apparatus may include a second memory die that includes a second i/o pad and a second capacitive component, the second capacitive component having a second adjustable capacitance and coupled with the second i/o pad. a system is described. the system may include a memory device and a host device coupled with the memory device. the memory device may include a memory die including an i/o pad and a capacitive component having an adjustable capacitance and coupled with the i/o pad. the host device may be operable to provide configuration information to the memory device, and the memory device may be operable to configure the adjustable capacitance of the capacitive component based on the configuration information. in some examples, the capacitive component of the memory device includes one or more capacitors and one or more switching components, where each of the one or more switching components are operable to selectively couple a respective capacitor of the one or more capacitors with the i/o pad. in some examples, the host device is operable to provide the configuration information based on issuing, to the memory device, a command that indicates the configuration information. in some examples, a slew rate of a signal transmitted from the host device to the memory device is based on the adjustable capacitance of the capacitive component. some examples of the memory device may include a mode register, where the memory device is operable to configure the adjustable capacitance of the capacitive component based on one or more logic values stored in the mode register. in some examples, the host device is operable to provide the configuration information based on transmitting an indication of the one or more logic values to the memory device, and the memory device is operable to store the one or more logic values in the mode register based on the indication. some examples of the memory device may include an input buffer coupled with the i/o pad. some examples of the memory device may include one or more additional memory dies each including a respective i/o pad. in some examples, the memory device is operable to couple the capacitive component with the respective i/o pad of at least one of the one or more additional memory dies. some examples of the system may include one or more additional memory devices each including a respective memory die, the respective memory die including a respective i/o pad and a respective capacitive component. in some examples, the respective capacitive component may have a respective adjustable capacitance and may be coupled with the respective i/o pad. in some examples, a single i/o pad of the host device is coupled with a plurality of i/o pads that includes the i/o pad of the memory device and the respective i/o pad of each of the one or more additional memory devices. in some examples of the system, the capacitive component of the memory device may be configured to have a first capacitance and a second capacitive component included in a second memory device of the one or more additional memory devices may be configured to have a second capacitance. in some examples, the memory device may be nearer the host device than the second memory device and the first capacitance may be greater than the second capacitance. in some examples of the system, the system may further include a termination impedance for a bus coupled with the host device, the memory device, and the second memory device, where the memory device may be farther from the termination impedance than the second memory device, and where the first capacitance may be greater than the second capacitance. information and signals described herein may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. for example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof. some drawings may illustrate signals as a single signal; however, it will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that the signal may represent a bus of signals, where the bus may have a variety of bit widths. the terms “electronic communication,” “conductive contact,” “connected,” and “coupled” may refer to a relationship between components that supports the flow of signals between the components. components are considered in electronic communication with (or in conductive contact with or connected with or coupled with) one another if there is any conductive path between the components that can, at any time, support the flow of signals between the components. at any given time, the conductive path between components that are in electronic communication with each other (or in conductive contact with or connected with or coupled with) may be an open circuit or a closed circuit based on the operation of the device that includes the connected components. the conductive path between connected components may be a direct conductive path between the components or the conductive path between connected components may be an indirect conductive path that may include intermediate components, such as switches, transistors, or other components. in some cases, the flow of signals between the connected components may be interrupted for a time, for example, using one or more intermediate components such as switches or transistors. the term “coupling” refers to condition of moving from an open-circuit relationship between components in which signals are not presently capable of being communicated between the components over a conductive path to a closed-circuit relationship between components in which signals are capable of being communicated between components over the conductive path. when a component, such as a controller, couples other components together, the component initiates a change that allows signals to flow between the other components over a conductive path that previously did not permit signals to flow. the term “isolated” refers to a relationship between components in which signals are not presently capable of flowing between the components. components are isolated from each other if there is an open circuit between them. for example, two components separated by a switch that is positioned between the components are isolated from each other when the switch is open. when a controller isolates two components, the controller affects a change that prevents signals from flowing between the components using a conductive path that previously permitted signals to flow. the term “layer” used herein refers to a stratum or sheet of a geometrical structure. each layer may have three dimensions (e.g., height, width, and depth) and may cover at least a portion of a surface. for example, a layer may be a three-dimensional structure where two dimensions are greater than a third, e.g., a thin-film. layers may include different elements, components, and/or materials. in some cases, one layer may be composed of two or more sublayers. in some of the appended figures, two dimensions of a three-dimensional layer are depicted for purposes of illustration. as used herein, the term “electrode” may refer to an electrical conductor, and in some cases, may be employed as an electrical contact to a memory cell or other component of a memory array. an electrode may include a trace, wire, conductive line, conductive layer, or the like that provides a conductive path between elements or components of memory array. the devices discussed herein, including a memory array, may be formed on a semiconductor substrate, such as silicon, germanium, silicon-germanium alloy, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, etc. in some cases, the substrate is a semiconductor wafer. in other cases, the substrate may be a silicon-on-insulator (soi) substrate, such as silicon-on-glass (sog) or silicon-on-sapphire (sos), or epitaxial layers of semiconductor materials on another substrate. the conductivity of the substrate, or sub-regions of the substrate, may be controlled through doping using various chemical species including, but not limited to, phosphorous, boron, or arsenic. doping may be performed during the initial formation or growth of the substrate, by ion-implantation, or by any other doping means. a switching component or a transistor discussed herein may represent a field-effect transistor (fet) and comprise a three terminal device including a source, drain, and gate. the terminals may be connected to other electronic elements through conductive materials, e.g., metals. the source and drain may be conductive and may comprise a heavily-doped, e.g., degenerate, semiconductor region. the source and drain may be separated by a lightly-doped semiconductor region or channel. if the channel is n-type (i.e., majority carriers are signals), then the fet may be referred to as a n-type fet. if the channel is p-type (i.e., majority carriers are holes), then the fet may be referred to as a p-type fet. the channel may be capped by an insulating gate oxide. the channel conductivity may be controlled by applying a voltage to the gate. for example, applying a positive voltage or negative voltage to an n-type fet or a p-type fet, respectively, may result in the channel becoming conductive. a transistor may be “on” or “activated” when a voltage greater than or equal to the transistor’s threshold voltage is applied to the transistor gate. the transistor may be “off” or “deactivated” when a voltage less than the transistor’s threshold voltage is applied to the transistor gate. the description set forth herein, in connection with the appended drawings, describes example configurations and does not represent all the examples that may be implemented or that are within the scope of the claims. the term “exemplary” used herein means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and not “preferred” or “advantageous over other examples.” the detailed description includes specific details to providing an understanding of the described techniques. these techniques, however, may be practiced without these specific details. in some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples. in the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. if just the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label. the various illustrative blocks and modules described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed with a general-purpose processor, a dsp, an asic, an fpga or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. a general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. a processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a dsp and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a dsp core, or any other such configuration). the functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. if implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. other examples and implementations are within the scope of the disclosure and appended claims. for example, due to the nature of software, the described functions can be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or combinations of any of these. features implementing functions may also be physically located at various positions, including being distributed such that portions of functions are implemented at different physical locations. also, as used herein, including in the claims, “or” as used in a list of items (for example, a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as “at least one of” or “one or more of”) indicates an inclusive list such that, for example, a list of at least one of a, b, or c means a or b or c or ab or ac or bc or abc (i.e., a and b and c). also, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set of conditions. for example, an exemplary step that is described as “based on condition a” may be based on both a condition a and a condition b without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. in other words, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall be construed in the same manner as the phrase “based at least in part on.” computer-readable media includes both non-transitory computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. a non-transitory storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. by way of example, and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media can comprise ram, rom, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (eeprom), compact disk (cd) rom or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. for example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (dsl), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (dsl), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. disk and disc, as used herein, include cd, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (dvd), floppy disk and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media. the description herein is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. various modifications to the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. thus, the disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
|
150-926-091-850-287
|
US
|
[
"WO",
"AU",
"US",
"CA"
] |
B60R11/00,B60R11/02,H03J7/18,H04B1/38,H04B1/44
| 1994-03-30T00:00:00 |
1994
|
[
"B60",
"H03",
"H04"
] |
hands-free two-way radio communication system
|
the hands-free, two way communication radio includes a multiple channel transmitter/receiver having one of the channels designated a primary communication channel. the transmitter/receiver is also operable in a scan mode to scan multiple channels for communication signals. the radio also includes an interface operatively connected to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver and a hands-free microphone operatively connected to the transmitter/receiver through the interface. a foot pedal actuator is provided for keying the hands-free microphone to allow transmission of a message over the multiple channel transmitter/receiver. further, the radio includes a switching mechanism operative in response to actuation of the foot pedal for providing a control signal to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver. this control signal results in the multiple channel transmitter/receiver switching to the primary communication channel for transmission of the message. the invention also includes the combination of the interface, hands-free microphone and foot pedal actuator and switching system for retrofit conversion of a standard radio to hands-free operation.
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1. a radio allowing hands-free, two-way communication, comprising: a multiple channel transmitter/receiver, having one channel designated a primary communication channel, operable in a scan mode to scan multiple channels for communication signals; an interface operatively connected to said multiple channel transmitter/receiver; a hands-free microphone operatively connected to said multiple channel transmitter/receiver through said interface; a foot pedal actuator for keying said hands-free microphone to allow transmission of a message over said multiple channel transmitter/receiver; and means operative in response to said foot-pedal actuator for providing a control signal to said multiple channel transmitter/receiver resulting in said multiple channel transmitter/receiver switching to said primary communication channel for transmission of the message. 2. the radio as set forth in claim 1, further including a second microphone including a press-to-talk transmission switch operatively connected to said multiple channel transmitter/receiver through said interface. 3. the radio set forth in claim 2, wherein said foot pedal actuator is a double pole/double throw switch. 4. the radio set forth in claim 3, wherein said radio further includes a control signal line and a microphone transmission line, said double pole/double throw switch including a normally closed circuit in said control signal line and a normally open circuit connected to said microphone transmission line leading to said hands-free microphone. 5. the radio set forth in claim 4, further including a power input line to said hands-free microphone, a signal input line to said transmitter/receiver and a capacitor for coupling said power input line and said signal input line. 6. the radio set forth in claim 5, wherein said capacitor is rated at 0.01 .mu.f, 50 v. 7. the radio set forth in claim 5, further including a resistor in said power input line to provide proper input voltage to said hands-free microphone. 8. the radio as set forth in claim 5, further including a fuse in said power input line to provide surge and short circuit protection. 9. an apparatus for providing hands-free operating capability to a two-way radio including a multiple channel transmitter/receiver and press-to-talk microphone and having one channel designated a primary communication channel while also being operable in a scan mode to scan multiple channels for communication signals, said apparatus comprising: an interface operatively connected to said multiple channel transmitter/receiver; a hands-free microphone operatively connected to said multiple channel transmitter/receiver through said interface; a foot pedal actuator for keying said hands-free microphone to allow transmission of a message over said multiple channel transmitter/receiver; and means operative in response to said foot-pedal actuator for providing a control signal to said multiple channel transmitter/receiver resulting in said multiple channel transmitter/receiver switching to said primary communication channel for transmission of said message. 10. the apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said foot pedal actuator is a double pole/double throw switch. 11. the apparatus set forth in claim 10, further including a control signal line and a microphone transmission line said double pole/double throw switch having a normally closed circuit in said control signal line and a normally open circuit connected to said microphone transmission line leading to said hands-free microphone. 12. the apparatus set forth in claim 11, further including a power input line to said hands-free microphone, a signal input line to said transmitter/receiver and a capacitor for coupling said power input line and said signal input line. 13. the apparatus set forth in claim 12, wherein said capacitor is rated at 0.01 .mu.f, 50 v. 14. the apparatus set forth in claim 12, further including a resistor in said power input line to provide proper input voltage to said hands-free microphone. 15. the apparatus as set forth in claim 12, further including a fuse in said power input line to provide surge and short circuit protection. 16. an interface for operatively connecting a hands-free microphone through a foot controlled actuator to a two-way radio including a multiple channel transmitter/receiver and press-to-talk microphone, the radio having one channel designated a primary communication channel while also being operable in a scan mode to scan multiple channels for communication signals, said interface comprising: a junction box including a shield line, a microphone transmission line, a signal input line and a control signal line; first means for operatively connecting said shield line, microphone transmission line, signal input line and control signal line to said transmitter/receiver and said press-to-talk microphone; and second means for operatively connecting said shield line, microphone transmission line and control signal line to said foot actuator. 17. the interface as set forth in claim 16, wherein said interface further includes a power input line and means for operatively connecting said power input line to said hands-free microphone. 18. the interface set forth in claim 17, wherein said interface further includes a capacitor for coupling said power input line and said signal input line. 19. the interface set forth in claim 18, wherein said capacitor is rated at 0.01 .mu.f, 50 v. 20. the interface set forth in claim 17, further including a resistor in said power input line to provide proper input voltage to said hands-free microphone. 21. the interface as set forth in claim 17, further including a fuse in said power input line to provide surge and short circuit protection.
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technical field the present invention relates generally to the field of two-way radio communication and, more particularly, to a complete two-way radio with hands-free communication capability and a retrofit apparatus and interface for converting a two-way radio equipped with a standard microphone with press-to-talk transmission switch to hands-free capability. background of the invention two-way communication radios allowing for multiple channel transmission and reception of messages have long been known in the art. as standard equipment such radios incorporate a hand-held microphone having a "press-to-talk" transmission switch that must be manually activated to transmit a message. such radios also typically include a scanning feature. in the scan mode of operation; the radio scans through all or a programmed group of the multiple channels so as to allow the monitoring of communications taking place. two-way radios of this type are presently manufactured by a number of companies under brand names including: motorola, general electric, uniden, kenwood, regency, wilson and bearcat. a primary market for the sale of two-way communication radios is law enforcement and public safety agencies. specifically, these agencies install a two-way communications radio in each of their vehicles so that an officer or official in the vehicle may benefit from two-way communication with a dispatcher at a central information processing location. many times the operator of the vehicle must communicate with the dispatcher while the vehicle is in motion. unfortunately, the manipulation necessary to communicate utilizing the standard equipment, hand-held microphone with the manually operated transmission switch may cause the operator to compromise vehicle control. this is particularly true in high speed pursuit situations when the operator must either remove his eyes from the road to visually locate the microphone or blindly feel for the microphone. in either event, the operator must also remove a hand from the steering wheel to grasp the microphone thereby surrendering some control and adversely affecting the directional stability of the vehicle. recognizing this shortcoming, several attempts have been made in the past to provide for hands-free operation of the two-way radio in a vehicle. specifically, the goal of these prior art devices has been to allow the operator to transmit a message over the two-way radio without removing his hands from the steering wheel or his eyes from the road. examples of such prior art systems are disclosed in u.s. pat. nos. 3,906,472 to guadara et al. and 4,151,468 to kerr. in the guadara et al. patent the radio communication system incorporates a transmitter, a normal press-to-talk microphone, and a hands-free microphone. foot operated switches allow control of the hands-free microphone. in kerr, a standard press-to-talk microphone is positioned in a holder adjacent to the mouth of the driver and an actuating mechanism for the microphone is controlled by a foot pedal. while each of these approaches do allow for the transmission of messages over the two-way radio without diverting the eyes of the vehicle operator from the road or the hands of the vehicle operator from the steering wheel, these approaches do not allow multiple channel two-way radios to be operated in the "scan mode". as previously discussed, when in the scan mode, the radio scans through the multiple channels for communication signals. due to a need to remain informed of events requiring their attention, police officers on patrol in their vehicles regularly monitor communications over a number of channels using this scan feature. hence, it should be appreciated that the scan feature is an important radio function and any hands-free transmission capability must be compatible with the use of the scan function. the scan mode functions when that mode is selected for operation and the standard microphone is in its resting or "hooked" position on the side of the radio. only when the microphone is lifted or "unhooked" from the radio does the radio switch to a primary communication channel for transmission of a message to the dispatcher. at present, no prior art system for the hands-free operation of a two-way radio known to the inventors will allow the operator to take advantage of the important scanning feature built into present day radios. a need is, therefore, identified for an improved system allowing both hands-free message transmission and scan mode function so that an operator may take the fullest advantage of the available operation features of the radio. summary of the invention accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a complete hands-free, two-way radio communication system, as well as an apparatus and interface for the retrofit conversion of a standard two-way radio communication system for hands-free operation, overcoming the above-described limitations and disadvantages of the prior art. another object of the present invention is to provide a hands-free, two-way radio communication system that allows operation of the radio in a scan mode so that multiple channels may be scanned for communications while the radio is also advantageously returned to a primary communications channel upon actuation of a hands-free microphone. accordingly, it should be appreciated that the invention is particularly useful when installed in public safety, fire department and police department vehicles where it allows both normal scan function and hands-free radio transmission. accordingly, the operator of the vehicle may monitor all the communication channels and transmit messages as needed while maintaining his eyes on the road and his hands on the vehicle controls. additional objects, advantages, and other novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. the objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. to achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, an improved radio is provided allowing hands-free, two-way communication. the radio includes a multiple channel transmitter/receiver. advantageously, the radio is operable in a scan mode to scan all or a pre-selected number of the multiple channels for communication signals. additionally, one of the channels is designated a primary communications channel. this channel allows communication with a dispatcher operating a base unit, at a central information processing and control location. an interface is provided operatively connected to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver. a hands-free microphone is operatively connected to the transmitter/receiver through this interface. additionally, a foot pedal actuator is provided for keying the hands-free microphone. when keyed, the hands-free microphone allows transmission of a message over the multiple channel transmitter/receiver. more specifically, when the transmitter/receiver is set for a standard mode of operation, the transmission of the message takes place over the specific channel to which the transmitter/receiver is set. when the transmitter/receiver is set for operation in a scan mode, however, the keying of the hands-free microphone causes a means operative in response thereto to provide a control signal to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver. this control signal results in the transmitter/receiver switching to a predesignated primary communication channel for transmission of the message. thus, it should be appreciated, that through the utilization of the present invention, the operator of the radio may enjoy a combination of features unattainable with prior art, two-way communication radio designs: that is, a fully operational scanning function and true hands-free transmission ability over a pre-selected primary communication channel. thus, police department, fire department, and safety personnel all benefit when the radio of the present invention is installed in their vehicle. specifically, these individuals may enjoy free communication with the dispatcher without any distraction or interruption to their control of vehicle operation. more specifically, the operator may maintain his eyes fully on the road, his hands continuously on the steering wheel and his right foot fully free to operate the gas and brake pedals. thus, one hundred percent vehicle control is maintained even during communications. the transmitting and receiving of the radio is fully controlled by the foot pedal actuator that may be mounted on the floor of the vehicle at a convenient location for operation by the otherwise unoccupied left foot of the vehicle operator. still more specifically, the foot pedal actuator is preferably a double pole/double throw switch. further, the radio includes a control signal line and a microphone transmission line. the double pole/double throw switch includes a normally closed circuit in the control signal line and normally open circuit connected into the microphone transmission line leading to the hands-free microphone. in addition, a power input line is provided to the hands-free microphone and a signal input line leads to the transmitter/receiver. a capacitor couples the power input line to the signal input line in order to couple the ac component (signal output) of the microphone amplifier to the signal input terminal of the transmitter/receiver. the signal is utilized to modulate the carrier signal of the transmitter and thereby transmit a message. additionally, the capacitor isolates any unwanted dc voltage on the transmitter microphone input terminal. preferably, the capacitor is rated at 0.01 .mu.f, 50 v. in addition, a resistor is provided in the power input line. this resistor serves as a voltage dropping resistor and is sized according to the input voltage requirements of the particular hands-free microphone being utilized. further, a fuse is provided in the power input line to provide surge and short circuit protection. in accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the radio may also include a second microphone of "standard" design including a press-to-talk transmission switch that is operatively connected to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver through the interface. this microphone also is fully operative in the present system so as to give the vehicle operator the option of this second mode of transmitting a message. this is particularly convenient when the operator wishes to communicate over the radio while standing outside the vehicle, away from the hands-free microphone, and observing some activity. in accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention an apparatus is provided for retrofitting to a two-way communications radio of standard design incorporating a microphone, including a press-to-talk transmission switch, and providing a scan mode of operation. the apparatus converts that radio to a hands-free operation capability. as described above, the apparatus includes an interface operatively connected to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver of the radio. additionally, the apparatus includes a hands-free microphone that is operatively connected to the transmitter/receiver through the interface. also a foot pedal actuator is provided for keying the hands-free microphone so as to allow transmission of a message over the multiple channel transmitter/receiver. further, the apparatus includes a means operative in response to the foot pedal actuator to provide a control signal to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver. this control signal results in the multiple channel transmitter/receiver switching to the primary communication channel for transmission of the message upon keying the hands-free microphone. this is a channel that is predesignated by the operator for this purpose and typically is the channel set up for monitoring by the dispatcher at the centrally located base station. in accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the interface is provided for operatively connecting a hands-free microphone through a foot pedal actuator to a two-way radio including a multiple channel transmitter/receiver and press-to-talk microphone. the interface includes a junction box having a shield line, a microphone transmission line, a signal input line and a control signal line. additionally, the interface includes a first means of operatively connecting the shield line, microphone transmission line, signal input line, and a control signal line to the transmitter/receiver and, if desired, the standard press-to-talk microphone. a second means is provided for operatively connecting the shield line, microphone transmission line, and the control signal line to the foot actuator. the interface also includes a power input line and means for operatively connecting the power input line to the hands-free microphone. thus, an amplified signal is produced so that the hands-free microphone may be located away from the operators face in an out of the way position such as on the dashboard or sun visor so that the hands-free microphone does not interfere with the operation of the vehicle. as previously described the interface also includes a capacitor for coupling the power input and signal input lines to enable transmission of a message over the transmitter upon keying the hands-free microphone. the interface additionally includes a resistor in the power input line to provide proper input voltage to the hands-free microphone and a fuse in the power input line to provide surge and short circuit protection. still other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. as it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. brief description of the drawing the accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrates several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serves to explain the principles of the invention. in the drawing: fig. 1 is a schematical representation of the hands-free, two-way communication radio, retrofit apparatus and interface of the present invention shown installed in a vehicle; and fig. 2 is a detailed, schematical and partially block diagram representation of the apparatus and interface of the present invention for converting a standard two-way communication radio with press-to-talk microphone to hands-free operation while maintaining the standard scanning function of the multi-channel radio fully operational. reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. detailed description of the invention reference is now made to drawing fig. 1 showing the hands-free, two-way communication radio 10 of the present invention. the radio 10 is being described with reference to mounting in a vehicle such as a police cruiser generally designated by a reference letter v. it should be appreciated, however, that the hands-free, two-way communication radio 10 may be utilized as a mobile unit as described or as a base unit where hands-free operation and transmission of messages would be of benefit. as shown schematically in fig. 1, the radio 10 includes a multiple channel transmitter/receiver 12. such a transmitter/receiver 12 is well known in the art and is marketed under a number of trade names including but not necessarily limited to motorola, general electric, uniden, kenwood, regency, wilson, and bearcat. the multiple channel transmitter/receiver 12 has one channel that may be selected and designated as a primary communication channel. further, the transmitter/receiver 12 has circuitry providing for operation in a scan mode and thereby includes a scanning function to allow either a selected number or all of the multiple channels to be scanned for communication signals. this is the mode of operation of the transmitter/receiver 12 generally utilized by police officers while on patrol in their police cruisers. an interface, generally designated by reference numeral 14, is provided operatively connected to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver 12 (see also fig. 2). a more detailed description of the interface 14 follows below. the radio 10 also includes a hands-free microphone 16 that is operatively connected to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver 12 through the interface 14. preferably, the microphone 16 is amplified so that it may be conveniently positioned in an out of the way location such as on the sun visor or dashboard while still allowing the vehicle operator to transmit a message when speaking in a normal tone of voice. a foot pedal actuator 18, also operatively connected to the interface 14 allows the hands-free microphone 16 to be keyed for transmission of a message over the multiple channel transmitter/receiver 12. it should be appreciated that, the foot pedal actuator 18 may be positioned on the floor f of the vehicle to the left of the gas and brake pedals g, b, respectively, where the actuator may be conveniently manipulated by the operator of the vehicle utilizing his left foot. this foot is, of course, otherwise unoccupied when driving the vehicle. as will be described in greater detail below, the radio 10 also includes a means, generally designated by the reference numeral 20, for providing a control signal to the multiple channel transmitter/receiver 12 when the foot pedal actuator 18 is depressed (see fig. 2). this control signal results in the multiple channel transmitter/receiver 12 switching to the primary communication channel so that the message being transmitted by the operator of the vehicle v through the microphone 16 is received by a dispatcher and others having their receivers set on that communication channel. as should be appreciated, since the operator of the vehicle v transmits a message over the radio 10 by simply depressing the foot pedal actuator 18 with his left foot and speaking , full and complete control of the vehicle is maintained at all times. more specifically, the operator's hands remain free for operation of the steering wheel. similarly, as the foot pedal actuator 18 is positioned in a convenient location for engagement with the left foot, the eyes of the operator also remain free to be focused upon the roadway so as to allow maximum vehicle control even while transmitting a message. this is a particularly important aspect and advantage to the present invention when one considers the potential for the vehicle operator to be involved in a high speed pursuit. further, as an additional advantage, it should be appreciated that the present invention allows hands-free operation while still allowing full function of the standard scanning mode feature of the transmitter/receiver 12. in contrast, prior art hands-free transmission systems and retrofit apparatus have not been compatible with the scan mode or scanning function so important to the vehicle operator in today's multiple channel network structure found in communication systems utilized by, for example, fire, safety and law enforcement personnel. reference is now made to fig. 2 showing the interface 14 of the present invention in greater detail. as shown in fig. 2, the interface 14 includes a junction box 22. the junction box 22 includes: a shield line 24; a microphone transmission line 26; a signal input line 28, and a control signal line 30. these lines 24, 26, 28, and 30 extend from junction box 22 to a first set of connectors 32, 32' for operatively connecting these lines, respectively, to the standard, press-to-talk transmission microphone 11 supplied as standard equipment with a two-way communication radio and the transmitter/receiver unit 12 of the radio. pin connectors of a type known in the art, corresponding to the pin connectors utilized by the manufacturer of the press-to-talk microphone 11 and transmitter/receiver unit 12 of the radio 10 may be utilized for this purpose. for example, an ora, 5 pin din connector (240.degree. ) may be utilized to complete the interface connection with radios presently manufactured under the brand names regency, uniden and bearcat. as another example, an rj11 phone jack may be utilized to complete the interface connection with radios presently manufactured under the brand names johnson and kenwood. the interface 14 also includes a second connector generally designated by reference numeral 34 to operatively connect the shield line 24, microphone transmission line 26 and control signal line 30 to the foot pedal actuator 18. any type of connector known in the art and suitable for this purpose may be utilized. further, it should be appreciated that straight wiring without any connector could also be used. as further shown in fig. 2, the junction box 22 includes a power input line 36 that is operatively connected by means of a plug connector arrangement, generally designated by reference numeral 38, to the hands-free microphone 16. as should further be appreciated by reviewing fig. 2, the foot pedal actuator 18 comprises a double pole/double throw switch. the double pole/double throw switch of the actuator 18 includes a normally closed circuit 20 operatively connected to the control signal line 30 so that the scan function of the radio 10 will operate as desired until the foot pedal actuator is depressed for transmission of a message over the hands-free microphone 16. additionally, the double pole/double throw switch of the actuator 18 includes a normally open circuit 40 operatively connected between the shield line 24 and microphone transmission line 26 that allows keying of the hands-free microphone 16 when the actuator 18 is depressed. as also shown in fig. 2, a capacitor 42 is provided coupling the power input line 36 with the signal input line 28. the capacitor 42 is selected to be compatible with the hands-free microphone 16 and the transmitter/receiver 12. preferably, a 0.01 .mu.f, 50 v capacitor is utilized. this capacitor 42 functions to couple the ac component or signal output of the amplifier of the hands-free microphone 16 to the signal input line 28 of the transmitter/receiver 12. this signal is utilized to modulate the carrier signal of the transmitter/receiver 12 thereby transmitting a message. further, this capacitor 42 also isolates any unwanted dc voltage to the transmitter/receiver 12 signal input line 28. a resistor 44 is provided in the power input line 36 to insure that the proper input voltage is provided to meet the requirements of operation for the hands-free microphone 16 being utilized. accordingly, the resistor 44 is matched to the system requirements. further, a fuse 46 may also be provided in the power input line 36 to provide surge and short circuit protection. again, the fuse 46 is sized as needed to protect the circuity. in operation, the transmitter/receiver 12 may be operated in the scan mode whereby the multiple channels are scanned and monitored for communication signals. when hands-free transmission of a message is desired, the operator depresses the foot pedal actuator 18 with his left or non-driving foot. at that time the normally closed circuit 20 is opened providing an "off-hook" signal to the transmitter/receiver 12. this is done by producing an open circuit in the ground path. in response, to this off-hook signal, the transmitter/receiver 12 stops the scanning mode of operation and switches to the primary communication channel for which the transmitter/receiver 12 has been previously programmed. this switching occurs whether or not the standard press-to-talk microphone 11 is connected to the interface 14 and/or hooked in the rest position on the side of the radio. simultaneously the normally open circuit 40 is closed thereby keying the transmitter of the transmitter/receiver 12. this is done by providing a ground signal over the microphone transmission line 26 thereby causing the transmitter of the transmitter/receiver 12 to provide a carrier signal to the antenna (not shown) of the unit. further, the normally open, now closed contacts of the circuit 20 provide a ground path to the electronics of the amplified, hands-free microphone 16, switching the microphone amplifier on and making the microphone "hot" for transmission of the message by the transmitter/receiver 12 over the priority communication channel. advantageously, this is achieved while the vehicle operator retains his eyes exclusively on the roadway and his hands continuously on the steering wheel. by lifting the left foot and releasing the pressure on the foot pedal actuator 18, the circuits 20 and 40 return to their normally closed and normally open positions respectively. the transmitter/receiver 12 is then returned to the scan mode of operation just as it was before the foot pedal actuator 18 was depressed. in summary, numerous benefits result from employing the concepts of the invention. a truly hands-free, two-way radio communication system is provided. accordingly, vehicle operation is not interrupted so that the operator of the vehicle v may maintain increased control. only the left foot is utilized to operate the radio and allow the operator to transmit a desired message over the primary communication channel that has been previously selected by the operator and programmed into the transmitter/receiver 12. further, the unique arrangement of the interface 14 and double pole/double throw switch of the foot pedal actuator 18 allows hands-free operation that, for the first time, is fully compatible with the scanning mode or function of state of the art radios. further, the hands-free microphone 16 may be utilized with the transmitter/receiver 12 whether or not the transmitter/receiver is also operatively connected to the standard press-to-talk microphone 11. additionally, it should be appreciated from reviewing the above that the combination of the interface 14, hands-free microphone 16, and foot pedal actuator 18 may be retrofitted to existing radios to convert those existing systems with press-to-talk microphones 11 to hands-free operation. advantageously, this may be done by following a simple installation procedure and in a cost efficient manner while providing excellent operational reliability. the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. the embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. all such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
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151-338-047-933-638
|
US
|
[
"US",
"WO",
"TW"
] |
G03B13/00,G03B27/00,G03B27/58,G03C1/00,G03F7/00,H04N1/12
| 2004-05-21T00:00:00 |
2004
|
[
"G03",
"H04"
] |
image-forming device having a belt type processing member with micro-features
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an image-forming device comprises a rotating belt that includes a plurality of micro-members. the micro-members are preferably spherical members or hook and loop members. the rotating belt having the micro-members thereon is adapted to contact microencapsulated media with a force sufficient to rupture unhardened microcapsules on the media.
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1. an image-forming device comprising: an imaging member that exposes a photosensitive medium to form a latent image on the photosensitive medium, the photosensitive medium comprising a plurality of microcapsules which encapsulate imaging material; and a processing member that develops the latent image, said processing member comprising a rotatable belt that includes micro-members on a surface thereof which contact the photosensitive medium during a rotation of the belt to apply a force to a surface of the photosensitive medium, said force being sufficient to release imaging material from selected microcapsules of said plurality of microcapsules. 2. an image-forming device according to claim 1 , wherein said micro-members are a plurality of spherical members provided on the surface of the belt. 3. an image-forming device according to claim 1 , wherein said micro-members are a plurality of hook and loop members which extend from an outer surface of said belt. 4. an image-forming device according to claim 1 , further comprising a backing member positioned so as oppose said belt, wherein said media passes between said belt and said backing member. 5. an image-forming device according to claim 4 , wherein said backing member is an opposing platen roller. 6. an image-forming device according to claim 1 , wherein said belt is an endless belt that extends around two opposing pulleys. 7. an image-forming device according to claim 6 , further comprising a spring member that urges a surface of said belt which opposes the media in a direction toward the media. 8. an image-forming device according to claim 6 , wherein said belt is rotated in a first direction around the opposing pulleys, said first direction being transverse to a direction of travel of the media in said image-forming device. 9. an image forming method comprising: exposing a photosensitive medium comprising a plurality of micro-capsules which encapsulate imaging material to form a latent image; and developing the latent image by contacting a surface of said medium with a rotating belt having micro-members thereon, said contacting of the micro-members of the rotating belt with the surface of the medium applying a force to the surface of the medium which is sufficient to release imaging material from selected microcapsules of the plurality of microcapsules. 10. an image forming method according to claim 9 , wherein said micro-members comprise a plurality of hook and loop members located on a surface of said belt. 11. an image forming method according to claim 9 , wherein said micro-members comprise a plurality of spherical members located on a surface of said belt. 12. an image forming method according to claim 9 , wherein during said developing step, the medium is conveyed between the rotating belt and a backing member.
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cross reference to related applications the present application is related to the following pending patent application: u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/831,085 filed apr. 23, 2004, entitled roller chain for applying pressure. field of the invention the present invention relates to an image-forming device for processing photosensitive media, wherein the photosensitive media includes a plurality of microcapsules that encapsulate imaging material such as coloring material. background of the invention image-forming devices are known in which media having a layer of microcapsules containing a chromogenic material and a photohardenable or photosoftenable composition, and a developer, which may be in the same or a separate layer from the microcapsules, is image-wise exposed. in these devices, the microcapsules are ruptured, and an image is produced by the differential reaction of the chromogenic material and the developer. more specifically, in these image-forming devices, after exposure and rupture of the microcapsules, the ruptured microcapsules release a color-forming agent, whereupon the developer material reacts with the color-forming agent to form an image. the image formed can be viewed through a transparent support or a protective overcoat against a reflective white support as is taught in, for example, u.s. pat. no. 5,783,353 and u.s. publication no. 2002/0045121 a1. typically, the microcapsules will include three sets of microcapsules sensitive respectively to red, green and blue light and containing cyan, magenta and yellow color formers, respectively, as taught in u.s. pat. no. 4,772,541. preferably a direct digital transmission imaging technique is employed using a modulated led print head to expose the microcapsules. conventional arrangements for developing the image formed by exposure in these image-forming devices include using spring-loaded balls, micro wheels, micro rollers or rolling pins, and heat from a heat source is applied after this development step to accelerate development. the photohardenable composition in at least one and possibly all three sets of microcapsules can be sensitized by a photo-initiator such as a cationic dye-borate complex as described in, for example, u.s. pat. nos. 4,772,541; 4,772,530; 4,800,149; 4,842,980; 4,865,942; 5,057,393; 5,100,755 and 5,783,353. the above describes micro-encapsulation technology that combines micro-encapsulation with photo polymerization into a photographic coating to produce a continuous tone, digital imaging member. with regard to the media used in this technology, a substrate is coated with millions of light sensitive microcapsules, which contain either cyan, magenta or yellow image forming dyes (in leuco form). the microcapsule further comprises a monomer and the appropriate cyan, magenta or yellow photo initiator that absorb red, green or blue light respectively. exposure to light, after the induction period is reached, induces polymerization. when exposure is made, the photo-initiator absorbs light and initiates a polymerization reaction, converting the internal fluid (monomer) into polymer, which binds or traps leucodye from escaping when pressure is applied. with no exposure, microcapsules remain soft and are easily broken, permitting all of the contained dye to be expelled into a developer containing binder and developed which produces the maximum color available. with increasing exposure, an analog or continuous tone response occurs until the microcapsules are completely hardened, to thereby prevent any dye from escaping when pressure is applied. conventionally, as describe above, in order to develop the image, pressure is uniformly applied across the image. as a final fixing step, heat is applied to accelerate color development and to react all un-reacted liquid from the microcapsules. this heating step also serves to assist in the development of available leucodye for improved image stability. generally, pressure ruptured capsules (unhardened) expel luecodye into the developer matrix. small compact low cost printers typically employed micro-wheels or balls backed by springs and operate in a scanning stylus fashion by transversing the media. this allowed for low cost and relatively low spring force due to the small surface area that the ball or micro wheel (typically 2 to 3 mm diameter) contacted on the media. the disadvantage of this method was that the processing pitch required to assure uniform development needs to be (approximately 1 mm for a 3/16″ diameter ball) which results in slow processing times for a typical print image format (4×6 inch). ganging multiple ball stylus or micro wheels adds cost, and increases the possibility of processing failure due to debris caught under a ball surface. conventional high speed processing involved line processing utilizing large crushing rollers. to ensure the high pressure, (psi) required, these rollers tended to be large to minimize deflection. however, these large rollers were costly, heavy, and require high spring loading. also, the extensibility of this method is limited as larger rollers (and spring loads) are required as media size increases. recent developments in media design (or the imaging member) as described in co-pending u.s. application ser. no. 10/687,939 have changed the prior art structure of the imaging member to the point where the aforementioned means of processing may no longer be robust. the use of a substantially non-compressible top clear polymer film layer and a rigid opaque backing layer which serves to contain the image forming layer of conventional media presented a processing position whereby balls, micro wheels or rollers could be used without processing artifacts such as scratch, banding, or dimensional or surface deformation. in addition, the non-compressibility of this prior art structure provided more tolerance to processing conditions. the recent imaging member embodiment as described in the above-mentioned co-pending patent application, replaces the top and bottom structures of the media with highly elastic and compressible materials (gel soc) (super over coat or top most clear gel comprising layer) and synthetic paper (polyolefin). the media as described in the above-mentioned co-pending application may no longer survive these means of processing in a robust fashion where pressure is applied by a roller or ball. this is due to the fact that in the imaging member described in the co-pending application, the polyolefin paper backing that is used as fiber base substrates (cellulose fiber) present non uniform density, and the high compression forces required for processing in the conventional arrangements may make an “image” of the fiber pattern in the print, thus making the print corrupt. it would be advantageous to provide a means or method of processing that did not invoke present methods utilizing high compression forces, to provide a high quality image by improving the tonal scale development and density minimum formation of the imaging member. as mentioned, the need to provide a means of processing that will facilitate the use of the recently designed imaging member is needed. in addition, a processing means that would use plain paper as a substrate would be highly desired. further, it would be advantageous to provide a means of processing that is low in cost, is fully extensible, and is mechanically simple and robust. summary of the invention the present invention provides for an image-forming device and method that addresses the issues noted above. the image-forming device of the present invention offers the advantages of both types of prior art, i.e., low spring load and fast printing speed. in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the mechanism for crushing the microcapsules is comprised of a belt or belt-type member with micro-members on a surface thereof, and a platen roller that opposes the belt. the micro-members on the belt can define spherical features that are in direct contact with an emulsion side of the media to introduce pressure which is sufficient to rupture unhardened microcapsules on the media. the present invention therefore relates to an image-forming device which comprises an imaging member adapted to expose a photosensitive medium to form a latent image on the photosensitive medium, with the photosensitive medium comprising a plurality of microcapsules which encapsulate imaging material; and a processing member adapted to develop the latent image, with the processing member comprising a rotatable belt that includes micro-members on a surface thereof which contact the photosensitive medium during a rotation of the belt to apply a force to a surface of the photosensitive medium. the force is sufficient to release imaging material from selected microcapsules of the plurality of microcapsules. the present invention also relates to an image forming method that comprises exposing a photosensitive medium comprising a plurality of micro-capsules which encapsulate imaging material to form a latent image; and developing the latent image by contacting a surface of said medium with a rotating belt having micro-members thereon, with the contacting of the micro-members of the rotating belt with the surface of the medium applying a force to the surface of the medium which is sufficient to release imaging material from selected microcapsules of the plurality of microcapsules. brief description of the drawings fig. 1a schematically shows an image-forming device; fig. 1b schematically shows an example of a pressure applying system that can be used in the image-forming device of fig. 1a ; fig. 2 schematically shows an image-forming device in accordance with the present invention; fig. 3 is a front or rear view of a belt or belt-type processing member in accordance with the present invention; fig. 4 is a detailed view of one embodiment of the belt or belt-type processing member in accordance with the present invention; fig. 5 is a schematic view of the surface of an embodiment of the belt or belt-type processing member in accordance with the present invention; fig. 6 is a side view of the belt or belt-type processing member of fig. 3 ; figs. 7a and 7b illustrate features of the belt or belt-type processing member of the present invention; fig. 8 is a schematic view of the surface of a further embodiment of a belt or belt-type processing member in accordance with the present invention; fig. 9 is a schematic view of the surface of a still further embodiment of a belt or belt-type processing member in accordance with the present invention; and fig. 10 is a view of the surface of a still further embodiment of a belt or belt-type processing member of the present invention. detailed description of the invention referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, fig. 1a is a schematic view of an image-forming device 15 pertinent to the present invention. image-forming device 15 could be, for example, a printer that includes an opening 17 that is adapted to receive a cartridge containing photosensitive media. as described in u.s. pat. no. 5,884,114, the cartridge could be a light tight cartridge in which photosensitive sheets are piled one on top of each other. when inserted into image-forming device 15 , a feed mechanism that includes, for example, a feed roller 21 a in image-forming device 15 , working in combination with a mechanism in the cartridge, cooperate with each other to pull one sheet at a time from the cartridge into image-forming device 15 in a known manner. although a cartridge type arrangement is shown, the present invention is not limited thereto. it is recognized that other methods of introducing media into to the image-forming device such as, for example, individual media feed or roll feed are applicable to the present invention. once inside image-forming device 15 , photosensitive media travels along media path 19 , and is transported by, for example, drive rollers 21 connected to, for example, a driving mechanism such as a motor. the photosensitive media will pass by an imaging member 25 in the form of an imaging head that could include a plurality of light emitting elements (leds) that are effective to expose a latent image on the photosensitive media based on image information. after the latent image is formed, the photosensitive media is conveyed past a processing assembly or a development member 27 . processing assembly 27 could be a pressure applicator or pressure assembly, wherein an image such as a color image is formed based on the image information by applying pressure to microcapsules having imaging material encapsulated therein to crush unhardened microcapsules. as discussed above, the pressure could be applied by way of spring-loaded balls, micro wheels, micro rollers, rolling pins, etc. fig. 1b schematically illustrates an example of a pressure applicator 270 for processing assembly 27 which can be used in the image-forming device of fig. 1a . in the example of fig. 1b , pressure applicator 270 is a crushing roller arrangement that provides a point contact on photosensitive medium 102 . more specifically, pressure applicator 270 includes a support 45 that extends along a width-wise direction of photosensitive medium 102 . moveably mounted on support 45 is a crushing roller arrangement 49 that is adapted to move along the length of support 45 , i.e., across the width of photosensitive medium 102 . crushing roller arrangement 49 is adapted to contact one side of photosensitive medium 102 . a beam or roller type member 51 is positioned on an opposite side of photosensitive medium 102 and can be provided on a support or spring member 57 . beam or roller type member 51 is positioned so as to contact the opposite side of photosensitive medium 102 and is located opposite crushing roller arrangement 49 . beam or roller type member 51 and crushing roller arrangement 49 when in contact with photosensitive medium 102 on opposite sides provide a point contact on photosensitive medium 102 . crushing roller arrangement 49 is adapted to move along a width-wise direction of photosensitive material 102 so as to crush unhardened microcapsules and release coloring material. further examples of pressure applicators or crushing members that can be used in the image-forming device of fig. 1a are described in u.s. pat. nos. 6,483,575 and 6,229,558. within the context of the present invention, the imaging material comprises a coloring material (which is used to form images) or material for black and white media. after the formation of the image, the photosensitive media is conveyed past heater 29 ( fig. 1a ) for fixing the image on the media. in a through-feed unit, the photosensitive media could thereafter be withdrawn through an exit 32 . as a further option, image-forming device 15 can be a return unit in which the photosensitive media is conveyed or returned back to opening 17 . as previously discussed, conventional arrangements employ spring loaded micro-wheels or ball processing (point processing) to provide a pressure or crushing force to microcapsules of microencapsulated media. the traditional approach for crushing the microcapsules by way of a crushing force applied by balls, wheels or micro-rollers may provide for processing speeds which are in some instances not as fast as desired due to the fact that the development pitch of these arrangements are small, and processing velocity is limited to reasonable bi-directional travel rates. furthermore, in the traditional ball-crushing arrangements, debris introduced into the printer can cause the ball or micro-wheel to drag the debris over the media to cause a scratching of the image and, thus, render the print unusable. in order to provide for a higher throughput device, large rollers, which have a width that covers the width of the media, can be utilized. however, these large rollers tend to require high spring loading and may deflect under load. this could adversely affect the application of pressure on the media. the present invention overcomes the above-noted drawbacks by providing for an image-forming device 150 as shown in fig. 2 . image-forming device 150 is similar to image-forming device 15 in fig. 1a except for the processing member. more specifically, image-forming device 150 can be adapted to accept microencapsulated media through an opening 170 , while a roller 210 can be adapted to convey the media to an imaging member 250 . imaging member 250 can be an imaging head that includes a plurality of light-emitting elements adapted to expose a latent image on the media based on image information. after the latent image is formed, the media is conveyed passed a processing assembly or a development member 152 in accordance with the present invention. development member 152 comprises a belt or belt type processing member 10 and a backing member 60 , which can be an opposing platen roller, an opposing beam or a surface having a width that generally matches the width of the media. belt 10 comprises micro-members 14 thereon that are adapted to contact microencapsulated photosensitive medium 1000 when it travels between belt 10 and backing member 60 . more specifically, belt 10 includes a surface or outer surface that comprises a plurality of micro-members 14 which contact the surface of media 1000 as belt 10 is rotated. micro-members 10 can define spherical features or can be in the form of hook-like or loop-like members provided on the exterior surface of belt 10 . fig. 3 is a view of the front or rear of belt 10 relative to media 1000 wherein media 1000 is traveling into or from the paper. as illustrated in fig. 3 , belt 10 is preferably an endless belt that is wrapped around opposing pulleys 20 . a known drive member such as a motor can be used to rotate pulleys 20 as shown by the arrows 20 a , 20 b to cause a rotation of belt 10 in direction 5000 . as shown in fig. 2 , the rotation direction 5000 of belt 10 is transverse to the direction of travel 6000 of media 1000 in image-forming device 150 . as further illustrated in fig. 3 , a spring- loaded plate 40 urged by springs 30 can be provided on a surface of belt 10 . preferably, spring-loaded plate 40 is provided within endless belt 10 and on a portion of belt 10 that faces media 1000 to provide a pressure on belt 10 that is applied to media 1000 . for processing media 1000 , belt 10 is rotated in direction 5000 or a direction opposite to direction 5000 , such that micro-members 14 contact media 1000 with a rotational force that is sufficient to apply a shear-like force and/or a compressional force onto the top surface of media 1000 . with this arrangement, the rotational force applied by micro-members 14 is essentially converted to a compressive or pressure force onto media 1000 , which is sufficient to rupture selected unhardened microcapsules. fig. 4 is a detailed view of a section of belt 10 having micro-members 14 thereon. as shown, belt 10 is located such that the micro-members 14 contact a surface of media 1000 . therefore, when belt 10 is rotated as described above, the micro-members 14 apply a force on the media that is sufficient to rupture unhardened microcapsules on media 1000 . as also shown in fig. 4 , micro-members 14 could be in the form of spherical members such as semi-circles. of course, the present invention is not limited to the spherical members being in the form of semi-circles provided directly on the surface of belt 10 . for example, as shown in fig. 5 , the micro-members could be designed to rise above a surface of belt 10 . more specifically, micro-members 14 a as shown in fig. 5 include a base section 14 c and a semicircular member 14 d that can be made of any smooth surface and can take any shape. with the arrangement of fig. 5 in which the semicircular member 14 d is raised from the belt surface, it is not necessary to locate belt 10 as close to the surface of media 1000 as in the embodiment of fig. 4 . fig. 6 is a side view of a portion of the image-forming device in accordance with the present invention and illustrates belt 10 with respect to media 1000 . as shown, media 1000 travels in direction 6000 while belt 10 is rotated in direction 5000 ( fig. 3 ) which would be a direction in and out of the paper in fig. 6 and is transverse to direction 6000 . spring loaded plate 40 with springs 30 urge micro-members 14 into contact with media 1000 such that nips are essentially formed between each of micro-members 14 and backing member 60 for the passage of media 1000 there-between. referring back to fig. 3 where belt 10 is shown as moving from left to right, while media 1000 is moving out of the plane and perpendicular to the belt moving direction, belt 10 preferably defines a width between pulleys 20 a , 20 b that is at least greater than a width of media 1000 . therefore, rotation of belt 10 having micro-members 14 thereon is effective to crush all the unhardened microcapsules and release imaging material to form an image. the imaging material that is released from the microcapsules comprises a coloring material that is used to form the image or material for black and white media. after formation of the image, the photosensitive media is conveyed pass heater 290 for fixing the image on the media. in a through-feed unit, the photosensitive media could thereafter be withdrawn through an exit 320 . as a further option, image-forming device 150 can be a return unit in which the photosensitive media is conveyed to or returned back to opening 170 . a further feature of the present invention will be described with reference to figs. 7a and 7b . fig. 7a shows a top view of the present invention, where belt 10 is moving downward at a linear velocity of v, and media 1000 is moving right at a linear velocity of u. lines 80 represent centerlines of a processing band produced by the pressure from two consecutive micro-members 14 . angle θ as shown in fig. 7a can be adjusted by adjusting a ratio of u to v. for example, line 80 is vertical when the media speed u is zero. an advantage of the present invention is related to the fact that the whole imaging area is processed under the micro-members 14 multiple times to ensure color development. furthermore, as shown in fig. 7a , a pitch p (the distance between the centerlines 80 of two consecutive processing bands), can be adjusted by adjusting the spacing of the micro-members 14 , as well as the velocities of the belt 10 and the media 1000 . in fact, as illustrated by the following equation (1), it can be shown that where p is the pitch, u and v are the belt speed (vertical) and media speed (horizontal to the right), respectively, and d is the distance between the centers of two consecutive micro-members 14 . in order to achieve a sufficiently high color density dmax, the pitch value should be much smaller than a characteristic length (radius in the case of sphere) of the micro-members 14 . in the present invention, in order to achieve the desired small pitch value, one simply needs to reduce media speed u, or the distance d between the consecutive micro-features. of course, the distance d cannot be smaller than the diameter of the sphere, however the media speed u can be reduced to a needed value to achieve the desired pitch. as described above, the micro-members 14 can be in various shapes, can vary in spacing and can vary in configuration. fig. 7b is a side view or fig. 7a and show micro-members 14 as a spherical or semi-circular members. also, as shown in fig. 7a , the micro-members can be in a single row on belt 10 . however, the present member is not limited to such an arrangement. figs. 8 and 9 are alternative embodiments of the inventions where two rows of micro-members 14 , 14 a are shown. further, instead of a spherical member, micro-members 14 , 14 a on the surface of belt 10 can be in the form of loop and hooks. fig. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a loop and hook configuration 900 provided on the surface of belt 10 . although loop and hook configuration 900 is shown as broken loops, the present invention is not limited thereto. as an alternative, the loops of the loop and hook configuration can be unbroken loops. further, the loops and hooks can be made of a plastic or resilient material and can be provided on the outer surface of belt 10 in a random or predetermined pattern with respect to location and height. loop and hook configuration 900 functions like micro-members 14 , 14 a in that a rotation of belt 10 causes loop and hook configuration 900 to contact the media while being rotated. this causes a force on the media that is sufficient to rupture the non-hardened microcapsules to release coloring material. it is noted that belt 10 having spherical members 14 , 14 a , or belt 10 having loop and hook configuration 900 can be compliant in nature in order to compensate for any non-uniform surfaces on the media, and can be self-correcting for media thickness variations. it is also noted that belt 10 can be rotated at various velocities in accordance with design considerations, however, faster velocities provide for a higher probability of more micro-members striking the microcapsules on the media, which improves development. the arrangement of the present invention is advantageous for processing media such as disclosed in co-pending application u.s. ser. no. 10/687,939, since a sufficient force to rupture the capsules is created. the present invention also permits the use of a low cost base media since the processing can be restricted to the microcapsules and any deformation or patterning caused by density differences in the support sheet and read out in the development of the media due to the resulting differential pressures is of no consequence. that is, in a feature of the present invention, rotating belt 10 with micro-members 14 , 14 a or 900 thereon permits the restriction of processing development to the image forming layer of media 1000 , while leaving both the top most clear gel comprising layer intact and without scratches. further, belt 10 with micro-members 14 , 14 a or 900 thereon does not invade the bottom-most backing layer of media 1000 and thus, avoids pattern readout of low-cost media supports. the invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.
|
151-945-381-484-57X
|
DE
|
[
"US",
"DE",
"FR"
] |
G06F9/445,G05B13/00,G06F13/38,H04L9/00
| 2003-12-11T00:00:00 |
2003
|
[
"G06",
"G05",
"H04"
] |
method for updating an automation system
|
an automation system with a data processing device and an automation device connected to a network, with the automation device including a network server, a current operating system and an application program running under the current operating system, can be updated by transmitting a new operating system to the automation device via the network. the network can be the internet and/or an intranet.
|
1 . a method for updating an automation system with a data processing device and an automation device, which includes a network server, a current operating system and an application program running under the current operating system, comprising the steps of: connecting the data processing device with the automation device via a network, and transmitting a new operating system to the automation device via the network. 2 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the new operating system replaces the current operating system of the automation device. 3 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the current operating system is protected before the new operating system is installed. 4 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the data processing device operates as a client and the automation device operates as a server. 5 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the data processing device operates as a server and the automation device operates as a client. 6 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the network comprises the internet or an intranet. 7 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the new operating system is transmitted via the network via a ssl-encrypted connection. 8 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the new operating system is transmitted via a post command. 9 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is transmitted via a put command. 10 . the method of claim 1 , wherein transmission of the operating system requires authentication of the user. 11 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is signed with a certificate stored in the network server.
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cross-references to related applications this application claims the priority of german patent application, serial no. 103 58 019.0, filed dec. 11, 2003, pursuant to 35 u.s.c. 119(a)-(d). background of the invention the present invention relates to a method for updating an automation system, in particular to a method for updating firmware of an automation system via a network. nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art. automation devices are used, for example, in manufacturing and processing facilities, and increasingly include features that allow remote data transmission via a communication network, in particular, via the internet or via an intranet. remote data transmission can not only be used to read data, but also to mediate control processes performed by the automation device which, however, typically does not change the operating system of the automation device, also referred to as firmware. the operating system or firmware of the automation device can be updated by loading a new version of the operating system at the site where the system is located. because the automation device itself typically has limited operator control, the portable storage medium of the automation device must in general be removed while the device is turned off, with new firmware then being loaded at another suitable location. after the updated storage medium has been placed in the automation device, the automation device is turned on again. prior art installations were unable to use the remote data link for this purpose. it would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved method for updating an automation system, which obviates prior art shortcomings and is able to specifically remotely update firmware of automation devices. summary of the invention according to an aspect of the invention, a method for updating an automation system with a data processing device and an automation device, which includes a network server, a current operating system and an application program running under the current operating system, includes the steps of connecting the data processing device with the automation device via a network, and transmitting a new operating system to the automation device via the network. the automation device also includes a network server and an application program that runs under the operating system. the application program may be combined with operating system as firmware, and the application program can be updated at the same time a version of the operating system is updated. the cost for maintaining the automation device on-site can be significantly reduced by transmitting not only data, such as measurement values or machine parameters, but the complete operating system, optionally together with an additional application program, between the data processing device and the automation device. the updated operating system that is transmitted to the automation device via the network can directly replace the currently installed operating system. however, the updated operating system can also be installed on the automation device as an additional operating system, in addition to the current operating system. according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the current operating system can be protected before the new operating system is installed. the original operating system can then be easily restored if the new operating system fails to operate as intended. in the automation system, which includes the data processing device, for example a pc, as well as the automation device, the data processing device can operate as a client and the automation device can operate as a server. in principle, this arrangement can also be reversed, whereby the operating system would then have to be updated from the automation device. any conventional bus system, for example a profibus, can be used as a network to which the data processing device and the automation device are connected. a preferred network is, for example, the internet or an intranet, so that the operating system can preferably be transmitted via a ssl (secure socket layer)-encrypted connection. transmission of the operating system via the internet/intranet can be initiated via a post command or a put command. according to advantageous embodiment of the invention, transmission of the operating system via the network may require authentication of the user. alternatively or in addition, to enhance security, the operating system can be signed, for example, with a certificate stored in one of the network servers. security measures can also be implemented via form-based applications. regardless if an automation device is operated without an on-site operator or with an interactive user located on-site, the operating system, i.e., the firmware, of the automation device can be easily and safely updated, without incurring other logistic expenses, for example material, as is customary with conventional methods that use, for example, a cdrom for updating the operating system and/or other software of the automation device. brief description of the drawing other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which the sole fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an automation system according to the present invention. detailed description of preferred embodiments the depicted embodiment is to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way. it should also be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. in certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. turning now to fig. 1 , there is shown an automation system 1 which includes a data processing device 2 and an automation device 3 , which are connected with one another via a network 4 , for example the internet or an intranet. the data processing device 2 can be located remote from the automation device 3 and can be connected to the network 4 via wired connections 8 . alternatively or in addition, wireless connections, such as radio links, can be used instead of the wired connections 8 for communicating between the data processing device 2 and automation device 3 . the individual components of the data processing device 2 , which can be, for example, a conventional pc or a larger, more complex data processing system, are not shown in detail in fig. 1 . the automation device 3 , which can be used for controlling various motors, valves, etc., of one of several machines or facilities, includes a network server 5 , an operating system 6 and an application program 7 . the operating system 6 and the application program 7 can also be combined into a single unit, i.e., the firmware, as described above. an updated operating system 6 ′ to be loaded into the automation device 3 is transmitted from the data processing device 2 via the network 4 to the automation device 3 , without requiring service personnel to be present at the location of the automation device 3 . the operating system 6 ′ can be configured to at least partially replace or extend the original operating system 6 . before the revised operating system 6 ′ is transmitted, the original operating system 6 is read out, for example, by transmitting the corresponding data from the automation device 3 to the data processing device 2 , where the data are protected. alternatively or in addition, the operating system 6 can also be protected on-site, i.e., directly in the automation device and/or in another device connected to the automation device 3 . the operating systems 6 , 6 ′ and other security-related data are transmitted via https (hypertext transfer protocol secure), i.e., via a secure ssl link. transmission via the internet/intranet 4 is initiated either by a post command or by a put command. the method for updating the data residing in the automation device 3 via a remote data link, such as the internet/intranet 4 , is particularly advantageous for facilities or machines with limited access due to space and/or safety considerations. the security of the automation system 1 can be enhanced, for example, by requiring authentication of a user of the data processing device before executing the method, for example by entering a user name and password, and/or through biometric methods. in addition, the operating system 6 , 6 ′ can also be signed with a certificate stored in the network server 5 , so that the authenticity of the firmware, i.e., the operating system 6 , 6 ′ or the combination of application program 7 and operating system 6 , 6 ′, can be checked to determine, for example, if the firmware used by the automation device 3 had been obtained from a trusted source and/or has not been tampered with by an unauthorized person. the automation system 1 therefore offers a high degree of security, while simultaneously enabling convenient monitoring and updating of the automation device 3 . while the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by letters patent is set forth in the appended claims and includes equivalents of the elements recited therein:
|
151-974-579-860-748
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
B21D43/20,B23Q7/10,H05K3/00,H05K13/00
| 1985-09-04T00:00:00 |
1985
|
[
"B21",
"B23",
"H05"
] |
automated work-piece handling system for machine tool
|
an automated workpiece handling system for use with a machine tool having a plurality of workstations spaced along a longitudinally movable, elongate workpiece comprising a first cart for transporting workpieces to one end of the tooling machine, adjacent a first workstation, a first feeder mechanism on the machine tool for drawing workpieces from the first cart and delivering the workpieces onto the worktable, a mechanism on the worktable including the worktable itself for moving the workpieces along the worktable from a position adjacent the first workstation to a position adjacent a final workstation, a second cart for transporting workpieces from the other end of the machine tool, adjacent the final workstation, and a second feeder mechanism on the machine tool for drawing workpieces from the worktable and delivering the workpieces onto the second cart.
|
1. an automated machine tool system comprising: a machine tool having a plurality of workstations spaced along a longitudinally movable worktable, wherein automated machining operations are performed on workpieces at each workstation; first transport means for transporting workpieces to one end of said machine tool, adjacent a first workstation; first feeder means on said machine tool for (a) engaging workpieces on the first transport means, (b) drawing workpieces from said first transport means and delivering said workpieces onto said worktable, and (c) disengaging the workpieces after delivery to the worktable; means for facilitating the shifting of workpieces to different workstations along the worktable, said means including means for maintaining the workpieces stationary while the worktable is moved in a first longitudinal direction thereby to shift each workpiece to an adjacent workstation; means for selectively elevating workpieces above said worktable and lowering workpieces onto said worktable; and means connected to said machine tool for engaging said workpieces when elevated above said worktable for preventing movement of said workpieces with said worktable as said worktable moves longitudinally whereby movement of said worktable with said workpieces elevated shifts said workpieces along said worktable. 2. a system according to claim 1, wherein said means for selectively elevating and lowering workpieces comprises: a pair of elongate, parallel, spaced rails mounted on said machine tool, adjacent said worktable; and means for selectively elevating and lowering said rails. 3. a system according to claim 2, wherein said workpieces engaging means comprises: a plurality of blades connected to said machine tool and extending downwardly, transverse to said worktable to a position in the path of said workpieces when said workpieces are elevated above said worktable. 4. a system according to claim 1, wherein said workpieces engaging means comprises: a plurality of blades connected to said machine tool and extending downwardly, transverse to said worktable to a position in the path of said workpieces when said workpieces are elevated above said worktable. 5. a system according to claim 1, further comprising: second transport means for transporting workpieces from the other end of said machine tool, adjacent a final workstation; and second feeder means on said machine tool for drawing workpieces from said worktable and delivering said workpieces onto said second transport means. 6. a system according to claim 5, wherein said second transport means is identical to said first transport means. 7. a system according to claim 5, wherein said first feeder means comprises: a first positioning ram on said machine tool for moving workpieces from said first transport means onto said worktable. 8. a system according to claim 7, wherein said second feeder means comprises: a second positioning ram on said machine tool for moving workpieces from said worktable to said second transport means. 9. a system according to claim 5, wherein each of said transport means comprises: a frame; a plurality of brackets connected to said frame and positioned to define a plurality of vertically arranged shelves for supporting workpieces; and connector means connected to said frame for permitting the removable connection of said frame to said worktable. 10. a system according to claim 9, further comprising: first elevator means connected to said machine tool for engaging said connector means of said first transport means; and first drive means for vertically driving said first elevator means so as to elevate said first transport means to bring each of said shelves thereof sequentially to a feed position where said first feeder means draws the workpiece on said shelf at said feed position from said first transport means and delivers said workpiece onto said worktable. 11. a system according to claim 10, further comprising: second elevator means connected to said machine tool for engaging said connector means of said second transport means; and second drive means for vertically driving said second elevator means so as to elevate said second transport means to bring each of said shelves thereof sequentially to a receiving position where said second feeder means draws a workpiece from said worktable and delivers said workpiece onto said shelf at said receiving position of second transport means. 12. a system according to claim 11, wherein said first feeder means comprises: a first positioning ram on said machine tool for moving workpieces at said feed position of said first transport means to said worktable. 13. a system according to claim 12, wherein said second feeder comprises: a second positioning ram on said machine tool for moving workpieces from said worktable onto said second transport means.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to an automated workpiece handling system for a machine tool and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transporting workpieces to, feeding workpieces onto, conveying workpieces along, feeding workpieces off of, and transporting workpieces from a machine tool. 2. description of the prior art automated machinery is often used to perform a variety of operations on a workpiece, such as drilling and/or routing. a modern automated machine tool typically includes a plurality of workstations spaced along a movable worktable, with each of the workstations having an alignment device and a drilling and/or routing mechanism. the alignment device aligns and secures a workpiece, such as a group of printed circuit boards, to the worktable so that the drilling and/or routing operation can take place. previously, the workpieces have been inserted onto the alignment device of the individual workstations by hand. the machine tool then performs a programmed series of operations on the workpieces and the workpieces are manually removed upon completion of these operations. thus, a typical automated machine tool requires the constant attention of a human operator. the manual insertion and removal of workpieces from an automated machine tool is tedious work and can result in inefficient operation of the machine. human labor is relatively expensive and should therefore be used for tasks which can best utilize the talents that a human operator has to offer. furthermore, the manual handling of the workpieces can adversely affect the output efficiency of the machine because of the speed of the operator. for some time, it has been recognized that a highly practical machine tool should have a fast, efficient system for bringing the workpieces to the workstations and for removing the workpieces after the operations are completed. it has been further recognized that such a system should operate in a relatively economical manner and should preferably not require any human labor. one attempt to provide an automated handling system for a machine tool is described and claimed in my copending application ser. no. 236,844, filed feb. 23, 1981, and entitled handling system for an automated tooling machine. such handling system incorporates a transporter which carries the workpieces to the workstation of an automated tooling machine. the transporter incorporates a mechanism for feeding the workpieces onto the worktable at a selected workstation. the machine tool then incorporates a mechanism for carrying the workpieces from station to station. the system of my copending application is relatively complex and since the loading mechanism is part of the transport means, the loading mechanism must be duplicated for each transport means and the transport means is complex and expensive. the conveyor belt system for moving the workpieces from station to station is also complex. summary of the invention according to the present invention, there is provided an automated workpiece handling system for use with a machine tool which truly simplifies the process of transporting workpieces to and from, loading workpieces onto and off of, and moving workpieces along a machine tool. the present workpiece handling system is highly practical and is fast and efficient. the present workpiece handling system can operate economically without the intervention of any human labor. like the workpiece handling system of my copending application, the present workpiece handling system incorporates a cart for transporting workpieces to and from a machine tool. on the other hand, the present cart is a simple structure, having no loading equipment associated therewith. because the cart is simple and light, many carts can be made at a low cost and the carts can be automatically transported to the machine tool. the loading and unloading mechanism is part of the machine tool so that it need not be duplicated. furthermore, the mechanism for moving the workpieces along the machine tool partially uses the worktable itself so that the system for conveying the workpieces from station to station is also simple. briefly, the present automated workpiece handling system for use with a machine tool having a plurality of workstations spaced along a longitudinally movable, elongate worktable comprises a first cart for transporting workpieces to one end of the machine tool, adjacent a first workstation, a first feeder mechanism on the machine tool for drawing workpieces from the first cart and delivering the workpieces onto the worktable, a mechanism on the worktable, including the worktable itself, for moving the workpieces along the worktable from a position adjacent the first workstation to a position adjacent a final workstation, a second cart for transporting workpieces from the other end of the machine tool, adjacent the final workstation, and a second feeder mechanism on the machine tool for drawing workpieces from the worktable and delivering the workpieces onto the second cart. objects, features and advantages it is therefore the object of the present invention to solve the problems associated with automating the process of delivering workpieces to and receiving workpieces from a machine tool. it is a feature of the present invention to solve these problems by providing an automated workpiece handling system for use with a machine tool. an advantage to be derived is a highly practical, automated machine. a further advantage is a fast and efficient system for bringing workpieces to the workstations of a machine tool and removing the workpieces after the operations are completed. a still further advantage is an automated workpiece handling system for a machine tool which does not require the intervention of a human operator. still other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment constructed in accordance therewith, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designate like or corresponding parts in the several figures and wherein: brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a perspective view of a machine tool incorporating the present automated workpiece handling system; fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the machine tool and automated workpiece handling system of fig. 1; fig. 3 is a perspective view of a cart which is part of the workpiece handling system of fig. 1; fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4--4 in fig. 2; fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 in fig. 4; fig. 6 is a top plan view of the worktable of the machine tool of fig. 1; figs. 7 and 8 are sectional views taken along the line 7--7 in fig. 6 and showing the operation of the workpiece elevating and lowering rails; figs. 9a, 9b and 9c are a series of simplified diagrams showing the loading of workpieces onto the worktable; and figs. 10a, 10b and 10c are a similar series of simplified diagrams showing the unloading of workpieces from the worktable. description of the preferred embodiment referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to figs. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a machine tool, generally designated 10, which has been modified to incorporate a workpiece handling system, generally designated 20, constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. because machine tool 10 is generally a conventional drilling/routing machine, only those portions thereof necessary for an understanding of workpiece handling system 20 will be described. machine tool 10 is of the type having a plurality of workstations 11, each of which has a drilling or routing mechanism 12 positioned over a large worktable 13. a workpiece 15, which may consist of a stack of printed circuit boards, may be placed under each mechanism 12 on worktable 13. a control console (not shown), which usually contains a minicomputer, is typically programmed with a set of instructions for directing machine tool 10 to perform a series of drilling or routing operations on workpieces 15. in a typical embodiment of a machine tool, and the embodiment incorporated herein, worktable 13, under the control of the control console, is movable longitudinally and the overhead assembly 14 on which mechanisms 12 are mounted is movable laterally to perform the necessary drilling and/or routing operations. in addition, the individual mechanisms 12 are movable in a direction perpendicular to worktable 13. in this manner, the workpieces 15 at the various workstations 11 may be simultaneously drilled and/or routed by mechanisms 12. after the machining operation is completed, the drills or routing tools are withdrawn from workpieces 15 and they may be removed from worktable 13. machine tool 10 includes suitable drive means (not shown) for permitting the beforementioned longitudinal movement of worktable 13, lateral movement of overhead assembly 14, and the vertical movement of mechanisms 12. suitable support structure is also provided, a discussion of which is not here considered relevant. as mentioned previously, in prior automated machine tools, workpieces have been placed at the workstations by hand. after all of the machining operations were completed, the workpieces were also removed by hand. in order to eliminate the need for manual loading and unloading of the workpieces, workpiece handling system 20 has been added to machine tool 10. referring now to figs. 1-5, workpiece handling system 20 includes a plurality of transport means or carts 21. carts 21 may be made from aluminum or other suitable metal material and include a generally rectangular frame comprising upright members 22a-22d, a base 23 and a top 24, base 23 including a plurality of wheels 25 so that cart 21 may be readily moved into and out of contact with machine tool 10. a first series of brackets 26 are connected between upright members 22b and 22c and a second series of brackets 27 are connected between upright members 22a and 22d, brackets 26 and 27 defining a plurality of vertically arranged shelves for supporting workpieces 15. as described more fully in my copending application, the raw workpieces may be unmachined printed circuit boards which are stacked or grouped in groups of three or more, with each group secured together by alignment pins (not shown) which pass through the group of boards and protrude below the bottom board of each group. the groups of printed circuit boards (each group hereinafter referred to as a workpiece 15) are placed in a large stack vertically on the individual shelves. brackets 26 include two parallel, spaced rails which receive one of the alignment pins, for location purposes, and the other alignment pin is supported by brackets 27. bracket 27 is formed so as to receive workpieces 15 having different widths. upright members 22a-22d each have a pair of l-shaped brackets 28 connected thereto in vertically spaced alignment, brackets 28 being connected to the individual upright members with the same vertical spacing. workpiece handling system 20 includes an elevator mechanism, generally designated 30, at each end of machine tool 10. since the elevator mechanisms 30 at the opposite ends of machine tool 10 are identical, only the one at the left end of machine tool 10, designated 30a, which is used for feeding workpieces 15 onto worktable 13, will be described. elevator mechanism 30a includes a pair of opposed, vertically oriented, u-shaped channel members 31 which are positioned in parallel, spaced relationship, with the open sides of the channels facing each other. each channel 31 supports, for vertical movement, a plate 32 which is positioned adjacent the open end of each channel 31. plate 32 supports the ends of a plurality of shafts 33 on which rollers 34 are mounted for rotation, rollers 34 engaging tracks 35 secured to the open ends of channels 31. tracks 35 may be connected to channels 31 by bolts 36. with such a construction, plates 32 are free to ride in a vertical direction along tracks 35. each plate 32 has secured thereto, on the inside surface thereof, at the top and bottom thereof, a pair of support blocks 37, which may be welded to plate 32. each block 37, has connected thereto, by means of bolts 38, a disc 39 having an internally threaded hole 40. support blocks 37 have aligned non-threaded holes 41. a threaded shaft 42 extends vertically within each channel 31, each shaft 42 engaging the upper and lower discs 39 of the associated plate 32. it should be evident that rotation of shafts 42 cause plates 32 to be driven upwardly and downwardly relative to channels 31. the upper ends of the two shafts 42 of each elevator mechanism 30 terminate in mechanisms 43 where they are interconnected for simultaneous rotation by a shaft 44 driven by a motor 45 connected to one of mechanisms 43. in this manner, a single motor 45 drives the opposite plates 32 for simultaneous vertical movement. each plate 32 has connected thereto, in vertically spaced relationship, a bracket 46 which supports an upwardly projecting pin 47. brackets 46 may be connected to plates 32 by means of bolts 48. the spacing between brackets 46 is the same as the spacing between brackets 28 and brackets 28 have holes 29 therein for receipt of pins 47. pins 47 may be partially surrounded by rubber washers 49. in operation, it is seen that with plates 32 in their lowermost positions, a cart 21a may be moved into close proximity to machine tool 10 until upright members 22c and 22d are between the opposed plates 32. at this time, pins 47 would be in positions lower than brackets 28 and cart 21a can be wheeled forwardly until upright members 22c and 22d actually come into contact with brackets 46. at this time, motor 45 can be activated to drive plates 32 upwardly. as plates 32 move upwardly, the four pins 47 enter the four holes 29 in brackets 28, engaging same. continued upward movement of plates 32 continues the upward movement of cart 21a therewith, for reasons which will appear more fully hereinafter. suffice it to say that workpiece handling system 20 removes workpieces 15 from cart 20, one at a time, starting with the topmost workpiece 15. as shown most clearly in figs. 1 and 2, an identical elevator mechanism 30b is connected to the opposite end of machine tool 10. while cart 21a at the lefthand side of machine tool 10 is shown in its lowermost position, the cart 21b at the other end of machine tool 10 is shown in its uppermost position. as will be described more fully hereinafter, workpiece handling system 20 removes workpieces 15 from worktable 13 and delivers them into cart 21b, filling the individual shelves of cart 21b from the bottom thereof. as workpieces 15 are removed from cart 21a, the cart 21a is driven upwardly. as workpieces 15 are delivered to the cart 21b, cart 21b is driven downwardly. workpieces 15 are drawn from cart 21a and delivered onto worktable 13 and are drawn from worktable 13 and delivered to cart 21b by identical feed mechanisms 50a and 50b. feed mechanism 50a includes a hydraulic cylinder 51 having an internal piston (not shown) connected to a movable member 52 having connected thereto a ram 53. ram 53 has the end thereof connected to a bracket 54 which engages the edge of workpieces 15. upon activation of cylinder 51, member 52 is driven to the opposite end thereof whereupon bracket 54 engages a workpiece 15 and slides it either onto worktable 13 or off of worktable 13, as the case may be. the workpiece 15 at the top of the stack of cart 21a is considered to be at the "feed position" and is pushed by ram 53 onto worktable 13. a microswitch 55 may be positioned to sense the uppermost workpiece 15 as elevator mechanism 30a elevates the topmost workpiece 15 to the feed position. it can therefore been seen that carts 21 are relatively simple members and that elevator mechanisms 30, in conjunction with feed mechanisms 50, both of which are permanent parts of machine tool 10, are fully operational in delivering workpieces 15 onto one end of machine tool 10, adjacent the first workstation, designated 11a, and for removing workpieces 15 from the other end of machine tool 10, adjacent the last workstation, designated 11d. all that remains to be described is an automatic mechanism for conveying each workpiece 15 along worktable 13, from workstation 11a, past the intermediate workstations, designated 11b and 11c, to workstation 11d. returning now to figs. 2, 6, 7 and 8, the mechanism for transporting workpieces 15 along worktable 13 comprises a pair of elongate, parallel, spaced rails 60 which are mounted on machine tool 10, adjacent worktable 13. more specifically, worktable 13 has a pair of elongate channels 16 therein in which rails 60 are mounted. as will be explained more fully hereinafter, rails 60 move longitudinally with worktable 13 and are adapted to be elevated or lowered for elevating workpieces 15 above worktable 13 or lowering workpieces 15 onto worktable 13. these two positions of rails 60 are shown in figs. 7 and 8. it will be seen from fig. 7 that when in the lowered position, rails 60 are below worktable 13 so that workpieces 15 rest on worktable 13. in the elevated position of rails 60, as shown in fig. 8, rails 60 are elevated above worktable 13 in position to elevate workpieces 15. more specifically, machine tool 10 includes a movable base 17 on which worktable 13 and rails 60 are mounted. mounted on base 17 are a plurality of support blocks 61. an l-shaped linkage 62 is supported for rotation by each block 61 by means of a pin 63 which extends through a central portion of linkage 62 and into block 61. each linkage 62 includes a pair of legs 62a and 62b. the free ends of all of legs 62b are interconnected by means of a rod 64 and suitable connectors 65 which connect legs 62b to rod 64. the free ends of legs 62a have slots 66 therein through which extend pins 67. pins 67 are connected to brackets 68 which are connected to rails 60. a hydraulic cylinder 70 having input and output lines 71 and 72 is connected to one end of base 17, directly below one of the brackets 68a. cylinder 70 drives a piston 73 which has a u-shaped bracket 74 connected to the end thereof, bracket 74 surrounding bracket 68a. in the operation of rails 60, it should be evident from an inspection of figs. 7 and 8 that activation of cylinder 70 to drive pistons 73 outwardly to the position shown in fig. 8 drives rails 60 upwardly, causing clockwise rotation of the first linkage 62. rotation of the first linkage 62 causes simultaneous rotation of the remaining linkages 62 by means of the interconnection provided by rod 64 and connectors 65. the simultaneous rotation of each of linkages 62 causes elevation of the free ends of leg 62a and the elevation of rails 60 connected thereto. activation of cylinder 70 in the opposite direction, to the position shown in fig. 7, causes lowering of rail 60. while rails 60 could be lowered by gravity, it is preferable to provide a direct connection between pistons 73 and rails 60. thus, the pins 67a which extend through the brackets 68a above pistons 73 also extend through brackets 74. referring to fig. 2, the remaining element of the mechanism for moving workpieces 15 along worktable 13 comprises a plurality of wiper blades 75 which are connected to an overhead support member 18 of machine tool 10. as will be explained more fully hereinafter, blades 75 extend downwardly from support member 18 and extend laterally from one rail 60 to the other. blades 75 are positioned so that they almost contact the upper surfaces of rails 60 when rails 60 are in their elevated positions. the reason for this will appear more fully hereinafter. as described more fully in my beforementioned copending application, each workstation 11 has an alignment device which aligns and clamps the workpiece 15 at the workstation. this alignment device is not a portion of the present invention but will be described briefly in that it is an essential part of machine tool 10. a typical alignment device, generally designated 80, is shown in fig. 6 and includes a stationary bar 81 mounted within a cavity 82 in worktable 13 and a bar 81a mounted within a cavity 82a in worktable 13 such that the top surfaces of bars 81 and 81a are flush with the top surface of worktable 13. opposing bars 81 and 81a are movable bars 83 and 83a, respectively. bars 83 and 83a are spaced from bars 81 and 81a, respectively, to form alignment slots 84 and 84a, respectively, therebetween. bar 81a has a notch 85a therein which defines an alignment hole 86a between bars 81a and 83a. alignment hole 86a is adapted to receive one of the alignment pins of a workpiece 15 and alignment slot 84 is adapted to receive another alignment pin. as is well known in the art, before the alignment pins of the workpieces 15 are inserted into the alignment hole 86a and alignment slot 84, bars 83 and 83a are moved away from bars 81 and 81a, respectively, to an open position. the workpiece 15 is lowered by rails 60 onto the surface of worktable 13 so that the alignment pins are between bars 81 and 83 and 81a and 83a, respectively. bars 83 and 83a are then moved back toward bars 81 and 81a, respectively, to a closed position with the alignment pins clamped between bars 81 and 83 and within the alignment hole 86a. in this manner, the workpieces 15 are aligned and secured relative to worktable 13. the movable bars 83 and 83a may be moved into their open and closed positions by suitable hydraulic mechanisms (not shown) well known to those skilled in the art. the operation of workpiece handling system 20 for drawing workpieces 15 from cart 21a and delivering workpieces 15 onto worktable 13 and for subsequently transporting workpieces 15 from workstation 11a to workstation 11b, then to workstation 11c, and then to workstation 11d, can best be understood with reference to figs. 9a through 9c. subsequently, the manner in which workpieces 15 may simultaneously be delivered from workstation 11d onto cart 21b will be described with reference to figs. 10a through 10c. referring first to fig. 9a, it will be understood that through conventional means (not shown), worktable 13, base 18 and rails 60 have the capability of being moved longitudinally by an amount equal to the spacing between workstations 11. when it is initially desired to deliver a workpiece 15 from cart 21a onto worktable 13, worktable 13 is moved to its extreme left position, rails 60 are elevated and ram 53 of feed mechanism 50a is also moved to its extreme left position, all of these positions being shown in solid lines in fig. 9a. elevator mechanism 30a is activated to drive cart 21a upwardly until the uppermost workpiece 15 contacts switch 55. at this time, cylinder 51 is activated and ram 53 is driven to its rightmost position, shown in phantom in fig. 9a, moving the uppermost workpiece 15 onto elevated rails 60. at this time, rails 60 are lowered to deposit workpiece 15 onto worktable 13, at a delivery position to the left of workstation 11a. these positions of worktable 13 and rails 60 are shown in solid lines in fig. 9b. at this time, worktable 13 is driven to its rightmost position, as shown in phantom in fig. 9b. workpiece 15 moves with worktable 13, below the first wiper blade 75a. the new position of workpiece 15 is also shown in phantom in fig. 9b. at this time, rails 60 are elevated, elevating workpieces 15 above worktable 13. this position of worktable 13 and rails 60 is shown in solid lines in fig. 9c. at this time, worktable 13 is driven to its extreme left position, rails 60 moving therewith, these positions of worktable 13 and rails 60 being shown in phantom in fig. 9c. it should be apparent that since wiper blades 75 are now in the path of workpieces 15, workpieces 15 are held stationary as worktable 13 and rails 60 move. thus, workpiece 15 remains at a position between workstation 11a and workstation 11b. it will be immediately apparent that worktable 13 and rails 60 have now returned to their initial positions, as shown in solid lines in fig. 9a. in this position, another workpiece 15 can be delivered onto rails 60 and worktable 13. this procedure can now be repeated until four workpieces 15 have been loaded onto worktable 13 and shifted to workstations 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d. it should be particularly noted that the shifting of workpieces 15 is done entirely by worktable 13 and no separate conveying assembly is required. at this time, drilling or routing mechanisms 12 may be activated to perform whatever work operation is required on workpieces 15. when it is time to remove workpieces 15 from worktable 13 and load new workpieces 15 onto worktable 13, worktable 13 is moved to its extreme right position and rails 60 are elevated, as shown in solid lines in fig. 10a. elevator mechanism 30b is activated to lower cart 21b to a position where the uppermost empty shelf is in its receive position. the cylinder 51 associated with feed mechanism 50b may then be activated to drive the associated ram 53 to the right, to the position shown in phantom in fig. 10a. in this position, the ram 53 drives the workpiece 15 into cart 21b. with rails 60 still elevated, as shown in solid lines in fig. 10b, worktable 13 is driven to the left, rails 60 moving therewith, to the position shown in phantom in fig. 10b. recall that under these circumstances, which are also shown in fig. 9c, the workpieces 15 are held stationary by wiper blades 75 so that after a time, these workpieces are also shifted one position to the right. a new workpiece 15 may now be loaded onto worktable 13, as described previously with regard to fig. 9a. then, rails 60 may be lowered and worktable 13 moved to the right, from the positions shown in solid lines in figs. 9b and 10c to the positions shown in phantom in these same figures. at this time, rails 60 may be elevated to the positions shown in solid lines in fig. 10a and the next workpiece 15 removed from worktable 13. this procedure may be repeated four times so that the four workpieces that have been previously drilled or routed are removed from worktable 13 while four new workpieces 15 are simultaneously moved onto worktable 13. it can therefore be seen that according to the present invention, there is provided an automated workpiece handling system 20 for use with a machine tool 10 which truly simplifies the process of transporting workpieces 15 to and from, loading workpieces 15 onto and off of, and moving workpieces 15 along machine tool 10. workpiece handling system 20 is highly practical and is fast and efficient. workpiece handling system 20 can operate economically, without the intervention of any human labor. like the workpiece handling system of my copending application, workpiece handling system 20 incorporates a cart for transporting workpieces 15 to a machine tool. on the other hand, cart 21 is a highly simple structure, having no loading equipment associated therewith. because cart 21 is simple and light, many carts 21 can be made at a low cost and carts 21 can even be automatically transported to machine tool 10. the loading/unloading mechanism is a permanent part of machine tool 10 so that it need not be duplicated. furthermore, the mechanism for moving workpieces 15 along machine tool 10 partially uses worktable 13 itself so that the system for conveying workpieces 15 from station to station is highly simple. while the invention has been described with respect to the preferred physical embodiment constructed in accordance therewith, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.
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155-648-386-881-405
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US
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| 2014-07-02T00:00:00 |
2014
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systems and methods for fabricating joint members
|
a method for fabricating a joint designed to connect tubes for a space frame, where a space frame may be a vehicle chassis, is provided. the method may generate joints with variable geometry and fine features which may reduce production costs, reduce production time, and generate joints configured for highly specific applications. the joint may include centering features which may create a space between a surface of the tube and a surface of the joint through which adhesive may flow.
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claims what is claimed is: 1. a method of fabricating a joint member for connection of a plurality of connecting tubes forming a space frame, the method comprising: determining a relative tube angle, tube size, and tube shape for each of the plurality of connecting tubes to be connected by the joint member; determining a stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at the joint member; and 3-d printing the joint member having a configuration that (1) accommodates the relative tube, angle, tube size, and tube shape at each joint member, and (2) supports the stress direction and magnitude exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes. 2. the method of claim 1, wherein the space frame is configured to at least partially encloses a three-dimensional volume. 3. the method of claim 1, wherein each connecting tube of the plurality of connecting tubes has a longitudinal axis along a different plane. 4. the method of claim 1, wherein the space frame is a vehicle chassis frame. 5. the method of claim 1, further comprising 3-d printing centering features on at least a portion of the joint member. 6. the method of claim 5, wherein the centering features are printed on a joint protrusion of the joint member configured to be inserted into a connecting tube. 7. the method of claim 5, wherein the characteristics of the centering features are determined based on the stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at the joint member. 8. the method of claim 1, wherein the stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at the joint member is determined empirically or computationally. 9. a vehicle chassis comprising: a plurality of connecting tubes; and a plurality of joint members, each joint member sized and shaped to mate with at least a subset of the plurality of the connecting tubes in the plurality of connecting tubes to form a three-dimensional frame structure, wherein the plurality of joint members are formed by a 3-d printer. 10. the vehicle of claim 9, wherein each joint member of the plurality of joint members is sized and shaped such that the joint member contacts an inner surface and an outer surface of a connecting tube when the connecting tube is mated to the joint member. 11. the vehicle of claim 9, wherein at least one joint member of the plurality of joint members comprises internal routing features formed during 3-d printing of the joint member. 12. the vehicle of claim 11, wherein the internal routing features provide a network of passageways for transport of fluid through the vehicle chassis when the three-dimensional frame structure is formed. 13. the vehicle of claim 11, wherein the internal routing features provide a network of passageways for transport of electricity through electrical components throughout the vehicle chassis when the three-dimensional frame structure is formed. 14. the vehicle of claim 9, wherein the plurality of joint members comprises mounting features formed during 3-d printing of the joint members. 15. the vehicle of claim 14, wherein the mounting features provide panel mounts for mounting of panels on the three-dimensional frame structure. 16. a system for forming a structure comprising: a computer system that receives input data that describes a relative tube angle, tube size, and tube shape for each of a plurality of connecting tubes to be connected by a plurality of joint members to form a frame of the structure, wherein the computer system is programmed to determine a stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at the plurality of joint members: and a 3-d printer in communication with the computer system configured to generate the plurality of joint members having a size and shape that (1) accommodates the relative tube, angle, tube size, and tube shape at each joint member, and (2) supports the stress direction and magnitude exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes. 17. the system of claim 16, wherein the frame of the structure at least partially encloses a three-dimensional volume. 18. the system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of joint members further comprise centering features on at least a portion of the joint member formed by the 3-d printer. 19. the system of claim 18, wherein the centering features are printed on a joint protrusion of the joint member configured to be inserted into a connecting tube. 20. the system of claim 18, wherein the characteristics of the centering features are determined based on the stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at each joint member.
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systems and methods for fabricating joint members cross-reference [0001] this application claims priority to u.s. provisional patent application serial no. 62/020,084 filed july 2, 2014, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. background [0002] space frame construction is used in automotive, structural, marine, and many other applications. one example of space frame construction can be a welded tube frame chassis construction, often used in low volume and high performance vehicle design due to the advantages of low tooling costs, design flexibility, and the ability to produce high efficiency structures. these structures require that tubes of the chassis be connected at a wide variety of angles and may require the same connection point to accommodate a variety of tube geometries. traditional methods fabrication of joint members for connection of such tube frame chassis may incur high equipment and manufacturing costs. summary [0003] a need exists for a fabrication method which may be able to generate joints to connect tubes with a variety of geometric parameters. provided herein is a method of 3-d printing joints for the connection of tubes, such as carbon fiber tubes. the joints may be printed according to the specification of geometric and physical requirements at each tube intersection point. the method of 3-d printing the joints may reduce manufacturing costs and may be easily scaled. [0004] the 3-d printing method described in this disclosure may allow for the printing of fine features on the joints that may not be achievable through other fabrication methods. an example of a fine feature described in this disclosure may be centering features to force the center of a connecting tube and the center of an adjoining joint protrusion to be co-axial. the centering features may provide a gap between an outer surface of inner region of a joint and an inner surface of a connecting tube, through which adhesive may be applied. another example may be that nipples can be printed on the joint which may connect to equipment to introduce adhesive to bind a joint and tube assembly. [0005] aspects of the invention are directed to a method of fabricating a joint member for connection of a plurality of connecting tubes forming a space frame, the method comprising: determining a relative tube angle, tube size, and tube shape for each of the plurality of connecting tubes to be connected by the joint member; determining a stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at the joint member; and 3-d printing the joint member having a configuration that (1) accommodates the relative tube, angle, tube size, and tube shape at each joint member, and (2) supports the stress direction and magnitude exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes. [0006] in some embodiments, the space frame is configured to at least partially encloses a three-dimensional volume. each connecting tube of the plurality of connecting tubes may have a longitudinal axis along a different plane. the space frame may be a vehicle chassis frame. [0007] the method may further comprise 3-d printing centering features on at least a portion of the joint member. the centering features may be printed on a joint protrusion of the joint member configured to be inserted into a connecting tube. the characteristics of the centering features can be determined based on the stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at the joint member. the stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at the joint member may be determined empirically or computationally. [0008] an additional aspect of the invention may be directed to a vehicle chassis comprising: a plurality of connecting tubes; and a plurality of joint members, each joint member sized and shaped to mate with at least a subset of the plurality of the connecting tubes in the plurality of connecting tubes to form a three-dimensional frame structure, wherein the plurality of joint members are formed by a 3-d printer. [0009] in some embodiments, each joint member of the plurality of joint members is sized and shaped such that the joint member contacts an inner surface and an outer surface of a connecting tube when the connecting tube is mated to the joint member. optionally, at least one joint member of the plurality of joint members comprises internal routing features formed during 3-d printing of the joint member. the internal routing features may provide a network of passageways for transport of fluid through the vehicle chassis when the three- dimensional frame structure is formed. the internal routing features may provide a network of passageways for transport of electricity through electrical components throughout the vehicle chassis when the three-dimensional frame structure is formed. [0010] the plurality of joint members may comprise mounting features formed during 3- d printing of the joint members. the mounting features may provide panel mounts for mounting of panels on the three-dimensional frame structure. [0011] a system for forming a structure may be provided in accordance with an additional aspect of the invention. the system may comprise: a computer system that receives input data that describes a relative tube angle, tube size, and tube shape for each of a plurality of connecting tubes to be connected by a plurality of joint members to form a frame of the structure, wherein the computer system is programmed to determine a stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at the plurality of joint members: and a 3-d printer in communication with the computer system configured to generate the plurality of joint members having a size and shape that (1) accommodates the relative tube, angle, tube size, and tube shape at each joint member, and (2) supports the stress direction and magnitude exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes. [0012] in some cases, the frame of the structure at least partially encloses a three- dimensional volume. the plurality of joint members may further comprise centering features on at least a portion of the joint member formed by the 3-d printer. the centering features may be printed on a joint protrusion of the joint member configured to be inserted into a connecting tube. the characteristics of the centering features may be determined based on the stress direction and magnitude to be exerted by the plurality of connecting tubes at each joint member. [0013] additional aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, wherein only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described. as will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. incorporation by reference [0014] all publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. brief description of the drawings [0015] the novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. a better understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and the accompanying drawings (also "figure" and "fig." herein), of which: [0016] fig. 1 shows an example of a space frame chassis constructed from carbon fiber tubes connected by 3-d printed nodes. [0017] fig. 2 shows a flow chart of the process used to design and build joints. [0018] fig. 3 shows a computer in communication with a 3-d printer. [0019] fig. 4 shows a detailed flow chart describing how a design model may be used to generate printed joints for assembly of the given design model. [0020] fig. 5 shows an example of a joint printed using the method described herein. [0021] fig. 6 shows a joint connected to tubes where the tubes are at non-equal angles relative to each other. [0022] fig. 7 shows a joint with 5 protrusions. [0023] fig. 8 shows a joint printed to connect with tubes of non-equal cross-section size. [0024] fig. 9a-d show examples of centering features printed on joints. [0025] fig. 10 shows a flow chart describing a method to choose centering features based on an expected load or stress on a joint. [0026] fig. 11 shows a cross section of a joint protrusion with nipples connecting to internal passageways in the side wall of the joint protrusion. [0027] fig. 12a-c show joints printed with integrated structural features and passageways for electrical and fluid routing. detailed description [0028] while various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. numerous variations, changes, and substitutions may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. it should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed. [0029] this disclosure provides a method to fabricate a joint member by additive and/or subtractive manufacturing, such as 3-d printing. the joint member may be configured to provide a connection of a plurality of connecting tubes, which may be used for the construction of a lightweight space frame. a space frame can be a frame that has a three- dimensional volume. a space frame can be a frame that can accept one or more panels to at least partially enclose the frame. an example of a space frame may be a vehicle chassis. various aspects of the described disclosure may be applied to any of the applications identified here in addition to any other structures comprising a joint/tube frame construction. it shall be understood that different aspects of the invention may be appreciated individually, collectively, or in combination with each other. [0030] fig. 1 shows a vehicle chassis 100 including connecting tubes 101a, 101b, 101c connected by one or more nodes (a.k.a. joints) 102, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. each joint member can comprise a central body and one or more ports that extent from the central body. a multi-port node, or joint member, may be provided to connect tubes, such as carbon fiber tubes, to form a two or three-dimensional structure. the structure may be a frame. in one example, a two dimensional structure may be a planar frame, while a three dimensional structure may be space frame. a space frame may enclose a volume therein. in some examples, a three dimensional space frame structure may be a vehicle chassis. the vehicle chassis may be have a length, width, and height that may enclose a space therein. the length, width, and height of the vehicle chassis may be greater than a thickness of a connecting tube. [0031] a vehicle chassis may form the framework of a vehicle. a vehicle chassis may provide the structure for placement of body panels of a vehicle, where body panels may be door panels, roof panels, floor panels, or any other panels forming the vehicle enclosure. furthermore the chassis may be the structural support for the wheels, drive train, engine block, electrical components, heating and cooling systems, seats, or storage space. a vehicle may be a passenger vehicle capable of carrying at least about 1 or more, 2 or more, 3 or more, 4 or more, 5 or more, 6 or more, 7 or more, 8 or more, ten or more, twenty or more, or thirty or more passengers. examples of vehicles may include, but are not limited to sedans, trucks, buses, vans, minivans, station wagons, rvs, trailers, tractors, go-carts, automobiles, trains, or motorcycles, boats, spacecraft, or airplanes. the vehicle chassis may provide a form factor that matches the form factor of the type of vehicle. depending on the type of vehicle, the vehicle chassis may have varying configurations. the vehicle chassis may have varying levels of complexity. in some instances, a three-dimensional space frame may be provided that may provide an outer framework for the vehicle. the outer framework may be configured to accept body panels to form a three-dimensional enclosure. optionally, inner supports or components may be provided. the inner supports or components can be connected to the space frame through connection to the one or more joint members of the space frame. different layouts of multi-port nodes and connecting tubes may be provided to accommodate different vehicle chassis configurations. in some cases, a set of nodes can be arranged to form a single unique chassis design. alternatively at least a subset of the set of nodes can be used to form a plurality of chassis designs. in some cases at least a subset of nodes in a set of nodes can be assembled into a first chassis design and then disassembled and reused to form a second chassis design. the first chassis design and the second chassis design can be the same or they can be different. nodes may be able to support tubes in a two or three-dimensional plane. for example, a multi-prong node may be configured to connect tubes that do not all fall within the same plane. the tubes connected to a multi-prong node may be provided in a three-dimensional fashion and may span three orthogonal axes. in alternate embodiments, some nodes may connect tubes that may share a two-dimensional plane. in some cases, the joint member can be configured to connect two or more tubes wherein each tube in the two or more tubes has a longitudinal axis along a different plane. the different planes can be intersection planes. [0032] the connecting tubes 101a, 101b, 101c of the vehicle may be formed from a carbon fiber material, or any other available composite material. examples of composite materials may include high modulus carbon fiber composite, high strength carbon fiber composite, plain weave carbon fiber composite, harness satin weave carbon composite, low modulus carbon fiber composite, or low strength carbon fiber composite. in alternate embodiments, the tubes may be formed from other materials, such as plastics, polymers, metals, or metal alloys. the connecting tubes may be formed from rigid materials. the connecting tubes may have varying dimensions. for example, different connecting tubes may have different lengths. for example, the connecting tubes may have lengths on the order of about 1 inch, 3 inches, 6 inches, 9 inches, 1 ft, 2 ft, 3 ft, 4 ft, 5 ft, 6 ft, 7 ft, 8 ft, 9 ft, 10 ft, 11 ft, 12 ft, 13 ft, 14 ft, 15 ft, 20 ft, 25 ft, or 30 ft. in some instances, the tubes may have the same diameter, or varying diameters. in some instances, the tubes may have diameters on the order of about 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", 1/2", 1 ", 2", 3", 4", 5", 10", 15", or 20". [0033] the connecting tubes may have any cross-sectional shape. for example, the connecting tubes may have a substantially circular shape, square shape, oval shape, hexagonal shape, or any irregular shape. the connecting tube cross-section could be an open cross section, such as a c-channel, i-beam, or angle. [0034] the connecting tubes 101a, 101b, 101c may be hollow tubes. a hollow portion may be provided along the entire length of the tube. for example, the connecting tubes may have an inner surface and an outer surface. an inner diameter for the tube may correspond to an inner surface of the connecting tube. an outer diameter of the tube may correspond to an outer diameter of the tube. in some embodiments, the difference between the inner diameter and the outer diameter may be less than or equal to about 1/32", 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", 1/2", 1 ", 2", 3", 4, or 5". a connecting tube may have two ends. the two ends may be opposing one another. in alternative embodiments, the connecting tubes may have three, four, five, six or more ends. the vehicle chassis frame may comprise carbon fiber tubes connected with nodes 102. [0035] the multi-port nodes 102 (a.k.a. joints, joint members, joints, connectors, lugs) presented in this disclosure may be suitable for use in a vehicle chassis frame such as the frame shown in fig. l. the nodes in the chassis frame 100 may be designed to fit the tube angles dictated by the chassis design. the nodes may be pre-formed to desired geometries to permit rapid and low cost assembly of the chassis. in some embodiments the nodes may be pre-formed using 3-d printing techniques. 3-d printing may permit the nodes to be formed in a wide array of geometries that may accommodate different frame configurations. 3-d printing may permit the nodes to be formed based on a computer generated design file that comprises dimensions of the nodes. [0036] a node may be composed of a metallic material (e.g. aluminum, titanium, or stainless steel, brass, copper, chromoly steel, or iron), a composite material (e.g. carbon fiber), a polymeric material (e.g. plastic), or some combination of these materials. the node can be formed from a powder material. the 3-d printer can melt and/or sinter at least a portion of the powder material to form the node. the node may be formed of a substantially rigid material. [0037] a node may support stress applied at or near the node. the node may support compression, tension, torsion, shear stresses or some combination of these stress types. the magnitude of the supported stress at the node may be at least 1 mega pascal (mpa), 5 mpa, 10 mpa, 20 mpa, 30 mpa, 40 mpa, 50 mpa, 60 mpa, 70 mpa, 80 mpa, 90 mpa, 100 mpa, 250 mpa, 500 mpa, or 1 gpa. the type, direction, and magnitude of stress may be static and dependent on the location of the node in a frame. alternately the stress type, direction, and magnitude may be dynamic and a function of the movement of the vehicle, for example the stress on the node may change as the vehicle climbs and descends a hill. [0038] fig. 2 shows a flow chart describing a method for 3-d printing joint members for connecting tubes, such as carbon fiber tubes, in a space frame. in this method a chassis design model is chosen 201. the chassis design model may be a new design or a design stored in a library which may comprise previously used designs or common stock designs. the chassis design can be generated by a user that forms the joints with the 3-d printing process or by a user that is different from the user that forms the joints. the chassis design can be editable. the chassis design can be made available through an online marketplace. from the chosen chassis design the tube specification (e.g. inner and outer diameter, tube cross section, and angle of tubes relative to each other at connection points) are determined 202. next the dynamic and static stresses at each tube connection point are determined 203. the dynamic and static stresses at each tube connection point can be determined using a computational model, for example a finite element analysis. using the physical and structural properties determined in steps 202 and 203 the joint (node) is designed 204. finally in the last step the joints are generated using a 3-d printer according to the specification determined by the earlier steps 205. two or more joints can be formed simultaneously. alternatively joints can be formed one at a time. [0039] a chassis design model may be generated in any available structural design software program, for example autocad, autodesk, solid works, or solid edge. the chassis design model may be generated in a simple, custom design tool tailored to the requirements of space frame design. this customized tool could interface to existing structural design software to automatically generate complete node geometries from a minimal set of input data (e.g. relative angles of tubes entering a given node). after generating a model of the chassis each tube connection point may be defined. tube connection points may be locations where a joint is used to connect two or more tubes. characteristics of the tube connection points may be determined by the model and used to define the joint structure needed for the design, for example the number of tubes, tube dimensions, and relative angles of tubes may be determined. the number of tubes at each joint may be determined from the chassis model, for example a joint may connect 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 tubes. the diameter and cross sectional shape of each connecting tube at a joint location may be determined from the model. for example a joint may connect a square tube, round tube, oval tube, triangular tube, pentagonal tube, hexagonal tube, or an irregularly shaped tube. the tubes connected to the joint may all have the same cross section shape or they may vary. the diameter of the connecting tube may be determined from the model, a connecting tube may have a diameter of at least about 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", 1/2", 1 ", 2", 3", 4", 5", 10", 15", or 20". the tubes connected to the joint may all have the same diameter or the diameter may vary. the relative angles of the tubes at each joint may also be determined from the chassis model. [0040] optionally, a user may design a portion of the chassis design or provide specifications for the design to comply with. the software executed by one or more processors may design the rest of the chassis or provide details for the chassis in compliance with the specification. the processor may generate at least a portion of the design without requiring any further human intervention. any of the features described herein may be initially designed by the software, a user, or both the software and the user. [0041] locations of additional structural, mechanical, electrical, and fluid components may also be determined from the structural design software. for example the location of shear panels, structural panels, shock systems, engine block, electrical circuits, and fluid passageways may be determined by structural design software. the chassis model may be used to define the joint design such that the joints can integrate with locations of the structural, mechanical, electrical, and fluid components. [0042] the chassis model may be used to calculate stress direction and magnitude at each joint. the stress may be calculated using a finite element analysis employing a linear or nonlinear stress model. stress may be calculated on the joints while the chassis is stationary or while the chassis is moving along a typical path, for example, along a straight line, curved trajectory, along a smooth surface, along a rugged surface, flat terrain, or hilly terrain. the calculated stress on the joint may be shear, tensile, compressive, torsional stress, or a combination of stress types. joints may include design features to support the calculated stresses. the design features included on the joint may be configured to comply with a specific safety standard. for example the joint may be configured to withstand the calculated stress within a factor of safety of at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50. joints may be designed to support tubes over a frame that may vibrate or undergo shock or impact. for example, a vehicle chassis may be driven over a road, and may experience long- term vibrations. the joints may be able to withstand the forces and stresses exerted on the joint caused by the vibrations over a long period of time. in another example, a vehicle may experience an impact if the vehicle were to hit another object. the joints may be designed to withstand the impact. in some instances, the joints may be designed to withstand the impact up to a certain predetermined degree. optionally, it may be desirable to for the joints to deform or alter their configuration beyond the predetermined degree and absorb shock. the joints may be designed to meet various frame specifications and criteria. in some cases, the joints may be designed to form a chassis that meets state or national safety requirements for consumer and/or commercial vehicles. [0043] the final joint design may be determined by the tube dimension and shape requirements, location of integrated structural, mechanical, electrical, and fluid components, and the calculated stress type and magnitude, along with any performance specifications. fig. 3 shows a diagram of how a computational model of a joint meeting the necessary specifications may be developed in a software program on a device 301. the device may comprise a processor and/or a memory. the memory may comprise non-transitory computer readable media comprising code, logic, or instructions for performing one or more steps, such as the design steps or computations. the processor may be configured to perform the steps in accordance with the non-transitory computer readable media. the device may be a desktop computer, cell, smartphone, tablet, laptop, server, or any other type of computational device. the device may be in communication with a 3-d printer 302. the 3-d printer 302 may print the joint according to the design developed in the software program. the 3-d printer can be configured to generate an object through additive and/or subtractive manufacturing. the 3-d printer can be configured to form a metallic, composite, or polymer object. the 3-d printer may be a direct metal laser sintering (dmls) printer, electron beam melting (ebm) printer, fused deposition modeling (fdm) printer, or a polyjet printer. the 3-d printer may print joints made of titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, structural plastics, or any other structural material. [0044] 3-d printing may comprise a process of making a 3-dimensional structure based on a computational or electronic model as an input. the 3-d printer may employ any known printing technique including extrusion deposition, granular binding, lamination, or stereolithography. the general technique of 3-d printing may involve breaking down the design of the 3-dimensional object into a series of digital layers which the printer will then form layer by layer until the object is completed. joints may be printed in a layer by layer fashion, and may accommodate a wide range of geometric designs and detailed features, which may include internal and external features. [0045] the 3-d printed joints may be assembled with the tubes to form a frame structure. the design may be flexible to accommodate late design changes. for example if a support tube is added to the design late in the design process, additional joints can be printed quickly and at low cost to accommodate the additional support tube. the method of using a computer model in communication with a 3-d printer to generate joints may allow for a wide range of geometries to be produced quickly at low cost. [0046] fig. 4 shows a detailed flow chart of the method previously described. the steps described are provided by way of example only. some steps may be omitted, completed out of order, or swapped out with other steps. any of the steps may be performed automatically with aid of one or more processors. the one or more steps may or may not be performed with user input of intervention. the process begins with step 401, which involves choosing a frame design, such as a chassis design, the design may be chosen from a library of stored designs or it may be a new design developed for a specific project. [0047] after the design is chosen the next steps are 402a, 402b, 402c, and/or 402d, which may include calculating structural needs or specifications for the joints of the frame. steps 402a-d may be completed in any order, all steps 402a-d may be completed or only some of the steps may occur. step 402a involves calculating the structural load at each joint. the structural load may be determined by a finite element method and may include the direction and magnitude of shear stresses, compressive stresses, tension stresses, torsional stress, or any combination of stresses. the stresses may be calculated assuming that the vehicle is in motion or assuming the vehicle is stationary. this may also include calculating any performance specifications, such as safety, manufacturing, durability specifications. step 402b is to map the fluid and electrical routes throughout the vehicle. examples of fluid passageways may include coolant, lubrication, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or heating ducts. examples of electrical system that may require electrical routing from a source to a system may include audio systems, interior lighting systems, exterior lighting systems, engine ignition components, on board navigation systems, and control systems. step 402c is the determination of the tube angle, shape, and size at each joint. in step 402d the structural components such as panel and suspension connections are mapped. [0048] following the calculation of the joint needs/specifications in steps 402a-d the joint member may be designed to accommodate the joint needs/specifications in steps 403a- d. the joint design method may comprise steps 403a-d. steps 403a-d may be completed in any order, all steps 403a-d may be completed or only some of the steps may occur. the known stress profile at each joint may determine the wall thickness of the joint, the joint material, or necessary centering features to print on the joint 403a. after the fluid and electrical routes are mapped corresponding internal routing features may be designed to be printed on the joints 403b. the joint may have separate internal routing features for the fluid and electrical pathways or the joint may have one routing feature shared by fluid and electrical passageways. after determining the tube angle, shape, and size the joint may be designed 403c such that it can accommodate the necessary tubes while meeting the other specifications. using the map determined in 402d, the locations of integrated connecting features are designed to be printed on the joints 403d. such design steps may occur in sequence or in parallel. the various joint design needs may be considered in combination when designing the joint for printing. in some instances, the 3-d printing process may also be considered in designing the joint. [0049] in the final step 404 a set of printed joints are produced for used in the frame assembly chosen in 401. the printed joints may be 3-d printed in compliance with the joint designed using the collective considerations of steps 403a-d. the printed joints may be used to complete the assembly of the chassis. [0050] the 3-d printing method described herein adapted to fabricate joints for connecting tubes may decrease the time required to assemble a chassis. for example the total time to design and build a chassis may be less than or equal to about 15 min, 30 min, 45 min, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours, 7, hours, 8 hours, 9 hours, 10 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, or 1 month. in some instances, the printing of a joint itself may take less than or equal to about 1 min, 3 min, 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, 30 min, 40 min, 50 min, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 2.5 hours, or 3 hours. the time required to assemble a chassis may be reduced because the 3-d printing method may require fewer tools than a typical manufacturing method. in the method described herein, a single tool (e.g. 3-d printer) may be configured to fabricate a plurality of joints with different specifications (e.g., sizes/shapes). for example, a series of joints may be printed using a single 3-d printer that all have the same design. in another example, a series of joints may be printed using a single 3-d printer, the series of joints having different designs. the different designs may all belong to the same frame assembly, or may be printed for different frame assemblies. this may provide a higher degree of flexibility in scheduling joint print jobs at a site, and may permit a manufacturer to optimize production of joints to meet specified goals. in some cases, the 3-d printer can be sized and shaped such that it can be transported to a site where a vehicle is being built. furthermore, 3-d printing may increase quality control or consistency of joints. [0051] the manufacturing process described by fig. 4 may reduce manufacturing time and expense. manufacturing time and/or expenses can be reduced by reducing the number of tools required to form one or more joints. all of the joints can be formed with a single too, the 3-d printer. similarly, manufacturing time and/or expenses can be reduced by a higher level of quality control compared to other manufacturing techniques that is provided by the 3- d printer. for example the cost of producing joints using the method previously described may reduce manufacturing costs by at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% compared to other methods. the use of 3-d printing for the manufacturing of joints to connect tubes in a space frame allows each joint to have different shape and dimensions without requiring separate molds or tools for each joint. the 3-d printing process for joints may be easily scaled. [0052] an example of a joint that may be manufactured using the described 3-d printing method is shown in fig. 5. the joint shown in fig. 5 has a body portion 501 and three acceptor ports 502 exiting the joint body. the acceptor ports 502 may be locations for mating with a connecting tube. the acceptor ports may mate with a connecting tube by being inserted into an interior portion of the connecting tube and/or overlying an exterior surface of the connecting tube. the acceptor ports may have any angle relative to each other in three dimensional space. the angle of the ports relative to each other may be dictated by the chassis design. in some instances, three or more ports may be provided. the three or more ports may or may not be coplanar. the ports may be able to accept round, square, oval, or irregularly shaped tubes. different cross-sectional shapes/dimensions for connecting tubes, ports may be configured to accommodate the different shapes/dimensions of tubes, the ports themselves may have different cross-sectional shapes/dimensions. the ports may be round, square, oval, or irregularly shaped. [0053] the protrusion 502 may be designed such that it may be inserted in to a connecting tube. the wall thickness of the joint protrusion may be printed such that the joint is able to support the structural load calculated by a finite element model for the complete chassis design. for example a joint that needs to support a large magnitude load may have a thicker wall than a joint that supports a smaller load. [0054] fig. 6 shows a joint 601 connecting with three tubes 602a-c. the figure shows how the joint can be designed to connect tubes at varying angles. the angles between a set of tubes connecting to a joint may be equal or non-equal. in the example show in fig. 6 two of the angles are labeled, the angle between tube 602a and 602b is labeled 603 and the angle between tubes 602b and 602c is labeled 604. in fig. 6 angles 603 and 604 are not equal. possible values for 603 and 604 can be at least 1 °, 5 °, 10°, 15 °, 20 °, 30 °, 45 °, 60 °, 75 °, 90 °, 105 °, 120 °, 135 °, 150 °, 165 °, or 180 °. [0055] joints may be printed with any number of protruding acceptor ports to mate with a connecting tube. for example, the joint may have at least one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twelve, fifteen, twenty, thirty, or fifty acceptor ports, or prongs. the joint may have less than any of the number of acceptor ports described herein. the joint may have a number of acceptor ports falling into a range between any two of the values described herein. fig. 7 shows an example of a joint with five protrusions. furthermore, the protrusions may have equal or non-equal diameters. for example, fig. 8 shows a joint 801 designed to accept tubes of different diameters with a smaller tube being accepted at the upper port 802 and larger tubes accepted at the lower ports 803. in another example, different ports on the same joint may be able to accept tubes with a diameter ratio between different tubes of 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 2:3, 2:5, 2:7, 3:5, or 3:7. in the case of non-round tubes, diameter could be represented by the relevant fundamental length scale, for example side length in the case of a square tube. additionally, tubes with different cross sectional shapes may be able to fit on to different protrusions on the same joint. for example, a joint may have protrusions with all or any combination of round, oval, square, rectangular, or irregularly shapes. in other implementations, a single joint may have protrusions with equal diameters and/or the same shape. 3-d printing of the joint may accommodate this wide array of joint configurations. [0056] the joint may be printed such that it comprises a region of the protrusion configured to fit inside of a connecting tube and a lip to fit over the connecting tube. the joint protrusion configured to fit inside of the connecting tube may be printed such that an annular region may be formed between the surface of the protrusion and the inner diameter of the lip. [0057] the 3-d printing method described herein may permit inclusion of fine structural features which may be impossible or cost prohibitive using other fabrication methods. for example centering features may be printed on the protrusion region of the joint. centering features may be raised bumps or other shapes in a regular or irregular pattern on the joint protrusion. centering features may center the joint protrusion inside of a connecting tube when a joint and tube are assembled. if adhesive is placed between the joint protrusion and the connecting tube, centering features may create fluid pathways to spread the adhesive in a desired thickness or location. in another example nipples may be printed on to the joints. nipples may provide vacuum or injection ports for introduction of adhesive in a space between a joint protrusion and a connecting tube. in some cases, the centering features can promote even distribution of adhesive in the space between the joint protrusion and the connecting tube as described in detail elsewhere herein. [0058] centering features may comprise a raised printed pattern on the joint protrusion designed to fit inside of a connecting tube. the centering features may be printed on the joint protrusion when the protrusion is originally formed or they may be printed on the joint protrusion some time after the joint has been designed. the centering feature may be raised from an outer surface of a protrusion of the acceptor port (tube engagement region). the height of a raised centering feature may be at least 0.001", 0.005", 0.006", 0.007", 0.008", 0.009", 0.010", 0.020", 0.030", 0.040", or 0.050". centering features may preferably be printed on the region of the protrusion configured to fit inside of the connecting tube as shown in fig. 9a-d. in an alternative embodiment the centering features may be printed on the lip region on the joint configured to fit over the outer diameter of the connecting tube in addition to or instead of printing the centering features on the tube engagement region. the centering features may be printed on either or both the protrusion configured to fit inside of the connecting tube and the lip region on the joint configured to fit over the outer diameter of the connecting tube [0059] figs. 9a-d show detailed views of four possible joint centering feature embodiments. fig. 9a shows a small nub centering feature 901, this feature comprises a pattern of raised dots on a tube engagement region of the joint protrusion. a tube engagement region of the joint protrusion may be a portion of the joint protrusion configured to come into contact with a surface of the tube. the tube engagement region may be configured to be inserted into the tube. the dots may be provided in one or more row or column, or in staggered rows and/or columns. the raised dots may have a diameter of at least 0.001", 0.005", 0.006", 0.007", 0.008", 0.009", 0.010", 0.020", 0.030", 0.040", or 0.050". [0060] fig. 9b shows a spiral path centering feature 902, this feature comprises a continuous raised line that winds around the full length of the tube engagement region of the joint protrusion. the continuous raised line may wrap around the tube joint protrusion a single time or multiple times. alternative designs may comprise centering features with a raised spiral centering feature that does not wrap around the full diameter of the tube engagement region. in alternative embodiments the spiral centering feature may wind around 10 °, 20 °, 30 °, 40 °, 50 °, 60 °, 70 °, 80 °, 90 °, 100 °, 110 °, 120 °, 130 °, 140 °, 150 °, 180 °, 190 °, 200 °, 210 °, 220 °, 230 °, 240 °, 250 °, 260 °, 270 °, 280 °, 290 °, 300 °, 310 °, 320 °, 330 °, 340 °, 350 °, or the full 360 0 of the circumference of the engagement region. the centering feature may further comprise multiple raised lines that wind around the full length of the tube without intersecting in a fashion similar to multi- start screw threads. [0061] fig. 9c shows a labyrinth centering feature 903, this feature comprises raised dashed lines circumscribing the tube engagement region of the joint at a 90 degree angle to the direction of the length of the joint protrusion. adjacent dashed lines in the labyrinth centering feature are organized in a staggered pattern. multiple rows of dashed lines may be provided. the dashed lines may be substantially parallel to one another. alternatively, varying angles may be provided. [0062] fig. 9d shows an interrupted helix centering feature 904, this feature comprises raised dashed lines circumscribing the tube engagement region of the joint at a 45 degree angle to the direction of the length of the tube engagement region. in another example, the centering feature could have a raised line circumscribing the tube engagement region at an angle of 1 °, 5 °, 10°, 15 °, 20 °, 30 °, 45 °, 60 °, 75 °, 90 °, 105 °, 120 °, 135 °, 150 °, 165 °, or 180 °. the dashed lines in the centering features shown in fig. 9c and fig 9d may have a length of at least 0.005", 0.006", 0.007", 0.008", 0.009", 0.010", 0.020", 0.030", 0.040", 0.050" or 0.100". [0063] other patterns in addition to those described in fig. 9a-fig. 9d may be used. alternative patterns may include dashed lines at irregular angles or spacing, a combination of lines and dots, or a group of solid lines winding around the engagement region with uniform or non-uniform spacing between the lines. in some instances, the centering features may be patterned so a direct straight line may not be drawn from a distal end of an inner protrusion to the proximal end without intersecting one or more centering feature. this may force adhesive to take a more roundabout path and encourage spreading of the adhesive, as described further elsewhere herein. alternatively, a straight line may be provided from a distal end to a proximal end of the inner protrusion without intersecting one or more centering feature. [0064] the centering features may be printed on the joint protrusion with different densities. for example, a joint protrusion may be printed such that 90% of the protrusion is covered with raised centering features. in the case with 90% centering feature coverage the features may be very closely spaced. alternatively the centering features may cover at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% of the protrusion. the centering features may cover less than any of the percentages described herein. the centering features may fall within a range between any two of the percentage values described herein. the density of the centering features printed on the joints may be chosen to provide a structural feature as determined from the chassis model. [0065] the centering features may be raised such that a joint/tube assembly comprises space between an inner surface of the connecting tube and the surface of the joint protrusion designed to enter into a connecting tube. the tolerance between the inner tube diameter and the protrusion may be such that the joint and tube form a force fit connection. in the case of a force fit connection, centering features may or may not deform upon tube insertion in to the joint. the centering features may center the joint protrusion inside of a connecting tube such that the distance between the inner surface of the connecting tube and the surface of the joint protrusion may have a uniform radial thickness. alternatively the centering features may encourage non-uniform distribution of the space between the joint protrusion and the connecting tube. [0066] different centering features may be printed on different joints in the same chassis structure. different centering features can be printed on different joint protrusion on the same joint. the centering features printed on a joint protrusion may be chosen so that the joint supports a stress profile determined by a finite element analysis performed on the chassis structure. an example of a method to determine a centering feature to print on a joint is shown in fig. 10. in this method the first step 1001 is to determine the load or stress on a joint protrusion. the stress may be calculated using a finite element analysis employing a linear or non-linear stress model. stress may be calculated on the joints while the chassis is stationary or while the chassis is moving along a typical path, for example, along a straight line, curved trajectory, flat terrain, or hilly terrain. the calculated stress on the joint may be shear, tensile, compressive, torsional stress, or a combination of stress types. the next step in the method shown in fig. 10 is to choose a centering feature that will provide optimal structural support for the determined stress or load profile 1002. choosing a centering feature may involve choosing any combination of pattern, dimension, and density of a possible centering feature. the final step in the process may be to print the centering feature on the joint. [0067] for example, a joint that is expected to experience a high magnitude tension force may be printed with a small nub centering feature such that that an adhesive contact area between the joint and the tube is maximized. in another example, a joint that is expected to experience a torsional stress in the clockwise direction may be printed with a spiral centering feature in the clockwise direction to provide resistance to the torsional force. [0068] the dimension and density of the centering features may also be chosen so that the joint supports a stress profile determined by a computational and/or empirical analysis performed on the chassis structure. the height of the centering feature may dictate the volume of the annulus formed between the surface of the joint protrusion and the inner diameter of a connecting tube. the volume of the annulus may be filled with adhesive when the joint and tube are assembled. the centering feature height may be chosen such that the volume of adhesive is optimized to support the expected stress or load on the joint. the density of centering features may also alter the volume of the annular region. for example, a joint with a high density of centering features may have a smaller volume in the annular region compared to a joint with a sparse density of centering features. the centering feature density may be chosen such that the volume of adhesive is optimized to support the expected stress or load on the joint. [0069] nipples for the connection of vacuum or injection tubing may be printed directly on the joint. the nipples may be printed on the joint at the time that the joint is printed such that the joint and the nipples may be carved from the same bulk material. alternatively the nipples may be printed separately and added to the joint after it is printed. the nipples may have delicate internal pathways that may be impossible to achieve with manufacturing methods other than 3-d printing. in some cases, fluid can be delivered to an annular space between the tube accepting region of the protrusion and an inner diameter of a tube attached to the protrusion through the nipple and/or the internal pathways in fluid communication with the nipple. the fluid can be an adhesive. adhesive may be sucked or pushed into the annular region through the printed nipples. the nipples may be positioned on opposite sides of the joint to distribute adhesive uniformly. two or more nipples can be attached to the joint symmetrically or asymmetrically. for example, they may be provided circumferentially opposing one another on an acceptor port of a joint. they may be provided at or near a proximal end of an acceptor port for a joint. alternatively, they may be provided at or near a distal end of an acceptor port of the joint, or any combinations thereof. a joint may have at least about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 15, or 20 nipples on each protrusion. [0070] nipples can be positioned far from, in close proximity to, or co-axially with an internal joint feature such as the fluid pathway inside of a wall of the inner joint protrusion which may provide uniform adhesive coating. fig. 11 shows a cross section of an example of a joint protrusion with nipples 1101 connecting to an internal fluid pathway 1102 inside the wall of the joint protrusion. the internal pathway may be printed in the side wall of the joint. the internal pathway may have an outlet 1103 in to the annular region. the internal pathway may introduce fluid (e.g. adhesive) into the annular region. the internal pathway may have a round cross section, a square cross section, an oval cross section, or an irregularly shaped cross section. the diameter of the internal pathway may be at least 1/100", 1/64", 1/50", 1/32", 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", or 1/2". if the internal fluid pathway has a non-round cross section the listed diameters may correspond to a relevant fundamental length scale of the cross section. the fluid pathway may run along the full length of the joint protrusion or any fraction of the length. [0071] nipples can be shaped and configured to connect with vacuum and/or pressure injection equipment. printing nipples directly on the joint may decrease the need for equipment to inject adhesive in to the annular region. after adhesive is introduced the nipples may be removed from the joint by cutting or melting the nipple off of the joint. [0072] integrated structural features may be printed directly on to or inside of the joints. integrated structural features may include fluid plumbing, electrical wiring, electrical buses, panel mounts, suspension mounts, or locating features. integrated structural features may simplify the chassis design and decrease the time, labor, parts, and cost needed to construct the chassis structure. the location for the integrated structural features on each joint may be determined by the chassis model and the software may communicate with a 3-d printer to fabricate each joint with the necessary integrated structural features for a chosen chassis design. [0073] joints may be printed such that they comprise mounting features for shear panels or body panels of a vehicle. mounting features on the joints may allow panels to be connected directly to a vehicle chassis frame. mounting features on the joints may be designed to mate with complimentary mating features on the panels. for example mounting features on the joints may be flanges with holes for hardware (e.g. screws, bolts, nuts, or rivets), snaps, or flanges designed for welding or adhesive application. figs. 12a-c show features of the joints designed for integration with other systems on-board a structure, such as a vehicle. joints may be designed to integrate with shear panels or body panels of a structure. [0074] fig. 12a shows a joint with a flange 1201. the flange 1201 may be used to connect to a shear panel or body panel (not shown). in the case of use of the joint members to construct a vehicle chassis, the joint member may be integrated with a suspension system. a suspension system may comprise hydraulic, air, rubber, or spring loaded shock absorbers. the suspension system may connect to the joint member by an attachment to a flange 1201. the flange may be printed such that it contains at least one hole 1202 for mating with connecting hardware (e.g. screw, nail, rivet). [0075] joints may be printed such that they include integrated passageways for electrical connections. electrical connections integrated into the joints may be electrically insulated. electrical connections integrated into the joints may be grounded. electrical connections integrated into the joints may be in communication with wiring routed through the tubes connected to the joint. the electrical wiring may be used to provide power to systems on board a vehicle and/or to provide power to a battery to start or run the vehicle engine. systems on board a vehicle that use power from the integrated joints may include, navigation, audio, video display, power windows, or power seat adjustment. power distribution within a vehicle may travel exclusively through a tube/joint network. fig. 12b shows a possible joint embodiment for routing of electrical wires throughout a structure. the joint shown in fig. 12b has with an inlet region 1203; this inlet could be used for insertion of electrical connections or wires. electrical wires may be inserted into the inlet region and routed from the joint to the tube for transmission throughout the chassis. one or more system that may be powered using the electrical wires may connect with the wire through the inlet region. the electrical connections integrated into the joints can provide plugins that permit a user to plug in one or more devices to obtain power for the device. in some cases, one or more electrical contacts can be printed onto the joints before, after, or during 3-d printing of the joints. [0076] joints may be printed such that they comprise an integrated heating and cooling fluid system to provide heat and air conditioning in the vehicle chassis. other applications may include cooling and/or heating various components of the vehicle. integration of fluid (e.g. gas or liquid) systems into the joint/tube construction may partially or fully eliminate the need for conventional air ducts and plumbing from vehicle design. joints may route hot or cold fluid from a production source (e.g. electric heating element, engine block heat exchanger, refrigerator, air conditioning unit, or boiler) to a location in the chassis where a passenger or vehicle operator may wish to heat or cool the interior. joints may contain integrated components to intake hot or cold fluid from a source, distribute hot or cold fluid, and vent hot or cold fluid at a location away from the source. joints and tubes in the assembly may be thermally insulated using fiberglass, foam insulation, cellulose, or glass wool. the joint and tube assembly may be fluid tight. in the case of a joint comprising an integrated fluid system the joint embodiment shown in fig. 12b may be used. an inlet such as the one illustrated in the figure 1203 may be used to route fluid for heating or cooling throughout a structure by means piping the fluid between a plurality of joints through the connector tubes. [0077] a cross sectional view of a joint that may be used for routing of fluid or electricity is shown in fig. 12c. in the example shown in fig. 12c two joint protrusions are joined by an internal passageway 1204. in an embodiment the joint in fig. 12c may route fluid or wiring from the inlet at 1205 to the outlet at 1206. the passageways used for routing of fluid and electricity may be the same passageways or they may be separate. internal joint routing may keep two or more fluids separate within a joint while still providing desired routing between tubes, or from tube to joint-mounted connectors or features. [0078] joints may be printed such that they include integrated locating or identifying features. the features may enable automated identification or handling of the joints during assembly and processing. examples of locating features may include a cylindrical boss (e.g. a boss with a flat and radial groove), an extruded c-shape with a cap, a bayonet or reverse bayonet fitting with a non-symmetric pin pattern, a hook feature, or other features with geometry that may uniquely define the feature orientation and position when examined. these locating features may be interfaced to or grasped by robotic grippers or work holding tools. the interface of the joint may be fully defined once the grasping motion begins, is partially finished, or is complete. the locating features may enable repeatable and optionally automated positioning of the joints prior to and during space frame assembly. the defining geometry of the features may also enable automated systems to coordinate the motion of multiple joints along defined paths in space during insertion of tubes into the joints. at least two tubes may be inserted into multiple joints in parallel without resulting in geometric binding during assembly. the integrated locating feature may further comprise integral identifying features. for example identifying features may be a one dimensional bar code, a two dimensional qr code, a three dimensional geometric pattern, or a combination of these elements. the identifying feature may encode information about the joint to which it is attached. this joint information may include: geometry of the joint, including the orientation of the tube entries relative to the identifying/location feature; material of the joint; positioning of adhesive injection and vacuum ports relative to the identifying/locating features; adhesive required by the joint; and joint tube diameters. the combined identifying/locating feature may enable automated positioning of joints for assembly without requiring external information to be supplied to the automated assembly cell. [0079] any of the features described herein may be printed with the rest of the joint. for example, the entire joint including the various features described herein (e.g., centering features, nipples, passageways, etc.) may be printed in a single step and formed a single integral material. alternatively, specific features may be printed onto a pre-existing joint component. for example, a center feature may be printed onto an existing acceptor port. [0080] the 3-d printing method of joint fabrication may be a high efficiency manufacturing process. a single set of equipment may be configured to generate a variety of joint geometries with varying detailed features. the production may have lower time and cost requirements compared to traditional manufacturing methods, furthermore the process may be easily scaled from small volume production to large volume production. the process may provide superior quality control over traditional manufacturing methods which may reduce waste associated with misshapen parts and the time required to re-make parts which may not meet a standard of quality control. [0081] while preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. it is not intended that the invention be limited by the specific examples provided within the specification. while the invention has been described with reference to the aforementioned specification, the descriptions and illustrations of the embodiments herein are not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. furthermore, it shall be understood that all aspects of the invention are not limited to the specific depictions, configurations or relative proportions set forth herein which depend upon a variety of conditions and variables. it should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention. it is therefore contemplated that the invention shall also cover any such alternatives, modifications, variations or equivalents. it is intended that the following claims define the scope of the invention and that methods and structures within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby.
|
156-750-818-563-329
|
JP
|
[
"JP",
"US"
] |
G01C3/06,B60R21/00,B60R21/34,G01S17/93,G08G1/16
| 1994-10-21T00:00:00 |
1994
|
[
"G01",
"B60",
"G08"
] |
obstacle detection device
|
purpose: to achieve a reliable detection without attenuating the intensity of light with a compact and light device by making independent light transmission and reception paths, sectioning them and making small a transmission light reflection member. constitution: laser beam are projected in the circumferential direction from a light transmission path consisting of a laser diode 22, a light transmission lens 25, and a light transmission side mirror 14. in this case, the laser beams are condensed at a specific angle of θ1 by changing the position of the lens 25. after receiving the reflection light from the obstacle at a light reception path consisting of, for example a light reception lens 16 and a light reception side mirror 17, the distance to the obstacle is calculated. after the operation is completed, a stepping motor 2 is driven at a specific angle and the operation is repeated. in this manner, since the transmission/reception light needs not be separated, the attenuation of light output can be reduced. also, both transmission and reception paths can be sectioned by a section plate 18, the reception of noises can be prevented. further, since the mirror 14 is provided near the diode 22, the area can be reduced and the entire device can be made miniaturized and light.
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1. an obstacle detecting apparatus, comprising: a light emitting means; a light projecting means for projecting a light generated in said light emitting means in a predetermined direction via a light emitting path; a light introducing means for introducing the light reflected by an obstacle via a light receiving path that is different from said light emitting path over an entire length of said light emitting path and said light receiving path within said obstacle detecting apparatus; a light receiving means for detecting the light introduced by said light introducing means; a driving means for rotatably supporting said light projecting means and at least a portion of said light introducing means, and for driving said light projecting means and said at least a portion of said light introducing means in a circumferential direction; and a calculating means for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time the light is emitted by said light emitting means until a time the light is received by said light receiving means. 2. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light projecting means comprises: a first light collecting means for collecting the light generated by said light emitting means; and a first reflecting means for reflecting said collected light in the predetermined direction. 3. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a first holding means for holding said first light collecting means in a predetermined position. 4. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first holding means comprises: a first holding member for holding said first light collecting means; a second holding member movably and adjustably connected with said first holding member and a spring biased between said first and second holding members. 5. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light introducing means comprises: a reflecting means for reflecting the introduced light in another predetermined direction; and a collecting means for collecting the light reflected by said reflecting means. 6. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light introducing means comprises a reflecting member having a concave shape. 7. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a support means on said driving means for supporting said reflecting means. 8. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a partition member formed between said light projecting means and said light introducing means for preventing the light from interfering therebetween. 9. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 8, wherein said partition member is an electrically conductive material. 10. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a prohibiting means for prohibiting said obstacle detecting apparatus from detecting the obstacle in a predetermined range of rotation of said driving means. 11. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light emitting origin detecting means provided at a predetermined position in rotation of said light projecting assembly for detecting a light projection direction at the predetermined position. 12. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a direction detecting means for detecting a direction in which the laser light is projected based on the output from said light emitting origin detecting means. 13. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a light emission level detecting means for detecting an intensity of the light projected from said light projecting assembly by comparing the output from said light emitting origin detecting means with a reference value. 14. an obstacle detecting apparatus comprising: a housing; a first substrate disposed at a light projecting end of said housing; a laser light emitting element disposed on said first substrate; a light projecting assembly for projecting outwardly the laser light generated by said laser light emitting element through a predetermined light emitting path; a light introducing assembly for introducing the laser light reflected by an obstacle into said housing through a light receiving path that is different from said light emitting path over an entire length of said light receiving path and said light emitting path within said housing; a second substrate disposed so as to face said first substrate at a light receiving end of said housing; a laser light receiving element disposed on said second substrate for receiving said introduced laser light; a motor for driving circumferentially said light emitting assembly and at least a portion of said light introducing assembly; a counter for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time the laser light is emitted by said laser light emitting element until a time the light is received by said laser light receiving element; and a supporting member for supporting said first and second substrates and said motor. 15. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein said housing comprises a material through which the laser light can be transmitted. 16. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein said supporting member comprises a material through which the laser light can be transmitted. 17. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein said motor comprises: a rotating shaft for rotating circumferentially said light projecting assembly and said light introducing assembly; and a motor housing having a cylindrical magnet, a coil and a stator. 18. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein said light projecting assembly comprises: a light projecting lens for collecting the laser light generated by said laser light emitting element; and a light projecting mirror for reflecting the collected laser light in a predetermined direction. 19. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 18, wherein, said motor shaft is cut at a lower end at an angle of 45.degree. with respect to an axial direction of said shaft, and said light projecting mirror is attached to the lower end. 20. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein said light introducing assembly comprises a reflecting member for reflecting the introduced laser light. 21. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a partition between said light projecting assembly and said light introducing assembly for preventing the light from interfering therebetween. 22. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 21, wherein said partition is supported at a predetermined position by said supporting member. 23. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a prohibiting means for prohibiting said obstacle detecting apparatus from detecting the obstacle in a predetermined range of rotation of said motor. 24. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a light emitting origin detecting means provided at a predetermined position in rotation of said light projecting assembly for detecting a light projection direction at the predetermined position. 25. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: a reflected light detecting means provided inside said housing for detecting light reflected inwardly by said housing; and a stain detecting means for detecting stains on said housing by comparing the output from said reflected light detecting means with a reference value. 26. the obstacle detecting apparatus of claim 25, further comprising: a housing supporting means for rotatably supporting said housing; a housing driving means for rotating said housing; a control means for supplying said housing driving means with a driving signal based on the output from said stain detecting means; and a cleansing means provided on said housing supporting means for sweeping a surface of said housing. 27. an obstacle detecting apparatus, comprising: a housing; a partition disposed in said housing; light emitting means disposed on a first side of said partition inside said housing; a first mirror disposed on said first side of said partition inside said housing for reflecting a light generated by said light emitting means through a first portion of said housing and toward an obstacle to be detected; light receiving means disposed on a second side of said partition inside said housing opposite said first side for detecting the light reflected from the obstacle; a second mirror disposed on said second side of said partition inside said housing for reflecting the light reflected by the obstacle through a second portion of said housing and toward said light receiving means; driving means for rotatably driving said first and second mirrors; and calculating means for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time when the light is emitted by said light emitting means and a time the light is received by said light receiving means. 28. an obstacle detecting apparatus as recited in claim 27, further comprising a shaft for supporting said first and second mirrors, wherein said shaft extends on both sides of said partition, and wherein said first mirror is supported on one end of said shaft on said first side of said partition, and said second mirror is supported on an opposite end of said shaft on said second side of said partition. 29. an obstacle detecting apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein said shaft is a motor shaft. 30. an obstacle detecting apparatus, comprising: a housing; light emitting means disposed in said housing; a first mirror disposed in said housing for reflecting a light generated by said light emitting means through a first portion of said housing and toward an obstacle to be detected; light receiving means disposed in said housing for detecting the light reflected from the obstacle; a second mirror disposed in said housing for reflecting the light reflected by the obstacle through a second portion of said housing and toward said light receiving means, wherein said first and second mirrors are different, and wherein said first and second portions of said housing are also different; driving means for rotatably driving said first and second mirrors; and calculating means for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time when the light is emitted by said light emitting means until a time the light is received by said light receiving means. 31. an obstacle detecting apparatus as recited in claim 30, further comprising a partition disposed between said first and second mirrors for preventing interference between said light emitting means and said light receiving means. 32. an obstacle detecting apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said shaft is a motor shaft.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention this invention relates to an obstacle detection apparatus for vehicles using a laser-radar scanning apparatus, for instance, and more particularly to an obstacle detection apparatus capable of scanning a wide range in the vicinity of a vehicle. 2. description of the related art various techniques have been utilized in the past to detect the size of an obstacle ahead of a vehicle, the direction of the obstacle, and a distance from the vehicle to the obstacle, by scanning a laser beam projected ahead of the vehicle. in particular, in order to perform a wide range detection of the obstacle by employing a laser radar, techniques using a polyhedral angle mirror (a so called "polygon mirror") rotatably driven as shown in japanese examined patent publication hei 5-43090, and using a half mirror (a so called "isolator") rotatably driven as shown in japanese un-examined patent publication no. hei 3-175390 are known. fig. 13 illustrates an example of the obstacle detection apparatus using the above mentioned half mirror technique shown in japanese un-examined patent publication no. hei 3-175390. in fig. 13, a laser diode 100 generates a pulse laser beam (which is a diffused light) when it receives pulse current from a driving circuit (not shown). approximately one-half of the pulse laser beam passing through a slit 107 is reflected toward the left in fig. 13 by a half mirror 101, and the rest of the beam is passed through the half mirror 101 and slit 109, and is then converted to a parallel beam by a concave mirror 102. the parallel beam is projected externally via a transparent plate 104 provided for preventing dust or other debris from entering the detection apparatus, and the beam is horizontally moved through rotation of the concave mirror 102 by a motor 103 so that the detection apparatus can scan over 360.degree.. the laser beam projected to the external space is reflected by a obstacle such as a proceeding car, and a part of the reflected beam is directed back again to the concave mirror 102 via the plate 104 and reflected toward the half mirror 101. almost one-half of the reflected beam is reflected again by the half mirror 101 and then focused on a photo diode 106 through slit 108, by which photo-electro transducing takes place to output an electric signal corresponding to the strength of the reflected light beam. the distance to the obstacle is obtained based on the time difference between the time when the light is emitted from the laser diode 100 until the time the light is received at the photo diode 106, and a direction of the obstacle is derived from the rotated position of the concave mirror 102. in the above-described conventional obstacle detecting apparatus, since it is necessary for transmitted laser light to be passed through the half mirror 101, the output level of the laser beam is lowered due to the light splitting, and the distance capable of being measured by the laser radar apparatus is considerably shortened. in order to compensate for the above problem, an expensive laser diode with a large output level is necessary. in the conventional apparatus it is likely that the photo diode will detect light other than the light reflected by the obstacle, resulting in a lessening of the detection sensitivity of the laser radar apparatus. in order to prevent this deterioration, it is necessary to provide numerous slits and to assemble the optical parts such as the concave mirror and the half mirror with high accuracy. moreover, the above conventional laser radar apparatus cannot easily and accurately detect the starting point of scanning, and also cannot detect a lowering in performance due to the attachment or deposition of stains on the transparent plate 104, nor can the apparatus sweep the stains out. summary of the invention accordingly, an object of present invention is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus which is capable of performing a wide range detection of obstacles without resulting in lowering of the output level. another object of the invention is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus which can easily and steplessly control a spreading angle of the light projected toward an external space. a further object is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus in which the improper operation of the apparatus due to noise and other interference can be avoided. still another object is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus in which a scanning operation is not hindered by parts and wirings incorporated into the apparatus. another object of the invention is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus containing a light emission detection means capable of detecting that the light has been transmitted in a predetermined direction, and, upon such detection, detecting a direction that the light is projected in. still another object is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus capable of diagnosing a light mission level of a photo diode. yet another object is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus capable of automatically detecting and sweeping out the stains attached or deposited on the surface of a housing of the obstacle detecting apparatus. a still further object is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus which is capable of automatically controlling the region to be scanned to within a predetermined angle range. a further object is to provide an obstacle detecting apparatus having fewer parts, which is of a smaller size, and which is lighter in weight. the above objects are accomplished in the instant invention by providing an obstacle detecting apparatus comprising: a light emitting means; a light projecting means for projecting a light generated in said light emitting means in a predetermined direction via a light emitting path; a light introducing means for introducing the light reflected by an obstacle via a light receiving path that is different from said light emitting path; a light receiving means for detecting the light introduced by said light introducing means; a driving means for rotatably supporting said light projecting means and at least a portion of said light introducing means, and for driving said light projecting means and said at least a portion of said light introducing means in a circumferential direction; and a calculating means for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time the light is emitted by said light emitting means and a time the light is received by said light receiving means. in another embodiment, the above objects are attained by providing an obstacle detecting apparatus comprising: a housing; a first substrate disposed at a light projecting end of said housing; a laser light emitting element disposed on said first substrate; a light projecting assembly for projecting outwardly the laser light generated by said laser light emitting element through a predetermined light emitting path; a light introducing assembly for introducing the laser light reflected by an obstacle into said housing through a light receiving path that is different from said light emitting path; a second substrate disposed so as to face said first substrate at a light receiving end of said housing; a laser light receiving element disposed on said second substrate for receiving said introduced laser light; a motor for driving circumferentially said light emitting assembly and at least a portion of said light introducing assembly; a counter for calculating a distance to the obstacle based on a delay time between a time the laser light is emitted by said laser light emitting element until a time the light is received by said laser light receiving element; and a supporting member for supporting said first and second substrates and said motor. brief description of the drawing figures fig. 1 is a sectional view showing an obstacle detecting apparatus of a first embodiment of the invention. fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line x--x of fig. 1. fig. 3 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. fig. 4 is a sectional view showing an obstacle detecting apparatus of a second embodiment of the invention. fig. 5 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention. fig. 6 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of the invention illustrating an operation in the case where a laser radar apparatus is installed in a vehicle. fig. 7 is a side view of fig. 6. fig. 8 is a sectional view showing an obstacle protecting apparatus of fifth and sixth embodiments of the invention. fig. 9 is a block diagram of the fifth embodiment of the invention. fig. 10 is a sectional view of a seventh embodiment of the invention. fig. 11 is a partially broken plan view of fig. 10. fig. 12 is a block diagram of the seventh embodiment of the invention. fig. 13 is a sectional view showing a conventional laser radar apparatus. detailed description of the preferred embodiments a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. fig. 1 is a sectional view showing an internal configuration in the first embodiment of the obstacle detection apparatus according to present invention. referring to fig. 1, a laser radar apparatus 200 as an example of the obstacle detection apparatus of this invention is provided with a protective housing 20 made of a transparent material, a laser diode 30 from which a laser light is generated, a light projecting assembly 40 which guides or conducts the emitted laser light to be projected toward the external space, a light introducing assembly 50 which guides or conducts the laser light reflected by the obstacle such as a car to a light receiving element 90, and a stepping motor 60 for scanning the laser light in a circumferential direction. the stepping motor 60 is constituted by a motor shaft 61 which is rotatably supported by a bearing 62 inserted in a motor-housing 63 and a bearing 64 inserted in a cap 65. on a part of the motor shaft 61, a cylindrical magnet 71 magnetized according to the number of steps is fixed, and on the periphery of the magnet 71, a stator 66 is installed in the motor-housing 63 through an air gap and in which coils 67, 68 are also installed through bobbins 69, 70. the lower end of the shaft 61 is cut at 45 degrees with respect to the shaft-axis and is firmly attached with a mirror 41 which is a part of the light projecting assemblies 40 described below. on the upper end of the shaft 61, a holder 51 is firmly attached, as a part of the light introducing assembly 50. the light receiving lens 52 is perpendicularly held by the holder 51, and faces in the same circumferential direction as the mirror 41. the holder 51 also holds a mirror 53 at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the shaft-axis. the mirror 53 has larger surface area than that of the mirror 41. a partition 21 is formed as a part of the motor housing 63 and has a cylindrical shape with the one end closed and the other opened. this partition 21 is supported by supporting members 22, 22, 22, each of those being arranged with 120 degrees separation (see fig. 2). further, the supporting members 22, 22, 22 are made of transparent material through which a wavelength of laser light is transmitted. a printing board 23 having a laser light emitting circuit is mounted on the bottom of the supporting members 22, 22, 22 and the laser diode 30 is mounted on the printing board 23. the laser diode 30 is incorporated in a holding member 49 and securely held through a light collecting lens 43 with another holding member 42 which is screwed into the holding member 49 via a screw part 42a against the pressure of a spring 44. on the other hand, another printing board 24 having a light receiving circuit is mounted on the top end of the supporting member 22, 22, 22, and a photo diode 90, for example, as the light receiving element is mounted on the printing board 24. the printing board 24 is supported in a position such that the light receiving portion of the photo diode 90 is placed on the axis of the motor-shaft 61 and on the focal point of the light receiving lens 52 or in a vicinity thereof. the light shaft in the vertical direction of the laser light passing through the laser diode 30, light collecting lens 43, mirrors 41, 53 and photo diode 90 is aligned with the rotating axis of the motor-shaft 61. the housing 20 is made of transparent material through which a wavelength of laser light is transmitted, and is secured into protective base 25 by means of a liquid-tight seal. the operation of this embodiment will now be described with reference to figs. 1-3. the laser light emitted from the laser diode 30 is horizontally projected through the light emitting path containing the light collecting lens 43, the mirror 41 and the armor housing 20. as shown in fig. 3, a laser light emitting circuit 81 receives instructions from a controller 80 comprising, for example, a micro-computer, to provide the laser diode 30 with pulse current. the laser diode 30 generates laser light with the output level according to the magnitudes of the pulse current, and the laser light is inherently a diffused light but is collected to a predetermined spreading angle .theta.1 (referring to fig. 1) by the light collecting lens 43 and outwardly projected by the mirror 41. the above predetermined spreading angle .theta.1 can be controlled to any angle by adjusting the position of the light collecting lens 43 through rotating the holding member 42. the above outwardly projected light lt is reflected by an obstacle 82 such as a preceding car and is reflected back to the apparatus 200 through the light receiving lens 52 by which the light is collected to be reflected by the mirror 53 and focused on the light receiving portion or in a vicinity thereof of the photo diode 90. the photo diode 90 detects the light and transforms the light into electrical signals to be amplified by the laser light receiving circuit 83 and then to be input into the controller 80. the controller 80 contains a distance calculation means (not shown), which calculates a distance to the obstacle by measuring a propagation delay time (t that is a time interval from emitting of laser light at the laser diode 30 until receiving of laser light reflected by the obstacle 82 at the photo diode 90. the distance d is calculated by the following formula. d=v.times..delta.t/2 where: v represents the velocity of light the controller 80, after executing the above series of operations, provides a motor driving circuit 84 with instruction signals to rotate the stepping motor 60 by an angle .theta.2 and to repeat this operation stepwise, so that the laser radar apparatus 200 is circumferentially scanned so as to cover a wide range of horizontal angles. the controller 80 contains a direction detecting means (not shown) to detect a direction toward which laser light is being projected by using well known techniques such as employed in an encoder system or a stepping motor system for detecting the angle by which the rotor shaft 61 has been rotated from a reference position. the first embodiment described above can be modified as described below. first, the instruction signals output from the controller 80 for driving the stepping motor 60 can be generated simultaneously with output signals from an oscillator separately installed. second, the stepping angle .theta.2 can be easily changed by altering an output level of the instruction signals to the motor driving circuit 84, thereby controlling a scanning speed of the laser light. third, the scanning speed of the laser light can be also controlled by altering a period of the instruction signals to the motor driving circuit 84. as can be understood, according to the above first embodiment, since a light emitting path and a light receiving path are not overlapped, that is, they are independent from each other, it is not necessary to use an isolator for separation of laser light, thereby eliminating the problem of a deterioration of laser light caused by the isolator. further, since the mirror 41, according to the first embodiment, is disposed close to laser diode 30, the mirror 41 can be formed in smaller size than the mirror 53, thereby enabling the stepping motor 60 and the motor driving circuit 84 to be smaller and lighter, because a driving force of the stepping motor can be reduced. furthermore, since the holding member 42 which holds the light emitting lens 43 is screwed into the holder member 49, the position control of the light emitting lens 43 is easily and steplessly achieved. according to the first embodiment, since the partition 21 is disposed between the light emitting path and the light receiving path, light interference therebetween is prevented, resulting in improved reliability, and that reliability is further improved if the partition 21 is formed of electrically conductive material like metal, because not only laser light but also an electromagnetic field are shielded. in addition, an electromagnetic noise generated from the laser diode, for example, is prevented from interfering with, or causing misoperation of, the light receiving circuit. the separate arrangement of the printing board 23 and the printing board 24 also contributes to preventing misoperation of the light receiving circuit. fig. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. the reference numerals in fig. 4 that are identical to those in fig. 1 represent identical or similar parts to those in fig. 1. the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the light receiving lens. in fig. 4, the laser light lr reflected by the obstacle 82 is reflected by the mirror 53 and then collected by the light receiving lens 52 to be focused on the light receiving surface of the photo diode 90. the light receiving lens 52 is held by a holder 54 secured on the printing board 24 so that the light receiving lens 52 is positioned in line with the rotating axis of the motor shaft 61, and the focal point of the lens 52 is positioned on the light receiving surface of the photo diode 90. according to fig. 4, the lens 52 is held by the holder 54, and the holder 51 is not needed to hold the lens 52, so the driving force of the stepping motor 60 can be reduced, thereby enabling the motor size to be smaller, and enabling the lens 52 to be easily set to accurately focus on the surface of the photo diode 90. fig. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention. the reference numerals in fig. 5 that are identical to those in fig. 1 represent identical or similar parts to those in fig. 1. this embodiment differs from the previous embodiments in that a concave mirror is used instead of the combination of the light receiving lens and the light receiving mirror. in fig. 5, the laser light lr reflected by the obstacle 82 is further reflected by a concave mirror 56 secured on a holder 55, and then directly focused on the light receiving surface of the photo diode 90. according to this embodiment, the number of parts is reduced thereby enabling the apparatus to be smaller. fig. 6 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of the invention illustrating an operation in the case where a laser radar apparatus was installed in a vehicle. fig. 7 is a side view of fig. 6. in the drawings, the laser radar apparatus 200 is installed on a back corner of the vehicle 85, and as described in the first embodiment, the apparatus 200 circumferentially scans step by step by angle increments of .theta.2. this scanning is, however, interfered with by the body of the vehicle within the range of .theta.3. in this embodiment, the controller 80 contains a prohibiting circuit (not shown) which prevents the apparatus 200 from projecting the laser light when the scanning angle is in the range of .theta.3. the above prohibiting circuit is known in the art and utilizes the output signals from the direction detecting means in which the scanning angle from the reference position is detected. according to this embodiment, the controller 80 avoids unnecessary operation and calculation. in order to avoid the possibility that the laser light will interfere with the wirings which connect between the printing board 23 and printing board 24 within the range of angle .theta.4, the wiring is contained within the range .theta.3. figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a fifth embodiment of the invention, having a scanning origin detecting function. in the drawings, the numeral 86 represents an optical fiber which is provided at the origin from which the laser light begins scanning, which is a predetermined rotating position of the motor shaft 61, to directly receive the reflected light from the mirror 41. the numeral 87 is a light receiving element such as a photo diode, to receive the light conducted through the optical fiber 86. in operation, when the mirror 41 which is stepwise rotated by the motor shaft 61 faces the optical fiber 86, the laser light reflected by the mirror 41 is conducted to the photo diode 87 through the optical fiber 86. the photo diode 87 detects the light and converts the light to electric signals according to the strength of the light. further, the electric signals are amplified by an amplifying circuit 88 (see fig. 9) and then input to the controller 80 as an origin signal. the controller 80 executes a predetermined calculation based on the origin signal and the position signals of the stepping motor 60 at the time when it received the origin signal, and stores the scanning origin detecting signal into a memory means (not shown) installed in the controller 80. as can be seen, the scanning origin detecting means is operable only at the time the mirror 41 is facing the optical fiber 86, and is not operable at the time the mirror 41 is facing in the other direction. the scanning origin detecting means can also be used for detecting a direction toward which the laser light is projected. that direction is, for example, calculated from the step angle .theta.2 mentioned above and a counting value of the number of steps by the stepping motor 60 after the controller 80 has received the origin signal. a sixth embodiment is directed to a laser radar apparatus having a self diagnostic function by which a light emitting strength can be monitored. this embodiment can be explained using the same drawings figs. 8 and 9 as the last embodiment. in fig. 8, the optical fiber 86 and photo diode 87 are also utilized as a light emission strength detecting means for detecting a light emission level of the photo diode 30. in operation, when the mirror 41 which is stepwise rotated by the motor shaft 61 is facing the optical fiber 86, the laser light reflected by the mirror 41 is conducted to the photo diode 87 through the optical fiber 86. the photo diode 87 detects the light and converts the light to electric signals according to the strength of the light. further, the electric signals are amplified by an amplifying circuit 88 (see fig. 9) and then input to a comparator (not shown) contained in the controller 80 to compare it with a reference value which represents a standard light strength. the comparator outputs a comparison result as either "yes" or "no". when, for instance, the light strength of the detected light is larger than the reference value, the comparator outputs a "no" signal to show a deterioration or a defect of parts such as the laser diode 30 or the laser light emitting circuit 81. figs. 10-12 illustrate a seventh embodiment having a stain detection function and stain cleansing function. fig. 10 is a sectional view of the seventh embodiment, and fig. 11 is a partially broken plan view of fig. 10. in the drawings, the numeral 110 represents a laser light receiving means such as a photo diode for detecting any light obstructing materials such as dust, dirt or snow attached or deposited on a surface x of a protective housing 111. the protective housing 111 is securely mounted on a protective base 113 on the peripheral surface of which a gear 114 is provided. the housing 111 and the base 113 have a rotating shaft 112 and 115, respectively, at the center part thereof, and are rotatably mounted on supporting means 118 and 119, respectively, by being coupled with bearings 116 and 117, respectively. a motor 121 is a driving means for rotating the housing comprising the housing 111 and the base 113 by means of a gear coupling between a pinion gear 120 secured on the shaft of the motor 121 and the above mentioned base gear 114. the rotating angle of the housing is detected by means of a position detecting means comprising a slit 122 and a sensor 123. a brush 125 is secured on a wiper means 124 which is supported by supporting members 118 and 119, and is contacted with the outer periphery of the housing 111 to sweep away the attached or deposited materials by rotating the housing. the operation of this embodiment is described on referring to fig. 12. if the light obstructing material is attached or deposited on the surface x of the armor housing 111, a laser light outwardly projected by the mirror 41 as reflected inwardly again by the light obstructing material and received by the photo diode 110. the photo diode 110 operates as a photo electro transducer and outputs electric signals according to the strength or intensity of the received light. the electric signals are amplified by an amplifier circuit 126 and input into the controller 80. the controller 80 contains a stain detection means (not shown) in which the amplified signals from the amplifier circuit 126 are compared with a predetermined reference value. if the magnitude of the amplified signal is larger than the reference value, the stain detection means judges that the housing 111 has been stained, and the controller 80 accordingly outputs a driving signal to a motor 121 to rotate the housing so that the obstructing materials attached or deposited on the surface x of the armor housing 111 are swept away by the brush 125. a rotation starting position of the housing is detected by the slit 122 and the sensor 123 and memorized in the controller 80, so that the housing can be easily returned to the original starting position after one or several rotations for sweeping away the obstructing particles. the housing can also be rotated back and forth reciprocally, to enable the brush to sweep away the stains more effectively by adding to the controller 80 the capability to control a rotating angle of the housing. since the housing is rotatable, in this embodiment, it is necessary for a reference position of the housing to be previously determined, and to automatically set this reference position at the time of shipment. accordingly, the method for adjusting the housing to the reference position is described below. when the laser radar apparatus 200 is installed on the back end of the vehicle 85 as shown in fig. 6, the housing is placed in an arbitrary rotating position, therefore it is uncertain which way the scanning region .theta.4 is faced. before adjusting, any obstacles other than a vehicle 85 are removed from the circle range having a radius d1 which is the longest detecting distance in the laser radar apparatus 200, so that the apparatus 200 detects only the vehicle 85. by rotating the stepping motor 60 clockwise for example, the apparatus 200 is repeatedly scanned by an angle .theta.2 step by step to detect an obstacle. as explained above, since the controller 80 contains an obstacle detecting means (not shown) comprising a distance calculating means and a direction detecting means, when the laser light is projected in a direction a which is the body line of the vehicle 85, the obstacle detecting means detects the obstacle, and its output changes. the direction of the laser light can be determine by the controller 80 by counting the number of steps from the origin until the output of the obstacle detecting means changes. based on the result, the controller 80 controls the rotation of the housing by the determined angle, so that the position of the origin can be set to position a. the controller 80 also receives an output signal from the sensor 123 corresponding to the housing position, and stores the output signal in a memory means (not shown) as a reference position of the housing. when the housing is rotated to sweep away the stains deposited on the surface thereof, the housing is brought back automatically to the original point a after the completion of the cleansing operation by a control means (not shown) contained in the controller 80. when the reference position of the housing is set to point b in fig. 6, the position of the origin can be set to the position corresponding to a point in time when the output of the obstacle detecting means changes from that of detecting an obstacle to not detecting the obstacle. in the above explanation on the seventh embodiment, the stepping motor 60 is assumed to be rotated counter-clockwise. if the motor 60 is rotated clockwise, the output change in the obstacle detecting means is the reverse of that described above. the scanning region .theta.4 in the seventh embodiment was adjusted as shown in fig. 6 when the origin agreed with the reference position of the housing. however, the scanning region .theta.4 can be adjusted as shown in fig. 6 when a predetermined position other than the origin is coincided with the reference position of the housing. although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail above, it should be understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
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157-535-595-234-740
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JP
|
[
"US"
] |
B65G1/04
| 1993-08-20T00:00:00 |
1993
|
[
"B65"
] |
transfer apparatus having traction pin moved with height difference
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a transfer apparatus for moving a stored article between a movable table and a storage rack has a traction pin carried on an endless chain or belt with the chain or belt in a plane which is inclined to horizontal or is vertical. a pressing pin may be provided on the chain or belt for pushing the stored article off of the moving table onto the storage rack for transferring the stored article between two storage racks, with the table between racks. the apparatus may be provided with two, three or four rotors for the chain or belt.
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1. a transfer apparatus assembled in a movable table moved along an article storage rack for transferring a tray between said article storage rack and said movable table along a transfer direction, said tray having a bottom which when said tray is supported by said apparatus defines a reference plane and which is of a certain width in a direction perpendicular to said transfer direction, said apparatus comprising: first, second and third rotors each having a coaxial rotational shaft, said rotors being arranged along said transfer direction such that said rotational shafts of said rotors are perpendicular to said transfer direction and are inclined to said reference plan; an endless chain or belt wound around said first, second and third rotors; a traction pin erected on said chain or belt in such a manner as to be in parallel to said rotational shafts for engaging a portion to be engaged of said stored article; and a pressing pin erected on said chain or belt in such a manner as to be in parallel to said rotational shafts for abutting said stored article, said traction pin and said pressing pin being arranged at diagonally opposite positions with respect to said chain or belt; wherein said chain or belt as viewed from a plane which is parallel to said reference plane is smaller in width in a direction perpendicular to said transfer direction than said width of said bottom of said tray; and wherein said first and second rotors are located at opposite ends of a transfer path which is traversed by said chain or belt and is on a first lateral side of said first and second rotors, said transfer path being directed in a longitudinal direction which is parallel to said transfer direction, and said third rotor is located along a return path which is traversed by said chain or belt and is on a second lateral side of said first and second rotors which is opposite from said first lateral side, said transfer path and said return path being in a plane which is inclined at an acute angle to said reference plane and said third rotor being located along said return path at a longitudinal position which is between said first and second rotors. 2. a transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pins bisect said belt into two substantially equal lengths between said pins. 3. a transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising another rotor around which said endless chain or belt is wound.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates transferring stored articles, which has a simple and high strength structure. 2. discussion of the prior art as an example of a transfer apparatus assembled in a movable table moved along an article storage rack for transferring a stored article between the storing rack and the movable table, there has been known a type shown in figs. 17 to 19. a transfer apparatus 30 includes four sprockets 34 (see fig. 17) disposed in a rectangular geometry on a horizontal lift table (transfer table) 33 lifted and lowered along an article storage rack 31 (see fig. 18), a chain 35 wound around the sprockets 34, a traction pin 36 erected on the chain 35 for engaging a handle (portion to be engaged) h of a stored article w, and a pressing pin 37 for abutting the outside of the handle h. the traction pin 36 is positioned outside the moving region or path of the pressing pin 37. this is because, unless the traction pin 36 is moved outside the moving region of the pressing pin 37, the traction pin 36 cannot catch the handle. the stored article w is transferred by a method wherein the traction rain 36 catches the handle h to draw the stored article w on the lift table 33 (see fig. 19), and then the pressing pin 37 pushes the stored article w into an article storage rack (not shown) disposed on the left side of figs. 18 and 19. when one of the traction pin 36 and the pressing pin 37 is moved on the lift table 33, the other pin is depressed by a guide 38 so as not to interfere with the bottom of the stored article w. the traction pin 36 and the pressing pin 37 are depressed against springs 39 and 40, to be thus sunk in the lift table 33. figs. 20 and 21 shows another example of the transfer apparatus. in a transfer apparatus 50, an engaging lever 52 provided between a pair of parallel transfer chains 51 and 51 is circulated generally horizontally but with a portion of its path traversing a vertical distance, to engage a handle h of a stored article w, thus transferring the stored article between a lift table (not shown) and a storing rack (not shown). the transfer chain 51 is circulated by drive chains 53 and 53. the transfer apparatus 30 shown in figs. 17 to 19, however, requires the structure that the traction pin 36 and the pressing pin 37 are capable of extending from and retracting into the lift table, and further, it requires the guide 38 for extending and retracting the traction pin 36 and the pressing pin 37. this causes a disadvantage in complicating the structure. moreover, after a long period of service, the operation of extending and retracting the traction pin and the pressing pin becomes uncertain due to wear, thereby making unreliable the transfer of stored articles. on the other hand, the transfer apparatus 50 shown in figs. 20 and 21 has a disadvantage that the spacing between the pair of transfer chains 51 and 51 and the drive chains 53 and 53 must be made wider than the width of a stored article, thereby enlarging the size of the lift table. moreover, when an error is generated in the relative positional relationship between the pair of transfer chains 51 and 51, the engaging lever 52 becomes skewed, tending not to engage the handle h. summary of the invention an object of the present invention is to provide a transfer apparatus capable of reliably transferring a stored article with a simple structure. to achieve this, the present invention provides a first transfer apparatus assembled in a movable table moved along an article storage rack for transferring a stored article between the article storage rack and the movable table which includes first and second rotors which are arranged along the transfer direction of the stored article such that the rotational shafts are perpendicular to the transfer direction and are inclined to the horizontal plane or horizontal. an endless chain or belt is wound around the first and second rotors and a traction pin is erected on the chain or belt in such a manner as to be in parallel to the rotational shafts for engaging a portion to be engaged of the stored article. in another aspect of the invention, a pressing pin is provided on the chain or belt in such a manner as to be in parallel to the rotational shafts for abutting the stored article. the traction pin is erected in such a manner as to be spaced apart from the pressing pin and to be outside the moving region or path of the pressing pin. in this aspect, a third rotor may be provided at a position lower than the first and second rotors such that the rotational shaft of the third rotor is in parallel to the rotational shafts of the first and second rotors and the chain or a belt wound around the first, second and third rotors. in addition, the first, second and third rotors may be provided at such positions as to guide part of the chain or belt substantially in parallel to the portion to be engaged. in another aspect, the traction and/or pressing pins may be provided on the chain or belts by brackets, and the brackets may be perpendicular to the rotational shafts. article storage racks include a vertical rack in which areas for containing stored articles are vertically arranged, and a horizontal rack in which the areas are horizontally arranged. movable tables include a lift table lifted and lowered along a vertical rack, and a transversely moving table moved along a horizontal rack. the present invention may be applied to both types of storage racks and movable tables. the traction pin or the traction and pressing pins, if applicable, are moved integrally with the chain or belt which is moved by the rotors. with only a traction pin, the transfer apparatus is adapted to transfer a stored article between one article storage rack and the movable table moved along the article storage rack using the height difference of the traction pin generated when it moves along a vertical plane (if the rotational shafts are horizontal) or a plane inclined to the horizontal plane (if the rotational shafts are inclined to the horizontal plane). the transfer of a stored article is thereby performed as follows: first, the rotors are rotated, to move the chain or belt. the traction pin is moved integrally with the chain or belt while being guided by the inclined or vertical rotors. when being moved along the rotors, the traction pin is moved from the lower position to the higher position. during this movement, the traction pin engages the portion to be engaged. the traction pin is furthermore moved for drawing a stored article from the article storage rack to the movable table. next, the movable table transfers the stored article to the desired rack stage. the traction pin is then reversely moved by the chain or belt, so that the stored article is pushed in another rack stage. the traction pin is continued to be reversely moved along the rotors, and is moved from the high position to the lower position, to be removed from the portion to be engaged. the transfer of the stored article is thus completed. when a pressing pin is provided, the transfer apparatus is adapted to transfer a stored article between the article storage racks provided on both sides of the movable table using the height differences of the traction pin and the pressing pin as they move along the vertical or inclined plane. the transfer of a stored article is performed as follows: first, the rotors are rotated, to move the chain or belt. the traction pin is moved integrally with the chain or belt while being guided by the inclined or vertical rotors. when being moved along one rotor, the traction pin is moved from the lower position to the higher position. during this movement, the traction pin engages the portion to be engaged which is provided at one end of the stored article. the traction pin is furthermore moved for drawing a stored article from one article storage rack to the movable table. next, the movable table transfers the stored article to the desired rack stage of another article storage rack. the traction pin is then furthermore moved in the same direction by the chain or belt along the other rotor from the higher position to the lower position, to be removed from the portion to be engaged. during this movement, the pressing pin is also moved in the same direction as the traction pin by the chain or belt. accordingly, after the traction pin is removed from the portion to be engaged, the pressing pin presses the portion to be engaged which is provided at the other end of the stored article, and pushes the stored article from the movable table into the above desired rack stage. the transfer of the stored article is thus completed. if a third rotor is provided, the traction pin and the pressing pin are adapted to be moved by the third rotor to positions lower than if only two rotors are provided. the third rotor lengthens the chain or belt so that the spacing between the traction pin and the pressing pin is increased over the spacing with only two rotors. when the traction pin draws a stored article from the article storage rack onto the movable table, the pressing pin is moved under the stored article. moreover, when the pressing pin presses the stored article on the movable table, the traction pin is removed from engagement with the portion engaged and is moved under the stored article. in this way, when one pin is moved on the movable table, the other pin is moved under the stored article; however, they are moved while being guided by the third rotor at the lower positions so as not to interfere with the bottom of the stored article. accordingly, when the traction pin is removed from the portion to be engaged at one end of the stored article, and the pressing pin is pressed to the portion to be engaged at the other end of the stored article for pushing the stored article in the storing rack, a sufficient time lag exists until the pressing pin abuts the portion to be engaged at the other end after the traction pin is removed from the portion to be engaged at one end. as a result, the pressing pin does not abut the portion to be engaged at the other end until after the traction pin is removed from the portion to be engaged at the one end. when the first, second and third rotors are arranged so as to guide part of the chain or belt substantially in parallel to the portion to be engaged, the traction pin can be moved in a manner to be substantially in parallel to the portion to be engaged, thereby making it possible to reliably perform the engagement of the traction pin with the portion to be engaged. these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a first transfer apparatus of the present invention. fig. 2 is a front view of an engagement pin of the first transfer apparatus. fig. 3 is a view of the first transfer apparatus showing the state where the engagement pin engages a handle of a tray as seen from the right side of fig. 1. fig. 4 is a front view of an article storage rack, and a lift table in which the first transfer apparatus is assembled. fig. 5 is a view for explaining the operation of the first transfer apparatus. fig. 6 is a plan view of an embodiment of a second transfer apparatus of the present invention. fig. 7 is a front view of an article storage rack, and a lift table in which the second transfer apparatus is assembled. fig. 8 is a view for explaining the operation of the second transfer apparatus. fig. 9 is a view for explaining the operation of the second transfer apparatus. fig. 10 is a plan view of a pressing pin of the second transfer apparatus. fig. 11 is a plan view of an embodiment of a third transfer apparatus of the present invention. fig. 12 is a view of the third transfer apparatus showing the state in which an engagement pin engages with a handle of a tray as seen from the right side of fig. 1, wherein a pressing pin is omitted. fig. 13 is a view for explaining the operation of the third transfer apparatus. fig. 14 is a view for explaining the operation of the third transfer apparatus. fig. 15 is a plan view of an embodiment of a fourth transfer apparatus of the present invention. fig. 16 is a plan view of another embodiment of the fourth transfer apparatus of the present invention. fig. 17 is a plan view of a prior art transfer apparatus. fig. 18 is a view of the transfer apparatus as seen from the right side of fig. 17. fig. 19 is a view for explaining the operation of the transfer apparatus shown in fig. 17. fig. 20 is a schematic perspective view of a prior art transfer apparatus. fig. 21 is a view for explaining the operation of the transfer apparatus shown in fig. 20. fig. 22 is a plan view of an embodiment of a fifth transfer apparatus of the present invention. fig. 23 is a front view of a traction pin of the fifth transfer apparatus. fig. 24 is a view of the fifth transfer apparatus showing the state where the traction pin engages a handle of a tray as seen from the right side of fig. 22. fig. 25 is a perspective view of a portion of a handle of a tray. fig. 26 is a view for explaining the operation of the fifth transfer apparatus. fig. 27 is a schematic front view of an embodiment of a sixth transfer apparatus of the present invention. fig. 28 is a front view of a pressing pin of the sixth transfer apparatus. fig. 29 a view showing the positional relationship between a traction pin and the pressing pin of the sixth transfer apparatus. fig. 30 is a view for explaining the operation of the sixth transfer apparatus. fig. 31 is a view for explaining the operation of the sixth transfer apparatus. fig. 32 is a schematic front view of an embodiment of a seventh transfer apparatus of the present invention. fig. 33 is a view for explaining the operation of the seventh transfer apparatus. detailed description of the preferred embodiments hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention in which the rotors are inclined to the horizontal plane will be described with reference to figs. 1 to 16. embodiments of the present invention in which the rotors are vertical will be described with reference to figs. 22-33. first, a first transfer apparatus 60 will be described with reference to figs. 1 to 5. the first transfer apparatus 60 (see fig. 1) is assembled in a lift table (movable table) 62 which is lifted and lowered along one article storage rack 61 (see fig. 4) for transferring a tray (or stored article) t between a rack stage 63 of the article storage rack 61 and the lift table 62. the tray t contains workpieces (not shown), and handles (portions to be engaged) h and h are mounted at both ends of the tray t. each handle h of the tray t is formed of a plate folded at right angles downwardly, as shown in fig. 4. the lift table 62 (see figs. 1 and 4) is lifted and lowered by a motor 66 while being guided by four columns 64 and rollers 65. the motor 66 is connected to the lift table 62 by means of a chain 67. roller conveyors 68 (see fig. 1) in the number of three pieces are provided on the lift table 62 for smoothly transferring the tray t. the first transfer apparatus 60 (see fig. 1) includes first and second sprockets (rotors) 71 and 72, chains 74 and a traction pin 75. the first and second sprockets 71 and 72 are arranged along the transfer direction of the tray t (in the direction of the arrow a). two of the first sprockets 71 and two of the second sprockets 72 are rotatably provided on an inclined plate 77 (see fig. 3) mounted on the lift table 62. rotational shafts 81 and 82 of the first and second sprockets 71 and 72 are inclined to the horizontal plane. the rotational shaft 81 of the first sprocket 71 is connected to a motor 78 (fig. 3) with a reduction gear. the chains 74 are wound around the first and second sprockets 71 and 72. the traction pin 75 (see fig. 3) to engage the handle h of the tray t is erected on the chains 74 so as to be in parallel to the rotational shafts 81 and 82 of the first and second sprockets 71 and 72. the traction pin 75 (see figs. 2 and 3) is erected on the traction pin bracket 80 provided on two pins 79 and 79 of the chains 74. the pin 79 connects the two chains 74 to each other. each chain 74, which is circulated by the inclined first and second sprockets 71 and 72, is guided by a chain guide 84 (see fig. 1) provided on the inclined plate 77 so as not to be loosened. the operation of the first transfer apparatus 60 will be described below. the first transfer apparatus 60 is adapted to transfer the tray t between one article storage rack 61 and the movable table 62 using the height difference of the traction pin 75 generated when it moves along the plane inclined to the horizontal plane. first, in fig. 1, the chains 74 are rotated rightwardly (circulated clockwise), to move the traction pin 75 along the second sprockets 72. since the second sprockets 72 are inclined, the traction pin 75 is moved from the lower position shown by the solid line to the higher position shown by the imaginary line, to engage, from the lower side, the handle h of the tray t stored in the article storage rack 61 by way of a storing/delivering port 69 (see fig. 4). the chains 74 are furthermore rotated rightwardly (clockwise), so that the traction pin 75 is moved from the left to the right in fig. 1. during this movement, the leading edge of the traction pin 75 protrudes upwardly from the upper surface of the roller conveyors 68. the tray t is thus drawn from the storing/delivering port 69 onto the life table 62, and the rotation of the chains 74 is stopped (see fig. 5). the lift table 62 is lifted up to the desired rack stage 63 and stopped. the length of the tray t (the length in the transverse direction in fig. 5) is set such that the tray t, when lifted by the lift table 62, does not abut the handle h of any tray t contained in the article storage rack 61. the chains 74 are then rotated leftwardly in fig. 5 (circulated counterclockwise), to move the traction pin 75 from the right to the left, thus pushing the tray t in the desired rack stage 63. the chains 74 are rotated further leftwardly, so that the traction pin 75 is moved along the second sprocket 72. the traction pin 75 is moved from the higher position to the lower position, and is removed from the handle h. the transfer of the tray t is thus completed. next, the second transfer apparatus will be described with reference to figs. 6 to 10. a second transfer apparatus 160 (see fig. 6) is assembled in a lift table 162 (movable table) lifted and lowered between first and second article storage racks 161 and 170 (see fig. 7) erected in parallel to each other for transferring a tray t (or stored article) between rack stages 163 of the article storage racks 161 and 170. the lift table 162 itself has substantially the same structure as that of the lift table 62 shown in fig. 1, and therefore, each of the same parts is designated by affixing 1 to the head of the numeral shown in fig. 1, and the explanation of the structure is omitted. the second transfer apparatus 160 (see fig. 6) includes first and second sprockets 171 and 172, chains 174, a traction pin 175 and a pressing pin 176. the second transfer apparatus 160 has substantially the same structure as that of the first transfer apparatus 60 shown in fig. 1, except for the pressing pin 176. therefore, each of the same parts is designated by affixing 1 to the head of the numeral shown in fig. 1, and the explanation thereof is omitted. the pressing pin 176 (see fig. 10) is erected on a pressing pin bracket 185 provided on two pins 179 and 179 of the chains 174. alternatively, an arbitrary pin of the chain 174 may be made longer to be substituted for the pressing pin 176 provided on the pressing pin bracket 185. in addition, after being pushed from the lift table 162 into the article storage rack 161 or 170 by the pressing pin 176, the tray t can be drawn onto the lift table 162 as needed. to draw the tray t onto the table 162, the traction pin 175 must catch the handle h. for this purpose, a spacing l1 between the chains 174 (see fig. 6) and the traction pin 175 is set to be wider than a spacing l2 between the chains 174 and the pressing pin 176. the difference is larger than a plate thickness d of the handle h. namely, the traction pin 175 is provided outside the area where the pressing pin 176 is moved (i.e., outside of the moving region of the pressing pin 176). the pressing pin 176 and the traction pin 175 are provided on the chains 174 at positions opposed to each other. the operation of the second transfer apparatus 160 will be described below. the second transfer apparatus 160 is adapted to transfer the tray t between the first and second article storage racks 161 and 170 using the height differences of the traction pin 175 and the pressing pin 176 moved along the plane inclined to the horizontal plane. first, in fig. 6, the chains 174 are rotated leftwardly (circulated counterclockwise), to move the traction pin 175 along the first sprockets 171. since the first sprockets 171 are inclined, the traction pin 175 is moved from the lower position shown by the solid line to the higher position shown by the imaginary line, to engage, from the lower side, the handle h of the tray t stored in the first article storage rack 161 by way of the storing/delivering port 169 (see fig. 7). the chains 174 are rotated further leftwardly (counterclockwise), and the traction pin 175 is moved from the right to the left in fig. 6. during this movement, the leading edge of the traction pin 175 protrudes upwardly from the upper surface of roller conveyors (not shown). the tray t is thus drawn from the storing/delivering port 169 of the first article storage rack 161 onto the lift table 162, and the rotation of the chains 174 is stopped (see fig. 8). on the other hand, the pressing pin 176 is located at a position lower than that of the traction pin 175 so as not to abut the bottom of the tray t. the lift table 162 is lifted up to the desired rack stage 163, and is stopped. the chains 174 are then rotated leftwardly in fig. 8, and the traction pin 175 is moved from the right to the left. the traction pin 175 draws the left end portion of the tray t into the desired rack stage 163 of the second article storage rack 170, and is simultaneously moved along the second sprockets 172. the traction pin 175 is thus moved from the higher position to the lower position, to be removed from the handle h. the chains 174 are furthermore rotated leftwardly. the pressing pin 176 is moved along the first sprockets 171 from the lower position to the higher position, to engage the handle h provided at the right end of the tray t. the chains 174 are furthermore rotated leftwardly. the pressing pin 176 presses the handle h provided at the right end of the tray t, to move the tray t from the right to the left on the lift table 162 (see fig. 9), and pushes it into the desired rack stage 163 of the second article storage rack 170. the transfer of the tray t from the storing/delivering port 169 to the second article storage rack 170 is thus completed. in addition, when the chains 174 are rotated rightwardly from the state shown in fig. 8, the traction pin 175 is moved from the left to the right, so that the tray t can be pushed in the desired rack stage 163 of the first article storage rack 161. the second transfer apparatus 160 is also capable of transferring the tray t between the rack stages 163 in the second article storage rack 170. the length of the tray t used in the second transfer apparatus 160 (the transverse length in fig. 8) is set such that the pressing pin 176 abuts the handle h provided at the right end of the tray t after the traction pin 175 is removed from the handle h provided at the left end of the tray t. next, the third transfer apparatus will be described with reference to figs. 11 to 14. the third transfer apparatus 260 (see fig. 11) is assembled in a lift table 262 which is lifted and lowered between first and second article storage racks erected in parallel to each other for transferring the tray t between the rack stages (not shown) of the two article storage racks. the lift table 262 itself has substantially the same structure as that of the lift table 62 shown in fig. 1, and therefore, each of the same parts is designated by affixing 2 to the head of the numeral shown in fig. 1, and the explanation of the structure is omitted. the third transfer apparatus 260 includes first, second and third sprockets 271, 272 and 273, chains 274, a traction pin 275 and a pressing pin 276. in addition, the third transfer apparatus 260 has substantially the same structure as that of the second transfer apparatus 160 shown in fig. 6, except for the third sprockets 273. therefore, each of the same parts is designated by changing the head of the numeral shown in fig. 6 from 1 to 2, and the explanation of the structure is omitted. each third sprocket 273 is rotatably provided on an inclined plate 277 such that a rotational shaft 283 thereof is in parallel to rotational shafts 281 and 282 of the first and second sprockets 271 and 272. the third sprockets 273 are provided at the lower positions on the inclined side of the first and second sprockets 271 and 272. the operation of the third transfer apparatus 260 will be described below. the third transfer apparatus 260 is also adapted to transfer a tray t between first and second article storage racks using the height differences of the traction pin 275 and the pressing pin 276 generated when they move along a plane inclined to the horizontal plane. in fig. 11, the chains 274 are rotated leftwardly (circulated counterclockwise), to move the traction pin 275 from the third sprockets 273 to the first sprockets 271. the traction pin 275 is moved from the lower position shown by the solid line to the higher position shown by the imaginary line, to engage, from the lower side, a handle h of the tray t stored in the article storage rack by way of a storing/delivering port. the chains 274 are furthermore rotated leftwardly. the traction pin 275 protrudes upwardly from the upper surface of roller conveyors (not shown) in fig. 13, to be moved from the right to the left, thus drawing the tray t from the storing/delivering port of the first article storage rack. on the other hand, the pressing pin 276 is located at a position lower than that of the traction pin 275 so as not to abut the bottom of the tray t. the lift table 262 is lifted up to the desired rack stage, and is stopped. the chains 274 are then rotated leftwardly in fig. 13, and the traction pin 275 is moved from the right to the left. the traction pin 275 draws the left end portion of the tray t into the desired rack stage of the second article storage rack and is simultaneously moved along the second sprockets 272. the traction pin 275 is thus moved from the higher position to the lower position, to be removed from the handle h. the chains 274 are furthermore rotated leftwardly. the pressing pin 276 is moved along the first sprockets 271 from the lower position to the higher position, and abuts the handle h provided at the right end of the tray t. the pressing pin 276 presses the tray t and moves it from the right to the left on the lift table 262 (see fig. 14), thus pushing the tray t in the desired rack stage of the second article storage rack. the transfer of the tray t from the storing/delivering port to the second article storage rack is thus completed. in addition, when the chains 274 are rotated rightwardly (clockwise) from the state shown in fig. 13, the traction pin 275 is moved from the left to the right, so that the tray t can be pushed in the desired rack stage of the first article storage rack. the third transfer apparatus 260 can transfer the tray t between the different rack stages of the second article storage rack. since the third transfer apparatus 260 has the structure that the height differences of the traction pin 275 and the pressing pin 276 moved along the plane inclined to the horizontal plane are larger than those in the second transfer apparatus by the third sprockets 273, the traction pin 275 and the pressing pin 276 can certainly escape so as not to abut the bottom of the tray t. in the third transfer apparatus 260, the whole length of the chain 274 is made longer by the presence of the third sprocket 273, and thereby the spacing between the traction pin 275 and the pressing pin 276 is widened; accordingly, it can be avoided that the pressing pin 276 abuts the other handle h before the traction pin 275 is perfectly removed from one handle h. next, the fourth transfer apparatus will be described with reference to fig. 15. a fourth transfer apparatus 360 is the same as the second transfer apparatus 160 shown in fig. 6, except that two pairs of third sprockets 391 and 392 are provided such that a traction pin 375 can be moved so as to be substantially in parallel to a handle h when moved near the handle h. the fourth transfer apparatus 360 includes first, second and third sprockets 371, 372 and 391, 392 having the same diameter, chains 374, a traction pin 375 and a pressing pin 376. the fourth transfer apparatus 360 has substantially the same structure as that of the second transfer apparatus 160 shown in fig. 6 except for the third sprockets 391 and 392, and therefore, each of the same parts is designated by changing the number of the head of the numeral shown in fig. 6 from 1 to 3, and the explanation of the structure is omitted. the third sprockets 391 and 392 are rotatably provided on an inclined plate 377 such that rotational shafts 393 and 394 thereof are disposed so as to be in parallel to rotational shafts 381 and 382 of the first and second sprockets 371 and 372. the third sprockets 391 and 392 are provided at the lower positions on the inclined side of the first and second sprockets 371 and 372. the first sprockets 371 and the one-sided third sprockets 391 are disposed so as to be in parallel to the handle h. the second sprockets 372 and the other-sided third sprockets 392 are also disposed so as to be in parallel to the handle h. in the fourth transfer apparatus 360, the traction pin 375 is movable so as to be in parallel to the handle h, thereby making it possible to certainly perform the engagement and disengagement of the traction pin 375 with the handle h. in addition, the outside diameter of the first sprocket 371 may be different from that of the one-sided third sprocket 391. moreover, the outside diameter of the second sprocket 372 may be different from that of the other-sided third sprocket 392. in this case, each sprocket may be disposed at such a position that the chains are movable in parallel to the handle. the fourth transfer apparatus is adapted to be operated in the same manner as those of the second and third transfer apparatuses 160 and 260, so that the description for the operation of the fourth transfer apparatus 360 is omitted. a transfer apparatus 460 shown in fig. 16 is another embodiment of the fourth transfer apparatus, which has the structure that, in the first transfer apparatus 60 shown in fig. 1, second sprockets 472 and third sprockets 473 of the same diameter on the article storage rack side are disposed so as to be in parallel to the handle h such that the traction pin 75 is movable so as to be in parallel to the handle h. the transfer apparatus 460 can also perform the engagement and disengagement of a traction pin 475 to the tray t. in addition, the outside diameter of the second sprocket 472 may be different from that of the third sprocket 392. in this case, both the sprockets 472 and 392 may be disposed at such positions that the chains are movable in parallel to the handle. in a transfer apparatus of the invention as described above, a stored article is transferred using the height difference of a traction pin erected on chains or belts wound around rotors inclined to the horizontal plane, which difference is generated when it is moved, so that it becomes possible to reliably transfer a stored article with a simple structure. in all but the first embodiment disclosed, a stored article is transferred using the height differences of a traction pin and pressing pin erected on chains or belts wound around rotors inclined to the horizontal plane, which is generated when they are moved, so that it becomes possible to certainly transfer a stored article with a simple structure. in these embodiments, when one pin of the traction pin and the pressing pin is moved on the movable table, the other pin is moved in such a position not to abut the bottom of a stored article, so that it becomes possible to certainly prevent contact between the other pin and the stored article. in the fourth embodiment, the traction pin can be moved so as to be substantially in parallel to a portion to be engaged, so that it becomes possible to reliably perform the engagement of the traction pin with the portion to be engaged. hereinafter, further embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to figs. 22 to 33 which correspond in general to the first, second and third embodiments described with reference to figs. 1-14, but in which the axes of rotation of the sprockets (rotors) are horizontal so that the traction and pressing pins are circulated in a vertical plane, and the pin brackets extend from the chain in the plane of circulation so as to be perpendicular to the rotational axes. referring to figs. 22-26, a transfer apparatus 560 will be described which has substantially the same structure as that of the first transfer apparatus 60 shown in fig. 1, except for the pressing pin 176. therefore, each of the same parts is designated by affixing a numeral 5 to the head of the numeral shown in fig. 1, and the explanation thereof is omitted. as shown in figs. 23, 24 and 25, the handle h of the tray t is formed with a cut-out b for preventing interference with traction pin brackets 580 and 580 described later (see figs. 23-25). in addition or alternatively, to prevent interference between the traction pin brackets 580 and 580 and a handle h which is not provided with a cutout b, the diameter of a roller 588 of traction pin 575 (see fig. 23) which is provided on the traction pin bracket 580 may be increased. the transfer apparatus 560 (see fig. 22) includes first and second sprockets 571 and 572, a chain 574 and the traction pin 575. the first and second sprockets 571 and 572 are arranged along the transfer direction of the tray t (in the direction of the arrow a). the first and second sprockets 571 and 572 are rotatably provided on a horizontal plate 577 mounted on the lift table 562. a slit 589 for preventing the interference with the traction pin brackets 580 and 580 described later is formed on the horizontal plate 577. rotational shafts 581 and 582 of the first and second sprockets 571 and 572 are rotatably provided on the horizontal plate 577 in such a manner as to be perpendicular to the transfer direction of the tray t and to be in the horizontal state. the rotational shaft 582 of the second sprocket 572 is connected to a motor 578 with a reduction gear. a chain 574 is wound around the first and second sprockets 571 and 572. the traction pin 575 (see figs. 23 and 24) to engage the handle h of the tray t is provided on the chain 74 so as to be in parallel to the rotational shafts 581 and 582 of the first and second sprockets 571 and 572. the traction pin 575 (see figs. 23 and 24) is provided on the traction pin brackets 580 and 580 integrated with link plates 586 of the chain 574. the traction pin 575 includes a supporting shaft 587 and rollers 588 and 588. the operation of the transfer apparatus 560 will be described below. the transfer apparatus 560 is adapted to transfer the tray t between one article storage rack 61 (see fig. 4) and the movable table 562 using the height difference of the traction pin 575 generated when it moves along the vertical plane. first, in fig. 26, the chain 574 is rotated rightwardly (circulated clockwise) to move the traction pin 575 along the second sprocket 572. the traction pin 575 is moved along the vertical plane from the lower position shown by the solid line to the higher position shown by the imaginary line, to engage, from the lower side, the handle h of the tray t stored in the article storage rack 61 by way of a storing/delivering port 69 (see fig. 4). the chain 574 is furthermore rotated rightwardly (clockwise), so that the traction pin 575 is moved from the left to the right at the top of the chain in fig. 26. during this movement, the traction pin 575 protrudes upwardly from the upper surface of the roller conveyors 568 (see fig. 22). the tray t is thus drawn from the storing/delivering port 69 onto the lift table 562, and the rotation of the chain 574 is stopped. the lift table 562 is lifted up to the desired rack stage 63 (see fig. 4) and stopped. the length of the tray t (the length in the transverse direction in fig. 26) is set such that the tray t, when lifted by the lift table 562, does not abut the handle h of any tray t contained in the article storage rack 61. the chain 574 is then rotated leftwardly in fig. 26 (circulated counterclockwise), to move the traction pin 575 from the right to the left, thus pushing the tray t in the desired rack stage 63. the chain 574 is furthermore rotated leftwardly, so that the traction pin 575 is moved along the second sprocket 572. the traction pin 575 is moved from the higher position to the lower position, and is removed from the handle h. the transfer of the tray t is thus completed. next, the transfer apparatus 660 will be described with reference to figs. 27 to 31. the transfer apparatus 660 has substantially the same structure as that of the transfer apparatus 560 shown in fig. 22, except for the portion of the pressing pin 176, which is provided so that the apparatus 660 can be assembled in a lift table 162 (fig. 7) lifted and lowered between first and second article storage racks 161 and 170 erected in parallel to each other for transferring a tray t (or stored article) between rack stages 163 of the article storage racks 161 and 170. therefore, each of the same parts is designated by substituting a 6 instead of a 5 at the head of the numeral shown in fig. 22, and the explanation thereof is omitted. the transfer apparatus 660 (see fig. 7) includes first and second sprockets 671 and 672, a chain 674, a traction pin 675 and a pressing pin 676. like the traction pin 575 shown in fig. 24, the pressing pin 676 (see fig. 28) is provided on pressing pin brackets 685 and 685 (which are seen to be overlapped in fig. 28) which are integrated with link plates 686 of the chain 674. alternatively, an arbitrary pin 679 of the chain 674 may be made longer to be substituted for the pressing pin 676 provided on pressing pin brackets 685 and 685. in addition, after being pushed from the lift table 162 into the article storage rack 161 or 170 by the pressing pin 676, the tray t can be drawn onto the lift table 162 as needed. to draw the tray t onto the lift table 162, the traction pin 675 must catch the handle h. for this purpose, a spacing l1 between the chain 674 (see fig. 29) and the traction pin 675 is set to be wider than a spacing l2 between the chain 674 and the pressing pin 676. namely, the traction pin 675 is provided outside the area where the pressing pin 676 is moved (outside of the moving region or path of the pressing pin 676). the pressing pin 676 (see fig. 27) and the traction pin 675 are provided on the chain 674 at positions which are opposed to each other. the operation of the transfer apparatus 660 will be described below. the transfer apparatus 660 is adapted to transfer the tray t between the first and second article storage racks 161 and 170 using the height differences of the traction pin 675 and the pressing pin 676 generated when they are moved along the vertical plane. first, in fig. 27, the chain 674 is rotated leftwardly (circulated counterclockwise), to move the traction pin 675 along the first sprocket 671. the traction pin 675 is moved along the vertical plane from the lower position shown by the solid line to the higher position shown by the imaginary line, to engage, from the lower side, the handle h of the tray t stored in the first article storage rack 161 by way of the storing/delivering port 169 (see fig. 7). the chain 674 is furthermore rotated leftwardly, and the traction pin 675 is moved from the right to the left in fig. 27. during this movement, the traction pin 675 protrudes upwardly from the upper surface of roller conveyors (not shown). the tray t is thus drawn from the storing/delivering port 169 of the first article storage rack 161 onto the lift table 162, and the rotation of the chain 674 is stopped (see fig. 30). on the other hand, the pressing pin 676 is located at the lower position shown by the solid line so as not to abut the bottom of the tray t. the lift table 162 is lifted up to the desired rack stage 163, and is stopped. the chain 674 is then rotated leftwardly in fig. 30. the traction pin 675 is moved along the second sprocket 672 from the higher position to the lower position, to be removed from the handle h. the chain 674 is furthermore rotated leftwardly. the pressing pin 676 is moved along the first sprocket 671 from the lower position to the higher position, to engage the handle h provided at the right end of the tray t. the chain 674 is furthermore rotated leftwardly. the pressing pin 676 presses the handle h provided at the right end of the tray t, to move the tray t from the right to the left on the lift table 162 (see fig. 31), and pushes it into the desired rack stage 163 of the second article storage rack 170. the transfer of the tray t from the storing/delivering port 169 to the second article storage rack 170 is thus completed. in addition, when the chain 674 is rotated rightwardly from the state shown in fig. 30, the traction pin 675 is moved from the left to the right, so that the tray t can be pushed in the desired rack stage 163 of the first article storage rack 161. the transfer apparatus 660 is also capable of transferring the tray t between different positions on the same rack stage 163 of the second article storage rack 170. the length of the tray t used in the transfer apparatus 660 (the transverse length in fig. 30) is set such that the pressing pin 676 abuts the handle h provided at the right end of the tray t after the traction pin 675 is removed from the handle h provided at the left end of the tray t. next, the transfer apparatus 760 will be described with reference to figs. 32 and 33. the transfer apparatus 760 (see fig. 32) is assembled in a lift table which is lifted and lowered between first and second article storage racks erected in parallel to each other for transferring a tray t (or stored article) between the rack stages (not shown) of the two article storage racks. the lift table itself has substantially the same structure of that of the lift table 562 shown in fig. 22, and therefore, the drawing and the description of the structure is omitted. the transfer apparatus 760 includes first, second and third sprockets 771, 772 and 773, a chain 774, a traction pin 775 and a pressing pin 776. in addition, the transfer apparatus 760 has substantially the same structure as that of the transfer apparatus 660 shown in fig. 27, except for the portion of the third sprocket 773. therefore, each of the same parts is designated by changing the head of the numeral shown in fig. 27 from 6 to 7, and the description of the structure is omitted. the third sprocket 773 is rotatably provided on the horizontal plate of the lift table such that a rotational shaft 783 thereof is in parallel to rotational shafts 781 and 782 of the first and second sprockets 771 and 772. the third sprocket 773 is provided under the first and second sprockets 771 and 772. the operation of the transfer apparatus 760 will be described below. the transfer apparatus 760 is also adapted to transfer a tray t between first and second article storage racks of the type shown in fig. 7 using the height differences of the traction pin 775 and the pressing pin 776 generated when they moved along the vertical plane. in fig. 32, the chain 774 is rotated leftwardly (circulated counterclockwise), to move the traction pin 775 from the third sprocket 773 to the first sprocket 771. the traction pin 775 is moved from the lower position shown by the solid line to the higher position shown by the imaginary line, to engage, from the lower side, a handle h of the tray t stored in the article storage rack by way of a storing/delivering port. the chain 774 is furthermore rotated leftwardly. the traction pin 775 protrudes upwardly from the upper surface of roller conveyors (not shown) in fig. 32, to be moved from the right to the left, thus drawing the tray t from the storing/delivering port of the first article storage rack. on the other hand, the pressing pin 776 is located at a position lower than the traction pin 775. the lift table 762 is lifted up to the desired rack stage, and is stopped. the chain 774 is then rotated leftwardly in fig. 33, and the traction pin 775 is moved from the right to the left. the traction pin 775 pulls the handle h provided at the left end of the tray t, and moves along the second sprocket 772. the traction pin 775 is thus moved from the higher position to the lower position, to be removed from the handle h. the chain 774 is furthermore rotated leftwardly. the pressing pin 776 is moved along the first sprocket 771 from the lower position to the higher position, and abuts the handle h provided at the right end of the tray t. the pressing pin 776 presses the tray t and moves it from the right to the left on the lift table, thus pushing the tray t in the desired rack stage of the second article storage rack. the transfer of the tray t from the storing/delivering port to the second article storage rack is thus completed. in addition, when the chain 774 is rotated rightwardly from the state shown in fig. 33, the traction pin 775 is moved from the left to the right, so that the tray t can be pushed in the desired rack stage of the first article storage rack. the transfer apparatus 760 is also capable of transferring the tray t between rack stages in the second article storage rack. in the transfer apparatus 760, the whole length of the chain 774 is made longer by the presence of the third sprocket 773, and thereby the spacing between the traction pin 775 and the pressing pin 776 is widened; accordingly, it can be avoided that the pressing pin 776 abuts the other handle h before the traction pin 775 is perfectly removed from one handle h. in each transfer apparatus, the chain may be replaced by a belt. figs. 4 and 7 illustrate that each of the transfer apparatuses 60, 160 and 260, 360, 460, 560, 660 and 760 is assembled in a lift table which is lifted and lowered along an article storage rack in which containing areas are vertically arranged. however, a transfer apparatus of the invention could be assembled in a transversely movable table (not shown) which moves transversely along a horizontal rack (not shown) in which containing area are horizontally arranged, so that the apparatus can similarly transfer a tray between the horizontal rack and the movable table. when a member (a portion to be engaged) equivalent to the handle h of the tray t protrudes from the workpiece, the traction pin may engage the member without containing the workpiece in the tray, or the workpiece may be directly transferred by pressing of the pressing pin. in a transfer apparatus as described in the last three embodiments, a stored article is transferred using the height difference of a traction pin generated when it is moved along a vertical plane. accordingly, a mechanism of extending and retracting the traction pin, which has been conventionally required, can be eliminated, and thereby the stored article can be reliably transferred with a simple structure. since being provided on a chain or a belt by way of brackets, the traction pin can engage a portion to be engaged by only one chain or belt, though the prior art apparatus has required two chains or belts, thereby simplifying the structure. in each of the last two described transfer apparatuses, a stored article is transferred using the height differences of a traction pin and a pressing pin generated when they are moved along a vertical plane. accordingly, a mechanism of extending and retracting the traction pin and the pressing pin, which has been conventionally required, can be eliminated, and thereby the stored article can be reliably transferred with a simple structure. in the last described embodiment, since the whole length of a chain is made longer by the presence of a third sprocket so as to widen the spacing between the traction pin and the pressing pin, it can be avoided that the pressing pin abuts a portion to be engaged at the other end of the stored article before the traction pin is removed from a portion to be engaged at one end thereof.
|
158-909-907-981-770
|
DE
|
[
"US",
"DE",
"JP",
"WO"
] |
F16H3/08,B60K6/36,B60K6/48,B60K6/547,B60L50/16,F16H3/38,F16H3/093,B60K17/06,B60K6/26,B60K6/387,B60K6/40,B60K17/04,F16H3/00,F16H3/12,F16H61/688
| 2004-10-16T00:00:00 |
2004
|
[
"F16",
"B60"
] |
twin clutch transmission design with selective hybrid power transfer compatibility
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in to a modular transmission design for twin-clutch transmissions which are alternatively equipped with, or without, hybrid functionality in particular for use in connection with front-wheel drive motor vehicles, the transmission is designed to optionally accommodate the components providing the hybrid capability.
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1. a transmission design for a hybrid twin-clutch transmission and a twin-clutch transmission including in a transmission housing ( 99 ) a main shaft arrangement having two main shafts ( 11 , 12 ) and two counter shafts ( 23 , 24 ) with drive power flowing alternatively via the two countershafts ( 23 , 24 ), said countershafts being arranged parallel to, and at a distance from, one another and the main shaft arrangement, twin clutches ( 10 ) arranged at an input end of the transmission for selectively connecting at least one of the main shafts ( 11 , 12 ) of the main shaft arrangement to an internal combustion engine, said transmission including an internal space for accommodating an electric motor/generator ( 112 ) for hybrid function for rotation with one of the main shafts ( 11 , 12 ) via a step-up stage ( 93 or 94 ), the electric motor/generator being rotationally fixedly connected to one clutch ( 8 or 9 ) of the twin clutch ( 10 ), in such a way as to permit both, recuperation and also exclusive travel drive by means of the electric motor/generator ( 112 ), and also a starter motor (m) provided in order to start the internal combustion engine at least under cold starting conditions. 2. the transmission according to claim 1 , wherein the electric motor/generator ( 112 ) for the hybrid function is likewise arranged parallel to, and at a distance from, the two countershafts ( 23 , 24 ). 3. the transmission according to claim 1 , wherein a gearwheel of said step-up stage is an axially final gearwheel ( 42 ) on said main shaft ( 11 ), with the main shaft ( 11 ) being rotatably supported, on the side facing away from the twin clutch ( 10 ), by a roller-bearing disposed axially adjacent said gearwheel ( 42 ) in a transmission housing ( 99 ). 4. the transmission according to claim 3 , wherein another gearwheel ( 107 ) of said step-up stage ( 94 ) is rotationally fixedly coupled to an armature ( 113 ) of the electric motor/generator ( 112 ), which is rotatably supported in the transmission housing ( 99 ). 5. the transmission according to claim 3 , wherein another gearwheel ( 107 ) of said step-up stage ( 94 ) can be coupled to, and detached from, the armature ( 113 ) of the electric motor ( 112 ) by means of a clutch ( 102 ). 6. the transmission according to claim 3 , wherein said step-up stage ( 93 ) comprises at least two gearwheels ( 15 , 106 ), of a gearwheel plane, which is axially closest to the twin clutch ( 10 ), with the main shaft ( 12 ) being rotatably supported axially between the one gearwheel ( 15 ) and the twin clutch ( 10 ) by a roller-bearing in a separating housing wail ( 98 ) which is connected to the transmission housing ( 99 ). 7. the transmission according to claim 6 , wherein a clutch ( 103 ) is provided, by means of which a rotationally fixed connection can be established between the other gearwheel ( 106 ) and the armature ( 113 ) of the electric motor/generator ( 112 ). 8. a transmission according to claim 2 , wherein two clutches ( 102 , 103 ) are provided for connecting the electric motor/generator ( 112 ) selectively to either of the main shafts ( 11 , 12 ) for the transfer of power between the main shafts ( 11 , 12 ) and the motor/generator ( 112 ), whereby, in addition and alternatively to, the power from the internal combustion engine, with the first clutch ( 102 ), power from the electric motor/generator ( 112 ) can be introduced via a first step-up stage ( 94 ) into a first partial transmission, and with the second clutch ( 103 ) , power from the electric motor ( 112 ) can be introduced via a second step-up stage ( 93 ) into a second partial transmission. 9. a hybrid twin-clutch transmission, with two counter shafts ( 23 , 24 ) which are arranged parallel to, and at a distance from, one another and in which drive power flows alternatively via the two countershafts ( 23 , 24 ), and with an electric motor/generator ( 112 ) having a stator ( 101 ). and an armature ( 113 ) for hybrid function likewise being arranged parallel to, and at a distance from, the two countershafts ( 23 , 24 ), and with two clutches ( 102 , 103 ) being provided with which a power transfer between the armature ( 113 ) of the electric motor/generator ( 112 ) can be established via one step-up stage ( 94 ) with one partial transmission and, alternatively, via another step-up stage ( 93 ) with another partial transmission.
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this is a continuation-in-part application of pending international patent application pct/ep2005/011003 filed oct. 13, 2005 and claiming the priority of german patent application 10 2004 050 757.0 filed oct. 16, 2004. background of the invention the invention relates to a set of transmissions and a hybrid twin-clutch transmission. de 198 59 458 already discloses a twin-clutch transmission in which an electric motor is arranged so as to be offset parallel to a main shaft of the twin-clutch transmission. it is an object of the invention to provide a particularly compact twin-clutch transmission which can be converted with little structural modifications to form a hybrid twin-clutch transmission. summary of the invention in to a modular transmission design for twin-clutch transmissions which are alternatively equipped with, or without, hybrid functionality in particular for use in connection with front-wheel drive motor vehicles, the transmission is designed to optionally accommodate the components providing the hybrid capability. with the present invention, on the same production line simple twin-clutch transmissions and hybrid twin-clutch transmissions can be produced, as the simple twin-clutch transmission forms the core transmission for the hybrid twin-clutch transmission. a modular system for the manufacture of essentially different transmissions is thereby provided. the twin-clutch transmissions can be constructed both, with and without, hybrid accessories, in particular for front-wheel-drive vehicles. a transmission arrangement for front transverse drives and front longitudinal drives is for example advantageous as it is possible for front-wheel-drive vehicles, on account of the steering conventionally being arranged at the front, to transmit only a relatively low torque, so that the twin clutch transmissions which are presently not yet designed with a high torque transmitting capacity can advantageously be used here. wet multi-plate clutches, as they are known for example from de 19821164 a1, are particularly advantageously used as in the twin-clutch transmission according to the invention. the wet multi-plate clutches can be provided with an oil cooler which is particularly advantageous. during starting processes, the oil cooler cools primarily the thermally highly loaded twin clutches. after the starting processes, the oil cooler, which has a high cooling capacity for starting, cools primarily the electric motor. the cooling oil for the multi-plate clutches and the electric motor can particularly advantageously be integrated into the oil circuit of the core transmission. the waste heat of the electric motor or the friction power from the starting processes can thereby be incorporated in the thermal management system of the core transmission, so that the core transmission reaches its operating temperature very early, whereby the cooling oil, whose viscosity decreases—that is to say becomes a thin fluid, ensures a high efficiency of the hybrid twin-clutch transmission at an early stage. in the hybrid twin-clutch transmission, the electric motor and a step-up stage, which introduces the power from the electric motor into the core transmission or, in the generator function of the electric motor during braking operation, re-absorbs said power, can be dimensioned in such a way that the electric motor cannot start the internal combustion engine. although this makes an additional electric starter motor necessary, a starter motor of this type is inexpensive and its use is particularly advantageous as it permits to omit expensive power electronics for transmitting high starting currents for the hybrid electric motor for starting the internal combustion engine. it is therefore possible for the electric motor for the hybrid function,the power electronics thereof andthe step-up stage to be designed not specifically for cold start operation—in particular the cold start of a diesel engine—which demands a high torque at low battery power. said cold start design is not necessary specifically for normal driving operation and adversely affects the efficiency and other functionalities—for example the start/stop functionality—of the hybrid twin-clutch transmission. the hybrid twin-clutch transmission can accordingly particularly advantageously be used, with the same design, both for a diesel engine and also for a spark-ignition engine. the hybrid twin-clutch transmission according to the invention can particularly advantageously be designed with an installation space which is no longer than that of the twin-clutch transmission without hybrid functionality, so that uniform utilization of the installation space of the engine bay is possible. it is possible by means of the hybrid twin-clutch transmission according to the invention to meet all customer-relevant demands. for example, it is possible to travel purely under electromotive power without operation of the internal combustion engine. boost operation is also possible in which an additional torque from the battery-operated electric motor is introduced into the power flow from the internal combustion engine. in boost operation, the driver therefore has sufficient potential available for overtaking maneuvers or fast starting processes. a further advantage of the invention is the parallel arrangement of the countershafts. the transmission can be of axially shorter design than coaxial transmission concepts in which the two countershafts are in the form of a hollow shaft and an inner shaft. the demands on the bearings are also lower in such transmissions. the step-up stage which introduces the torque from the electric motor into the twin-clutch transmission is particularly advantageously an axially front-most or rear-most gear set. as a result of said arrangement at one of the transmission ends, the torque reaction forces introduced from the electric motor or via the step-up stage are taken up close to the bearings of the transmission shafts which are situated at the shaft ends and rotatably support the transmission shafts in the transmission housing. one of the bearings can particularly advantageously be arranged axially between the gear sets of the core transmission andthe twin clutch in an interposed separating wall. it is particularly advantageously possible by means of the electric motor in the function of a generator for braking energy to be introduced into an energy store. this is also referred to as recuperation. the energy store can in particular be a battery, a super-capacitor or a fuel cell. the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings. the invention is illustrated specifically first on the basis of the core transmission without hybrid functionality and on the basis of three exemplary embodiments with hybrid functionality: brief description of the drawings fig. 1 shows a twin-clutch transmission without hybrid functionality, fig. 2 shows a twin-clutch transmission with hybrid functionality which has parts which are essentially identical with those of the twin-clutch transmission of fig. 1 , wherein an electric motor can be coupled by means of two separate clutches alternatively or at the same time into the power flow of the two partial transmissions of the twin-clutch transmission, fig. 3 shows a twin-clutch transmission with hybrid functionality which has essentially the same parts as the twin-clutch transmission of fig. 1 and fig. 2 , and an electric motor can be coupled by means of one clutch into the one partial transmission of the twin-clutch transmission, fig. 4 shows a twin-clutch transmission with hybrid functionality which has essentially the same parts as the twin-clutch transmission of fig. 1 and fig. 2 and fig. 3 , with an electric motor being disposed in one partial transmission. description of various embodiment fig. 1 shows a twin-clutch transmission without hybrid functionality. said twin-clutch transmission is also referred to as the core transmission. an input-side clutch half 7 of a twin clutch 10 is connected to an internal combustion engine (not illustrated). the input-side clutch half 7 can be alternatively coupled to another clutch half 8 or 9 of two friction clutches of the twin clutch 10 . the one output-side clutch half 9 which is situated axially further away from the internal combustion engine is rotationally fixedly connected to a hollow shaft 12 . the other output-side clutch half 8 is rotationally fixedly connected to an inner shaft 11 which extends coaxially through the second output-side clutch half 9 and the hollow shaft 12 and is supported at the other end in the transmission housing by a roller-bearing. the inner shaft 11 extends through the hollow shaft 12 and beyond the hollow shaft 12 . extending parallel to, and spaced from, the hollow shaft 12 and the inner shaft 11 are three countershafts 27 , 23 , 24 , of which the countershaft 27 is assigned to the reverse gear r. the two countershafts 23 , 24 which are assigned to the six forward gears 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 have, at their front-most end, in each case one drive pinion 18 , 26 for a front axle differential 20 . the two drive pinions 18 , 26 mesh with a drive wheel 19 of the front axle differential 20 . situated directly behind the two drive pinions 18 , 26 which are situated in a plane are three gearwheels in a gearwheel plane, of which gearwheels a large gearwheel is a fixed wheel 15 which meshes with two loose wheels 16 , 25 which are arranged each on one of the two countershafts 23 , 24 . the two loose wheels 16 , 25 can in each case be rotationally fixedly coupled by means of a gearshift clutch 17 , 22 to the respective countershaft 23 , 24 . if the gearshift clutch 17 illustrated at the top in fig. 1 is displaced forward, then the upper countershaft 23 is rotationally fixedly connected to the upper loose wheel 16 , so that the sixth—that is to say highest—forward gear 6 is engaged. here, the friction clutch k 2 is engaged and the friction clutch k 1 is disengaged. the drive power is therefore transmitted from the internal combustion engine via the friction clutch k 2 ,the hollow shaft 12 ,the fixed wheel 15 ,the loose wheel 16 which is rotationally fixedly coupled by means of the gearshift clutch 17 ,the drive pinion 18 ,the drive gearwheel 19 andthe front axle differential 20 to the front axle 21 . if, in contrast, the gearshift clutch 22 illustrated at the bottom in fig. 1 is displaced forwards, then the lower countershaft 24 is rotationally fixedly connected to the lower loose wheel 25 , so that the fourth forward gear 4 is engaged. here, the friction clutch k 2 is likewise engaged and the friction clutch k 1 is likewise disengaged. the drive power is therefore transmitted from the internal combustion engine via the friction clutch k 2 ,the hollow shaft 12 ,the fixed wheel 15 ,the loose wheel 25 which is rotationally fixedly coupled by means of the gearshift clutch 22 ,the drive pinion 26 ,the drive gearwheel 19 andthe front axle differential 20 to the front axle 21 . situated axially behind said two gearshift clutches 17 , 22 is a further gearwheel plane which includes the reverse gear r and a second forward gear 2 . situated in said gearwheel plane are gearwheels of all three countershafts 23 , 24 , 27 and of the hollow shaft 12 . said hollow shaft 12 ends in said gearwheel plane. at its end, the hollow shaft 12 is rotationally fixedly connected to a fixed wheel 28 which meshes with a loose wheel 29 of the lower countershaft 24 . if the lower gearshift clutch 22 is displaced axially rearwards, then a rotationally fixed connection is established between the countershaft 24 and the loose wheel 29 , so that the drive power of the internal combustion engine is transmitted via the friction clutch k 2 ,the hollow shaft 12 ,the fixed wheel 28 ,the loose wheel 29 which is rotationally fixedly coupled by means of the gearshift clutch 22 ,the countershaft 24 ,the drive pinion 26 ,the drive gearwheel 19 andthe front axle differential 20 to the front axle 21 once the friction clutch k 2 is engaged. two gearwheels, which are situated in said gearwheel plane 2 , are assigned to the reverse gear r and mesh with one another andwith none of the other gearwheels of the gearwheel plane. the one gearwheel is a loose wheel 35 of the upper countershaft 23 , and the other gearwheel is a fixed wheel 30 of the countershaft 27 assigned to the reverse gear r. the countershaft 27 supports, axially spaced from the fixed wheel 30 , a further fixed wheel 31 which meshes with a fixed wheel 32 on the inner shaft 11 . also situated in the gearwheel plane of the two fixed wheels 31 , 32 is the loose wheel 33 which is rotatably supported on the lower counter-shaft 24 and can be rotationally fixedly coupled, by means of a gearshift clutch 34 , to the countershaft 24 . if the rotationally fixed connection is established between the loose wheel 33 and the countershaft 24 , then the first forward gear 1 is engaged. in the first forward gear 1 , drive power is transmitted from the internal combustion engine via the friction clutch k 1 ,the inner shaft 11 ,the fixed wheel 32 ,the loose wheel 33 which is rotationally fixedly coupled by means of the gearshift clutch 34 ,the countershaft 24 ,the drive pinion 26 ,the drive gearwheel 19 andthe front axle differential 20 to the front axle 21 once the friction clutch k 1 is engaged. if, in contrast, the gearshift clutch 17 is displaced rearwards, so that a rotationally fixed connection is established between the loose wheel 35 and the upper countershaft 23 , then the reverse gear r is engaged and drive power from the internal combustion engine is transmitted via the friction clutch k 1 ,the inner shaft 11 ,the fixed wheel 32 ,the fixed wheel 31 which meshes with the latter,the countershaft 27 ,the fixed wheel 30 ,the loose wheel 35 which is rotationally fixedly coupled by means of the gearshift clutch 17 ,the countershaft 23 ,the drive pinion 18 ,the drive gearwheel 19 andthe front axle differential 20 to the front axle 21 once the friction clutch k 1 is engaged. situated in the axial space between the fixed gears 30 and 31 is a gearwheel plane which is assigned to the third forward gear 3 . this gearwheel plane comprises two gearwheels which mesh with one another, one of which gearwheels is a fixed wheel 36 disposed adjacent the end 37 of the inner shaft 11 and rotationally fixedly connected to the inner shaft 11 , whereas the other is a loose wheel 38 that can be rotationally fixedly coupled by means of the gearshift clutch 34 to the countershaft 24 . if said rotationally fixed connection is established, then the third forward gear 3 is engaged, so that drive power from the internal combustion engine is transmitted via the friction clutch k 1 ,the inner shaft 11 ,the fixed wheel 36 ,the loose wheel 38 which is rotationally fixedly coupled by means of the gearshift clutch 34 ,the countershaft 24 ,the drive pinion 26 ,the drive gearwheel 19 andthe front axle differential 20 to the front axle 21 once the friction clutch k 1 is engaged. the axially rearmost gearwheel plane comprises two gearwheels, of which one 42 is connected to the inner shaft 11 and the other is a loose wheel 41 which can be coupled to the countershaft 23 by means of a separate gearshift clutch 40 . if said loose wheel 41 is coupled to the countershaft 23 , then the fifth forward gear 5 is engaged, so that drive power from the internal combustion engine is transmittedvia the friction clutch k 1 ,the inner shaft 11 ,the fixed wheel 42 ,the loose wheel 41 which is rotationally fixedly coupled by means of the gearshift clutch 40 ,the countershaft 23 ,the drive pinion 18 ,the drive gearwheel 19 andthe front axle differential 20 to the front axle 21 once the friction clutch k 1 is engaged. at one end, the inner shaft 11 is roller-bearing-supported within the hollow shaft 12 . at its rear end, the inner shaft 11 is roller-bearing-supported in the transmission housing 99 axially directly adjacent to the gearwheel 42 of the transmission stage of an electric motor (not shown in fig. 1 ). in addition to said roller bearing support relative to the inner shaft 11 , the hollow shaft 12 is also roller-bearing-supported in a separating wall 98 . the separating wall 98 is connected fixedly in terms of movement to the transmission housing 99 and is arranged axially between the twin clutch 10 and the wheel sets of the core transmission. the separating wall 98 adjoins the clutch bell in the axial direction towards the internal combustion engine. the input-side clutch half 7 of the twin clutch is connected fixedly in terms of movement to said internal combustion engine and has, at its outer periphery, a large toothed ring 97 which engages in a gearwheel 96 , of significantly smaller diameter, which is connected to a starter motor m. fig. 2 shows a twin-clutch transmission with hybrid functionality which additionally has an electric motor unit 100 . for clarity, the countershaft 27 assigned to the reverse gear from fig. 1 , and the upper countershaft 23 , are not illustrated in the drawing. the core transmission is therefore of identical design to fig. 1 . the identical parts are accordingly also provided with the same reference symbols as in fig. 1 . the electric motor unit 100 comprises an electric motor 112 ,two separate clutches 102 , 103 ,two countershafts 104 , 105 andtwo fixed gear wheels 106 , 107 , with said components being arranged coaxially with respect to one another. the electric motor 112 is composed of the stator windings 101 , which are fixed to the housing, and the rotating armature 113 . the electric motor unit 100 extends axially from the gearwheel plane of the fourth forward gear 4 and of the sixth forward gear 6 to the axially rearmost gearwheel plane, with the latter being assigned to the fifth forward gear 5 . the axially outer delimitations of the electric motor unit 100 are formed by the two fixed wheels 106 , 107 . the front fixed wheel 106 meshes with the front fixed wheel 15 on the hollow shaft 12 . the rear fixed wheel 107 meshes with the rearmost fixed wheel 42 on the inner shaft 11 . those ends of the two countershafts 104 , 105 which face one another are in each case rotationally fixedly connected to one of the two clutch halves 108 , 109 . the two second clutch halves 110 , 111 which can be coupled in a frictionally engaging manner to said two clutch halves 108 , 109 are rotationally fixedly connected to one another and form the rotating armature 113 of the electric motor 112 . situated axially between the two countershafts 104 , 105 is a reinforcement structure 115 of the armature 113 . the six forward gears 1 to 6 and the reverse gear r are of identical design to the first exemplary embodiment as shown in fig. 1 and are shifted in an identical manner with the two clutches k 1 , k 2 and the four gearshift clutches 22 , 34 , 17 , 40 . if the first clutch 103 of the electric motor unit 100 is engaged, then a torque can be transmitted between the armature 113 and the second friction clutch k 2 , wherein disposed in the power flow in between is the one step-up stage 93 which is associated with the fixed wheel 15 of the sixth forward gear 6 . when the friction clutch k 2 is engaged, the power comes from the electric motor unit 100 or flows into the electric motor unit 100 , depending on power being introduced into the drivetrain or power being extracted from the drivetrain in order to charge a battery. if the second clutch 102 of the electric motor unit 100 is engaged, then a torque can be transmitted between the armature 113 and the first friction clutch k 1 . disposed in the power flow is the other step-up stage 94 which is associated with the fixed wheel 42 of the fifth forward gear 5 . when the friction clutch k 1 is engaged, the power is supplied by the electric motor unit 100 or flows into the electric motor unit 100 , that is, power is introduced into the drivetrain or power is extracted from the drivetrain in order to charge a battery. accordingly, each of the partial transmissions of the twin-clutch transmission is assigned a clutch 102 and 103 of the electric motor unit 100 . fig. 3 shows a twin-clutch transmission with hybrid functionality, whose electric motor unit 100 , in contrast to the twin-clutch transmission of fig. 2 , has only one single clutch 102 for the electric motor unit 100 . for clarity, the countershaft 27 assigned to the reverse gear of fig. 1 , and the upper countershaft 23 , are not illustrated in the drawing. the core transmission is therefore of identical design to fig. 1 . the identical parts are accordingly also provided with the same reference symbols as in fig. 1 . in the same way, components which are in principle identical to the exemplary embodiment of fig. 2 are provided with the same reference symbols. it is possible by means of the clutch 102 for a rotating armature 113 of an electric motor 112 to be coupled to a fixed wheel 107 which is rotationally fixedly connected to a countershaft 104 . said fixed wheel 107 meshes with a rearmost fixed wheel 42 on an inner shaft 11 . a torque from the electric motor 122 can thereby be introduced directly only into the one partial transmission. similarly, a torque can be introduced directly only from the one partial transmission into the electric motor 122 which is utilized as a generator. the electric motor 122 can, in order to avoid a drag torque which can in certain circumstances adversely affect efficiency, be decoupled by means of the clutch 102 . fig. 4 shows a twin-clutch transmission with hybrid functionality, whose electric motor unit 100 , in contrast to the twin-clutch transmission of fig. 3 , has no clutch for the electric motor unit 100 . for clarity, the countershaft 27 assigned to the reverse gear of fig. 1 , and the upper countershaft 23 , are not illustrated in the drawing. the core transmission is therefore of an identical design as that of fig. 1 . the identical parts are accordingly also provided with the same reference symbols as in fig. 1 . in the same way, components which are in principle identical to the exemplary embodiment of fig. 2 and fig. 3 are provided with the same reference symbols. a rotating armature 113 of an electric motor 112 is fixedly connected to a fixed wheel 107 . the fixed wheel 107 is rotationally fixedly connected to a countershaft 104 . said fixed wheel 107 meshes with a rearmost fixed wheel 42 on an inner shaft 11 . a torque from the electric motor 122 can thereby be introduced directly only into the one partial transmission. similarly, a torque can be introduced directly only from the one partial transmission into the electric motor 122 which is utilized as a generator. in order to avoid a permanently present drag torque which adversely affects efficiency, use is made of a friction-optimized electric motor 112 , which can alternatively or additionally be equipped with an overrunning clutch. it is possible with the hybrid transmission designs of fig. 2 , fig. 3 and fig. 4 to move the vehicle using only the electric motor unit 100 —that is to say without operation of the internal combustion engine. it is likewise possible to travel using only the electric motor unit 100 —that is to say without operation of the internal combustion engine. it is therefore also possible to start and stop without a time delay. that is to say, the internal combustion engine which is at operating temperature can be automatically shut off when the vehicle is at standstill, for example at a red light, wherein with a subsequent power demand by the driver, the vehicle is driven immediately by means of the electric motor unit 100 , and the internal combustion engine which is at operating temperature is started only while the vehicle is already moving, once, with or without the aid of the starter motor. in particular for the cold start of high-compression internal combustion engines, such as for example diesel engines, the additional axially offset starter motor m, whose step-up ratio ensures reliable starting, can be necessary in connection with all exemplary embodiments of the hybrid drive of fig. 2 to fig. 4 . with the hybrid transmission constructions of fig. 2 , fig. 3 and fig. 4 , it is also possible to shift between two gears which are assigned to the same partial transmission or the same countershaft 23 or 24 without an interruption in tractive force. in the twin-clutch transmission illustrated by way of example in fig. 1 to fig. 4 , the forward gears 1 , 3 , 5 are assigned to the one partial transmission and the forward gears 2 , 4 , 6 are assigned to the other partial transmission. this permits a sequential gearshift, without an interruption in tractive force, between two adjacent gears even without an electric motor 112 , solely on account of the twin-clutch transmission principle by means of gear pre-selection and overlap control of the two friction clutches k 1 and k 2 . the electric motor can however also additionally engage in said sequential gearshifts, so as to smooth the shift, both by outputting power and also by absorbing power. omitting one or two clutches, as per fig. 3 and fig. 4 , provides for advantages of cost-effectiveness, compactness and lightness of the unit and the disadvantage of a reduced functional scope. in the hybrid transmission of fig. 2 , the electric motor 112 can be connected into the power flow in each of the forward gears 1 to 6 and the reverse gear r. in the hybrid transmissions of fig. 3 and fig. 4 , the electric motor 112 can be connected indirectly into the power flow in each of the even forward gears 2 , 4 and 6 . when engaging the two shift elements 17 and 22 assigned to the one partial transmission, in the exemplary embodiment as per fig. 2 , the clutch 103 of the electric motor 112 is disengaged whereby the two shift elements 17 and 22 are not subjected to the drag torque of the electric motor 112 . when engaging the two shift elements 34 and 40 , in the exemplary embodiment as per fig. 2 , the clutch 102 of the electric motor 112 is disengaged in order that the two shift elements 34 and 40 are not loaded with the drag torque of the electric motor 112 . alternatively for disengaging the clutch 102 or 103 , the electric motor can energized so as to smoothen the shifting, while supplying or absorbing power, depending on whether an upshift or downshift is being carried out. the shift elements can be embodied both as synchronizing rings and as purely form-fitting shift claws. when using synchronizing rings as shift elements, the friction cones can, with the abovementioned method, be relieved of load, and therefore a long service life even of single-cone synchronizations can be ensured. when using shift claws as shift elements, it is possible with the abovementioned shift-smoothing method to ensure small shift shocks when engaging the shift claws. the torsional strength, illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, between the hollow shaft 12 and the clutch half 9 or between the inner shaft 11 and the clutch half 8 can also be provided by means of a torsional vibration damper. this permits a limited degree of rotational movement. the clutches 102 , 103 for the electric motor 112 can also have a torsional damper. the front axle differential can also have, as a drive gearwheel, a conical gearwheel as it is used for vehicles with longitudinal front drives. the front axle differential can likewise have a spur gear as is known from vehicles for front-transverse drive. the two drive pinions which are situated on the countershafts assigned to the forward gears can have both identical and different diameters. in a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the starter motor for starting the internal combustion engine and the electric motor for the hybrid drive are dimensioned such that the internal combustion engine, in particular in the cold state, can be started only with both electric motors. the embodiment of the invention permits small and light dimensioning of the starter motor, together with cost advantages. the clutches 102 , 103 of the electric motor in fig. 2 to fig. 4 are provided merely by way of example with clutch plates 108 , 109 . the clutches can, for example, be dry clutches,dry or wet multi-plate clutches,similarly to a synchronizing device,form-fitting claw clutches ormagnetic clutches. the arrangement of the hybrid electric motor parallel to the countershafts and main shafts—that is to say the inner shaft and the hollow shaft—of the hybrid twin-clutch transmission is particularly favorable with regard to efficiency and permits a compact design. other arrangements are however also conceivable, for example a perpendicular arrangement with a bevel wheel gear. the described embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments. a combination of the described features for different embodiments is likewise possible.
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160-243-742-213-629
|
EP
|
[
"WO",
"US",
"CN",
"EP",
"JP"
] |
F21S8/00,D03D15/00,F21S4/00,F21V1/14,F21Y101/02,F21Y103/00,F21Y105/00,F21Y113/00,H05K1/00,F21V21/00,F21V7/00,F21V11/00,F21V3/04,F21V3/00,F21V23/00,F21V23/06
| 2010-03-16T00:00:00 |
2010
|
[
"F21",
"D03",
"H05"
] |
light-emitting textile-based architectural element
|
a light-emitting textile-based architectural element (1), comprising a frame (4); and a first textile sheet (5) being tensioned by the frame (4) to cover an area defined by the frame (4). the first textile-sheet (5) is a light-emitting electronic textile comprising a textile substrate (6) having a preformed conductor pattern (7a-b); and a plurality of light sources (8) attached to the textile substrate (6) in such a way that each light source (8) is electrically connected to the conductor pattern (7a-b).
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1 . a light-emitting textile-based architectural element, comprising: a frame; and a first textile sheet being tensioned by the frame to cover an area defined by the frame, wherein the first textile sheet is a light-emitting electronic textile comprising: a textile substrate having a preformed conductor pattern; and a plurality of light sources attached to the textile substrate in such a way that each light source is electrically connected to the conductor pattern. 2 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 1 , further comprising a second textile sheet arranged substantially in parallel with the first textile sheet. 3 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 2 , wherein the second textile sheet is tensioned by the frame and spaced apart from the first textile sheet. 4 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 2 , wherein the light sources comprised in the first textile sheet are arranged to emit light towards the second textile sheet. 5 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 4 , wherein the second textile sheet is arranged between the first textile sheet and a position for viewing the light-emitting textile-based architectural element when in use. 6 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 4 , wherein the first textile sheet is arranged between the second textile sheet and a position for viewing the light-emitting textile-based architectural element when in use, so that light emitted by the light sources comprised in the first textile sheet can be reflected by the second textile sheet before passing through the first textile sheet to exit from the light-emitting textile-based architectural element. 7 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 4 , wherein the first textile sheet comprises a plurality of individually controllable light sources. 8 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of individually controllable light sources comprises: a first set of light sources controllable to emit light of a first color; and a second set of light sources controllable to emit light of a second color, different from the first color. 9 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 7 , wherein the light sources are arranged to define individually addressable pixels. 10 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 7 , wherein the first textile sheet further comprises a light-diffusing element arranged to diffuse light emitted by at least one of the light sources. 11 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 7 , wherein the textile substrate comprises: a fabric; and at least one textile ribbon having a preformed conductor pattern, wherein the at least one textile ribbon is attached to the fabric. 12 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 7 , wherein the conductor pattern comprises at least one conductive fiber. 13 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 7 , further comprising a connector for facilitating connection of the light sources to a control unit. 14 . the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to claim 13 , further comprising a control unit which is connected to the light sources via the connector. 15 . (canceled)
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field of the invention the present invention relates to a light-emitting textile-based architectural element, and to a method of manufacturing such a light-emitting textile-based architectural element. background of the invention textiles are used in many aspects of our every-day lives. one of the largest markets for textiles is in wearable fashion and fashion accessories. besides this market, textiles are also commonly used in interior settings as upholstery for furniture and as carpet for flooring. this interior market also includes a growing category of textiles that are used as architectural elements. textiles have been used in architecture for thousands of years, mostly serving the dual use of decoration and heat insulation (i.e. wall tapestries). recently, textiles and lighting has been combined to form textile-based architectural elements. one example of such a light-emitting textile-based architectural element is a textile screen formed by a textile stretched over a frame to form a free-standing structure. inside the structure, color controllable light sources are arranged to project light on the textile, whereby appealing visual effects can be achieved. although being capable of providing appealing visual effects, such light-emitting textile-based architectural elements are mainly useful for temporary installation, for example in connection with promotional events, since they are free-standing and rather bulky. summary of the invention in view of the above-mentioned and other drawbacks of the prior art, a general object of the present invention is to provide an improved light-emitting textile-based architectural element, in particular a more compact light-emitting textile-based architectural element. according to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a light-emitting textile-based architectural element, comprising a frame, and a first textile sheet being tensioned by the frame to cover an area defined by the frame, wherein the first textile-sheet is a light-emitting electronic textile comprising a textile substrate having a preformed conductor pattern, and a plurality of light sources attached to the textile substrate in such a way that each light source is electrically connected to the conductor pattern. that the conductor pattern is “preformed” on the textile substrate should, in the context of the present application, be understood to mean that the conductor pattern is formed in or on the textile substrate prior to attachment of the light sources. by “textile sheet” should, in the context of the present application, be understood a sheet that is wholly or partly made of fibers. the fibers may be provided in the form of single fibers/filaments, or they may be bundled together in a multi-fiber configuration, such as a yarn. the textile may, for example, be manufactured by means of weaving, braiding, knitting, crocheting, quilting, or felting. in particular, the textile may be woven or non-woven. the present invention is based on the realization that a relatively compact and visually attractive light-emitting textile-based architectural element can be achieved by tensioning a first textile sheet in the form of a light-emitting electronic textile across a frame that defines the outline of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element. the present inventors have further realized that sufficient reliability of such a light-emitting textile-based architectural element, which may typically be in the high-end scale of textile-based architectural elements, can be achieved in particular by providing the first textile sheet in the form of a light-emitting electronic textile comprising a textile substrate. a textile substrate can be subjected to various stresses associated with tensioning of the first textile sheet without suffering from loss of function. for example, a textile substrate can be clamped, bent and stretched to a tensioned state without damaging the textile substrate. other flexible substrates, such as flexible printed circuit boards are typically considerably more sensitive to bending (particularly repeated bending) and stretching etc. in this context, it should be noted that the term “tensioned” as used herein implies that the first textile sheet will continuously be subjected to a stretching force, so as to keep the first textile sheet substantially flat (at least between two frame parts). that the first textile sheet is tensioned by the frame thus involves more severe requirements on the first textile sheet than would have been the case had it been loosely supported by the frame or draped over the frame. the first textile sheet may advantageously be a pre-produced light-emitting electronic textile, which can be manufactured in a rational manufacturing process that is adapted to standardized and efficient textile manufacturing processes. this means that no or very minor additional process steps are required to form the light-emitting textile-based architectural element. according to various embodiments of the invention, the light-emitting textile-based architectural element may be substantially flat, and be configured to be mounted on a wall or ceiling etc. the light-emitting textile-based architectural element may advantageously further comprise a second textile sheet arranged substantially in parallel with the first textile sheet. this second textile sheet may, for example, be provided in the form of a cover textile that is arranged to cover light sources comprised in the first textile layer, whereby the light emitted by the light sources can be optically diffused so that the light is output from the light-emitting textile-based architectural element across a larger surface area thereof. at the same time, the maximum intensity of the light is reduced. hereby, more appealing lighting effects can be presented to a user/viewer of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element (typically someone who is present in a room or similar where the light-emitting textile-based architectural element is arranged). to further increase the optical diffusion of light output by the light sources, the first textile sheet may additionally comprise a light-spreading sheet arranged between the textile substrate and the cover textile. the light-spreading sheet may serve to only space apart the light sources and the cover textile, to thereby allow the light output by the light sources to spread over a larger area before hitting the cover textile. alternatively, the light-spreading sheet may be configured to space apart the light sources and the cover textile and to optically diffuse the light output by the light sources through interaction between the light-spreading sheet and the light output by the light sources. as an alternative or complement to such a cover textile being comprised in the first textile sheet, the second textile sheet may be tensioned by the frame and spaced apart from the first textile sheet. by providing the second textile sheet in this manner, the functionality of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element can be extended to damping sound, which may be an important property of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element depending on application. the light sources comprised in the first textile sheet may advantageously be arranged to emit light towards the second textile sheet. hereby, an efficient optical diffusion can be achieved in a compact arrangement. this may be achieved by allowing the light that is output by the light sources to pass through the second textile sheet before the light reaches the user, so that the light can spread out due to the distance between the first textile sheet and the second textile sheet, and then be diffused further upon passage through the second textile sheet. in this embodiment, the second textile sheet may advantageously be arranged to be facing the user when the light-emitting textile-based architectural element is in use. alternatively, the first textile sheet may be arranged between the second textile sheet and a position for viewing the light-emitting textile-based architectural element when in use, so that light emitted by the light sources comprised in the first textile sheet can be reflected by the second textile sheet before passing through the first textile sheet to exit from the light-emitting textile-based architectural element. in this embodiment, the light that is output by the light sources comprised in the first textile sheet travels twice the distance between the first textile sheet and the second textile sheet before the light exits the light-emitting textile-based architectural element through the first textile sheet to continue towards the user. this increases the spreading of the light or alternatively allows for a smaller spacing between the first textile sheet and the second textile sheet for achieving a given optical diffusion of the light that is output by the light-emitting textile-based architectural element. furthermore, the optical diffusion of the light can be increased even further, since the reflection of the light at the second textile sheet may be made diffuse by providing a second textile sheet which is made of a diffusely reflective material. according to various embodiments of the present invention, the light-emitting textile-based architectural element may advantageously comprise a plurality of individually controllable light sources. hereby, the output of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element can be controlled to vary to create different light-effects depending on application and situation, whereby, for example, an ambience can be created. since the individually controllable light sources are provided on a textile substrate having a preformed conductor pattern and since this textile substrate is tensioned by the frame, the individually controllable light sources can be positioned on the light-emitting textile-based architectural element with a high level of accuracy and repeatability. furthermore, this can be done in a simple process, which keeps down the cost of manufacturing of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element. the plurality of individually controllable light sources may advantageously comprise a first set of light sources controllable to emit light of a first color; and a second set of light sources controllable to emit light of a second color, different from the first color. hereby, color effects can be achieved. the first color and the second color may, for example, be different primary colors that can be used to form other colors. examples of primary colors are red, green, blue, amber, etc. the above-mentioned individually controllable light sources may, furthermore, advantageously be arranged to define individually addressable pixels, which allows for the formation of a large variety of user-defined patterns on the light-emitting textile-based architectural element. in this embodiment, it is of particular importance that the light sources are at well-defined locations, at least relative each other. such well-defined locations can be achieved in a cost-efficient, reliable and repeatable manner through the various aspects of the present invention. in particular the tensioning of a pre-manufactured light-emitting electronic textile comprising a textile substrate having a preformed conductive pattern with a plurality of light sources connected thereto greatly facilitates providing the individually controllable light sources at well-defined locations, at least relative each other. according to various embodiments of the present invention, the textile substrate comprised in the first textile sheet may include at least one textile ribbon. this is a convenient way of providing the light-emitting electronic textile. for example, the light sources may be attached to the textile ribbon and electrically connected to a preformed conductor pattern included in the textile ribbon. the textile ribbon may advantageously be attached to a supporting fabric, whereby light sources can conveniently be arranged in well-defined locations relative each other. moreover, in various embodiments of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to the invention, the conductor pattern included in the textile substrate may comprise at least one conductive fiber, which may be provided to the textile substrate in various ways. for example, the at least one conductive fiber may be interwoven in the textile substrate, or may be provided through several methods including crocheting, knitting, sewing, etc. the conductor pattern may, for instance, be formed by at least one conductive yarn. furthermore, the light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to the present invention may additionally comprise a connector for allowing connection of the light sources to a control unit. additionally, the light-emitting textile-based architectural element may advantageously comprise a control unit being connected to the light sources via the above-mentioned connector. the control unit may, for example, conveniently be integrated in the light-emitting textile-based architectural element by attaching the control unit to the frame. according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a light-emitting textile-based architectural element, comprising the steps of providing a frame and a pre-produced light-emitting electronic textile sheet; tensioning the pre-produced light-emitting electronic textile sheet across the frame in such a way that the pre-produced light-emitting electronic textile sheet covers an area defined by the frame. variations and advantages of this second aspect of the present invention are largely analogous to those provided above in connection with the first aspect of the invention. brief description of the drawings these and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing currently preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein: fig. 1 schematically illustrates a light-emitting textile-based architectural element according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section view of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element in fig. 1 , showing one exemplary configuration of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element; figs. 3 a - c are section views of a portion of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element in fig. 1 , schematically illustrating different exemplary configurations of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element; figs. 4 a - b schematically illustrate an example of the light-emitting electronic textile comprised in the light-emitting textile-based architectural element, in which the textile substrate comprises textile ribbons arranged on a supporting fabric; and fig. 5 is a flow-chart schematically illustrating an embodiment of the method according to the present invention. description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention fig. 1 schematically illustrates a light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 arranged on a wall 2 . through the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 , an ambience can be created in the room. in typical applications, the ambience can be controlled by controlling various features of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 , such as the light-output pattern, the intensity of the light that is output and/or the color of the light. fig. 2 is a cross-section view of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 in fig. 1 , which schematically illustrates an exemplary configuration of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 . further exemplary configurations of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element in fig. 1 will be described further below with reference to figs. 3 a - c. with reference to fig. 2 , the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 according to this first exemplary configuration comprises a frame 4 , and a first textile sheet 5 in the form of a light-emitting electronic textile. the first textile sheet 5 is tensioned by the frame 4 so that the first textile sheet 5 exhibits a flat and even surface to a user. as will be easily understood by the skilled person, the textile sheet 5 may be tensioned by the frame 4 in various ways, for example using springs etc, and the frame configuration indicated in fig. 2 is simply intended as an illustrative example of one of numerous possible frame configurations. as can be best seen in the enlarged portion of fig. 2 , the first textile sheet 5 comprises a textile substrate 6 with conductors 7 a - b arranged thereon, a plurality of light sources 8 in the form of light-emitting diodes (leds) (for the sake of clarity of drawing, only one of the light sources is indicated by a reference numeral), an optically diffusing sheet 9 and a cover textile 10 . the leds 8 are attached to the textile substrate 6 in such a way that contact pads 11 a - b of the leds 8 are electrically connected to the conductors 7 a - b . to reduce glare and present a diffuse light to the user of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 , the optically diffusing sheet 9 and the cover textile 10 are arranged to allow the light that is output by the leds 8 to pass through the optically diffusing sheet 9 and the cover textile 10 before reaching the user. figs. 3 a - c are section views of a portion of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 in fig. 1 , schematically illustrating different exemplary configurations of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 . in all of the exemplary configurations that are schematically shown in figs. 3 a - c , the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 comprises a second textile sheet 14 that is spaced apart from the first textile sheet 5 , and that is also tensioned in the frame 4 . through each of these configurations, efficient acoustic damping can be achieved, which is a very attractive feature for various applications, such as in offices etc. turning first to fig. 3 a , a first exemplary configuration of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 in fig. 1 is shown, which differs from that shown in fig. 2 in that the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 comprises a second textile sheet 14 arranged behind the first textile sheet 5 relative the position of a user of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 , and in that the light sources 8 are arranged to output light away from the user. in this exemplary configuration, the second textile sheet 14 is at least partly reflective, so that the light that is output by the light sources 8 is reflected by the second textile sheet 14 and exits the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 through the first textile sheet 5 , as is schematically indicated in fig. 3 a . through this configuration, very efficient optical diffusion can be achieved in a compact light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 . in particular, the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 can be made thin, since the light travels twice the distance between the first textile sheet 5 and the second textile sheet 14 before it exits the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 . furthermore, the reflection at the second textile sheet 14 and the passage through the first textile sheet 5 diffuses the light even further. with reference to fig. 3 b , another exemplary configuration of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 in fig. 1 will now be described. in the configuration that is schematically illustrated in fig. 3 b , the second textile sheet 14 is arranged in front of the first textile sheet 5 , and the leds 8 in the first textile sheet are arranged to output light through the second textile sheet 14 towards the user of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 . hereby, the light is spread out while passing through the space between the first textile sheet 5 and the second textile sheet 14 , and additionally optically diffused upon passage through the second textile sheet 14 . finally, fig. 3 c schematically illustrates a further exemplary configuration of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 in fig. 1 , which differs from that shown in fig. 2 in that a second textile sheet 14 is arranged behind the first textile sheet 5 . hereby, the above-mentioned improved acoustic damping can be achieved. figs. 4 a - b schematically illustrate an example of the light-emitting electronic textile 5 comprised in the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 , in which the textile substrate 6 comprises textile ribbons 20 a - d each having a preformed conductor pattern 21 a - b , attached to a fabric 22 . the leds 8 in each textile ribbon 20 a - d may be electrically connected to a control unit 23 . the control unit 23 may be attached to the first textile sheet 5 , or may advantageously be arranged external to the first textile sheet 5 and be electrically connected thereto through suitable wiring. in the latter case, the control unit 23 may for example be attached to the frame 4 of the light-emitting textile-based architectural element 1 . in any case, the control unit 23 may either directly control the current/voltage provided to each led 8 , or each led-arrangement 8 may comprise one or several electronic components (not shown) that may receive higher level control signals from the control unit 23 . the textile ribbons 20 a - d are here, as can be seen in fig. 4 b , provided in the form of woven ribbons formed by interwoven conductive 21 a - b and non-conductive 25 yarns. the conductive yarns 21 a - b may have a conductive outer surface, and are not short-circuited because they are separated by several non-conductive yarns 25 . the textile ribbons 20 a - d are stitched to the fabric 22 as is schematically illustrated in fig. 4 b . as will be evident to the skilled person, the textile ribbons can be attached to the fabric 22 in various other ways depending on application. examples of other ways of attaching the textile ribbons 20 a - d to the fabric 22 include, for example, gluing, clamping, ultrasonic welding, etc. moreover, the fabric 22 may include one or several preformed holding structure(s) for keeping the textile ribbons 20 a - d in place. such preformed holding structures may, for example, be formed by loops, or be provided in the form of pockets or channels. finally, an embodiment of the method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flow-chart in fig. 5 . in a first step 101 , a frame 4 and a pre-produced light-emitting electronic textile 5 are provided. the pre-produced light-emitting electronic textile 5 is then arranged on the frame 4 in such a way that it is tensioned by the frame 4 , in step 102 . additionally, variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by the skilled person in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. for example, the first textile sheet may comprise light sources arranged to emit light in opposite directions. furthermore, the light-emitting textile-based architectural element may comprise more than one textile sheet in the form of a light-emitting electronic textile. in the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.
|
162-689-311-814-667
|
FR
|
[
"KR",
"US",
"EP",
"JP",
"FR",
"WO"
] |
G06K9/00,G06K19/06,H01L51/52,G06K19/00,H01L33/48,G06K19/10
| 2007-12-20T00:00:00 |
2007
|
[
"G06",
"H01"
] |
/ / process for fabricating an organic-diode-based identication/authentication device said device and method of use
|
the fabrication method comprises a step of exposing at least one organic diode to a gas, before packaging of the device, to form a plurality of randomly distributed black spots by impairment. increasing the exposure time enables the size of the black spots to be increased, also randomly. the surface distribution of the black spots, visible by electroluminescence, enables an object associated with this distribution to be identified in reliable manner.
|
1 . method for fabricating a device for identification and authentication of an object comprising formation of a plurality of randomly distributed identification elements in the device, method wherein the device comprising at least one organic light-emitting diode, the method comprises an exposure stage of the diode to at least one gas, before packaging of the device, to form said identification elements by impairment in the form of randomly distributed black spots visible by electroluminescence. 2 . the method according to claim 1 , wherein the gas is water vapor. 3 . the method according to claim 1 , wherein the device is packaged in a sealed casing in an inert atmosphere after formation of the identification elements. 4 . the method according to claim 3 , wherein a getter is placed in the packaging casing. 5 . identification device obtained by the method according claim 1 , comprising at least one organic diode and a plurality of identification elements in the form of randomly distributed black spots visible in electroluminescence. 6 . the device according to claim 5 , wherein the black spots are of random size. 7 . device according to claim 5 , comprising a plurality of organic diodes forming a screen. 8 . method for using the device according to claim 5 , comprising powering-on of the diode, determination of the surface distribution of the black spots and comparison of this distribution with pre-recorded images associated with the objects to be identified.
|
background of the invention the invention relates to a method for fabricating a device for identification and authentication of an object comprising formation of a plurality of randomly distributed identification elements in the device. state of the art the document wo-a-01/57831 describes a method and device for identification and authentication of objects, plants or living beings. this method implements production of a volume identifier from a heterogeneous and hardening mixture of at least two non-miscible bodies. the volume identifier comprises random and statistically non-reproducible heterogeneities as regards shape and position guaranteeing the uniqueness of the identifier. in the case of a gaseous mixture with a liquid or pasty product, illustrated in fig. 1 , heterogeneities are obtained in the form of bubbles 1 of this same gas. bubbles of random diameter are thus formed in the mixture at random locations and can act as identification elements 1 . identification elements 1 are sunk in the volume and are thereby not accessible by direct contact. they can therefore not be subjected to wear or damage like a barcode may be on a paper support medium. this method can also be implemented by mixing solid particles with a hardening product, the distribution of these particles being fixed randomly once the product has been frozen, then forming identification elements. after the identifier has been fabricated, the latter is digitized by several series of images enabling a faithful reconstruction of the identifier to be made in three dimensions. this three-dimensional image is stored in a database. the identifier is then attributed to an object. an identifier can subsequently be used to authenticate an object. it is then digitized according to a plurality of angles enabling reconstruction thereof in three dimensions. then the database is interrogated to instantaneously verify the authenticity of the identifier by comparing it to the data in the database. such a three-dimensional identifier is unable to be falsified. however, use of this identifier is relatively complex on account of the reconstruction in three dimensions after acquisition of a series of images from different viewing angles. object of the invention the object of the invention is to provide a device for identification and authentication of objects, plants, persons, animals or services that is simple and unable to be falsified. according to the invention, this object is achieved by the fact that, the device comprising at least one organic light-emitting diode, the method comprises an exposure stage of the diode to at least one gas, before packaging of the device, to form said identification elements by impairment in the form of randomly distributed black spots visible by electroluminescence. the invention also relates to a device obtained by this method and comprising an organic diode with identification elements in the form of black spots distributed randomly on a surface of the diode and visible by electroluminescence. the invention further relates to a method for use of this device comprising powering-on of the diode, determination of the surface distribution of the black spots and comparison of this distribution with pre-recorded images associated with the objects to be identified. brief description of the drawings other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given for non-restrictive example purposes only and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which: fig. 1 illustrates an identifier according to the prior art. figs. 2 to 4 illustrate top views of three alternative embodiments of the invention. description of particular embodiments according to an embodiment illustrated in fig. 2 , a device for identification and authentication of an object comprises a plurality of randomly distributed identification elements 1 . such a device comprises at least one organic light-emitting diode 2 and is achieved by: exposing the organic diode to at least one gas to form, by impairment of the diode, identification elements in the form of randomly distributed black spots visible by electroluminescence,packaging of the diode to stop impairment thereof. an identifier based on organic diodes can thus be obtained that conventionally comprises an anode covered by at least one organic layer that is emissive by electroluminescence, and then a cathode. one of the major drawbacks of organic diodes, i.e. their sensitivity to moisture, is in fact made use of. when an organic diode is exposed to the atmosphere, it is in fact impaired at certain points, forming black spots. this impairment, due to structural defects, does not occur under normal circumstances if the method for producing organic diodes is well mastered, i.e. when the organic diodes are made in a glove-box in an inert atmosphere (gas or argon), preventing any penetration of water in the form of vapor. the invention uses these structural defects which present a random and therefore non-reproducible distribution to form the identifier. the black spots correspond to areas in the form of pinholes that become incapable of emitting light. thus, when the diode is powered-on, normally invisible black spots appear by electroluminescence. the invention consists in deliberately making black spots appear by exposing the organic light-emitting diode to the atmosphere or to a controlled atmosphere in an environmental chamber for a few minutes before packaging it. the diode is preferably exposed to water vapor in an environmental chamber. the impairment corresponds to penetration of the water vapor into the organic diode. the diode is then encapsulated, preferably in a package containing an inert gas, for example dinitrogen (n 2 ) or argon (ar). this packaging enables the surface distribution of the black spots to be frozen preventing water molecules from subsequently penetrating into the diode. as the black spots no longer undergo any modification, they create a random pattern that is non-reproducible and cannot be falsified. each spot thereby constitutes an identification element 1 to achieve an organic diode-based identifier 2 . packaging can be performed in conventional manner using a glued glass cover or in monolithic manner by performing packaging in thin layers with oxide and/or nitride and/or polymer materials. a getter is preferably placed under the glass cover to absorb the residual moisture. when the diode is fabricated, the diameter of the black spots can be increased by increasing the exposure time of the organic diode to the atmosphere or to the gas. depending on the size of structural defects of the diode, infiltration of the gas is in fact more or less great and impairment of the diode more or less fast. as illustrated in fig. 3 , the black spots can thus have a distribution and a size that are both random. this additional random size enables security of identification to be very considerably increased. according to another embodiment illustrated in fig. 4 , an identifier 2 can be composed of a plurality of elemental diodes arranged in the form of a bar or a matrix forming a screen. this enables the surface distribution of the black spots to be made even more complex enhancing security even more. the number of elemental diodes can for example be a few hundred or so, each elemental diode constituting a screen pixel. such an identifier is designed to enable objects to be authenticated. what is meant by object is any type of plant, living being, material goods, or services. once fabricated, the identifier is powered-on and an image of the surface distribution of the black spots is then captured and preferably digitized. this image can be pre-recorded in a database and associated with an object. when the object has to be authenticated, the identifier is powered-on and the surface distribution of the black spots is determined, for example by a camera, and then compared with the pre-recorded images in the database to verify the authenticity of the object. such identifiers are unable to be falsified due to the random distribution of the black spots. recognition being performed on a surface distribution, it is much simpler to implement than in a three-dimensional identifier.
|
162-861-275-231-22X
|
JP
|
[
"US",
"JP"
] |
G03G5/07,C08G64/08,G03G5/05,G03G5/147
| 1999-01-13T00:00:00 |
1999
|
[
"G03",
"C08"
] |
electrophotographic photoreceptor, an image forming method, an image forming apparatus, and an apparatus unit
|
an electrophotographic photoreceptor is disclosed. the photoreceptor comprises an electrically conductive support having thereon a photosensitive layer in which the glass transition temperature of the surface layer of said photosensitive layer is at least 105.degree. c. and the contact angle of said surface layer with respect to deionized water is at least 90.degree.. an image forming method, an apparatus and a unit employing the photoreceptor are also disclosed.
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1. an electrophotographic photoreceptor which comprises an electrically conductive support having thereon a photosensitive layer in which the glass transition temperature of the surface layer of said photosensitive layer is at least 105.degree. c. and the contact angle of said surface layer with respect to deionized water is at least 90.degree.. 2. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1, wherein the surface layer of said photosensitive layer has a glass transition temperature of at least 120.degree. c. and has a contact angle with respect to deionized water of at least 97.degree.. 3. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 wherein the surface layer comprises polycarbonate and viscosity average molecular weight of said polycarbonate is at least 50,000. 4. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 3 wherein the surface layer comprises polycarbonate comprising a si atom or a f atom. 5. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 4, wherein the polycarbonate is a copolymer having a structure unit represented by formula (1). ##str12## wherein y.sub.1 represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkylidene group, r.sub.1 through r.sub.8 each represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, n represents an integer of 1 to 4, and the sum of p and q represents an integer of 1 to 200. 6. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 4, wherein the polycarbonate is a copolymer having a structure unit represented by formula (2). ##str13## wherein x represents a single bond alkylidene group, a straight chain, branched chain or cyclic alkylidene group having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, an alkylidene group substituted with an aryl group, an arylenediaklylidene group, --o--, --s--, --co--, --so--, or --so.sub.2 --, and at least one of z.sub.1 through z.sub.4 represents a si atom-containing group represented by formula (2') and each of others represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and an aryl group, ##str14## wherein y.sub.2 represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkylidene group, r.sub.9 through r.sub.15 each represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and the sum of r and s represents an integer of 1 to 200. 7. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 4 the polycarbonate has a f atom containing structure unit in the copolymer structure or at the terminal of the same. 8. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1, wherein surface layer comprises a charge transport material having a molecular weight of at least 750. 9. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1, wherein surface layer comprises a charge transport material having a molecular weight of at least 900. 10. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1, wherein the content of the charge transport material in said charge transport layer is at least 30 percent by weight. 11. an image forming method wherein image formation is carried out employing a latent image forming means which forms an electrostatic latent image on the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1, a transfer means which transfers to a transfer material the visualized toner image on said electrophotographic photoreceptor obtained by development, and a cleaning means which removes the toner remaining on said electrophotographic photoreceptor. 12. the image forming method of claim 11, wherein the image forming method, an electrostatic latent image is formed on an electrophotographic photoreceptor which moves in a linear speed of 400 mm/second, and development, transfer, and cleaning are carried out. 13. an image forming apparatus comprising a latent image forming means which forms an electrostatic latent image on the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1, a transfer means which transfers to a transfer material the visualized toner image on said electrophotographic photoreceptor obtained by development, and a cleaning means which removes the toner remaining on said electrophotographic photoreceptor. 14. a unit wherein electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1, is integrally supported with at least one of a transfer means which transfers to a transfer material the visualized toner image on said electrophotographic photoreceptor obtained by development, and a cleaning means which removes the toner remaining on said electrophotographic photoreceptor, and is removably attached to an apparatus body. 15. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 1 wherein said surface layer comprises fine organic resin particles having a volume average particle diameter which does not exceed 5 .mu.m. 16. the electrophotographic photoreceptor of claim 15, wherein fine organic resin particles are fine particles of an organic resin containing a f atom.
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field of the invention the present invention relates to an electrophotographic photoreceptor, an image forming method employing said electrophotographic photoreceptor, an image forming apparatus and an apparatus unit removably attached to said image forming apparatus. background of the invention conventionally, inorganic photoreceptors comprised of inorganic photoconductive materials such as selenium, cadmium sulfide, amorphous silicon and the like have been employed. however, said inorganic photoreceptors have had many problems such that the production is complicated, many of them exhibit toxicity, and are not preferred from the viewpoint of environmental protection as well as health. accordingly, instead of the aforementioned inorganic photoconductors, research and development have been increasingly carried out for organic photoreceptors comprised of organic photoconductive materials, which are not toxic, are easily produced, and exhibit wide option for the selection. of the aforementioned organic photoreceptors, a function separation type photoreceptor comprised of a charge generating layer (cgl) comprising a charge generating material and a charge transport layer (ctl) comprising a charge transport material (ctm) in this order is now in main stream. further, digital imaging has been progressed in which an image is formed on said photoreceptor employing, for example, light from a light emitting diode, a laser beam, or the like. being based on this, enhancement in image quality has been demanded. however, the aforementioned organic photoreceptors have had problems in which the mechanical abrasion resistance is small and repeated charging and exposure readily result in fatigue deterioration, compared to inorganic photoreceptors. thus, as means to enhance the abrasion resistance of the aforementioned organic photoreceptor (hereinafter simply referred to as photoreceptor), are known methods in which a the polymerization degree of a binder resin is increased, filler is added to a binder resin, a solid lubricating agent such as polytetrafluoroethylene (ptfe) is added to the surface of a photoreceptor and a friction coefficient between the photoreceptor and the cleaning blade as a cleaning means is decreased, and the like. summary of the invention the increase in polymerization degree of a binder resin and the addition of filler enhance the abrasion resistance of the photoreceptor when employed for repeated image formation, and the abraded amount of the photosensitive layer may be decreased. however, phenomena occur in which cleaning properties are degraded, and problems have occurred with the fatigue degradation of a photoreceptor due to filming, the reversing of a blade, and the like. on the other hand, by applying the solid lubricating agent onto the surface of the photoreceptor, it is found that the cleaning properties are enhanced due to decrease in friction between the photoreceptor and the cleaning blade. however, problems have occurred in which the strength of the photosensitive layer decreases and no sufficient abrasion resistance is obtained. an object of the present invention is to provide a photoreceptor which minimizes a decrease in the thickness of the photosensitive layer of said photoreceptor due to abrasion and exhibits excellent abrasion resistance when image formation is repeatedly carried out, and specifically is carried out at high speed, exhibits excellent cleaning properties, minimizes the variation of electric potential at an exposed and unexposed area, and consistently forms sharp and high density images without forming fog, and an image forming method as well as an image forming apparatus employing said photoreceptor, and a unit which is removably attached to the apparatus body of said image forming apparatus. it has been discovered that the glass transition temperature (in .degree. c.) as well as the contact angle (in degree) of the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of a photoreceptor with respect to deionized water has a close relationship with the abrasion resistance as well as the cleaning properties of said photoreceptor when images are repeatedly formed. the present invention and embodiments thereof will be described. an electrophotographic photoreceptor which comprises an electrically conductive support having thereon a photosensitive layer in which the glass transition temperature of the surface layer of said photosensitive layer is at least 105.degree. c. and the contact angle of said surface layer with respect to deionized water is at least 90.degree.. the glass transition temperature of the surface layer of the photosensitive layer is preferably at least 120.degree. c. the contact angle of the same with respect to deionized water is preferably at least 97.degree.. the surface layer preferably comprises polycarbonate containing a si atom or a f atom. the viscosity average molecular weight of the polycarbonate is preferably at least 50,000. examples of preferred polycarbonates are copolymers having a structure unit represented by formula (1). ##str1## wherein y.sub.1 represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkylidene group, r.sub.1 through r.sub.8 each represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, n represents an integer from 1 to 4, and the sum of p and q represents an integer of 1 to 200. examples of other preferred polycarbonates are copolymers having a structure unit represented by formula (2). ##str2## wherein x represents a straight chain or branched chain or a cyclic alkylidene group having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, an alkylidene group substituted with an aryl group, an arylenediaklylidene group, --o--, --s--, --co--, --so--, or --so.sub.2 --, and at least one of z.sub.1 through z.sub.4 represents a si atom-containing group represented by formula (2') and each of others represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and an aryl group. ##str3## wherein y.sub.2 represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkylidene group, r.sub.9 through r.sub.15 each represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and the sum of r and s represents an integer of 1 to 200. the polycarbonates preferably have a f atom containing structural units in the copolymer structure or at the terminal. an electrophotographic photoreceptor which comprises an electrically conductive support having thereon a photosensitive layer in which the glass transition temperature of the surface layer of said photosensitive layer is at least 105.degree. c. and said surface layer comprises fine organic resin particles having a volume average particle diameter of no more than 5 .mu.m. fine organic resin particles are preferably those containing a f atom. the example of the surface layer is a charge transport layer. said charge transport layer preferably comprises a charge transport material having a molecular weight of at least 750, and more preferably comprises the same having a molecular weight of at least 900. the content of the charge transport material in the charge transport layer is preferably no more than 30 percent by weight. an image may be formed on said photoreceptor by employing a latent image forming means which forms an electrostatic latent image, a transfer means which transfers the toner image on said electrophotographic photoreceptor visualized by development, and a cleaning means which removes the toner which remains on said electrophotographic photoreceptor after transferring the toner image. in an image forming method, an electrostatic latent image may be formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor which moves in a line speed of 400 mm/second, and may be subjected to development, transfer, and cleaning. an electrophotographic photoreceptor may be applied to an apparatus unit which is integrally supported with at least one of a latent image forming means which forms an electrostatic latent image on said electrophotographic photoreceptor, a transfer means which transfers the toner image on said electrophotographic photoreceptor visualized by development, and a cleaning means which removes the toner which remains on said electrophotographic photoreceptor after transferring the toner image, and is removably mounted on the apparatus body. brief description of the drawings fig. 1(1) to fig. 1(9) are layer structures of photoreceptors. fig. 2 is a view showing one example of an image forming apparatus. detailed description of the invention in the following, the photoreceptor of the present invention, an image forming method employing said photoreceptor, an image forming apparatus and an apparatus unit will be detailed. photoreceptor fig. 1(1) to fig. 1(9) each shows a layer structure of the photoreceptor of the present invention. herein, fig. 1(1) and fig. 1(2) each show a photoreceptor comprising photosensitive layer 4 having a multilayer structure in such a manner that a charge generating layer (cgl) 2 comprising a charge generating material (cgm) and a charge transport layer (ctl) 3 comprising a charge transport material (ctm) in this order are provided on an electrically conductive support 1. fig. 1(3) and fig. 1(4) show a photoreceptor in which ctl 3 of said photoreceptor is replaced with ctl 3-1 (an under layer ctl) and ctl 3-2 (an upper layer ctl) in a multilayer structure. furthermore, fig. 1(5) and fig. 1(6) show a photoreceptor in which single-layer structured photosensitive layer 4 comprising both cgm and ctm is provided on electrically conductive support 1. fig. 1(7) through fig. 1(9) show a photoreceptor having a multilayer structure in such a manner that ctl 3 and cgl 2 in this order are provided on electrically conductive support 1. further, in fig. 1(1) to fig. 1(9), reference numeral 5 is an interlayer provided between said photosensitive later 4 and said electrically conductive support 1, if desired, and 8 is a protective layer provided on said photosensitive layer 4, if desired. the important photoreceptors of the present invention are those (for negative charging) which are structured in multilayer as shown in fig. 1(1) to fig. 1(4). in the following, the photoreceptors shown in fig. 1(1) to fig. 1(4) will be mainly described. accordingly, the surface layer of the photosensitive layer as described hereinafter means ctl 3 of (1) and (2) in fig. 1 or ctl 3-2 of fig. 1(3) and fig. 1(4). photoreceptor (3) as described above, the important photoreceptors (1) are those (for the use of negative charging) which are structured in multilayer as shown in fig. 1(1) to fig. 1(4). the surface layers (ctl 3 of (1) and (2) in fig. 1 or ctl 3-2 of fig. 1(3) and fig. 1(4) have a glass transition temperature of at least 105.degree. c. and a contact angle with respect to deionized water of at least 90.degree.. when the surface layer of the photosensitive layer has a glass transition temperature of at least 105.degree. c., appropriate physical properties of the photosensitive layer as well as abrasion resistance are obtained, and the decrease in the layer thickness due to abrasion is minimized during the repeated image formation. further, when the surface layer of the photosensitive layer has a contact angle with respect to deionized water of at least 90.degree., the suitable surface energy of said photosensitive layer is obtained and the sufficient abrasion resistance is also obtained. further, the photosensitive layer is sufficiently cleaned by a cleaning means (specifically a cleaning blade). thus, it is possible to minimize the fatigue degradation of the photoreceptor during repeated image formation. in order to further reduce the decrease in the layer thickness of the photosensitive layer due to abrasion and to improve the cleaning properties, the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of said photoreceptor (1) preferably has a glass transition temperature of at least 120.degree. c., and preferably has a contact angle with respect to deionized water of at least 97.degree.. the glass transition temperature (in .degree. c.) of the surface layer of the aforementioned photosensitive layer is measured employing differential thermal analysis. measurement apparatus: 7 series thermal analysis system (manufactured by perkin-elmer co.) heating rate: 10.degree. c./minute measurement temperature range: 0 to 200.degree. c. furthermore, the contact angle with respect to deionized water of the surface layer of the aforementioned photosensitive layer is measured by a liquid drop method employing a contact angle meter "ca-dt-a type" (manufactured by kyowa kaimen kagaku co., ltd.). further, in photoreceptor (1), the glass transition temperature of the surface layer of said photoreceptor is at least 105.degree. c., and is preferably at least 120.degree. c. in order that the contact angle of said surface layer with respect to deionized water is at least 90.degree., and is preferably at least 97.degree., said surface layer preferably comprises as the main component of the binder resin polycarbonate (may be referred to as polycarbonate copolymer) comprised of a copolymer which has a composition unit comprising a si atom or a f atom and further has a composition unit generally comprising neither a si atom nor a f atom. of particular, the viscosity average molecular weight of said polycarbonate copolymer is preferably at least 50,000, and is more preferably 300,000. when the viscosity average molecular weight of said polycarbonate is at least 50,000, the sufficient strength of the surface layer of the photosensitive layer is obtained. as a result, during repeated image formation, the decrease in the layer thickness due to abrasion is minimized and the deterioration of electrophotographic properties of the photoreceptor may be prevented. further, when the viscosity average molecular weight of the polycarbonate is below 300,000, a photosensitive composition to form the photosensitive layer may be readily subjected to uniform coating. the viscosity average molecular weight of the aforementioned polycarbonate copolymer is measured as described below. a dichloromethane solution containing 6.0 g/liter of a polycarbonate copolymer sample is prepared. the .eta.sp of the resulting solution is measured at 20.degree. c. employing an ostwald-fenske type viscometer. the viscosity average molecular weight is then obtained employing the following formula. .eta.sp/c=[.eta.](1=k'.eta.sp) [.eta.]=k(mv).alpha. wherein c is the polymer concentration (in g/liter), k' is 0.28, k is 1.23.times.10.sup.-3, .alpha. is 0.83, [.eta.] is the limiting viscosity, and mv is the viscosity average molecular weight. the polycarbonate copolymer which is incorporated in the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of photoreceptor (1) as the main component of the binder resin is generally composed of a structure unit containing a si atom represented by the aforementioned general formulas (1) and (2) or one type or a plurality of types of composition units containing a f atom in the structure or the terminal described below, and another composition unit containing neither a si atom nor a f atom, as described below. the content of the composition unit containing a si atom or a f atom in said copolymer is preferably at least 1 percent by weight and less than 50 percent by weight. accordingly, the content of the composition unit containing neither a si atom nor a f atom is preferably in the range of 50 to 99 percent by weight. when the content of the composition unit containing a si atom or a f atom in the polycarbonate copolymer contained as the main component of the aforementioned resin is less than 1 percent by weight and the content of the composition unit containing neither a si atom nor a f atom exceeds 99 percent by weight, the contact angle (in degree) of the surface layer of the photosensitive layer with respect to deionized water decreases and the cleaning properties tend to be degraded. furthermore, when the content of the composition unit comprising a si atom or a f atom exceeds 50 percent by weight, and thus the content of the composition unit comprising neither a si atom nor a f atom is less than 50 percent by weight, the physical properties of the surface layer of the photosensitive layer are degraded and the layer thickness due to abrasion tends to decrease. the binder resin comprising the aforementioned polycarbonate copolymer as the main component may comprise other resins containing neither a si atom nor a f atom upon being mixed as described below. further, photoreceptor (1) has a feature in which the surface layer of said photoreceptor (1) comprises a polymeric ctm together with a binder resin having as the main component a polycarbonate copolymer comprising a structure unit represented by the aforementioned general formulas (1) or (2), or a structure unit containing a si atom in the structure or at the terminal and another structure unit containing no f atom. said polymeric ctm will be described below. in the following, specifically described will be the structure unit (the structure unit containing a si atom) represented by the aforementioned general formulas (1) and (2), and the structure unit containing a f atom in its structure or at its terminal and another structure unit containing neither a si atom nor a f atom. description of formula (1) in the formula (1), y.sub.1 represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkylidene group, r.sub.1 through r.sub.8. each represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or an aryl group such as a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, a naphthyl group or the like, n represents an integer of 1 to 4, and the sum of p and q represents an integer of 1 to 200. examples of preferred compounds represented by the formula (1) will be illustrated. ##str4## description of formula (2) in the formula (2), x represents a single bond alkylidene group, or a straight chain, branched chain, or cyclic alkylidene group having from 1 to 15 carbon atoms, an alkylidene group substituted with an aryl group such as a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, and the like, an arylenedialkylidene group substituted with an aryl group such as a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, and the like, --o--, --s--, --co--, --so--, or --so.sub.2 --, at least one of z.sub.1 through z.sub.4 represents a si atom containing group represented by the formula (2') and the other represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 12 to 6 carbon atoms, an aryl group such as a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, and the like. in the formula (2'), y.sub.2 represents an alkylene group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or an alkylidene group, r.sub.9 through r.sub.15 each represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aryl group such as a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, and the like, and the sum of r and s represents an integer of 1 to 200. examples of preferred compounds represented by the formula (2) are illustrated. ##str5## ##str6## polycarbonate copolymers having structure units represented by the formulas (1) and (2), or a structure unit containing a f atom in the structure or at the terminal described below and a structure unit containing nether a si atom nor a f atom in the structure described below may be synthesized by allowing an carbonate forming compound to react with divalent phenol or divalent naphthol containing a f atom or a si atom in the structure which is a corresponding monomer, and divalent phenol or divalent naphthol containing neither a f atom nor a si atom. aforementioned synthesis methods includes those, for example, in which phosgene is employed as the carbonate forming compound and corresponding divalent phenol or divalent naphthol undergoes condensation polymerization in the presence of a suitable acid bonding agent, or bisaryl carbonate is employed as the aforementioned carbonate forming compound and corresponding divalent phenol or divalent naphthol undergoes condensation polymerization in the presence of a suitable acid bonding agent. such reactions are carried out in the presence of a terminal reaction stopping agent and a branching agent, if desired. structure unit containing a f atom in the structure or at the terminal examples are illustrated which are structure units containing a f atom in the structure, and structure units containing a f atom at the terminal, which may be contained as a copolymerization component of the polycarbonate copolymer employed in the photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor (1). ##str7## structure unit containing neither a si atom nor a f atom on the structure examples are illustrated which are structure units containing neither a si atom nor a f atom in the structure, generally incorporated as a copolymerization component to constitute a polycarbonate copolymer employed in the photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor (1). ##str8## ##str9## z in compound examples (4-5) and (4-16) represents an integer of 1 to 6. other binder resins employed as binder resins which may be employed together with the polycarbonate copolymer employed in the photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor 1 of the present invention may be film forming high molecular weight polymers which are hydrophobic, have a high dielectric constant, and exhibit electrical insulation. cited as examples may be polyesters, methacrylic acid resins, acrylic resins, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, styrene-butadiene copolymers, vinylidene chloride-acrylonitrile copolymers, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-maleic anhydride copolymers, silicone resins, silicone-alkyd resins, phenol formaldehyde resins, styrene-alkyd resins, poly-n-vinyl carbazole, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl formal and the like. photoreceptor (2) in the case of photoreceptor (2), the photoreceptors in the multilayer structure shown in fig. 1(1) to fig. 1(4) are mainly employed. the glass transition temperature of the surface layer (ctl 3 or ctl 3-2 in fig. 1(1) to fig. 1(4)) of the photosensitive layer of said photoreceptor (2) is at least 105.degree. c. when the glass transition temperature of the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of said photoreceptor (2) is at least 105.degree. c., appropriate physical properties as well as sufficient abrasion resistance of the photosensitive layer is obtained and the decrease in the layer thickness due to abrasion is minimized. furthermore, the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor (2) of the present invention comprises fine organic particles having a volume average particle diameter of no more than 5 .mu.m. in order to minimize cleaning problems during the cleaning process such as insufficient cleaning and the like, and to prevent the damage of a cleaning member such as a cleaning blade and the like, the volume average particle diameter is preferably no more than 5 .mu.m. preferably employed as fine organic particles are fine silicone resin particles, fine f atom-containing organic resin particles, fine melamine resin particles, and the like. specifically, the fine f atom-containing resin particles are preferably employed. employed as the fine f atom-containing resin particles are polymers which are prepared by employing monomers such as ethylene tetrafluoride, ethylene trifluoro chloride, ethylene hexafluoride propylene, vinyl fluoride, vinylidene fluoride, ethylene difluorochloride, trifluoropropylmethylsilane, and the like and copolymers thereof. specifically ethylene tetrafluoride polymers as well as copolymers thereof are preferably employed. the average particle diameter of fine organic particles is preferably between 0.01 and 5 .mu.m, and the content of said fine organic particles incorporated into the surface layer of the photosensitive layer is preferably between 10 and 100 weight parts per 100 weight parts of the solid portion of said surface layer. employed as binder resins to form the surface layer (fig. 1(1) and fig. 1(2), or ctl 3 of fig. 1(3) and ctl 3-2 of fig. 1(4) of the photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor (2) are those generally employed for electrophotography, for example, other binder resins in the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of the aforementioned photoreceptor (1). the polycarbonate copolymer having a structure unit containing a si atom or a f atom described in the aforementioned photoreceptor (1) may be employed. employed as binder resins to form ctl 3-1 in the layer structure of figs. 1(3) and 1(4) are those generally used for electrophotography, for example, other binder resins in the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of the aforementioned photoreceptor (1). if desired, the polycarbonate copolymer having a composition unit containing a si atom or a f atom described in the aforementioned photoreceptor (1). ctl of photoreceptors (1) and (2) in the photoreceptor (1) and (2), as the ctl forming the surface layer of the photosensitive layer is important fig. 1(1) and ctl 3 of fig. 1(2) or fig. 1(3) and ctl 3-2 are important. in said ctl 3 or ctl 3-2, polymeric ctm having a molecular weight of at least 750 is preferably incorporated as ctm, and the same having a molecular weight of at least 900 is more preferably incorporated. as described above, by preferably incorporating a polymeric ctm into the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of photoreceptors (1) and (2) as the major component, the glass transition temperature (in .degree. c.) of ctl 3 or ctl 3-2 forming the surface layer becomes higher, physical properties of the said surface layer is improved, and the decrease in the layer thickness due to abrasion during the repeated image formation process is minimized. in addition, charges generated during light exposure move quickly to exhibit high sensitivity characteristics. of particular, advantages are exhibited in such a manner that images can be formed at a high speed such as a linear speed of at least 400 mm/second, and the like. conventionally, in the electrophotographic industry, amorphous silicone based photoreceptors have been principally employed for high speed image formation such as a linear speed of at least 400 mm/second, due to problems with the delay in response of the photoreceptor to image exposure as well as difficulty in cleaning with the use of the blade cleaning system. however, said amorphous silicone based photoreceptors have originally had many problems such as difficulty in machining, high cost, and the like. contrary to this, organic photoreceptors exhibit advantages such as ease in machining and low coat as well as wide range of selection to meet objectives, and the like. in the present invention, by employing an organic photoreceptor having a surface layer comprising polymeric ctm which has a particular low surface energy as described and makes it possible to achieve high sensitivity, high durability as well as high speed response properties at a surface linear speed of at least 400 mm/second may provided with said photoreceptor and the cost may be markedly reduced compared to aforementioned amorphous silicone based photoreceptor. preferably employed as the aforementioned polymeric ctm (and comparative ctm) are compounds illustrated below. ##str10## in order to exhibit excellent physical layer properties as well as high sensitivity characteristics, the content of the aforementioned polymeric ctm incorporated in the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of photoreceptors (1) and (2) is preferably at least 50 percent by weight of the entire ctm incorporated in said surface layer. the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of photoreceptors (1) and (2) may comprise other ctm in an amount of less than 50 percent by weight, if desired. when photoreceptors (1) and (2) are composed of ctl 3-1 and ctl 3-2 in a multilayer structure as shown in fig. 1(3) and fig. 1(4), listed as ctms incorporated in ctl 3-1 are, for example, carbazole derivatives, oxazole derivatives, thiazole derivatives, oxadiazole derivatives, thiadiazole derivatives, triazole derivatives, imidazole derivatives, imidazolone derivatives, imidazolidine derivatives, bisimidazolidine derivatives, styryl compounds, hydrazone compounds, pyrazoline derivatives, oxazolone derivatives, benzimidazole derivatives, quinazoline derivatives, benzofuran derivatives, acridine derivatives, phenazine derivatives, aminostilbene derivatives, triarylamine derivatives, phenylenediamine derivatives, stilbene derivatives, benzidine derivatives, poly-n-vinylcarbazole, poly-1-vinylpyrene, poly-9-vinylanthracene, and the like. further, these ctms may be employed individually or in combination, and may comprise the aforementioned ctm. in order to obtain preferred physical layer properties, to minimize the decrease in layer thickness due to abrasion during repeated image formation, and to minimize the degradation of electrophotographic performance, the content of ctm incorporated in the surface layer of the photosensitive layer of photoreceptors (1) and (2) is preferably below 30 percent by weight of ctl 3 or ctl 3-2 forming the surface layer. in photoreceptors (1) and (2), polymeric ctm is employed in ctl 3 or ctl 3-2 forming the surface layer of the photosensitive layer. as a result, when said ctm is incorporated in the surface layer in an amount of no more than 30 percent by weight, sufficient sensitivity characteristics may be exhibited. the content of ctm in the surface layer is preferably at least 1 percent by weight in order to obtain necessary sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive layer. when photoreceptors (1) and (2) are comprised of ctl 3-1 and ctl 3-2 in a multilayer structure as shown in fig. 1(3) and fig. 1(4), the content of ctm incorporated in ctl 3-1 is preferably between 1 and 40 percent by weight. when the layer of photoreceptors (1) and (2) is structured as shown in fig. 1(1) and fig. 1(2), the layer thickness of ctl 3 is preferably between 5 and 40 .mu.m. further, the layer of photoreceptors (1) and (2) is structured as shown in fig. 1(3) and fig. 1(4), the layer thickness of ctl 3-2 is preferably between 1 and 20 .mu.m, and the layer thickness of ctl 3-1 is preferably between 5 and 30 .mu.m. cgl of photoreceptors (1) and (2) the important layer structures of the photoreceptors (1) and (2) are those shown in fig. 1(1) through fig. 1(4). in the structures shown in fig. 1(1) through fig. 1(4), cgl 2 is provided under the aforementioned ctl 3 (or ctl 3-1) via interlayer 5, if desired, on electrically conductive layer 1. employed as cgms incorporated in the aforementioned cgl 2 are, for example, azo based dyes, perylene based dyes, indigo based dyes, cyclic quinone based dyes, quinacridone based dyes, bisbenzimidazole based dyes, indanthron based dyes, squarilium based dyes, metal phthalocyanine based dyes, metal free phthalocyanine based dyes, pyrylium salt based dyes, thiapyrylium salt based dues, and the like. the aforementioned cgl may be formed employing the method described below. (1) vacuum deposition method (2) method to coat a solution prepared by dissolving cgm in a suitable solvent (3) method to coat a dispersion obtained by pulverizing cgm into fine particles in a dispersion medium employing a ball mill, sand grinder, and the like, and if desired, by mixing the resulting fine particles with a binder resin and dispersing the resulting mixture. namely, specifically, employed may optionally be gas phase lamination methods such as such as vacuum deposition, sputtering, cvd, and the like, or coating methods such as dipping, spray, roll, and the like. the thickness of cgl 2, formed as described above, is preferably between 0.01 and 5 .mu.m, and is more preferably between 0.05 and 3 .mu.m. said cgl 2 is formed by dispersing cgm 1 in fine particles in an amount of no more than 1 weight part into a binder resin in an amount of no more than 5 weight parts. employed as the aforementioned binder resin is a resin similar to one employed in the aforementioned ctl 3. photosensitive layer 4 (cgl 2 and/or ctl 3) may comprise, in addition to the aforementioned ctm as well as cgm, antioxidants, electron accepting materials and the like, if desired. antioxidants with the purpose of minimizing degradation due to ozone, antioxidants may be incorporated into the photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor. cited as antioxidants may be hindered phenol, hindered amine, paraphenylenediamine, arylalkane, hydroquinone, spirochroman, spiroindanone, and derivatives thereof, organic sulfur compounds, organic phosphorous compounds, and the like. such specific compounds are described in japanese patent publication open to public inspection nos. 63-15154, 63-18355, 63-44662, 63-50848, 63-50849, 63-58455, 63-71856, 63-71856, and 63-146046. the added amount of antioxidants is preferably between 0.1 and 100 weight parts per 100 weight parts of ctm, is more preferably between 1 and 50 weight parts, and is most preferably between 5 and 25 weight parts. electron accepting materials with the purpose of the increase in sensitivity, the elevation of residual electric potential, and the decrease in fatigue during repeated use, the photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor may comprise at least one type of electron accepting materials. the content of the aforementioned electron accepting materials is preferably 0.01 to 200% of cgm in terms of weight ratio. the electron accepting material may be incorporated into ctl 3. the content of the electron accepting material in such a layer is preferably 0.01 to 100%, and is more preferably 0.1 to 50% of ctm in terms of weight ratio. listed as electron accepting materials may be, for example, succinic anhydride, maleic anhydride, dibromomaleic anhydride, phthalic anhydride, tetrachlorophthalic anhydride, tetrabromophthalic anhydride, 3-nitrophthalic anhydride, 4-nitrophthalic anhydride, pyromellitic anhydride, mellitic anhydride, tetracyanoethylene, tetracyanoquinodimethane, o-dinitrobenzene, m-dinitrobenzene, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, paranitrobenzonitrile, picryl chloride, quinonechloroimide, chloranil, bromanil, dichlorodicyanoparabenzoquinone, anthraquinone, dinitroanthraquinone, 2,7-dinitrofluorenone, 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone, 2,4,5,7-tetranitrofluorenone, 9-fluorenylidene[dicyanomethylenemalonodinitrile], polynitro-9-fluorenylidene-[dicyanomethylenemalonodinitrile], picric acid, o-nitrobenzoic acid, p-nitrobenzoic acid, 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid, pentafluorobenzoic acid, 5-nitrosalicylic acid, 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, phthalic acid, mellitic acid, others such as compounds having high electron affinity. with the papoose of the improvement of the charge generating function of cgm, organic amines may be incorporated into photosensitive layer 4 of the photoreceptor or cgl 2, and specifically secondary amines are preferably incorporated. such compounds are described in japanese patent publication open to public inspection nos. 59-218447, 62-8160, and the like. in addition, with the purpose of protection of the photosensitive layer, uv absorbers and the like may be incorporated into said photosensitive layer 4 of the photoreceptor, and dyes for correcting spectral sensitivity may be incorporated. solvents or dispersion media for cgl 2 and ctl 3 cited as solvents or dispersion media employed for the formation of the aforementioned cgl 2 are butylamine, diethylamine, ethylenediamine, isopropanolamine, triethanolamine, triethylenediamine, n,n-dimethylformamide, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexanone, benzene, toluene, xylene, chloroform, 1,2-dicholorethane, 1.2-dichloropropane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethane, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, dimethyl sulfoxide, methyl cellosolve, and the like. further, the aforementioned ctl 3 may be prepared employing the same solvents as those for cgl 2. ancillary layer further, in the aforementioned photoreceptor, protective layer 8 of said photoreceptor may be provided, if desired. with the purpose of the improvements in machining properties as well as physical properties (minimization of cracks, providing of flexibility, and the like), plasticizers may be incorporated into the protective layer 8 in an amount of less than 50 percent by weight. interlayer 5 functions as an adhesive layer between electrically conductive support 1 and photosensitive layer 4, a blocking layer, or the like. other than binder resins employed in the aforementioned ctl 3 or cgl 2, employed are, for example, polyvinyl alcohol, ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate-maleic anhydride copolymers, casein, n-alkoxymethylated nylon, starch, and the like. image forming method, image forming apparatus, and apparatus unit images are formed employing the aforementioned photoreceptors (1) or (2). preferably, drum-shaped photoreceptors having layer structures fig.1(1) through fig. 1(4) are employed. employed as an image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic copier equipped with, for example, any one of said photoreceptors, in which images are repeatedly formed at a high speed of preferably at least 400 mm/second employing image forming processes including charging, image exposure, development, transfer, fixing, cleaning, charge elimination, and the like. fig. 2 is one example of an image forming apparatus describing an image forming method. in fig. 2, reference numeral 10 is a drum-shaped photoreceptor obtained by providing photosensitive layer 4 having cgl 2 and ctl 3 (may be formed employing ctl 3-1 and ctl 3-2 in a multilayer structure) in this order via, if required, interlayer 5 on electrically conductive base body 1. photoreceptor (1) is employed in which the glass transition temperature of ctl 3 (ctl 3-2 in the multilayer structure) which is the surface layer of said photosensitive layer 4 is at least 105.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same with respect to deionized water is at least 90.degree., or photoreceptor (2) is employed in which the glass transition temperature of said surface layer is at least 105.degree. c., and said surface layer comprises fine organic particles having a volume average diameter of no more than 5 .mu.m, preferably fine organic resin particles containing a f atom. in fig. 2, reference numeral 11 is a charging unit, 12 is image exposure, 13 is a development unit, 14 is a bias power source, 15 is a feeding roller, 16 is a timing roller, 17 is a transfer unit, 18 is a separation unit, 19 is a heat roller, 20 is a cleaning unit, 21 is a cleaning blade, and 22 is a charge eliminating unit. in fig. 2, the photoreceptor 10 is subjected to uniform charging on its surface employing the charging unit 11. thereafter, an electrostatic latent image is formed by image exposure 12. said electrostatic latent image is developed with the development unit 13 utilizing, for example, a magnetic brush system to form a toner image. the resulting toner image is fed by the feeding roller 15 and is transferred onto transfer paper p which has been conveyed in synchronization with the photoreceptor 10 by the timing roller 16 through the action of the transfer unit 17 as well as the separation unit 18, is separated, and fixed images are obtained by the action of the fixing unit 19. a cleaning blade, employed in the image forming method and the image forming apparatus, is preferably a elastic rubber blade, and is most preferably a urethane rubber blade, which exhibits advantages such as simple structure, high durability, and excellent cleaning efficiency compared to conventional brush cleaning and the like. the image processing methods and the image forming apparatuses may be those such as analogue copiers, digital copiers provided with a scanner, printers and copiers which form images in accordance with eternal image signals, or digital image forming apparatuses which perform functions for a copier as well as a printer. further, they may be those for black-and-white as well as for color. in the image forming methods and image forming apparatuses, an image forming apparatus which forms images employing a dot-shaped digital system preferably utilizes a reversal development system under non-contact. of particular, during the formation of color images, bright and sharp color images are obtained. in the image forming apparatus, it is preferable that an apparatus unit is integrally constituted by employing the drum shaped photoreceptor 10 together with at least one of image forming units such as the charging unit 11, the development unit 13, the transfer unit 17, the separation unit 18, the cleaning unit 20, and the precharging charge eliminating unit 22, and the resulting apparatus unit is removable attached to the apparatus main body. by removably attaching the drum-shaped photoreceptor 10 together with at least one of image forming units to the apparatus body, it becomes easy to maintain the apparatus, as well as to take corrective action against the formation of jamming. generally, the apparatus unit is removably attached to the apparatus main body via guide rail and the like. reference numeral 23 in fig. 2 shows one example of the apparatus unit, which is mounted on the image forming apparatus. herein, the aforementioned charging unit 11, development unit 13, transfer unit 17, separation unit 18, cleaning unit 20, and charge eliminating unit 22 are integrated with the photoreceptor 10, and the resulting integration is mounted on the apparatus body as the apparatus unit, while it is removably provided via a handle (not shown). examples the present invention will be detailed with reference to examples below. example 1 the interlayer (also referred to as sublayer) coating composition as described below was prepared and was applied onto a drum-shaped electrically conductive aluminum base body having a diameter of 80 mm so as to obtain a dry layer thickness of 1.0 .mu.m, and thus a sublayer was obtained. 1: sublayer coating composition titanium chelate compound "tc-750" 30 g (manufactured by matsumoto seiyaku co., ltd.) silane coupling agent "kbm-503" (manufactured 17 g by shin-etsu kagaku kogyo co., ltd.) 2-propanol 150 ml the cgl coating composition described below was prepared through dispersion and was applied onto the aforementioned sublayer so as to obtain a layer thickness of 0. 5 .mu.m. thus cgl was obtained. 2: cgl coating composition y-type titanyl phthalocyanine 10 g silicone resin "kr-5240" (manufactured 10 g by shin-etsu kagaku kogyo co., ltd.) t-butyl acetate 1000 ml the aforementioned composition was dispersed for 20 hours employing a sand mill. the ctl coating composition described below was applied onto the aforementioned cgl so as to obtain a dry layer thickness of 23 .mu.m. thereafter, the resulting coating was dried at 100.degree. c. for one hour to obtain example 1 photoreceptor provided with the ctl in the multilayer structure. the glass transition temperature (tg) of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 125.degree. c., and the contact angle with respect to deionized water was 101.degree.. 3: ctl coating composition ctm-5 224 g resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) 560 g irganox 1010 (manufactured by sankyo co., 21 g ltd.) 1.2-dichloroethane 2,800 ml example 2 the photoreceptor of example 2 was obtained in the same manner as example 1, except that in example 1, the ctl resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) was replaced with resin (b-2) (having an mv of 30,000). the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 114.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 99.degree.. example 3 the photoreceptor of example 3 was obtained in the same manner as example 1, except that in example 1, the ctl resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) was replaced with resin (b-3) (having an mv of 30,000). the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 110.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 98.degree.. example 4 the photoreceptor of example 4 was obtained in the same manner as example 1, except that in example 1, the ctl resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) was replaced with resin (b-4) (having an mv of 30,000). the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 113.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 100.degree.. example 5 the photoreceptor of example 5 was obtained in the same manner as example 1, except that in example 1, the ctl resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) was replaced with resin (b-1) (having an mv of 50,000). the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 127.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 101.degree.. example 6 the photoreceptor of example 6 was obtained in the same manner as example 1, except that in example 1, the ctl resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) was replaced with resin (b-5) (having an mv of 30,000). the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 121.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 103.degree.. comparative example 1 the photoreceptor of comparative example 1 was obtained in the same manner as example 1, except that in example 1, the ctl resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) was replaced with bisphenol z resin "x-3000" (manufactured by mitsubishi gas kagaku co. , ltd. ) (having an mv of 30,000). the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 126.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 85.degree.. example 7 the ctl coating composition described below was applied onto the cgl of example 1 so as to obtain a dry layer thickness of 23 .mu.m. thereafter, the resulting coating was dried at 100.degree. c. for one hour to obtain the photoreceptor example 7 provided with the ctl in the multilayer structure. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 121.degree. c., and the contact angle with respect to deionized water was 101.degree.. ctl coating composition ctm-1 224 g resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) 560 g irganox 1010 (manufactured by sankyo co., 21 g ltd.) 1.2-dichloroethane 2,800 ml example 8 the photoreceptor of example 8 was obtained in the same manner as example 7, except that in example 7, the ctm-1 was replaced with ctm-2. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 132.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 103.degree.. example 9 the photoreceptor of example 9 was obtained in the same manner as example 7, except that in example 7, the ctm-1 was replaced with ctm-3. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 110.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 100.degree.. example 10 the photoreceptor of example 10 was obtained in the same manner as example 7, except that in example 7, the ctm-1 was replaced with ctm-4. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 127.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 100.degree.. comparative example 2 the photoreceptor of comparative example 2 was obtained in the same manner as example 1, except that in example 7, the ctm-1 was replaced with ctm-6. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 78.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 100.degree.. example 11 the ctl coating composition described below was applied onto the cgl of example 1 so as to obtain a dry layer thickness of 23 .mu.m. thereafter, the resulting coating was dried at 100.degree. c. for one hour to obtain the photoreceptor example 11 provided with the ctl in the multilayer structure. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 118.degree. c., and the contact angle with respect to deionized water was 101.degree.. ctl coating composition ctm-5 224 g resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) 560 g fine fluororesin particles "ruburon l2: 5.6 g 0.2 .mu.m" (manufactured by daikin kogyo, ltd.) irganox 1010 (manufactured by sankyo co., 1.2 g ltd.) 1.2-dichloroethane 2,800 ml example 12 the ctl coating composition described below was applied onto the cgl of example 1 so as to obtain a dry layer thickness of 23 .mu.m. thereafter, the resulting coating was dried at 100.degree. c. for one hour to obtain a photoreceptor. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 119.degree. c., and the contact angle with respect to deionized water was 101.degree.. ctl coating composition ctm-5 224 g bisphenol z resin "z-300" (manufactured 560 g by mitsubishi gas kagaku co., ltd.) (having an mv of 30,000) fine fluororesin particles "ruburon l2: 0.2 .mu.m" 5.6 g (manufactured by daikin kogyo, ltd.) fine fluororesin particles "gf-300" 0.5 g (manufactured by toa gosei co., ltd.) irganox 1010 (manufactured by sankyo co., ltd.) 1.2 g 1.2-dichloroethane 2,800 ml comparative example 3 a photoreceptor was obtained in the same manner as example 12, except that in example 12, the ctm-5 was replaced with ctm-6. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 75.degree. c., and the contact angle of the same was 99.degree.. the chemical structures of resins (b-1) through (b-5) employed in the ctl of the aforementioned examples 1 through 11 are illustrated below. ##str11## <evaluation> each of 15 types of photoreceptors obtained as described above was installed in a digital copier konica 7060 (in which the photoreceptor was integrally united with the charging unit, development unit, cleaning unit, and charge eliminating unit) and the characteristics of the photoreceptor described below were evaluated. the aforementioned copier was modified and a surface electrometer was provided. the process consisting of charging, exposure, and charge elimination was repeated 5,000 times, and the electric potential fluctuation, .delta.v.sub.h (v) of an unexposed area, as well as the electric potential fluctuation, .delta.v.sub.l (v) of an exposed area, was measured. table 1 shows the results. subsequently, an elastic rubber blade, having a rubber hardness of jis a 65.degree., an impact resilience of 40 percent, a thickness of 2 mm, and a free length of 9 mm, was brought into contact with a rotating photoreceptor at a contact angle of 20.degree. in the counter direction against rotation direction under a pushing pressure of 13 g/cm, and 50,000 sheets were practically copied. resulting image quality was evaluated. after copying 50,000 sheets, the decrease in the layer thickness due to abrasion was measured and a halftone image (the formation of spot defects and image unevenness) was visually evaluated. table 1 shows the results. further, the aforementioned decrease in the layer thickness due to abrasion was obtained by measuring the difference between the initial layer thickness and the layer thickness after copying 50,000 sheets. the layer thickness of randomly selected ten spots over the uniform thickness portion of a sheet was measured and averaged. the average was denoted as the layer thickness of a photoreceptor. the layer thickness was measured by a layer thickness measuring meter "eddy 560c" (manufactured by helmut fischer gmbht co.) table 1 properties of electric surface layer potential decrease image contact properties in layer evaluation tg angle .delta.v.sub.h .delta.v.sub.l thickness cleaning embodiment (.degree. c.) (.degree.) (v) (v) (.mu.m) properties remarks example 1 125 101 24 38 1.45 good inv. example 2 114 99 27 37 2.18 good example 3 110 98 31 42 2.24 good example 4 113 100 24 37 2.00 good example 5 127 101 24 43 0.98 good example 6 121 103 28 48 1.44 good comparative 126 85 27 36 3.87 not well comp. example 1 cleaned example 7 121 101 32 32 1.49 good inv. example 8 132 103 35 32 1.36 good example 9 110 100 38 41 2.15 good example 10 127 100 30 38 1.48 good comparative 78 100 52 129 3.30 good comp. example 2 example 11 118 94 59 68 2.05 good inv. example 12 119 93 57 79 2.22 good comparative 75 99 63 157 3.17 not well comp. example 3 cleaned inv.: present invention, comp.: comparison table 1 reveals that the photoreceptors of the present invention minimize the electric potential fluctuation, .delta.v.sub.h (v) of the unexposed area, and the electric potential fluctuation, .delta.v.sub.l (v) of the exposed area during repeated charging, exposure, and charge elimination, the decrease in the layer thickness of said photoreceptor due to abrasion as well as the degradation of halftone images during repeated image formation, and produces consistent images. on the other hand, table 1 reveals that the comparative photoreceptors result in problems with any of the electric potential fluctuation, .delta.v.sub.l (v) of the exposed area during repeated charging, exposure, and charge elimination, the decrease in the layer thickness of said photoreceptor due to abrasion as well as the degradation of halftone images during repeated image formation, and are not commercially viable. example 13 the ctl coating composition described below was applied onto the cgl of example 1 so as to obtain a dry layer thickness of 23 .mu.m. thereafter, the resulting coating was dried at 100.degree. c. for one hour to obtain the photoreceptor of example 13, provided with the ctl in the multilayer structure. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 123.degree. c., and the contact angle with respect to deionized water was 101.degree.. ctl coating composition ctm-2 224 g resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) 560 g irganox 1010 (manufactured by sankyo co., 1.2 g ltd.) 1.2-dichloroethane 2,800 ml the content ratio of the ctm in the ctl was 28.5 percent. example 14 the photoreceptor of example 14 was obtained in the same manner as example 13, except that in example 13, 224 g of ctm-2 (28.5 percent) was replaced with 280 g (33.3 percent) of the same. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 119.degree. c. and the contact angle was 102.degree.. example 15 the photoreceptor of example 15 was obtained in the same manner as example 13, except that in example 13, 224 g of ctm-2 (28.5 percent) was replaced with 336 g (37.4 percent) of the same. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 115.degree. c. and the contact angle was 103.degree.. comparative example 4 the ctl coating composition described below was applied onto the cgl of example 1 so as to obtain a dry layer thickness of 23 .mu.m. thereafter, the resulting coating was dried at 100.degree. c. for one hour to obtain the photoreceptor of comparative example 4. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 79.degree. c., and the contact angle with respect to deionized water was 100.degree.. ctl coating composition ctm-6 224 g resin (b-1) (having an mv of 30,000) 560 g irganox 1010 (manufactured by sankyo co., 1.2 g ltd.) 1.2-dichloroethane 2,800 ml the content ratio of the ctm-6 in the ctl was 28.5 percent. comparative example 5 the photoreceptor of comparative example 5 was obtained in the same manner as comparative example 4, except that in comparative example 4, 224 g of ctm-6 (28.5 percent) was replaced with 280 g (33.3 percent) of the same. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 78.degree. c. and the contact angle was 101.degree.. comparative example 6 the photoreceptor of comparative example 6 was obtained in the same manner as comparative example 4, except that in comparative example 4, 224 g of ctm-6 (28.5 percent) was replaced with 336 g (37.4 percent) of the same. the tg of the ctl of the resulting photoreceptor was 74.degree. c. and the contact angle was 101.degree.. <evaluation> six types of photoreceptors of examples 13, 14, and 15, and comparative examples 4, 5, and 6 were successively installed in a digital copier konica 7060 which was modified so that the linear speed of the photoreceptor was variable. further, said copier was modified, and a surface electrometer was provided. the process consisting of charging, exposure, and charge elimination was repeated 5,000 times, and electric potential fluctuations, .delta.v.sub.l (v) of an exposed area, at the commencement as well as after 5,000 repetitions were measured. table 2 shows the results. the evaluation was carried out at three levels of a linear speed of the photoreceptor surface of 370 mm/second, 450 mm/second, and 520 mm/second. table 2 properties of electric potential surface layer fluctuation, .delta.v.sub.l (v), of content exposed area of ctm tg linear speed (mm/sec) embodiment (%) (.degree. c.) 370 450 520 remarks example 13 28.5 123 36 59 79 inv. example 14 33.3 119 35 54 72 example 15 37.4 115 35 51 68 comparative 28.5 79 48 118 235 comp. example 4 comparative 33.3 76 40 81 157 example 5 comparative 37.4 74 36 68 103 example 6 inv.: present invention, comp.: comparison based on table 2, it is found that the photoreceptors of the present invention minimize the electric potential fluctuation of the exposed area and the degradation of electrophotographic properties during repeated process consisting of charging, exposure, and charge elimination at such a high speed as a linear speed of said photoreceptor surface of at least 400 mm/second. as proved in examples, the photoreceptor of the present invention, the image forming method as well as the image forming apparatus employing said photoreceptor, and the photoreceptor in an apparatus unit which is removably attached to the apparatus body of said image forming apparatus, exhibit excellent advantages in which, during repeated image formation, especially image formation at high speed, the decrease in the layer thickness of said photoreceptor due to abrasion is minimized, the abrasion resistance is excellent, the cleaning properties are excellent, the electric potential fluctuations are minimized in the exposed and unexposed areas, fog is not formed, high density and sharp images are consistently obtained, and the like.
|
165-217-803-695-274
|
US
|
[
"EP",
"RU",
"JP",
"CN",
"US",
"WO",
"HK"
] |
A61M15/06,A24F40/10,A24F40/40,A24F40/50,A61M11/04,A24F40/53,H05B1/02,H05B3/00,A24F40/20,A24F40/46,A24F40/51
| 2015-07-17T00:00:00 |
2015
|
[
"A61",
"A24",
"H05"
] |
load-based detection of an aerosol delivery device in an assembled arrangement
|
to provide an improved aerosol delivery device.solution: a cartridge 104 couplable with a control body 102 is equipped with a heating element 222. the control body includes first and second positive conductors 306, 308 connectable with a power supply 212 and the heating element respectively. the control body includes a series pull-up resistor r1 and switch q1 connected to and between the first and second positive conductors. a microprocessor 310 is configured to operate the switch in a closed state in a standby mode in which the pull-up resistor causes a logical high level of voltage at the second positive conductor when the control body and the cartridge are uncoupled, and in which the heating element is unpowered, and a logical low level of the voltage is caused when the control body and the cartridge are coupled. the microprocessor is configured to measure the voltage and control operation of functional element(s) of an aerosol delivery device based on the voltage.selected drawing: figure 3
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a control body (102) coupleable with a cartridge (104) that is equipped with a heating element (222) and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body (102) being coupleable with the cartridge (104) to form an aerosol delivery device (100) in which the heating element (222) is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body (102) comprising: a first positive conductor (302) connectable with a power supply (212); a second positive conductor (306) connectable with the heating element (222); a series pull-up resistor (r1) and switch (q1) connected to and between the first positive conductor (302) and second positive conductor (306), the switch (q1) being connected to and between the pull-up resistor (r1) and second positive conductor (306); and a microprocessor (310) configured to operate the switch (q1) in a closed state in a standby mode in which the pull-up resistor (r1) is configured to cause a logical high level of voltage at the second positive conductor (306) when the control body (102) is uncoupled with the cartridge (104), and in which the heating element (222) is unpowered and causes a logical low level of the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) when the control body (102) is coupled with the cartridge (104), wherein the microprocessor (310) is configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) and control operation of at least one functional element (312) of the aerosol delivery device (100) based thereon. the control body (102) of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor (310) being configured to control operation of the at least one functional element (312) includes being configured to control operation of the at least one functional element (312) in response to a coupling of the control body (102) with the cartridge (104) that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) to decrease from the logical high level to the logical low level. the control body (102) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the microprocessor (310) being configured to control operation of the at least one functional element (312) includes being configured to control operation of the at least one functional element (312) in response to an uncoupling of the control body (102) with the cartridge (104) that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) to increase from the logical low level to the logical high level. the control body (102) of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the microprocessor (310) being configured to control operation of at least one functional element (312) includes being configured to control operation of at least one visual, audio or haptic indicator. the control body (102) of any one of claims 1 to 4 further comprising a voltage divider (314) connected to and between the second positive conductor (306) and microprocessor (310), referenced to ground, and from which the microprocessor (310) is configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor (306). the control body (102) of claim 5 further comprising a second switch (q2) connected to and between the voltage divider (314) and ground, the microprocessor (310) being configured to operate the second switch (q2) in an open state in the standby mode. the control body (102) of claim 5 or 6, wherein the voltage divider (314) includes an output connected to the microprocessor (310) and from which the microprocessor (310) is configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor (306), and the control body (102) further comprises a capacitor (c1) connected to and between the output and ground. the control body (102) of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the microprocessor (310) is further configured to operate the switch (q1) in an open state in an active mode in which the control body (102) is coupled with the cartridge (104), the microprocessor (310) is configured to direct power to the heating element (222) to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, and in which the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) corresponds to a positive heating element voltage, and wherein in the active mode, the microprocessor (310) is configured to measure the positive heating element voltage and control the power directed to the heating element (222) based thereon. the control body (102) of claim 8 further comprising: a voltage divider (314) connected to and between the second positive conductor (306) and microprocessor (310), referenced to ground, and from which the microprocessor (310) is configured to measure the positive heating element voltage; and a second switch (q2) connected to and between the voltage divider (314) and ground, the microprocessor (310) being configured to operate the second switch (q2) in a closed state in the active mode. the control body (102) of claim 8 or 9, wherein the microprocessor (310) being configured to direct power to the heating element (222) and control the power directed to the heating element (222) includes being configured to at least: direct power from a power source to turn the heating element (222) on and commensurately initiate a heating time period; and at a periodic rate until expiration of the heating time period, determine a moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power directed to the heating element (222), each measurement of the window of measurements being determined as a product of the positive heating element voltage and a current through the heating element (222); calculate a simple moving average power directed to the heating element (222) based on the moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power; compare the simple moving average power to a selected power set point associated with the power source; and adjust the power directed to the heating element (222) so as to turn the heating element (222) off or on at the periodic rate at each instance in which the simple moving average power is respectively above or below the selected power set point. a method of controlling a control body (102) coupleable with a cartridge (104) that is equipped with a heating element (222) and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body (102) being coupleable with the cartridge (104) to form an aerosol delivery device (100) in which the heating element (222) is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body (102) including a first positive conductor (302) connectable with a power supply (212), a second positive conductor (306) connectable with the heating element (222), and a series pull-up resistor (r1) and switch (q1) connected to and between the first positive conductor (302) and second positive conductor (306), the switch (q1) being connected to and between the pull-up resistor (r1) and second positive conductor (306), the method comprising: operating the switch (q1) in a closed state in a standby mode in which the pull-up resistor (r1) is configured to cause a logical high level of voltage at the second positive conductor (306) when the control body (102) is uncoupled with the cartridge (104), and in which the heating element (222) is unpowered and causes a logical low level of the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) when the control body (102) is coupled with the cartridge (104); measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor (306); and controlling operation of at least one functional element (312) of the aerosol delivery device (100) based on the voltage measured at the second positive conductor (306). the method of claim 11, wherein controlling operation of the at least one functional element (312) includes controlling operation of the at least one functional element (312) in response to a coupling of the control body (102) with the cartridge (104) that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) to decrease from the logical high level to the logical low level. the method of claim 11 or 12, wherein controlling operation of the at least one functional element (312) includes controlling operation of the at least one functional element (312) in response to an uncoupling of the control body (102) with the cartridge (104) that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) to increase from the logical low level to the logical high level. the method of any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein controlling operation of at least one functional element (312) includes controlling operation of at least one visual, audio or haptic indicator. the method of any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the control body (102) further includes a voltage divider (314) connected to the second positive conductor (306) and referenced to ground, and wherein measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) includes measuring the voltage from the voltage divider (314). the method of claim 15, wherein the control body further includes a second switch (q2) connected to and between the voltage divider (314) and ground, and wherein the method further comprises operating the second switch (q2) in an open state in the standby mode. the method of claim 15 or 16, wherein the voltage divider (314) includes an output, and the control body (102) further comprises a capacitor (c1) connected to and between the output and ground, and wherein measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) includes measuring the voltage from the output of the voltage divider (314). the method of any one of claims 11 to 17 further comprising: operating the switch (q1) in an open state in an active mode in which the control body (102) is coupled with the cartridge (104); and in which the method further comprises, directing power to the heating element (222) to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, and in which the voltage at the second positive conductor (306) corresponds to a positive heating element voltage; measuring the positive heating element voltage; and controlling the power directed to the heating element (222) based thereon. the method of claim 18, wherein the control body (102) further includes a voltage divider (314) connected to the second positive conductor (306) and referenced to ground, and includes a second switch (q2) connected to and between the voltage divider (314) and ground, wherein measuring the positive heating element voltage includes measuring the positive heating element voltage from the voltage divider (314), and wherein the method further comprises operating the second switch (q2) in a closed state in the active mode. the method of claim 18 or 19, wherein directing power to the heating element (222) and controlling the power directed to the heating element (222) includes at least: directing power from a power source to turn the heating element on and commensurately initiate a heating time period; and at a periodic rate until expiration of the heating time period, determining a moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power directed to the heating element (222), each measurement of the window of measurements being determined as a product of the positive heating element voltage and a current through the heating element (222); calculating a simple moving average power directed to the heating element (222) based on the moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power; comparing the simple moving average power to a selected power set point associated with the power source; and adjusting the power directed to the heating element (222) so as to turn the heating element (222) off or on at the periodic rate at each instance in which the simple moving average power is respectively above or below the selected power set point.
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technological field the present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices such as smoking articles, and more particularly to aerosol delivery devices that may utilize electrically generated heat for the production of aerosol (e.g., smoking articles commonly referred to as electronic cigarettes). the smoking articles may be configured to heat an aerosol precursor, which may incorporate materials that may be made or derived from, or otherwise incorporate tobacco, the precursor being capable of forming an inhalable substance for human consumption. background wo 2016/210242 a1 discloses a controller of an e-vaping device, comprising control circuitry configured to generate a control signal for controlling detection of whether a cartridge section is connected to a power supply section, to receive a detection signal based on the control signal, and to detect attachment events based on the detection signal, the attachment events indicating whether the cartridge section is attached to or detached from the power supply section. many smoking devices have been proposed through the years as improvements upon, or alternatives to, smoking products that require combusting tobacco for use. many of those devices purportedly have been designed to provide the sensations associated with cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking, but without delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products that result from the burning of tobacco. to this end, there have been proposed numerous smoking products, flavor generators and medicinal inhalers that utilize electrical energy to vaporize or heat a volatile material, or attempt to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar or pipe smoking without burning tobacco to a significant degree. see, for example, the various alternative smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and heat generating sources set forth in the background art described in u.s. pat. no. 7,726,320 to robinson et al. , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2013/0255702 to griffith jr. et al. , and u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0096781 to sears et al. see also, for example, the various types of smoking articles, aerosol delivery devices and electrically-powered heat generating sources referenced by brand name and commercial source in u.s. pat. app. ser. no. 14/170,838 to bless et al., filed february 3, 2014 . additionally, other types of smoking articles have been proposed in u.s. pat. no. 5,505,214 to collins et al. , u.s. pat. no. 5,894,841 to voges , u.s. pat. no. 6,772,756 to shayan , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2006/0196518 to hon , and u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2007/0267031 to hon . one example of a popular type of so-called e-cigarette has been commercially available under the trade name vuse™ by rj reynolds vapor company. it would be desirable to provide a smoking article that employs heat produced by electrical energy to provide the sensations of cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking, that does so without combusting or pyrolyzing tobacco to any significant degree, that does so without the need of a combustion heat source, and that does so without necessarily delivering considerable quantities of incomplete combustion and pyrolysis products. further, advances with respect to manufacturing electronic smoking articles would be desirable. brief summary the present invention is defined by the appended claims. the present disclosure relates to aerosol delivery devices, methods of forming such devices, and elements of such devices. the present disclosure includes, without limitation, the following: a control body coupleable with a cartridge that is equipped with a heating element and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body being coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device in which the heating element is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body comprising a first positive conductor connectable with a power supply; a second positive conductor connectable with the heating element; a series pull-up resistor and switch connected to and between the first positive conductor and second positive conductor, the switch being connected to and between the pull-up resistor and second positive conductor; and a microprocessor configured to operate the switch in a closed state in a standby mode in which the pull-up resistor is configured to cause a logical high level of voltage at the second positive conductor when the control body is uncoupled with the cartridge, and in which the heating element is unpowered and causes a logical low level of the voltage at the second positive conductor when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, wherein the microprocessor is configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor and control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based thereon. this control body, wherein the microprocessor being configured to control operation of the at least one functional element includes being configured to control operation of the at least one functional element in response to a coupling of the control body with the cartridge that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor to decrease from the logical high level to the logical low level. this control body, wherein the microprocessor being configured to control operation of the at least one functional element includes being configured to control operation of the at least one functional element in response to an uncoupling of the control body with the cartridge that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor to increase from the logical low level to the logical high level. this control body, wherein the microprocessor being configured to control operation of at least one functional element includes being configured to control operation of at least one visual, audio or haptic indicator. this control body, wherein the control body further comprises a voltage divider connected to and between the second positive conductor and microprocessor, referenced to ground, and from which the microprocessor is configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor. this control body, wherein the control body further comprises a second switch connected to and between the voltage divider and ground, the microprocessor being configured to operate the second switch in an open state in the standby mode. this control body, wherein the voltage divider includes an output connected to the microprocessor and from which the microprocessor is configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor, and the control body further comprises a capacitor connected to and between the output and ground. this control body, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to operate the switch in an open state in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge, the microprocessor is configured to direct power to the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, and in which the voltage at the second positive conductor corresponds to a positive heating element voltage, and wherein in the active mode, the microprocessor is configured to measure the positive heating element voltage and control the power directed to the heating element based thereon. this control body, wherein the control body further comprises a voltage divider connected to and between the second positive conductor and microprocessor, referenced to ground, and from which the microprocessor is configured to measure the positive heating element voltage; and a second switch connected to and between the voltage divider and ground, the microprocessor being configured to operate the second switch in a closed state in the active mode. this control body, wherein the microprocessor being configured to direct power to the heating element and control the power directed to the heating element includes being configured to at least: direct power from a power source to turn the heating element on and commensurately initiate a heating time period; and at a periodic rate until expiration of the heating time period, determine a moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power directed to the heating element, each measurement of the window of measurements being determined as a product of the positive heating element voltage and a current through the heating element; calculate a simple moving average power directed to the heating element based on the moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power; compare the simple moving average power to a selected power set point associated with the power source; and adjust the power directed to the heating element so as to turn the heating element off or on at the periodic rate at each instance in which the simple moving average power is respectively above or below the selected power set point. a method of controlling a control body coupleable with a cartridge that is equipped with a heating element and contains an aerosol precursor composition, the control body being coupleable with the cartridge to form an aerosol delivery device in which the heating element is configured to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, the control body including a first positive conductor connectable with a power supply, a second positive conductor connectable with the heating element, and a series pull-up resistor and switch connected to and between the first positive conductor and second positive conductor, the switch being connected to and between the pull-up resistor and second positive conductor, the method comprising operating the switch in a closed state in a standby mode in which the pull-up resistor is configured to cause a logical high level of voltage at the second positive conductor when the control body is uncoupled with the cartridge, and in which the heating element is unpowered causes a logical low level of the voltage at the second positive conductor when the control body is coupled with the cartridge; measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor; and controlling operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the voltage measured at the second positive conductor. this method, wherein controlling operation of the at least one functional element includes controlling operation of the at least one functional element in response to a coupling of the control body with the cartridge that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor to decrease from the logical high level to the logical low level. this method, wherein controlling operation of the at least one functional element includes controlling operation of the at least one functional element in response to an uncoupling of the control body with the cartridge that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor to increase from the logical low level to the logical high level. this method, wherein controlling operation of at least one functional element includes controlling operation of at least one visual, audio or haptic indicator. this method, wherein the control body further includes a voltage divider connected to the second positive conductor and referenced to ground, and wherein measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor includes measuring the voltage from the voltage divider. this method, wherein the control body further includes a second switch connected to and between the voltage divider and ground, and wherein the method further comprises operating the second switch in an open state in the standby mode. this method, wherein the voltage divider includes an output, and the control body further comprises a capacitor connected to and between the output and ground, and wherein measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor includes measuring the voltage from the output of the voltage divider. this method, wherein the method further comprises operating the switch in an open state in an active mode in which the control body is coupled with the cartridge; and in which the method further comprises, directing power to the heating element to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, and in which the voltage at the second positive conductor corresponds to a positive heating element voltage; measuring the positive heating element voltage; and controlling the power directed to the heating element based thereon. this method, wherein the control body further includes a voltage divider connected to the second positive conductor and referenced to ground, and includes a second switch connected to and between the voltage divider and ground, wherein measuring the positive heating element voltage includes measuring the positive heating element voltage from the voltage divider, and wherein the method further comprises operating the second switch in a closed state in the active mode. this method, wherein directing power to the heating element and controlling the power directed to the heating element includes at least: directing power from a power source to turn the heating element on and commensurately initiate a heating time period; and at a periodic rate until expiration of the heating time period, determining a moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power directed to the heating element, each measurement of the window of measurements being determined as a product of the positive heating element voltage and a current through the heating element; calculating a simple moving average power directed to the heating element based on the moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power; comparing the simple moving average power to a selected power set point associated with the power source; and adjusting the power directed to the heating element so as to turn the heating element off or on at the periodic rate at each instance in which the simple moving average power is respectively above or below the selected power set point. brief description of the drawing(s) having thus described the disclosure in the foregoing general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: fig. 1 illustrates a side view of an aerosol delivery device including a cartridge coupled to a control body according to an example implementation of the present disclosure; fig. 2 is a partially cut-away view of the aerosol delivery device according to various example implementations; figs. 3-7 illustrate various elements of a control body and cartridge of the aerosol delivery device, according to various example implementations; and fig. 8 illustrates various operations in a method of controlling a control body coupleable with a cartridge, according to example implementations. detailed description the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to example implementations thereof. these example implementations are described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. indeed, the disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," "the" and the like include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. as described hereinafter, example implementations of the present disclosure relate to aerosol delivery systems. aerosol delivery systems according to the present disclosure use electrical energy to heat a material (preferably without combusting the material to any significant degree) to form an inhalable substance; and components of such systems have the form of articles most preferably are sufficiently compact to be considered hand-held devices. that is, use of components of preferred aerosol delivery systems does not result in the production of smoke in the sense that aerosol results principally from byproducts of combustion or pyrolysis of tobacco, but rather, use of those preferred systems results in the production of vapors resulting from volatilization or vaporization of certain components incorporated therein. in some example implementations, components of aerosol delivery systems may be characterized as electronic cigarettes, and those electronic cigarettes most preferably incorporate tobacco and/or components derived from tobacco, and hence deliver tobacco derived components in aerosol form. aerosol generating pieces of certain preferred aerosol delivery systems may provide many of the sensations (e.g., inhalation and exhalation rituals, types of tastes or flavors, organoleptic effects, physical feel, use rituals, visual cues such as those provided by visible aerosol, and the like) of smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe that is employed by lighting and burning tobacco (and hence inhaling tobacco smoke), without any substantial degree of combustion of any component thereof. for example, the user of an aerosol generating piece of the present disclosure can hold and use that piece much like a smoker employs a traditional type of smoking article, draw on one end of that piece for inhalation of aerosol produced by that piece, take or draw puffs at selected intervals of time, and the like. aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure also can be characterized as being vapor-producing articles or medicament delivery articles. thus, such articles or devices can be adapted so as to provide one or more substances (e.g., flavors and/or pharmaceutical active ingredients) in an inhalable form or state. for example, inhalable substances can be substantially in the form of a vapor (i.e., a substance that is in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point). alternatively, inhalable substances can be in the form of an aerosol (i.e., a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas). for purposes of simplicity, the term "aerosol" as used herein is meant to include vapors, gases and aerosols of a form or type suitable for human inhalation, whether or not visible, and whether or not of a form that might be considered to be smoke-like. aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure generally include a number of components provided within an outer body or shell, which may be referred to as a housing. the overall design of the outer body or shell can vary, and the format or configuration of the outer body that can define the overall size and shape of the aerosol delivery device can vary. typically, an elongated body resembling the shape of a cigarette or cigar can be a formed from a single, unitary housing or the elongated housing can be formed of two or more separable bodies. for example, an aerosol delivery device can comprise an elongated shell or body that can be substantially tubular in shape and, as such, resemble the shape of a conventional cigarette or cigar. in one example, the aerosol delivery device can comprise two or more housings that are joined and are separable. for example, an aerosol delivery device can possess at one end a control body comprising a housing containing one or more reusable components (e.g., a rechargeable battery and various electronics for controlling the operation of that article), and at the other end and removably coupleable thereto, an outer body or shell containing a disposable portion (e.g., a disposable flavor-containing cartridge). aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure most preferably comprise some combination of a power source (i.e., an electrical power source), at least one control component (e.g., means for actuating, controlling, regulating and ceasing power for heat generation, such as by controlling electrical current flow the power source to other components of the article - e.g., a microprocessor, individually or as part of a microcontroller), a heater or heat generation member (e.g., an electrical resistance heating element or other component, which alone or in combination with one or more further elements may be commonly referred to as an "atomizer"), an aerosol precursor composition (e.g., commonly a liquid capable of yielding an aerosol upon application of sufficient heat, such as ingredients commonly referred to as "smoke juice," "e-liquid" and "e-juice"), and a mouthend region or tip for allowing draw upon the aerosol delivery device for aerosol inhalation (e.g., a defined airflow path through the article such that aerosol generated can be withdrawn therefrom upon draw). more specific formats, configurations and arrangements of components within the aerosol delivery systems of the present disclosure will be evident in light of the further disclosure provided hereinafter. additionally, the selection and arrangement of various aerosol delivery system components can be appreciated upon consideration of the commercially available electronic aerosol delivery devices, such as those representative products referenced in background art section of the present disclosure. in various examples, an aerosol delivery device can comprise a reservoir configured to retain the aerosol precursor composition. the reservoir particularly can be formed of a porous material (e.g., a fibrous material) and thus may be referred to as a porous substrate (e.g., a fibrous substrate). a fibrous substrate useful as a reservoir in an aerosol delivery device can be a woven or nonwoven material formed of a plurality of fibers or filaments and can be formed of one or both of natural fibers and synthetic fibers. for example, a fibrous substrate may comprise a fiberglass material. in particular examples, a cellulose acetate material can be used. in other example implementations, a carbon material can be used. a reservoir may be substantially in the form of a container and may include a fibrous material included therein. fig. 1 illustrates a side view of an aerosol delivery device 100 including a control body 102 and a cartridge 104, according to various example implementations of the present disclosure. in particular, fig. 1 illustrates the control body and the cartridge coupled to one another. the control body and the cartridge may be detachably aligned in a functioning relationship. various mechanisms may connect the cartridge to the control body to result in a threaded engagement, a press-fit engagement, an interference fit, a magnetic engagement or the like. the aerosol delivery device may be substantially rod-like, substantially tubular shaped, or substantially cylindrically shaped in some example implementations when the cartridge and the control body are in an assembled configuration. the cartridge and control body may include separate, respective housings or outer bodies, which may be formed of any of a number of different materials. the housing may be formed of any suitable, structurally-sound material. in some examples, the housing may be formed of a metal or alloy, such as stainless steel, aluminum or the like. other suitable materials include various plastics (e.g., polycarbonate), metal-plating over plastic and the like. in some example implementations, one or both of the control body 102 or the cartridge 104 of the aerosol delivery device 100 may be referred to as being disposable or as being reusable. for example, the control body may have a replaceable battery or a rechargeable battery and thus may be combined with any type of recharging technology, including connection to a typical alternating current electrical outlet, connection to a car charger (i.e., a cigarette lighter receptacle), and connection to a computer, such as through a universal serial bus (usb) cable or connector. further, in some example implementations, the cartridge may comprise a single-use cartridge, as disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 8,910,639 to chang et al. , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. fig. 2 more particularly illustrates the aerosol delivery device 100, in accordance with some example implementations. as seen in the cut-away view illustrated therein, again, the aerosol delivery device can comprise a control body 102 and a cartridge 104. as illustrated in fig. 2 , the control body can be formed of a control body shell 206 that can include a control component 208 (e.g., a microprocessor, individually or as part of a microcontroller), a flow sensor 210, a battery 212 and one or more light-emitting diodes (leds) 214, and such components can be variably aligned. the led may be one example of a suitable visual indicator with which the aerosol delivery device 100 may be equipped. other indicators such as audio indicators (e.g., speakers), haptic indicators (e.g., vibration motors) or the like can be included in addition to or as an alternative to visual indicators such as the led. the cartridge 104 can be formed of a cartridge shell 216 enclosing a reservoir 218 that is in fluid communication with a liquid transport element 220 adapted to wick or otherwise transport an aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir housing to a heater 222 (sometimes referred to as a heating element). in some example, a valve may be positioned between the reservoir and heater, and configured to control an amount of aerosol precursor composition passed or delivered from the reservoir to the heater. various examples of materials configured to produce heat when electrical current is applied therethrough may be employed to form the heater 222. the heater in these examples may be resistive heating element such as a wire coil. example materials from which the wire coil may be formed include kanthal (fecral), nichrome, molybdenum disilicide (mosi 2 ), molybdenum silicide (mosi), molybdenum disilicide doped with aluminum (mo(si,al) 2 ), graphite and graphite-based materials (e.g., carbon-based foams and yarns) and ceramics (e.g., positive or negative temperature coefficient ceramics). example implementations of heaters or heating members useful in aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are further described below, and can be incorporated into devices such as illustrated in fig. 2 as described herein. an opening 224 may be present in the cartridge shell 216 (e.g., at the mouthend) to allow for egress of formed aerosol from the cartridge 104. such components are representative of the components that may be present in a cartridge and are not intended to limit the scope of cartridge components that are encompassed by the present disclosure. the cartridge 104 also may include one or more electronic components 226, which may include an integrated circuit, a memory component, a sensor, or the like. the electronic components may be adapted to communicate with the control component 208 and/or with an external device by wired or wireless means. the electronic components may be positioned anywhere within the cartridge or a base 228 thereof. although the control component 208 and the flow sensor 210 are illustrated separately, it is understood that the control component and the flow sensor may be combined as an electronic circuit board with the air flow sensor attached directly thereto. further, the electronic circuit board may be positioned horizontally relative the illustration of fig. 1 in that the electronic circuit board can be lengthwise parallel to the central axis of the control body. in some examples, the air flow sensor may comprise its own circuit board or other base element to which it can be attached. in some examples, a flexible circuit board may be utilized. a flexible circuit board may be configured into a variety of shapes, include substantially tubular shapes. in some examples, a flexible circuit board may be combined with, layered onto, or form part or all of a heater substrate as further described below. the control body 102 and the cartridge 104 may include components adapted to facilitate a fluid engagement therebetween. as illustrated in fig. 2 , the control body can include a coupler 230 having a cavity 232 therein. the base 228 of the cartridge can be adapted to engage the coupler and can include a projection 234 adapted to fit within the cavity. such engagement can facilitate a stable connection between the control body and the cartridge as well as establish an electrical connection between the battery 212 and control component 208 in the control body and the heater 222 in the cartridge. further, the control body shell 206 can include an air intake 236, which may be a notch in the shell where it connects to the coupler that allows for passage of ambient air around the coupler and into the shell where it then passes through the cavity 232 of the coupler and into the cartridge through the projection 234. a coupler and a base useful according to the present disclosure are described in u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0261495 to novak et al. for example, the coupler 230 as seen in fig. 2 may define an outer periphery 238 configured to mate with an inner periphery 240 of the base 228. in one example the inner periphery of the base may define a radius that is substantially equal to, or slightly greater than, a radius of the outer periphery of the coupler. further, the coupler may define one or more protrusions 242 at the outer periphery configured to engage one or more recesses 244 defined at the inner periphery of the base. however, various other examples of structures, shapes and components may be employed to couple the base to the coupler. in some examples the connection between the base of the cartridge 104 and the coupler of the control body 102 may be substantially permanent, whereas in other examples the connection therebetween may be releasable such that, for example, the control body may be reused with one or more additional cartridges that may be disposable and/or refillable. the aerosol delivery device 100 may be substantially rod-like or substantially tubular shaped or substantially cylindrically shaped in some examples. in other examples, further shapes and dimensions are encompassed - e.g., a rectangular or triangular cross-section, multifaceted shapes, or the like. the reservoir 218 illustrated in fig. 2 can be a container or can be a fibrous reservoir, as presently described. for example, the reservoir can comprise one or more layers of nonwoven fibers substantially formed into the shape of a tube encircling the interior of the cartridge shell 216, in this example. an aerosol precursor composition can be retained in the reservoir. liquid components, for example, can be sorptively retained by the reservoir. the reservoir can be in fluid connection with the liquid transport element 220. the liquid transport element can transport the aerosol precursor composition stored in the reservoir via capillary action to the heater 222 that is in the form of a metal wire coil in this example. as such, the heater is in a heating arrangement with the liquid transport element. example implementations of reservoirs and transport elements useful in aerosol delivery devices according to the present disclosure are further described below, and such reservoirs and/or transport elements can be incorporated into devices such as illustrated in fig. 2 as described herein. in particular, specific combinations of heating members and transport elements as further described below may be incorporated into devices such as illustrated in fig. 2 as described herein. in use, when a user draws on the aerosol delivery device 100, airflow is detected by the flow sensor 210, and the heater 222 is activated to vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. drawing upon the mouthend of the aerosol delivery device causes ambient air to enter the air intake 236 and pass through the cavity 232 in the coupler 230 and the central opening in the projection 234 of the base 228. in the cartridge 104, the drawn air combines with the formed vapor to form an aerosol. the aerosol is whisked, aspirated or otherwise drawn away from the heater and out the opening 224 in the mouthend of the aerosol delivery device. in some examples, the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a number of additional software-controlled functions. for example, the aerosol delivery device may include a battery protection circuit configured to detect battery input, loads on the battery terminals, and charging input. the battery protection circuit may include short-circuit protection and under-voltage lock out. the aerosol delivery device may also include components for ambient temperature measurement, and its control component 208 may be configured to control at least one functional element to inhibit battery charging if the ambient temperature is below a certain temperature (e.g., 0 °c) or above a certain temperature (e.g., 45°c) prior to start of charging or during charging. power delivery from the battery 212 may vary over the course of each puff on the device 100 according to a power control mechanism, the device may include a "long puff" safety timer such that in the event that a user or an inadvertent mechanism causes the device to attempt to puff continuously, the control component 208 may control at least one functional element to terminate the puff automatically after some period of time (e.g., four seconds). further, the time between puffs on the device may be restricted to less than a period of time (e.g., 100). a watchdog safety timer may automatically reset the aerosol delivery device if its control component or software running on it becomes unstable and does not service the timer within an appropriate time interval (e.g., eight seconds). further safety protection may be provided in the event of a defective or otherwise failed flow sensor 210, such as by permanently disabling the aerosol delivery device in order to prevent inadvertent heating. a puffing limit switch may deactivate the device in the event of a pressure sensor fail causing the device to continuously activate without stopping after the four second maximum puff time. the aerosol delivery device 100 may include a puff tracking algorithm configured for heater lockout once a defined number of puffs has been achieved for an attached cartridge (based on the number of available puffs calculated in light of the e-liquid charge in the cartridge). the aerosol delivery device may include a sleep, standby or low-power mode function whereby power delivery may be automatically cut off after a defined period of non-use. further safety protection may be provided in that all charge/discharge cycles of the battery 212 may be monitored by the control component 208 over its lifetime. after the battery has attained the equivalent of a predetermined number (e.g., 200) full discharge and full recharge cycles, it may be declared depleted, and the control component may control at least one functional element to prevent further charging of the battery. the various components of an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure can be chosen from components described in the art and commercially available. examples of batteries that can be used according to the disclosure are described in u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2010/0028766 to peckerar et al. the aerosol delivery device 100 can incorporate the sensor 210 or another sensor or detector for control of supply of electric power to the heater 222 when aerosol generation is desired (e.g., upon draw during use). as such, for example, there is provided a manner or method of turning off the power supply to the heater when the aerosol delivery device is not be drawn upon during use, and for turning on the power supply to actuate or trigger the generation of heat by the heater during draw. additional representative types of sensing or detection mechanisms, structure and configuration thereof, components thereof, and general methods of operation thereof, are described in u.s. pat. no. 5,261,424 to sprinkel, jr. , u.s. pat. no. 5,372,148 to mccafferty et al ., and pct pat. app. pub. no. wo 2010/003480 to flick . the aerosol delivery device 100 most preferably incorporates the control component 208 or another control mechanism for controlling the amount of electric power to the heater 222 during draw. representative types of electronic components, structure and configuration thereof, features thereof, and general methods of operation thereof, are described in u.s. pat. no. 4,735,217 to gerth et al. , u.s. pat. no. 4,947,874 to brooks et al ., u.s. pat. no. 5,372,148 to mccafferty et al ., u.s. pat. no. 6,040,560 to fleischhauer et al ., u.s. pat. no. 7,040,314 to nguyen et al. , u.s. pat. no. 8,205,622 to pan , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2009/0230117 to fernando et al ., u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0060554 to collet et al ., u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0270727 to ampolini et al ., and u.s. pat. app. ser. no. 14/209,191 to henry et al., filed march 13, 2014 . representative types of substrates, reservoirs or other components for supporting the aerosol precursor are described in u.s. pat. no. 8,528,569 to newton , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0261487 to chapman et al ., u.s. pat. app. ser. no. 14/011,992 to davis et al., filed august 28, 2013 , and u.s. pat. app. ser. no. 14/170,838 to bless et al., filed february 3, 2014 . additionally, various wicking materials, and the configuration and operation of those wicking materials within certain types of electronic cigarettes, are set forth in u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0209105 to sears et al . the aerosol precursor composition, also referred to as a vapor precursor composition, may comprise a variety of components including, by way of example, a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., glycerin, propylene glycol or a mixture thereof), nicotine, tobacco, tobacco extract and/or flavorants. various components that may be included in the aerosol precursor composition are described in u.s. pat. no. 7,726,320 to robinson et al . additional representative types of aerosol precursor compositions are set forth in u.s. pat. no. 4,793,365 to sensabaugh, jr. et al. , u.s. pat. no. 5,101,839 to jakob et al. , u.s. pat. no. 6,779,531 to biggs et al. , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2013/0008457 to zheng et al. , and chemical and biological studies on new cigarette prototypes that heat instead of burn tobacco, r. j. reynolds tobacco company monograph (1988 ). additional representative types of components that yield visual cues or indicators may be employed in the aerosol delivery device 100, such as visual indicators and related components, audio indicators, haptic indicators and the like. examples of suitable led components, and the configurations and uses thereof, are described in u.s. pat. no. 5,154,192 to sprinkel et al. , u.s. pat. no. 8,499,766 to newton , u.s. pat. no. 8,539,959 to scatterday , and u.s. pat. app. ser. no. 14/173,266 to sears et al., filed february 5, 2014 . yet other features, controls or components that can be incorporated into aerosol delivery devices of the present disclosure are described in u.s. pat. no. 5,967,148 to harris et al. , u.s. pat. no. 5,934,289 to watkins et al. , u.s. pat. no. 5,954,979 to counts et al. , u.s. pat. no. 6,040,560 to fleischhauer et al. , u.s. pat. no. 8,365,742 to hon , u.s. pat. no. 8,402,976 to fernando et al. , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2005/0016550 to katase , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2010/0163063 to fernando et al. , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2013/0192623 to tucker et al. , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2013/0298905 to leven et al. , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2013/0180553 to kim et al. , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0000638 to sebastian et al. , u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0261495 to novak et al. , and u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0261408 to depiano et al . the control component 208 includes a number of electronic components, and in some examples may be formed of a printed circuit board (pcb) that supports and electrically connects the electronic components. the electronic components may include a microprocessor or processor core, and a memory. in some examples, the control component may include a microcontroller with integrated processor core and memory, and which may further include one or more integrated input/output peripherals. in some examples, the control component may be coupled to a communication interface to enable wireless communication with one or more networks, computing devices or other appropriately-enabled devices. examples of suitable communication interfaces are disclosed in u.s. pat. app. ser. no. 14/638,562, filed march 4, 2015, to marion et al. and examples of suitable manners according to which the aerosol delivery device may be configured to wirelessly communicate are disclosed in u.s. pat. app. ser. no. 14/327,776, filed july 10, 2014, to ampolini et al. , and u.s. pat. app. ser. no. 14/609,032, filed january 29, 2015, to henry, jr. et al. in accordance with some example implementations, the control component 208 may be configured to control of one or more functional elements of the aerosol delivery device 100 in different states of the device, and depending on whether the control body 102 is coupled or uncoupled with the cartridge 104. for example, the control component may be configured to control one or more components that yield visual cues or indicators in response to a coupling of the control body with the cartridge, and/or in response to an uncoupling of the control body with the cartridge. figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a coupling and uncoupling of the control body with the cartridge in a standby mode, and fig. 5 illustrates the control body coupled with the cartridge in an active mode. as shown in figs. 3-5 , the control body 102 may include a (first) positive conductor 302 and a (first) negative conductor 304 connectable with the battery 212 (power supply). the control body may likewise include a (second) positive conductor 306 and a (second) negative conductor 308 connectable with the heater 222 (heating element). the control component 208 may include a microprocessor 310 and a number of electrical components, such as resistors, capacitors, switches and the like, which may be coupled with the battery and heater to form an electrical circuit. as shown, for example, the control component may include a series pull-up resistor r1 and switch q1 connected to and between the first positive conductor and second positive conductor, with the switch being connected to and between the pull-up resistor and second positive conductor. the microprocessor 310 may be configured to operate the switch q1 in a closed state in a standby mode in which the pull-up resistor r1 is configured to cause a logical high level of voltage at the second positive conductor 306 when the control body 102 is uncoupled with the cartridge 104. also in the standby mode, the heater 222 may be unpowered and cause a logical low level of the voltage at the second positive conductor when the control body is coupled with the cartridge. that is, when the control body is uncoupled with the cartridge, the pull-up resistor may be configured to pull the voltage at the second positive conductor toward the positive battery (power supply) voltage for the logical high level. when the control body is coupled with the cartridge, on the other hand, the voltage at the second positive conductor may correspond to an approximately zero positive heater voltage for the logical low level. in this instance, the heater in the standby mode is essentially a short to the second negative conductor 308. a voltage divider may be formed between r1 (e.g., 10s of kω) and the heater resistance (e.g., < 10 ω), which may result in a positive heater voltage at the second positive conductor of approximately zero volts. in accordance with example implementations of the present disclosure, the microprocessor 310 may be configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor 306 and control operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device 100 based thereon. in some examples, the microprocessor may operate on the actual voltage at the second positive conductor, or the control component 208 or microprocessor may include an analog-to-digital converter (adc) configured to convert the actual voltage to a digital equivalent. as shown in fig. 3 , in one example, the microprocessor 310 may be configured to control operation of a functional element in response to a coupling of the control body 102 with the cartridge 104 that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor 306 to decrease from the logical high level to the logical low level. in another example, as shown in fig. 4 , the microprocessor may be configured to control operation of a functional element in response to an uncoupling of the control body with the cartridge that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor to increase from the logical low level to the logical high level. in either example, the functional element may be an indicator 312 such as a visual, audio or haptic indicator. in some examples, the microprocessor 310 may include an adc configured to convert the actual voltage to a digital equivalent, and this adc may be rated for a maximum voltage less than the maximum that may be present at the second positive conductor 306. in these examples, the control component 208 may further include a voltage divider 314 configured to reduce the voltage to the microprocessor. as shown, for example, the voltage divider may include resistors r2 and r3, and may be connected to and between the second positive conductor and microprocessor, referenced to ground. the microprocessor may be configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor from the voltage divider. in this regard, the voltage divider may include an output connected to the microprocessor and from which the microprocessor may be configured to measure the voltage at the second positive conductor. the control component of the control body may further include a capacitor c1 connected to and between the output and ground. and further, the control component may include a second switch q2 connected to and between the voltage divider and ground, which the microprocessor may be configured to operate in an open state in the standby mode. the aerosol delivery device 100 and more particularly the control component 102 may be in the standby mode when the control component is uncoupled with the cartridge 104. similarly, the aerosol delivery device may be in the standby mode when the control component is coupled with the cartridge between puffs on the device. when the user draws on the device and the flow sensor 210 detects airflow, the aerosol delivery device may be placed in the active mode during which power from the battery 212 may be directed through the sensor to power the heater 222 to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. in another example, power from the battery may more directly power the heater without going through the sensor (without the sensor being in-line), although the flow sensor may still detect airflow when the user draws on the device. as indicated above, power delivery from the battery 212 may vary according to a power control mechanism; and in some examples, this power control mechanism may depend on a measured voltage at the second positive conductor 306. as shown in fig. 5 , in the active mode in which the control body 102 is coupled with the cartridge 104, the microprocessor 310 may be configured to operate the switch q1 in an open state, and operate the second switch q2 in a closed state. in this mode, the microprocessor may be configured to direct power to the heater 222 to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition. the voltage at the second positive conductor 306 may correspond to a positive heater voltage. the microprocessor may be configured to measure the positive heater voltage, such as from the voltage divider 314, and control the power directed to the heater based thereon. in some more particular examples, the microprocessor 310 may be configured to direct power from the battery 212 (e.g., directly or through the flow sensor 210) to turn the heater 222 on and commensurately initiate a heating time period. this may include, for example, a further switch q3 between the battery (or in-line flow sensor) and the heater, which the microprocessor may operate in a closed state, as shown in fig. 5 . the microprocessor may then adjust the power directed to the heater based on the voltage at the second positive conductor 306, at a periodic rate until expiration of the heating time period. in some examples, this adjustment of power directed to the heater 222 may include the microprocessor 310 being configured to determine a moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power directed to the heater, with each measurement of the window of measurements being determined as a product of the positive heater voltage and a current through the heater. this current may be measured in a number of different manners, such as from a current-sense resistor r4. in some examples, the microprocessor may operate on the actual current through the heater, or the control component 208 or microprocessor may include an adc configured to convert the actual current to a digital equivalent. the microprocessor 310 may calculate a simple moving average power directed to the heater 222 based on the moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power, and compare the simple moving average power to a selected power set point associated with the battery 212. the microprocessor may then adjust the power directed to the heater so as to turn the heater off or on at the periodic rate at each instance in which the simple moving average power is respectively above or below the selected power set point. more information regarding aspects of the control component according to example implementations of the present disclosure may be found in the above-cited u.s. pat. app. pub. no, 2014/0270727 to ampolini et al . as shown in fig. 6 , in some examples, the cartridge 104 may also include an authentication device 602 (e.g., a texas instruments model bq26150 authentication ic) to deter or prevent counterfeit cartridges from being used with the control body 102. the control body may include a (third) positive conductor 604 connectable with an output of the authentication device, from which the microprocessor may be configured to authenticate the cartridge for use with the control body. the cartridge may further include a capacitor c2 connected to and between the output of the authentication device and ground. although not separately shown, an additional memory unit associated with the authentication device may be used to store a depletion amount of the cartridge unit, as well as to store other programmable features and information associated with the cartridge unit. again, more information regarding authentication according to aspects of the present disclosure may be found in the above-cited u.s. pat. app. pub. no. 2014/0270727 to ampolini et al . in some even further examples, the authentication device 602 instead of the heater 222 may be further useful for the microprocessor 310 to control operation of the functional element (e.g., indicator 312) in response to at least a coupling of the control body 102 with the cartridge 104. as shown in fig. 7 , in these examples, the control component may be implemented without switches q1 and q2 and capacitor c1 , and the pull-up resistor r1 may be connected to the output of the authentication device. when the control body is uncoupled with the cartridge (in the standby mode), the pull-up resistor r1 is configured to cause a logical high level of voltage at the third positive conductor 604. that is, the pull-up resistor may be configured to pull the voltage at the third positive conductor toward the positive battery (power supply) voltage for the logical high level. also when the control body 102 is uncoupled with the cartridge 104, the authentication device 602 and the capacitor c2 connected to its output are respectively unpowered and uncharged. a coupling of the control body with the cartridge causes the voltage at the third positive conductor 604 to initially decrease from the logical high level to a logical low level corresponding to the approximately zero voltage of the capacitor. in response to this initial decrease in voltage at the third positive conductor, the microprocessor may be configured to control operation of a functional element. after the initial decrease in voltage at the third positive conductor, the positive battery (power supply) voltage may charge the capacitor to its final value, which may cause a corresponding increase in voltage at the third positive conductor. fig. 8 illustrates various operations in a method 800 of controlling the control body 102 coupleable with the cartridge 104 that is equipped with the heater 222 (heating element) and contains an aerosol precursor composition. as shown in block 802, the method includes operating the switch q1 in a closed state in a standby mode in which the pull-up resistor r1 is configured to cause a logical high level of voltage at the second positive conductor 306 when the control body is uncoupled with the cartridge. also in the standby mode, the heater is unpowered causes a logical low level of the voltage at the second positive conductor when the control body is coupled with the cartridge. the method also includes measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor, and controlling operation of at least one functional element of the aerosol delivery device based on the voltage measured at the second positive conductor, as shown in blocks 804 and 806. in some examples, controlling operation of the at least one functional element includes controlling operation of the at least one functional element in response to a coupling of the control body 102 with the cartridge 104 that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor 306 to decrease from the logical high level to the logical low level. in some examples, controlling operation of the at least one functional element includes controlling operation of the at least one functional element in response to an uncoupling of the control body with the cartridge that causes the voltage at the second positive conductor to increase from the logical low level to the logical high level. and in some examples, controlling operation of at least one functional element includes controlling operation of at least one visual, audio or haptic indicator 312. in some examples, the control body 102 further includes a voltage divider 314 connected to the second positive conductor and referenced to ground. in these examples, measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor may include measuring the voltage from the voltage divider. in some examples, the control body 102 further includes a second switch q2 connected to and between the voltage divider 314 and ground. in these examples, the method may further include operating the second switch in an open state in the standby mode. in some further examples, the voltage divider 314 may include an output, and the control body 102 may further include a capacitor c1 connected to and between the output and ground. in these examples, measuring the voltage at the second positive conductor 306 may include measuring the voltage from the output of the voltage divider. in some examples, the method further includes operating the switch q1 in an open state in an active mode in which the control body 102 is coupled with the cartridge 104. in these examples, in the active mode, the method may even further include directing power to the heater 222 to activate and vaporize components of the aerosol precursor composition, with the voltage at the second positive conductor corresponds to a positive heater voltage. and in the active mode, the method may include measuring the positive heater voltage, and controlling the power directed to the heater based thereon. in some examples in which the control body 102 further includes the voltage divider 314, measuring the positive heater voltage includes measuring the positive heating element voltage from the voltage divider. in these examples, the method may further include operating the second switch q2 in a closed state in the active mode. in some examples, directing power to the heater 222 and controlling the power directed to the heater includes at least directing power from the battery 212 to turn the heater on and commensurately initiate a heating time period. and at a periodic rate until expiration of the heating time period, the method may include determining a moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power directed to the heater, with each measurement of the window of measurements being determined as a product of the positive heater voltage and a current through the heater. the method may include calculating a simple moving average power directed to the heater based on the moving window of measurements of instantaneous actual power, and comparing the simple moving average power to a selected power set point associated with the battery. and the method may include adjusting the power directed to the heater so as to turn the heater off or on at the periodic rate at each instance in which the simple moving average power is respectively above or below the selected power set point. the foregoing description of use of the article(s) can be applied to the various example implementations described herein through minor modifications, which can be apparent to the person of skill in the art in light of the further disclosure provided herein. the above description of use, however, is not intended to limit the use of the article but is provided to comply with all necessary requirements of disclosure of the present disclosure. any of the elements shown in the article(s) illustrated in figs. 1-8 or as otherwise described above may be included in an aerosol delivery device according to the present disclosure. many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these disclosure pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure are not to be limited to the specific implementations disclosed and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example implementations in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative implementations without departing from the scope of the appended claims. in this regard, for example, different combinations of elements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are also contemplated as may be set forth in some of the appended claims. although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
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165-807-428-701-168
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US
|
[
"WO",
"US"
] |
G02B27/01,G02C9/04,H04M1/05,H04R17/10,H04R5/02,G02C11/00,H04M1/60,G02C11/06,G06F3/16,H04R1/10,H04N5/64
| 2011-08-02T00:00:00 |
2011
|
[
"G02",
"H04",
"G06"
] |
eyewear with detachable adjustable electronics module
|
a detachable adjustable electronics module may be removably or permanently connected to eyewear. the module may include electronics for processing audio and/or video input and/or output signals. the module may be provided with an adjustable arm, for adjustably carrying a speaker. the module and/or the speaker may be adjusted relative to the wearer in any of the anterior-posterior direction, the inferior-superior direction and lateral!}'. rotation adjustments may also be accomplished. eyewear may be provided with only a single module, on a single side, or with two modules, one on each side, such as to provide stereo audio or dual mono sound.
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what is claimed is: 1. an eyewear system, comprising: an eyeglass, having a right ear stem and a left earstem; a first speaker supported by one of the right and left earstems: a display device: and an electronics module supported by the eyeglass and in electrical communication with the first speaker and the display device. 2. an eyewear system as in claim 1, further comprising a second speaker supported by the left earstem. 3. an eyewear system as in any of the preceding claims, wherein the electronics module comprises an mp 3 format memory. 4. an eyewear system as in any of the preceding claims wherein the electronics module comprises a cellular telephone. 5. an eyewear system as in any of the preceding claims, wherein the display device comprises a video display unit. 6. an eyewear system as in any of claims 1-4, wherein the display device comprises a projector. 7. an eyewear system as in any of the preceding claims, wherein the display device is spaced from a lens of the eyeglass. 8. an eyewear system as in any of claims 1 -6, wherein the display device is positioned along a lens of the eyeglass. 9. an eyewear system as in any of the preceding claims, further comprising an articulating arm that couples the first speaker to the right earstem. 10. a media communication device for providing video and audio media to a wearer, the media communication device comprising a clip-on module that is removably attachable to a wearable support configured to be worn by the wearer, the media communication device comprising a speaker, a display device, and an electronics module, the electronics module being in electrical communication with the first speaker and the display device to provide video and audio media communication to the wearer. 1 1. a media communication device as in claim 10, wherein the electronics module comprises a receiver. 12. a media communication device as in any of claims 10-11, wherein the electronics module comprises a transmitter. 13. a media communication device as in any of claims 10-12, wherem the display device comprises a retinal projector. 14. a media communication device as in any of claims 10-12, wherein the display device comprises a lcd display. 15. a media communication device as in any of claims 10-14, wherein the display device is adjustably mounted to the electronics module. 16. a media communication device as in any of claims 10-35, wherem the display device comprises a viewing plane that is positionable at a location anterior to the wearable support. 17. a media communication device as in any of claims 10-16, wherein the wearable support is an eyeglass and the media communication device is removably attachable to an earstem of the eyeglass. 18. a media communication device for use with a wearable support, the device comprising: a first speaker assembly comprising a first speaker and a first coupling, the first coupling configured to removably attach to the wearable support; a display device supported by the first speaker assembly, the display device being positionable in the field of view of the wearer; source electronics supported by the first speaker assembly; and a communications link in communication with the first speaker, the display device, and the source electronics. 19. a media communication device as in claim 18, further comprising a second speaker assembly comprising a second speaker and a second coupling, the second coupling configured to removably attach to the wearable support. 20. a media communication device as in claim 19, wherein the communications link is further in communication with the second speaker. 21. a media communication device as in any of claims 18-20, wherein the display device comprises a retinal projector. 22. a media communication device as in any of claims 18-20, wherein the display device comprises a lcd display. 23. a media communication device as in any of claims 18-22, wherein the display device is adjustably supported by the first speaker assembly. 24. a media communication device as in any of claims 18-23, wherein the display device comprises a viewing plane that is positionable at a location anterior to the wearable support. 25. a media communication device as in any of claims 18-24, wherein the wearable support is an eyeglass and the first speaker assembly is removably attachable to an earstem of the eyeglass.
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eyewear with detachable adjustable electronics module cross-reference to related applications related applications [0001] this application is a continuation-in-part of u.s. application no. 12/730,106, filed march 23, 2010, which is a continuation of u.s. application no. 12/331,327, filed december 9, 2008, now u.s. patent no. 7,682,018, which is a continuation of u.s. application no. 1 1 /352,938, filed february 13, 2006, now u.s. patent no. 7,461,936, which is a continuation-in-part of u.s. application no, 10/993,217, filed november 19, 2004, now u.s. patent no. 7,278,734, which is a continuation-in-part of u.s. application no. 10/628,831 , filed july 28, 2003, now u.s. patent no. 7,150,526, which claims priority from u.s. provisional no. 60/399,317, filed july 26, 2002 and u.s. provisional no. 60/460,154, filed april 3, 2003, and which is a continuation-in-part of u.s. application no. 10/004,543, filed december 4, 2001, now u.s. patent no. 6,966,647, which is a continuation of u.s. application no. 09/585,593, filed june 2, 2000, now u.s. patent no. 6,325,507; u.s. application no. 1 1/352,938, filed february 13, 2006, now u.s. patent no. 7,461 ,936 is also a continuation-in-part of u.s. application no. 11/022,367, filed december 22, 2004; and also claims priority from u.s. provisional no. 60/652,272, filed february 1 1 , 2005, u.s. provisional no. 60/652,937, filed february 14, 2005, and u.s. provisional no. 60/729,645, filed october 24, 2005. all of the foregoing are expressly incorporated by reference herein. background field of the inventions 10002 ] the present inventions are directed to wearable audio devices, and in particular, devices that humans can wear on their heads and which include electronics such as, for example, speakers, microphones, processors, transmitters, receivers, video display technology, and/or interface electronics for interacting with a wireless network and/or providing content to a user. description of the related art [ό0θ3] there are numerous situations in which it is convenient and preferable to mount audio input and output devices so that they can be worn on the head of a user. such devices can be used for portable entertainment, personal communications, and the like. for example, these devices could be used in conjunction with cellular telephones, cordless telephones, radios, tape players, mp3 players, portable video systems, hand-held computers and laptop computers. [0004] the audio output for many of these systems is typically directed to the wearer through the use of transducers physically positioned in or covering the ear, such as earphones and headphones. earphones and headphones, however, are often uncomfortable to use for long periods of time. [0005] in the portable audio playback and cell phone industries, certain devices for remote audio listening and/or use of a ceil phone have become more popular. certain companies have begun to widely distribute portable audio playback devices, such as mps players, and headsets for cell phones that allow a user to listen to audio with the use of headphones or ear plugs. for example, a user can wear a headset having speakers connected by a flexible cable to an mp3 player, which can be worn on the belt. additionally, certain companies have begun to distribute wireless speaker and microphone modules, such as bluetooth headsets, that are worn over the user's ear and allow wireless communication between the user and his cell phone. [0006] however, with such headsets, whenever a user wants to wear glasses or sunglasses, they must adjust or remove the headset from their ears. further, it is often quite uncomfortable to wear both a headset and a pair of sunglasses at the same time. such discomfort, when applied for a long period of time, can cause muscular pain and/or headaches. in addition, the flexible cable extending from the mp3 player to the headphones and the instability of simultaneously wearing eyewear and a headset can limit mobility of the wearer; particularly those participating in sporting activities. [0007] despite the variety of devices available in the prior art, there remains a need for improved interface electronics and electronics modules, for providing content to a wearer. summary [ό0θ8] there is provided in accordance with some embodiments, a dual speaker eyewear system. the system comprises an eyeglass, having a right earstem and a left earstem. a first speaker is supported by the right earstem, and a second speaker is supported by the left earstem. an electronics module is supported by the eyeglass and in electrical communication with each of the first and second speakers. [θθθ9] the electronics module may be releasab!y connected to one of the right and left earstems. the electronic module may include an mp3 format memory, a radio frequency receiver, a radio frequency transmitter, a cellular telephone, video display technology, or other electronic devices, [0010] in embodiments having a speaker, the speaker may be adjustable relative to the respective earstem, to align the speaker with the wearer's ear. further, embodiments having video or heads-up display technology, the components of the display can be adjusted to align the display in a proper viewing location relative to the wearer's eye, [0011] in accordance with some embodiments, the electronics module can be removably mounted to eyewear. the module comprises a housing and a clamp moveably mounted to the housing. a speaker is moveably mounted to the housing, and electronics are contained within the housing. the clamp and the speaker are moveable in a manner that permits conversion of the module between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the second configuration is a mirror image of the first configuration. [00 2] the heads-up display technology can be earned by the electronics module for mounting on a support. the electronics module can be adjusted relative to the support to enable the heads-up display technology to be adjusted to user specifications. thus, components of the heads-up display technology, such as inputs, outputs, circuitry, electronics, display panel, projector, etc. and other components can be adjusted, for example, in three dimensions to provide optimal user accommodation, [0013] further features and advantages of embodiments will become apparent, to those of skill in the art in view of the detailed description of preferred embodiments which follows, when considered together with the attached drawings and claims. [0014] in some embodiments, a support assembly is provided that can comprise a wearable support, configured to support first and second speakers near a wearer's right and left ears, a first speaker supported by the wearable support and configured to be positioned near the wearer's ear when worn, an electronics module supported by the wearable support and in electrical communication with each of the first and second speakers, and a display device supported by the support assembly. the first speaker, electronics module, and display device can be configured to be removably attached to the wearable support. [0015] further, the eyewear system can comprises an eyeglass, having a first earstem and a second earstem, a first speaker supported by the first earstem, a display device supported by the first ear stem, and an electronics module supported by the first earstem and in electrical communication with the first speaker, wherem the electronics module is configured to be rotated with respect to the first earstem while attached to the first earstem. further, in some embodiments, the eyewear system can comprise a second speaker supported by the second earstem and in communication with the electronics module. [0016] in some embodiments, a dual speaker eyewear system can be provided which comprises an eyeglass, having a first ear stem and a second earstem; a first speaker supported by the first earstem; a display device supported by the first ear stem; and an electronics module supported by the first earstem and in electrical communication with each of the first and second speakers, wherem the electronics module comprises a connector that allows the electronics module to be rotated with respect to the first ear stem and to be releasably connected to the first ear stem. further, the system can comprise a second speaker supported by the second earstem. [0017] in some embodiments, an electronics module can be provided for mounting to eyewear which comprises a housing; a clamp movably mounted to the housing; a speaker movably mounted to the housing; a display device supported by the housing; and electronics contained in the housing; wherein the clamp and speaker are movable in a manner that permits conversion of the module between a first configuration and a second configuration which is a mirror image of the first configuration. [0018] some embodiments can also be configured such that the eyewear system comprises an eyeglass, having a right ear stem and a left earstem; a first speaker supported by the right earstem; a display device supported by the ride ear stem; and an electronics module supported by the eyeglass and in electrical communication with each of the first speaker and the display device, wherein the electronics module is releaseably connected to one of the right and left earsterns, and wherein the electronics module includes an mps format memory. further, the system can comprise a second speaker supported by the left earstem. [0019] the electronics module can comprise an mp3 format memory, a radio frequency receiver, a radio frequency transmitter, and/or a cellular telephone. the first speaker can be adjustable relative to the right earstem. the system can further comprise an articulating arm that couples the first speaker to the right earstem. [0020] in some embodiments, the support assembly can further comprise a second speaker supported by the wearable support and configured to be positioned near the wearer's other ear when worn. further, the first speaker can be adjustable relative to the wearable support. the assembly can further comprise an articulating arm that couples the first speaker to the electronics module. [0021] in accordance with other embodiments, a kit can be provided for electronically enabling a wearable support. the kit can comprise a first, speaker assembly comprising a first speaker and a first coupling, the first coupling configured to removably attach to the wearable support, source electronics supported by the first speaker assembly, a display device supported by the first speaker assembly, and a communications link in communication with the first speaker, the display device, and the source electronics. [0022] further, the kit can comprise a first speaker, adjustably connected to a first clamp, source electronics adjustably connected to the first clamp, a display device supported by the first clamp, and a communications link coupling the first speaker to the source electronics and the display device. [0023] further, some embodiments of the kit, can also comprise a second speaker adjustably connected to a second clamp and in communication with the communications link. the kit can also be configured to comprise a second speaker assembly comprising a second speaker and a second coupling, wherein the second coupling is configured to removably attach to the wearable support. further, the source electronics can comprise a digital music player, a radio frequency transmitter, a radio frequency receiver, and/or a cellular telephone. [0024] in some embodiments, the kit can comprise a first speaker, adjustably connected to a first clamp; source electronics; a display device; and wiring connecting the first speaker and the display device to the source electronics, wherein the first speaker, the display device, source electronics, and wiring are configured to be removably attached to an eyewear. further, the kit can also comprise a second speaker adjustably connected to a second clamp. [0025] the wearable support can comprise an article of clothing. further, the kit can comprise an article of clothing. further, the electronics module can be configured to be rotated with respect to the wearable support while attached to the wearable support. in addition, the electronics module can also comprise a clamp. [0026] the kit can also be configured such that the source electronics are configured to be rotated with respect to the wearable support while attached to the wearable support. in some embodiments of the kit, the communications link can comprise wiring. further, the first coupling can comprise a clamp. finally, the first speaker assembly can further comprise a housing and an articulating arm, and the articulating arm can couple the first speaker to the housing. brief description of the drawings [0027] figure i is a side view of a support, assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; [0028] figure 2 is a side view of another support assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; [0029] figure 2 a is a partial side view of the support assembly of figure 2 showing lenses moved out of a wearer's field of view; [0030] figure 3 is a perspective view of another support assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; [0031] figure 4 is a top view of the support assembly of figure 5; [0032] figure 5 is a perspective view of a detachable module in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; [0033] figure 6 is another perspective view of the detachable module of figure 6; [0034] figure 7 is a top view of the detachable module of figure 5; figure 8 is a side view of the detachable module of figure 5; figure 9 is an end view of the detachable module of figure 5; figure 10 is a bottom view of the detachable module of figure 5; figure 1 1 is another perspective view of the detachable module of figure 12 is an exploded view of the detachable module of figure 5; figure 13 is an exploded view of the coupler of the detachable module of figure 14 is a perspective view of another coupler in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; [0042] figure 15 is an exploded view of the speaker and arm of the detachable module of fi gure 5; [0043] figure 16 is an exploded view of an internal assembly of the detachable module of figure 5; [0044] figures 17 and 18 are perspective views of the grommet of the detachable module of figure 5: [0045] figures 19 and 20 show one aspect of the angular adjustability of the speaker and arm of the detachable module of figure 5; [0046] figure 21 and 22 show one aspect of the linear translation and position adjustability of the detachable module of figure 5; [0047] figure 23 shows the rotation of the coupling with respect to the housing of the detachable module of figure 5; [0048] figure 24 shows the reversibility of the detachable module of figure 5 such that it may be moved from one earstem of a support to the other earstem; [0049] figure 25 through 28 show the reversibility of the detachable module of figure 5; [θθ50] figure 29 is one embodiment of a method of moving a detachable module from one earstem of eyewear to the other; [0051] figure 30 shows a detachable module in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; [0052] figure 31 is a side view of the clamp assembly of the detachable module of figure 30; [θθ53] figure 32 is an exploded view of the clamp assembly of figure 3 1 ; [0054] figures 33a and 33b are perspective views of coupling assemblies including the clamp assembly of figure 3 1 ; [ 0055] figures 34a and 34b are perspective views of the housing of detachable modules suitable to be coupled with the coupling assemblies of figures 33a and 33b, respectively; [ 0056] figure 35 is a perspective view of the detachable module of figure 30 attached to a support; [0057] figures 36 a- 37b are side views of the detachable module of figure 30 coupled to a support, showing an anterior-posterior range of motion and a vertical tilt range of motion; [0058] figures 38a-38c are end views of the detachable module of figures 35 showing a lateral-medial direction tilt range of motion; [0059] figure 39a is one embodiment, of an articulating arm suitable to be connected to the detachable module of figures 30-38c or directly to a pair of eyewear; [0060] figure 39b is an exploded perspective view of the articulating arm of figure 39 a; [0061] figures 40-41 c are side views of the articulating arm of figure 39 a showing special adjustability of its multiple segments in a lateral-medial direction; [0062] figure 42 is a schematic view of a support assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and [0063] figure 43 is a perspective view of one specific embodiment of the support assembly of figure 42. [0064] figure 44 is a top view of a support assembly having a heads-up display component, according to an embodiment. [ 0065] figure 45 is a top view of a support assembly having a heads-up display component, according to another embodiment. [0066] figure 46 is a side view of a support assembly having a heads-up display component, according to yet another embodiment. [0067] figure 47 is a perspective view of a support assembly having a heads-up display component, according to yet, another embodiment. [0068] figure 48 is a perspective view of a support assembly that can form an electrical interface with eyewear, according to an embodiment. [0069] figure 49 is a front, left side, and top perspective view of a modification of a wearable audio device, according to an embodiment. [θθ70] figure 50 is a schematic illustration of an audio device, according to an embodiment. [0071] figure 51 is a schematic representation of a front elevational view of a further modification of an audio device worn by a wearer and interacting with source electronics, according to an embodiment. [0072] figure 52 is a schematic illustration of an input data management system, according to an embodiment. [0073] figure 53a is an enlarged schematic representation of a front elevational view of the audio device illustrated in figure 52. [0074] figure 53b is a schematic representation of a left side elevational view of the audio device illustrated in figure 53 a. [0075] figure 54 is a schematic representation of an audio and/or visual network, in accordance with some embodiments. [θθ76] figure 55 is a schematic representation of an audio and/or visual device, in accordance with some embodiments of figure 54. detailed description [0077] a support assembly 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present inventions are illustrated in figure 1. the support assembly 100 generally includes a support 102 and a detachable module 104, and can be any structure worn by a wearer that is adapted to carry, hold, or contain another device, such as an electronic device. for example, the support assembly 100 can be or include an audio device. in addition, the support assembly 100 can include an eyeglass frame, sports or other protective goggle, or other eyewear assembly. although generally described herein as a detachable module, the module 104 can also be permanently mounted (by rigid fixation, or adjustably as disclosed in greater detail below) to the earstem, slide rail or other component of the eyeglass or other headwear. [θθ78] the support 102 is generally any structure capable of being worn that is also able to carry a device such as an electronic device. the support 102 can include any of a variety of wearable structures such as, for example, a hat, a belt, a vest, an article of clothing, and/or eyewear, including eyeglasses. as discussed further herein, embodiments can be provided which allow a user to mount a visual display apparatus on the one of a variety of user wearable supports. however, it is also contemplated that the support can be any of a variety of other structures that are not physically worn by the user, but which can be maintained in a generally stable or stationary spatial relationship relative to the user. in some embodiments, an adjustable module can be provided which allows the user to access a visual display system in any variety of locations and conditions. as used herein, the terms "visual" and "video" can both be used to refer hardware or software used to provide viewable data, video, or other information to a wearer. thus, reference to a "video display device" does not require or convey that the device only displays videotaped or televised materials, but can also encompass digital displays, alphanumeric displays, and other non- video displays. [θθ79] the detachable module 104 is any structure capable of being carried by the support 102. in one embodiment, the detachable module 104 includes a housing, containing an electronic assembly, as is described in greater detail below. [θθ80] in the illustrated embodiment, the support 102 includes eyeglasses, which have a frame 506 that can include at least one orbital or lens support 108. the orbital 108 is adapted to hold at least one lens 1 10 in the field of vision of the wearer of the support assembly 100. [0081 ] the support 102 also includes at least one earstem 3 12. the earstem 1 12 is coupled to the frame 106 with a coupling 1 14 located at the anterior portion 1 16 of the earstem 1 12. in one embodiment, the coupling 1 14 is a hinge, although the coupling 1 14 can be any structure known to those of skill in the art for coupling an earstem 1 12 to a frame 106. in other embodiments, the support 102 does not include a coupling 3 14. in such embodiments, the earstems 3 32 are integrally formed with the frame 106, [0082] the earstem 112 includes a support section or rail 118 and a head contacting portion 120. the rail 118 is designed to engage a corresponding clamp on the detachable module 104. the detachable module 104 is detachably coupled to the rail 118 by any of a variety of mechanisms, such as those described in greater detail below. the detachable module 104 is adapted to move with respect to the rail 118. in one embodiment, the detachable module 104 moves along the rail's longitudinal axis in an anterior-posterior (or posterior- anterior) direction. axial movement of the detachable module 104 with respect to the rail 118 may be limited in the anterior direction by an anterior stop 122, and in the posterior direction by a posterior stop 124. [0083] the head contacting portion 120 of the earstem 112 can be provided with an elastomeric traction device, such as that disclosed in u.s. patent no. 5,249,001, filed august 27, 1993, which is incorporated by reference herein. a padded portion on the head contacting portion 120 is generally made from a soft material, such as a foam, a plastic, cloth, or any of a variety of soft polymers, and provides a comfortable interface between the wearer's head and the support assembly 100 when worn by a user. [0084] in one embodiment, the detachable module 104 includes one or more of a communication module, a music module, an audio-video module, and/or another electronics module. such a module 104 can be used to drive a heads-up display such as those discussed further herein. in one embodiment, the detachable module 104 is a communications module that allows the wearer of the support assembly 100 to wirelessly communicate with an electronic device. for example, the detachable module 104 can include one or more of a speaker, a microphone, a power supply and a bluetooth or other radio frequency transceiver for wirelessly communicating with a remote device such as a cellular telephone. [0085] in the embodiment illustrated in figure 1 , the rail 118 is a longitudinal segment of the earstem 112. in the illustrated embodiment, the rail 118 is concentric with the longitudinal axis of the earstem 112. however, in other embodiments, such as illustrated in figure 2, the rail 118 is spaced an offset distance 126 from the longitudinal axis of the earstem 112. [0086] the orbitals 108 of the support 102 can be integrally formed with the frame 106, such as illustrated in figure 1. however, in other embodiments, the orbitals 108 are hingably connected to the frame 106 such as illustrated in figure 2 a. in the embodiment of figure 2a, an orbital hinge 128 couples the orbital 108 with the frame 106. by hingably coupling the orbital 108 to the frame 106, the lenses 1 30 may be rotated about a hinge axis and moved out of the wearer's line of sight when desired. for example, if lenses 1 10 include sunglass lenses then orbital hinge 128 allows the wearer of the support assembly 100 to lift the lenses 110 out of the field of view when the wearer moves indoors without removing the support assembly 100 from his head. in any of the embodiments herein, the lenses may be supported in a "rimless" design as is understood in the art, in which the lens is attached to the frame or other adj cent components without the use of an orbital. [0087] another embodiment of a support assembly 100 is illustrated in figure 3. in the illustrated embodiment, at least a portion of the rail 1 18 has a non-round cross-sectional shape to prevent undesired rotation of the detachable module 104 about the rail 118 longitudinal axis 130. the rail 3 38 cross-sectional shape may be any of a variety of shapes, including noncireular shapes to prevent undesired rotation. for example, in one embodiment, the rail 118 cross-sectional shape is oval, elliptical, square, triangular, or any other noncireular shape. in one embodiment, the rail 118 includes an edge extending along a portion of its longitudinal axis 130, which prevents rotation of the detachable module 304 about the rail 118. the module clarnp may be provided with complementary clamping surfaces, for conforming to the cross sectional configuration of the rail to permit axial (anterior-posterior) adjustability while resisting or preventing rotation about the axis of the rail. [0088] in addition, any of a variety of anti-rotational structures may be provided with, or coupled to the rail 118 and the detachable module 104. for example, the anti-rotational stracture can include a high friction surface to provide a friction fit, a locking arrangement, a pin, or any other structure known to those of skill in the art. in other embodiments, the rail 118 has a substantially circular cross-sectional shape and the detachable module 104 includes a suitable stracture for preventing rotation of the detachable module 104 about the rail 118 longitudinal axis 130. for example, the detachable module 104 can include a friction mount, a rubber or elastomeric polymer pad, or other locking mechanism to prevent rotation about the rail 118. [0089] the anterior stop 122 and posterior stop 124 define an adjustment length 132 over which the detachable module 304 may be repositioned with respect to the frame 306. in one embodiment, the adjustment length 132 is at least about, one half inch, often at least, about an inch, sometimes at least about two inches, and other times at least three inches or more. the adjustment length 132 defines a range of travel 134 of the detachable module 104 and other components coupled thereto (such as a speaker), as described in greater detail below. [ό090] the rail 1 18 can be located at any of a variety of locations with respect to the frame 106, in general, the rail 118 is located in the anterior two-thirds of the earstem 112. alternatively, the rail 1 18 is in the anterior half of the earstem 1 12. [0091] one embodiment of a detachable module 104 is illustrated in figures 5-1 1. the detachable module 104 includes a housing 140 and a coupling 142. the coupling 142 allows the detachable module 104 to be removably connected to the earstem 112 of support 102 of the support assembly 100. coupling 142 also provides adjustability of the position and angular orientation of the detachable module 104 with respect to the support 102. [0092] the detachable module 104 also includes at least one speaker 144. the illustrated speaker 144 is adjustably carried by the detachable module 104 may with an arm 146. the detachable module 104 may also include a port cover 148 to cover a data port as will be described in greater detail below. [0093] when the support assembly 100 is worn on the wearer's head, the position of the detachable module 104 with respect to the support 102 may be adjusted so that the speaker 144 comfortably resides at least partially over the wearer's ear. additional details regarding the adjustability of the speaker 144 with respect to the detachable module 104 and the support 102 will be described in greater detail below with respect to figure 18 and figures 19-22. n addition, further multiaxial adjustability structures are disclosed in u.s. patent application serial no. 1 1/022,367, filed december 22, 2004, and u.s. patent application serial no. 10/993,217, filed november 19, 2004, the disclosure of which are incorporated in their entireties herein by reference. [0094] in one embodiment, such as that, illustrated in figure 5, a speaker 144 is coupled to an arm 146 at a speaker pivot 150. the speaker pivot allows adjustment of the position of the speaker 150 with respect to the arm 146. the arm 146 is coupled to the housing 140 of the detachable module 104 at an arm pivot 152. [0095] arm pivot 152 is any of a variety of mechanical structures able to allow one member to adjust in at least its angular orientation in at least one dimension with respect to another. for example, as illustrated in figure 8, the arm pivot 152 allows inferior and superior movement of the distal end 154 of the arm 144, thereby adjusting a first arm angle 156. the first arm angle 156 is generally in the range of from about 3° to 45°, often from about 5° to 25°, sometimes about 10° to 25°, and in some embodiments, greater than at least, 10°. 1 096] in addition, the distal end 154 of the arm 146 can be moved in a lateral direction, thereby adjusting second arm angle 158, as best seen in the view of figure 4. the second arm angle 158 is generally in the range of about 2° to 25°, often about 5° to 15°, and in some embodiments, about 10°. [0097] in addition, the arm pivot 152 provides rotational movement, of arm 146 with respect to the housing 140 of the distal module 104. for example, in one embodiment, arm pivot 152 allows arm 146 to be rotated at least 180° about the housing axis 160, as will be described in greater detail below. [0098] the speaker pivot 150 provides similar adjustability of the speaker 144 with respect to the arm 146. for example, as illustrated in figure 8, the speaker pivot 150 allows movement of the speaker 144 to a desired first speaker angle 162. in addition, as illustrated in figure 4, a second speaker angle 164 may also be selected by rotating the speaker 144 about the speaker pivot 150. [0099] adjustability of the detachable module 104 with respect to the support 102, adjustability of the arm 146 with respect to the housing 140, and adjustability of the speaker 144 with respect to the arm 146 allow full adjustability and positioning of the position of the speaker 144 with respect to a user's ear when the support assembly 100 is worn by a user. in addition, the adjustability provides improved comfort for the wearer. 10100] an exploded view of one implementation of detachable module 104 is illustrated in figure 12. the detachable module 104 includes a housing 140, which includes a first body portion 166 and a second body portion 168. the housing 140 is formed by attaching the first body portion 166 to the second body portion 168 along a part line, to provide a protective outer wall which defines at least one interior cavity for housing electronics. at least partially inside of the housing 140 are a power module 370, an electronics module 172, a data port, 174 and a holder 176 that supports a microphone 178. the body portions 166, 168 may be made from any of a variety of materials, including plastic or metal. alternatively, the module 104 can be formed entirely or partially by insert molding or co-molding processes to produce embedded electronics in a unitary or monolithic module. [θ1θ1] the power supply 170 is any of a variety of power structures able to power a detachable module 104. for example, power module 170 may include a battery, a capacitor, or other power supply. θ1θ2] the electronics module 172 includes electronics for receiving signals from an external source and providing audio signals to the wearer through the speaker 144, such as for receiving audio, audio-video or video only signals. as discussed further below, the audio-video or video only signals can be used to drive a video display and optical components, which can include a display such as one of the variety of devices discussed below. n addition, the electronics module 172 may also allow signals received by the electronics module 172 through the microphone 178 to be transmitted to an external receiver. for example, in one embodiment, electronics module 172 includes a bluetooth transceiver. 10103] data port 174 is any port for coupling the detachable module 104 to an external source through a wired or wireless connection. for example, in one embodiment, data port 174 is a mini-usb port, a usb port, a fire wire port, an ieee 1394 connection port, or any other data port. a holder 176 can be provided to secure the microphone 178 in place. in one embodiment, the holder 176 includes a grommet, such as any of those known to those of skill in the art. in addition, the holder 176 can also include a windscreen to filter wind noise from being received by the microphone 178. [0104] any of a variety of couplings can be utilized with the module 104 of the present invention, for releasably or permanently attaching the module 104 to an eyeglass frame or other support. in many application, releasable connection is preferred. the coupling may be an integral component of the module 104, or may be attached to the module 104. in general, the coupling will include at least a first coupling surface for contacting a first, surface on the rail or other support from which the coupling will depend, and a second coupling surface for contacting a second surface on the support. the first and second coupling surfaces are generally moveable with respect to each other, such as to permit positioning the coupling over or around the structure to which it is to be attached, and then tightened to the structure by bringing the first and second coupling surfaces towards each other. [0105] the configuration of the first and second coupling surfaces, or third or fourth or more, depending upon the design, can be provided with any of a variety of configurations. normally, the coupling surfaces will be configured in a manner that cooperates with the complementary shape of the rail, earstem, or other component to which they are to be attached. [θ1θ6] in an embodiment of the present inventions in which the module 104 m }' preferably be attached at the user's choice to either a left earstem or a right earstem of an eyeglass, the coupling is preferably pivotably or otherwise moveably connected to the module 104, to permit shifting between a "right hand" and "left hand" coupling configuration. certain specific examples will be given below. alternatively, in certain embodiments of the invention, a left hand module and a right hand module will be sold as a system, such as for receipt of stereo signals for music, audio/visual sound tracking, or for use in a dual mono system such as cell phone. in this application, the coupling may be permanently mounted to the housing 104, in an immovable fashion, with a first module 104 adapted for coupling to left earstem and a second module 104 adapted for coupling to a right earstem. certain specific embodiments of the coupling systems will be described below. 10107] a coupling 142 in accordance with the present inventions is illustrated in figure 13. in the illustrated embodiment, the coupling 142 includes an upper portion 180, a lower portion 1 82, and a pin 184. the pin 184 hingably connects the upper portion 180 with the lower portion 182. a mount 186 attached to or integrally formed with the lower portion 182 provides an attachment mechanism between the coupling 142 and the housing 140 of the distal module 104. the mount 1 86 also provides angular adjustability of the housing 140 with respect to the coupling 142. additional details regarding angular adjustability in this regard will be discussed in greater detail below. [0108] the coupling 142 can include any of a variety of locking mechanisms 1 88 to allow opening and closing of the coupling 142. the upper portion 180 is movable with respect to the lower portion 182 when the locking mechanism 188 is released. such moveability of the upper and lower portions 180, 182 allow the coupling 142 to at least partially surround and enclose a portion of a rail (not shown), such as rail 1 1 8 described above. [0109] in addition, the locking mechanism 188 can be released to remove the coupling 142 from the rail. in other embodiments, locking mechanism 1 88 loosens the grip of the coupling 142 on the rail so that the detachable module 104 can be slid along the rail, as described in greater detail above. [0110] in one embodiment, the locking mechanism 188 has two states; a lock state and an open state. in the lock state, the coupling 142 may not be inadvertently moved along the rail under normal use conditions. in the open state, the coupling 142 may be moved along or removed from the rail. [0111] in another embodiment, the locking mechanism 188 has three states: a lock state, an open state, and an adjust state. the lock and open states are the same as described above. the adjust state allows the coupling 142 to be moved or slid along the rail but does not allow the coupling 142 to be removed from the rail. another embodiment of a coupling 142 shown in an open state is illustrated in figure 14. [0112] an exploded view of a speaker support arm 146 is illustrated in figure 15. a bellow 190 is provided over a grill 192, which at least, partially covers speaker 144 over its sound output surface 194. a vent screen 196 resides between the speaker 144 and a bud 198. the speaker pivot 150 is formed by two laterally flexible tangs 151 that extend into and provide a rotatable snap fit within the orifice 363 of a boom 165. a cap 367 covers the tangs 151 of the speaker pivot 150. a cover 161 is placed between the bud 198 and the boom. 165 to cover at least one surface of the boom 165, and enclose wires leading to the speaker 144. [01.13] a hub 169 extends through a ring 171 and through the boom 165 where it is pivotably coupled to the mating portion 1 73 of a base 175, a pin 177 removably and hingably couples the mating portion 173 to the hub 169 and therefore the boom 165, the arm pivot 152 is provided by the coupling of the base 175 and hub 169. [0114] as discussed previously in connection with figure 4, the speaker and boom assembly may also be rotatably connected to the housing 104 about an axis 160, which extends in the illustrated embodiment in the anterior/posterior direction. this rotation may be accomplished by the provision of one or more arcuate slots 179, illustrated in figure 15, for receiving a pin or other complementary structure on the module 104, to permit rotation through a controlled range of motion as will be apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the disclosure herein. [01.15] in one embodiment, the speaker 144 is a rip curl speaker, in another embodiment, the speaker 144 has an outside diameter of no more than 9 mm, no more than about 11 mm, or about 13 mm or more. [0116] referring now to figure 16, the power module 170 can include a battery, such as an atl501230 battel"}', as is well known to those of skill in the art. the power module 170 can be coupled to the electronics module 172 with an adhesive 181. the electronics module 172 can be coupled to micro switches 183 which are accessed by the user by pressing buttons 185. in one embodiment, the detachable module 104 includes three switches. [0.1.17] the switches can include any of a variety of switches known to those of skill in the art, including micro switches, snap switches, and dome switches. in one embodiment, the switches 183 are snap dome f06180 switches. the detachable module 104 can have three switches 183, although any number of switches 183 can be used. an led 187 provides status indication to the wearer. [01.1.8] referring now to figures 1 7 and .18, the microphone grommet 176 of the detachable module 104 can be made from any of a variety of materials well known to those of skill in the art, including: ptfe, polyethylene, polyurethane, or tpe. in addition, the grommet 176 can have a hardness or stiffness of about 20 to 30 durometers, about 40 to 50 durometers, about 60 durometers, or about 70 durometers. 10119] a windscreen can be provided with the grommet 176 to reduce noise. for example, in one embodiment, the windscreen is a saatifil screen. the microphone 178 can be any of a variety of microphones known to those of skill in the art, including a star microphone, such as microphone part no. maa-03a-l60. [0120] referring now to figure 19 and 20, and as discussed above, speaker and arm pivots 150, 152 allow movement of the speaker 144 and arm 146 with respect to the detachable module 104 housing 140. in one embodiment, the first speaker angle 162 over which the speaker 144 may be moved, is up to about 300 degrees. in another embodiment, the first speaker angle 162 is about ± 45 degrees with respect to the arm axis 230. in another embodiment, the first speaker angle 162 is at least about ± 5 degrees, sometimes at least about ± 20 degrees, and sometimes at least about + 45 degrees. [0121] in one embodiment, the detachable module 104 can be adjusted so that the speaker, arm, and housing 140 are aligned along the housing axis 160 as illustrated in figure 20. [0122] referring now to figure 21 , movement of the coupling 142 with respect to the rail 118 over an adjustment length 132 results in a corresponding translation of the detachable module 104 with respect to the support 102. in addition, movement of the coupling 142 over the rail 1 18 over the adjustment length 132 or a portion thereof will result in a related movement of speaker 344 with respect to the support 1 2 and with respect to the wearer's ears. although figures 21 and 22 show movement of the detachable module 104 over the entire adjustment length 132, in other embodiments, coupling 142 is used to move detachable module 104 only a portion of the full adjustment length 132. [0123] in one embodiment, the coupling 142 is released from the rail or other support by rotating the coupling 142 with respect to the housing 140. in one embodiment, the housing 140 is rotated at least about 45 degrees and preferably about 90 degrees to release the coupling 342. by releasing the coupling 142 as illustrated in figure 23, the detachable module 104 may be removed from the support 102. it may be desirable to remove the detachable module 104 from the support 102 to either change the detachable module 104 with another component, such as another detachable module that provides different functionality, or to mount the detachable module 104 on the opposite earstem 1 12 of the support 102. [0124] to move the detachable module 104 from one earstem 112 of the support 102 to the opposite earstem 112, the coupling 142 is released, as illustrated in figure 24. the arm 146 is then rotated about the housing axis 160. in addition, the speaker 144 is rotated about the arm axis 230 as well in addition, the coupling 142 can be rotated about a coupling axis 232 as well. additional details regarding the lead positioning of the detachable module 104 from a right earstem 112 to a left earstem 112 are illustrated in figures 25-28. [0125] in figure 25 a detachable module 104 is shown coupled to the right earstem 1 12 of a support 102. the coupling 142 is in its closed position to secure the detachable module 104 to the earstem 1 12. in figure 26 the detachable module 104 has been rotated with respect to the earstem 112 to release the coupling 142. the coupling 142 is shown in its open position such that the detachable module 104 can be removed from the earstem 112. the detachable module 104 is then positioned with respect to the left earstem 112, as illustrated in figure 27. the speaker 144 has been rotated about the arm axis 230 so that its acoustical output will be directed towards the wearer's ear. finally, as shown in figure 28, the coupling 142 is pinched closed to lock the detachable module 104 to the left earstem 112 of the support 102. [0126] one method 300 of moving a detachable module from one earstem to the other is shown in the flowchart of figure 29. [0127] at block 302, the coupler of the detachable module is opened. at block 304, the detachable housing removed from the rail of the earstem. at block 306, the housing is rotated with respect to the coupler to put the housing and coupler in position for mounting the detachable housing to the opposite earstem. at block 308, the arm is rotated about 180 degrees about the housing axis. at block 310, the speaker is rotated with respect to the arm axis. at block 312, the coupler is placed over the opposite earstem. at block 314, the arm angles, speaker angles, and detachable housing position on the rail are adjusted to comfortably position the speaker at least partially over the ear. at block 316, the coupler is locked onto the opposite earstem rail. [0ϊ28] another embodiment of a detachable module 200 is illustrated in figure 30. the detachable module 200 includes a coupling 202 and a housing 204. the coupling 202 includes a clamp assembly 206 that is coupled to a slide 208 with a pin 210. the pin 210 has a longitudinal axis 21 1 about which the slide 208 m }' be rotated with respect to the clamp assembly 206. the detachable module 200 often also includes an articulating arm or a boom to which an audio input or output device is attached. for example, in some embodiments, the detachable module includes an articulating arm and a speaker, such as the articulating arm described below with respect to figures 39a-41c. [0129] the clamp assembly 206 includes an inside grip 212, an outside grip 214, a resilient, conformable gripping pad 216 (such as best seen in figure 31), a spring 218, and a release 220. the release 220 can be any of a variety of structures to open the clamp assembly 206, including a button, lever, switch, tab, or knob. the clamp assembly 206 allows the detachable module 200 to be removably connected to any of a variety of structures, including the frame of a pair of eyeglasses. many eyeglass frames have irregular, uneven, or non-uniform earstems, which makes it difficult to attach components to the eyeglasses. however, a universal clamp, such as the clamp assembly 206, allows the detachable module 200 to be removably connected to any of a variety of eyeglass frame structures, including those having irregular, uneven, and/or non-uniform earstems. additional details regarding the coupling between the clamp assembly 206 of the detachable module 200 and an eyeglass frame are provided herein. [0130] an exploded view of one embodiment of a clamp assembly 206 is illustrated in figure 32. the inside and outside grips 212, 214 of the clamp assembly 206 matingly engage each other over a clamp post 221. the clamp post 221 can include any of a variety of structures well known to those of skill in the art, including a mattel pin. a spring 218 surrounds the clamp post 221. a release 220 is attached to the end of the clamp post 221 using any of a variety of methods, including pressing, gluing, welding, pinning, or screwing the release 220 to the clamp post 221. the release 220 prevents removal from the spring 218 from the clamp post 221 and allows the inside and outside grips 212, 214 to be separated apart from one another in order to release the detachable module 200 from the device to which it is attached, such as an eyeglass frame. [0131] a coupling assembly 202 is formed by attaching the clamp assembly 206 to a slide 208, as illustrated in figures 33a and 33b. the slide 208 can include a male member, such as a rail 222, or a female member, such as a track 224, as seen in figures 33a and 33 b, respectively. the slide 208 matingly engages a corresponding mating surface 226 on the housing 204 of the detachable module 200. for example, when a male slide 208, such as illustrated in figure 33a is selected, the mating surface 226 of the housing 204 can be a track 228, such as illustrated in figure 34a. similarly, when a female slide 208 is selected, such as illustrated in figure 33b, the corresponding mating surface 226 of the housing 204 can be a rail 230, such as illustrated in figure 34b. [0132] the detachable module 200 can be attached to a support 232 as illustrated in figure 35. the support 232 can be any of a variety of wearable items, including a pair of eyeglasses, a hat, belt, ski goggles, etc. the coupling 202 is released by pressing on the release 220, which causes the inside grip 212 and outside grip 214 to separate and move apart from one another. when the inside and outside grips 212, 214 are separated, the coupling 202 can be positioned over the earstem 234 of a support 232. by squeezing the inside and outside grips 212, 214 together, the detachable module 200 can be secured to the earstem 234 of the support 232 as illustrated in figure 47. the coupling 202 can be secured to the support 232 in any of a variety of locations as desired by the wearer. [0133] the configuration of the gripping pad 216 can facilitate connectivity between the detachable module 200 and any of a variety of surfaces or shapes of the support earstem 234. for example, the gripping pad 216 can be made from any of a variety of elastomeric materials, including foams, plastics, or any compliant material that can conform to the shape of the earstem 234 when the coupling 202 is attached thereto. in addition, the gripping pad 216 can have any of a variety of surface shapes and textures, including a flat surface, a wavy surface, a rippled surface, a contoured surface, etc. gripping pads 216 having a contoured surface are illustrated in figure 31. in addition, the thickness of the gripping pad 216 can be selected to facilitate connectivity between the coupling 202 and the support 232. in one embodiment, the gripping pad 216 thickness is in the range of about 0.5 mm to 2 mm., about i mm. to 3 mm, or about 3 mm thick. [0134] an overmold may be provided on the mating surface 226 of the housing 204 to provide additional friction between the housing 204 and slide 208. additional friction may be desired to prevent accidental or undesired movement of the housing 204 with respect to the slide 208. in addition, the mating surface 226 of the housing 204 can include a detent which prevents the slide 208 of the coupling 202 from unintentionally sliding off of or detaching from the housing 204. [0135] the coupling 202 of the detachable module 200 allows the detachable module 200 to be attached to any of a variety of locations on an eyewear on a support 232 frame. for example, in some embodiments, the support 232 includes a pair of eyeglasses having earstems 234 of a non-uniform shape. one example of such earstem 234 is illustrated in figures 36a and 36b. [0136] this ability to move to a variety of positions can allow the detachable module 200 to be adjusted or moved to a desired position in order to maximize the effectiveness of the heads-up display components, as discussed below. [0137] the detachable module 200 can be moved in anterior and posterior directions with respect to the earstem 234 once the detachable module 200 is attached to the earstem 234. figure 36a shows the detachable module 200 moved in an anterior direction and figure 36b shows the detachable module 200 moved in a posterior direction. the ~77- anterior-posterior travel distance over which the detachable module 200 can be moved with respect to the earstem 234 can be defined by the length of the mating surface 226 of the housing 204 and the length of the slide 208 of the coupling 202. the travel distance is at, least about 0,25 inches, generally at least about 0.75 inches and often at least about 1 inch or 1.5 inches or more. this travel distance, or adjustment length, can be selected to provide adjustability of the detachable module 200, not only with respect to the earstem 234, but also with respect to the wearer's ear. an articulating arm, or speaker boom (not shown), is often attached to the detachable module 200 and can include any of a variety of speaker mounts such as though described above or below. [0138] the angular orientation of the detachable module 200 with respect to the earstem 234 may be adjusted as well. for example, as illustrated in figures 37a and 37b, the axial angle 236 formed between the earstem longitudinal axis 238 and the detachable module longitudinal axis 240 may be selected by adjusting the angular orientation of the coupling 202 with respect to the earstem 234 during attachment. [0139] in addition, a tilt angle 242 in the medial-lateral direction can be selected by rotating the housing 204 of the detachable module 200 about an axis such as pin 210. the tilt angle 242, as illustrated in figures 38a-38c, can be at least about plus ± 5°, at least about ± 10° to 20°, or greater. [0140] in many embodiments, the detachable housing has an articulating arm 244 such as illustrated in figures 39a and 39b. the articulating arm 244 provides an extension from the detachable housing onto which an electrical component, such as a speaker, may be mounted. for example, the articulating arm 244 can include a first segment 246, a second segment 248, and a third segment 250 that are connected to each other by any of a variety of couplings well known to those of skill in the art. for example, the coupling can be a ball 252 and socket 254 assembly, such as illustrated in figure 39b. [0141] the first segment 246 is connected to a housing, such as any of the detachable housings described above, and the second segment 248. the second segment 248 is connected to the first and third segments 246, 250. the third segment 250 is connected at one end to the second segment 248 and at the other end to a speaker (not shown). a conductor or conductor pair (also not shown) extends from the speaker to the detachable housing. [0142] although the present embodiment describes an articulating arm 244 coupled to a detachable housing, it should be well understood by those of skill in the art that the articulating arm 244 may instead be attached directly to the earstem of a support, such as a pair of eyeglasses, a helmet, goggle straps or others. in such cases, electronic devices, such as mps players, cell phones, wireless transceivers, etc. can be embedded or mounted inside of the eyeglass frame instead of being carried by the detachable housing. [0143] a side view of one embodiment of an articulating arm 244 is illustrated in figure 40. figure 40 illustrates one orientation of the various segments 246, 248, 250 of the articulating arm 244 with respect to the housing 204 of a detachable module 200, although the articulating arm 244 is shown coupled to the housing 204 of a detachable module 200, the articulating arm 244 may alternatively be coupled directly to the earstem of a pair of eyeglasses, as discussed above. [0144] each of the first, second and third segments 246, 248, 250 have a longitudinal axis parallel to a reference axis x, x ' , x " . each of the reference axes x, x ' , x " defines one of three dimensions of a reference system for describing the orientation of the particular segment, 246, 248, 250. in the illustrated embodiment, the x reference axis is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first segment 246 and is also perpendicular to a z axis which can define the longitudinal axis of the housing 204 of the detachable module 200. a third axis y is perpendicular to both the x and z axes. [0ϊ45] a second reference system includes an x ' axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second segment 248 and which can be tangential to an outside surface of the second segment 248. similarly, y ' and z' reference axes are perpendicular to each other and the x ' axis and are parallel to the y and y " axes when the x '" axis is oriented parallel to the x axis. [0146] in addition, an x " reference axis extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the third segment 250 and is generally tangential to an exterior or an outside surface of the third segment 250. similarly, y " and z " reference axes are perpendicular to each other and to the x " axis as well. like the reference systems described above, the y ' ' axis is parallel to both the y and y' axes when the x " axis is oriented such that it is parallel to both the x and x ' axes. similarly, the z" axis is parallel to both the z and z axes when the x " axis is oriented parallel to both the x and x ' axes. this linear orientation of the articulating arm 244 is illustrated in figure 40 where all three reference axes, x, x', x", are oriented parallel to each other. |0147] the articulating arm 244 can be manipulated in a variety of planes and moved and rotated in a variety of manners to change the distance and angular orientation between the housing 204 of the detachable module 200 and a speaker attached to the third segment 250 of the articulating arm 244. for example, in one embodiment, the first segment 246 of the articulating arm 244 can rotate freely about the y axis in the xz plane and is limited in its movement only by contact with the housing 204 of the detachable module 200 or by contact with the support 232 (not shown). the first segment 246 can generally rotate about 340°, about 300° to 350°, or at least 325° about the y axis. the second segment 248 can rotate about the y ' axis freely, also generally limited only by contact with the housing 204 of the detachable module 200 or by contact with the support. in addition, the second segment 248 can tilt with respect to the x'z ' plane. for example, in one embodiment, the second segment 248 can tilt + 15% 0° with respect to the x ' z' plane. in other embodiments, the second segment 248 can tilt at least about ± 5°, or about ± 10° with respect to the x'z' plane. [0148] the third segment 250 can rotate about the y" axis and is general!}' limited by the design of the ball 252 and socket 254 joint between the second and third segments 248, 250. in one embodiment, the third segment 250 can rotate about ± 85° about the y" axis. in addition, the third segment 250 can tilt with respect to the x ' z' plane. for example, in one embodiment, the third segment 250 tilts about + 0% 15°, about ± 5°, or about ± 10° with respect to the x ' ' ζ" plane. [0149] by selecting different angular orientations between the various segments, the angular orientation between the speaker 256 mounted on the third segment 250 of the articulating arm 244 with respect to the housing 204 of the detachable module 200 can be adjusted as well. examples of such adjustments are illustrated in figures 41a-41c. in figure 41 a, the second segment 248 is tilted to an angle 151 which is its maximum positive angle with respect to the xz plane, and the third segment 250 is not tilted with respect to the x'z ' plane. in such case, the tilt angle between the speaker 256 and the housing 204 is the same as the maximum positive tilt angle 153 of the second segment 248. [0150] in figure 41 b, the second segment 248 is not tilted, but the third segment 250 is tilted to an angle 153, which is the maximum negative angle with respect to the xz plane. in such case, the tilt angle 153 between the speaker 256 and the housing 204 is equal to the maximum negative tilt angle of the third segment 250. [0151] finally, in figure 41 c, the second segment 248 is tilted to its maximum positive angle and the third segment 250 is tilted to its maximum negative angle with respect to the xz plane, in such case, the angle tilt will be equal to the difference between the max tilt angle of the second segment 248 and the maximum negative angle of the third segment 250. when the maximum positive tilt angle of the second segment 248 is equal to the maximum negative angle of the third segment 250, the speaker 256 will generally be oriented about parallel to the xz plane. [0152] figure 42 shows a support assembly 300 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. the support assembly is generally any device able to be worn by a user that can carry one or more electronic components thereon. for example, the support assembly 300 can include an article of clothing, such as a hat, a shirt, a belt, jacket, helmet or a pair of eyewear such as goggles or eyeglasses. [0153] the support assembly 300 generally includes a support 302, a first detachable module 304, and a second detachable module 306. the first and second detachable modules 304, 306 communicate with each other via a communication link 308. the detachable modules 304, 306 can be any of the detachable modules described herein. for example, the detachable modules 304, 306 can be a housing including electronics for an mp3 player, an audio storage device, a streaming audio signal receiver, a cellular telephone, a bluetooth transceiver, or any other electrical device for providing audio or video input or output. [0154] the support, 302 is any structure able to be worn by the user such as, for example, a pair of eyeglasses. the communication link 308 is any wired or wireless link able to provide communication between two or more electrical components. for example, the communication link 308 can be a wired link, such as a flexible wire or a preformed wire, which may be permanently connected or unplugable at one or both of its ends. when the communication link 308 is a wire link, it may be unplugable at its ends so that it may be detached from each of the detachable modules 304, 306. the communication link 308 can be provided at any location with respect to the support 302. for example, the communication link 308 can include a wire or conductor located within and/or coupled to the support. for example, the communication link 308 can be a wire that hangs off the back of the support 302. |0i 55] figure 43 illustrates one specific embodiment of the support assembly 300. in the illustrated embodiment, the support assembly 300 includes a pair of eyeglasses as the support 302. first and second detachable modules 304, 306 are attached to each of the first and second earstems 310, respectively, of the support 302. the detachable modules 304, 306 are coupled to each other with a wired communication link 308 that in the illustrated embodiment runs along the frame of the support 302, in one embodiment, the communication link 308 spans or traverses a nose bridge formed between the orbitals of the support 302. [0156] the detachable modules 304, 306, as described herein, can include any of a variety of electrical components. in some embodiments, the detachable modules 304, 306 include different components. for example, in one embodiment, the first detachable module 304 carries a cellular telephone, and the second detachable module carries an mp3 player. alternatively, the first detachable module 304 can include an rf (e.g., bluetooth) transceiver adapted to communicate with another bluetooth device, such as a bluetooth- enabled telephone, and the second detachable module 306 can include an mps player or any other audio or video input or output device. in yet another embodiment, both the first and second detachable modules 304, 306 include bluetooth transceivers and/or both include cellular telephones. it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that the support assembly 300 can therefore provide either dual mono or stereo audio for devices, such as telephones, that have historically provided only single-channel audio signals, [0ϊ57] although the support assemblies 300 are shown in figure 43 as having detachable modules 304, 306, in other embodiments, the electronic circuitry of the detachable modules 304, 306 is mounted inside of the support 302 itself. for example, in some embodiments, the electronic devices are mounted inside of the support 302 and the articulated arm described and an articulated arm that is coupled to a speaker is mounted to the support 302 as well . in other embodiments, the electronic components are mounted inside of the articulated arm itself and not inside the articulated arm. in other embodiments, the electronic components are provided inside of the arm and the arm is removably attached to the frame or is removably attached to the support 302. finally, in yet other embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in figure 43, the electronic components are provided inside of removable modules 304, 306 which are removably attached to the support 302. in such cases, the detachable modules 304, 306 also include articulating arms, such as described herein. examples of support assemblies having electronic circuitry mounted within the support itself are taught, in u.s. application no. 10/993,217, filed november 19, 2004 and u.s. application no. 11/022,367, filed december 22, 2004, which are incorporated by reference herein. [0158] the support assembly 300 can be configured such that the first and second detachable modules 304, 306 each individually communicate with a cellular telephone. for example, each of the first and second detachable modules 304, 306 can each include a bluetooth transceiver adapted to communicate via the bluetooth protocol with a cellular telephone, or with more than one cellular telephone. alternatively, in other embodiments, the first detachable module 304 includes a wireless bluetooth transceiver adapted to communicate with a cellular telephone, and the second detachable module 306 includes the mechanical and electrical components for supporting and positioning and powering a speaker that is in communication with the electronics of the first detachable module 304. in such case, communication from the cellular telephone is received by the first detachable module 304 and audio signals are provided to a user's first ear by a speaker coupled to the first detachable module 304 and audio signals from the cellular telephone are provided to the wearer's second ear via a speaker coupled to the second detachable module 306 that is in communication with the first detachable module 304. [0159] the support assembly 300 of the present inventions can include any of a variety of additional features for improving and enhancing usability by a wearer. for example, the support assembly 300 can include software that provides the wearer with oral and/or visual popdown-type menus for navigating through the multitude of commands that may be available. for example, by providing voice control over system functionality, the user need not manipulate mechanical buttons, switches or controls on the support assembly 300 in order to select different support assembly communication, audio, video functions. further, providing visual or video illustration of system commands and status can aid the wearer in navigating and operating the assembly. [0160] in addition, the support assembly 300 can include noise cancellation hardware and/or software to reduce or eliminate noise provided to the wearer of the support assembly 300 during use and communication. in addition, in some embodiments, the support assembly 300 includes a bone conduction microphone to transfer audio information from the wearer. these features are well known to those of skill in the art. [©161 ] as discussed above, the detachable module can house electronics such as those for an mp3 player, an audio storage device, a streaming audio signal receiver, a cellular telephone, a bluetooth transceiver, or any other electrical device for providing audio or video input or output, such as an audio recorder, a speaker, a camera, video recorder, video player, and/or video display. these features can be integrated into the player individually or in combination or collectively to provide multi-function capability. further, the module can provide wireless connectivity with one or more remote devices to stream data to or from the remote deviee(s). [0162] in some embodiments, the module can comprise visual display and/or optical components. these components can include a display such as a liquid crystal display (lcd), a plasma display, a semiconductor device (ld), a light-emitting diode (led), an organic light emitting diode (oled), active qled, amoled, super amoled, a projector, direct retinal projection through virtual retinal display (vrd) or retinal scan display (rsd) using a retinal projector (rp), micro-electro-mechanical systems display, an electroluminescence (el), a cathode ray tube (crt), a digital micromirror device (dmd), prism(s), lens(es), fiber-optic transmission component(s), miitor(s), a holographic optical element (hoe), laser projection, 3d display components or circuitry, or another emissive, transmissive, or reflective display technology, or the like is preferably used. the system can produce real or virtual images for user perception. further, the system can provide augmented visuals of natural objects perceived by the user. [0163] the viewing plane for the system can be on a lens of the eyewear (goggles or eyeglasses) or spaced from the lens (either in front or behind the lens). the viewing plane can be real or virtual. further, the system and/or eyewear can also comprise variable light attenuation features (e.g. electronic variable light attenuation) in the lens(es) or otherwise to enhance video display perception. the viewing plane can incorporate one or more display and/or light attenuation components, [0164] for example, various such video input and output devices, components, circuitry, methods, and structures are disclosed in the following u.s. patent and publication nos. and can be incorporated into embodiments of the system disclosed herein: u.s. publication no. 2005/0219152 (disclosing a microdisplay with virtual image and an adjustable boom), u.s. publication no. 2009/0015929 (disclosing a substrate guided relay), u.s. publication no. 2010/011 1472 (disclosing a substrate guided relay), u.s. publication no. 2010/0053591 (disclosing image projection technology), u.s. publication no. 2009/0180195 (disclosing heads-up display and imaging systems), u.s. publication no. 201 1/0043644 (disclosing devices and methods for providing localized image enhancements in a heads-up display), u.s. patent no. 7,740,353 (disclosing a direct retinal projection heads-up display), u.s. patent no. 7,639,209 (disclosing structures and methods related to retinal projection), u.s. patent no. 7,631 ,968 (disclosing devices for heads-up displays), u.s. patent no. 7,249,846 (disclosing a heads-up display device), u.s. patent no. 7,192,137 (disclosing heads-up display devices), u.s. patent no. 7,358,096 (disclosing heads-up display and transmission devices), u.s. patent no. 7,023,621 (disclosing images superimposed on field of view), u.s. patent no. 5,369,415 (disclosing direct retinal projection), u.s. patent no. 5,596,339 (disclosing retinal display using a fiber optic point source), the entireties of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. [0165] referring now to figures 44-49, various eyewear are illustrated in which embodiments of the system are utilized to provide a heads-up display. the above discussion of the interchangeability, articulation, and structure(s) of above-noted embodiments of the module will not be repeated here for brevity, but further embodiments discussed in figures 44-49 will be understood to be capable of providing the interchangeability, articulation, and structure(s) of those embodiments discussed above. thus, in some embodiments, a module having a mechanical clamp can be provided with visual display capabilities. further, in some embodiments the module can be adjustable in three dimensions (xyz adjustability) to adjust a position of a heads-up display device. further, in any of the embodiments discussed herein, a heads-up display can comprise one or more display units or devices to provide visual information for one or both eyes of the wearer, whether the eyewear comprises a unitary or dual lens system. |0166] further, the module can include one or more articulation mechanisms, such as an articulating arm, to allow adjustable positioning of a visual display device and/or and earphone relative to the module. thus, some embodiments of the modules can incorporate audio or video input or output, devices that can be manually adjustable to allow the user fine adjustment to optimize the position of an audio or visual input or output of the moduie(s), [0167] for example, in figure 44, an embodiment of a module 400 incorporating a heads-up display is shown. as with other embodiments discussed herein, the module 400 can incorporate onboard electronics that are configured to drive a visual display 402 that can be coupled to the module 400. the module 400 can include memory and/or a transceiver configured to send and receive data signals that can be used to provide a visual output through the visual display 402. as discussed above, the module 400 can be removably connected to eyewear, such as to an ear stem 404 of an eyeglass 406, as shown. [0168] further, the visual display 402 can be interconnected with the module 400 with an articulating arm 410. the articulating arm 410 can comprise any of the structures or capabilities such as those discussed in u.s. patent no. 7,740,353, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. as illustrated, the visual display 402 can provide or define a viewing surface or plane 412 at which an image can be displayed and spaced from the wearer's eye. the embodiment shown in figure 44 illustrates that the viewing device 412 can be positioned anteriorly relative to a lens of the eyewear. in some embodiments, the viewing device 412 can be adjustable such that, it, can be spaced at least about 2 inches and/or less than or equal to about 7 inches from the wearer's eye. further, the viewing device 412 can be spaced at least about 3 inches and/or less than or equal to about 5 inches from the wearer's eye. further, the viewing device can be adjustable within a radius of at least about 1 inch and/or less than or equal to about, 4 inches from the wearer's straight ahead line of sight 418. [0169] figure 45 illustrates another embodiment of a module 420 that is capable of providing a heads-up display for an eyeglass 422. similar to the module 400 discussed above in figure 44, the module 420 can provide a visual display 430 having or defining a viewing device 432 that can be interconnected with the module 420 by an articulating arm 434. this embodiment illustrates that the viewing device 432 can be positioned posteriorly relative to a lens of the eyewear. as with the embodiment shown in figure 44, the viewing device 432 can also be adjusted within a desirable range per wearer specification. [0170] in addition, the viewing devices 412, 432 can be configured as a display surface or as a beam projector for retinal projection. as noted above, the viewing devices 412, 432 can be adjusted relative to the eyewear in order to allow a viewing plane to be provided in front of or behind a lens of the eyewear. further, the viewing devices 412, 432 can define a real or virtual viewing plane. [0171] in addition, the articulating amis 410, 434, the visual displays 402, 430, and/or components thereof can be configured to provide movement along and/or rotation about all three dimensional axes. for example, the visual displays 402, 430 can be configured to tilt (rotation about the x-axis), roll (rotation about the z-axis), or pivot (rotation about the y-axis), as well as to move in the direction of any of the x, y, or z axes. this movement can be accomplished through the use of, for example, ball and socket joints, pivot joints, bendable, moldable, or pliant materials, telescoping components, and the like. further, the articulating arms 410, 434, the visual displays 402, 430, and/or components thereof can be configured to be constrained from movement along and/or rotation about one or more of the three dimensional axes. in some embodiments, one or more degrees of movement can be restrained while permitting movement in another degree(s) of movement. [0172] figure 46 illustrates an embodiment of a module 440 that can be configured to drive an optical device 442 that is positioned on, embedded within, or provided as a lens 444 of eyewear, such as an eyeglass 446. this embodiment illustrates that a viewing surface or plane can be positioned along a surface of the lens of the eyewear. [0173] the optical device 442 can comprise one or more visual display units. the visual display unit can comprise a thin display device, such as an oled display or otherwise, which can provide a real or virtual image for the wearer. the optical device 442 can also incorporate light attenuation technology, such as electronic variable light attenuation. in some embodiments, the optical device 442 can be fitted onto a front or rear surface of the lens 444 to provide a permanent or removable engagement with the lens 444. the optical device 442 can be interconnected with the module 440 by a conduit 450. the conduit 450, as with other conduits used for articulating arms of embodiments discussed above, can comprise optical fiber(s) and/or data cable(s) and the like to drive the optical device 442. the conduit 450 can be interconnected with the eyewear using a jack for transmitting data [0174] figure 47 illustrates another embodiment of a module 460 in which the module is used to drive one or more display devices 462. the module 460 can be interconnected with the display device(s) 462 using a conduit 470. as with other conduits discussed herein, the conduit 470 can be interconnected with the eyewear using a jack for transmitting data. [0175] similar to the embodiment illustrated in figure 46, the display devices 462 can be positioned on, embedded within, or provided as at least a portion of a lens 464, 466 of the eyewear. in this embodiment, the display device 462 can comprise a projector operative to provide retinal projection. with regard to the placement of the display device, for example, the display device 462 can be positioned at any variety of locations on the lens 464. in some embodiments, the display device 462 can be positioned relative to the straight ahead line of sight within a range of acceptance. for example, the display device 462 can be positioned at least about 0.25 inches and/or less than or equal to about 2 inches from the point at which the wearer's straight ahead line of sight passes through the lens 464. further, the display device 462 can be positioned along a lower half of the lens 464. [0176] the embodiments illustrated in figures 46-47 also illustrate that a removable module can be used with eyewear that is pre-fitted with visual display equipment. for example, the lens(es) of the eyewear can be provided with visual display device(s) that can provide a display for the user by utilizing electronics, memory, power, and/or data from the module. [0177] thus, in some embodiments, the module can be removed or mounted onto the eyewear such that the wearer can enjoy the benefit, of certain audio and/or visual functions, data, and/or interactive capabilities. embodiments can be provided in which a plurality of modules can be interchanged with eyewear in order to manipulate or change the functionality of the eyewear. for example, some modules can be preloaded to support gaming activities, such as by allowing the eyewear to access and/or play video, memory, and/or wireless connectivity with other devices. further, some modules can he configured to receive interchangeable memory cards, such as sd cards and the like, which can allow the module to access different programs or memory, as understood by those of skill in the art. |0178] figure 48 illustrates another embodiment of a module 480 in which the module comprises an electronic interconnection device 482. in this embodiment, a clip 484 of the module 480 can be used to not only mount the module 480 onto the eyewear, but can also electronically couple the module 480 with the eyewear. for example, and the ear stem 490 of the eyewear can comprise one or more connection points 492 which extend partially or across the entire length of the ear stem. the electronic interconnection device 482 can be electronically coupled with the connection point 492 when the clip 484 is moved to a closed position in which the module 480 is mounted onto the ear stem 490. such an embodiment can minimize the presence of conduit or wiring visible on the eyewear. further, conduit or wiring can be provided that extends intermediate the connection point 492 and one or more display devices of the lens(es). [0ϊ79] some embodiments of the module disclosed herein can also provide image stabilization. the module can comprise an accelerometer device configured to detect movement of the eyeglass. in response to an output of the accelerometer, the module can correspondingly adjust the placement or location of an image or visual produced for the wearer. n general, bouncing or shaking of eyewear is not detected wearers when used in vigorous activities because the lens(es) is transparent and movement of the lens relative to the eye is generally imperceptible. however, wearers using an embodiment of the module providing a visual display could see a shaky display during in a vigorous activity. thus, some embodiments disclosed herein enable the module to account for shaking or vibration of the eyeglass to ensure that the image or visual display is generally stabilized relative to the straight ahead line of sight of the wearer. thus, the wearer may detect very little movement of the image or visual display even though the eyeglass is shaking or vibrating during use. further, the image stabilization can be utilized for displaying or recording an image using the display device(s) or image recording deviee(s). various methods and apparatus is have been disclosed for providing optical and/or mechanical image stabilization, such as u.s. publication nos. 201 1/0013283, 2010/0118402, 2009/0213236, 2009/0128700, 2009/0040361 , 2008/0246694, and u.s. patent nos. 7,893,965, and 7,856,173, the entireties of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. [0180] in some embodiments, the module can comprise one or more hardware and/or software components for managing which of a plurality of data sources is connected to the wearable device. in some embodiments, one or more audiovisual data sources can provide audio input through a speaker, and video input through either opaque or see through heads-up display technology which can be incorporated into eyeglasses, helmets or other head wear. [0181] a variety of other data sources are known, which require some form of audio or video input to a user, such as display screens on persona] digital assistants, blackberry® type communication devices, and others. [0182] each of the foregoing devices require an interface for providing audio or visual data to the user, and, where relevant, for receiving audio information from the user for inputting into the device. at the present time, the use of multiple data sources requires the user to switch between any of a variety of user interfaces, in accordance with the particular device sought to be used at a particular time. [0183] there remains a need for better management of input, signals from multiple data sources, which will allow the user to more conveniently select input from any of a variety of sources. [0184] in accordance with a further aspect of some embodiments, there is provided a wearable electronically enabled interface system, for providing audio and or video input to the wearer from at least two sources. the system comprises a wearable support, for carrying at least a portion of the interface. at least one data port is carried by the support, for receiving data from at least a first and optionally a second source. a. selector is provided, enabling the wearer to direct data from a desired one of the first and second sources to the interface. [0185] the wearable support may comprise an eyeglass frame, a goggle frame, a helmet, or other user-wearable support structure. the data port may comprise a radiofrequencv receiver or transceiver. the interface may comprise at least one speaker, and, in certain implementations, the interface comprises two speakers. the interface may additionally comprise at least one microphone. the interface may further comprise a video display. the selector may comprise a wearer activated control such as a button, switch or voice activated electronic control. [0186] a modification of an audio device 510 is illustrated in figure 49, and referred to generally by the reference numeral 51 oa. components of the audio device 51 oa that are the same as the audio device 10 discussed in u.s. application publication no. 2006/0132382 (the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference) have been given the same reference numeral, except that a letter "a" has been added thereto. [0187] in the illustrated embodiment of the audio device 51 oa, the support 512a is in the form of an eyeglass 540. the eyeglass 540 comprises a frame 542 which supports left and right lenses 544, 546. although the present audio device 51 oa will be described with reference to a dual lens eyeglass, it is to be understood that the methods and principles discussed herein are readily applicable to the production of frames for unitary lens eyeglass systems and protective goggle systems as well. further, the lenses 544, 546 can be completely omitted. optionally, at least one of the lenses 544, 546 can be in the form of a view finder or a video display unit configured to be viewable by a wearer of the support 512a. [0188] an internal cavity 575, in the illustrated embodiment, is configured to receive electronics such as a printed circuit board 576. in the illustrated embodiment, the printed circuit board 576 includes one switch for each of the buttons 573c, 573d, and 573e. additionally, the printed circuit board 576 can include an audio and/or video file storage and playback device 577. [0189j the device 577 [as shown in figure 50] can be configured to store and playback any desired type of electronic audio and/or video file. in the illustrated embodiment, the device 577 includes a memory, an amplifier, and a processor. the memory, amplifier, and the processor are configured to operate together to function as an audio storage and playback system. for example, the audio storage and playback system can be configured to store mps files in a memory and to play back the mps files through the speakers 514a', 516 a', suitable electronics for enabling and amplifying mp3 storage and playback are well known in the art, and may be commercially available from sigmatel, inc. or atmei, inc. thus, further description of the hardware and software for operating the device 286 as a storage and playback device is not necessary for one of ordinary ski ll in the art to make and use the inventions disclosed herein. [0190] advantageously, the printed circuit board 576 also includes or is in electrical communication with a data transfer port 578. in the illustrated embodiment, a housing 579 includes an aperture (not shown) disposed in a position similar to the position of the aperture 272 on the housing 250 (as discussed in u.s. application publication no. 2006/0132382, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference). in the housing 579, however, the aperture is aligned with the data transfer port 578, thus, when the printed circuit board 576 is received in the internal cavity 575, the data transfer port 578 can be aligned with the aperture. [0191] as illustrated in figure 51 , an audio device 5 i oc can be worn on the head 518 of a user u. preferably, the audio device 5 ioc is configured to provide one or two-way wireless communication with a source device, or the source device can be incorporated into the audio device 510c. the source device can be carried by the user u, mounted to a moveable object, stationary, or part of a local area or personal area network. [0192] the user u can carry a "body borne" source device b such as, for example, but without limitation, a cellular phone, an p3 player, a "two-way" radio, a palmtop computer, or a laptop computer. as such, the user u can use the audio device 5 i oc to receive and listen to audio signals from the source device b, and/or transmit audio signals to the source device b. optionally, the audio device 5 ioc can also be configured to transmit and receive data signals to and from the source device b, described in greater detail below. [0193] optionally, the device b can also be configured to communicate, via long or short range wireless networking protocols, with a remote source r. the remote source r can be, for example, but without limitation, a cellular phone service provider, a satellite radio provider, or a wireless internet sendee provider. for example, but without limitation, the source device b can be configured to communicate with other wireless data networks such as via, for example, but without limitation, long-range packet- switc ed network protocols including pcs, gsm, and gprs. as such, the audio device 5 ioc can be used as an audio interface for the source device b. for example, but without limitation, where the source device b is a cellular phone, the user u can listen to the audio output of the cellular phone, such as the voice of a caller, through sound transducers in the audio device 51 oc. optionally, the user u can send voice signals or commands to the cellular phone by speaking into a microphone on the audio device 5 ioc, described in greater detail below. thus, the audio device 5 i oc may advantageously be a receiver and/or a transmitter for telecommunications. [0194] in general, the component configuration of figure 51 enables the audio device 5 ioc to carry interface electronics with the user, such as audio output and audio input. however, the source electronics such as the mps player, cellular phone, computer or the like may be off board, or located remotely from the audio device 5 i oc. this enables the audio device 5 ioc to accomplish complex electronic functions, while retaining a sleek, low weight configuration. thus, the audio device 5 ioc is in communication with the off board source electronics device b. the off board source device b may be located anywhere within the working range of the audio device 5 i oc. in many applications, the source electronics b will be carried by the wearer, such as on a belt clip, pocket, purse, backpack, shoe, integrated with "smart" clothing, or the like. this accomplishes the function of off loading the bulk and weight of the source electronics from the headset. [0195j the source electronics b may also be located within a short range of the wearer, such as within the room or same building. for example, personnel in an office building or factory may remain in contact with each, and with the cellular telephone system, internet or the like by positioning transmitter/receiver antenna for the off board electronics b throughout the hallways or rooms of the building. in shorter range, or personal applications, the out board electronics b may be the form of a desktop unit, or other device adapted for positioning within relatively short (e.g. no greater than about 10 feet, no greater than about, 20 feet, no greater than about 50 feet, no greater than 100 feet) of the user during the normal use activities. [0196] in all of the foregoing constructions of the invention, the off board electronics b ma}' communicate remotely with the remote source r. source r may be the cellular telephone network, or other remote source. in this manner, the driver electronics may be off loaded from the headset, to reduce bulk, weight and power consumption characteristics. the headset, may nonetheless communicate with a remote source r, by relaying the signal through the off board electronics b with or without modification. [0197] optionally, the audio device 5 i oc can be configured to provide one or two-way communication with a stationary source device s. the stationary source device can be, for example, but without limitation, a cellular phone mounted in an automobile, a computer, or a local area network. [0198] one embodiment of an input data management system 600 in accordance with the present inventions is schematically illustrated in figure 52. the data management system 600 includes a wearable electronic interface 601 for providing data from one or more selected data sources to the wearer. the interface 601 is in communication with a primary data source 602 and optionally at least one secondary source 604. communication between the primary source 602 and any secondary source 604 and the interface 601 is accomplished via at least one communication link 606. in one embodiment, the wearable electronic mterface 601 is in communication with one, two, three, or n secondary sources 604. [0199] in general, the data input management system is configured to allow a user to select one or more data sources, to be placed either simultaneously or one at a time into electrical communication with a single user interface. this allows the wearer to obtain the benefits of multiple input sources, without the need to replace or make any changes to the interface. as will be discussed in greater detail below, the user may select only a single data source for connection to the interface. alternatively, the user may select one source as a primary input source and a second source as the secondary input source. the interface ma}' toggle between the input sources, to provide input to the user either automatically, or in response to demand by the user or other electronic prioritization system. [0200] the primary source 602 and secondary source 604 may be any source, conduit, or provider of audio, video or audio/video information selected by the wearer or by the manufacturer. the examples identified below will therefore be designated generically as source electronics. for example, the source electronics may include a computing device, such as a computer, a server, a network, drive, ram, rom or other non-removabie or removable memory chip. [0201] the source electronics may alternatively comprise a digital audio player, such as an mp3 player, an ipqd®, or a multimedia player such as a portable dvd player where the audio track is to be routed to the support. [0202] any of a variety of current electronic devices can be converted into wireless source electronics for use in the present system. for example, a device such as a portable dvd player is conventionally provided with internal speakers and a headphone jack for enabling wired connection to an external headphone. the portable dvd player can be converted for use as a source in the system of the present inventions by providing a bluetooth or other radio fi'equency transmitter and power supply in a small housing, provided with an externally projecting plug of a size corresponding to the earphone jack. the converter can be plugged into the external earphone or external speaker jack of any conventional source of electrical signal, and convert the source into a bluetooth or other rf enabled signal source for use with the interface with the present invention. 10203] the source electronics may be a microphone or a radio, such as a terrestrial-based or satellite-based radio, including xm® or sir1us® brand satellite radios. in other embodiments, the source electronics may be a telephone, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (pda), a blackberry®, or a pager. a variety of currently available devices, for example, a blackberry®, pager, any of a variety of pda 's and e- mail enabled devices such as notebook computers provide incoming text messages. in one aspect of the present inventions any of these text message devices is provided with text to voice software, enabling the text to be read out loud. this enables the user to listen to a primary source such as music, or the sound track from a portable dvd player, and incoming e-mails will be read out loud to the wearer, while the primary source is either placed on pause, or remains running in the background. text to voice software can either be carried by the support, or carried by the underlying source such as the blackberry® or other pda. [0204] the source electronics may be external to the wearable electronic interface 601 , as illustrated in figure 52, in which case the communication link 606 ma}' either be a direct electrical coupling (for example hard wiring, or inductive coupling through the body), or wireless. [0205] wireless source electronics may be infrared enabled or radiofrequency- communication enabled, such as bluetooth enabled. for example, in one embodiment, the source includes a bluetooth enabled cellular telephone, although any of the source electronics described herein may be radiofrequency-eommunication enabled. [0206] the source electronics may alternatively be carried by or internal to (carried in a cavity or alternatively embedded within) the wearable electronic interface 601. for example the primary source 602 may include a digital audio player, such as an mp3 player or other memory device, which is attached to or located within the frame of a pair of eyeglasses. electronically-enabled eyewear as a wearable electronic interface 601 is described in greater detail herein. the secondary source may be a cell phone, gps device or other external device which is in radio communication as needed, with the interface. the primary and secondary sources can both be completely contained on the wearable interface, such as built into or carried by a pair of eyewear. [0207] the source electronics may provide substantially discrete packets of information, or may provide a substantially continuous stream of information to the wearable electronic interface 601. information packet sizes may be varied depending upon the communication link 606 used to transfer information from the source to the wearable electronic interface 601. [0208] in further embodiments, the source electronics may include a video source, or an audio/video source. for example, in one embodiment, the source includes a camera for real time viewing of a remote location or viewing direction, or a video playback device such as a dvd or vcr or solid state video storage device. the source electronics may alternatively be a t ner, a television receiver, or any other device capable of providing a signal indicative of still or moving images. in one embodiment, the primary source 602 provides a photograph, a video clip, an email, a videomail or a voicemail message in accordance with any of the embodiments described herein. [0209] any of the source electronics identified above can be selected as the primary source 602 or secondary source 604. the secondary source 604 communicates with the wearable electronic interface 601 via a communication link 606 as well. secondary source 604 and primary source 602 may also include any content source 302 described in greater detail below with respect to figure 54. [0210] the communication link 606 is any device, technology or information conduit for providing communication between two or more electronic components. for example, in one embodiment, the communication link 606 includes a physical connection, such as a wire, cable, fiberoptic cable, or trace on a pc board. such communication links 606 include usb, serial, rs-232, ieee- 1394, and fire wire cables. [0211] in another embodiment, the communication link 606 includes a wireless coupling, such as radiofrequency (rf), infrared (ir), acoustic, or optical coupling. such communication links 606 include bluetooth and other wireless communications protocols and their associated hardware, as is well known to those of skill in the art. communication link 606 includes any communications link 306 described in greater detail below with reference to figure 54. [0212] referring again to figure 52, in one embodiment, the system 600 comprises a wearable electronic interface 601. in one embodiment, the wearable electronic interface 601 is any electronic device that may be worn by a wearer, and that, provides an interface between an information source, such as primary source 602 and secondary source 604, and the wearer. [0213] in one embodiment, the wearable electronic interface 601 is electronically enabled eyewear including audio, video or audio-video interface capabilities such as described in greater detail elsewhere herein. however, wearable electronic interface 601 may be any wearable device, and may be in the form of any wearable support structure, including a wristwatch, armband, jewelry, headwear and clothing. examples of such wearable electronic interface 601 clothing include headphones, ear phones, a hat, helmet, goggles, mask, visor, headband, hair band, shirt, scarf, sweater, jacket, belt, pants, vest, etc. [0214] the wearable electronic interface 601 generally includes a data port 608, a selector 610, and an audio output 612. in addition, in some embodiments, the wearable electronic interface 601 further includes a video output 614, an audio input 616, and/or a video input 618, [0215] the data port 608 is any device capable of receiving information from a primary source 602 (or secondary source 604) via its associated communication link 606. for example, in one embodiment, the data port 608 is a physical connector such as a mini- usb connector depending upon the nature of the communication link 606. in such embodiment, the primary source 602 or secondary source 604 might be coupled to the wearable electronic interface 601 via a usb cable having a mating mini-usb connector on at least one of its ends. in another embodiment, the data port 608 includes a wireless transceiver for providing wireless communication between the primary source 602 (or secondary source 604) and the wearable electronic interface 601. for example, in one embodiment, the data port 608 includes a bluetooth receiver or transceiver. the data port 608 includes any data port 308 described in greater detail below with respect to figure δδ. [0216] in one embodiment, the data port 608 is able to communicate with multiple source devices 602, 604, either simultaneously, sequentially or serially. for example, in one embodiment, the data port 608 is a bluetooth transceiver that is configured to communicate with more than one bluetooth enabled source device (e.g., a telephone and an mp3 player). [0217] outputs from data port 608 are provided to a selector 610, which selects the source to be provided to the wearer of the wearable electronic interface 601 at any particular time. the selector 610 may be any of a variety of switching devices suitable for switching between multiple electronic input sources. [0218] the selector 610 may include a mechanical, electrical, or an electromechanical switch. for example, in one embodiment, the selector 610 includes a manually operable control such as a toggle switch, a rocker switch, a jumper, a dial, a button, a knob, or a combination thereof. in another embodiment, the selector 610 includes an electronically operable control such as a transistor, a bank of transistors, a relay, a circuit, logic, a ram, a rom, a pld, an eprom, an eeprom, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a multiplexor, a demultiplexer, or a combination thereof. in addition, the selector 610 may be a voice- activated switch, or a voice-activated control that controls selection between primary and secondary sources 602, 604 based upon verbal commands provided by the wearer. [0219] the selector 610 may also be coupled to an audio output 612, a video output 614, an audio input 616, and a video input 618 depending upon the desired functionality of the system. the audio output 612 includes any device suitable for providing an audio signal to the wearer of the wearable electronic interface 601. for example, the audio output 612 may include a speaker, including a bone conduction speaker, a buzzer, a beeper, an alarm, or any other device that produces an audible signal, [0220] the selector 610 may be located on the wearable electronic interface 601 , or may be remote from it. for example, in one embodiment, the w earable electronic interface 601 includes a pair of electronically enabled eyeglasses, and the selector 610 comprises a manually activated control such as a button or touch pad located on an earstem, an orbital or the bridge, or on a remote associated component, such as the cell phone or a wristwatch. any other wearable electronic interface 601 or selector 610 location may be utilized. [0221] the video output 614 includes any device suitable for providing a video signal to the wearer of the selector 610. for example, in one embodiment, the video output 614 includes a light, a lamp, an led, or any of a variety of image displays such as a screen, a display, a monitor, a head-mounted display, or any other device that produces a visible signal or image. [0222] the audio input 616 of the wearable electronic interface 601 includes n}' device suitable for converting an audible signal into an electronic signal that can be processed or carried by the wearable electronic interface 601 . for example, in one embodiment, the audio input 616 includes a microphone, including a bone conduction microphone. 223] the video input 618 of the wearable electronic interface 601 includes any device suitable for converting an image, or visual information into an electronic signal that, can be processed or carried by the wearable electronic interface 601. for example, in one embodiment, the video input 618 includes a camera, a still camera, or a video camera. see generally u.s. patent no. 6,349,001 to spitzer, entitled eyeglass interface system, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. [0224] in one embodiment, during operation, the wearer of the wearable electronic interface 601 manually selects which input source 602, 604 is placed in communication with the interface output. the wearer can switch input sources by activation of the selector at any time. in another embodiment, the wearable electronic interface 601 automatically selects the particular input source 602, 604 for communication based upon a prioritization schedule configured by the wearer, [0225] in one embodiment of manual selection operation, the primary source 602 coupled to the wearable electronic interface 601 is an mp3 player, and the secondary source 604 is a bluetooth enabled cellular telephone. in this embodiment, the wearer listens to mp3 audio provided by the primary source 602 through audio output 612 (e.g., speakers) coupled to the wearable electronic interface 601. various embodiments of such wearable electronic interfaces 601 containing or carrying mp3 or other digital audio players are discussed in greater detail herein. [θ226] in manual selection operation, when a telephone call is received via a secondary source 604, the secondary source 604 sends a signal or an alarm to the wearer to inform the wearer that an incoming call is occurring. the signal or alarm may be an audio signal provided by the audio output 612, it may be a visual signal, such as a flashing light, provided by the video output 614, a conventional vibrator or cell phone "ring" or it may be a combination of signals. in one embodiment, the signal includes caller identification information. [0227] if the wearer determines that he would like to answer the incoming telephone call, the wearer activates the selector 610 using any mechanism described above. for example, in one embodiment, the wearer presses a button on the selector 610 to accept the incoming call from the secondary source 604, and to simultaneously pause, stop, mute, or partially decrease the playback volume from the primary source 602. [0228] when the selector 610 is activated, information from the secondary source 604 is provided through the associated communication link 606 and data port 608 to the selector 610. the selector 610 routes the communication from the secondary source 604 to the audio output 612 so that the wearer can hear the incoming call without having to remove or adjust the wearable electronic interface 601. [0229] in addition, the selector 610 includes sufficient logic to know that when an incoming telephone call is being received from a source 602, 604, the audio input 616 (e.g., microphone) of the wearable electronic interface 601 will be activated to provide communication from the wearer back to the secondary source 604, similarly, if the source electronics selected by the user carries video signals, the selector 610 additionally activates the video display carried by the eyeglasses or other support structure, if the source electronics selected by the user or automatically by the selector 610 includes only an audio signal, the microphone and video display, if present, remain dormant. [0230] when the telephone call is terminated, the wearable electronic interface 601 may be configured to resume playback of the mp3 file, to increase the playback volume to previous levels, or to take no further action. the wearer may customize wearable electronic interface 601 operation as desired. [0231 ] with reference to figures 51 , 53a, and 54b, in another embodiment, the audio device 5 ioc is advantageously adapted to support any of a variety of portable electronic circuitry or devices which have previously been difficult to incorporate into conventional headsets due to bulk, weight or other considerations. for example, but without limitation, the electronics are digital or other storage devices and retrieval circuitry such as for retrieving music or other information from mps format memory or other memory devices. the audio device 5 i oc can cany any of a variety of receivers and/or transmitters, such as transceiver 630. for example, but without limitation, the audio device 5 ioc can cany receivers and/or transmitters for music or for global positioning. in another example, the audio device 510(3 can carry receivers and/or transmitters for telecommunications (e.g., telecommunications devices). as used herein, the term "telecommunications devices" is intended to include telephone components as well as devices for communicating with a telephone. for example, "telecommunications devices" can include one or more transceivers for transmitting an audio signal to a cellular phone to be transmitted by the cellular phone as the speaker's voice, and/or for receiving an audio signal from a cellular phone representing a caller's voice. of course, other audio, video, or data signals can be transmitted between the audio device 5 i oc and such a cellular phone through such transceivers. [0232] in other embodiments, drivers and other electronics for driving heads-up displays, such as liquid crystal displays or other miniature display technology can also be carried by the audio device 51 oc. the power source 632 can be carried by the audio device 5 ioc. for example, without limitation, the power source 632 can advantageously be replaceable or rechargeable. other electronics or mechanical components can additionally be carried by the audio device 5 i oc. in other embodiments, the audio device 5 ioc can also be utilized solely to support any of the foregoing or other electronics components or systems, without also supporting one or more lenses in the wearer's field of view. thus, in any of the embodiments of the audio devices disclosed herein, the lenses and/or lens orbitals can be omitted as will be apparent to those of skill in the art in view of the disclosure herein. [0233] with reference to figures 51 , 53 a, and 53b, in another embodiment, the transceiver 630 is adapted to employ a wide variety of technologies, including wireless communication such as rf, ir, ultrasonic, laser or optical, as well as wired and other communications technologies. in one embodiment, a body-lan radio is employed. other embodiments can employ a flexible-circuit design. many commercially available devices can be used as transceiver 630. for example, without limitation, texas instruments, national semiconductor, motorola manufacture and develop single rf transceiver chips, which can use, for example, 0.18 micron, 1.8 v power technologies and 2,4 ghz transmission capabilities. of course, a variety of transceiver specifications are available and usable, depending on the particular embodiment envisioned. in another implementation, other commercially available products operating at 900 mhz to 1.9 ghz or more can be used. data rates for information transfer to wearable or other type computing devices will vary with each possible design. in a preferred implementation, a data rate is sufficient for text display. rf products, and other products, ultimately will be capable of updating a full-color display and have additional capabilities as well. thus, heads~up displays, such as liquid crystal displays or other miniature display technology described above can be employed. [0234] an audio network 300 in accordance with another embodiment of the present inventions is illustrated in figure 54. audio network 700 includes a content source 702 coupled to an audio device 704 via communications link 706. the content source 702 is any of a variety of information sources, including, but not limited to, radio stations and/or signals, a satellite radio source, a computer, a network, a storage device, such as a hard drive, a memory card, or a usb (universal serial bus) drive, an audio component (e.g. , a stereo receiver, a cd player, a tuner, an mps player, a digital audio player, etc.), a database, and/or a communications-enabled device, such as a telephone (including a bluetooth enabled telephone), a pda, a blackberry, the internet, or the like. the content provided by the content source 702 may be any of a variety of information, including but not limited to, audio files, entertainment, news, media, music, photos, videos, advertising, etc. [0235] the audio device 704 may be any of the audio devices described above with respect to figures 1 -19 of u.s. application publication no. 2006/0132382, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference, or may include any of the audio devices described below. in one embodiment, audio device 704 is electronically enabled eyewear, as discussed herein. audio device 704 is coupled to content, source 702 via communications link 706. communications link 706 may be any of a variety of information conduits known to those of skill in the art, including: a cable, a wire, a conductor, a bus, an rf signal, a radio signal, a satellite signal, a bluetooth signal, etc. in one embodiment, the communications link 706 includes a usb, mini-usb, usb-to-rnini-usb, firewire, ieee 1394, rs232, scsi, or any other cable. in one embodiment, the communications link 706 is temporarily attached to the audio device 704 for the transfer of content from the content source 702 to the audio device 704. in another embodiment, the communications link 706 is a retractabl e cable mounted at least partially inside of the audio device 704. [0236] in one embodiment, the audio network 700 is configured for the downloading of music from the content source 702 (e.g. , a user's computer) to the audio device 704. in another embodiment, the audio network 700 is configured for the uploading of content stored within the audio device 704 to the content source 702, [0237] one embodiment of the audio device 704 is illustrated in figure 54. audio device 704 generally includes a data port 708, data interface 710, processor 712, digital-to-analog converter 714, speaker drivers 716, and speakers 718. in addition, audio device 704 generally also includes a control interface 720, user controls 722, display/indicator drivers 724, display/indicators 726, power module 728, and memory module 730; however, any one or more of these components may be combined. for example, in one embodiment, data interface 710, control interface 720, display /indicator drivers 724, digital-to-analog converter 714, and speaker drivers 716 are combined with processor 712 into a single component. [0238] the display/indicator drivers 724 are generally amplifiers or other drivers known to those of skill in the art, useful for driving or activating display/indicators 726. in one embodiment, the display/indicator drivers 724 receive signals from the processor 712 and generate drive signals to turn on or off display elements of the display/indicators 726, in one embodiment, the display/indicators 726 include an led, lcd, light, tone, sound, beep, vibration, or other such display or indicator, or other indicators known to those of skill in the art. in one embodiment, the display/indicators 726 indicate a song selection, a power level, a volume, a remaining battery life, an artist, a song title, a time remaining during the playback of an audio file, a duration of an audio file's playback, or any other data related to an audio data file. [0239] although these inventions have been disclosed in the context of a certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present inventions extend beyond the specifically disclosed embodiment to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the inventions and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. in particular, while the present support, assembly, support, detachable module and methods have been described in the context of a particularly preferred embodiment, the skilled artisan will appreciate, in view of the present disclosure, that certain advantages, features and aspects of the support assembly, support, detachable module and method may be realized in a variety of other devices. additionally, it, is contemplated that various aspects and features of the inventions described can be practiced separately, combined together, or substituted for one another, and that a variety of combination and sub-combinations of the features and aspects can be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. thus, it is intended that the scope of the present, inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiment described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that foll ow .
|
166-501-217-211-702
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
H01L21/768,H01L21/8239,H01L23/48,H01L25/065
| 1999-09-24T00:00:00 |
1999
|
[
"H01"
] |
method of fabricating a three-dimensional system-on-chip and its structure
|
a three-dimensional system-on-chip structure comprises a plurality of chips and a plurality of plugs respectively fabricated in the chips. the chips are stacked on top of each other and each includes a periphery circuitry region. a plurality of contact pads is fabricated in each of the periphery circuitry regions. the plugs are formed in the corresponding stacked chips, and are electrically connected to the corresponding contact pads of two of the corresponding chips which are adjacent to each other, or two of the corresponding chips which are not adjacent to each other.
|
1 . a method to fabricate a three-dimensional system-on-chip, comprising the steps of: providing a first chip having a periphery circuitry region, and a plurality of first contact pads forming in a surface of the periphery circuitry region; adhering a second chip on the first chip, the second chip having a periphery circuitry region and a plurality of second contact pads formed in a surface of the periphery circuitry region, with some of the second contact pads aligned with some of the first contact pads; forming a plurality of first plugs in the second chip, with some of the first plugs electrically connected to some of the first contact pads and some of the second contact pads; adhering a third chip on the second chip, the third chip having a periphery circuitry region and a plurality of third contact pads formed in a surface of the periphery circuitry region, with some of the third contact pads aligned with some of the first plugs and some of the second contact pads; and forming a plurality of second plugs in the third chip, with some of the second plugs electrically connected to some of the second contact pads and some of the third contact pads, and some of the second plugs electrically connected to some of the first plugs. 2 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip each includes a dram. 3 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip each includes a flash memory. 4 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip each includes a logic. 5 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip each includes a rf element. 6 . the method of claim 1 , further including an i/o bonding pad fabricated on the third chip after formation of the second plugs. 7 . the method of claim 1 , wherein some of the first contact pads are electrically connected to each other by means of an interconnect structure. 8 . the method of claim 1 , wherein some of the second contact pads are electrically connected to each other by means of an interconnect structure. 9 . the method of claim 1 , wherein some of the third contact pads are electrically connected to each other by means of an interconnect structure. 10 . the method of claim 1 , further including a grinding process performed on the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip before a fabrication of the three-dimensional system-on-chip. 11 . a three-dimensional system-on-chip structure, comprising: a plurality of chips stacked on top of each other, each of the chips having a periphery circuitry region and a plurality of contact pads fabricated in each of the periphery circuitry regions; and a plurality of plugs respectively fabricated in the chips, and passing through the corresponding chips and connecting the contact pads of the corresponding chips so that the corresponding chips are electrically connected to each other, wherein two of the chips adjacent to each other are electrically connected through the plugs and the contact pads, and by means of the plugs and the contact pads two of the chips which are not adjacent to each other are electrically connected as well. 12 . the structure of claim 11 , wherein the chips include drams. 13 . the structure of claim 11 , wherein the chips include flash memories. 14 . the structure of claim 11 , wherein the chips include logics. 15 . the structure of claim 11 , wherein the chips include rf elements. 16 . the structure of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding plugs pass through the chip, with some of the corresponding plugs connecting the contact pads of the chip to the corresponding contact pads of the adjacent chips. 17 . the structure of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding plugs pass through the chip, with some of the corresponding plugs only connecting to the corresponding contact pads of the adacent chips. 18 . the structure of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding plugs pass through the chip, with some of the corresponding plugs connecting the contact pads of the chip to the corresponding plug s of the adjacent chips. 19 . the structure of claim 11 , wherein the corresponding plugs pass therethrough, with some of the corresponding plugs only connecting to the corresponding plugs of the adjacent chips.
|
background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to a method of fabricating a system-on-chip and its structure. more particularly, the present invention relates to a method of fabricating a three-dimensional system-on-chip and its structure. 2. description of related art due to competition in the market, embedding different integrated circuits such as roms, srams, flash memories, drams, logics, digital circuits, and so on in a single chip is the current trend for manufacturing integrated circuits that are lightweight, small in size, and multi-functional, as required. this is called the system-on-chip (soc). for example, embedded flash memory is a circuit with a flash memory and a logic. however, fabrication of drams, flash memories, logics, radio frequency (rf) elements, etc. on a single chip makes the circuit layout design, which connects circuits to each other, relatively complicated. moreover, manufacturing processes for elements having different functions are not the same; the complexity and the difficulty for fabrication of the system-on-chip, which has to integrate elements having different function on a single chip, are greatly increased. therefore, the yield of the product is decreased and the production cost is increased. summary of the invention it is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating a three-dimensional system-on-chip. the method is described as follows. a first chip having a periphery circuitry region is provided, with a plurality of first contact pads formed in a surface of the periphery circuitry region. a second chip is then adhered on the first chip. the second chip includes a periphery circuitry region, with a plurality of second contact pads formed in a surface of the periphery circuitry region. some of the second contact pads are aligned with some of the first contact pads. a plurality of first plugs is formed in the second chip, with some of the first plugs electrically connected to some of the first contact pads and some of the second contact pads. then, a third chip is adhered on the second chip. the third chip includes a periphery circuitry region, with a plurality of third contact pads formed in a surface of the periphery circuitry region. some of the third contact pads are aligned with some of the first plugs and some of the second contact pads. a plurality of second plugs is formed in the third chip, with some of the second plugs electrically connected to some of the second contact pads and some of the third contact pads. also, some of the second plugs are electrically connected to some of the first plugs. a three-dimensional system-on-chip structure comprises a plurality of chips and a plurality of plugs respectively fabricated in the chips. the chips are stacked on top of each other and each includes a periphery circuitry region. a plurality of contact pads is fabricated on each of the periphery circuitry regions. the plugs are formed in the corresponding stacked chips, and electrically connected to the corresponding contact pads of two of the corresponding chips which are adjacent to each other, or two of the corresponding chips which are not adjacent to each other. because each of the differently functioning chips is manufactured by its own manufacturing process, the complexity and the difficulty for the system-on-chip fabrication can be reduced. therefore, the yield of the product is increased and the production cost is decreased. moreover, a conventional interconnect process is employed for the electrical connections between the chips, the yield of fabricating the three-dimensional system-on-chip can be greatly increased. furthermore, the differently functioning chips are not arranged on the same surface in the three-dimensional system-on-chip according to the present invention. hence, the layout area required for the system-on-chip can be reduced. also, the complexity and the difficulty for the circuitry layout design can be reduced. even further, the chips are stacked on each other and connected through the plugs, so that signal transmission paths can be shortened and performance can be increased. brief description of drawings the invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, with reference made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: figs. 1a to 1 e illustrate method steps of manufacturing a three-dimensional system-on-chip in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. detailed description of preferred embodiments references are made to figs. 1a to 1 e, which illustrate method steps of manufacturing a three-dimensional system-on-chip in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. fig. 1a shows a first chip 100 with an active circuitry region 101 a on which semiconductor elements (not shown) are formed. contact pads 102 , 103 , and 104 are formed on a periphery circuitry region 10 lb of the first chip 100 . then, after completing semiconductor element fabrication, a grinding process is performed on the first chip 100 . the first chip 100 includes a dram, a flash memory, a logic, or a rf element. the contact pads 102 , 103 , and 104 include contact pads which are electrically connected to the semiconductor elements in the active circuitry region 101 a , or contact pads which electrically connected to periphery circuitry (not shown) in the periphery circuitry region 10 lb. furthermore, by means of an interconnect structure, the contact pads 102 , 103 , and 104 can be electrically connected to each other; either two of them or all three of them are interconnected. an adhesive layer 106 is then formed on the first chip 100 , and a second chip 108 is stacked on top of the first chip 100 by means of the adhesive layer 106 . semiconductor elements (not shown) are formed on an active circuitry region 101 c of the second chip 108 . contact pads 110 , 112 , and 113 are formed on a periphery circuitry region 101 d of the second chip 108 , with the contact pads 110 , 113 of the second chip 108 aligned with the contact pads 102 , 103 of the first chip 100 , respectively. therein, a grinding process is performed on the second chip 108 after completing the semiconductor element fabrication. the second chip 108 includes a dram, a flash memory, a logic, or a rf element. the contact pads 110 , 112 , and 113 include contact pads which are electrically connected to the semiconductor elements in the active circuitry region 101 c , or contact pads which are electrically connected to periphery circuitry (not shown) in the periphery circuitry region 101 d . furthermore, by means of an interconnect structure, the contact pads 110 , 112 , and 113 can be electrically connected to each other, either two of them or all three of them are interconnected. reference is made to fig. 1 b, which illustrates formation of openings 114 , 115 and 116 in the second chip 108 . the opening 114 is formed through the contact pad 110 and a surface of the contact pad 102 is exposed. the opening 115 is formed through the contact pad 113 and a surface of the contact pad 103 is exposed. similarly, a surface of the contact pad 104 is exposed by the opening 116 . plugs 114 a , 115 a , and 116 a are then formed in the openings 114 , 115 , and 116 , respectively, and the openings 114 , 115 , and 116 are all filled up. therein, a method of manufacturing the plugs 114 a , 115 a , and 116 a comprises formation of a conductive layer (not shown) on the second chip 108 and filling the openings 114 , 115 , and 116 . by means of etching back or chemical-mechanical polishing (cmp), part of the conductive layer is removed until a surface of the second chip 108 is exposed. hence, the plugs 114 a , 115 a , and 116 a are then formed in the openings 114 , 115 , and 116 , respectively. at this time, the contact pads 102 , 103 are electrically connected to the contact pads 110 , 113 through the plugs 114 a , 115 a , respectively. in other words, the semiconductor elements (not shown) or the periphery circuitry of the first chip 100 can be electrically connected to the semiconductor elements (not shown) or the periphery circuitry of the second chip 108 by means of the plug 114 a or 115 a. reference is made to fig. 1c . an adhesive layer 118 is formed on the second chip 108 , and a third chip 120 is then stacked on top of the second chip 108 by means of the adhesive layer 118 . semiconductor elements (not shown) are formed in an active circuitry region 101 e of the third chip 120 . contact pads 122 , 123 , and 124 are formed in a periphery circuitry region 101 f of the third chip 120 , with the contact pad 124 of the third chip 120 aligned with the contact pad 104 of the first chip 100 , the contact pad 122 of the third chip 120 aligned with the contact pad 112 of the second chip 108 , and the contact pad 123 of the third chip 120 aligned with the contact pad 113 of the second chip 108 . a grinding process is performed on the third chip 120 after completing the semiconductor element fabrication. the third chip 120 includes a dram, a flash memory, a logic, or a rf element. the contact pads 122 , 123 , and 124 include contact pads which are electrically connected to the semiconductor elements in the active circuitry region 101 b , or contact pads which are electrically connected to periphery circuitry (not shown) in the periphery circuitry region 101 d . furthermore, by means of an interconnect structure, the contact pads 122 , 123 , and 124 can be electrically connected to each other, either two of them or all three of them are interconnected. reference is made to fig. 1 d, which illustrates formation of openings 126 , 127 and 128 in the third chip 120 . the opening 126 is formed through the contact pad 122 and a surface of the contact pad 112 is exposed. the opening 127 is formed through the contact pad 123 and a surface of the plug 115 a is exposed. the opening 128 is formed through the contact pad 124 and a surface of the plug 116 a is exposed. plugs 126 a , 127 a , and 128 a are then formed in the openings 126 , 127 , and 128 , respectively, and the openings 126 , 127 , and 128 are all filled. thereafter, a method of manufacturing the plugs 126 a , 127 a , and 128 a comprises formation of a conductive layer (not shown) on the third chip 120 and filling the openings 126 , 127 , and 128 . by means of etching back or chemical-mechanical polishing (cmp), parts of the conductive layer are removed until a surface of the third chip 120 is exposed. hence, the plugs 126 a , 127 a , and 128 a are then formed in the openings 126 , 127 , and 128 , respectively. at this time, the plugs 128 a and 116 a form a plug 130 . the plugs 127 a and 115 a form a plug 129 . the contact pads 112 , 113 , and 104 are electrically connected to the contact pads 122 , 123 , and 124 through the plugs 126 a , 127 a , and 130 , respectively. in other words, the semiconductor elements (not shown) or the periphery circuitry of the second chip 108 can be electrically connected to the third chip 120 by means of the plug 126 a . the semiconductor elements (not shown) or the periphery circuitry of the first chip 100 can be electrically connected to the third chip 120 by means of the plug 130 . in addition, the semiconductor elements or the periphery circuitry of the first chip 100 , the semiconductor elements or the periphery circuitry of the second chip 108 , and the semiconductor elements or the periphery circuitry of the third chip 120 can be electrically interconnected by means of the plug 129 . alternatively, electrical connections between the semiconductor elements or the periphery circuitry of the first chip 100 , the semiconductor elements or the periphery circuitry of the second chip 108 , and the semiconductor elements or the periphery circuitry of the third chip 120 can be established by the plug 114 a , which is electrically connected to the first chip 100 and the second chip 108 , the plug 126 a , which is electrically connected to the second chip 108 and the third chip 120 , and the interconnect structure between the contact pads 110 and 112 . thus, the first chip 100 , the second chip 108 , and the third chip 120 are electrically interconnected. reference is made to fig. 1e . an i/o bonding pad 134 is fabricated on the third chip 120 which completes a manufacture process of a three-dimensional system-on-chip. a method of forming the i/o bonding pads comprises formation of a protective layer 132 on the third chip 120 . the protective layer 132 is then defined to expose part of a surface of the contact pad which is used to make an electrical connection with an outside circuitry (not shown), on which the i/o bonding pad is fabricated. in the embodiment described herein, part of a surface of the contact pad 124 on the third chip 120 is exposed by a patterned protective layer 132 , which serves as the i/o bonding pad. however, in real practice, the invention is not limited to exposing only the contact pad 124 , and to serving as the only i/o bonding pad, by means of the protective layer 132 . other contact pads can be exposed by the patterned protective layer 132 , which serves as the i/o bonding pads, in accordance with actual requirement. in the embodiment described above, each chip (that is, the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip) is fabricated by its own semiconductor manufacturing process. after that, a grinding process is employed to reduce its thickness and then cut into individual chips. stacking the chips on each other is accomplished by means of adhesive layers. a conventional interconnect process is then employed to establish electrical connections between the chips. because the differently functioning chips are formed by their own manufacturing processes, the complexity and the difficulty of manufacturing the system-on-chip can both be reduced. thus, the yield is higher than in the prior art method of fabricating the system-on-chip, and the production cost is decreased. moreover, the conventional interconnect process is employed for the electrical connections between the chips, and the yield of the conventional interconnect process is larger than 95%. therefore, the yield of fabricating the three-dimensional system-on-chip can be greatly increased in accordance with the present invention. in addition, the differently functioning chips are not arranged on the same surface in the three-dimensional system-on-chip according to the present invention. hence, the layout area required for the system-on-chip can be reduced. the complexity and the difficulty for the circuitry layout design can be reduced as well. in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a three-dimensional system-on-chip is fabricated by stacking three pieces of chips (that is, the first chip, the second chip, and the third chip) on each other as an example. however, four or more layers of same chips or different chips can be stacked together according to actual requirements. furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the electrical connections between the chips are established by means of the contact pads, which are electrically connected to the semiconductor elements in the active circuitry regions, and through the plugs. however, in real practice, the contact pads are not necessarily electrically connected to the semiconductor elements in the active circuitry regions. the contact pads, which are electrically connected to the periphery circuitry in the periphery circuitry regions, can also be employed for establishing electrical connections between two adjacent chips, or two non-adjacent chips, through the plugs. method steps of fabricating a three-dimensional system-on-chip according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprise the following. a periphery circuitry, which is intended to make electrical connection to other periphery circuitry of corresponding chips, a plurality of contact pads, which are electrically connected to semiconductor elements in an active circuitry region, and a plurality of contact pads, which are electrically connected to the periphery circuitry, are fabricated in a periphery circuitry region of a chip. after completing a grinding process and a cutting process, two chips are then adhered on top of each other by means of a adhesive layer. a conventional interconnect process is employed to establish electrical connections between corresponding contact pads through plugs. hence, in a three-dimensional system-on-chip of multi-layer stacked chips, the plugs between the chips can be employed to make the electrical connections between two adjacent chips, two nonadjacent chips, or chips stacked more than two layers apart. the present invention has been disclosed using an exemplary preferred embodiment. however, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment. it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications in the present invention disclosed herein may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. the scope of the claims, therefore, should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
|
167-181-585-080-183
|
US
|
[
"US",
"JP",
"EP"
] |
A61G7/018,A61B5/00,A61B5/0205,A61B5/16,A61G7/015,G05B15/02,A61G1/017,A61G5/12,A61B5/021,A47C20/04,A61B5/024,A61B5/11,A61B5/145,A61G7/05,A61G7/16,A61M21/00,G01G19/44
| 2015-02-18T00:00:00 |
2015
|
[
"A61",
"G05",
"A47",
"G01"
] |
using patient monitoring data to control a person support apparatus
|
a person support apparatus can be adjusted to support a person in a number of different positions, including a laying-down position, a seated position, and positions intermediate the laying-down and seated positions. one or more sensors, which may be carried by, worn by or attached to the person, the person support apparatus, or another device, can be used to detect physiological responses of the person. a computing device, such as a bed controller, can generate an indication of the person's state based on one or more of the sensor inputs. the computing device can, based on the patient sate indication, cause an adjustment to the position or configuration of the person support apparatus to occur.
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1 . a person support apparatus control system comprising one or more computer devices configured to: determine a patient lucidity state based on a sensor input; determine a current angular position of a support section of a person support apparatus; and cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to a new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state. 2 . the person support apparatus control system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor input comprises data indicative of the patient's blood pressure, and the control system is configured to compute the patient lucidity state based on the data indicative of the patient's blood pressure and cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to the new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state computed based on the data indicative of the patient's blood pressure. 3 . the person support apparatus control system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor input comprises data indicative of the patient's blood oxygen saturation level, and the control system is configured to compute the patient lucidity state based on the data indicative of the patient's blood oxygen saturation level and cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to the new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state computed based on the data indicative of the patient's blood oxygen saturation level. 4 . the person support apparatus control system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor input comprises data indicative of the patient's heart rate, and the control system is configured to compute the patient lucidity state based on the data indicative of the heart rate and cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to the new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state computed based on the data indicative of the patient's heart rate. 5 . the person support apparatus control system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor input comprises data indicative of at least two of: the patient's heart rate, the patient's blood oxygen saturation level, and the patient's blood pressure; the control system is configured to compute the patient lucidity state based on a combination of at least two of the patient's heart rate, the patient's blood oxygen saturation level, and the patient's blood pressure; and the control system is configured to cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to the new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state computed based on the data indicative of at least two of the patient's heart rate, the patient's blood oxygen saturation level, and the patient's blood pressure. 6 . the person support apparatus control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer devices is further configured to compare the patient lucidity state to a previously-determined patient lucidity state and move the support section of the patient support apparatus to an inclined position if the comparison of the patient lucidity state to the previously-determined patient lucidity state is indicative of an increase in the patient's lucidity. 7 . the person support apparatus control system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer devices is further configured to compare the patient lucidity state to a previously-determined patient lucidity state and move the support section of the patient support apparatus toward a flat position if the comparison of the patient lucidity state to the previously-determined patient lucidity state is indicative of a decrease in the patient's lucidity. 8 . a person support apparatus having articulating head and foot sections, the patient support apparatus configured to: raise a head section in response to patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity; and lower the head section in response to patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. 9 . the person support apparatus of claim 8 , configured to lower the foot section in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity. 10 . the person support apparatus of claim 9 , configured to cooperatively lower the foot section and raise the head section in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity. 11 . the person support apparatus of claim 8 , configured to raise the foot section in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. 12 . the person support apparatus of claim 11 , configured to cooperatively raise the foot section and lower the head section in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. 13 . the person support apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a lift mechanism to adjust the vertical height of the person support apparatus, wherein the person support apparatus is configured to decrease the vertical height of the person support apparatus in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity. 14 . the person support apparatus of claim 13 , configured to cooperatively lower the foot section, raise the head section, and lower the vertical height of the patient support apparatus in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity. 15 . the person support apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a lift mechanism to adjust the vertical height of the person support apparatus, wherein the person support apparatus is configured to increase the vertical height of the person support apparatus in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. 16 . the person support apparatus of claim 15 , configured to cooperatively raise the foot section, lower the head section, and increase the vertical height of the patient support apparatus in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. 17 . the person support apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the person support apparatus comprises a siderail, and the person support apparatus is configured to raise the siderail in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. 18 . the person support apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the person support apparatus comprises a torso section, and the person support apparatus is configured to adjust an angle defined by the head section and the torso section in response to a change in the patient lucidity data. 19 . the person support apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the person support apparatus comprises a torso section, and the person support apparatus is configured to adjust a first angle defined by the head section and the torso section and a second angle defined by the foot section and the torso section, in response to a change in the patient lucidity data. 20 . a method for adjusting the position of a person support apparatus having at least a head section and a foot section, in response to changes in patient state, the method comprising, with one or more computing devices, over time: obtaining a plurality of patient physiological inputs; determining a patient state based on at least two of the patient physiological inputs; detecting changes in the patient state; and progressively adjusting the angular position of the head and foot sections of the person support apparatus in accordance with the detected changes in the patient state. 21 . the method of claim 20 , further comprising progressively moving the head and foot sections to a bed position as the patient state declines, and progressively moving the head and foot sections to a chair position as the patient state improves. 22 . the method of claim 20 , further comprising generating an alert indicative of a change in the patient state, and transmitting the alert to another device. 23 . the method of claim 20 , further comprising sending data indicative of the patient state to a medical record database.
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the present application claims the benefit, under 35 u.s.c. §119(e), of u.s. provisional application no. 62/117,913, which was filed feb. 18, 2015, and which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. background a person support apparatus, such as a stretcher, a hospital bed or a similar device, may be used to support a person in a number of different positions, including a laying-down position and/or a seated position. such a product may be found, for example, in healthcare facilities, homes, and/or other locations in which patient care is provided. the person support apparatus may include actuators that enable the position or configuration of the person support apparatus to be adjusted. a control unit can be used to control these adjustments. sensors can be used to obtain patient physiological data. summary the present disclosure describes a number of features that may be recited in the appended claims and which, alone or in any combination, may comprise patentable subject matter. according to at least one aspect of this disclosure, an example 1 includes a person support apparatus control system including one or more computing devices configured to: determine a patient lucidity state based on a sensor input; determine a current angular position of a support section of a person support apparatus; and cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to a new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state. an example 2 includes the subject matter of example 1, where the sensor input includes data indicative of the patient's blood pressure, and the control system is configured to compute the patient lucidity state based on the data indicative of the patient's blood pressure and cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to the new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state computed based on the data indicative of the patient's blood pressure. an example 3 includes the subject matter of example 1 or example 2, where the sensor input includes data indicative of the patient's blood oxygen saturation level, and the control system is configured to compute the patient lucidity state based on the data indicative of the patient's blood oxygen saturation level and cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to the new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state computed based on the data indicative of the patient's blood oxygen saturation level. an example 4 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-3, where the sensor input includes data indicative of the patient's heart rate, and the control system is configured to compute the patient lucidity state based on the data indicative of the heart rate and cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to the new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state computed based on the data indicative of the patient's heart rate. an example 5 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-4, where the sensor input includes data indicative of at least two of: the patient's heart rate, the patient's blood oxygen saturation level, and the patient's blood pressure; the control system is configured to compute the patient lucidity state based on a combination of at least two of the patient's heart rate, the patient's blood oxygen saturation level, and the patient's blood pressure; and the control system is configured to cause the support section of the person support apparatus to move from the current angular position to the new angular position in response to the patient lucidity state computed based on the data indicative of at least two of the patient's heart rate, the patient's blood oxygen saturation level, and the patient's blood pressure. an example 6 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-5, configured to compare the patient lucidity state to a previously-determined patient lucidity state and move the support section of the patient support apparatus to an inclined position if the comparison of the patient lucidity state to the previously-determined patient lucidity state is indicative of an increase in the patient's lucidity. an example 7 includes the subject matter of any of examples 1-6, configured to compare the patient lucidity state to a previously-determined patient lucidity state and move the support section of the patient support apparatus toward a flat position if the comparison of the patient lucidity state to the previously-determined patient lucidity state is indicative of a decrease in the patient's lucidity. in an example 8, a person support apparatus having articulating head and foot sections, the patient support apparatus configured to: raise the head section in response to patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity; and lower the head section in response to patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. an example 9 includes the subject matter of example 8, and is configured to lower the foot section in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity. an example 10 includes the subject matter of example 9, and is configured to cooperatively lower the foot section and raise the head section in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity. an example 11 includes the subject matter of any of examples 8-10, configured to raise the foot section in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. an example 12 includes the subject matter of examples 11, configured to cooperatively raise the foot section and lower the head section in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. an example 13 includes the subject matter of any of examples 8-12, including a lift mechanism to adjust the vertical height of the person support apparatus, where the person support apparatus is configured to decrease the vertical height of the person support apparatus in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity. an example 14 includes the subject matter of example 13, configured to cooperatively lower the foot section, raise the head section, and lower the vertical height of the patient support apparatus in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of an increase in patient lucidity. an example 15 includes the subject matter of any of examples 8-14, further including a lift mechanism to adjust the vertical height of the person support apparatus, where the person support apparatus is configured to increase the vertical height of the person support apparatus in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. an example 16. includes the subject matter of example 15, and is configured to cooperatively raise the foot section, lower the head section, and increase the vertical height of the patient support apparatus in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. an example 17 includes the subject matter of any of examples 8-16, where the person support apparatus includes a siderail, and the person support apparatus is configured to raise the siderail in response to the patient lucidity data indicative of a decrease in patient lucidity. an example 18 includes the subject matter of any of examples 8-17, where the person support apparatus includes a torso section, and the person support apparatus is configured to adjust an angle defined by the head section and the torso section in response to a change in the patient lucidity data. an example 19 includes the subject matter of any of examples 8-18, where the person support apparatus includes a torso section, and the person support apparatus is configured to adjust a first angle defined by the head section and the torso section and a second angle defined by the foot section and the torso section, in response to a change in the patient lucidity data. in an example 20, a method for adjusting the position of a person support apparatus having at least a head section and a foot section, in response to changes in patient state, the method including, with one or more computing devices, over time: obtaining a plurality of patient physiological inputs; determining a patient state based on at least two of the patient physiological inputs; detecting changes in the patient state; and progressively adjusting the angular position of the head and foot sections of the person support apparatus in accordance with the detected changes in the patient state. an example 21 includes the subject matter of example 20, and includes progressively moving the head and foot sections to a bed position as the patient state declines, and progressively moving the head and foot sections to a chair position as the patient state improves. an example 22 includes the subject matter of example 20 or example 21, and includes generating an alert indicative of a change in the patient state, and transmitting the alert to another device. an example 23 includes the subject matter of any of examples 20-22, including sending data indicative of the patient state to a medical record database. brief description of the drawings the detailed description particularly refers to the following figures, in which: fig. 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of at least one embodiment of a person support apparatus control system as disclosed herein; fig. 2 is a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a person support apparatus in which the system of fig. 1 may be implemented; fig. 3 is a simplified schematic diagram of at least one embodiment of a computing environment in which the person support apparatus control system of fig. 1 may be implemented; fig. 4 is a simplified schematic diagram of an operational environment of at least embodiment of the person support apparatus control system of fig. 1 ; fig. 5 is a simplified flow diagram of at least one embodiment of a method for adjusting the person support apparatus in response to patient state, as disclosed herein; fig. 6 is a simplified side elevation view of an illustrative embodiment of a person support apparatus in a chair position; fig. 7 is a simplified side elevation view of the person support apparatus of fig. 6 in an intermediate position; and fig. 8 is a simplified side elevation view of the person support apparatus of fig. 6 in a bed position. detailed description while the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. it should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the concepts of the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. a person may be placed on a person support apparatus (e.g., a stretcher, ambulatory chair, integrated chair/stretcher, or hospital bed) for a variety of reasons, including before or after having undergone a medical procedure, therapy, or examination. when a person is experiencing a non-lucid state (e.g., a delirious or unconscious state, which may be the result of anesthesia or certain medications, for example), placing the person in a laying down position can be desirable for safety and/or comfort reasons. conversely, when a patient is recovering from a non-lucid state, it is important that the patient does not stand up too quickly, lest the patient lose consciousness and be injured by a subsequent fall. in order to facilitate a safe and comfortable transition from a lucid state to a non-lucid state, or vice versa (for example, while recovering from surgery, or after being placed under the observation of a doctor), a person support apparatus control system 100 as disclosed herein adjusts the position of a person support apparatus in accordance with a measured indication of patient state. as used herein, “patient state” may refer to, among other things, a physiological state of a person that includes a mental component, a physical component, or a combination of mental and physical components. for example, in some embodiments, “patient state” may refer to a relative degree of lucidity of the patient, e.g., a degree to which the person is conscious, able to make decisions for themselves, the patient's subjective feeling of well-being, i.e., feeling well/not well, relative degree of anxiety, mental stress, perception of pain, etc.), while in other embodiments, the patient state may refer to an actual decline or improvement in the person's physical or medical condition. for instance, when initially placed on the person support apparatus, the person may be feeling good enough to sit upright, but then later the person may have a physical downturn as indicated by one or more measured physiological parameters (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, etc.), at which time the person support apparatus would reposition itself so that the patient is placed in a safer position (e.g., a reclined position). referring to fig. 1 , a schematic diagram of the functionality of the illustrative person support apparatus control system 100 is shown. at block 110 , the system 100 begins monitoring one or more physiological parameters (e.g., vital signs) of a patient, such as a person who has been positioned on the person support apparatus prior or subsequent to a health care event. to do this, the system 100 receives inputs from one or more sensors 328 , described in more detail below with reference to fig. 3 . the one or more sensors may be embodied as heart rate monitors, blood oxygen monitors, blood pressure monitors, or other kinds of vital signs monitors. alternatively or in addition, the sensors 328 may be embodied as more “generic” sensing devices, such as accelerometers or even a camera, coupled with computer programs executing algorithms for extracting and interpreting the sensor data as physiological information. in either case, the system 100 obtains physiological information from the sensor inputs. in some embodiments, the system 100 may perform the patient monitoring of block 110 at discrete time intervals, while in other embodiments, the system 100 may perform the patient monitoring in a continuous fashion for a fixed or variable-length period of time (e.g., while the patient is detected as being situated on the patient support apparatus). the patient data collected in block 110 is represented by block 112 . at block 114 , a computer program executing a patient state determination algorithm uses the patient data 112 to determine a “patient state.” in some embodiments, the patient state provides an indication of the patient's degree of lucidity, as discussed above. the patient state output by block 114 is represented by block 116 . the degree of lucidity is a representation of the degree to which the patient is conscious and alert. the system 100 computes the patient state 116 by, for example, mapping the current values of the patient data 112 to corresponding patient states (e.g., lucidity states), where the mapping between the patient data 112 and the patient states 116 is previously determined based on expert knowledge, research, experimental results, or a combination thereof. for instance, a decreasing heart rate, blood pressure, or blood oxygen saturation, or a combination of these factors, may indicate decreasing lucidity. conversely, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and/or blood oxygen saturation levels may indicate that the patient's lucidity is increasing. in some embodiments, the system 100 monitors samples of the patient data 112 over time to detect changes in the patient's state 116 , such as abrupt changes or trends that occur over a longer period of time. in some cases, the system 100 may treat rapid changes in one or more of the patient data 112 differently than changes that occur more gradually. at block 118 , the patient state 116 is used to determine the position and configuration of the person support apparatus on which the person being monitored resides or will soon reside (for instance, the system 100 may be used in anticipation of the person support apparatus receiving a particular patient, e.g., after admission or surgery—in other words, in order to pre-configure the person support apparatus for the patient). for example, if the patient data 112 indicates that the patient is highly lucid (i.e., the patient has a high patient lucidity state), the system 100 may cause the person support apparatus to assume a chair position. conversely, if the system 100 determines that the patient is not lucid (i.e., the patient has a low patient lucidity state), the system 100 may cause the person support apparatus to assume a bed position. of course, the system 100 may execute logic that results in no changes to the position or configuration of the person support apparatus, in response to the patient's current state. for instance, if there is little change in the patient's state, or if an adjustment is determined to be undesirable for another reason (e.g., other risks or patient preferences), the system 100 may maintain the current position or configuration of the patient support apparatus rather than making an adjustment, in block 118 . at block 120 , the patient state is used to determine if the patient state data and/or an alert or other type of notification should be transmitted to another device, e.g., a mobile device of a caregiver, a nurse's station or patient station of a nurse call system, or other type of communication device. for example, if the patient state data indicates that a patient's health is deteriorating rapidly, an alert may be transmitted over a healthcare communication system, such as a nurse call system. at block 122 , the patient state and/or the corresponding patient data 112 data may be stored in the patient's electronic medical records. as shown by feedback loop 124 , after adjusting the position of the person support apparatus, the system 100 returns to monitoring the patient at block 110 . referring now to fig. 2 , an illustrative embodiment of a person support apparatus 210 is shown. while the illustrative person support apparatus 210 is a type of bed typically used in hospitals and other facilities in which health care is provided, aspects of the present disclosure are applicable to any type person support apparatus that has electronically-controllable features, including but not limited to stretchers, ambulatory stretchers, beds, and other person support structures. for ease of discussion, the term “bed” may be used herein and/or in the drawings to refer to of the aforementioned or other types of person support structures. the person support apparatus 210 has one or more electronically-controllable functions or features, which may include, but are not limited to: adjusting the position, length, width, or tilt of the person support apparatus, raising, lowering, or pivoting a section of the person support apparatus, raising or lowering a siderail of the person support apparatus, weighing a person positioned on the person support apparatus, inflating, deflating, or adjusting inflation in one or more sections of the mattress, laterally rotating a person positioned on the person support apparatus, providing percussion, vibration, pulsation, or alternating pressure therapy to a person positioned on the person support apparatus, monitoring a person's position or orientation on or relative to the person support apparatus, generating an alert if a person on the person support apparatus changes position or exits the person support apparatus or is in a certain position for too long, weighing a person positioned on the person support apparatus, enabling a person positioned on the person support apparatus to communicate with a caregiver located outside the person's room through an electrical network or telecommunications system, and exchanging data and/or instructions with other devices, equipment, and/or computer systems. accordingly, the person support apparatus 210 has its own supply of electrical power (e.g. a battery) and/or a connector (not shown) that connects the person support apparatus 210 to a supply of ac electrical power (e.g. a wall outlet). while the person support apparatus 210 often assumes a flat or horizontal position, fig. 2 shows the person support apparatus 210 in a chair position. the person support apparatus 210 may assume other positions, as described below. the illustrative person support apparatus 210 includes a base 212 , which has a head end 214 and a foot end 216 spaced longitudinally from the head end 214 by the length of the person support apparatus 210 . the base 212 is supported by a number of casters 228 . the casters 228 each include one or more wheels that movably support the person support apparatus 210 relative to a floor or other surface, in one or more directions. the base 212 and/or one or more of the casters 228 may have an electronically or mechanically-controlled brake and/or steer lock mechanism coupled thereto. a proximity sensor, binary switch, or other suitable type of sensor may be coupled to the caster brake/steer mechanism, and coupled to a person support apparatus controller 310 , described below, to enable the controller 310 to monitor the status of the caster brake/steer mechanism. an example of a person support apparatus having a sensor or switch that detects the status of a brake mechanism is disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 6,321,878. a frame 246 is coupled to and supported by the base 212 . a lift mechanism, which includes lift arms 242 , is configured to raise, lower, and tilt the frame 246 relative to the base 212 . a weigh scale may be coupled to the frame 246 . some examples of person support apparatus with built-in weigh scales and associated displays and user controls are disclosed in u.s. pat. nos. 4,934,468; 5,715,548; 6,336,235; 7,296,312; and 7,500,280. the built-in weigh scale may be electronically controlled. for example, the controller 310 may enable a caregiver to weigh a person positioned on the person support apparatus 210 by pressing a button that is electronically connected to the controller 310 . the person's weight as determined by the on-board weigh scale may be displayed (e.g. via an lcd display) and stored in memory. if the person support apparatus is not provided with a weigh scale, the controller 310 may enable a caregiver to input the person's weight as determined by other means, for storage in memory and use by the controller 310 . alternatively or in addition, the controller 310 may include computer logic to obtain the person's weight information from an electronic medical records (emr) database or other stored location. the controller 310 may use the person's weight information to configure pressure settings for a mattress 222 used in connection with the person support apparatus 210 , and/or to adjust the articulation of the person support apparatus 210 . a deck 218 is coupled to and supported by the frame 246 . the deck 218 is configured to support the mattress 222 , which, in turn, may support a person positioned thereon. the deck 218 has a number of sections including, in the illustrated embodiment, an articulating foot section 220 and an articulating head section 250 . the deck 218 also includes an articulating torso section 248 . in the illustrated embodiment, the torso section 248 includes a separate torso section 248 and seat section (view obstructed). in other embodiments, the torso section 248 may include a single deck section (e.g. a seat/thigh section) rather than two separate deck sections. the foot section 220 and the head section 250 are pivotable, such that the deck 218 may assume a number of different positions as noted above. in the chair position, the foot section 220 is pivoted downwardly toward the base 212 and the head section 250 is pivoted upwardly away from the frame 246 . in the illustrated embodiment, the torso section 248 is also pivotable relative to the frame 246 . for example, the torso section 248 may be pivoted upwardly away from the frame 246 to support the patient's knees when the head section 250 is elevated. other positions that the person support apparatus 210 may assume include a low position, in which the frame 246 is lowered toward the base 212 , a trendelenburg position, a reverse trendelenburg position, and any position between the flat position and the chair position. the vertical lift mechanism (e.g., lift arms 242 ) can raise and lower the frame 246 relative to the base 212 . for instance, the frame 246 may be raised to a higher vertical position when the deck 218 is in a flat or “bed” position (e.g., to allow easier maneuvering of the bed 210 ), and the frame 246 may be lowered when the deck 218 is in the chair position (e.g., to facilitate patient ingress and egress). while not visible in the view of fig. 2 , the person support apparatus 210 has a number of powered actuators, such as electric linear actuators or hydraulic cylinders, which enable the person support apparatus 210 to assume different positions. one or more actuators are coupled to the frame 246 to enable raising, lowering, and tilting of the frame 246 relative to the base 212 . other actuators are coupled to each of the deck sections 220 , 248 , 250 to enable pivoting of the deck sections 220 , 248 , 250 relative to the frame 246 . still other actuators include, actuators coupled to each of one or more siderails 256 to enable motion of the siderails 256 relative to the deck 218 (e.g., raising to a “use” position and lowering to a “storage” position). examples of such actuators are disclosed in u.s. pat. nos. 5,715,548; 6,185,767; 6,336,235; 6,694,549; 7,454,805; 6,708,358; 7,325,265; 7,458,119; 7,523,515; 7,610,637; 7,610,638; and 7,784,128. in general, each of the actuators is coupled to a power plant (e.g. a motor) and has an extending/retracting arm or linkage. one end of the arm or linkage is coupled to the power plant and the other end is coupled to the frame 246 or the relevant deck section 220 , 248 , 250 . the power plant drives the arm or linkage in one direction to provide movement of the frame 246 or deck section 220 , 248 , 250 in one direction (e.g. raising or pivoting upwardly), and drives the arm or linkage in the opposite direction to provide movement of the frame 246 or deck section 220 , 248 , 250 in the other direction (e.g. lowering or pivoting downwardly). the power plant is responsive to control signals issued by the controller 310 . when movement of a person support apparatus section is requested, the controller 310 determines the duration of the requested movement (i.e. how far the associated arm or linkage is to be extended or retracted, as the case may be) and the speed at which the requested movement is to be accomplished (i.e. how slowly or quickly the associated arm or linkage is to be extended or retracted), and sends a corresponding control signal or signals to the power plant. the person support apparatus 210 may include one or more sensors that are coupled to the actuators to monitor the speed or progress of movement or articulation of a person support apparatus section. for example, a bed-not-down sensor may be coupled to the foot section 220 of the deck 218 and/or to the lift mechanism 242 , to alert a caregiver if the person support apparatus 210 is not in a position that is suitable for egress, or for other reasons. in response to output of a bed-not-down sensor, the controller 310 may issue a visual and/or audible signal and/or communication signal indicating that the person support apparatus or a section thereof is not in its low or ‘down’ position. the person support apparatus 210 may be equipped with additional sensors that are configured to detect other conditions of the person support apparatus. for example, the person support apparatus 210 may have position sensors (such as force sensors) that detect force applied to the bed at different locations on the bed, e.g., for patient position monitoring. in these embodiments, the controller 310 includes executable instructions that determine, based on the output of the force sensor or sensors, the position of a patient relative to the person support apparatus (e.g. the patient has exited the person support apparatus, is on the edge of the person support apparatus, or is sitting up in person support apparatus). the controller 310 may then issue a visual and/or audible signal and/or communication signal relating to the patient's position. some examples of a person support apparatus having patient monitoring features are disclosed in u.s. pat. nos. 6,067,019; 6,133,837; 6,208,250; 6,791,460; and 7,464,605. the person support apparatus 210 may be equipped with one or more physiological sensors that are configured to detect the physiological responses of a person positioned in the person support apparatus 210 . for example, some person support apparatus 210 may include a blood pressure sensor and/or a heart rate monitor to measure the blood pressure and the heart rate of the person positioned in the person support apparatus 210 . as described above, the controller 310 includes executable instructions that determine, based on the outputs from the one or more physiological sensors, a patient state (e.g., a physical, mental, or physical and mental, state). in some embodiments, the controller 310 issues alerts or bed positioning commands based on the patient state. the one or more physiological sensors may be configured to communicate with the controller 310 through any wired or wireless communication link. for example, ethernet, wi-fi, bluetooth, near field communications, or other types of communication networks. in response to a patient lucidity state, the controller 310 may issue a visual and/or audible signal and/or communication signal through user interface devices 260 , 262 indicating the patient state. the controller 310 may enable a caregiver to turn patient monitoring features on or off for a particular patient, or to configure a patient monitoring feature differently for different patients or differently for different patient conditions. for example, the caregiver may configure the patient state monitoring feature to operate in a recovery mode or in an observation mode. in the recovery mode, the patient state monitoring feature monitors the patient for indications that the patient's condition is improving, e.g., that the patient is returning to a lucid state (e.g., after some type of healthcare procedure in which the patient may be coming out of anesthesia). in the observation mode, the patient state monitoring feature monitors the patient for any change in that patient's state that may be cause for concern (e.g., a trend of declining lucidity or a rapid decrease in lucidity, which could indicate a fainting episode or other medical event). in some cases, patient state monitoring may be triggered by a change in the patient's position relative to the person support apparatus. for instance, the caregiver may configure the patient monitoring feature to only send an alert if the patient's state has changed and the patient has exited the person support apparatus, while for another patient, the caregiver may configure the patient monitoring feature to send an alert if the patient's state has changed and the patient is detected as sitting on the edge of the person support apparatus. the person support apparatus 210 may be equipped with angle or orientation sensors, such as ball switches, potentiometers, inclinometers, accelerometers, etc., which detect changes in the orientation of the person support apparatus or one section of the person support apparatus relative to another section of the person support apparatus. for example, an angle sensor may be used to determine the angle of the head section 250 or the foot section 220 of the person support apparatus relative to the frame 246 or to the horizontal. the controller 310 includes executable instructions that determine, based on the output of the orientation sensor or sensors, the orientation of the person support apparatus or section(s) thereof. the controller 310 may then issue a visual and/or audible signal and/or communication signal relating to the person support apparatus' orientation. for example, the controller 310 may alert a caregiver if the angle of the head section 250 is less than 30 degrees above horizontal. an example of a person support apparatus that has a head angle alarm feature is disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 7,487,562. the person support apparatus 210 may be equipped with pressure sensors, such as transducers, strain gauges, capacitive, optical or piezoelectric sensors, or the like, which detect changes in pressure applied to different sections of the mattress 222 or pressure inside of the person support apparatus' mattress (if the person support apparatus' mattress has air bladders). the controller 310 includes computer-executable instructions that determine, based on the output of a pressure sensor or sensors, the pressures within air bladders or zones of air bladders of the mattress 222 . the controller 310 may then determine that a bed condition has occurred based on the pressure sensor output, such as a bottoming out condition or a max-inflate condition. the controller 310 may alternatively or in addition issue control signals to inflate or deflate certain air bladders based on the output of the pressure sensors, as may be the case when the bed is operating in a pressure relief mode or a therapy mode. the controller 310 may issue a visual and/or audible signal, and/or a communication signal relating to the mattress condition or status. some examples of person support apparatus having sensors responsive to mattress conditions are disclosed in u.s. pat. nos. 6,505,368; 7,260,860; 7,330,127; 7,469,436; and 7,617,555. the illustrative person support apparatus 210 includes a number of siderails 256 , a pair of opposing endboards (e.g. a headboard and a footboard, not shown). a proximity sensor, switch, or other suitable device may be coupled to the siderails and to the controller 310 to detect when the siderails are up or down. the controller 310 may then issue a visual and/or audible signal and/or communication signal relating to the status of the siderails 56 , 58 . for example, the controller 310 may alert a caregiver if one or more of the siderails 56 , 58 are down. an example of a person support apparatus having a siderail down sensor is disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 6,021,533. the electronically-controllable features and functions of the person support apparatus 210 may be activated, configured, and deactivated by user inputs that are translated into electrical signals and forwarded to the controller 310 by input devices or input-output devices such as foot pedals, buttons, switches, dials, slides, and the like, as well as graphical user interface modules and/or touchscreens. portions of the controller 310 may be embodied in the user interface device 260 , 262 . the illustrative person support apparatus 210 has a number of foot pedals 280 . the foot pedals 280 are coupled to and supported by the base 212 . the foot pedals 280 are in electrical communication with the controller 310 and may be used by a caregiver to change the position of the person support apparatus 210 , or to control the casters (e.g. activate or deactivate a brake or steer lock mechanism), or to activate or deactivate some other feature of the person support apparatus 210 . stepping on a foot pedal issues a control signal to the controller 310 . some examples of a person support apparatus with foot-operated controls are disclosed in u.s. pat. nos. 6.691,346; 6,978,500; and 7,171,708. the person support apparatus 210 also has user interface devices 260 , 262 , which are configured to permit caregivers and patients, as the case may be, to activate and deactivate certain electronically-controllable features of the person support apparatus 210 , to view information (such as patient lucidity information) displayed on a graphical user interface, and perform other functions. the user interface device 260 receives and processes electrical input (e.g. voltage) from one or more controls mounted thereto, which enable a user (e.g., a caregiver) to configure, activate and/or deactivate certain of the electronically-controllable person support apparatus functions. for example, some person support apparatus permit the caregiver to raise and lower the person support apparatus or change the position of certain sections thereof, change the length or width of the person support apparatus, or to achieve a chair, cpr, trendelenburg, or reverse trendelenburg position, or to activate certain mattress therapies (such as lateral rotation, percussion, or vibration), by physically contacting the selected control. in some embodiments, the user interface device 260 includes one or more buttons that, for example, enable the caregiver to place the person support apparatus 210 into a chair position in which the head section 250 is elevated and the foot section 220 is rotated downwardly toward the floor. in some embodiments, the user interface device 260 a graphical touchscreen user interface that has a number of menus and controls that allow a user to activate, deactivate, or configure features of the person support apparatus 210 . in some embodiments, the user can optionally enable the patient state monitoring features of the person support apparatus 210 . for example, after enabling the patient state monitoring features, the caregiver may exit the patient state monitoring features by adjusting the position of the person support apparatus 210 . the user interface device 260 includes circuitry configured to convey voltage generated by its controls to the controller 310 . in the illustrated embodiment, the user interface device 260 is mounted to the outwardly facing side of at least one of the siderails 256 of the person support apparatus 210 (i.e., facing away from the mattress), but the user interface device 260 may be placed in any suitable location that is accessible to the appropriate user (e.g., a caregiver). for example, some user interface controls may be provided on a wall-mounted device or a remote device. the user interface device 262 receives and processes electrical input (e.g. voltage) from number of manually operable controls (such as membrane switches, keys, dials, levers, or the like) coupled to the user interface device 262 , which enable a user (e.g., a patient) to activate and deactivate certain person support apparatus functions when the user is positioned on the person support apparatus 210 . for example, the person support apparatus may permit the user to raise and lower the person support apparatus or change the position of certain sections thereof by touching these controls. the user interface device 262 includes circuitry to convey voltage generated by the manually operable controls to the controller 310 . in the illustrated embodiment, the user interface device 262 is mounted to the inwardly facing side of at least one of the siderails 256 of the person support apparatus 210 (i.e., facing toward the mattress), but the user interface device 262 may be placed in any suitable location that is accessible to a person using the person support apparatus 210 . for example, some patient controls may be provided on a pendant controller or a remote device. referring now to fig. 3 , an embodiment 300 of the person support apparatus control system 100 is shown. the illustrative person support apparatus control system 300 includes the user interface devices 260 , 262 , the person support apparatus controller 310 , described above, a healthcare provider network 324 , physiological sensor(s) 328 , a healthcare information system 330 , a nurse call system 332 , frame/deck actuators 334 , siderail actuators 336 , and bed position sensor(s) 338 . the components of the system 300 include computer hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, configured to perform the features and functions described herein. the illustrative person support apparatus controller 310 includes hardware, firmware, and/or software components that are capable of performing the functions disclosed herein, including the functions of a bed control module 318 . in some embodiments, the controller 310 or portions thereof may be embodied as electrical circuitry, e.g., hardware built-in to the person support apparatus 210 . the illustrative controller 310 includes at least one processor 312 (e.g. a controller, microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, etc.), memory 314 , and an input/output (i/o) subsystem 316 . portions of the person support apparatus controller 310 may be built-in to the person support apparatus 210 or embodied in any type of computing device capable of performing the functions described herein, such as any type of general purpose computing device, specialized computing device, consumer-oriented computing device, mobile electronic device (e.g., a tablet computer, smart phone, body-mounted device or wearable device, etc.), a server, an enterprise computer system, a network of computers, a combination of computers and other electronic devices, or other electronic devices. although not specifically shown, it should be understood that the i/o subsystem 316 typically includes, among other things, an i/o controller, a memory controller, and one or more i/o ports. the processor 312 and the i/o subsystem 316 are communicatively coupled to the memory 314 . the memory 314 may be embodied as any type of suitable computer memory device (e.g., volatile memory such as various forms of random access memory). the i/o subsystem 316 is communicatively coupled to a number of hardware, firmware, and/or software components, including the bed control module 318 , a data storage device 320 , and a communication subsystem 322 . the data storage device 320 may include one or more persistent data storage devices (e.g., flash memory, memory cards, memory sticks, and/or others). data used by the controller 310 (e.g., physiological sensor data) resides at least temporarily in the data storage device 320 and/or other data storage devices of the system 300 (e.g., data storage devices that are “in the cloud” or otherwise connected to the controller 310 ). portions of the bed control module 318 may reside at least temporarily in the data storage device 320 and/or other data storage devices that are part of the system 300 . portions of the physiological data or the bed position data may be copied to the memory 314 during operation of the controller 310 , for faster processing or for other reasons. the communication subsystem 322 may communicatively couple the controller 310 to other computing devices and/or systems by, for example, one or more networks 324 , 326 . portions of the network(s) 324 , 326 may be embodied as any suitable type of network capable of performing the functions described herein, including any suitable wired, wireless, or optical communication technology. accordingly, the communication subsystem 322 may include one or more optical, wired and/or wireless network interface subsystems, cards, adapters, or other devices, as may be needed pursuant to the specifications and/or design of the particular controller 310 . the illustrative communication subsystem 322 communicates outputs of the bed control module 318 to the healthcare information system 330 and/or the nurse call system 332 , via a healthcare provider network 324 . for example, the patient state may be supplied to the healthcare information system 330 or the nurse call system 332 . additionally, the illustrative communication subsystem 322 communicates outputs of the bed control module 318 (e.g., commands or control signals) to the frame/deck actuators 334 , the siderail actuators 336 , and the i/o devices 260 , 262 , via a bed network 326 . for example, the patient state may be used to determine bed positioning or adjustment commands to be sent to one or more electromechanical components of the person support apparatus 210 . the bed control module 318 is configured to determine a patient state and generate alerts and bed position commands based on the patient state, as described herein. the controller 310 may be connected to the healthcare provider network 324 , which connects the person support apparatus 210 to a hospital or other facility in or in connection with which the person support apparatus 210 is used, via a bidirectional signal path, in order to send and/or receive data and/or instructions to/from the healthcare information system 330 or the nurse call system 332 . the healthcare information system 330 may include one or more networked systems, such as an admission, discharge, and transfer (adt) system and an electronic medical records (emr) system. an example of a system in which a person support apparatus network communicates with an adt system is disclosed in u.s. patent application ser. nos. 12/708,891, filed feb. 19, 2010, and 12/711,912, filed feb. 24, 2010. it will be understood that some of these processes and systems, or portions of them, may not be performed by or physically located at the facility in which the person support apparatus is used. for example, data storage and/or processing, or portions thereof, may be performed by other entities or at other locations. the illustrative nurse call system 332 is also connected to the controller 310 through the healthcare provider network 324 . the nurse call system 332 may be any system designed to aid healthcare professionals to provide care to a patient. for example, a nurse call system may alert healthcare professionals when a patient is experiencing an unsafe condition. in an illustrative embodiment, the nurse call system 332 is configured to alert nurses or other healthcare facility staff about changes in the patient's state, as determined by the controller 310 . as discussed above, one or more sensor(s) 328 are in communication with to the controller 310 , and the sensor(s) 328 are configured to detect or measure the physiological responses of the person positioned in the person support apparatus 210 . in some embodiments, the physiological sensors 328 may include a blood pressure sensor, a blood oxygen saturation sensor, a heart rate monitor, or an electroencephalography (eeg) sensor to measure the ionic current flows within the neurons of the brain. other types of physiological sensor(s) are also included in this disclosure. the physiological sensors 328 are in communication with the controller 310 through either wired or wireless (including optical) communication technology. the physiological sensors 328 provide physiological data that the controller 310 uses to determine the patient state as described herein. the controller 310 communicates with the frame/deck actuators and the siderail actuators 336 through the bed network 326 . the frame/deck actuators 334 are coupled to the frame 246 and the deck 218 , and are configured to raise, lower, or tilt the frame 246 and deck 218 relative to the base 212 . in an illustrative embodiment, the frame/deck actuators 334 can cause the head section 250 to pivot relative to the torso section 248 , and/or cause the foot section 220 to pivot relative to the torso section 248 , and/or cause the torso section to pivot relative to the frame 246 or the base 212 . the frame/deck actuators can also cause the deck 218 to vertically raise and lower relative to the base 212 . for example, the frame/deck actuators 334 can lower the person support apparatus 210 when the person support apparatus 210 functions as a chair because the seat of most chairs is in the range of about seventeen inches above the ground. whereas, the frame/deck actuators 334 can raise the person support apparatus 210 when the person support apparatus 210 functions as a bed because most hospital beds/stretchers are in the range of approximately forty-five inches above the ground. the controller 310 also communicates with and controls the siderail actuators 336 . as discussed above, the siderails 256 are coupled to the frame 246 or deck 218 and are configured to be positioned by the siderail actuators 336 . in some embodiments, the siderails 256 can be positioned in a number of different positions between a fully raised position and fully down position. in an illustrative embodiment, when the person support apparatus 210 is in a chair position, the siderails 256 can be in the fully down position; and when the person support apparatus 210 is in a bed position, the siderails 256 are in the fully raised position. illustratively, the controller 310 positions the person support apparatus 210 in a bed position when the patient using the person support apparatus 210 is not very lucid, or has a low patient lucidity state. when the patient has a low patient lucidity state, the siderails 256 are fully raised to prevent the patient from falling off of the person support apparatus 210 . in some embodiments, opposing siderails 256 are coupled to the foot deck section 220 , the torso deck section 248 , and the head deck section 250 . the controller 310 is in communication with one or more bed position sensor(s) 338 through bed network 326 . the bed position sensor(s) 338 are configured to detect the position of the person support apparatus 210 , so that the controller 310 can effectively reposition the person support apparatus after the patient state has changed. many states of the bed can be detected by the bed position sensor(s) 338 , such as, for example, the angle between the torso section 248 and the head section 250 , the angle between foot section 220 and the torso section 248 , torso section angle, the height of the torso section 248 above the base 212 , the height of the head section 250 above the base 212 , or various other settings related to the mattress or the person support apparatus 210 . the controller 310 is also coupled to the user interface devices 260 , 262 to provide both the caregiver and the user of the person support apparatus 210 control over the various functionalities of the person support apparatus 210 . the user interface devices 260 , 262 may include one or more user input devices (e.g., a microphone, a touchscreen, keyboard, virtual keypad, etc.) and one or more output devices (e.g., audio speakers, leds, additional displays, etc.). the display may be embodied as any suitable type of digital display device, such as a liquid crystal display (lcd), and may include a touchscreen. referring now to fig. 4 , a simplified schematic diagram shows components of the system 300 in an operational computing environment 400 (e.g., interacting at runtime). the components of the person support apparatus control system 300 shown in fig. 4 may be embodied as computerized programs, routines, logic, data, and/or instructions executed or processed by the controller 310 . as shown in fig. 4 , the bed control module 318 obtains or receives patient physiological inputs 402 from the physiological sensor(s) 328 (discussed above) and obtains or receives bed position inputs 404 from the bed position sensor(s) 338 (also discussed above). the illustrative bed control module 318 uses both physiological inputs 402 and bed position inputs 404 to determine various outputs, such as, electronic medical record inputs 440 , nurse alerts 442 , and bed positioning commands 444 . to produce these outputs, the bed control module 318 includes a patient state determination module 410 , a bed state determination module 412 , a notification module 418 , and a bed positioning module 420 . the patient state determination module 410 receives and analyzes the physiological inputs 402 from the physiological sensor(s) 328 and determines a patient state 414 . the patient state 414 is determined by evaluating the physiological responses of the patient that are measured by the physiological sensor(s) 328 . in some embodiments, the types of physiological responses that can be measured include blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, and heart rate, just to name a few. using these physiological inputs 402 , the patient state determination module 410 determines the degree to which the patient is mentally or physically well, i.e., lucid, e.g., in control of his or her mental faculties. lucidity as used herein may refer to, among other things, a way to quantify how much control a patient has over his or her own body functions. for example, a patient that is fully lucid will have complete control over his or her faculties, and vice versa. the patient state 414 can be illustratively defined as a number of discrete states with a person support apparatus position corresponding to each discrete state. for example, the patient state 414 can include a recovering state, an under stress state, a requiring-attention state, an unconscious state, a sleeping state, or a completely lucid state. in the example just recited, if the patient is experiencing the unconscious state just mentioned, the corresponding position of the person support apparatus 210 would be a reclined, bed or bed-like position. conversely, in the example just recited, if a patient is experiencing the completely lucid state just mentioned, the corresponding position of the person support apparatus 210 would be an upright, chair, or chair-like position. in some embodiments, the patient state determination module 410 can discern between a sleeping patient and a patient who is losing consciousness. in some embodiments, the patient state determination module 410 can also compare the current patient state to previously calculated patient states that are stored by the controller 310 . by comparing former patient states to the current patient state 414 , the patient state determination module 410 can determine the rate of change of the patient state 414 over time. in an illustrative embodiment, the patient state 414 is sent to the notification module 418 . the notification module 418 determines whether the patient state needs to be reported out to other systems. for example, if the patient state 414 indicates that the patient is rapidly changing from a lucid state to a non-lucid state, then the notification module 418 can generate an alert 442 to be transmitted to the nurse call system 332 . in the situations where a patient is in need of immediate care, the nurse call system 332 can broadcast the alert 442 to many healthcare professionals at once, alerting the healthcare professionals of the needs of the particular patient. in some embodiments, the notification module 418 transmits electronic medical record inputs 440 , which includes the patient state 414 and the physiological inputs 402 , to a healthcare information system 330 to be included in the electronic medical records of the patient. the bed state determination module 412 receives the bed position inputs 404 from the bed position sensor(s) 338 and determines a bed state 416 . the bed state 416 comprises the current position of the person support apparatus 210 . the patient state 414 and the bed state 416 are both sent to the bed positioning module 420 . the bed positioning module 420 determines a new bed position for the person support apparatus 210 based on the patient state 414 . the bed positioning module 420 also generates bed positioning commands 444 based on the bed state 416 and the desired new bed position. the bed positioning module 420 includes a recovery mode 422 and an observation mode 424 . in some embodiments, the recovery mode 422 and the observation mode 424 can have different bed positions for the same patient state 414 . the recovery mode 422 is used when a patient is recovering from some type of surgery or outpatient care, such as, for example, when a patient is coming out of anesthesia. when in recovery mode 422 , the patient starts in a not lucid state and should be becoming more lucid over time. in some embodiments, when in recovery mode 422 , the patient state determination module 410 is expecting the physiological inputs 402 to show signs of more lucidity. for example, the patient's blood pressure and heart rate should be increasing. in recovery mode 422 , the person support apparatus 210 is initially configured to be in a bed position with the siderails 256 fully raised to, for example, prevent the non-lucid patient from falling, as shown in fig. 8 . when in recovery mode 422 , the person support apparatus 210 can be gradually or progressively repositioned from the bed position to the chair position. as the patient state 414 indicates that the patient is becoming more lucid, the person support apparatus 210 is gradually repositioned by raising the head section 250 and lowering the foot section 220 . an illustrative example is shown in fig. 7 , described below. as a patient becomes completely lucid, as indicated by the patient state 414 , the person support apparatus 210 may be adjusted to a chair position, as shown in fig. 6 , described below. the rate at which the person support apparatus 210 is repositioned corresponds to the rate at which the patient's physical and/or mental state changes. the correlations between rate of change of the patient support position and rate of change of patient state can be implemented in, for example, a mapping table or database, which may be developed based on, e.g., expert knowledge, experimental test results, or by other suitable methods. the observation mode 424 may be used when a patient's condition is unknown and the patient is to be monitored for an uncertain amount of time. in some embodiments, in the observation mode 424 , the person support apparatus 210 is initially configured to be in a chair position. the person support apparatus 210 can react to a declining patient state 414 by reclining and tilting the person support apparatus 210 into a safer position. for example, a safer person support apparatus position can be achieved by lowering the head section 250 , raising the foot section 220 , and raising the siderails 256 . in some embodiments, both the recovery mode 422 and the observation mode 424 of the person support apparatus positioning system 300 can be exited by either the caregiver or the patient using the i/o devices 260 , 262 . for example, if the patient's state deteriorates, a healthcare provider can use the i/o devices 260 , 262 to transform the person support apparatus into a bed position for added safety and continued monitoring. in some embodiments, observation mode 424 can be initiated with the person support apparatus 210 in any position. for example, if a person is placed under doctor observation while in a semi-lucid state, the healthcare provider might configure the person support apparatus 210 into an intermediate bed position between a chair position and a bed position) before beginning the observation mode 424 . in this situation, the bed positioning module 420 would adjust the positioning of the person support apparatus 210 starting from this initial intermediate bed position. the person support apparatus control system 300 can provide a number of benefits to both patients and caregivers. for recovering patients, a gradually elevating the head is often better than moving immediately from a flat position to a standing or seated position, and can reduce post-operative falls. another advantage is that transferring a patient from a stretcher or bed to a chair does not require as much assistance from the caregivers. another advantage is that patient dignity can be increased, while still maintaining the patient in a safe position. referring now to fig. 5 , an illustrative method 500 for adjusting the position of a person support apparatus 210 based on a patient state is shown. aspects of the method 500 may be embodied as computerized programs, routines, logic and/or instructions executed by the person support apparatus positioning system 300 , for example the controller 310 . at block 510 , the system 300 obtains physiological inputs 402 from the physiological sensor(s) 328 connected to the patient positioned in the person support apparatus 210 . using the physiological data collected about the patient, at block 512 , a patient state is determined. the patient state measures how conscious or alert a patient is. at block 514 , the system 300 determines if the patient's physical and/or mental state has changed. if the patient state has not changed, then the system 300 continues to obtain physiological data, at block 510 , and determine patient states, at block 512 . if the patient state has changed, then, at block 516 , the system 300 adjusts the position of the person support apparatus 210 according to the new patient state. for example, if the patient state indicates that a patient has become less lucid, then the person support apparatus might be repositioned to lower the head position, raise the feet position, and raise the siderails. at block 518 , the system 300 determines if a patient needs immediate care. not all changes to the patient state require the immediate attention of a caregiver. for example, no immediate care is needed if the system 300 determines that a patient has fallen asleep, but immediate care might be necessary if the person is become less lucid for other reasons (e.g., a heart attack). if no immediate care is required, then system 300 returns to block 510 to again monitor the patient's physiological responses. if immediate care is required, then, at block 520 , the system 300 generates an alert to be transmitted to a nurse call system. in some embodiments, the alert is configured to cause any available healthcare provider to come to the assistance of the patient. after block 520 , the method 500 returns to block 510 to continue monitoring the patient's physiological responses. referring to figs. 6-8 , another illustrative embodiment of a person support apparatus 600 is shown. the person support apparatus 600 is, for example, a stretcher/chair device. the person support apparatus 600 may include any of the features or functions of the person support apparatus 210 , described above, however. fig. 6 shows the person support apparatus 600 in a chair position, fig. 7 shows the person support apparatus 600 in an intermediate position, and fig. 8 shows the person support apparatus 600 in a bed position. for ease of discussion, only three different person support apparatus 210 positions are discussed herein; however, it should be appreciated that many other different positions exist, including positions intermediate 4 each of these three positions. the person support apparatus 600 , as configured in a chair position, and corresponding to a position associated with a high patient lucidity state, is shown in fig. 6 . the illustrative person support apparatus 600 includes a base 212 , a frame 246 , and a deck 218 . the base 212 is supported by one or more casters 228 . the deck 218 includes a head section 250 , a torso section 248 , and a foot section 220 . a mattress 222 is configured to rest on top of the deck 218 , and defines a mattress upper surface 602 . each of the deck sections 220 , 248 , 250 defines an imaginary plane running the length of the deck section. the head section 250 defines a head section plane 604 , the torso section 248 defines a torso section plane 606 , and the foot section defines a foot section plane 608 . siderails are coupled to each of the sections 220 , 248 , 250 . the siderails include a head siderail 610 coupled to the head deck section 250 , a torso siderail 612 coupled to the torso deck section 248 , and a foot siderail 614 is coupled to the foot section 220 . in the illustrative example, the head siderail 610 and the foot siderail 614 are in an undeployed position, meaning that the siderails do not extend above the upper surface 602 of the mattress 222 . however, in the illustrative embodiment, the torso siderail 612 is in a fully deployed position, and acts as an armrest for the patient positioned in the person support apparatus 600 . the head section 250 and the torso section 248 cooperate to define a head-torso angle 620 and a head-torso height 622 . the head-torso angle 620 is defined as the angle between the head section plane 604 and the torso section plane 606 . in some embodiments, the head-torso angle is between 90 and 180 degrees. actuators (not shown) are used to pivot the head section 250 in relation to the torso section 248 , and thereby change the head-torso angle 620 . in some embodiments, changing the head-torso angle 620 , in general, also adjusts the head-torso height 622 . the head-torso height 622 is defined as the distance between the torso section 248 and a head end 624 of the head section 250 . the torso section 248 and the foot section 220 cooperate to define a foot-torso angle 626 . the foot-torso angle 626 is defined as the angle between the foot section plane 608 and the torso section plane 606 . the torso section 248 , the frame 246 , and the base 212 cooperate to define a torso section height 630 . the torso section height is defined as the distance between the base 212 and the torso section 248 . the torso section height 630 is adjustable according to the desired distance between the deck 218 of the person support apparatus 210 and the ground. for example, the torso section height 630 may be in the range of approximately between sixteen and twenty-two inches when the person support apparatus 210 is in the chair position. in another example, the torso section height can be in the range of about forty inches or more, when the person support apparatus 210 is in the bed position. the person support apparatus 600 , as configured in an intermediate position (i.e., not fully in a chair position, and not fully in a bed position) is shown in fig. 7 . while a particular intermediate position is shown in fig. 7 , it should be appreciated that a number of different intermediate positions are included in this disclosure. for example, an intermediate position could include the person support apparatus 210 being mostly in a bed position, but with the head section 250 pivoted such that the head-torso angle 620 is less than one hundred eighty degrees. in general, an intermediate state of the person support apparatus 210 corresponds to a patient state that indicates that the patient is semi-lucid. many of the features and parts of the person support apparatus 210 are identical to the features and parts described in fig. 6 , and as such a description of those features and parts are not repeated here in detail. features having similar names or similar reference numbers may be embodied similarly. as shown in fig. 7 , the person support apparatus 600 is in a semi-reclined position, which corresponds to a patient state indicating that the patient is semi-lucid. fig. 7 shows an imaginary horizontal plane 702 , which is parallel to the ground that the base 212 rests on. the torso section 248 of the deck 218 is tilted by actuators (not shown) in the frame 246 and defines a torso section angle 704 . the torso section angle 704 is defined as the angle between the torso section plane 606 and the imaginary horizontal plane 702 . while the torso section angle 704 affects the overall position of the patient, the torso section angle 704 does not affect the head-torso angle 620 or the foot-torso angle 626 . all of these angles 620 , 626 , 704 can be independently set by the controller 310 using frame/deck actuators 334 . the illustrative embodiment of the person support apparatus 600 shown in fig. 7 has the head siderail 610 and the foot siderail 614 in a partially-deployed position. the partially deployed siderails 610 , 614 provide greater safety to the semi-lucid patient because a barrier is placed between the patient and falling from the bed, but the barrier does not completely obstruct the patient's view, allowing for increased patient dignity. the person support apparatus 600 , as configured in a bed position is shown in fig. 8 . in general, the bed position of the person support apparatus 600 in fig. 8 corresponds to a patient state that indicates that the patient is not lucid. the illustrative embodiment of the person support apparatus 600 , as shown in fig. 8 , has all deck sections 220 , 248 , 250 aligned to form a bed surface that is parallel to the ground. the siderails 610 , 612 , 614 are fully deployed to prevent patient from egressing from the person support apparatus 210 . the torso section height 630 is raised when the person support apparatus 600 is in the bed position of fig. 8 , to allow for easier maneuvering of the person support apparatus 600 , or for other reasons. in the foregoing description, numerous specific details, examples, and scenarios are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure. it will be appreciated, however, that embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without such specific details. further, such examples and scenarios are provided for illustration, and are not intended to limit the disclosure in any way. those of ordinary skill in the art, with the included descriptions, should be able to implement appropriate functionality without undue experimentation. references in the specification to “an embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is believed to be within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly indicated. embodiments in accordance with the disclosure may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. embodiments may also be implemented as instructions stored using one or more machine-readable media, which may be read and executed by one or more processors. a machine-readable medium may include any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine. for example, a machine-readable medium may include any suitable form of volatile or non-volatile memory. modules, data structures, and the like defined herein are defined as such for ease of discussion, and are not intended to imply that any specific implementation details are required. for example, any of the described modules and/or data structures may be combined or divided into sub-modules, sub-processes or other units of computer code or data as may be required by a particular design or implementation of the system 100 . in the drawings, specific arrangements or orderings of schematic elements may be shown for ease of description. however, the specific ordering or arrangement of such elements is not meant to imply that a particular order or sequence of processing, or separation of processes, is required in all embodiments. in general, schematic elements used to represent instruction blocks or modules may be implemented using any suitable form of machine-readable instruction, and each such instruction may be implemented using any suitable programming language, library, application programming interface (api), and/or other software development tools or frameworks. similarly, schematic elements used to represent data or information may be implemented using any suitable electronic arrangement or data structure. further, some connections, relationships or associations between elements may be simplified or not shown in the drawings so as not to obscure the disclosure. this disclosure is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, and all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.
|
167-553-840-676-65X
|
US
|
[
"US",
"EP",
"WO",
"TW"
] |
F01D25/00,B08B9/00,B08B3/00,B08B13/00
| 2018-04-19T00:00:00 |
2018
|
[
"F01",
"B08"
] |
machine foam cleaning system with integrated sensing
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a machine is cleaned by directing a foam detergent into the machine to remove contaminants from inside the machine. an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with some of the contaminants. one or more of a turbidity, a salinity, an amount of total dissolved solids, or a concentration the contaminants in the effluent is measured. a cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine is determined based on the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, and/or the contaminant concentration that is measured from the effluent. the foam detergent continues to be directed into the machine during the cleaning time period, and the flow of the foam detergent into the machine is terminated on expiration of the time period.
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1 . a system comprising: a pumping device configured to clean an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine, the foam detergent directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants; one or more sensors configured to measure one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine; and a controller configured to determine a cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine by the pumping device based on the one or more of the turbidity or the concentration that is measured from the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the controller configured to direct the pumping device to continue directing the foam detergent into the machine during the cleaning time period, the controller also configured to direct the pumping device to stop flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to expiration of the cleaning time period. 2 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the cleaning time period by estimating how long the foam detergent needs to be directed into the machine before the one or more of the turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent comes within a designated range of a designated limit. 3 . the system of claim 2 , wherein the designated limit is derived from previous measurements of one or more of an electrical characteristic of an effluent portion of a previously used foam detergent in previous machine cleanings, a turbidity of the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent in the previous machine cleanings, a salinity of the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent, or a concentration of the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent in the previous machine cleanings. 4 . the system of claim 2 , wherein the designated limit is one of several different designated limits each associated with a different change in an exhaust gas temperature margin of the machine. 5 . the system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to select the designated limit that is used to determine the cleaning time period based on the different changes in the exhaust gas temperature margins of the machine. 6 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to measure at least two of an electrical characteristic of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent are measured, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the cleaning time period based on the at least two of the electrical characteristic, the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, or the concentration of the one or more contaminants. 7 . the system of claim 6 , wherein the electrical characteristic includes a conductivity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. 8 . the system of claim 6 , wherein the electrical characteristic includes a resistivity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. 9 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the machine is a turbine engine. 10 . the system of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the effluent portion of the foam detergent is recycled back into the machine as the foam detergent, and wherein the controller is configured to monitor the one or more of the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, or the concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine to determine when to stop recycling the at least part of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. 11 . a method comprising: cleaning an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine, the foam detergent directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants; measuring one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine; determining a cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine based on the one or more of the turbidity, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration that is measured from the effluent portion of the foam detergent; continuing to direct the foam detergent into the machine during the cleaning time period; and stopping flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to expiration of the cleaning time period. 12 . the method of claim 11 , wherein determining the cleaning time period includes estimating how long the foam detergent needs to be directed into the machine before the one or more of the turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent comes within a designated range of a designated limit. 13 . the method of claim 12 , wherein the designated limit is derived from previous measurements of one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent in the previous machine cleanings, the salinity of the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent, or a concentration of the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent in the previous machine cleanings. 14 . the method of claim 12 , wherein the designated limit is one of several different designated limits each associated with a different change in an exhaust gas temperature margin of the machine. 15 . the method of claim 14 , further comprising selecting the designated limit used to determine the cleaning time period based on the different changes in the exhaust gas temperature margins of the machine. 16 . the method of claim 11 , wherein at least two of an electrical characteristic of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent are measured, and wherein the cleaning time period is determined based on the at least two of the electrical characteristic, the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, or the concentration of the one or more contaminants. 17 . the method of claim 16 , wherein the electrical characteristic includes a conductivity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. 18 . the method of claim 16 , wherein the electrical characteristic includes a resistivity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. 19 . a method comprising: cleaning an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine, the foam detergent directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants; repeatedly measuring one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine while the foam detergent is directed into the machine; determining whether the one or more of the turbidity, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration that is measured is within a designated range of a designated limit; and stopping flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to the one or more of the turbidity or the concentration is within the designated range of the designated limit. 20 . the method of claim 19 , wherein the designated limit is one of several different designated limits each associated with a different change in an exhaust gas temperature margin of the machine. 21 . the method of claim 19 , further comprising: recycling at least some of the effluent portion of the foam detergent as an additional amount of the foam detergent so long as the one or more of the turbidity or the concentration is below the designated limit.
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field the subject matter described herein relates to systems that clean machines. background some machines having intricate internal mechanisms can be cleaned by directing a cleaning fluid into the machines. for example, foam detergent can be inserted into and pass through a turbine engine to remove contaminants from inside the engine. the foam carries contaminants out of the engine, leaving a cleaner engine that may have improved performance and/or increased remaining useful service life relative to prior to the engine cleaning. currently, known cleaning systems direct the cleaning fluid into the machines for a designated period of time to ensure that the machines are thoroughly cleaned. for example, foam washes of turbine engines may be performed for at least four hours, regardless of how dirty the machines are prior to the cleaning. this cleaning duration may last an unnecessarily long period of time, thereby keeping the turbine engine out of service for longer. additionally, longer-than-needed cleanings can waste materials, such as the foam used to clean the turbine engine. brief description in one embodiment, a system includes a pumping device configured to clean an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine. the foam detergent is directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants. the system also includes one or more sensors configured to measure one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine. the system also includes a controller configured to determine a cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine by the pumping device based on the one or more of the turbidity or the concentration that is measured from the effluent portion of the foam detergent. the controller also is configured to direct the pumping device to continue directing the foam detergent into the machine during the cleaning time period, and to direct the pumping device to stop flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to expiration of the cleaning time period. in one embodiment, a method includes cleaning an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine. the foam detergent is directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants. the method also can include measuring one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine. the method also can include determining a cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine based on the one or more of the turbidity, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration that is measured from the effluent portion of the foam detergent. the method also includes continuing to direct the foam detergent into the machine during the cleaning time period, and stopping flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to expiration of the cleaning time period. in one embodiment, a method includes cleaning an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine. the foam detergent is directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants. the method also includes repeatedly measuring one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine while the foam detergent is directed into the machine. the method also includes determining whether the one or more of the turbidity, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration that is measured is within a designated range of a designated limit. the method includes stopping flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to the one or more of the turbidity or the concentration is within the designated range of the designated limit. brief description of the drawings the present inventive subject matter will be better understood from reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein below: fig. 1 illustrates a machine foam cleaning system according to one embodiment; fig. 2 illustrates one example of a characteristic of effluent that is measured by a sensor shown in fig. 1 ; fig. 3 illustrates one example of a characteristic of the effluent that is measured by the sensor shown in fig. 1 ; fig. 4 illustrates another example of how a measured characteristic of the effluent can be used to determine or predict when to end a cleaning process; and fig. 5 illustrates a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for foam cleaning of a machine. detailed description one or more embodiments of the inventive subject matter described herein provide systems and methods that measure characteristics of effluent from a foam detergent-cleaning of a machine to determine how long the foam detergent-cleaning of the machine is to be performed. this effluent can be a liquid phase effluent, or may be effluent in another phase. the characteristics can be a turbidity (e.g., cloudiness) of the effluent, a conductivity of the effluent, a resistivity of the effluent, a salinity of the effluent, a measurement of total dissolved solids (tds) in the effluent, or a concentration of one or more contaminants in the foam (e.g., removed from the machine during cleaning by the foam). different measured turbidities of the effluent, different measured conductivities of the effluent, different resistivities of the effluent, and/or different concentrations of the contaminant(s) in the effluent can be associated with different cleaning durations or remaining times until completion of the foam detergent-cleaning process. depending on the measured characteristics, the system and method may shorten or prolong the cleaning process for the machine. this can reduce the duration of many cleaning processes, which also reduces waste of the foam detergent. for example, the foam detergent may be pumped into interior chambers of a machine, pick up contaminants from surfaces inside the machine, and exit from the machine via one or more openings or ports as effluent. the effluent can carry contaminants from inside the machine. the system can determine that effluents having larger turbidity values, larger measured conductivities, lower resistivities, greater measured salinities, more total dissolved solids, and/or greater concentrations of contaminants require longer cleaning times relative to effluents having smaller turbidity values, smaller measured conductivities, greater resistivities, smaller salinities, fewer total dissolved solids, and/or smaller concentrations of contaminants. different values of turbidity values, conductivities, resistivities, salinities, total dissolved solids, and/or contaminant concentrations can be associated with different cleaning times. shorter cleaning times can result in less foam detergent being used and the machine being cleaned and available for use before longer cleaning times. at least one embodiment of the inventive subject matter provides a system and method for optimizing the cleaning procedure for foam cleaning of a turbine engine. while the description herein focuses on the foam cleaning of a turbine engine, not all embodiments are limited to the use of foams or the cleaning of a turbine engine. other cleaning fluids that are not foams can be used, and machines other than turbine engines can be cleaned with the cleaning fluid. the system and method can predict an exhaust gas temperature (egt) margin recovery of a turbine engine based on the efficiency of the cleaning of the engine. for example, different changes in the measured characteristic of the effluent and/or different rates of change in the measured characteristic of the effluent can be associated with different changes (e.g., reductions) in the egt margin of the engine. during foam cleaning of a turbine engine, contaminants such as dust, dirt, oil, coke, and the like, are removed from individual stages and modules of the engine. analysis of the effluent detergent as the effluent is discharged from the engine can be performed using sensing probes in an on-line and/or real-time mode (e.g., performed during the cleaning of the engine as additional foam detergent is directed into the engine). the concentrations of analytes such as calcium, sulphur or sulfate, and/or sodium in the effluent can be measured as indicative of the cleaning response of the turbine engine. during the initial stages of cleaning, the amount of contaminants in the effluent may increase rapidly as the foam detergent selectively dissolves evaporite deposits (sulfates, carbonates, and/or halites), and liberate bound aluminosilicate clays which are accumulated in the turbine engine during service. once the foam detergent has effectively dissolved these constituents, the analytes that comprise these accumulated evaporite deposits decrease rapidly. after a certain time period, for example 120 minutes, the rate of change of the calcium, sulphur, and/or sodium levels decreases, and the levels then start to reach asymptotes. at these asymptotic points, further cleaning time is considered to have diminishing returns with respect to improvement in the egt margin and/or with respect to reduction in the fuel flow to the engine (which tends to reduce with cleaner engines). the system and method can construct an analytic that establishes the asymptote behaviors for various characteristics of the effluent, such as the concentration of contaminants, the turbidity, the conductivity, the salinity, the total dissolved solids, and/or the resistivity of the effluent. these behaviors can be individualized for specific machines (e.g., the asymptotes for different contaminants are different for different engine serial numbers), or can be specified for a class of machines (e.g., the same asymptotes for the same make, same model, and/or same manufacturing date of machines). the correlation between (a) the asymptotes and (b) the increase in egt margin of the cleaned machine and/or the decrease in fuel flow rate as a result of the foam cleaning also can be individualized for specific machines or specified for a class of machines. optionally, the system and method (e.g., the controller described below) can use the analytic to create and/or modify maintenance schedules for individual machines or classes of machines, as described herein. the asymptotes for the effluent characteristics can be established through the course of several foam wash campaigns. for example, the effluent characteristics can be measured for the same machine or a class of several machines repeatedly at different times during each of several foam cleanings of the machine or machines. the relationships between effluent characteristics and cleaning time can be determined from these repeated cleanings and measurements. the relationships can then be used to predict when the effluent characteristic reaches an asymptotic level or value, such as a level or value associated with a designated decrease in the exhaust gas temperature margin of the engine. several designated decreases in the exhaust gas temperature margin can be measured after different cleanings of the same machine or machines. these measured the exhaust gas temperature margins can be used to associate different asymptotic levels or values with different decreases in exhaust gas temperature margins. at least one technical effect of the inventive subject matter described herein includes the minimizing or reducing of the time of the foam cleaning procedure and the volume of cleaning fluid used in the cleaning operation, as well as the maximizing or increasing of the exhaust gas temperature margin recovery of the cleaned machine and/or reducing the flow rate of fuel into the engine (e.g., due to the cleaner engine operating more efficiently, thereby requiring less fuel to operate). in one embodiment, the measured characteristics of the effluent of the foam detergent can be used to create and/or modify a maintenance schedule or cycle of the machine. if the effluent of the detergent is measured to have large amounts of certain contaminants (e.g., sodium, sulfate, etc.), then these amounts of contaminants may indicate that the operations of the machine result in elevated contamination of the machine relative to the operations of other machines. for example, for a turbine engine, higher amounts of sodium or sulfate in the detergent effluent can indicate that the turbine engine is traveling (e.g., propelling an aircraft) between locations having elevated amounts of these contaminants in the atmosphere. this can indicate that this turbine engine should be cleaned more often than other turbine engines that travel between other locations having lower amounts of the contaminants. the maintenance schedule of the turbine engine can accordingly be modified or created to provide for more frequent cleanings. conversely, lower amounts of sodium or sulfate in the detergent effluent can indicate that the turbine engine is traveling between locations having lesser amounts of these contaminants in the atmosphere. this can indicate that this turbine engine does not need to be cleaned as often as other turbine engines that travel between other locations having greater amounts of the contaminants. the maintenance schedule of the turbine engine can accordingly be modified or created to provide for less frequent cleanings. fig. 1 illustrates a machine foam cleaning system 100 according to one embodiment. the system 100 includes a controller 102 that monitors characteristics and/or changes in characteristics of effluent 104 that exits from a machine 106 being cleaned. the controller 102 represents hardware circuitry that includes and/or is connected with one or more processors. the one or more processors can include one or more microprocessors, field programmable gate arrays, integrated circuits, micro controllers, or the like. the controller 102 monitors characteristics of the effluent 104 and determines durations of cleaning processes for the machine 106 , as described herein. the machine 106 can represent a turbine engine or another type of machine. the machine 106 includes intricate internal components that accumulate contaminants, such as calcium, sulfur, sodium, and the like, due to operation of the machine 106 . to remove those contaminants, the machine 106 is cleaned by injecting a cleaning foam detergent 108 into interior regions or chambers of the machine 106 . this foam detergent 108 is formed from one or more soap detergents in a foam form, such as a combination of a gas and liquid to form the foam detergent 108 . the foam 108 or components used to create the foam 108 can be obtained from one or more container sources 110 . for example, one container source 110 may store liquid detergent that is pumped and mixed with air by a pumping device 112 . the pumping device 112 includes one or more conduits and/or pumps that pull or push the components used to create the foam detergent 108 from the container sources 110 into the machine 106 . the cleaning foam 108 is injected into the interior chambers of the machine 106 through one or more openings, passages, ports, or the like, in the outer housing of machine 106 . as the cleaning foam 108 passes through the machine 106 as cleaning foam 114 , the foam 114 picks up, dissolves, or otherwise carries contaminants on surfaces inside the machine 106 out of the machine 106 . this foam 114 may exit from the machine 106 via one or more openings, passageways, ports, or the like, as the effluent 104 . the effluent 104 may carry or otherwise contain a greater concentration of contaminants than the original cleaning foam 108 . the system 100 includes one or more sensors 116 that measure characteristics of the effluent 104 . in one embodiment, the sensor 116 shown in fig. 1 represents an electrical characteristics sensor that measures an electrical characteristic of the effluent 104 . for example, the sensor 116 can include a liquid conductivity system that measures the conductivity of the effluent 104 . in one embodiment, increased concentrations of contaminants in the effluent 104 can result in the sensor 116 measuring higher conductivity values of the effluent 104 . conversely, reduced amounts of contaminants in the effluent 104 can result in the sensor 116 measuring smaller conductive values of the effluent 104 . optionally, the sensor 116 can measure resistivity of the effluent 104 . for example, the sensor 116 can represent a multimeter, voltmeter, or the like, that measures how resistive the effluent 104 is to conductance of electric current in the effluent 104 . larger resistivity values of the effluent 104 can indicate smaller concentrations of contaminants in the effluent 104 . conversely, smaller resistivity values indicate larger amounts of contaminants in the effluent 104 . the sensor 116 can include a turbidity sensor or other optical-scattering sensor that measures how optically cloudy or clear the effluent 104 is. the sensor 116 can output a turbidity value, with the value indicative of how cloudy or clear the effluent 104 is. for example, larger turbidity values can indicate cloudier or more opaque effluent 104 , while smaller turbidity values can indicate clearer or more translucent foam 104 . larger turbidity values can indicate that the effluent 104 includes greater amounts of contaminants than smaller turbidity values. optionally, the sensor 116 can include one or more sensors that measure the concentration of contaminants in the effluent 104 . the sensor 116 may represent a single sensor or multiple sensors that directly measure a number of contaminant particles, a mass of contaminant particles, a volume of contaminant particles, or the like, in the effluent 104 . for example, an ion selective electrode sensor can be used to measure the amount of one or more contaminants (e.g., sodium, calcium or the like) in the effluent 104 . optionally, the sensor 116 can include one or more sensors that measure the salinity of the effluent 104 and/or the total dissolved solids in the effluent 104 . the cleaning process may begin by the controller 102 directing the pumping device 112 to begin pumping the clean foam 108 into the machine 106 . optionally, the controller can direct operator to begin the pumping device 112 to direct the clean foam 108 into the machine 106 , such as by audibly and/or visibly presenting instructions to the operator on an output device or via the output device 118 . the output device 118 represent one or more electronic devices that present information to the operator, such as electronic display, a speaker, a touchscreen, or the like. during the cleaning process, the sensor 116 can measure the characteristic or characteristics of the effluent 104 . the sensor 116 can measure the characteristics repeatedly during the cleaning process, such that characteristics are measured as the effluent 104 exits from the machine 106 . the measured characteristics can be communicated from the sensor 116 to the controller 102 . the controller 102 can save or otherwise record one or more the characteristics provided by the sensor 116 in a tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium, such as a computer memory 120 . the computer memory 120 can represent one or more computer hard drives, flash drives, optical discs, or the like. the controller 102 can examine the characteristic(s) of the effluent 104 and determine a remaining cleaning time based on the characteristic(s). for example, the controller 102 can examine the characteristic that is measured and determine how much longer the cleaning process should continue (with the cleaning process involving clean foam detergent 108 being directed into the machine 106 ) before the characteristic measured by the sensor 116 reaches or comes within a designated range of an asymptotic limit or value. responsive to the measured characteristic coming within this asymptotic limit, the controller 102 can automatically direct the pumping device 112 to stop directing additional foam detergent 108 into the machine 106 , can automatically present instructions on output device 118 directing an operator to stop operation of the pumping device 112 from directing additional foam detergent 108 in the machine 106 , or a combination thereof. fig. 2 illustrates one example of a characteristic 200 of the effluent 104 that is measured by the sensor 116 shown in fig. 1 . the measured characteristic 200 is shown alongside a horizontal axis 202 that represents time and/or number of sample or sample number. the measured characteristic 200 also shown alongside a vertical axis 204 representative of a magnitude of the measured characteristic 200 . in the illustrated example, the measured characteristic 200 can represent the conductivity of the effluent 104 , the turbidity of the effluent 104 , the salinity of the effluent 104 , the total dissolved solids in the effluent 104 , or an amount of one or more contaminants in the effluent 104 . as shown, the measured characteristic 200 may initially have a relatively low value that rapidly increases. the measured characteristic 200 may then gradually decrease, indicating that passage of the foam 114 through the machine 106 is dissolving, carrying away, or otherwise removing contaminants from inside the machine 106 . the measured characteristic 200 may continue to decrease over time and asymptotically approach a limit 206 . this limit 206 may be a goal or objective of the cleaning process, such as to reduce the amount of contaminants inside the machine 106 to a level where the characteristic 200 is at or within a designated range 208 of the limit 206 . the limit 206 optionally can be referred to as an asymptotic limit. the limit 206 may be determined from previous measurements of the characteristics 200 of a previously used foam detergent 108 in previous cleanings of the same machine 106 , of machines 106 in the same class of machines 106 , or a combination thereof. for example, the memory 120 can store an average, median, or the like of previously measured characteristics 200 during previous cleanings of the same or similar machines 106 after the machine 106 one machines 106 are determined to be cleaned from contaminants. this average, median, or the like, may be used as the limit 206 . the range 208 may be, for example, a range of 1%, 3%, 5%, or the like, of the limit 206 . the characteristic 200 may be within the range to await of asymptotic limit 206 when the value of the characteristic 200 is within 101% of the asymptotic limit 206 , within 103% of the asymptotic limit 206 , or within 105% of the asymptotic limit 206 . in some circumstances, the measured characteristic 200 may not reach levels that are at or below the asymptotic limit 206 even though the cleaning process extends over a long period of time, such as two or more hours. alternatively, the measured characteristic 200 may eventually reach or fall below the asymptotic limit 206 , only after a very long cleaning time, such as two or three hours or more. the controller 102 may use the measured characteristic 200 in a variety of ways to determine how long the cleaning process of the machine 106 should last. for example, the controller 102 can track changes in the characteristic 200 and stop the cleaning process once the value of the characteristic 200 is at or within range 208 of the limit 206 . the sensor 116 can repeatedly measure the characteristic 200 and the controller 102 can repeatedly determine whether the cleaning process should continue based on how close or far the characteristic 200 is from a desired or designated value. in this example, the controller 102 may monitor the value of the measured characteristic 200 as the measured characteristic increases from an initial value toward the peak value shown in fig. 2 . following this peak value, controller 102 may examine the measured characteristic 200 at a first value 210 . at this first value 210 , the measured characteristic 200 has a relatively large value, indicating that there still are significant contaminants within the machine 106 and the cleaning process should continue for a longer period of time. the controller 102 may examine the value of the measured characteristic 200 one or more additional times as the cleaning process continues. this examination of the measured value of the characteristic 200 can be repeated by the controller 102 to determine whether the remaining duration of the cleaning process needs to be updated. for example, depending on the change or rate of change in the value of the measured characteristic 200 , the duration of the cleaning process may need to be extended or shortened depending on how effectively the foam 114 is removing contaminants from within the machine 106 . the controller 102 may repeatedly examine the characteristic of the effluent 104 at different times during the cleaning process to determine whether the duration of the cleaning process should be extended to ensure that enough contaminants are removed from the machine 106 or whether the duration of the cleaning process should be stopped to prevent excess use of the foam detergent 108 . for example, the controller 102 can later examine the measured characteristic 200 and determine the characteristic 200 has a lower second value 212 and measure the characteristic 200 at an even later time and determine that the characteristic 200 has a lower third value 214 . responsive to the value of the measured characteristic 200 being at or within the designated range 208 of the limit 206 , the controller 102 may determine that the cleaning process is complete. for example, the values the measured characteristic 200 may be at or within the range 208 of limit 206 , thereby indicating that the marginal gain in additional cleaning of the machine 106 is insubstantial relative to the cost of directing additional clean foam detergent 108 into the machine 106 . as a result, controller 102 may automatically direct the pumping device 112 to stop directing clean foam detergent 108 into the machine 106 , may direct the operator to stop the pumping device 112 from directing additional clean foam detergent 108 and the machine 106 , or a combination thereof. as another example of the controller 102 determining how long the cleaning process of the machine 106 should last, the controller 102 may forecast how much longer the cleaning process is to last or be continued based on one or more prior measurements of the characteristic 200 . the controller 102 can determine an estimated remaining cleaning time based on the value of the measured characteristic 200 at one or more times. the measured values of the characteristic 200 can be compared with designated values that are associated with the machine 106 or with a class of machines 106 . for example, the value 210 of the characteristic 200 may indicate that the cleaning process should continue for an additional sixty minutes, the value 212 may indicate that the cleaning process should continue for an additional forty minutes, and the value 214 may indicate that the cleaning process should continue for an additional thirty minutes. the designated cleaning times associated with different values of the characteristics 200 can be obtained from the memory 120 . the memory 120 can associate different remaining cleaning times with different values of the measured characteristic 200 . for example, larger values of effluent conductivity, larger values of contaminant concentration in the effluent, larger values of effluent turbidity, larger salinity values, more total dissolved solids, and/or smaller values of effluent resistivity can be associated with longer cleaning times than smaller values of effluent conductivity, smaller values of contaminant concentration in the effluent, smaller values of effluent turbidity, smaller salinity values, fewer total dissolved solids, and/or larger values of effluent resistivity. the designated cleaning times can be measured or calculated from previous cleanings of the same machine 106 or a class of machines 106 . the controller 102 may repeatedly examine the characteristic of the effluent 104 at different times during the cleaning process to determine whether the duration of the cleaning process should be extended to ensure that enough contaminants are removed from the machine 106 or whether the duration of the cleaning process should be shortened to prevent excess use of the foam detergent 108 . the change in the characteristic 200 of the effluent 104 may not change with respect to time as estimated. for example, the controller 102 may first determine that the measured value 210 of the characteristic 200 indicates that the cleaning should continue for an additional sixty minutes from the time at which the value 210 is measured. the controller 102 can later determine that the measured value 212 of the characteristic 200 indicates that the cleaning should continue for an additional forty minutes from the time at which the value 212 is measured. the controller 102 can later determine that the measured value 214 of the characteristic 200 indicates that the cleaning should continue for an additional thirty minutes from the time at which the value 214 is measured. the controller 102 can update the remaining cleaning time based on the measured values of the characteristic 200 . the values of the characteristic 200 may not decrease or increase as expected. for example, the time between when the first and second values 210 , 212 of the measured characteristic 200 are measured may not coincide with the difference in remaining cleaning time durations associated with the different values 210 , 212 . the first value 210 may indicate to the controller 102 that the cleaning process needs continued for an additional sixty minutes. the second value 212 may be measured ten minutes after the first value 210 , but may indicate that only forty minutes cleaning time remains (before the characteristic 200 is at or within the range 208 of the limit 206 ). this can occur because the foam 108 , 114 is removing contaminants from the machine 106 more rapidly than expected. conversely, the values 210 , 212 of the measured characteristic may indicate that the cleaning process is proceeding slower than expected. for example, the second value 212 of the measured characteristic 200 may be obtained forty minutes after the first value 210 . this can indicate that, although the values 210 , 212 indicate that the cleaning process has continued for twenty minutes (due to the total cleaning process duration being reduced by twenty minutes from the first value 210 second value 212 ), the contaminants may be removed from the machine 106 by the foam 114 more slowly than expected. the controller 102 can continue repeatedly examining the values of the characteristic 200 to change, update, or modify the remaining duration of the cleaning process. for example, the controller 102 may measure the characteristic 200 at the third value 214 at a time that is subsequent to when the values 210 , 212 are measured. in one example, the value 214 of the measured characteristic may indicate that the cleaning process needs to continue for an additional thirty minutes. the controller 102 can repeatedly examine the characteristic and optionally change the remaining cleaning time that the foam 108 is introduced into the machine 106 . fig. 3 illustrates one example of a characteristic 300 of the effluent 104 that is measured by the sensor 116 shown in fig. 1 . the measured characteristic 300 is shown alongside the horizontal axis 202 and the vertical axis 204 described above. in the illustrated example, the measured characteristic 300 can represent the resistivity of the effluent 104 . the measured characteristic 300 may initially have a relatively large value that rapidly decreases. the measured characteristic 300 may then gradually increase, indicating that passage of the foam 114 through the machine 106 is dissolving, carrying away, or otherwise removing contaminants from inside the machine 106 . the measured characteristic 300 may continue to increase over time and asymptotically approach the limit 206 . the controller 102 may use the measured characteristic 300 in a variety of ways to determine how long the cleaning process of the machine 106 should last. for example, the controller 102 can track changes in the characteristic 300 and stop the cleaning process once the value of the characteristic 200 is at or within range 208 of the limit 206 . the sensor 116 can repeatedly measure the characteristic 300 and the controller 102 can repeatedly determine whether the cleaning process should continue based on how close or far the characteristic 300 is from a desired or designated value. in this example, the controller 102 may monitor the value of the measured characteristic 300 as the measured characteristic decreases from an initial value toward the smallest value shown in fig. 3 . following this smallest value, the controller 102 may examine the measured characteristic 300 at a first value 310 . at this first value 310 , the measured characteristic 300 has a relatively small value, indicating that there still are significant contaminants within the machine 106 and the cleaning process should continue for a longer period of time. the controller 102 may examine the value of the measured characteristic 300 one or more additional times as the cleaning process continues. this examination of the measured value of the characteristic 300 can be repeated by the controller 102 to determine whether the remaining duration of the cleaning process needs to be updated. for example, depending on the change or rate of change in the value of the measured characteristic 300 , the duration of the cleaning process may need to be extended or shortened depending on how effectively the foam 114 is removing contaminants from within the machine 106 . the controller 102 may repeatedly examine the characteristic of the effluent 104 at different times during the cleaning process to determine whether the duration of the cleaning process should be extended to ensure that enough contaminants are removed from the machine 106 or whether the duration of the cleaning process should be stopped to prevent excess use of the foam detergent 108 . for example, the controller 102 can later examine the measured characteristic 300 and determine the characteristic 300 has a greater second value 312 , and measure the characteristic 300 at an even later time and determine that the characteristic 300 has a greater third value 314 . the controller 102 can use these values of the characteristic 300 to determine when to stop the cleaning process and/or to predict when the cleaning process will be complete, as described above. fig. 4 illustrates another example of how a measured characteristic 200 of the effluent 104 can be used to determine or predict when to end a cleaning process. as described above, the values of the measured characteristic 300 may initially increase and then decrease over time with continued direction of the foam detergent 108 into the machine 106 . the measured characteristic 300 may decrease over time at a rate that decreases while the measured characteristic 300 approaches an asymptotic limit. for example, the characteristic 300 can continue to decrease with continued cleaning of the machine 106 , but the decreases in the characteristic 300 may become smaller over time with additional cleaning of the machine 106 . optionally, the measured characteristic 300 can initially decrease and then increase over time with continued cleaning. in the illustrated example, there are several different limits 206 , 406 , 408 . these different limits 206 , 406 , 408 are associated with or representative of different levels of cleanliness of the inside surfaces of the machine 106 . for example, the limit 206 is associated with the lowest value of the measured characteristic 200 , indicating the cleanest machine 106 relative to the limits 406 , 408 . conversely, the limit 408 is associated with the highest value of the measured characteristic 200 , indicating that the limit 408 is associated with a dirtier interior of the machine 106 , relative to the thresholds or limits 206 , 406 . the different thresholds or limits 206 , 406 , 408 may be associated with different changes in exhaust gas temperature margins of the machine 106 . for example, because the limit 206 is associated with a reduced amount of contaminants in the machine 106 relative to the limits 406 , 408 , the limit 206 may also be associated with a larger decrease in exhaust gas temperature margin of the machine 106 . similarly, the limit 406 may be associated with a decrease in the exhaust gas temperature margin that is not as large of a decrease associated with the limit 206 , but is a larger decrease than the decrease associated with the limit 408 . the controller 102 and/or the operator of the system 100 may select the limit 206 , 406 , 408 based on a desired or selected reduction in the exhaust gas temperature margin of the machine 106 . for example, the operator may select the limit 406 as the limit to which the characteristics 200 are to be reduced to determine when to end the cleaning process. the operator may select the limit 406 due to the decrease in exhaust gas margin not being enough to decrease for the limit 408 , but with the decrease the exhaust gas temperature margin associated with the limit 206 taking too long to reach. as another example, the controller 102 may automatically select which limit 206 , 406 , 408 is used to determine when to terminate the cleaning process. for example, the controller 102 may measure the characteristic 200 at one or more points or times, and determine the approximate or estimate how long the cleaning process must continue for the value of the characteristic 200 to reach each of two or more of the limits 206 , 406 , 408 . the controller may examine these additional cleaning times associated with the different limits 206 , 406 , 408 , and may examine the exhaust gas temperature margin reductions associated with each of the limits 206 , 406 , 408 , and select one of the limits 206 , 406 , 408 to use in determining when to terminate the cleaning process. the controller may examine the limit 206 and one or more values of the measured characteristic 200 and determined that it will require an additional cleaning time of one hundred fifty minutes for the characteristic 200 to reach the limit 206 or be within the designated range 208 of the limit 206 . the controller may examine the limit 406 and one or more values of the measured characteristic 200 and determine a required additional cleaning time of ninety minutes for the characteristic 200 to reach the limit 406 or be within the designated range 208 of the limit 406 . the controller 102 may examine the limit 408 and one or more values of the measured characteristic 200 and determine the required additional cleaning time of fifty-five minutes for the characteristic to reach the limit 408 or be within the designated range 208 of the limit 408 . the controller 102 also can examine the reductions in exhaust gas temperature margins associated with each of the limits 206 , 406 , 408 . as one example, the exhaust gas temperature margin be expected to be reduced by 30% when the characteristic 200 is reduced to or within the range 208 of the limit 206 , by 20% with the characteristic 200 is reduced to or within the range 208 of the limit 406 , and by 10% with the characteristic 200 reduced to or within the range 208 of the limit 408 . based on these additional cleaning time durations and the corresponding reductions in exhaust gas temperature margins associated with the different limits 206 , 406 , 408 , the controller 102 may select which limit 206 , 406 , 408 the characteristic 200 is to be reduced to, and also base the remaining cleaning time duration on this selected limit 206 , 406 or 408 . in continuing with the preceding example, the controller 102 may select the limit 406 because the limit 406 is associated with the exhaust gas temperature margin reduction that is greater than a desired reduction (for example, at least 15% reduction) and is associated with an additional cleaning process time of ninety minutes, which is less than an upper limit on the cleaning time (for example one hundred twenty minutes). the controller 102 may then direct the pumping device 112 to continue pumping additional clean detergent foam 108 into the machine 106 until this cleaning time duration is reached or until the characteristic 200 is at or within the range 208 of the limit 406 . while the description herein focuses on the controller 102 examining a single characteristic of the effluent 104 to determine how much longer the cleaning process of the machine 106 is to continue, in one embodiment, the controller 102 examines two or more different characteristics of the effluent 104 . for example, the controller 102 may obtain measured values of the conductivity and turbidity of the effluent 104 . the controller 102 can separately examine these characteristics to determine how much longer the cleaning process of the machine 106 is to continue based on each of the characteristics 200 (e.g., based on how long it is predicted for each characteristic to reach an associated limit or be within the range of the limit). the controller 102 can then combine these cleaning times associated with the different characteristics. for example, the controller 102 can calculate an average or median of the remaining cleaning times associated with the different characteristics of the effluent 104 , and use the average or median as the remaining cleaning time used for the machine 106 . fig. 5 illustrates a flowchart of one embodiment of a method 500 for foam cleaning of a machine. the method 500 can represent the operations performed by the controller 102 in determining and controlling how long the pumping device 112 continues to direct clean foam detergent 108 into the machine 106 to remove contaminants from interior surfaces and chambers of the machine 106 . at 502 , clean foam is directed into the machine being cleaned. for example, controller 102 may direct the pumping device 112 to begin directing clean foam detergent 108 into the machine 106 , as described above. the foam detergent 108 passes through the machine as the foam 114 , and the foam 114 picks up, dissolves, or otherwise carries away contaminants from inside the machine 106 . this foam 114 exits the machine 106 as the effluent 104 , as described above. at 504 , one or more characteristics of the effluent are measured. as described herein, the sensor 116 can measure the conductivity of the effluent 104 , resistivity of the effluent 104 , turbidity of the effluent 104 , and/or concentration of one or more contaminants in the effluent 104 as a characteristic. at 506 , a remaining cleaning time is determined based on the measured characteristic of the effluent 104 . for example, the controller 102 can compare the value of the measured characteristic with the value of a designated limit, and predict how much longer the cleaning process is to continue until the value of the characteristic is expected to be at or within a designated range of the asymptotic limit. different values of the measured characteristic can be associated with different remaining cleaning times until the characteristic reaches the limit or is within a designated range of the limit based on previous foam cleanings of the same machine or a class of similar machines. as another example, the controller 102 can continue monitoring the values of the characteristic and stop the foam cleaning once the characteristic is at or within the designated range of the designated limit. at 508 , additional cleaning foam is directed into the machine. for example, the pumping device 112 may continue directing clean foam detergent 108 into machine 106 . at 510 , a determination is made as to whether a remaining cleaning time has been reached. for example, the controller 102 may determine whether the duration of the cleaning process, as determined at 506 , has been reached. if additional time remains for the cleaning process to be completed based on the measured value of the characteristic of the effluent that is determined at 506 , then flow of the method 500 can proceed toward 512 . but, if the remaining cleaning time as determined at 506 has been reached, then flow of the method 500 can proceed from 510 toward 514 . at 514 , the cleaning process may be terminated. for example, responsive to determining that the remaining cleaning time determined at 506 has been reached, the controller 102 may automatically direct the pumping device 112 to stop directing additional foam 108 into the machine 106 . operation of the method 500 may then terminate. returning to the description of the decision made at 510 , if the cleaning time determined at 506 has not yet been reached, then flow of the method 500 can proceed from 510 toward 512 . at 512 , the characteristic or characteristics of the effluent 104 are measured again. the sensor 116 can measure the characteristic or characteristics of the effluent 104 , and communicate these characteristic or characteristics to the controller 102 . at 516 , a determination is made as to whether or not the remaining cleaning time needs to be changed based on the measured characteristic. for example, controller 102 may examine the change, rate of change, or other approach of the characteristic of the effluent 104 toward the desired or selected limit. the recently measured characteristic of the effluent 104 may indicate that more or less cleaning time may be needed to reach the designated limit. the controller 102 may determine if additional cleaning time is needed, or if less cleaning time is needed, and may change the remaining cleaning time based on the approach of the characteristic of the effluent 104 to the limit. as a result, flow of the method 500 can proceed from 516 to 518 . alternatively, if the recently measured characteristic of the effluent 104 does not indicate any time needs to be updated, then flow of the method 500 can proceed from 516 toward 508 . at 518 , the remaining cleaning time of the machine is updated. if the characteristic measured at 512 indicates that the characteristic is not reducing or increasing at a rate commensurate with the expected change in characteristic during the foam cleaning of the machine 106 , the controller 102 may determine that the remaining cleaning time needs to be extended or decreased. for example, if the characteristic measured at 504 indicates that the cleaning process needs to continue for an additional ninety minutes but, thirty minutes later, the characteristic measured at 512 indicates that the cleaning processes should continue for an additional eighty minutes, then the controller 102 may extend the cleaning time. as another example, if the characteristic measured at 504 indicates of the cleaning processes continue for an additional ninety minutes but, thirty minutes later, the characteristic measured at 512 indicates of the cleaning process needs to continue for an additional forty minutes, the controller may reduce the cleaning time. in this way, this portion of the method 500 can proceed in a loop-wise manner to repeatedly measure characteristics of the effluent 104 to determine and/or update how much longer the cleaning process needs to continue before the characteristic of the effluent 104 is expected to be at or within a designated range of the selected limit. in one embodiment, the effluent 104 that exits from the machine 106 can be recycled or otherwise re-used as some or all of the foam detergent 108 that is directed into the same machine 106 or another machine 106 at a later time. for example, the effluent 104 can be examined (as described herein) and, depending on the value or values of the characteristic 200 , 300 of the effluent 104 , at least some of the effluent 104 can be added to the source 110 of foam detergent 108 . if the characteristic 200 of the effluent 104 exceeds a designated threshold that is associated with healthy detergent foam 108 (e.g., the threshold 206 , 406 , and/or 408 ), then the characteristic 200 may indicate that the effluent 104 is too dirty or cannot otherwise be used as part of the detergent 108 that is introduced into the machine 106 . for example, a large value for the characteristic 200 can indicate that the effluent 104 is too dirty to be recycled as detergent foam 108 that is directed into the machine 106 to clean the machine 106 . as long as the characteristic 200 of the effluent 104 remains at or below the designated threshold, however, then the effluent 104 may continue to be at least partially recycled as the detergent foam 108 that is directed into the machine 106 to clean the machine 106 . one or more conduits may receive and direct the effluent 104 into one or more filters that clean or otherwise remove contaminants from the effluent 104 . the characteristic of the effluent 104 can be measured before and/or after the effluent 104 is cleaned by the filters. a pump (e.g., the pumping device 112 or another pumping device) can direct at least some of the effluent 104 back to the source 110 after the portion of the effluent 104 passes through and is cleaned by the filter(s). the controller 102 can monitor the characteristic of the effluent 104 measured before and/or after the effluent 104 passes through the filter(s) and, depending on the value of the characteristic, the controller 102 can stop the pumping device from directing the effluent 104 back into the source 110 . in one embodiment, the controller 102 can examine the measured characteristics of the effluent 104 of the foam detergent 108 and be used to determine whether to create and/or modify a maintenance schedule or cycle of the machine 106 . if the effluent of the detergent is measured to have large amounts of certain contaminants (e.g., sodium, sulfate, etc.), then these amounts of contaminants may indicate that the operations of the machine 106 result in elevated contamination of the machine 106 relative to the operations of other machines. for example, for a turbine engine as the machine 106 , higher amounts of sodium or sulfate in the effluent 104 can indicate that the turbine engine is operating in locations having elevated amounts of these contaminants in the atmosphere. this can indicate that this turbine engine should be cleaned more often than other turbine engines that operate in locations having lower amounts of the contaminants. the controller 102 can then create or modify the maintenance schedule of the turbine engine to provide for more frequent cleanings. conversely, lower amounts of sodium or sulfate in the effluent 104 can indicate that the turbine engine is operating in locations having lesser amounts of these contaminants in the atmosphere. this can indicate that this turbine engine does not need to be cleaned as often as other turbine engines that operate in locations having greater amounts of the contaminants. the controller 102 can then create or modify the maintenance schedule of the turbine engine to provide for less frequent cleanings. in one embodiment, a system includes a pumping device configured to clean an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine. the foam detergent is directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants. the system also includes one or more sensors configured to measure one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine. the system also includes a controller configured to determine a cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine by the pumping device based on the one or more of the turbidity or the concentration that is measured from the effluent portion of the foam detergent. the controller also is configured to direct the pumping device to continue directing the foam detergent into the machine during the cleaning time period, and to direct the pumping device to stop flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to expiration of the cleaning time period. optionally, the one or more processors are configured to determine the cleaning time period by estimating how long the foam detergent needs to be directed into the machine before the one or more of the turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent comes within a designated range of a designated limit. optionally, the designated limit is derived from previous measurements of one or more of an electrical characteristic of an effluent portion of a previously used foam detergent in previous machine cleanings, a turbidity of the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent in the previous machine cleanings, a salinity of the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent, or a concentration of the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent in the previous machine cleanings. optionally, the designated limit is one of several different designated limits each associated with a different change in an exhaust gas temperature margin of the machine. optionally, the one or more processors are configured to select the designated limit that is used to determine the cleaning time period based on the different changes in the exhaust gas temperature margins of the machine. optionally, the one or more sensors are configured to measure at least two of an electrical characteristic of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent are measured. the controller can be configured to determine the cleaning time period based on the at least two of the electrical characteristic, the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, or the concentration of the one or more contaminants. optionally, the electrical characteristic includes a conductivity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. optionally, the electrical characteristic includes a resistivity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. optionally, the machine is a turbine engine. optionally, at least part of the effluent portion of the foam detergent is recycled back into the machine as the foam detergent. the controller can be configured to monitor the one or more of the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, or the concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine to determine when to stop recycling the at least part of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. in one embodiment, a method includes cleaning an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine. the foam detergent is directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants. the method also can include measuring one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine. the method also can include determining a cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine based on the one or more of the turbidity, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration that is measured from the effluent portion of the foam detergent. the method also includes continuing to direct the foam detergent into the machine during the cleaning time period, and stopping flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to expiration of the cleaning time period. optionally, determining the cleaning time period includes estimating how long the foam detergent needs to be directed into the machine before the one or more of the turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent comes within a designated range of a designated limit. optionally, the designated limit is derived from previous measurements of one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent in the previous machine cleanings, the salinity of the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent, or a concentration of the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the previously used foam detergent in the previous machine cleanings. optionally, the designated limit is one of several different designated limits each associated with a different change in an exhaust gas temperature margin of the machine. optionally, the method also includes selecting the designated limit used to determine the cleaning time period based on the different changes in the exhaust gas temperature margins of the machine. optionally, at least two of an electrical characteristic of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent are measured. the cleaning time period can be determined based on the at least two of the electrical characteristic, the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, or the concentration of the one or more contaminants. optionally, the electrical characteristic includes a conductivity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. optionally, the electrical characteristic includes a resistivity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent. in one embodiment, a method includes cleaning an internal structure of a machine by directing a foam detergent into the machine to reduce an amount of one or more contaminants inside the machine. the foam detergent is directed into the machine such that an effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with at least some of the contaminants. the method also includes repeatedly measuring one or more of a turbidity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine, a salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, an amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or a concentration the one or more contaminants in the effluent portion of the foam detergent that exits from inside the machine while the foam detergent is directed into the machine. the method also includes determining whether the one or more of the turbidity, the salinity of the effluent portion of the foam detergent, the amount of total dissolved solids in the effluent portion of the foam detergent, or the concentration that is measured is within a designated range of a designated limit. the method includes stopping flow of the foam detergent into the machine responsive to the one or more of the turbidity or the concentration is within the designated range of the designated limit. optionally, the designated limit is one of several different designated limits each associated with a different change in an exhaust gas temperature margin of the machine. optionally, the method also includes recycling at least some of the effluent portion of the foam detergent as an additional amount of the foam detergent so long as the one or more of the turbidity or the concentration is below the designated limit. as used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the presently described subject matter are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property. it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. for example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. in addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the subject matter set forth herein without departing from its scope. while the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the disclosed subject matter, they are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. the scope of the subject matter described herein should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. in the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-english equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 u.s.c. § 112(f), unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure. this written description uses examples to disclose several embodiments of the subject matter set forth herein, including the best mode, and also to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments of disclosed subject matter, including making and using the devices or systems and performing the methods. the patentable scope of the subject matter described herein is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
|
171-323-799-231-624
|
US
|
[
"BR",
"AU",
"US",
"CA",
"CN",
"JP",
"SG",
"KR",
"MY",
"MX",
"WO",
"EP"
] |
A23L27/30,A23L2/60,C12N15/63,C12P19/56,G01N30/02,C12N1/19,A23L27/00,C12N1/13,C12N1/15,C12N1/21,C12N5/10,C12N15/52,C12P19/00,C12P19/44,C12N15/81,C12N9/12,C12N9/90,C12N15/67
| 2016-04-13T00:00:00 |
2016
|
[
"A23",
"C12",
"G01"
] |
production of steviol glycosides in recombinant hosts
|
the invention relates to recombinant microorganisms and methods for producing steviol glycosides and steviol glycoside precursors.
|
1 . a recombinant host cell capable of producing one or more steviol glycosides or a steviol glycoside composition in a cell culture, comprising: (a) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp); (b) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate; and/or (c) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine diphosphate glucose (udp-glucose) from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. 2 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein: (a) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123; (b) the polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of seq id nos:2, 119, or 143 or a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of seq id nos:141, 145, or 147; and/or (c) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 or 127, a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of seq id nos:125, 129, 133, 135, 137, or 139 or a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:131. 3 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , further comprising: (a) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof; (b) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; (c) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof; and/or (d) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; wherein at least one of the genes in items (a)-(d) is a recombinant gene. 4 . the recombinant host cell of claim 3 , wherein: (a) the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof comprises a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:7; (b) the polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having at least 50% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:9; (c) the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof comprises a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:4; and/or (d) the polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:11; a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:13; or a polypeptide having at least 65% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:16. 5 . the recombinant host cell of claim 3 , further comprising: (e) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (ggpp) from farnesyl diphosphate (fpp) and isopentenyl diphosphate (ipp); (f) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp; (g) a gene encoding an a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate; (h) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid from ent-kaurene; (i) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex; and/or (j) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid; wherein at least one of the genes in items (e)-(j) is a recombinant gene. 6 . the recombinant host cell of claim 5 , wherein: (a) the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof comprises a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:7; (b) the polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having at least 50% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:9; (c) the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof comprises a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:4; and/or (d) the polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:11; a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:13; or a polypeptide having at least 65% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:16. 7 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell comprises: (a) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp) having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123; (b) one or more genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, each having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2 and/or seq id no:119; and (c) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121. 8 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell comprises: (a) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp); (b) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate; (c) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121; (d) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in any one of seq id nos:125, 129; 133, 135, 137, or 139; or at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:127; or at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:131; and one or more of: (e) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:7; (b) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside having at least 50% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:9; (c) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:4; (d) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:11; a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:13; or a polypeptide having at least 65% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:16. 9 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell comprises: (a) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp) having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123; (b) one or more recombinant genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, each having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2 and/or seq id no:119; and/or (c) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121; wherein the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp), the one or more genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate are overexpressed relative to a corresponding host cell lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 10 . the recombinant host cell of claim 9 , wherein the gene encoding the polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp), the one or more genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate are overexpressed by at least 10% relative to a corresponding host cell lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 11 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes increase the amount of udp-glucose accumulated by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 12 . the recombinant host cell of claim 11 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of udp-glucose accumulated by the cell by at least about 10% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 13 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases an amount of the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 14 . the recombinant host cell of claim 13 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of the one or more steviol glycosides produced by the cell by at least about 5% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 15 . the recombinant host cell of claim 13 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of rebaudioside a (reba), rebaudioside b (rebb), rebaudioside d (rebd), and/or rebaudioside m (rebm) produced by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 16 . the recombinant host cell of claim 15 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of reba, rebb, rebd, and/or rebm produced by the cell by at least about 5% relative to a corresponding host cell lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 17 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of total steviol glycosides produced by the cell by at least about 5% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 18 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes decreases the one of one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition accumulated by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 19 . the recombinant host cell of claim 18 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes decreases the amount of the one or more steviol glycosides accumulated by the cell by at least about 5% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 20 . the recombinant host cell of claim 18 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes decreases the amount of rebb, rebd, and/or steviol-13-o-glucoside (13-smg), accumulated by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 21 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein expression of the one or more recombinant genes decreases the amount of total steviol glycosides produced by the cell by less than 5% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. 22 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the one or more steviol glycosides is, or the steviol glycoside composition comprises, steviol-13-o-glucoside (13-smg), steviol-1,2-bioside, steviol-1,3-bioside, steviol-19-o-glucoside (19-smg), 1,2-stevioside, 1,3-stevioside (rebg), rubusoside, reba, rebb, rebaudioside c (rebc), rebd, rebaudioside e (rebe), rebaudioside f (rebf), rebm, rebaudioside q (rebq), rebaudioside i (rebi), dulcoside a, and/or an isomer thereof. 23 . the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , wherein the recombinant host cell is a plant cell, a fungal cell, an algal cell, or a bacterial cell. 24 . a method of producing one or more steviol glycosides or a steviol glycoside composition in a cell culture, comprising culturing the recombinant host cell of claim 1 in the cell culture, under conditions in which the genes are expressed, and wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition is produced by the recombinant host cell. 25 . a cell culture, comprising the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , the cell culture further comprising: (a) the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the recombinant host cell; (b) glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, udp-glucose, udp-rhamnose, udp-xylose, and/or n-acetyl-glucosamine; and (c) supplemental nutrients comprising trace metals, vitamins, salts, ynb, and/or amino acids; wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition is present at a concentration of at least 1 mg/liter of the cell culture; wherein the cell culture is enriched for the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition relative to a steviol glycoside composition from a stevia plant and has a reduced level of stevia plant-derived components relative to a plant-derived stevia extract. 26 . a cell culture, comprising the recombinant host cell of claim 1 , the cell culture further comprising: (a) the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the recombinant host cell; (b) glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, udp-glucose, udp-rhamnose, udp-xylose, and/or n-acetyl-glucosamine; and (c) supplemental nutrients comprising trace metals, vitamins, salts, ynb, and/or amino acids; wherein udp-glucose is present in the cell culture at a concentration of at least 100 μm; wherein the cell culture is enriched for ugp-glucose relative to a steviol glycoside composition from a stevia plant and has a reduced level of stevia plant-derived components relative to a plant-derived stevia extract. 27 . a cell lysate from the recombinant host cell of claim 1 grown in the cell culture, comprising: (a) the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the recombinant host cell; (b) glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, udp-glucose, udp-rhamnose, udp-xylose, and/or n-acetyl-glucosamine; and (c) supplemental nutrients comprising trace metals, vitamins, salts, yeast nitrogen base, ynb, and/or amino acids; wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the recombinant host cell is present at a concentration of at least 1 mg/liter of the cell culture.
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background of the invention field of the invention this disclosure relates to recombinant production of steviol glycosides and steviol glycoside precursors in recombinant hosts. in particular, this disclosure relates to production of steviol glycosides comprising steviol-13-o-glucoside (13-smg), rubusoside, rebaudioside b (rebb), rebaudioside a (reba), rebaudioside d (rebd), and rebaudioside m (rebm) in recombinant hosts comprising genes involved in uridine diphosphate (udp)-glucose formation. description of related art sweeteners are well known as ingredients used most commonly in the food, beverage, or confectionary industries. the sweetener can either be incorporated into a final food product during production or for stand-alone use, when appropriately diluted, as a tabletop sweetener or an at-home replacement for sugars in baking. sweeteners include natural sweeteners such as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, maple syrup, and honey and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose. stevia extract is a natural sweetener that can be isolated and extracted from a perennial shrub, stevia rebaudiana. stevia is commonly grown in south america and asia for commercial production of stevia extract. stevia extract, purified to various degrees, is used commercially as a high intensity sweetener in foods and in blends or alone as a tabletop sweetener. extracts of the stevia plant generally comprise steviol glycosides that contribute to the sweet flavor, although the amount of each steviol glycoside often varies, inter alia, among different production batches. chemical structures for several steviol glycosides are shown in fig. 2 , including the diterpene steviol and various steviol glycosides. extracts of the stevia plant generally comprise steviol glycosides that contribute to the sweet flavor, although the amount of each steviol glycoside often varies, inter alia, among different production batches. as recovery and purification of steviol glycosides from the stevia plant have proven to be labor intensive and inefficient, there remains a need for a recombinant production system that can accumulate high yields of desired steviol glycosides, such as rebm. there also remains a need for improved production of steviol glycosides in recombinant hosts for commercial uses. as well, there remains a need for increasing udp-glucose formation in recombinant hosts in order to produce higher yields of steviol glycosides, including rebm. summary of the invention it is against the above background that the present invention provides certain advantages and advancements over the prior art. although this invention as disclosed herein is not limited to specific advantages or functionalities, the invention provides a recombinant host cell capable of producing one or more steviol glycosides or a steviol glycoside composition in a cell culture, comprising: (a) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp);(b) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate; and/or(c) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine diphosphate glucose (udp-glucose) from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein: (a) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123;(b) the polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:143 or a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:141, seq id no:145, or seq id no:147; and/or(c) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:127, a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:125, seq id no:129, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, or seq id no:139 or a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:131. in one aspect, the recombinant host cell disclosed herein further comprises: (a) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof;(b) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside;(c) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof; and/or(d) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside. in one aspect, the recombinant host cell disclosued herein further comprises: (e) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (ggpp) from farnesyl diphosphate (fpp) and isopentenyl diphosphate (ipp);(f) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp;(g) a gene encoding an a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate;(h) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid from ent-kaurene;(i) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex; and/or(j) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein: (a) the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof comprises a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:7;(b) the polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having at least 50% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:9;(c) the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof comprises a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:4;(d) the polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:11; a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:13; or a polypeptide having at least 65% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:16;(e) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ggpp comprises a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:20, seq id no:22, seq id no:24, seq id no:26, seq id no:28, seq id no:30, seq id no:32, or seq id no:116;(f) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate comprises a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:34, seq id no:36, seq id no:38, seq id no:40, seq id no:42, or seq id no:120;(g) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene comprises a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:44, seq id no:46, seq id no:48, seq id no:50, or seq id no:52;(h) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid comprises a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:60, seq id no:62, seq id no:117, seq id no:66, seq id no:68, seq id no:70, seq id no:72, seq id no:74, or seq id no:76;(i) the polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex comprises a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:78, seq id no:80, seq id no:82, seq id no:84, seq id no:86, seq id no:88, seq id no:90, seq id no:92; and/or(k) the polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol comprises a polypeptide having at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:94, seq id no:97, seq id no:100, seq id no:101, seq id no:102, seq id no:103, seq id no:104, seq id no:106, seq id no:108, seq id no:110, seq id no:112, or seq id no:114. in one aspect, the recombinant host cell disclosued herein comprises: (a) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp) having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123;(b) one or more genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, each having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2 and/or seq id no:119; and(c) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121. in one aspect, the recombinant host cell disclosued herein comprises: (a) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp);(b) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate;(c) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121;(d) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:125, seq id no:129, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, or seq id no:139; at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:127; or at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:131; and one or more of: (e) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:7;(b) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside having at least 50% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:9;(c) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:4;(d) a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:11; a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:13; or a polypeptide having at least 65% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:16. in one aspect, the recombinant host cell disclosued herein comprises: (a) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp) having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123;(b) one or more recombinant genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, each having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2 and/or seq id no:119; and/or(c) a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121; wherein the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp), the one or more genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate are overexpressed relative to a corresponding host cell lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from uridine diphosphate (udp), the one or more genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate are overexpressed by at least 10%, or at least 15%, or at least 20%, or at least 30%, or at least 40%, or at least 50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 80%, or at least 90%, or at least 100%, or at least 125%, or at least 150%, or at least 175%, or at least 200% relative to a corresponding host cell lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes increase the amount of udp-glucose accumulated by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of udp-glucose accumulated by the cell by at least about 10%, at least about 25%, or at least about 50%, at least about 100%, at least about 150%, at least about 200%, or at least about 250% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases an amount of the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of the one or more steviol glycosides produced by the cell by at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 25%, at least about 50%, at least about 75%, or at least about 100% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of reba, rebb, reb d, and/or rebm produced by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes decreases the one of one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition accumulated by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes decreases the amount of the one or more steviol glycosides accumulated by the cell by at least about 5%, at least about 10%, at least about 25%, or at least about 50% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes decreases the amount of rebb, rebd, and/or 13-smg accumulated by the cell relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases or decreases the amount of total steviol glycosides produced by the cell by less than 5%, less than 2.5%, or less than 1% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, expression of the one or more recombinant genes increases the amount of total steviol glycosides produced by the cell by at least about 5%, at least about 10%, or at least about 25% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, the one or more steviol glycosides is, or the steviol glycoside composition comprises, steviol-13-o-glucoside (13-smg), steviol-1,2-bioside, steviol-1,3-bioside, steviol-19-o-glucoside (19-smg), 1,2-stevioside, 1,3-stevioside (rebg), rubusoside, rebaudioside a (reba), rebaudioside b (rebb), rebaudioside c (rebc), rebaudioside d (rebd), rebaudioside e (rebe), rebaudioside f (rebf), rebaudioside m (rebm), rebaudioside q (rebq), rebaudioside i (rebi), dulcoside a, and/or an isomer thereof. in one aspect of the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, the recombinant host cell is a plant cell, a mammalian cell, an insect cell, a fungal cell, an algal cell or a bacterial cell. the invention also provides method of producing one or more steviol glycosides or a steviol glycoside composition in a cell culture, comprising culturing the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, under conditions in which the genes are expressed, and wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition is produced by the recombinant host cell. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the genes are constitutively expressed and/or expression of the genes is induced. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the amount of udp-glucose accumulated by the cell is increased by at least by at least about 10% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the amount of reba, rebb, rebd, and/or rebm produced by the cell is increased by at least about 5% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the amount of rebb, rebd, and/or 13-smg accumulated by the cell is decreased by at least about 5% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the amount of total steviol glycosides produced by the cell is increased or decreased by less than about 5% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the amount of total steviol glycosides produced by the cell is increased by at least about 5% relative to a corresponding host lacking the one or more recombinant genes. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the recombinant host cell is grown in a fermentor at a temperature for a period of time, wherein the temperature and period of time facilitate the production of the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the amount of udp-glucose present in the cell culture is increased by at least about 10%, at least about 25%, or at least about 50%, at least about 100%, at least about 150%, at least about 200%, or at least about 250% at any point throughout the period of time. in one aspect, the methods disclosed herein further comprise isolating the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition from the cell culture. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the isolating step comprises: (a) providing the cell culture comprising the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition;(b) separating a liquid phase of the cell culture from a solid phase of the cell culture to obtain a supernatant comprising the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition;(c) providing one or more adsorbent resins, comprising providing the adsorbent resins in a packed column; and(d) contacting the supernatant of step (b) with the one or more adsorbent resins in order to obtain at least a portion of the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition, thereby isolating the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition; or(a) providing the cell culture comprising the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition;(b) separating a liquid phase of the cell culture from a solid phase of the cell culture to obtain a supernatant comprising the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition;(c) providing one or more ion exchange or ion exchange or reversed-phase chromatography columns; and(d) contacting the supernatant of step (b) with the one or more ion exchange or ion exchange or reversed-phase chromatography columns in order to obtain at least a portion of the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition, thereby isolating the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition; or(a) providing the cell culture comprising the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition;(b) separating a liquid phase of the cell culture from a solid phase of the cell culture to obtain a supernatant comprising the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition;(c) crystallizing or extracting the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition, thereby isolating the produced one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition. in one aspect, the methods disclosed herein further comprise recovering the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition from the cell culture. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the recovered one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition has a reduced level of stevia plant-derived components relative to a plant-derived stevia extract. the invention also provides a method for producing one or more steviol glycosides or a steviol glycoside composition, comprising whole-cell bioconversion of plant-derived or synthetic steviol and/or steviol glycosides in a cell culture medium of a recombinant host cell using: (a) a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123;(b) a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, or seq id no:143; at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:141, seq id no:145, or seq id no:147; and/or(c) a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:127; at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:125, seq id no:129, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, or seq id no:139; or at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:131; andone or more of:(d) a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof;(e) a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside;(f) a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof; and/or(g) a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; wherein at least one of the polypeptides is a recombinant polypeptide expressed in the recombinant host cell; and producing the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition thereby. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein: (d) the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof comprises a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:7;(e) the polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having at least 50% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:9;(f) the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof comprises a polypeptide having at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:4;(g) the polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside comprises a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:11; a polypeptide having 80% or greater identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:13; or a polypeptide having at least 65% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:16. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the recombinant host cell is a plant cell, a mammalian cell, an insect cell, a fungal cell, an algal cell or a bacterial cell. in one aspect of the methods disclosed herein, the one or more steviol glycosides is, or the steviol glycoside composition comprises, steviol-13-o-glucoside (13-smg), steviol-1,2-bioside, steviol-1,3-bioside, steviol-19-o-glucoside (19-smg), 1,2-stevioside, 1,3-stevioside (rebg), rubusoside, rebaudioside a (reba), rebaudioside b (rebb), rebaudioside c (rebc), rebaudioside d (rebd), rebaudioside e (rebe), rebaudioside f (rebf), rebaudioside m (rebm), rebaudioside q (rebq), rebaudioside i (rebi), dulcoside a, and/or an isomer thereof. the invention also provides a cell culture, comprising the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, the cell culture further comprising: (a) the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the recombinant host cell;(b) glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, udp-glucose, udp-rhamnose, udp-xylose, and/or n-acetyl-glucosamine; and(c) supplemental nutrients comprising trace metals, vitamins, salts, ynb, and/or amino acids; wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition is present at a concentration of at least 1 mg/liter of the cell culture; wherein the cell culture is enriched for the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition relative to a steviol glycoside composition from a stevia plant and has a reduced level of stevia plant-derived components relative to a plant-derived stevia extract. the invention also provides a cell culture, comprising the recombinant host cell disclosed herein, the cell culture further comprising: (a) the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the recombinant host cell;(b) glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, udp-glucose, udp-rhamnose, udp-xylose, and/or n-acetyl-glucosamine; and(c) supplemental nutrients comprising trace metals, vitamins, salts, ynb, and/or amino acids; wherein udp-glucose is present in the cell culture at a concentration of at least 100 μm;wherein the cell culture is enriched for ugp-glucose relative to a steviol glycoside composition from a stevia plant and has a reduced level of stevia plant-derived components relative to a plant-derived stevia extract. the invention also provides cell lysate from the recombinant host cell disclosed herein grown in the cell culture, comprising: (a) the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the recombinant host cell;(b) glucose, fructose, sucrose, xylose, rhamnose, udp-glucose, udp-rhamnose, udp-xylose, and/or n-acetyl-glucosamine; and/or(c) supplemental nutrients comprising trace metals, vitamins, salts, yeast nitrogen base, ynb, and/or amino acids; wherein the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition produced by the recombinant host cell is present at a concentration of at least 1 mg/liter of the cell culture. the invention also provides one or more steviol glycosides produced by the recombinant host cell disclosed herein; wherein the one or more steviol glycosides produced by the recombinant host cell are present in relative amounts that are different from a steviol glycoside composition from a stevia plant and have a reduced level of stevia plant-derived components relative to a plant-derived stevia extract. the invention also provides one or more steviol glycosides produced by the method disclosed herein; wherein the one or more steviol glycosides produced by the recombinant host cell are present in relative amounts that are different from a steviol glycoside composition from a stevia plant and have a reduced level of stevia plant-derived components relative to a plant-derived stevia extract. the invention also provides a sweetener composition, comprising the one or more steviol glycosides disclosed herein. the invention also provides a food product comprising, the sweetener composition disclosed herein. the invention also provides a beverage or a beverage concentrate, comprising the sweetener composition disclosed herein. these and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying claims. it is noted that the scope of the claims is defined by the recitations therein and not by the specific discussion of features and advantages set forth in the present description. brief description of the drawings the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which: fig. 1 shows the biochemical pathway for producing steviol from geranylgeranyl diphosphate using geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (ggpps), ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase (cdps), ent-kaurene synthase (ks), ent-kaurene oxidase (ko), and ent-kaurenoic acid hydroxylase (kah) polypeptides. fig. 2 shows representative primary steviol glycoside glycosylation reactions catalyzed by suitable ugt enzymes and chemical structures for several of the compounds found in stevia extracts. fig. 3 shows representative reactions catalyzed by enzymes involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway, including uracil permease (fur4), uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (fur1), orotate phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (ura5), orotate phosphoribosyltransferase 2 (ura10), orotidine 5′-phosphate decarboxylase (ura3), uridylate kinase (ura6), nucleoside diphosphate kinase (ynk1), phosphoglucomutase-1 (pgm1), phosphoglucomutase-2 (pgm2), and utp-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (ugp1). see, e.g., daran et al., 1995, eur j biochem. 233(2):520-30. skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. for example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures can be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of the embodiment(s) of the present invention. detailed description of the invention all publications, patents and patent applications cited herein are hereby expressly incorporated by reference for all purposes. before describing the present invention in detail, a number of terms will be defined. as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. for example, reference to a “nucleic acid” means one or more nucleic acids. it is noted that terms like “preferably,” “commonly,” and “typically” are not utilized herein to limit the scope of the claimed invention or to imply that certain features are critical, essential, or even important to the structure or function of the claimed invention. rather, these terms are merely intended to highlight alternative or additional features that can or cannot be utilized in a particular embodiment of the present invention. for the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the term “substantially” is utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that can be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. the term “substantially” is also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation can vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue. methods well known to those skilled in the art can be used to construct genetic expression constructs and recombinant cells according to this invention. these methods include in vitro recombinant dna techniques, synthetic techniques, in vivo recombination techniques, and polymerase chain reaction (pcr) techniques. see, for example, techniques as described in green & sambrook, 2012, molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, fourth edition, cold spring harbor laboratory, new york; ausubel et al., 1989, current protocols in molecular biology, greene publishing associates and wiley interscience, new york, and pcr protocols: a guide to methods and applications (innis et al., 1990, academic press, san diego, calif.). as used herein, the terms “polynucleotide,” “nucleotide,” “oligonucleotide,” and “nucleic acid” can be used interchangeably to refer to nucleic acid comprising dna, rna, derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof, in either single-stranded or double-stranded embodiments depending on context as understood by the skilled worker. as used herein, the terms “microorganism,” “microorganism host,” “microorganism host cell,” “recombinant host,” and “recombinant host cell” can be used interchangeably. as used herein, the term “recombinant host” is intended to refer to a host, the genome of which has been augmented by at least one dna sequence. such dna sequences include but are not limited to genes that are not naturally present, dna sequences that are not normally transcribed into rna or translated into a protein (“expressed”), and other genes or dna sequences which one desires to introduce into a host. it will be appreciated that typically the genome of a recombinant host described herein is augmented through stable introduction of one or more recombinant genes. generally, introduced dna is not originally resident in the host that is the recipient of the dna, but it is within the scope of this disclosure to isolate a dna segment from a given host, and to subsequently introduce one or more additional copies of that dna into the same host, e.g., to enhance production of the product of a gene or alter the expression pattern of a gene. in some instances, the introduced dna will modify or even replace an endogenous gene or dna sequence by, e.g., homologous recombination or site-directed mutagenesis. suitable recombinant hosts include microorganisms. as used herein, the term “recombinant gene” refers to a gene or dna sequence that is introduced into a recipient host, regardless of whether the same or a similar gene or dna sequence may already be present in such a host. “introduced,” or “augmented” in this context, is known in the art to mean introduced or augmented by the hand of man. thus, a recombinant gene can be a dna sequence from another species or can be a dna sequence that originated from or is present in the same species but has been incorporated into a host by recombinant methods to form a recombinant host. it will be appreciated that a recombinant gene that is introduced into a host can be identical to a dna sequence that is normally present in the host being transformed, and is introduced to provide one or more additional copies of the dna to thereby permit overexpression or modified expression of the gene product of that dna. in some aspects, said recombinant genes are encoded by cdna. in other embodiments, recombinant genes are synthetic and/or codon-optimized for expression in s. cerevisiae. as used herein, the term “engineered biosynthetic pathway” refers to a biosynthetic pathway that occurs in a recombinant host, as described herein. in some aspects, one or more steps of the biosynthetic pathway do not naturally occur in an unmodified host. in some embodiments, a heterologous version of a gene is introduced into a host that comprises an endogenous version of the gene. as used herein, the term “endogenous” gene refers to a gene that originates from and is produced or synthesized within a particular organism, tissue, or cell. in some embodiments, the endogenous gene is a yeast gene. in some embodiments, the gene is endogenous to s. cerevisiae , including, but not limited to s. cerevisiae strain s288c. in some embodiments, an endogenous yeast gene is overexpressed. as used herein, the term “overexpress” is used to refer to the expression of a gene in an organism at levels higher than the level of gene expression in a wild type organism. see, e.g., prelich, 2012 , genetics 190:841-54. see, e.g., giaever & nislow, 2014 , genetics 197(2):451-65. in some aspects, overexpression can be performed by integration using the user cloning system; see, e.g., nour-eldin et al., 2010, methods mol biol. 643:185-200. as used herein, the terms “deletion,” “deleted,” “knockout,” and “knocked out” can be used interchangeably to refer to an endogenous gene that has been manipulated to no longer be expressed in an organism, including, but not limited to, s. cerevisiae. as used herein, the terms “heterologous sequence” and “heterologous coding sequence” are used to describe a sequence derived from a species other than the recombinant host. in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae cell, and a heterologous sequence is derived from an organism other than s. cerevisiae . a heterologous coding sequence, for example, can be from a prokaryotic microorganism, a eukaryotic microorganism, a plant, an animal, an insect, or a fungus different than the recombinant host expressing the heterologous sequence. in some embodiments, a coding sequence is a sequence that is native to the host. a “selectable marker” can be one of any number of genes that complement host cell auxotrophy, provide antibiotic resistance, or result in a color change. linearized dna fragments of the gene replacement vector then are introduced into the cells using methods well known in the art (see below). integration of the linear fragments into the genome and the disruption of the gene can be determined based on the selection marker and can be verified by, for example, pcr or southern blot analysis. subsequent to its use in selection, a selectable marker can be removed from the genome of the host cell by, e.g., cre-loxp systems (see, e.g., gossen et al., 2002 , ann. rev. genetics 36:153-173 and u.s. 2006/0014264). alternatively, a gene replacement vector can be constructed in such a way as to include a portion of the gene to be disrupted, where the portion is devoid of any endogenous gene promoter sequence and encodes none, or an inactive fragment of, the coding sequence of the gene. as used herein, the terms “variant” and “mutant” are used to describe a protein sequence that has been modified at one or more amino acids, compared to the wild-type sequence of a particular protein. as used herein, the term “inactive fragment” is a fragment of the gene that encodes a protein having, e.g., less than about 10% (e.g., less than about 9%, less than about 8%, less than about 7%, less than about 6%, less than about 5%, less than about 4%, less than about 3%, less than about 2%, less than about 1%, or 0%) of the activity of the protein produced from the full-length coding sequence of the gene. such a portion of a gene is inserted in a vector in such a way that no known promoter sequence is operably linked to the gene sequence, but that a stop codon and a transcription termination sequence are operably linked to the portion of the gene sequence. this vector can be subsequently linearized in the portion of the gene sequence and transformed into a cell. by way of single homologous recombination, this linearized vector is then integrated in the endogenous counterpart of the gene with inactivation thereof. as used herein, the term “steviol glycoside” refers to rebaudioside a (reba) (cas #58543-16-1), rebaudioside b (rebb) (cas #58543-17-2), rebaudioside c (rebc) (cas #63550-99-2), rebaudioside d (rebd) (cas #63279-13-0), rebaudioside e (rebe) (cas #63279-14-1), rebaudioside f (rebf) (cas #438045-89-7), rebaudioside m (rebm) (cas #1220616-44-3), rubusoside (cas #63849-39-4), dulcoside a (cas #64432-06-0), rebaudioside i (rebi) (massbank record: fu000332), rebaudioside q (rebq), 1,2-stevioside (cas #57817-89-7), 1,3-stevioside (rebg), steviol-1,2-bioside (massbank record: fu000299), steviol-1,3-bioside, steviol-13-o-glucoside (13-smg), steviol-19-o-glucoside (19-smg), a tri-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a tetra-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a penta-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a hexa-glycosylated steviol glycoside, a hepta-glycosylated steviol glycoside, and isomers thereof. see fig. 2 ; see also, steviol glycosides chemical and technical assessment 69th jecfa, 2007, prepared by harriet wallin, food agric. org. as used herein, the terms “steviol glycoside precursor” and “steviol glycoside precursor compound” are used to refer to intermediate compounds in the steviol glycoside biosynthetic pathway. steviol glycoside precursors include, but are not limited to, geranylgeranyl diphosphate (ggpp), ent-copalyl-diphosphate, ent-kaurene, ent-kaurenol, ent-kaurenal, ent-kaurenoic acid, and steviol. see fig. 1 . in some embodiments, steviol glycoside precursors are themselves steviol glycoside compounds. for example, 19-smg, rubusoside, 1,2-stevioside, and rebe are steviol glycoside precursors of rebm. see fig. 2 . also as used herein, the terms “steviol precursor” and “steviol precursor compound” are used to refer to intermediate compounds in the steviol biosynthetic pathway. steviol precursors may also be steviol glycoside precursors, and include, but are not limited to, geranylgeranyl diphosphate (ggpp), ent-copalyl-diphosphate, ent-kaurene, ent-kaurenol, ent-kaurenal, and ent-kaurenoic acid. steviol glycosides and/or steviol glycoside precursors can be produced in vivo (i.e., in a recombinant host), in vitro (i.e., enzymatically), or by whole cell bioconversion. as used herein, the terms “produce” and “accumulate” can be used interchangeably to describe synthesis of steviol glycosides and steviol glycoside precursors in vivo, in vitro, or by whole cell bioconversion. as used herein, the terms “culture broth,” “culture medium,” and “growth medium” can be used interchangeably to refer to a liquid or solid that supports growth of a cell. a culture broth can comprise glucose, fructose, sucrose, trace metals, vitamins, salts, yeast nitrogen base (ynb), and/or amino acids. the trace metals can be divalent cations, including, but not limited to, mn 2+ and/or mg 2+ . in some embodiments, mn 2+ can be in the form of mncl 2 dihydrate and range from approximately 0.01 g/l to 100 g/l. in some embodiments, mg 2+ can be in the form of mgso 4 heptahydrate and range from approximately 0.01 g/l to 100 g/l. for example, a culture broth can comprise i) approximately 0.02-0.03 g/l mncl 2 dihydrate and approximately 0.5-3.8 g/l mgso 4 heptahydrate, ii) approximately 0.03-0.06 g/l mncl 2 dihydrate and approximately 0.5-3.8 g/l mgso 4 heptahydrate, and/or iii) approximately 0.03-0.17 g/l mncl 2 dihydrate and approximately 0.5-7.3 g/l mgso 4 heptahydrate. additionally, a culture broth can comprise one or more steviol glycosides produced by a recombinant host, as described herein. recombinant steviol glycoside-producing saccharomyces cerevisiae ( s. cerevisiae ) strains are described in wo 2011/153378, wo 2013/022989, wo 2014/122227, and wo 2014/122328, each of which is incorporated by reference in their entirety. methods of producing steviol glycosides in recombinant hosts, by whole cell bio-conversion, and in vitro are also described in wo 2011/153378, wo 2013/022989, wo 2014/122227, and wo 2014/122328. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (ggpp) from farnesyl diphosphate (fpp) and isopentenyl diphosphate (ipp) (e.g., geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (ggpps)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp (e.g., ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase (cdps)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate (e.g., kaurene synthase (ks)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene (e.g., kaurene oxidase (ko)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex (e.g., cytochrome p450 reductase (cpr) or p450 oxidoreductase (por); for example, but not limited to a polypeptide capable of electron transfer from nadph to cytochrome p450 complex during conversion of nadph to nadp + , which is utilized as a cofactor for terpenoid biosynthesis); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid (e.g., steviol synthase (kah)); and/or a gene encoding a bifunctional polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp and synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate (e.g., an ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase (cdps)—ent-kaurene synthase (ks) polypeptide) can produce steviol in vivo. see, e.g., fig. 1 . the skilled worker will appreciate that one or more of these genes can be endogenous to the host provided that at least one (and in some embodiments, all) of these genes is a recombinant gene introduced into the recombinant host. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group (e.g., ugt85c2 polypeptide); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., ugt76g1 polypeptide); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group (e.g., ugt74g1 polypeptide); and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., ugt91d2 and eugt11 polypeptide) can produce a steviol glycoside in vivo. the skilled worker will appreciate that one or more of these genes can be endogenous to the host provided that at least one (and in some embodiments, all) of these genes is a recombinant gene introduced into the recombinant host. in some embodiments, steviol glycosides and/or steviol glycoside precursors are produced in vivo through expression of one or more enzymes involved in the steviol glycoside biosynthetic pathway in a recombinant host. for example, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (ggpp) from farnesyl diphosphate (fpp) and isopentenyl diphosphate (ipp); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex; a gene encoding a bifunctional polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp and synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group (e.g., ugt85c2 polypeptide); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., ugt76g1 polypeptide); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group (e.g., ugt74g1 polypeptide); and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., ugt91d2 and eugt11 polypeptide) can produce a steviol glycoside and/or steviol glycoside precursors in vivo. see, e.g., figs. 1 and 2 . the skilled worker will appreciate that one or more of these genes can be endogenous to the host provided that at least one (and in some embodiments, all) of these genes is a recombinant gene introduced into the recombinant host. in some embodiments, a steviol-producing recombinant microorganism comprises heterologous nucleic acids encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group; a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group; and a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside. in some embodiments, a steviol-producing recombinant microorganism comprises heterologous nucleic acids encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group, a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside, and a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside polypeptides. in some aspects, a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group, a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside, a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group, and/or a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside, transfers a glucose molecule from uridine diphosphate glucose (udp-glucose) to steviol and/or a steviol glycoside. in some aspects, udp-glucose is produced in vivo through expression of one or more enzymes involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway in a recombinant host. for example, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of transporting uracil into the host cell (e.g., uracil permease (fur4)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine monophosphate (ump) from uracil (e.g., uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (fur1)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing orotidine monophosphate (omp) from orotate or orotic acid (e.g., orotate phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (ura5) and orotate phosphoribosyltransferase 2 (ura10)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ump from omp (e.g., orotidine 5′-phosphate decarboxylase (ura3)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine diphosphate (udp) from ump (e.g., uridylate kinase (ura6)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine 5′-triphosphate (utp) from udp (i.e., a polypeptide capable of catalyzing the transfer of gamma phosphates from nucleoside triphosphates, e.g., nucleoside diphosphate kinase (ynk1)); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., phosphoglucomutase-1 (pgm1) and phosphoglucomutase-2 (pgm2)); and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., utp-glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (ugp1) can produce udp-glucose in vivo. see, e.g., fig. 3 . the skilled worker will appreciate that one or more of these genes may be endogenous to the host. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp. in some aspects, the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp is a recombinant gene. in some aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a nucleotide sequence native to the host. in other aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a heterologous nucleotide sequence. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a promoter. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a terminator, for example but not limited to, tcyc1 (seq id no:154) or tadh1 (seq id no:155). in some aspects, the promoter and terminator drive high expression of the recombinant gene. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a strong promoter, for example but not limited to, ptef1 (seq id no:148), ppgk1 (seq id no:149), ptdh3 (seq id no:150), ptef2 (seq id no:151), ptpi1 (seq id no:152), or ppdc1 (seq id no:153). in some aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a nucleotide sequence that originated from or is present in the same species as the recombinant host. in some aspects, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp results in a total expression level of genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp that is higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, i.e., an overexpression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp. in some aspects, the gene encoding the polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp is a gene present in the same species as the recombinant host, i.e., an endogenous gene. in some embodiments, the wild-type promoter of an endogenous gene encoding the polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp can be exchanged for a strong promoter. in some aspects, the strong promoter drives high expression of the endogenous gene (i.e., overexpression of the gene). in other embodiments, the wild-type enhancer of an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp can be exchanged for a strong enhancer. in some embodiments, the strong enhancer drives high expression of the endogenous gene (i.e., overexpression of the gene). in some embodiments, both the wild-type enhancer (i.e., operably linked to the promoter) and the wild-type promoter (i.e., operably linked to the endogenous gene) of the endogenous gene can be exchanged for a strong enhancer and strong promoter, respectively, resulting in overexpression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp (i.e., relative to the expression level of endogenous genes operably linked to wild-type enhancers and/or promoters). the endogenous gene operably linked to the strong enhancer and/or promoter may be located at the native loci, and/or may be located elsewhere in the genome. for example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, operably linked to a wild-type promoter, further comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, comprising a nucleotide sequence native to the host, operably linked to, e.g., a wild-type promoter, a promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. in another example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, operably linked to a wild-type promoter, further comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, comprising a heterologous nucleotide sequence, operably linked to, e.g., a wild-type promoter, a promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. in yet another example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises an endogenous gene encoding a polpeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, operably linked to, e.g., a strong promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. the person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, e.g., expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp; expression of a recombinant gene and an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, and expression of an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, wherein the wild-type promoter and/or enhancer of the endogenous gene are exchanged for a strong promoter and/or enhancer, each result in overexpression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp relative to a corresponding host not expressing a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp and/or a corresponding host expressing only a native gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, operably linked to the wild-type promoter and enhancer—i.e., as used herein, the term “expression” may include “overexpression.” in some embodiments, a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp is overexpressed such that the total expression level of genes encoding the polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp is at least 5% higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp. in some embodiments, the total expression level of genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp is at least 10%, or at least 15%, or at least 20%, or at least 30%, or at least 40%, or at least 50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 80%, or at least 90%, or at least 100%, or at least 125%, or at least 150%, or at least 175%, or at least 200% higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate. in some aspects, the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate is a recombinant gene. in some aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a nucleotide sequence native to the host. in other aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a heterologous nucleotide sequence. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a promoter. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a terminator, for example but not limited to, tcyc1 (seq id no:154) or tadh1 (seq id no:155). in some aspects, the promoter and terminator drive high expression of the recombinant gene. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a strong promoter, for example but not limited to, ptef1 (seq id no:148), ppgk1 (seq id no:149), ptdh3 (seq id no:150), ptef2 (seq id no:151), ptpi1 (seq id no:152), or ppdc1 (seq id no:153). in some aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a nucleotide sequence that originated from or is present in the same species as the recombinant host. in some aspects, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate results in a total expression level of genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate that is higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, i.e., an overexpression of a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate. in some aspects, the gene encoding the polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate is a gene present in the same species as the recombinant host, i.e., an endogenous gene. in some embodiments, the wild-type promoter of an endogenous gene encoding the polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate can be exchanged for a strong promoter. in some aspects, the strong promoter drives high expression of the endogenous gene (i.e., overexpression of the gene). in other embodiments, the wild-type enhancer of an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate can be exchanged for a strong enhancer. in some embodiments, the strong enhancer drives high expression of the endogenous gene (i.e., overexpression of the gene). in some embodiments, both the wild-type enhancer (i.e., operably linked to the promoter) and the wild-type promoter (i.e., operably linked to the endogenous gene) of the endogenous gene can be exchanged for a strong enhancer and strong promoter, respectively, resulting in overexpression of a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (i.e., relative to the expression level of endogenous genes operably linked to wild-type enhancers and/or promoters). the endogenous gene operably linked to the strong enhancer and/or promoter may be located at the native loci, and/or may be located elsewhere in the genome. for example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, operably linked to a wild-type promoter, further comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, comprising a nucleotide sequence native to the host, operably linked to, e.g., a wild-type promoter, a promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. in another example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, operably linked to a wild-type promoter, further comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, comprising a heterologous nucleotide sequence, operably linked to, e.g., a wild-type promoter, a promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. in yet another example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises an endogenous gene encoding a polpeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, operably linked to, e.g., a strong promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. in some embodiments, a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate is overexpressed such that the total expression level of genes encoding the polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate is at least 5% higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate. in some embodiments, the total expression level of genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate is at least 10%, or at least 15%, or at least 20%, or at least 30%, or at least 40%, or at least 50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 80%, or at least 90%, or at least 100%, or at least 125%, or at least 150%, or at least 175%, or at least 200% higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in some aspects, the gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate is a recombinant gene. in some aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a nucleotide sequence native to the host. in other aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a heterologous nucleotide sequence. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a promoter. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a terminator, for example but not limited to, tcyc1 (seq id no:154) or tadh1 (seq id no:155). in some aspects, the promoter and terminator drive high expression of the recombinant gene. in some aspects, the recombinant gene is operably linked to a strong promoter, for example but not limited to, ptef1 (seq id no:148), ppgk1 (seq id no:149), ptdh3 (seq id no:150), ptef2 (seq id no:151), ptpi1 (seq id no:152), or ppdc1 (seq id no:153). in some aspects, the recombinant gene comprises a nucleotide sequence that originated from or is present in the same species as the recombinant host. in some aspects, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate results in a total expression level of genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate that is higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, i.e., an overexpression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in some aspects, the gene encoding the polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate is a gene present in the same species as the recombinant host, i.e., an endogenous gene. in some embodiments, the wild-type promoter of an endogenous gene encoding the polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate can be exchanged for a strong promoter. in some aspects, the strong promoter drives high expression of the endogenous gene (i.e., overexpression of the gene). in other embodiments, the wild-type enhancer of an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate can be exchanged for a strong enhancer. in some embodiments, the strong enhancer drives high expression of the endogenous gene (i.e., overexpression of the gene). in some embodiments, both the wild-type enhancer (i.e., operably linked to the promoter) and the wild-type promoter (i.e., operably linked to the endogenous gene) of the endogenous gene can be exchanged for a strong enhancer and strong promoter, respectively, resulting in overexpression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (i.e., relative to the expression level of endogenous genes operably linked to wild-type enhancers and/or promoters). the endogenous gene operably linked to the strong enhancer and/or promoter may be located at the native loci, and/or may be located elsewhere in the genome. for example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, operably linked to a wild-type promoter, further comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, comprising a nucleotide sequence native to the host, operably linked to, e.g., a wild-type promoter, a promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. in another example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising an endogenous gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, operably linked to a wild-type promoter, further comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, comprising a heterologous nucleotide sequence, operably linked to, e.g., a wild-type promoter, a promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. in yet another example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises an endogenous gene encoding a polpeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, operably linked to, e.g., a strong promoter native to the host, or a heterologous promoter. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate is overexpressed such that the total expression level of genes encoding the polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate is at least 5% higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in some embodiments, the total expression level of genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate is at least 10%, or at least 15%, or at least 20%, or at least 30%, or at least 40%, or at least 50%, or at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 80%, or at least 90%, or at least 100%, or at least 125%, or at least 150%, or at least 175%, or at least 200% higher than the expression level of endogenous genes encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in some aspects, a recombinant host comprising one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp, one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate may further comprise a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of transporting uracil into the host cell; a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine monophosphate (ump) from uracil; a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing orotidine monophosphate (omp) from orotate or orotic acid; a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ump from omp; and/or a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine diphosphate (udp) from ump. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp, one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate may overexpress a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of transporting uracil into the host cell; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine monophosphate (ump) from uracil; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing orotidine monophosphate (omp) from orotate or orotic acid; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ump from omp; and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing uridine diphosphate (udp) from ump. in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp comprises a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:122). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate comprises a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:1), seq id no:119 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:118), seq id no:141 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:140), seq id no:143 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:142), seq id no:145 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:144), or seq id no:147 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:146). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate comprises a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:120), seq id no:125 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:124), seq id no:127 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:126), seq id no:129 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:128), seq id no:131 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:130), seq id no:133 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:132), seq id no:135 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:134), seq id no:137 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:136), or seq id no:139 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:138). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises two or more recombinant genes encoding a polypeptide involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway, e.g., a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate having a first amino acid sequence and a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate having a second amino acid sequence distinct from the first amino acid sequence. for example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of pgm1 (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2) and a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of pgm2 (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, or seq id no:147). in certain such embodiments, the two or more genes encoding a polypeptide involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway comprise nucleotide sequences native to the recombinant host cell (e.g., a recombinant s. cerevisiae host cell comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2 and a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119). in other such embodiments, one of the two or more genes encoding a polypeptide involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway comprises a nucleotide sequence native to the recombinant host cell, while one or more of the two or more genes encoding a polypeptide involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway comprises a heterologous nucleotide sequence. for example, in some embodiments, a recombinant s. cerevisiae host cell expressing a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 (i.e., a recombinant host overexpressing the polypeptide) further expresses a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in, e.g., seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, or seq id no:139. in another example, in some embodiments, a recombinant s. cerevisiae host cell expressing a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119 (i.e., a recombinant host overexpressing the polypeptide) further expresses a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in, e.g., seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, or seq id no:147. accordingly, as used herein, the term “a recombinant gene” may include “one or more recombinant genes.” in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises two or more copies of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway or the steviol glycoside biosynthetic pathway. in some embodiments, a recombinant host is preferably transformed with, e.g., two copies, three copies, four copies, or five copies of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway or the steviol glycoside biosynthetic pathway. for example, in some embodiments, a recombinant host is transformed with two copies of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123). the person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, in some embodiments, recombinant genes may be replicated in a host cell independently of cell replication; accordingly, a recombinant host cell may comprise, e.g., more copies of a recombinant gene than the number of copies the cell was transformed with. accordingly, as used herein, the term “a recombinant gene” may include “one or more copies of a recombinant gene.” in some aspects, expression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate in a recombinant host cell increases the amount of udp-glucose produced by the cell. in some aspects, expression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate in a recombinant host cell maintains, or even increases, the pool of udp-glucose available for, e.g., glycosylation of steviol or a steviol glycoside. in some aspects, expression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or a polypeptide capable sunthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate in a recombinant host cell increases the speed which which udp-glucose is regenerated, thus maintaining, or even increasing, the udp-glucose pool, which can be used to synthesize one or more steviol glycosides. in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g. a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, or seq id no:147), and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, or seq id no:139) in a recombinant host cell increases the amount of udp-glucose produced by the cell by at least about 10%, e.g., at least about 25%, or at least about 50%, or at least about 75%, or at least about 100%, or at least about 125%, or at least about 150%, or at least about 175%, or at least about 200%, or at least about 225%, or at least about 250%, or at least about 275%, or at least about 300%, calculated as an increase in intracellular udp-glucose concentration relative to a corresponding host lacking the recombinant genes. in certain such embodiments, one or more of the recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, the recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and the recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate comprise a nucleotide sequence native to the host cell. for example, in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2 and/or seq id no:119, and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 in a steviol glycoside-producing s. cerevisiae host cell (i.e., providing a recombinant host overexpressing the polypeptides) increases the amount of udp-glucose produced by the cell by at least about 10%, e.g., at least about 25%, or at least about 50%, or at least about 75%, or at least about 100%, or at least about 125%, or at least about 150%, or at least about 175%, or at least about 200%, or at least about 225%, or at least about 250%, or at least about 275%, or at least about 300%, calculated as an increase in intracellular udp-glucose concentration relative to a corresponding host lacking the recombinant genes. in some aspects, expression of a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate in a steviol-glycoside producing recombinant host cell further expressing a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group; and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside, increases the amount of one or more steviol glycosides produced by the cell, and/or decreases the amount of one or more steviol glycosides produced by the cell. in some embodiments, the steviol glycoside-producing host further expresses a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ggpp from fpp and ipp; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex; and a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid; and/or a gene encoding a bifunctional polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp and synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate. in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (ggpp) from farnesyl diphosphate (fpp) and isopentenyl diphosphate (ipp) comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:20 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:19), seq id no:22 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:21), seq id no:24 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:23), seq id no:26 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:25), seq id no:28 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:27), seq id no:30 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:29), seq id no:32 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:31), or seq id no:116 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:115). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (ggpp) from farnesyl diphosphate (fpp) and isopentenyl diphosphate (ipp) further comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:34 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:33), seq id no:36 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:35), seq id no:38 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:37), seq id no:40 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:39), or seq id no:42 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:41). in some embodiments, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp lacks a chloroplast transit peptide. in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp further comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:44 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:43), seq id no:46 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:45), seq id no:48 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:47), seq id no:50 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:49), or seq id no:52 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:51). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate further comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a bifunctional polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp and synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate. in some aspects, the bifunctional polypeptide comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:54 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:53), seq id no:56 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:55), or seq id no:58 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:57). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a bifunctional polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp and synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate further comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:60 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:59), seq id no:62 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:61), seq id no:117 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:63 or seq id no:64), seq id no:66 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:65), seq id no:68 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:67), seq id no:70 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:69), seq id no:72 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:71), seq id no:74 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:73), or seq id no:76 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:75). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene further comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:78 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:77), seq id no:80 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:79), seq id no:82 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:81), seq id no:84 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:83), seq id no:86 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:85), seq id no:88 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:87), seq id no:90 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:89), or seq id no:92 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:91). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex further comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid comprises a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:94 (which can be encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:93), seq id no:97 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:95 or seq id no:96), seq id no:100 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:98 or seq id no:99), seq id no:101, seq id no:102, seq id no:103, seq id no:104, seq id no:106 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:105), seq id no:108 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:107), seq id no:110 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:109), seq id no:112 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:111), or seq id no:114 (encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:113). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid further comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group (e.g., ugt85c2 polypeptide) (seq id no:7), a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., ugt76g1 polypeptide) (seq id no:9), a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group (e.g., ugt74g1 polypeptide) (seq id no:4), a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., eugt11 polypeptide) (seq id no:16). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., ugt91d2 polypeptide) can be a ugt91d2e polypeptide (seq id no:11) or a ugt91d2e-b polypeptide (seq id no:13). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprising a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside further comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in some embodiments, the recombinant host is an s. cerevisiae host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in some aspects, the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group is encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:5 or seq id no:6, the polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside is encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:8, the polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group is encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:3, the polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside is encoded by the nucleotide sequence set forth in seq id no:10, seq id no:12, seq id no:14, or seq id no:15. the skilled worker will appreciate that expression of these genes may be necessary to produce a particular steviol glycoside but that one or more of these genes can be endogenous to the host provided that at least one (and in some embodiments, all) of these genes is a recombinant gene introduced into the recombinant host. in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate in a steviol glycoside-producing recombinant host increases the amount of one or more steviol glycosides, e.g., rubusoside, rebb, reba, rebd, and rebm, produced by the cell by at least about 5%, e.g., at least about 10%, or at least about 15%, or at least about 20%, or at least about 25%, or at least about 30%, or at least about 35%, or at least about 40%, or at least about 45%, or at least about 50%, or at least about 60%, or at least about 70%, or at least about 80%, or at least about 90%, or at least about 100%, calculated as an increase in intracellular steviol glycoside concentration relative to a corresponding steviol glycoside-producing host lacking the recombinant genes. for example, in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g. a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, or seq id no:147), and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, or seq id no:139) in a steviol glycoside-producing host increases the amount of one or more steviol glycosides, e.g., rubusoside, rebb, reba, rebd, and rebm, produced by the cell by at least about 5%, e.g., at least about 10%, or at least about 15%, or at least about 20%, or at least about 25%, or at least about 30%, or at least about 35%, or at least about 40%, or at least about 45%, or at least about 50%, or at least about 60%, or at least about 70%, or at least about 80%, or at least about 90%, or at least about 100%, calculated as an increase in intracellular glycoside concentration relative to a corresponding steviol glycoside-producing host lacking the recombinant genes. in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate in a steviol glycoside-producing recombinant host decreases the amount of one or more steviol glycosides, e.g., 13-smg and rebd, produced by the cell by at least about 5%, e.g., at least about 10%, or at least about 15%, or at least about 20%, or at least about 25%, or at least about 30%, or at least about 35%, or at least about 40%, or at least about 45%, or at least about 50%, calculated as a decrease in intracellular steviol glycoside concentration relative to a corresponding steviol glycoside-producing host lacking the recombinant genes. for example, in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, and further expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in, e.g., seq id no:127, seq id no:133, seq id no:129, seq id no:125, seq id no:139, or seq id no:135, in a steviol glycoside-producing recombinant host decreases the amount of 13-smg produced by the cell by at least about 5%, e.g., at least about 7.5%, or at least about 10%, or at least about 15%, or at least about 20%, or at least about 25%, or at least about 30%, or at least about 35%. in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate in a steviol glycoside-producing recombinant host increases the total amount of steviol glycosides (i.e., the total amount of mono-, di-, tri-, tetra- penta-, hexa-, and hepta-glycosylated steviol compounds) by at least about 5%, e.g., at least about 7.5%, or at least about 10%, or at least about 12.5%, or at least about 15%, or at least about 17.5%, or at least about 20%, or at least about 25%, or at least about 27.5%, or at least about 30%, or at least about 35%, calculated as an increase in intracellular steviol glycoside concentration relative to a corresponding steviol glycoside-producing host lacking the recombinant genes. for example, in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, and further expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in, e.g., seq id no:133, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:125, seq id no:139, or seq id no:135, in a steviol glycoside-producing recombinant host increases the total amount of steviol glycosides (i.e., the total amount of mono-, di-, tri-, tetra- penta-, hexa-, and hepta-glycosylated steviol compounds) by at least about 5%, e.g., at least about 7.5%, or at least about 10%, or at least about 12.5%, or at least about 15%, or at least about 17.5%, or at least about 20%, or at least about 25%, or at least about 27.5%, or at least about 30%, or at least about 35%, calculated as an increase in intracellular steviol glycoside concentration relative to a corresponding steviol glycoside-producing host lacking the recombinant genes. in some other embodiments, the total amount of steviol glycosides produced by a steviol glycoside-producing recombinant host cell is unchanged (i.e., increased or decreased by less than about 5%, or less than about 4%, or less than about 3%, or less than about 2%, or less than about 1%) by expression in the host of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. for example, in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 in a steviol glycoside-producing recombinant host increases the total amount of steviol glycosides produced by the host by less than about 5%, e.g., less than about 4%, or less than about 3%, or less than about 2%. the person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, in such embodiments, expression of one or more genes encoding a polypeptide involved in the involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway may affect the relative levels of steviol glycosides produced by the recombinant host, e.g., by increasing the level of udp-glucose available as a substrate for a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside. for example, in some embodiments, expression of a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119, a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 in a steviol glycoside-producing recombinant host increases the total amount of steviol glycosides produced by the host by less than about 5%, e.g., less than about 4%, or less than about 3%, or less than about 2%, increases the amount of rebm produced by the host by at least about 50%, e.g., at least about 60%, or at least about 70%, or at least about 80%, or at least about 90%, and decreases the amount of rebd produced by the host by at least about 10%, e.g., at least about 20%, or at least about 30%, or at least about 40%. in some embodiments, a recombinant host cell comprises one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in certain embodiments, a recombinant host comprises one or more recombinant genes having a nucleotide sequence native to the host that encode one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp, one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, i.e., a recombinant host overexpresses one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp, one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate. in certain such embodiments, a recombinant host cell overexpresses one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., an s. cerevisiae host cell expressing a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., an s. cerevisiae host cell expressing a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, and/or seq id no:119), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., an s. cerevisiae host cell expressing a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121). in one example, a recombinant s. cerevisiae host cell overexpresses a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123, a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119, and a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121. in certain embodiments, a recombinant host cell comprising one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139), further comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:7); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:9); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:4); and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:11, seq id no:13, or seq id no:16). in certain such embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ggpp from fpp and ipp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:20); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:40); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:52); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:60 or seq id no:117); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:78, seq id no:86, or seq id no:92); and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:94). in some embodiments, a recombinant host comprises two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., two or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., two or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in certain such embodiments, a recombinant host comprises two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, e.g., two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147. in one example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2 and a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119. in another example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:119, and a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:145. in some embodiments, the recombinant host further comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123) and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139). in certain such embodiments, a recombinant host comprises two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, e.g., two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139. in one example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 and a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:125. in another example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 and a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:127. in another example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 and a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:129. in another example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 and a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:131. in another example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 and a gene encoding a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:133. in another example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 and a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:135. in another example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 and a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:137. in another example, a recombinant host comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121 and a gene encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:139. in some embodiments, the recombinant host further comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123) and/or one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., one or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147). in certain such embodiments, a recombinant host comprising two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., two or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., two or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139) is a host cell overexpressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway (e.g., an s. cerevisiae host cell expressing one or more genes encoding one or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:121, and/or seq id no:123). in certain embodiments, a recombinant host cell comprising two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., two or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, seq id no:141, seq id no:143, seq id no:145, and/or seq id no:147), and/or two or more genes encoding two or more polypeptides capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate (e.g., two or more polypeptides having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:125, seq id no:127, seq id no:129, seq id no:131, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, and/or seq id no:139), further comprises a gene encoding polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123), a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:7); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:9); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:4); and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:11, seq id no:13, or seq id no:16). in certain such embodiments, the recombinant host cell further comprises a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ggpp from fpp and ipp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:20); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:40); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:52); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:60 or seq id no:117); a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:78, seq id no:86, or seq id no:92); and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid (e.g., a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:94). in some embodiments, a steviol glycoside or steviol glycoside precursor is produced by whole cell bioconversion. for whole cell bioconversion to occur, a host cell expressing one or more enzymes involved in the steviol glycoside pathway takes up and modifies a steviol glycoside precursor in the cell; following modification in vivo, a steviol glycoside remains in the cell and/or is excreted into the culture medium. for example, a host cell expressing a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate; and further expressing a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group; and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside can take up steviol and glycosylate steviol in the cell; following glycosylation in vivo, a steviol glycoside can be excreted into the culture medium. in certain such embodiments, the host cell may further express a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ggpp from fpp and ipp; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid; and/or a gene encoding a bifunctional polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp and synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate. in some embodiments, the method for producing one or more steviol glycosides or a steviol glycoside composition disclosed herein comprises whole-cell bioconversion of plant-derived or synthetic steviol and/or steviol glycosides in a cell culture medium of a recombinant host cell using: (a) a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp; (b) a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate; and/or (c) a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate, and one or more of: (d) a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group thereof; (e) a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; (f) a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group thereof; and/or (g) a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; wherein at least one of the polypeptides is a recombinant polypeptide expressed in the recombinant host cell; and producing the one or more steviol glycosides or the steviol glycoside composition thereby. in some embodiments of the methods for producing one or more steviol glycosides or a steviol glycoside composition disclosed herein comprises whole-cell bioconversion of plant-derived or synthetic steviol and/or steviol glycosides in a cell culture medium of a recombinant host cell disclosed herein, the polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:123; the polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:2, seq id no:119, or seq id no:143; or at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:141, seq id no:145, or seq id no:147; and/or the polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate comprises a polypeptide having at least 60% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:121, seq id no:127; at least 55% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:125, seq id no:129, seq id no:133, seq id no:135, seq id no:137, or seq id no:139; or at least 70% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence set forth in seq id no:131. in some embodiments, a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate can be displayed on the surface of the recombinant host cells disclosed herein by fusing it with the anchoring motifs. in some embodiments, the cell is permeabilized to take up a substrate to be modified or to excrete a modified product. in some embodiments, a permeabilizing agent can be added to aid the feedstock entering into the host and product getting out. in some embodiments, the cells are permeabilized with a solvent such as toluene, or with a detergent such as triton-x or tween. in some embodiments, the cells are permeabilized with a surfactant, for example a cationic surfactant such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (ctab). in some embodiments, the cells are permeabilized with periodic mechanical shock such as electroporation or a slight osmotic shock. for example, a crude lysate of the cultured microorganism can be centrifuged to obtain a supernatant. the resulting supernatant can then be applied to a chromatography column, e.g., a c18 column, and washed with water to remove hydrophilic compounds, followed by elution of the compound(s) of interest with a solvent such as methanol. the compound(s) can then be further purified by preparative hplc. see also, wo 2009/140394. in some embodiments, steviol, one or more steviol glycoside precursors, and/or one or more steviol glycosides are produced by co-culturing of two or more hosts. in some embodiments, one or more hosts, each expressing one or more enzymes involved in the steviol glycoside pathway, produce steviol, one or more steviol glycoside precursors, and/or one or more steviol glycosides. for example, a host expressing a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ggpp from fpp and ipp; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-kaurenoic acid, ent-kaurenol, and/or ent-kaurenal from ent-kaurene; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of reducing cytochrome p450 complex; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing steviol from ent-kaurenoic acid; and/or a gene encoding a bifunctional polypeptide capable of synthesizing ent-copalyl diphosphate from ggpp and synthesizing ent-kaurene from ent-copalyl diphosphate and a host expressing a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing utp from udp, a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of converting glucose-6-phosphate to glucose-1-phosphate, and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of synthesizing udp-glucose from utp and glucose-1-phosphate; and further expressing a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-13 hydroxyl group; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,3 glycosylation of the c3′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside; a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group; and/or a gene encoding a polypeptide capable of beta 1,2 glycosylation of the c2′ of the 13-o-glucose, 19-o-glucose, or both 13-o-glucose and 19-o-glucose of a steviol glycoside, produce one or more steviol glycosides. in some embodiments, the steviol glycoside comprises, for example, but not limited to, 13-smg, steviol-1,2-bioside, steviol-1,3-bioside, 19-smg, 1,2-stevioside, 1,3-stevioside (rebg), rubusoside, reba, rebb, rebc, rebd, rebe, rebf, rebm, rebq, rebi, dulcoside a, di-glycosylated steviol, tri-glycosylated steviol, tetra-glycosylated steviol, penta-glycosylated steviol, hexa-glycosylated steviol, hepta-glycosylated steviol, or isomers thereof. in some embodiments, a steviol glycoside or steviol glycoside precursor composition produced in vivo, in vitro, or by whole cell bioconversion does not comprise or comprises a reduced amount or reduced level of plant-derived components than a stevia extract from, inter alia, a stevia plant. plant-derived components can contribute to off-flavors and include pigments, lipids, proteins, phenolics, saccharides, spathulenol and other sesquiterpenes, labdane diterpenes, monoterpenes, decanoic acid, 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid, 2-methyloctadecane, pentacosane, octacosane, tetracosane, octadecanol, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, α- and β-amyrin, lupeol, β-amryin acetate, pentacyclic triterpenes, centauredin, quercitin, epi-alpha-cadinol, carophyllenes and derivatives, beta-pinene, beta-sitosterol, and gibberellin. in some embodiments, the plant-derived components referred to herein are non-glycoside compounds. as used herein, the terms “detectable amount,” “detectable concentration,” “measurable amount,” and “measurable concentration” refer to a level of steviol glycosides measured in auc, μm/od 600 , mg/l, μm, or mm. steviol glycoside production (i.e., total, supernatant, and/or intracellular steviol glycoside levels) can be detected and/or analyzed by techniques generally available to one skilled in the art, for example, but not limited to, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (lc-ms), thin layer chromatography (tlc), high-performance liquid chromatography (hplc), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy/spectrophotometry (uv-vis), mass spectrometry (ms), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (nmr). as used herein, the term “undetectable concentration” refers to a level of a compound that is too low to be measured and/or analyzed by techniques such as tlc, hplc, uv-vis, ms, or nmr. in some embodiments, a compound of an “undetectable concentration” is not present in a steviol glycoside or steviol glycoside precursor composition. after the recombinant microorganism has been grown in culture for the period of time, wherein the temperature and period of time facilitate the production of a steviol glycoside, steviol and/or one or more steviol glycosides can then be recovered from the culture using various techniques known in the art. steviol glycosides can be isolated using a method described herein. for example, following fermentation, a culture broth can be centrifuged for 30 min at 7000 rpm at 4° c. to remove cells, or cells can be removed by filtration. the cell-free lysate can be obtained, for example, by mechanical disruption or enzymatic disruption of the host cells and additional centrifugation to remove cell debris. mechanical disruption of the dried broth materials can also be performed, such as by sonication. the dissolved or suspended broth materials can be filtered using a micron or sub-micron prior to further purification, such as by preparative chromatography. the fermentation media or cell-free lysate can optionally be treated to remove low molecular weight compounds such as salt; and can optionally be dried prior to purification and re-dissolved in a mixture of water and solvent. the supernatant or cell-free lysate can be purified as follows: a column can be filled with, for example, hp20 diaion resin (aromatic type synthetic adsorbent; supelco) or other suitable non-polar adsorbent or reversed-phase chromatography resin, and an aliquot of supernatant or cell-free lysate can be loaded on to the column and washed with water to remove the hydrophilic components. the steviol glycoside product can be eluted by stepwise incremental increases in the solvent concentration in water or a gradient from, e. g., 0%→100% methanol). the levels of steviol glycosides, glycosylated ent-kaurenol, and/or glycosylated ent-kaurenoic acid in each fraction, including the flow-through, can then be analyzed by lc-ms. fractions can then be combined and reduced in volume using a vacuum evaporator. additional purification steps can be utilized, if desired, such as additional chromatography steps and crystallization. for example, steviol glycosides can be isolated by methods not limited to ion exchange chromatography, reversed-phase chromatography (i.e., using a c18 column), extraction, crystallization, and carbon columns and/or decoloring steps. as used herein, the terms “or” and “and/or” is utilized to describe multiple components in combination or exclusive of one another. for example, “x, y, and/or z” can refer to “x” alone, “y” alone, “z” alone, “x, y, and z,” “(x and y) or z,” “x or (y and z),” or “x or y or z.” in some embodiments, “and/or” is used to refer to the exogenous nucleic acids that a recombinant cell comprises, wherein a recombinant cell comprises one or more exogenous nucleic acids selected from a group. in some embodiments, “and/or” is used to refer to production of steviol glycosides and/or steviol glycoside precursors. in some embodiments, “and/or” is used to refer to production of steviol glycosides, wherein one or more steviol glycosides are produced. in some embodiments, “and/or” is used to refer to production of steviol glycosides, wherein one or more steviol glycosides are produced through one or more of the following steps: culturing a recombinant microorganism, synthesizing one or more steviol glycosides in a recombinant microorganism, and/or isolating one or more steviol glycosides. functional homologs functional homologs of the polypeptides described above are also suitable for use in producing steviol glycosides in a recombinant host. a functional homolog is a polypeptide that has sequence similarity to a reference polypeptide, and that carries out one or more of the biochemical or physiological function(s) of the reference polypeptide. a functional homolog and the reference polypeptide can be a natural occurring polypeptide, and the sequence similarity can be due to convergent or divergent evolutionary events. as such, functional homologs are sometimes designated in the literature as homologs, or orthologs, or paralogs. variants of a naturally occurring functional homolog, such as polypeptides encoded by mutants of a wild type coding sequence, can themselves be functional homologs. functional homologs can also be created via site-directed mutagenesis of the coding sequence for a polypeptide, or by combining domains from the coding sequences for different naturally-occurring polypeptides (“domain swapping”). techniques for modifying genes encoding functional polypeptides described herein are known and include, inter alia, directed evolution techniques, site-directed mutagenesis techniques and random mutagenesis techniques, and can be useful to increase specific activity of a polypeptide, alter substrate specificity, alter expression levels, alter subcellular location, or modify polypeptide-polypeptide interactions in a desired manner. such modified polypeptides are considered functional homologs. the term “functional homolog” is sometimes applied to the nucleic acid that encodes a functionally homologous polypeptide. functional homologs can be identified by analysis of nucleotide and polypeptide sequence alignments. for example, performing a query on a database of nucleotide or polypeptide sequences can identify homologs of steviol glycoside biosynthesis polypeptides. sequence analysis can involve blast, reciprocal blast, or psi-blast analysis of non-redundant databases using a ugt amino acid sequence as the reference sequence. amino acid sequence is, in some instances, deduced from the nucleotide sequence. those polypeptides in the database that have greater than 40% sequence identity are candidates for further evaluation for suitability as a steviol glycoside biosynthesis polypeptide. amino acid sequence similarity allows for conservative amino acid substitutions, such as substitution of one hydrophobic residue for another or substitution of one polar residue for another. if desired, manual inspection of such candidates can be carried out in order to narrow the number of candidates to be further evaluated. manual inspection can be performed by selecting those candidates that appear to have domains present in steviol glycoside biosynthesis polypeptides, e.g., conserved functional domains. in some embodiments, nucleic acids and polypeptides are identified from transcriptome data based on expression levels rather than by using blast analysis. conserved regions can be identified by locating a region within the primary amino acid sequence of a steviol glycoside biosynthesis polypeptide that is a repeated sequence, forms some secondary structure (e.g., helices and beta sheets), establishes positively or negatively charged domains, or represents a protein motif or domain. see, e.g., the pfam web site describing consensus sequences for a variety of protein motifs and domains on the world wide web at sanger.ac.uk/software/pfam/ and pfam.janelia.org/. the information included at the pfam database is described in sonnhammer et al., nucl. acids res., 26:320-322 (1998); sonnhammer et al., proteins, 28:405-420 (1997); and bateman et al., nucl. acids res., 27:260-262 (1999). conserved regions also can be determined by aligning sequences of the same or related polypeptides from closely related species. closely related species preferably are from the same family. in some embodiments, alignment of sequences from two different species is adequate to identify such homologs. typically, polypeptides that exhibit at least about 40% amino acid sequence identity are useful to identify conserved regions. conserved regions of related polypeptides exhibit at least 45% amino acid sequence identity (e.g., at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 90% amino acid sequence identity). in some embodiments, a conserved region exhibits at least 92%, 94%, 96%, 98%, or 99% amino acid sequence identity. for example, polypeptides suitable for producing steviol in a recombinant host include functional homologs of ugts. methods to modify the substrate specificity of, for example, a ugt, are known to those skilled in the art, and include without limitation site-directed/rational mutagenesis approaches, random directed evolution approaches and combinations in which random mutagenesis/saturation techniques are performed near the active site of the enzyme. for example see osmani et al., 2009 , phytochemistry 70: 325-347. a candidate sequence typically has a length that is from 80% to 200% of the length of the reference sequence, e.g., 82, 85, 87, 89, 90, 93, 95, 97, 99, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, or 200% of the length of the reference sequence. a functional homolog polypeptide typically has a length that is from 95% to 105% of the length of the reference sequence, e.g., 90, 93, 95, 97, 99, 100, 105, 110, 115, or 120% of the length of the reference sequence, or any range between. a % identity for any candidate nucleic acid or polypeptide relative to a reference nucleic acid or polypeptide can be determined as follows. a reference sequence (e.g., a nucleic acid sequence or an amino acid sequence described herein) is aligned to one or more candidate sequences using the computer program clustal omega (version 1.2.1, default parameters), which allows alignments of nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences to be carried out across their entire length (global alignment). chenna et al., 2003 , nucleic acids res. 31(13):3497-500. clustalw calculates the best match between a reference and one or more candidate sequences, and aligns them so that identities, similarities and differences can be determined. gaps of one or more residues can be inserted into a reference sequence, a candidate sequence, or both, to maximize sequence alignments. for fast pairwise alignment of nucleic acid sequences, the following default parameters are used: word size: 2; window size: 4; scoring method: % age; number of top diagonals: 4; and gap penalty: 5. for multiple alignment of nucleic acid sequences, the following parameters are used: gap opening penalty: 10.0; gap extension penalty: 5.0; and weight transitions: yes. for fast pairwise alignment of protein sequences, the following parameters are used: word size: 1; window size: 5; scoring method:% age; number of top diagonals: 5; gap penalty: 3. for multiple alignment of protein sequences, the following parameters are used: weight matrix: blosum; gap opening penalty: 10.0; gap extension penalty: 0.05; hydrophilic gaps: on; hydrophilic residues: gly, pro, ser, asn, asp, gln, glu, arg, and lys; residue-specific gap penalties: on. the clustalw output is a sequence alignment that reflects the relationship between sequences. clustalw can be run, for example, at the baylor college of medicine search launcher site on the world wide web (searchlauncher.bcm.tmc.edu/multi-align/multi-align.html) and at the european bioinformatics institute site on the world wide web (ebi.ac.uk/clustalw). to determine a % identity of a candidate nucleic acid or amino acid sequence to a reference sequence, the sequences are aligned using clustal omega, the number of identical matches in the alignment is divided by the length of the reference sequence, and the result is multiplied by 100. it is noted that the % identity value can be rounded to the nearest tenth. for example, 78.11, 78.12, 78.13, and 78.14 are rounded down to 78.1, while 78.15, 78.16, 78.17, 78.18, and 78.19 are rounded up to 78.2. it will be appreciated that functional ugt proteins (e.g., a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group) can include additional amino acids that are not involved in the enzymatic activities carried out by the enzymes. in some embodiments, ugt proteins are fusion proteins. the terms “chimera,” “fusion polypeptide,” “fusion protein,” “fusion enzyme,” “fusion construct,” “chimeric protein,” “chimeric polypeptide,” “chimeric construct,” and “chimeric enzyme” can be used interchangeably herein to refer to proteins engineered through the joining of two or more genes that code for different proteins. in some embodiments, a nucleic acid sequence encoding a ugt polypeptide (e.g., a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group) can include a tag sequence that encodes a “tag” designed to facilitate subsequent manipulation (e.g., to facilitate purification or detection), secretion, or localization of the encoded polypeptide. tag sequences can be inserted in the nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide such that the encoded tag is located at either the carboxyl or amino terminus of the polypeptide. non-limiting examples of encoded tags include green fluorescent protein (gfp), human influenza hemagglutinin (ha), glutathione s transferase (gst), polyhistidine-tag (his tag), and flag™ tag (kodak, new haven, conn.). other examples of tags include a chloroplast transit peptide, a mitochondrial transit peptide, an amyloplast peptide, signal peptide, or a secretion tag. in some embodiments, a fusion protein is a protein altered by domain swapping. as used herein, the term “domain swapping” is used to describe the process of replacing a domain of a first protein with a domain of a second protein. in some embodiments, the domain of the first protein and the domain of the second protein are functionally identical or functionally similar. in some embodiments, the structure and/or sequence of the domain of the second protein differs from the structure and/or sequence of the domain of the first protein. in some embodiments, a ugt polypeptide (e.g., a polypeptide capable of glycosylating steviol or a steviol glycoside at its c-19 carboxyl group) is altered by domain swapping. in some embodiments, a fusion protein is a protein altered by circular permutation, which consists in the covalent attachment of the ends of a protein that would be opened elsewhere afterwards. thus, the order of the sequence is altered without causing changes in the amino acids of the protein. in some embodiments, a targeted circular permutation can be produced, for example but not limited to, by designing a spacer to join the ends of the original protein. once the spacer has been defined, there are several possibilities to generate permutations through generally accepted molecular biology techniques, for example but not limited to, by producing concatemers by means of pcr and subsequent amplification of specific permutations inside the concatemer or by amplifying discrete fragments of the protein to exchange to join them in a different order. the step of generating permutations can be followed by creating a circular gene by binding the fragment ends and cutting back at random, thus forming collections of permutations from a unique construct. in some embodiments, dapi polypeptide is altered by circular permutation. steviol and steviol glycoside biosynthesis nucleic acids a recombinant gene encoding a polypeptide described herein comprises the coding sequence for that polypeptide, operably linked in sense orientation to one or more regulatory regions suitable for expressing the polypeptide. because many microorganisms are capable of expressing multiple gene products from a polycistronic mrna, multiple polypeptides can be expressed under the control of a single regulatory region for those microorganisms, if desired. a coding sequence and a regulatory region are considered to be operably linked when the regulatory region and coding sequence are positioned so that the regulatory region is effective for regulating transcription or translation of the sequence. typically, the translation initiation site of the translational reading frame of the coding sequence is positioned between one and about fifty nucleotides downstream of the regulatory region for a monocistronic gene. in many cases, the coding sequence for a polypeptide described herein is identified in a species other than the recombinant host, i.e., is a heterologous nucleic acid. thus, if the recombinant host is a microorganism, the coding sequence can be from other prokaryotic or eukaryotic microorganisms, from plants or from animals. in some case, however, the coding sequence is a sequence that is native to the host and is being reintroduced into that organism. a native sequence can often be distinguished from the naturally occurring sequence by the presence of non-natural sequences linked to the exogenous nucleic acid, e.g., non-native regulatory sequences flanking a native sequence in a recombinant nucleic acid construct. in addition, stably transformed exogenous nucleic acids typically are integrated at positions other than the position where the native sequence is found. “regulatory region” refers to a nucleic acid having nucleotide sequences that influence transcription or translation initiation and rate, and stability and/or mobility of a transcription or translation product. regulatory regions include, without limitation, promoter sequences, enhancer sequences, response elements, protein recognition sites, inducible elements, protein binding sequences, 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (utrs), transcriptional start sites, termination sequences, polyadenylation sequences, introns, and combinations thereof. a regulatory region typically comprises at least a core (basal) promoter. a regulatory region also may include at least one control element, such as an enhancer sequence, an upstream element or an upstream activation region (uar). a regulatory region is operably linked to a coding sequence by positioning the regulatory region and the coding sequence so that the regulatory region is effective for regulating transcription or translation of the sequence. for example, to operably link a coding sequence and a promoter sequence, the translation initiation site of the translational reading frame of the coding sequence is typically positioned between one and about fifty nucleotides downstream of the promoter. a regulatory region can, however, be positioned as much as about 5,000 nucleotides upstream of the translation initiation site, or about 2,000 nucleotides upstream of the transcription start site. the choice of regulatory regions to be included depends upon several factors, including, but not limited to, efficiency, selectability, inducibility, desired expression level, and preferential expression during certain culture stages. it is a routine matter for one of skill in the art to modulate the expression of a coding sequence by appropriately selecting and positioning regulatory regions relative to the coding sequence. it will be understood that more than one regulatory region may be present, e.g., introns, enhancers, upstream activation regions, transcription terminators, and inducible elements. one or more genes can be combined in a recombinant nucleic acid construct in “modules” useful for a discrete aspect of steviol and/or steviol glycoside production. combining a plurality of genes in a module, particularly a polycistronic module, facilitates the use of the module in a variety of species. for example, a steviol biosynthesis gene cluster, or a ugt gene cluster, can be combined in a polycistronic module such that, after insertion of a suitable regulatory region, the module can be introduced into a wide variety of species. as another example, a ugt gene cluster can be combined such that each ugt coding sequence is operably linked to a separate regulatory region, to form a ugt module. such a module can be used in those species for which monocistronic expression is necessary or desirable. in addition to genes useful for steviol or steviol glycoside production, a recombinant construct typically also contains an origin of replication, and one or more selectable markers for maintenance of the construct in appropriate species. it will be appreciated that because of the degeneracy of the genetic code, a number of nucleic acids can encode a particular polypeptide; i.e., for many amino acids, there is more than one nucleotide triplet that serves as the codon for the amino acid. thus, codons in the coding sequence for a given polypeptide can be modified such that optimal expression in a particular host is obtained, using appropriate codon bias tables for that host (e.g., microorganism). as isolated nucleic acids, these modified sequences can exist as purified molecules and can be incorporated into a vector or a virus for use in constructing modules for recombinant nucleic acid constructs. in some cases, it is desirable to inhibit one or more functions of an endogenous polypeptide in order to divert metabolic intermediates towards steviol or steviol glycoside biosynthesis. for example, it may be desirable to downregulate synthesis of sterols in a yeast strain in order to further increase steviol or steviol glycoside production, e.g., by downregulating squalene epoxidase. as another example, it may be desirable to inhibit degradative functions of certain endogenous gene products, e.g., glycohydrolases that remove glucose moieties from secondary metabolites or phosphatases as discussed herein. in such cases, a nucleic acid that overexpresses the polypeptide or gene product may be included in a recombinant construct that is transformed into the strain. alternatively, mutagenesis can be used to generate mutants in genes for which it is desired to increase or enhance function. host microorganisms recombinant hosts can be used to express polypeptides for the producing steviol glycosides, including mammalian, insect, plant, and algal cells. a number of prokaryotes and eukaryotes are also suitable for use in constructing the recombinant microorganisms described herein, e.g., gram-negative bacteria, yeast, and fungi. a species and strain selected for use as a steviol glycoside production strain is first analyzed to determine which production genes are endogenous to the strain and which genes are not present. genes for which an endogenous counterpart is not present in the strain are advantageously assembled in one or more recombinant constructs, which are then transformed into the strain in order to supply the missing function(s). typically, the recombinant microorganism is grown in a fermenter at a temperature(s) for a period of time, wherein the temperature and period of time facilitate the production of a steviol glycoside. the constructed and genetically engineered microorganisms provided by the invention can be cultivated using conventional fermentation processes, including, inter alia, chemostat, batch, fed-batch cultivations, semi-continuous fermentations such as draw and fill, continuous perfusion fermentation, and continuous perfusion cell culture. depending on the particular microorganism used in the method, other recombinant genes such as isopentenyl biosynthesis genes and terpene synthase and cyclase genes may also be present and expressed. levels of substrates and intermediates, e.g., isopentenyl diphosphate, dimethylallyl diphosphate, ggpp, ent-kaurene and ent-kaurenoic acid, can be determined by extracting samples from culture media for analysis according to published methods. carbon sources of use in the instant method include any molecule that can be metabolized by the recombinant host cell to facilitate growth and/or production of the steviol glycosides. examples of suitable carbon sources include, but are not limited to, sucrose (e.g., as found in molasses), fructose, xylose, ethanol, glycerol, glucose, cellulose, starch, cellobiose or other glucose-comprising polymer. in embodiments employing yeast as a host, for example, carbons sources such as sucrose, fructose, xylose, ethanol, glycerol, and glucose are suitable. the carbon source can be provided to the host organism throughout the cultivation period or alternatively, the organism can be grown for a period of time in the presence of another energy source, e.g., protein, and then provided with a source of carbon only during the fed-batch phase. it will be appreciated that the various genes and modules discussed herein can be present in two or more recombinant hosts rather than a single host. when a plurality of recombinant hosts is used, they can be grown in a mixed culture to accumulate steviol and/or steviol glycosides. alternatively, the two or more hosts each can be grown in a separate culture medium and the product of the first culture medium, e.g., steviol, can be introduced into second culture medium to be converted into a subsequent intermediate, or into an end product such as, for example, reba. the product produced by the second, or final host is then recovered. it will also be appreciated that in some embodiments, a recombinant host is grown using nutrient sources other than a culture medium and utilizing a system other than a fermenter. exemplary prokaryotic and eukaryotic species are described in more detail below. however, it will be appreciated that other species can be suitable. for example, suitable species can be in a genus such as agaricus, aspergillus, bacillus, candida, corynebacterium, eremothecium, escherichia, fusarium/gibberella, kluyveromyces, laetiporus, lentinus, phaffia, phanerochaete, pichia, physcomitrella, rhodoturula, saccharomyces, schizosaccharomyces, sphaceloma, xanthophyllomyces or yarrowia . exemplary species from such genera include lentinus tigrinus, laetiporus sulphureus, phanerochaete chrysosporium, pichia pastoris, cyberlindnera jadinii, physcomitrella patens, rhodoturula glutinis, rhodoturula mucilaginosa, phaffia rhodozyma, xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, fusarium fujikuroi/gibberella fujikuroi, candida utilis, candida glabrata, candida albicans , and yarrowia lipolytica. in some embodiments, a microorganism can be a prokaryote such as escherichia bacteria cells, for example, escherichia coli cells; lactobacillus bacteria cells; lactococcus bacteria cells; comebacterium bacteria cells; acetobacter bacteria cells; acinetobacter bacteria cells; or pseudomonas bacterial cells. in some embodiments, a microorganism can be an ascomycete such as gibberella fujikuroi, kluyveromyces lactis, schizosaccharomyces pombe, aspergillus niger, yarrowia lipolytica, ashbya gossypii , or s. cerevisiae. in some embodiments, a microorganism can be an algal cell such as blakeslea trispora, dunaliella salina, haematococcus pluvialis, chlorella sp., undaria pinnatifida, sargassum, laminaria japonica, scenedesmus almeriensis species. in some embodiments, a microorganism can be a cyanobacterial cell such as blakeslea trispora, dunaliella salina, haematococcus pluvialis, chlorella sp., undaria pinnatifida, sargassum, laminaria japonica, scenedesmus almeriensis. saccharomyces spp. saccharomyces is a widely used chassis organism in synthetic biology, and can be used as the recombinant microorganism platform. for example, there are libraries of mutants, plasmids, detailed computer models of metabolism and other information available for s. cerevisiae , allowing for rational design of various modules to enhance product yield. methods are known for making recombinant microorganisms. aspergillus spp. aspergillus species such as a. oryzae, a. niger and a. sojae are widely used microorganisms in food production and can also be used as the recombinant microorganism platform. nucleotide sequences are available for genomes of a. nidulans, a. fumigatus, a. oryzae, a. clavatus, a. flavus, a. niger , and a. terreus , allowing rational design and modification of endogenous pathways to enhance flux and increase product yield. metabolic models have been developed for aspergillus , as well as transcriptomic studies and proteomics studies. a. niger is cultured for the industrial production of a number of food ingredients such as citric acid and gluconic acid, and thus species such as a. niger are generally suitable for producing steviol glycosides. e. coli e. coli , another widely used platform organism in synthetic biology, can also be used as the recombinant microorganism platform. similar to saccharomyces , there are libraries of mutants, plasmids, detailed computer models of metabolism and other information available for e. coli , allowing for rational design of various modules to enhance product yield. methods similar to those described above for saccharomyces can be used to make recombinant e. coli microorganisms. agaricus, gibberella, and phanerochaete spp. agaricus, gibberella , and phanerochaete spp. can be useful because they are known to produce large amounts of isoprenoids in culture. thus, the terpene precursors for producing large amounts of steviol glycosides are already produced by endogenous genes. thus, modules comprising recombinant genes for steviol glycoside biosynthesis polypeptides can be introduced into species from such genera without the necessity of introducing mevalonate or mep pathway genes. arxula adeninivorans ( blastobotrys adeninivorans ) arxula adeninivorans is dimorphic yeast (it grows as budding yeast like the baker's yeast up to a temperature of 42° c., above this threshold it grows in a filamentous form) with unusual biochemical characteristics. it can grow on a wide range of substrates and can assimilate nitrate. it has successfully been applied to the generation of strains that can produce natural plastics or the development of a biosensor for estrogens in environmental samples. yarrowia lipolytica yarrowia lipolytica is dimorphic yeast (see arxula adeninivorans ) and belongs to the family hemiascomycetes. the entire genome of yarrowia lipolytica is known. yarrowia species is aerobic and considered to be non-pathogenic. yarrowia is efficient in using hydrophobic substrates (e.g., alkanes, fatty acids, oils) and can grow on sugars. it has a high potential for industrial applications and is an oleaginous microorgamism. yarrowia lipolyptica can accumulate lipid content to approximately 40% of its dry cell weight and is a model organism for lipid accumulation and remobilization. see e.g., nicaud, 2012, yeast 29(10):409-18; beopoulos et al., 2009 , biochimie 91(6):692-6; bankar et al., 2009 , appl microbiol biotechnol. 84(5):847-65. rhodotorula sp. rhodotorula is unicellular, pigmented yeast. the oleaginous red yeast, rhodotorula glutinis , has been shown to produce lipids and carotenoids from crude glycerol (saenge et al., 2011 , process biochemistry 46(1):210-8). rhodotorula toruloides strains have been shown to be an efficient fed-batch fermentation system for improved biomass and lipid productivity (li et al., 2007 , enzyme and microbial technology 41:312-7). rhodosporidium toruloides rhodosporidium toruloides is oleaginous yeast and useful for engineering lipid-production pathways (see e.g. zhu et al., 2013 , nature commun. 3:1112; ageitos et al., 2011, applied microbiology and biotechnology 90(4):1219-27). candida boidinii candida boidinii is methylotrophic yeast (it can grow on methanol). like other methylotrophic species such as hansenula polymorpha and pichia pastoris , it provides an excellent platform for producing heterologous proteins. yields in a multigram range of a secreted foreign protein have been reported. a computational method, ipro, recently predicted mutations that experimentally switched the cofactor specificity of candida boidinii xylose reductase from nadph to nadh. see, e.g., mattanovich et al., 2012 , methods mol biol. 824:329-58; khoury et al., 2009 , protein sci. 18(10):2125-38. hansenula polymorpha ( pichia angusta ) hansenula polymorpha is methylotrophic yeast (see candida boidinii ). it can furthermore grow on a wide range of other substrates; it is thermo-tolerant and can assimilate nitrate (see also kluyveromyces lactis ). it has been applied to producing hepatitis b vaccines, insulin and interferon alpha-2a for the treatment of hepatitis c, furthermore to a range of technical enzymes. see, e.g., xu et al., 2014 , virol sin. 29(6):403-9. kluyveromyces lactis kluyveromyces lactis is yeast regularly applied to the production of kefir. it can grow on several sugars, most importantly on lactose which is present in milk and whey. it has successfully been applied among others for producing chymosin (an enzyme that is usually present in the stomach of calves) for producing cheese. production takes place in fermenters on a 40,000 l scale. see, e.g., van ooyen et al., 2006, fems yeast res. 6(3):381-92. pichia pastoris pichia pastoris is methylotrophic yeast (see candida boidinii and hansenula polymorpha ). it provides an efficient platform for producing foreign proteins. platform elements are available as a kit and it is worldwide used in academia for producing proteins. strains have been engineered that can produce complex human n-glycan (yeast glycans are similar but not identical to those found in humans). see, e.g., piirainen et al., 2014 , n biotechnol. 31(6):532-7. physcomitrella spp. physcomitrella mosses, when grown in suspension culture, have characteristics similar to yeast or other fungal cultures. this genera can be used for producing plant secondary metabolites, which can be difficult to produce in other types of cells. it can be appreciated that the recombinant host cell disclosed herein can comprise a plant cell, comprising a plant cell that is grown in a plant, a mammalian cell, an insect cell, a fungal cell, comprising a yeast cell, wherein the yeast cell is a cell from saccharomyces cerevisiae, schizosaccharomyces pombe, yarrowia lipolytica, candida glabrata, ashbya gossypii, cyberlindnera jadinii, pichia pastoris, kluyveromyces lactis, hansenula polymorpha, candida boidinii, arxula adeninivorans, xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous , or candida albicans species or is a saccharomycete or is a saccharomyces cerevisiae cell, an algal cell or a bacterial cell, comprising escherichia cells, lactobacillus cells, lactococcus cells, comebacterium cells, acetobacter cells, acinetobacter cells, or pseudomonas cells. steviol glycoside compositions steviol glycosides do not necessarily have equivalent performance in different food systems. it is therefore desirable to have the ability to direct the synthesis to steviol glycoside compositions of choice. recombinant hosts described herein can produce compositions that are selectively enriched for specific steviol glycosides (e.g., rebd or rebm) and have a consistent taste profile. as used herein, the term “enriched” is used to describe a steviol glycoside composition with an increased proportion of a particular steviol glycoside, compared to a steviol glycoside composition (extract) from a stevia plant. thus, the recombinant hosts described herein can facilitate the production of compositions that are tailored to meet the sweetening profile desired for a given food product and that have a proportion of each steviol glycoside that is consistent from batch to batch. in some embodiments, hosts described herein do not produce or produce a reduced amount of undesired plant by-products found in stevia extracts. thus, steviol glycoside compositions produced by the recombinant hosts described herein are distinguishable from compositions derived from stevia plants. the amount of an individual steviol glycoside (e.g., reba, rebb, rebd, or rebm) accumulated can be from about 1 to about 7,000 mg/l, e.g., about 1 to about 10 mg/l, about 3 to about 10 mg/l, about 5 to about 20 mg/l, about 10 to about 50 mg/l, about 10 to about 100 mg/l, about 25 to about 500 mg/l, about 100 to about 1,500 mg/l, or about 200 to about 1,000 mg/l, at least about 1,000 mg/l, at least about 1,200 mg/l, at least about at least 1,400 mg/l, at least about 1,600 mg/l, at least about 1,800 mg/l, at least about 2,800 mg/l, or at least about 7,000 mg/l. in some aspects, the amount of an individual steviol glycoside can exceed 7,000 mg/l. the amount of a combination of steviol glycosides (e.g., reba, rebb, rebd, or rebm) accumulated can be from about 1 mg/l to about 7,000 mg/l, e.g., about 200 to about 1,500, at least about 2,000 mg/l, at least about 3,000 mg/l, at least about 4,000 mg/l, at least about 5,000 mg/l, at least about 6,000 mg/l, or at least about 7,000 mg/l. in some aspects, the amount of a combination of steviol glycosides can exceed 7,000 mg/l. in general, longer culture times will lead to greater amounts of product. thus, the recombinant microorganism can be cultured for from 1 day to 7 days, from 1 day to 5 days, from 3 days to 5 days, about 3 days, about 4 days, or about 5 days. it will be appreciated that the various genes and modules discussed herein can be present in two or more recombinant microorganisms rather than a single microorganism. when a plurality of recombinant microorganisms is used, they can be grown in a mixed culture to produce steviol and/or steviol glycosides. for example, a first microorganism can comprise one or more biosynthesis genes for producing a steviol glycoside precursor, while a second microorganism comprises steviol glycoside biosynthesis genes. the product produced by the second, or final microorganism is then recovered. it will also be appreciated that in some embodiments, a recombinant microorganism is grown using nutrient sources other than a culture medium and utilizing a system other than a fermenter. alternatively, the two or more microorganisms each can be grown in a separate culture medium and the product of the first culture medium, e.g., steviol, can be introduced into second culture medium to be converted into a subsequent intermediate, or into an end product such as reba. the product produced by the second, or final microorganism is then recovered. it will also be appreciated that in some embodiments, a recombinant microorganism is grown using nutrient sources other than a culture medium and utilizing a system other than a fermenter. steviol glycosides and compositions obtained by the methods disclosed herein can be used to make food products, dietary supplements and sweetener compositions. see, e.g., wo 2011/153378, wo 2013/022989, wo 2014/122227, and wo 2014/122328. for example, substantially pure steviol or steviol glycoside such as rebm or rebd can be included in food products such as ice cream, carbonated 2s, fruit juices, yogurts, baked goods, chewing gums, hard and soft candies, and sauces. substantially pure steviol or steviol glycoside can also be included in non-food products such as pharmaceutical products, medicinal products, dietary supplements and nutritional supplements. substantially pure steviol or steviol glycosides may also be included in animal feed products for both the agriculture industry and the companion animal industry. alternatively, a mixture of steviol and/or steviol glycosides can be made by culturing recombinant microorganisms separately, each producing a specific steviol or steviol glycoside, recovering the steviol or steviol glycoside in substantially pure form from each microorganism and then combining the compounds to obtain a mixture comprising each compound in the desired proportion. the recombinant microorganisms described herein permit more precise and consistent mixtures to be obtained compared to current stevia products. in another alternative, a substantially pure steviol or steviol glycoside can be incorporated into a food product along with other sweeteners, e.g., saccharin, dextrose, sucrose, fructose, erythritol, aspartame, sucralose, monatin, or acesulfame potassium. the weight ratio of steviol or steviol glycoside relative to other sweeteners can be varied as desired to achieve a satisfactory taste in the final food product. see, e.g., u.s. 2007/0128311. in some embodiments, the steviol or steviol glycoside may be provided with a flavor (e.g., citrus) as a flavor modulator. compositions produced by a recombinant microorganism described herein can be incorporated into food products. for example, a steviol glycoside composition produced by a recombinant microorganism can be incorporated into a food product in an amount ranging from about 20 mg steviol glycoside/kg food product to about 1800 mg steviol glycoside/kg food product on a dry weight basis, depending on the type of steviol glycoside and food product. for example, a steviol glycoside composition produced by a recombinant microorganism can be incorporated into a dessert, cold confectionary (e.g., ice cream), dairy product (e.g., yogurt), or beverage (e.g., a carbonated beverage) such that the food product has a maximum of 500 mg steviol glycoside/kg food on a dry weight basis. a steviol glycoside composition produced by a recombinant microorganism can be incorporated into a baked good (e.g., a biscuit) such that the food product has a maximum of 300 mg steviol glycoside/kg food on a dry weight basis. a steviol glycoside composition produced by a recombinant microorganism can be incorporated into a sauce (e.g., chocolate syrup) or vegetable product (e.g., pickles) such that the food product has a maximum of 1000 mg steviol glycoside/kg food on a dry weight basis. a steviol glycoside composition produced by a recombinant microorganism can be incorporated into bread such that the food product has a maximum of 160 mg steviol glycoside/kg food on a dry weight basis. a steviol glycoside composition produced by a recombinant microorganism, plant, or plant cell can be incorporated into a hard or soft candy such that the food product has a maximum of 1600 mg steviol glycoside/kg food on a dry weight basis. a steviol glycoside composition produced by a recombinant microorganism, plant, or plant cell can be incorporated into a processed fruit product (e.g., fruit juices, fruit filling, jams, and jellies) such that the food product has a maximum of 1000 mg steviol glycoside/kg food on a dry weight basis. in some embodiments, a steviol glycoside composition produced herein is a component of a pharmaceutical composition. see, e.g., steviol glycosides chemical and technical assessment 69th jecfa, 2007, prepared by harriet wallin, food agric. org.; efsa panel on food additives and nutrient sources added to food (ans), “scientific opinion on the safety of steviol glycosides for the proposed uses as a food additive,” 2010 , efsa journal 8(4):1537; u.s. food and drug administration gras notice 323; u.s food and drug administration gras notice 329; wo 2011/037959; wo 2010/146463; wo 2011/046423; and wo 2011/056834. for example, such a steviol glycoside composition can have from 90-99 weight % reba and an undetectable amount of stevia plant-derived contaminants, and be incorporated into a food product at from 25-1600 mg/kg, e.g., 100-500 mg/kg, 25-100 mg/kg, 250-1000 mg/kg, 50-500 mg/kg or 500-1000 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. such a steviol glycoside composition can be a rebb-enriched composition having greater than 3 weight % rebb and be incorporated into the food product such that the amount of rebb in the product is from 25-1600 mg/kg, e.g., 100-500 mg/kg, 25-100 mg/kg, 250-1000 mg/kg, 50-500 mg/kg or 500-1000 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. typically, the rebb-enriched composition has an undetectable amount of stevia plant-derived contaminants. such a steviol glycoside composition can be a rebd-enriched composition having greater than 3 weight % rebd and be incorporated into the food product such that the amount of rebd in the product is from 25-1600 mg/kg, e.g., 100-500 mg/kg, 25-100 mg/kg, 250-1000 mg/kg, 50-500 mg/kg or 500-1000 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. typically, the rebd-enriched composition has an undetectable amount of stevia plant-derived contaminants. such a steviol glycoside composition can be a rebe-enriched composition having greater than 3 weight % rebe and be incorporated into the food product such that the amount of rebe in the product is from 25-1600 mg/kg, e.g., 100-500 mg/kg, 25-100 mg/kg, 250-1000 mg/kg, 50-500 mg/kg or 500-1000 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. typically, the rebe-enriched composition has an undetectable amount of stevia plant-derived contaminants. such a steviol glycoside composition can be a rebm-enriched composition having greater than 3 weight % rebm and be incorporated into the food product such that the amount of rebm in the product is from 25-1600 mg/kg, e.g., 100-500 mg/kg, 25-100 mg/kg, 250-1000 mg/kg, 50-500 mg/kg or 500-1000 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. typically, the rebm-enriched composition has an undetectable amount of stevia plant-derived contaminants. in some embodiments, a substantially pure steviol or steviol glycoside is incorporated into a tabletop sweetener or “cup-for-cup” product. such products typically are diluted to the appropriate sweetness level with one or more bulking agents, e.g., maltodextrins, known to those skilled in the art. steviol glycoside compositions enriched for reba, rebb, rebd, rebe, or rebm, can be package in a sachet, for example, at from 10,000 to 30,000 mg steviol glycoside/kg product on a dry weight basis, for tabletop use. in some embodiments, a steviol glycoside produced in vitro, in vivo, or by whole cell bioconversion the invention will be further described in the following examples, which do not limit the scope of the invention described in the claims. examples the examples that follow are illustrative of specific embodiments of the invention, and various uses thereof. they are set forth for explanatory purposes only, and are not to be taken as limiting the invention. example 1: strain engineering steviol glycoside-producing s. cerevisiae strains were constructed as described in wo 2011/153378, wo 2013/022989, wo 2014/122227, and wo 2014/122328, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. for example, yeast strains comprising and expressing a native gene encoding a ynk1 polypeptide (seq id no:122, seq id no:123), a native gene encoding a pgm1 polypeptide (seq id no:1, seq id no:2), a native gene encoding a pgm2 polypeptide (seq id no:118, seq id no:119), a native gene encoding a ugp1 polypeptide (seq id no:120, seq id no:121), a recombinant gene encoding a ggpps polypeptide (seq id no:19, seq id no:20), a recombinant gene encoding a truncated cdps polypeptide (seq id no:39, seq id no:40), a recombinant gene encoding a ks polypeptide (seq id no:51, seq id no:52), a recombinant gene encoding a ko polypeptide (seq id no:59, seq id no:60), a recombinant gene encoding a ko polypeptide (seq id no:63, seq id no:64), a recombinant gene encoding an atr2 polypeptide (seq id no:91, seq id no:92), a recombinant gene encoding a kahe1 polypeptide (seq id no:93, seq id no:94), a recombinant gene encoding a cpr8 polypeptide (seq id no:85, seq id no:86), a recombinant gene encoding a cpr1 polypeptide (seq id no:77, seq id no:78), a recombinant gene encoding a ugt76g1 polypeptide (seq id no:8, seq id no:9), a recombinant gene encoding a ugt85c2 polypeptide (seq id no:5/seq id no:6, seq id no:7), a recombinant gene encoding a ugt74g1 polypeptide (seq id no:3, seq id no:4), a recombinant gene encoding a ugt91d2e-b polypeptide (seq id no:12, seq id no:13) and a recombinant gene encoding an eugt11 polypeptide (seq id no:14, seq id no:15, seq id no:16) were engineered to accumulate steviol glycosides. example 2: overexpression of pgm1, pgm2, ugp1, and ynk1 a steviol glycoside-producing s. cerevisiae strain as described in example 1, further engineered to comprise and express a recombinant gene encoding a kah polypeptide (seq id no:96, seq id no:97) and a recombinant gene encoding a ko polypeptide (seq id no:117, seq id no:64), was transformed with vectors comprising an additional copy of the gene encoding a ynk1 polypeptide (seq id no:122, seq id no:123), operably linked to a ptef1 promoter (seq id no:148) and a cyc1 terminator (seq id no:154), an additional copy of the gene encoding a pgm1 polypeptide (seq id no:1, seq id no:2), operably linked to a ptef1 promoter (seq id no:148) and a cyc1 terminator (seq id no:154), an additional copy of the gene encoding a pgm2 polypeptide (seq id no:118, seq id no:119), operably linked to a ppgk1 promoter (seq id no:149) and a tadh1 terminator (seq id no:155), and an additional copy of the gene encoding a ugp1 polypeptide (seq id no:120, seq id no:121), operably linked to a ppgk1 promoter (seq id no:149) and a tadh1 terminator (seq id no:155). fed-batch fermentation with cultures of the transformed s. cerevisiae strain and a control s. cerevisiae strain (a steviol glycoside-producing s. cerevisiae strain as described in example 2, further engineered to comprise and express a recombinant gene encoding a kah polypeptide and a recombinant gene encoding a ko polypeptide) was carried out aerobically in 2 l fermenters at 30° c. with an approximate 16 h growth phase in minimal medium comprising glucose, ammonium sulfate, trace metals, vitamins, salts, and buffer followed by an approximate 100 h feeding phase with a glucose-comprising defined feed medium. a ph near 6.0 and glucose-limiting conditions were maintained. extractions of whole culture samples (without cell removal) were performed and extracts were analyzed by lc-uv to determine levels of steviol glycosides. lc-uv was conducted with an agilent 1290 instrument comprising a variable wavelength detector (vwd), a thermostatted column compartment (tcc), an autosampler, an autosampler cooling unit, and a binary pump, using sb-c18 rapid resolution high definition (rrhd) 2.1 mm×300 mm, 1.8 μm analytical columns (two 150 mm columns in series; column temperature of 65° c.). steviol glycosides were separated by a reversed-phase c18 column followed by detection by uv absorbance at 210 mm. quantification of steviol glycosides was done by comparing the peak area of each analyte to standards of reba and applying a correction factor for species with differing molar absorptivities. for lc-uv, 0.5 ml cultures were spun down, the supernatant was removed, and the wet weight of the pellets was calculated. the lc-uv results were normalized by pellet wet weight. total steviol glycoside values of the fed-batch fermentation were calculated based upon the measured levels of steviol glycosides calculated as a sum (in g/l rebd equivalents) of measured reba, rebb, rebd, rebe, rebm, 13-smg, rubusoside, steviol-1,2-bioside, di-glycosylated steviol, tri-glycosylated steviol, tetra-glycosylated steviol, penta-glycosylated steviol, hexa-glycosylated steviol, and hepta-glycosylated steviol. results are shown in table 1. table 1steviol glycoside accumulation by transformed s. cerevisiaestrain and s. cerevisiae control strain.transformed straincontrol strainaccumulationstd. erroraccumulationstd. error(g/l rebd(g/l rebd(g/l rebd(g/l rebdequiv.)equiv.)equiv.)equiv.)13-smg2.400.144.20.02reba0.590.0070.450.07rebd1.210.162.160.12rebm6.310.223.220.06total sg11.900.3311.760.34 a decrease in 13-smg and rebd accumulation, and an increase in reba and rebm accumulation were observed for the s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2, relative to the control strain. furthermore, rebd+rebm accumulation levels increased upon overexpression of ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2, while the total steviol glycosides produced by the experimental strain increased negligibly. in addition, rebd/rebm ratios of 0.2 and below were observed for the s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2, relative to the control strain. example 3: ugp1, pgm2 activity assay fed-batch fermentation with cultures of a s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing pgm1, pgm2, ugp1, and ynk1, as described in example 2, and a control s. cerevisiae strain (a steviol glycoside-producing s. cerevisiae strain as described in example 1) was carried out aerobically in 2 l fermenters at 30° c. with an approximate 16 h growth phase in minimal medium comprising glucose, ammonium sulfate, trace metals, vitamins, salts, and buffer followed by an approximate 100 h feeding phase with a glucose-comprising defined feed medium. a ph near 6.0 and glucose-limiting conditions were maintained. whole culture samples (without cell removal) were analyzed to determine the activity levels of pgm and ugp. for both assays, frozen fermentation cell pellets were resuspended in cellytic™ y cell lysis reagent (sigma) to an od 600 of 44. samples were shaken 30 min at 25° c. and then centrifuged at 13,000 rpm for 10 min. the supernatant was recovered and stored on ice. the pgm enzyme assay relies on a coupled activity assay wherein supplied glucose-1-phosphate is first converted to glucose-6-phosphate by a pgm polypeptide/pgm polypeptide containing cell lysate, followed by glucose-6-phosphate conversion by a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (added to the assay as a purified enzyme in excess) to phosphogluconolactone under β-nadp + consumption. the kinetics of the concomitant 6-napdh released are recorded by monitoring the absorbance at 340 nm. 180 mm glycylglycine, ph 7.4 (adjusted with naoh/hcl); 5.0 mm glucose-1-phosphate; 3.00 mm β-nadp + ; 0.4 mm g1,6-bisphosphate; 30 mm mgcl 2 , 43 mm l-cysteine; 0.65 u/ml g6p-dh, and previously stored cell lysate were mixed together at 30° c. at different cell-lysate/buffer concentrations (0.5% (v/v), 1% (v/v), 2% (v/v), and 3% (v/v)). the kinetics for the release of β-napdh were followed over a maximum of 1000 sec. for each concentration of supernatant added. pgm activity for each cell-lysate/buffer concentration was defined by the maximum slope of the curve of od 340 versus time. cell-lysate/buffer concentration corrected pgm activity was defined as the slope of the curve of od340/sec as a function of cell-lysate/buffer concentrations. the value obtained in this way for a certain strain can be compared to the values from other strains and differences in pgm activity can be pointed out. the increase in activity of the cell-lysate of the s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing pgm1, pgm2, ugp1, and ynk1 is shown in table 3, below, relative to that of the control strain. the ugp assay relies on a coupled activity assay of the yeast udp-glucose pyrophosphorylase wherein supplied glucose-1-phosphate is first converted to udp-glucose by a ugp polypeptide/ugp polypeptide-containing cell-lysate under utp consumption, followed by udp-glucose convertion to udp-glucuronate and β-nadh by udp-glucose dehydrogenase (added to the assay as a purified enzyme in excess) under β-nad + consumption. the kinetics for the release of β-nadh are followed by monitoring the change in absorbance at 340 nm. alternative ugp assays using, for example but not limited to, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification of udp-glucose (seewarth et al., journal of chromatography a, 1423, pp. 183-189 (2016)) may be used as well. 100 mm tris/hcl, ph 8.5; 10 mm mgcl2; 100 mm nacl; 5.0 mm β-nad + ; 2 mm utp; 2 mm atp; 0.12 mg/ml udpg-dh; 5 mm; and previously stored cell lysate were mixed together at 30° c. at different supernatant/buffer concentrations (0.5% (v/v), 1% (v/v), 1.5% (v/v), and 2% (v/v)). the kinetics for the release of β-nadh were followed over a maximum of 1000 sec. for each supernatant/buffer concentration. ugp activity for each cell-lysate/buffer concentration was defined by the maximum slope of the curve of od 340 versus time. cell-lysate/buffer concentration corrected ugp activity was defined as the slope of the curve of od340/sec as a function of cell-lysate/buffer concentrations. the value obtained in this way for a certain strain can be compared to the values from other strains and differences in ugp activity can be pointed out. the increase in activity of the lysate of the s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing pgm1, pgm2, ugp1, and ynk1 is shown in table 2, below, relative to that of the control strain. table 2relative ugp and pgm activitytransformed straincontrol strainugp activity relative250%100%to control strainpgm activity relative160%100%to control stain individual and total steviol glycoside values of the fed-batch fermentation were calculated according to example 2. results are shown in table 3. table 3steviol glycoside accumulation by transformed s. cerevisiaestrain and s. cerevisiae control strain.transformed straincontrol strainaccumulationaccumulation(g/l rebd equiv.)(g/l rebd equiv.)rebd2.191.21rebm5.715.12total sg12.109.43 an increase in both ugp and pgm activity was observed for the s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2, relative to the control strain. as shown in table 3, rebd and total steviol glycoside accumulation increased upon overexpression of ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2. without being bound to a particular theory, the results suggest that increasing ugp and pgm activity (i.e., by expressing genes encoding polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway) allows for conversion of partially glycosylated steviol glycosides to higher moleculae weight steviol glycosides, including, e.g., rebd. example 4: lc-ms analytical procedures (udp-glucose analysis) lc-ms analyses were performed on a thermo scientific accela uplc (ultra performance liquid chromatography system; thermo scientific) with a thermo scientific pal autosampler system (thermo scientific) sequant zic-chilic column (2.1 mm×150 mm, 3.0 μm analytical column, 100 å pore size) coupled to a thermo scientific exactive orbitrap mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization (esi) operated in negative ionization mode. compound separation was achieved using a gradient of the two mobile phases: a (water with 0.1% ammonium acetate) and b (mecn). separation was achieved by using a gradient from time 0 min with 15% a holding until 0.5 min and increasing to 50% a at time 15.50 min, holding until time 17.50 min, and reducing to 15% a at time 17.60 min, equilibrating at 15% a until 25.50 min. the flow rate was 0.3 ml/min, and the column was maintained at room temperature. udp-glucose was monitored by full-scan analysis in the mass range 130-1400 m/z. eic (extracted ion chromatogram) of 565.04492-565.05058 corresponding to udp-glucose was extracted and quantified by comparing against authentic standards. see table 4 for m/z trace and retention time values of udp-glucose. table 4lc-ms analytical data for udp-glucosecompoundms tracert (mins)udp-glucose565.047758.4 to determine the intracellular concentration of udp-glucose, full fermentation broth was sampled (via syringe) at desired time points during different stages of fermentation. biomass (cells) was quickly separated by centrifugation and supernatant was removed. cell pellets were quenched and extracted using a mixture of methanol, chloroform and an aqueous buffer solution. the final intracellular extracts were stored at −80° c. prior to lc-ms analysis. example 5: udp-glucose accumulation quantification fed-batch fermentation with cultures of a s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing pgm1, pgm2, ugp1, and ynk1, as described in example 2, and a control s. cerevisiae strain (a s. cerevisiae strain comprising and expressing a native gene encoding a ynk1 polypeptide (seq id no:122, seq id no:123), a native gene encoding a pgm1 polypeptide (seq id no:1, seq id no:2), a native gene encoding a pgm2 polypeptide (seq id no:118, seq id no:119), a native gene encoding a ugp1 polypeptide (seq id no:120, seq id no:121), a recombinant gene encoding a ggpps polypeptide (seq id no:19, seq id no:20), a recombinant gene encoding a truncated cdps polypeptide (seq id no:39, seq id no:40), a recombinant gene encoding a ks polypeptide (seq id no:51, seq id no:52), a recombinant gene encoding a ko polypeptide (seq id no:59, seq id no:60), a recombinant gene encoding a kahe1 polypeptide (seq id no:93, seq id no:94), a recombinant gene encoding a cpr8 polypeptide (seq id no:85, seq id no:86), a recombinant gene encoding a cpr1 polypeptide (seq id no:77, seq id no:78), a recombinant gene encoding an atr2 polypeptide (seq id no:91, seq id no:92), a recombinant gene encoding a ugt85c2 polypeptide (seq id no:5/seq id no:6, seq id no:7), and a recombinant gene encoding a ugt74g1 polypeptide (seq id no:3, seq id no:4)) was carried out aerobically in 2 l fermenters at 30° c. with an approximate 16 h growth phase in minimal medium comprising glucose, ammonium sulfate, trace metals, vitamins, salts, and buffer followed by an approximate 100 h feeding phase with a glucose-comprising defined feed medium. a ph near 6.0 and glucose-limiting conditions were maintained. whole culture samples (without cell removal) were analyzed by lc-uv to determine the levels of steviol glycosides, according to example 2, and by lc-ms to analyze the intracellular level of udp-glucose, according to example 4. results are shown in tables 5-6. table 5steviol glycoside accumulation by transformed s. cerevisiaestrain and s. cerevisiae control strain.transformed straincontrol strainaccumulationaccumulation(g/l rebd equiv.)(g/l rebd equiv.)rebd1.051.92rebm5.752.23total sg10.187.40 table 6udp-glucose accumulation by transformed s. cerevisiaestrain and s. cerevisiae control strain.transformed straincontrol strainudp-glucosestd.udp-glucosestd.timeaccumulationdeviationaccumulationdeviation(h)(μm)(μm)(μm)(μm)22450.5254.96306.5051.7530495.6610.83198.8836.9546518.2626.13241.3045.6955425.3970.01221.3564.3672398.0841.85206.2619.5476299.1633.57159.965.0696270.5382.67160.749.19104310.9724.57132.0821.17120359.9224.30119.3237.39 an increase in udp-glucose accumulation, by up to 300%, was observed for the s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2, relative to the control strain. rebd+rebm accumulation levels increased upon overexpression of ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2; this result further demonstrates a beneficial effect of expression of udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway genes on the production of higher molecular weight steviol glycosides such as rebd or rebm. one of skill in the art would appreciate a disctinction between improving the total amount of udp-glucose as compared to the recycling of udp-glucose. as shown in table 6 above, taking the highest and lowest number over fermentation time, the worst decrase in parental strain is 2.5 while the worst decrease in udp-glucose boosted strain (i.e., the s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2) is 1.9 times. this demonstrates that overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2 increases the udp-glucose pool and udp-glucose. in fact, the net increase (consumption/formation) is higher is the udp-glucose boosted strain. without being bound to a particular theory, the results observed in examples 2-5 suggest that increasing udp-glucose levels (i.e., by expressing genes encoding polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway) allows for conversion of 13-smg and other partially glycosylated steviol glycosides to higher molecular weight steviol glycosides, including, e.g., rebm. furthermore, the difference between the magnitude of the increase in accumulation levels of, e.g., rebm and/or rebd and that of the increase in accumulation levels of the total steviol glycosides suggests that maintaining and/or increasing udp-glucose levels allows for more efficient production of higher molecular weight steviol glycosides, including, e.g., rebm (i.e., by shifting the profile of produced steviol glycosides away from lower molecular weight steviol glycosides). example 6: expression of heterologous ugp1 and pgm2 a steviol glycoside-producing s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2, as described in example 2, was transformed with vectors comprising a gene encoding a ugp1 polypeptide (seq id no:132, seq id no:133) operably linked to a ppdc1 promoter (seq id no:153) and a tcyc1 terminator (seq id no:154) and a gene encoding a pgm2 polypeptide (seq id no:144, seq id no:145), operably linked to a ptpi1 promoter (seq id no:152) and an tadh1 terminator (seq id no:155). fed-batch fermentation with cultures of the transformed s. cerevisiae strain and a control s. cerevisiae strain (a steviol glycoside-producing s. cerevisiae strain as described in example 2, further engineered to comprise and express a recombinant gene encoding a kah polypeptide and a recombinant gene encoding a ko polypeptide) was carried out aerobically in 2 l fermenters at 30° c. with an approximate 16 h growth phase in minimal medium comprising glucose, ammonium sulfate, trace metals, vitamins, salts, and buffer followed by an approximate 100 h feeding phase with a glucose-comprising defined feed medium. a ph near 6.0 and glucose-limiting conditions were maintained. whole culture samples (without cell removal) were analyzed by lc-uv to determine levels of steviol glycosides, as described in example 2. results are shown in table 7. table 7steviol glycoside accumulation by transformed s. cerevisiaestrain and s. cerevisiae control strain.transformed straincontrol strainaccumulationaccumulation(g/l rebd equiv.)(g/l rebd equiv.)rebd2.271.80rebm5.334.50total sg14.2712.39 an increase in rebd and rebm accumulation were observed for the s. cerevisiae strain expressing pgm2 and ugp1, relative to the control strain. furthermore, total steviol glycosides produced by the experimental strain also increased. without being bound to a particular theory, the results observed in table 7 suggest that increasing udp-glucose levels (i.e., by expressing genes encoding polypeptides involved in the udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway) allows for conversion of 13-smg and other partially glycosylated steviol glycosides to higher molecular weight steviol glycosides, including, e.g., rebm. example 7: lc-ms analytical procedures (steviol glycoside analysis) lc-ms analyses were performed on a waters acquity uplc (ultra performance liquid chromatography system; waters corporation) with a waters acquity uplc (ultra performance liquid chromatography system; waters corporation) beh c18 column (2.1×50 mm, 1.7 μm particles, 130 å pore size) equipped with a pre-column (2.1×5 mm, 1.7 μm particles, 130 å pore size) coupled to a waters acquity tqd triple quadropole mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization (esi) operated in negative ionization mode. compound separation was achieved using a gradient of the two mobile phases, a (water with 0.1% formic acid) and b (mecn with 0.1% formic acid), by increasing from 20% to 50% b between 0.3 to 2.0 min, increasing to 100% b at 2.01 min and holding 100% b for 0.6 min, and re-equilibrating for 0.6 min. the flow rate was 0.6 ml/min, and the column temperature was set at 55° c. steviol glycosides were monitored using sim (single ion monitoring) and quantified by comparing against authentic standards. see table 1 for m/z trace and retention time values of steviol glycosides and glycosides of steviol precursors detected. table 8lc-ms analytical data for steviol and glycosidesof steviol and steviol precursorscompoundms tracert (mins)steviol + 5glc (#22)1127.480.85[also referred to as compound 5.22]steviol + 6glc (isomer 1)1289.530.87[also referred to as compound 6.1]steviol + 7glc (isomer 2)1451.5810.94[also referred to as compound 7.2]steviol + 6glc (#23)1289.530.97[also referred to as compound 6.23]rebe965.421.06rebd1127.481.08rebm1289.531.15steviol + 7glc (isomer 5)1451.5811.09[also referred to as compound 7.5]steviol + 4glc (#26)965.421.21[also referred to as compound 4.26]steviol + 5glc (#24)1127.481.18[also referred to as compound 5.24]steviol + 4glc (#25)1127.481.40[also referred to as compound 5.25]reba965.421.431,2-stevioside803.371.43steviol + 4glc (#33)965.421.49[also referred to as compound 4.33]steviol + 3glc (#1)803.371.52[also referred to as compound 3.1]steviol + 2glc (#57)641.321.57[also referred to as compound 2.57]rebq965.421.591,3-stevioside (rebg)803.371.60rubusoside641.321.67rebb803.371.76steviol-1,2-bioside641.321.80steviol-1,3-bioside641.321.9519-smg525.271.9813-smg479.262.04ent-kaurenoic acid + 3glc (isomer 1)787.372.16[also referred to as compound ka3.1]ent-kaurenoic acid + 3glc (isomer 2)787.372.28[also referred to as compound ka3.2]ent-kaurenol + 3glc (isomer 1)773.42.36co-eluted with ent-kaurenol +3glc (#6) [also referred to ascompounds kl3.1 and kl3.6]ent-kaurenoic acid + 2glc (#7)625.322.35[also referred to as compound ka2.7]ent-kaurenol + 2glc (#8)611.342.38[also referred to as compound kl2.8]steviol317.212.39 steviol glycosides can be isolated using a method described herein. for example, following fermentation, a culture broth can be centrifuged for 30 min at 7000 rpm at 4° c. to remove cells, or cells can be removed by filtration. the cell-free lysate can be obtained, for example, by mechanical disruption or enzymatic disruption of the host cells and additional centrifugation to remove cell debris. mechanical disruption of the dried broth materials can also be performed, such as by sonication. the dissolved or suspended broth materials can be filtered using a micron or sub-micron filter prior to further purification, such as by preparative chromatography. the fermentation media or cell-free lysate can optionally be treated to remove low molecular weight compounds such as salt, and can optionally be dried prior to purification and re-dissolved in a mixture of water and solvent. the supernatant or cell-free lysate can be purified as follows: a column can be filled with, for example, hp20 diaion resin (aromatic-type synthetic adsorbent; supelco) or another suitable non-polar adsorbent or reverse phase chromatography resin, and an aliquot of supernatant or cell-free lysate can be loaded on to the column and washed with water to remove the hydrophilic components. the steviol glycoside product can be eluted by stepwise incremental increases in the solvent concentration in water or a gradient from, e.g., 0%→100% methanol. the levels of steviol glycosides, glycosylated ent-kaurenol, and/or glycosylated ent-kaurenoic acid in each fraction, including the flow-through, can then be analyzed by lc-ms. fractions can then be combined and reduced in volume using a vacuum evaporator. additional purification steps can be utilized, if desired, such as additional chromatography steps and crystallization. example 8: expression of heterologous ugp1 a steviol glycoside-producing s. cerevisiae strain overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2, as described in example 2, was transformed with a vector comprising a codon-optimized nucleotide sequence encoding a ugp1 polypeptide (seq id no:132, seq id no:133) operably linked to a ptdh3 promoter (seq id no:150) and a tcyc1 terminator (seq id no:154), as summarized in table 9, below. table 9ugp1 polypeptides expressedstrainseq id1126, 1272132, 1333128, 1294130, 1315124, 1256138, 1397136, 1378134, 135 single colonies of the transformed strains provided in table 9, and a control strain, transformed with a blank vector, were grown in 500 μl of delft medium in a 96-well plate for 2 days at 30° c., shaking at 280 rpm. 50 μl of the cell culture of each strain was then transferred to a second 96-well plate and grown in 450 μl feed-in-time medium (m2p-labs gmbh, baesweiler, germany) for 4 days at 30° c., shaking at 280 rpm. samples for lc-ms analysis were prepared by extracting 100 μl of cell solution with 100 μl of dmso, vortexing until mixed, and incubating at 80° c. for 10 minutes. the resultant extract was clarified by centrifugation at 15,000 g for 10 min. 20 μl of the supernatant was diluted with 140 μl of 50% (v/v) dmso for lc-ms injection. lc-ms data was normalized to the od 600 of a mixture of 100 μl of the cell solution and 100 μl of water, measured on an envision® multilabel reader (perkinelmer, waltham, mass.). lc-ms analysis was performed according to example 7. whole culture accumulation of compounds in μm/od 600 was quantified by lc-ms against a known standard. results are shown in table 10, below. each value is an average of 6 independent clones. table 10concentration of steviol glycosidesaccumulated concentration (μm/od 600 )strain13-smgrubu.rebbrebarebdrebmtotalcontrol9.96 ± 2.190.05 ± 0.080.67 ± 0.141.95 ± 0.793.89 ± 0.6020.73 ± 4.4837.38 ± 6.7116.15 ± 1.830.26 ± 0.040.59 ± 0.092.37 ± 0.651.49 ± 0.3625.91 ± 1.3537.38 ± 3.0327.06 ± 2.480.23 ± 0.120.76 ± 0.302.03 ± 0.371.34 ± 0.2427.99 ± 3.1739.43 ± 5.8838.73 ± 3.200.25 ± 0.080.69 ± 0.242.50 + 0.811.69 ± 0.4329.41 ± 6.1943.34 ± 9.22413.02 ± 2.390.14 ± 0.080.99 ± 0.232.88 ± 0.514.89 ± 0.7530.41 ± 5.9052.50 ± 9.5157.91 ± 2.300.28 ± 0.080.62 ± 0.142.55 ± 0.961.42 ± 0.3329.54 ± 4.2342.37 ± 5.9868.89 ± 2.940.28 ± 0.040.68 ± 0.182.36 ± 0.661.43 ± 0.4927.64 ± 3.4941.32 ± 5.0875.68 ± 2.050.23 ± 0.090.51 ± 0.192.04 ± 0.501.26 ± 0.2823.63 ± 2.2733.38 ± 4.9886.59 ± 2.650.22 ± 0.120.63 ± 0.172.28 ± 1.031.49 ± 0.5926.64 ± 6.5137.90 ± 10.21 increases in steviol glycoside accumulation, by up to about 600%, was observed for the s. cereivisiae strain overexpressing ugp1, ynk1, pgm1, and pgm2, and further expressing heterologous ugp1, relative to the control strain. rebd+rebm accumulation levels increased upon expression of heterologous ugp1, further demonstrating a beneficial effect of expression of heterologous udp-glucose biosynthetic pathway genes on the production of higher molecular weight steviol glycosides such as rebd or rebm. having described the invention in detail and by reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. more specifically, although some aspects of the present invention are identified herein as particularly advantageous, it is contemplated that the present invention is not necessarily limited to these particular aspects of the invention. table 11sequences disclosed herein.seq id no: 1s . cerevisiaeatgtcacttc taatagattc tgtaccaaca gttgcttata aggaccaaaa accgggtact60tcaggtttac gtaagaagac caaggttttc atggatgagc ctcattatac tgagaacttc120attcaagcaa caatgcaatc tatccctaat ggctcagagg gaaccacttt agttgttgga180ggagatggtc gtttctacaa cgatgttatc atgaacaaga ttgccgcagt aggtgctgca240aacggtgtca gaaagttagt cattggtcaa ggcggtttac tttcaacacc agctgcttct300catataatta gaacatacga ggaaaagtgt accggtggtg gtatcatatt aactgcctca360cacaacccag gcggtccaga gaatgattta ggtatcaagt ataatttacc taatggtggg420ccagctccag agagtgtcac taacgctatc tgggaagcgt ctaaaaaatt aactcactat480aaaattataa agaacttccc caagttgaat ttgaacaagc ttggtaaaaa ccaaaaatat540ggcccattgt tagtggacat aattgatcct gccaaagcat acgttcaatt tctgaaggaa600atttttgatt ttgacttaat taaaagcttc ttagcgaaac agcgcaaaga caaagggtgg660aagttgttgt ttgactcctt aaatggtatt acaggaccat atggtaaggc tatatttgtt720gatgaatttg gtttaccggc agaggaagtt cttcaaaatt ggcacccttt acctgatttc780ggcggtttac atcccgatcc gaatctaacc tatgcacgaa ctcttgttga cagggttgac840cgcgaaaaaa ttgcctttgg agcagcctcc gatggtgatg gtgataggaa tatgatttac900ggttatggcc ctgctttcgt ttcgccaggt gattctgttg ccattattgc cgaatatgca960cccgaaattc catacttcgc caaacaaggt atttatggct tggcacgttc atttcctaca1020tcctcagcca ttgatcgtgt tgcagcaaaa aagggattaa gatgttacga agttccaacc1080ggctggaaat tcttctgtgc cttatttgat gctaaaaagc tatcaatctg tggtgaagaa1140tccttcggta caggttccaa tcatatcaga gaaaaggacg gtctatgggc cattattgct1200tggttaaata tcttggctat ctaccatagg cgtaaccctg aaaaggaagc ttcgatcaaa1260actattcagg acgaattttg gaacgagtat ggccgtactt tcttcacaag atacgattac1320gaacatatcg aatgcgagca ggccgaaaaa gttgtagctc ttttgagtga atttgtatca1380aggccaaacg tttgtggctc ccacttccca gctgatgagt ctttaaccgt tatcgattgt1440ggtgattttt cgtatagaga tctagatggc tccatctctg aaaatcaagg ccttttcgta1500aagttttcga atgggactaa atttgttttg aggttatccg gcacaggcag ttctggtgca1560acaataagat tatacgtaga aaagtatact gataaaaagg agaactatgg ccaaacagct1620gacgtcttct tgaaacccgt catcaactcc attgtaaaat tcttaagatt taaagaaatt1680ttaggaacag acgaaccaac agtccgcaca tag1713seq id no: 2s . cerevisiaemsllidsvpt vaykdqkpgt sglrkktkvf mdephytenf iqatmqsipn gsegttlvvg60gdgrfyndvi mnkiaavgaa ngvrklvigq ggllstpaas hiirtyeekc tgggiiltas120hnpggpendl gikynlpngg papesvtnai weaskklthy kiiknfpkln lnklgknqky180gpllvdiidp akayvqflke ifdfdliksf lakqrkdkgw kllfdslngi tgpygkaifv240defglpaeev lqnwhplpdf gglhpdpnlt yartlvdrvd rekiafgaas dgdgdrnmiy300gygpafvspg dsvaiiaeya peipyfakqg iyglarsfpt ssaidrvaak kglrcyevpt360gwkffcalfd akklsicgee sfgtgsnhir ekdglwaiia wlnilaiyhr rnpekeasik420tiqdefwney grtfftrydy ehieceqaek vvallsefvs rpnvcgshfp adesltvidc480gdfsyrdldg sisenqglfv kfsngtkfvl rlsgtgssga tirlyvekyt dkkenygqta540dvflkpvins ivkflrfkei lgtdeptvrt570seq id no: 3s . rebaudianaatggcagagc aacaaaagat caaaaagtca cctcacgtct tacttattcc atttcctctg60caaggacata tcaacccatt catacaattt gggaaaagat tgattagtaa gggtgtaaag120acaacactgg taaccactat ccacactttg aattctactc tgaaccactc aaatactact180actacaagta tagaaattca agctatatca gacggatgcg atgagggtgg ctttatgtct240gccggtgaat cttacttgga aacattcaag caagtgggat ccaagtctct ggccgatcta300atcaaaaagt tacagagtga aggcaccaca attgacgcca taatctacga ttctatgaca360gagtgggttt tagacgttgc tatcgaattt ggtattgatg gaggttcctt tttcacacaa420gcatgtgttg tgaattctct atactaccat gtgcataaag ggttaatctc tttaccattg480ggtgaaactg tttcagttcc aggttttcca gtgttacaac gttgggaaac cccattgatc540ttacaaaatc atgaacaaat acaatcacct tggtcccaga tgttgtttgg tcaattcgct600aacatcgatc aagcaagatg ggtctttact aattcattct ataagttaga ggaagaggta660attgaatgga ctaggaagat ctggaatttg aaagtcattg gtccaacatt gccatcaatg720tatttggaca aaagacttga tgatgataaa gataatggtt tcaatttgta caaggctaat780catcacgaat gtatgaattg gctggatgac aaaccaaagg aatcagttgt atatgttgct840ttcggctctc ttgttaaaca tggtccagaa caagttgagg agattacaag agcacttata900gactctgacg taaacttttt gtgggtcatt aagcacaaag aggaggggaa actgccagaa960aacctttctg aagtgataaa gaccggaaaa ggtctaatcg ttgcttggtg taaacaattg1020gatgttttag ctcatgaatc tgtaggctgt tttgtaacac attgcggatt caactctaca1080ctagaagcca tttccttagg cgtacctgtc gttgcaatgc ctcagttctc cgatcagaca1140accaacgcta aacttttgga cgaaatacta ggggtgggtg tcagagttaa agcagacgag1200aatggtatcg tcagaagagg gaacctagct tcatgtatca aaatgatcat ggaagaggaa1260agaggagtta tcataaggaa aaacgcagtt aagtggaagg atcttgcaaa ggttgccgtc1320catgaaggcg gctcttcaga taatgatatt gttgaatttg tgtccgaact aatcaaagcc1380taa1383seq id no: 4s . rebaudianamaeqqkikks phvllipfpl qghinpfiqf gkrliskgvk ttlvttihtl nstlnhsntt60ttsieiqais dgcdeggfms agesyletfk qvgsksladl ikklqsegtt idaiiydsmt120ewvldvaief gidggsfftq acvvnslyyh vhkglislpl getvsvpgfp vlqrwetpli180lqnheqiqsp wsqmlfgqfa nidqarwvft nsfykleeev iewtrkiwnl kvigptlpsm240yldkrldddk dngfnlykan hhecmnwldd kpkesvvyva fgslvkhgpe qveeitrali300dsdvnflwvi khkeegklpe nlseviktgk glivawckql dvlahesvgc fvthcgfnst360leaislgvpv vampqfsdqt tnaklldeil gvgvrvkade ngivrrgnla scikmimeee420rgviirknav kwkdlakvav heggssdndi vefvselika460seq id no: 5s . rebaudianaatggatgcaa tggctacaac tgagaagaaa ccacacgtca tcttcatacc atttccagca60caaagccaca ttaaagccat gctcaaacta gcacaacttc tccaccacaa aggactccag120ataaccttcg tcaacaccga cttcatccac aaccagtttc ttgaatcatc gggcccacat180tgtctagacg gtgcaccggg tttccggttc gaaaccattc cggatggtgt ttctcacagt240ccggaagcga gcatcccaat cagagaatca ctcttgagat ccattgaaac caacttcttg300gatcgtttca ttgatcttgt aaccaaactt ccggatcctc cgacttgtat tatctcagat360gggttcttgt cggttttcac aattgacgct gcaaaaaagc ttggaattcc ggtcatgatg420tattggacac ttgctgcctg tgggttcatg ggtttttacc atattcattc tctcattgag480aaaggatttg caccacttaa agatgcaagt tacttgacaa atgggtattt ggacaccgtc540attgattggg ttccgggaat ggaaggcatc cgtctcaagg atttcccgct ggactggagc600actgacctca atgacaaagt tttgatgttc actacggaag ctcctcaaag gtcacacaag660gtttcacatc atattttcca cacgttcgat gagttggagc ctagtattat aaaaactttg720tcattgaggt ataatcacat ttacaccatc ggcccactgc aattacttct tgatcaaata780cccgaagaga aaaagcaaac tggaattacg agtctccatg gatacagttt agtaaaagaa840gaaccagagt gtttccagtg gcttcagtct aaagaaccaa attccgtcgt ttatgtaaat900tttggaagta ctacagtaat gtctttagaa gacatgacgg aatttggttg gggacttgct960aatagcaacc attatttcct ttggatcatc cgatcaaact tggtgatagg ggaaaatgca1020gttttgcccc ctgaacttga ggaacatata aagaaaagag gctttattgc tagctggtgt1080tcacaagaaa aggtcttgaa gcacccttcg gttggagggt tcttgactca ttgtgggtgg1140ggatcgacca tcgagagctt gtctgctggg gtgccaatga tatgctggcc ttattcgtgg1200gaccagctga ccaactgtag gtatatatgc aaagaatggg aggttgggct cgagatggga1260accaaagtga aacgagatga agtcaagagg cttgtacaag agttgatggg agaaggaggt1320cacaaaatga ggaacaaggc taaagattgg aaagaaaagg ctcgcattgc aatagctcct1380aacggttcat cttctttgaa catagacaaa atggtcaagg aaatcaccgt gctagcaaga1440aactagttac aaagttgttt cacattgtgc tttctattta agatgtaact ttgttctaat1500ttaatattgt ctagatgtat tgaaccataa gtttagttgg tctcaggaat tgatttttaa1560tgaaataatg gtcattaggg gtgagt1586seq id no: 6s . rebaudianaatggatgcaa tggcaactac tgagaaaaag cctcatgtga tcttcattcc atttcctgca60caatctcaca taaaggcaat gctaaagtta gcacaactat tacaccataa gggattacag120ataactttcg tgaataccga cttcatccat aatcaatttc tggaatctag tggccctcat180tgtttggacg gagccccagg gtttagattc gaaacaattc ctgacggtgt ttcacattcc240ccagaggcct ccatcccaat aagagagagt ttactgaggt caatagaaac caactttttg300gatcgtttca ttgacttggt cacaaaactt ccagacccac caacttgcat aatctctgat360ggctttctgt cagtgtttac tatcgacgct gccaaaaagt tgggtatccc agttatgatg420tactggactc ttgctgcatg cggtttcatg ggtttctatc acatccattc tcttatcgaa480aagggttttg ctccactgaa agatgcatca tacttaacca acggctacct ggatactgtt540attgactggg taccaggtat ggaaggtata agacttaaag attttccttt ggattggtct600acagacctta atgataaagt attgatgttt actacagaag ctccacaaag atctcataag660gtttcacatc atatctttca cacctttgat gaattggaac catcaatcat caaaaccttg720tctctaagat acaatcatat ctacactatt ggtccattac aattacttct agatcaaatt780cctgaagaga aaaagcaaac tggtattaca tccttacacg gctactcttt agtgaaagag840gaaccagaat gttttcaatg gctacaaagt aaagagccta attctgtggt ctacgtcaac900ttcggaagta caacagtcat gtccttggaa gatatgactg aatttggttg gggccttgct960aattcaaatc attactttct atggattatc aggtccaatt tggtaatagg ggaaaacgcc1020gtattacctc cagaattgga ggaacacatc aaaaagagag gtttcattgc ttcctggtgt1080tctcaggaaa aggtattgaa acatccttct gttggtggtt tccttactca ttgcggttgg1140ggctctacaa tcgaatcact aagtgcagga gttccaatga tttgttggcc atattcatgg1200gaccaactta caaattgtag gtatatctgt aaagagtggg aagttggatt agaaatggga1260acaaaggtta aacgtgatga agtgaaaaga ttggttcagg agttgatggg ggaaggtggc1320cacaagatga gaaacaaggc caaagattgg aaggaaaaag ccagaattgc tattgctcct1380aacgggtcat cctctctaaa cattgataag atggtcaaag agattacagt cttagccaga1440aactaa1446seq id no: 7s . rebaudianamdamattekk phvifipfpa qshikamlkl aqllhhkglq itfvntdfih nqflessgph60cldgapgfrf etipdgvshs peasipires llrsietnfl drfidlvtkl pdpptciisd120gflsvftida akklgipvmm ywtlaacgfm gfyhihslie kgfaplkdas yltngyldtv180idwvpgmegi rlkdfpldws tdlndkvlmf tteapqrshk vshhifhtfd elepsiiktl240slrynhiyti gplqllldqi peekkqtgit slhgyslvke epecfqwlqs kepnsvvyvn300fgsttvmsle dmtefgwgla nsnhyflwii rsnlvigena vlppeleehi kkrgfiaswc360sqekvlkhps vggflthcgw gstieslsag vpmicwpysw dqltncryic kewevglemg420tkvkrdevkr lvqelmgegg hkmrnkakdw kekariaiap ngssslnidk mvkeitvlar480n481seq id no: 8s . rebaudianaatggaaaaca agaccgaaac aacagttaga cgtaggcgta gaatcattct gtttccagta60ccttttcaag ggcacatcaa tccaatacta caactagcca acgttttgta ctctaaaggt120ttttctatta caatctttca caccaatttc aacaaaccaa aaacatccaa ttacccacat180ttcacattca gattcatact tgataatgat ccacaagatg aacgtatttc aaacttacct240acccacggtc ctttagctgg aatgagaatt ccaatcatca atgaacatgg tgccgatgag300cttagaagag aattagagtt acttatgttg gcatccgaag aggacgagga agtctcttgt360ctgattactg acgctctatg gtactttgcc caatctgtgg ctgatagttt gaatttgagg420agattggtac taatgacatc cagtctgttt aactttcacg ctcatgttag tttaccacaa480tttgacgaat tgggatactt ggaccctgat gacaagacta ggttagagga acaggcctct540ggttttccta tgttgaaagt caaagatatc aagtctgcct attctaattg gcaaatcttg600aaagagatct taggaaagat gatcaaacag acaaaggctt catctggagt gatttggaac660agtttcaaag agttagaaga gtctgaattg gagactgtaa tcagagaaat tccagcacct720tcattcctga taccattacc aaaacatttg actgcttcct cttcctcttt gttggatcat780gacagaacag tttttcaatg gttggaccaa caaccaccta gttctgtttt gtacgtgtca840tttggtagta cttctgaagt cgatgaaaag gacttccttg aaatcgcaag aggcttagtc900gatagtaagc agtcattcct ttgggtcgtg cgtccaggtt tcgtgaaagg ctcaacatgg960gtcgaaccac ttccagatgg ttttctaggc gaaagaggta gaatagtcaa atgggttcct1020caacaggaag ttttagctca tggcgctatt ggggcattct ggactcattc cggatggaat1080tcaactttag aatcagtatg cgaaggggta cctatgatct tttcagattt tggtcttgat1140caaccactga acgcaagata catgtctgat gttttgaaag tgggtgtata tctagaaaat1200ggctgggaaa ggggtgaaat agctaatgca ataagacgtg ttatggttga tgaagagggg1260gagtatatca gacaaaacgc aagagtgctg aagcaaaagg ccgacgtttc tctaatgaag1320ggaggctctt catacgaatc cttagaatct cttgtttcct acatttcatc actgtaa1377seq id no: 9s . rebaudianamenktettvr rrrriilfpv pfqghinpil qlanvlyskg fsitifhtnf nkpktsnyph60ftfrfildnd pqderisnlp thgplagmri piinehgade lrrelellml aseedeevsc120litdalwyfa qsvadslnlr rlvlmtsslf nfhahvslpq fdelgyldpd dktrleeqas180gfpmlkvkdi ksaysnwqil keilgkmikq tkassgviwn sfkeleesel etvireipap240sfliplpkhl tasssslldh drtvfqwldq qppssvlyvs fgstsevdek dfleiarglv300dskqsflwvv rpgfvkgstw veplpdgflg ergrivkwvp qqevlahgai gafwthsgwn360stlesvcegv pmifsdfgld qplnarymsd vlkvgvylen gwergeiana irrvmvdeeg420eyirqnarvl kqkadvslmk ggssyesles lvsyissl458seq id no: 10atggctacat ctgattctat tgttgatgac aggaagcagt tgcatgtggc tactttccct60tggcttgctt tcggtcatat actgccttac ctacaactat caaaactgat agctgaaaaa120ggacataaag tgtcattcct ttcaacaact agaaacattc aaagattatc ttcccacata180tcaccattga ttaacgtcgt tcaattgaca cttccaagag tacaggaatt accagaagat240gctgaagcta caacagatgt gcatcctgaa gatatccctt acttgaaaaa ggcatccgat300ggattacagc ctgaggtcac tagattcctt gagcaacaca gtccagattg gatcatatac360gactacactc actattggtt gccttcaatt gcagcatcac taggcatttc tagggcacat420ttcagtgtaa ccacaccttg ggccattgct tacatgggtc catccgctga tgctatgatt480aacggcagtg atggtagaac taccgttgaa gatttgacaa ccccaccaaa gtggtttcca540tttccaacta aagtctgttg gagaaaacac gacttagcaa gactggttcc atacaaggca600ccaggaatct cagacggcta tagaatgggt ttagtcctta aagggtctga ctgcctattg660tctaagtgtt accatgagtt tgggacacaa tggctaccac ttttggaaac attacaccaa720gttcctgtcg taccagttgg tctattacct ccagaaatcc ctggtgatga gaaggacgag780acttgggttt caatcaaaaa gtggttagac gggaagcaaa aaggctcagt ggtatatgtg840gcactgggtt ccgaagtttt agtatctcaa acagaagttg tggaacttgc cttaggtttg900gaactatctg gattgccatt tgtctgggcc tacagaaaac caaaaggccc tgcaaagtcc960gattcagttg aattgccaga cggctttgtc gagagaacta gagatagagg gttggtatgg1020acttcatggg ctccacaatt gagaatcctg agtcacgaat ctgtgtgcgg tttcctaaca1080cattgtggtt ctggttctat agttgaagga ctgatgtttg gtcatccact tatcatgttg1140ccaatctttg gtgaccagcc tttgaatgca cgtctgttag aagataaaca agttggaatt1200gaaatcccac gtaatgagga agatggatgt ttaaccaagg agtctgtggc cagatcatta1260cgttccgttg tcgttgaaaa ggaaggcgaa atctacaagg ccaatgcccg tgaactttca1320aagatctaca atgacacaaa agtagagaag gaatatgttt ctcaatttgt agattaccta1380gagaaaaacg ctagagccgt agctattgat catgaatcct aa1422seq id no: 11matsdsivdd rkqlhvatfp wlafghilpy lqlskliaek ghkvsflstt rniqrlsshi60splinvvqlt lprvqelped aeattdvhpe dipylkkasd glqpevtrfl eqhspdwiiy120dythywlpsi aaslgisrah fsvitpwaia ymgpsadami ngsdgrttve dlttppkwfp180fptkvcwrkh dlarlvpyka pgisdgyrmg lvlkgsdcll skcyhefgtq wlplletlhq240vpvvpvgllp peipgdekde twvsikkwld gkqkgsvvyv algsevlvsq tevvelalgl300elsglpfvwa yrkpkgpaks dsvelpdgfv ertrdrglvw tswapqlril shesvcgflt360hcgsgsiveg lmfghpliml pifgdqplna rlledkqvgi eiprneedgc ltkesvarsl420rsvvvekege iykanarels kiyndtkvek eyvsqfvdyl eknaravaid hes473seq id no: 12atggctactt ctgattccat cgttgacgat agaaagcaat tgcatgttgc tacttttcca60tggttggctt tcggtcatat tttgccatac ttgcaattgt ccaagttgat tgctgaaaag120ggtcacaagg tttcattctt gtctaccacc agaaacatcc aaagattgtc ctctcatatc180tccccattga tcaacgttgt tcaattgact ttgccaagag tccaagaatt gccagaagat240gctgaagcta ctactgatgt tcatccagaa gatatccctt acttgaaaaa ggcttccgat300ggtttacaac cagaagttac tagattcttg gaacaacatt ccccagattg gatcatctac360gattatactc attactggtt gccatccatt gctgcttcat tgggtatttc tagagcccat420ttctctgtta ctactccatg ggctattgct tatatgggtc catctgctga tgctatgatt480aacggttctg atggtagaac taccgttgaa gatttgacta ctccaccaaa gtggtttcca540tttccaacaa aagtctgttg gagaaaacac gatttggcta gattggttcc atacaaagct600ccaggtattt ctgatggtta cagaatgggt atggttttga aaggttccga ttgcttgttg660tctaagtgct atcatgaatt cggtactcaa tggttgcctt tgttggaaac attgcatcaa720gttccagttg ttccagtagg tttgttgcca ccagaaattc caggtgacga aaaagacgaa780acttgggttt ccatcaaaaa gtggttggat ggtaagcaaa agggttctgt tgtttatgtt840gctttgggtt ccgaagcttt ggtttctcaa accgaagttg ttgaattggc tttgggtttg900gaattgtctg gtttgccatt tgtttgggct tacagaaaac ctaaaggtcc agctaagtct960gattctgttg aattgccaga tggtttcgtt gaaagaacta gagatagagg tttggtttgg1020acttcttggg ctccacaatt gagaattttg tctcatgaat ccgtctgtgg tttcttgact1080cattgtggtt ctggttctat cgttgaaggt ttgatgtttg gtcacccatt gattatgttg1140ccaatctttg gtgaccaacc attgaacgct agattattgg aagataagca agtcggtatc1200gaaatcccaa gaaatgaaga agatggttgc ttgaccaaag aatctgttgc tagatctttg1260agatccgttg tcgttgaaaa agaaggtgaa atctacaagg ctaacgctag agaattgtcc1320aagatctaca acgataccaa ggtcgaaaaa gaatacgttt cccaattcgt tgactacttg1380gaaaagaatg ctagagctgt tgccattgat catgaatctt ga1422seq id no: 13matsdsivdd rkqlhvatfp wlafghilpy lqlskliaek ghkvsflstt rniqrlsshi60splinvvqlt lprvqelped aeattdvhpe dipylkkasd glqpevtrfl eqhspdwiiy120dythywlpsi aaslgisrah fsvttpwaia ymgpsadami ngsdgrttve dlttppkwfp180fptkvcwrkh dlarlvpyka pgisdgyrmg mvlkgsdcll skcyhefgtq wlplletlhq240vpvvpvgllp peipgdekde twvsikkwld gkqkgsvvyv algsealvsq tevvelalgl300elsglpfvwa yrkpkgpaks dsvelpdgfv ertrdrglvw tswapqlril shesvcgflt360hcgsgsiveg lmfghpliml pifgdqplna rlledkqvgi eiprneedgc ltkesvarsl420rsvvvekege iykanarels kiyndtkvek eyvsqfvdyl eknaravaid hes473seq id no: 14o . sativaatggactccg gctactcctc ctcctacgcc gccgccgccg ggatgcacgt cgtgatctgc60ccgtggctcg ccttcggcca cctgctcccg tgcctcgacc tcgcccagcg cctcgcgtcg120cggggccacc gcgtgtcgtt cgtctccacg ccgcggaaca tatcccgcct cccgccggtg180cgccccgcgc tcgcgccgct cgtcgccttc gtggcgctgc cgctcccgcg cgtcgagggg240ctccccgacg gcgccgagtc caccaacgac gtcccccacg acaggccgga catggtcgag300ctccaccgga gggccttcga cgggctcgcc gcgcccttct cggagttctt gggcaccgcg360tgcgccgact gggtcatcgt cgacgtcttc caccactggg ccgcagccgc cgctctcgag420cacaaggtgc catgtgcaat gatgttgttg ggctctgcac atatgatcgc ttccatagca480gacagacggc tcgagcgcgc ggagacagag tcgcctgcgg ctgccgggca gggacgccca540gcggcggcgc caacgttcga ggtggcgagg atgaagttga tacgaaccaa aggctcatcg600ggaatgtccc tcgccgagcg cttctccttg acgctctcga ggagcagcct cgtcgtcggg660cggagctgcg tggagttcga gccggagacc gtcccgctcc tgtcgacgct ccgcggtaag720cctattacct tccttggcct tatgccgccg ttgcatgaag gccgccgcga ggacggcgag780gatgccaccg tccgctggct cgacgcgcag ccggccaagt ccgtcgtgta cgtcgcgcta840ggcagcgagg tgccactggg agtggagaag gtccacgagc tcgcgctcgg gctggagctc900gccgggacgc gcttcctctg ggctcttagg aagcccactg gcgtctccga cgccgacctc960ctccccgccg gcttcgagga gcgcacgcgc ggccgcggcg tcgtggcgac gagatgggtt1020cctcagatga gcatactggc gcacgccgcc gtgggcgcgt tcctgaccca ctgcggctgg1080aactcgacca tcgaggggct catgttcggc cacccgctta tcatgctgcc gatcttcggc1140gaccagggac cgaacgcgcg gctaatcgag gcgaagaacg ccggattgca ggtggcaaga1200aacgacggcg atggatcgtt cgaccgagaa ggcgtcgcgg cggcgattcg tgcagtcgcg1260gtggaggaag aaagcagcaa agtgtttcaa gccaaagcca agaagctgca ggagatcgtc1320gcggacatgg cctgccatga gaggtacatc gacggattca ttcagcaatt gagatcttac1380aaggattga1389seq id no: 15o . sativaatggatagtg gctactcctc atcttatgct gctgccgctg gtatgcacgt tgtgatctgc60ccttggttgg cctttggtca cctgttacca tgtctggatt tagcccaaag actggcctca120agaggccata gagtatcatt tgtgtctact cctagaaata tctctcgttt accaccagtc180agacctgctc tagctcctct agttgcattc gttgctcttc cacttccaag agtagaagga240ttgccagacg gcgctgaatc tactaatgac gtaccacatg atagacctga catggtcgaa300ttgcatagaa gagcctttga tggattggca gctccatttt ctgagttcct gggcacagca360tgtgcagact gggttatagt cgatgtattt catcactggg ctgctgcagc cgcattggaa420cataaggtgc cttgtgctat gatgttgtta gggtcagcac acatgatcgc atccatagct480gatagaagat tggaaagagc tgaaacagaa tccccagccg cagcaggaca aggtaggcca540gctgccgccc caacctttga agtggctaga atgaaattga ttcgtactaa aggtagttca600gggatgagtc ttgctgaaag gttttctctg acattatcta gatcatcatt agttgtaggt660agatcctgcg tcgagttcga acctgaaaca gtacctttac tatctacttt gagaggcaaa720cctattactt tccttggtct aatgcctcca ttacatgaag gaaggagaga agatggtgaa780gatgctactg ttaggtggtt agatgcccaa cctgctaagt ctgttgttta cgttgcattg840ggttctgagg taccactagg ggtggaaaag gtgcatgaat tagcattagg acttgagctg900gccggaacaa gattcctttg ggctttgaga aaaccaaccg gtgtttctga cgccgacttg960ctaccagctg ggttcgaaga gagaacaaga ggccgtggtg tcgttgctac tagatgggtc1020ccacaaatga gtattctagc tcatgcagct gtaggggcct ttctaaccca ttgcggttgg1080aactcaacaa tagaaggact gatgtttggt catccactta ttatgttacc aatctttggc1140gatcagggac ctaacgcaag attgattgag gcaaagaacg caggtctgca ggttgcacgt1200aatgatggtg atggttcctt tgatagagaa ggcgttgcag ctgccatcag agcagtcgcc1260gttgaggaag agtcatctaa agttttccaa gctaaggcca aaaaattaca agagattgtg1320gctgacatgg cttgtcacga aagatacatc gatggtttca tccaacaatt gagaagttat1380aaagactaa1389seq id no: 16o . sativamdsgysssya aaagmhvvic pwlafghllp cldlaqrlas rghrvsfvst prnisrlppv60rpalaplvaf valplprveg lpdgaestnd vphdrpdmve lhrrafdgla apfseflgta120cadwvivdvf hhwaaaaale hkvpcammll gsahmiasia drrleraete spaaagqgrp180aaaptfevar mklirtkgss gmslaerfsl tlsrsslvvg rscvefepet vpllstlrgk240pitflglmpp lhegrredge datvrwldaq paksvvyval gsevplgvek vhelalglel300agtrflwalr kptgvsdadl lpagfeertr grgvvatrwv pqmsilahaa vgaflthcgw360nstieglmfg hplimlpifg dqgpnarlie aknaglqvar ndgdgsfdre gvaaairava420veeesskvfq akakklqeiv admacheryi dgfiqqlrsy kd462seq id no: 17mdsgysssya aaagmhvvic pwlafghllp cldlaqrlas rghrvsfvst prnisrlppv60rpalaplvaf valplprveg lpdgaestnd vphdrpdmve lhrrafdgla apfseflgta120cadwvivdvf hhwaaaaale hkvpcammll gsahmiasia drrleraete spaaagqgrp180aaaptfevar mklirtkgss gmslaerfsl tlsrsslvvg rscvefepet vpllstlrgk240pitflgllpp eipgdekdet wvsikkwldg kqkgsvvyva lgsealvsqt evvelalgle300lsglpfvway rkpkgpaksd svelpdgfve rtrdrglvwt swapqlrils hesvcgflth360cgsgsivegl mfghplimlp ifgdqplnar lledkqvgie iarndgdgsf dregvaaair420avaveeessk vfqakakklq eivadmache ryidgfiqql rsykd465seq id no: 18matsdsivdd rkqlhvatfp wlafghilpy lqlskliaek ghkvsflstt rniqrlsshi60splinvvqlt lprvqelped aeattdvhpe dipylkkasd glqpevtrfl eqhspdwiiy120dythywlpsi aaslgisrah fsvttpwaia ymgpsadami ngsdgrttve dlttppkwfp180fptkvcwrkh dlarlvpyka pgisdgyrmg mvlkgsdcll skcyhefgtq wlplletlhq240vpvvpvglmp plhegrredg edatvrwlda qpaksvvyva lgsevplgve kvhelalgle300lagtrflwal rkptgvsdad llpagfeert rgrgvvatrw vpqmsilaha avgaflthcg360wnstieglmf ghplimlpif gdqgpnarli eaknaglqvp rneedgcltk esvarslrsv420vvekegeiyk anarelskiy ndtkvekeyv sqfvdylekn aravaidhes470seq id no: 19synechococcus sp.atggctttgg taaacccaac cgctcttttc tatggtacct ctatcagaac aagacctaca60aacttactaa atccaactca aaagctaaga ccagtttcat catcttcctt accttctttc120tcatcagtta gtgcgattct tactgaaaaa catcaatcta atccttctga gaacaacaat180ttgcaaactc atctagaaac tcctttcaac tttgatagtt atatgttgga aaaagtcaac240atggttaacg aggcgcttga tgcatctgtc ccactaaaag acccaatcaa aatccatgaa300tccatgagat actctttatt ggcaggcggt aagagaatca gaccaatgat gtgtattgca360gcctgcgaaa tagtcggagg taatatcctt aacgccatgc cagccgcatg tgccgtggaa420atgattcata ctatgtcttt ggtgcatgac gatcttccat gtatggataa tgatgacttc480agaagaggta aacctatttc acacaaggtc tacggggagg aaatggcagt attgaccggc540gatgctttac taagtttatc tttcgaacat atagctactg ctacaaaggg tgtatcaaag600gatagaatcg tcagagctat aggggagttg gcccgttcag ttggctccga aggtttagtg660gctggacaag ttgtagatat cttgtcagag ggtgctgatg ttggattaga tcacctagaa720tacattcaca tccacaaaac agcaatgttg cttgagtcct cagtagttat tggcgctatc780atgggaggag gatctgatca gcagatcgaa aagttgagaa aattcgctag atctattggt840ctactattcc aagttgtgga tgacattttg gatgttacaa aatctaccga agagttgggg900aaaacagctg gtaaggattt gttgacagat aagacaactt acccaaagtt gttaggtata960gaaaagtcca gagaatttgc cgaaaaactt aacaaggaag cacaagagca attaagtggc1020tttgatagac gtaaggcagc tcctttgatc gcgttagcca actacaatgc gtaccgtcaa1080aattga1086seq id no: 20synechococcus sp.malvnptalf ygtsirtrpt nllnptqklr pvsssslpsf ssvsailtek hqsnpsennn60lqthletpfn fdsymlekvn mvnealdasv plkdpikihe smrysllagg krirpmmcia120aceivggnil nampaacave mihtmslvhd dlpcmdnddf rrgkpishkv ygeemavltg180dallslsfeh iatatkgvsk drivraigel arsvgseglv agqvvdilse gadvgldhle240yihihktaml lessvvigai mgggsdqqie klrkfarsig llfqvvddil dvtksteelg300ktagkdlltd kttypkllgi eksrefaekl nkeaqeqlsg fdrrkaapli alanynayrq360n361seq id no: 21atggctgagc aacaaatatc taacttgctg tctatgtttg atgcttcaca tgctagtcag60aaattagaaa ttactgtcca aatgatggac acataccatt acagagaaac gcctccagat120tcctcatctt ctgaaggcgg ttcattgtct agatacgacg agagaagagt ctctttgcct180ctcagtcata atgctgcctc tccagatatt gtatcacaac tatgtttttc cactgcaatg240tcttcagagt tgaatcacag atggaaatct caaagattaa aggtggccga ttctccttac300aactatatcc taacattacc atcaaaagga attagaggtg cctttatcga ttccctgaac360gtatggttgg aggttccaga ggatgaaaca tcagtcatca aggaagttat tggtatgctc420cacaactctt cattaatcat tgatgacttc caagataatt ctccacttag aagaggaaag480ccatctaccc atacagtctt cggccctgcc caggctatca atactgctac ttacgttata540gttaaagcaa tcgaaaagat acaagacata gtgggacacg atgcattggc agatgttacg600ggtactatta caactatttt ccaaggtcag gccatggact tgtggtggac agcaaatgca660atcgttccat caatacagga atacttactt atggtaaacg ataaaaccgg tgctctcttt720agactgagtt tggagttgtt agctctgaat tccgaagcca gtatttctga ctctgcttta780gaaagtttat ctagtgctgt ttccttgcta ggtcaatact tccaaatcag agacgactat840atgaacttga tcgataacaa gtatacagat cagaaaggct tctgcgaaga tcttgatgaa900ggcaagtact cactaacact tattcatgcc ctccaaactg attcatccga tctactgacc960aacatccttt caatgagaag agtgcaagga aagttaacgg cacaaaagag atgttggttc1020tggaaatga1029seq id no: 22maeqqisnll smfdashasq kleitvqmmd tyhyretppd sssseggsls ryderrvslp60lshnaaspdi vsqlcfstam sselnhrwks qrlkvadspy nyiltlpskg irgafidsln120vwlevpedet svikevigml hnssliiddf qdnsplrrgk psthtvfgpa qaintatyvi180vkaiekiqdi vghdaladvt gtittifqgq amdlwwtana ivpsiqeyll mvndktgalf240rlslellaln seasisdsal eslssavsll gqyfqirddy mnlidnkytd qkgfcedlde300gkysltliha lqtdssdllt nilsmrrvqg kltaqkrcwf wk342seq id no: 23atggaaaaga ctaaggagaa agcagaacgt atcttgctgg agccatacag atacttatta60caactaccag gaaagcaagt ccgttctaaa ctatcacaag cgttcaatca ctggttaaaa120gttcctgaag ataagttaca aatcattatt gaagtcacag aaatgctaca caatgcttct180ttactgatcg atgatataga ggattcttcc aaactgagaa gaggttttcc tgtcgctcat240tccatatacg gggtaccaag tgtaatcaac tcagctaatt acgtctactt cttgggattg300gaaaaagtat tgacattaga tcatccagac gctgtaaagc tattcaccag acaacttctt360gaattgcatc aaggtcaagg tttggatatc tattggagag acacttatac ttgcccaaca420gaagaggagt acaaagcaat ggttctacaa aagactggcg gtttgttcgg acttgccgtt480ggtctgatgc aacttttctc tgattacaag gaggacttaa agcctctgtt ggataccttg540ggcttgtttt tccagattag agatgactac gctaacttac attcaaagga atattcagaa600aacaaatcat tctgtgaaga tttgactgaa gggaagttta gttttccaac aatccacgcc660atttggtcaa gaccagaatc tactcaagtg caaaacattc tgcgtcagag aacagagaat720attgacatca aaaagtattg tgttcagtac ttggaagatg ttggttcttt tgcttacaca780agacatacac ttagagaatt agaggcaaaa gcatacaagc aaatagaagc ctgtggaggc840aatccttctc tagtggcatt ggttaaacat ttgtccaaaa tgttcaccga ggaaaacaag900taa903seq id no: 24mektkekaer illepyryll qlpgkqvrsk lsqafnhwlk vpedklqiii evtemlhnas60lliddiedss klrrgfpvah siygvpsvin sanyvyflgl ekvltldhpd avklftrqll120elhqgqgldi ywrdtytcpt eeeykamvlq ktgglfglav glmqlfsdyk edlkplldtl180glffqirddy anlhskeyse nksfcedlte gkfsfptiha iwsrpestqv qnilrqrten240idikkycvqy ledvgsfayt rhtlreleak aykqieacgg npslvalvkh lskmfteenk300seq id no: 25atggcaagat tctattttct taacgcacta ttgatggtta tctcattaca atcaactaca60gccttcactc cagctaaact tgcttatcca acaacaacaa cagctctaaa tgtcgcctcc120gccgaaactt ctttcagtct agatgaatac ttggcctcta agataggacc tatagagtct180gccttggaag catcagtcaa atccagaatt ccacagaccg ataagatctg cgaatctatg240gcctactctt tgatggcagg aggcaagaga attagaccag tgttgtgtat cgctgcatgt300gagatgttcg gtggatccca agatgtcgct atgcctactg ctgtggcatt agaaatgata360cacacaatgt ctttgattca tgatgatttg ccatccatgg ataacgatga cttgagaaga420ggtaaaccaa caaaccatgt cgttttcggc gaagatgtag ctattcttgc aggtgactct480ttattgtcaa cttccttcga gcacgtcgct agagaaacaa aaggagtgtc agcagaaaag540atcgtggatg ttatcgctag attaggcaaa tctgttggtg ccgagggcct tgctggcggt600caagttatgg acttagaatg tgaagctaaa ccaggtacca cattagacga cttgaaatgg660attcatatcc ataaaaccgc tacattgtta caagttgctg tagcttctgg tgcagttcta720ggtggtgcaa ctcctgaaga ggttgctgca tgcgagttgt ttgctatgaa tataggtctt780gcctttcaag ttgccgacga tatccttgat gtaaccgctt catcagaaga tttgggtaaa840actgcaggca aagatgaagc tactgataag acaacttacc caaagttatt aggattagaa900gagagtaagg catacgcaag acaactaatc gatgaagcca aggaaagttt ggctcctttt960ggagatagag ctgccccttt attggccatt gcagatttca ttattgatag aaagaattga1020seq id no: 26marfyflnal lmvislqstt aftpaklayp ttttalnvas aetsfsldey laskigpies60aleasvksri pqtdkicesm ayslmaggkr irpvlciaac emfggsqdva mptavalemi120htmslihddl psmdnddlrr gkptnhvvfg edvailagds llstsfehva retkgvsaek180ivdviarlgk svgaeglagg qvmdleceak pgttlddlkw ihihktatll qvavasgavl240ggatpeevaa celfamnigl afqvaddild vtassedlgk tagkdeatdk ttypkllgle300eskayarqli deakeslapf gdraapllai adfiidrkn339seq id no: 27atgcacttag caccacgtag agtccctaga ggtagaagat caccacctga cagagttcct60gaaagacaag gtgccttggg tagaagacgt ggagctggct ctactggctg tgcccgtgct120gctgctggtg ttcaccgtag aagaggagga ggcgaggctg atccatcagc tgctgtgcat180agaggctggc aagccggtgg tggcaccggt ttgcctgatg aggtggtgtc taccgcagcc240gccttagaaa tgtttcatgc ttttgcttta atccatgatg atatcatgga tgatagtgca300actagaagag gctccccaac tgttcacaga gccctagctg atcgtttagg cgctgctctg360gacccagatc aggccggtca actaggagtt tctactgcta tcttggttgg agatctggct420ttgacatggt ccgatgaatt gttatacgct ccattgactc cacatagact ggcagcagta480ctaccattgg taacagctat gagagctgaa accgttcatg gccaatatct tgatataact540agtgctagaa gacctgggac cgatacttct cttgcattga gaatagccag atataagaca600gcagcttaca caatggaacg tccactgcac attggtgcag ccctggctgg ggcaagacca660gaactattag cagggctttc agcatacgcc ttgccagctg gagaagcctt ccaattggca720gatgacctgc taggcgtctt cggtgatcca agacgtacag ggaaacctga cctagatgat780cttagaggtg gaaagcatac tgtcttagtc gccttggcaa gagaacatgc cactccagaa840cagagacaca cattggatac attattgggt acaccaggtc ttgatagaca aggcgcttca900agactaagat gcgtattggt agcaactggt gcaagagccg aagccgaaag acttattaca960gagagaagag atcaagcatt aactgcattg aacgcattaa cactgccacc tcctttagct1020gaggcattag caagattgac attagggtct acagctcatc ctgcctaa1068seq id no: 28mhlaprrvpr grrsppdrvp erqgalgrrr gagstgcara aagvhrrrgg geadpsaavh60rgwqagggtg lpdevvstaa alemfhafal ihddimddsa trrgsptvhr aladrlgaal120dpdqagqlgv stailvgdla ltwsdellya pltphrlaav lplvtamrae tvhgqyldit180sarrpgtdts lalriarykt aaytmerplh igaalagarp ellaglsaya lpageafqla240ddllgvfgdp rrtgkpdldd lrggkhtvlv alarehatpe qrhtldtllg tpgldrqgas300rlrcvlvatg araeaerlit errdqaltal naltlpppla ealarltlgs tahpa355seq id no: 29atgtcatatt tcgataacta cttcaatgag atagttaatt ccgtgaacga catcattaag60tcttacatct ctggcgacgt accaaaacta tacgaagcct cctaccattt gtttacatca120ggaggaaaga gactaagacc attgatcctt acaatttctt ctgatctttt cggtggacag180agagaaagag catactatgc tggcgcagca atcgaagttt tgcacacatt cactttggtt240cacgatgata tcatggatca agataacatt cgtagaggtc ttcctactgt acatgtcaag300tatggcctac ctttggccat tttagctggt gacttattgc atgcaaaagc ctttcaattg360ttgactcagg cattgagagg tctaccatct gaaactatca tcaaggcgtt tgatatcttt420acaagatcta tcattatcat atcagaaggt caagctgtcg atatggaatt cgaagataga480attgatatca aggaacaaga gtatttggat atgatatctc gtaaaaccgc tgccttattc540tcagcttctt cttccattgg ggcgttgata gctggagcta atgataacga tgtgagatta600atgtccgatt tcggtacaaa tcttgggatc gcatttcaaa ttgtagatga tatacttggt660ttaacagctg atgaaaaaga gctaggaaaa cctgttttca gtgatatcag agaaggtaaa720aagaccatat tagtcattaa gactttagaa ttgtgtaagg aagacgagaa aaagattgtg780ttaaaagcgc taggcaacaa gtcagcatca aaggaagagt tgatgagttc tgctgacata840atcaaaaagt actcattgga ttacgcctac aacttagctg agaaatacta caaaaacgcc900atcgattctc taaatcaagt ttcaagtaaa agtgatattc cagggaaggc attgaaatat960cttgctgaat tcaccatcag aagacgtaag taa993seq id no: 30msyfdnyfne ivnsvndiik syisgdvpkl yeasyhlfts ggkrlrplil tissdlfggq60rerayyagaa ievlhtftlv hddimdqdni rrglptvhvk yglplailag dllhakafql120ltqalrglps etiikafdif trsiiiiseg qavdmefedr idikeqeyld misrktaalf180sasssigali agandndvrl msdfgtnlgi afqivddilg ltadekelgk pvfsdiregk240ktilviktle lckedekkiv lkalgnksas keelmssadi ikkysldyay nlaekyykna300idslnqvssk sdipgkalky laeftirrrk330seq id no: 31atggtcgcac aaactttcaa cctggatacc tacttatccc aaagacaaca acaagttgaa60gaggccctaa gtgctgctct tgtgccagct tatcctgaga gaatatacga agctatgaga120tactccctcc tggcaggtgg caaaagatta agacctatct tatgtttagc tgcttgcgaa180ttggcaggtg gttctgttga acaagccatg ccaactgcgt gtgcacttga aatgatccat240acaatgtcac taattcatga tgacctgcca gccatggata acgatgattt cagaagagga300aagccaacta atcacaaggt gttcggggaa gatatagcca tcttagcggg tgatgcgctt360ttagcttacg cttttgaaca tattgcttct caaacaagag gagtaccacc tcaattggtg420ctacaagtta ttgctagaat cggacacgcc gttgctgcaa caggcctcgt tggaggccaa480gtcgtagacc ttgaatctga aggtaaagct atttccttag aaacattgga gtatattcac540tcacataaga ctggagcctt gctggaagca tcagttgtct caggcggtat tctcgcaggg600gcagatgaag agcttttggc cagattgtct cattacgcta gagatatagg cttggctttt660caaatcgtcg atgatatcct ggatgttact gctacatctg aacagttggg gaaaaccgct720ggtaaagacc aggcagccgc aaaggcaact tatccaagtc tattgggttt agaagcctct780agacagaaag cggaagagtt gattcaatct gctaaggaag ccttaagacc ttacggttca840caagcagagc cactcctagc gctggcagac ttcatcacac gtcgtcagca ttaa894seq id no: 32mvaqtfnldt ylsqrqqqve ealsaalvpa yperiyeamr ysllaggkrl rpilclaace60laggsveqam ptacalemih tmslihddlp amdnddfrrg kptnhkvfge diailagdal120layafehias qtrgvppqlv lqviarigha vaatglvggq vvdlesegka isletleyih180shktgallea svvsggilag adeellarls hyardiglaf qivddildvt atseqlgkta240gkdqaaakat ypsllgleas rqkaeeliqs akealrpygs qaepllalad fitrrqh297seq id no: 33atgaaaaccg ggtttatctc accagcaaca gtatttcatc acagaatctc accagcgacc60actttcagac atcacttatc acctgctact acaaactcta caggcattgt cgccttaaga120gacatcaact tcagatgtaa agcagtttct aaagagtact ctgatctgtt gcagaaagat180gaggcttctt tcacaaaatg ggacgatgac aaggtgaaag atcatcttga taccaacaaa240aacttatacc caaatgatga gattaaggaa tttgttgaat cagtaaaggc tatgttcggt300agtatgaatg acggggagat aaacgtctct gcatacgata ctgcatgggt tgctttggtt360caagatgtcg atggatcagg tagtcctcag ttcccttctt ctttagaatg gattgccaac420aatcaattgt cagatggatc atggggagat catttgctgt tctcagctca cgatagaatc480atcaacacat tagcatgcgt tattgcactt acaagttgga atgttcatcc ttctaagtgt540gaaaaaggtt tgaattttct gagagaaaac atttgcaaat tagaagatga aaacgcagaa600catatgccaa ttggttttga agtaacattc ccatcactaa ttgatatcgc gaaaaagttg660aacattgaag tacctgagga tactccagca cttaaagaga tctacgcacg tagagatatc720aagttaacta agatcccaat ggaagttctt cacaaggtac ctactacttt gttacattct780ttggaaggaa tgcctgattt ggagtgggaa aaactgttaa agctacaatg taaagatggt840agtttcttgt tttccccatc tagtaccgca ttcgccctaa tgcaaacaaa agatgagaaa900tgcttacagt atctaacaaa tatcgtcact aagttcaacg gtggcgtgcc taatgtgtac960ccagtcgatt tgtttgaaca tatttgggtt gttgatagac tgcagagatt ggggattgcc1020agatacttca aatcagagat aaaagattgt gtagagtata tcaataagta ctggaccaaa1080aatggaattt gttgggctag aaatactcac gttcaagata tcgatgatac agccatggga1140ttcagagtgt tgagagcgca cggttatgac gtcactccag atgtttttag acaatttgaa1200aaagatggta aattcgtttg ctttgcaggg caatcaacac aagccgtgac aggaatgttt1260aacgtttaca gagcctctca aatgttgttc ccaggggaga gaattttgga agatgccaaa1320aagttctctt acaattactt aaaggaaaag caaagtacca acgaattgct ggataaatgg1380ataatcgcta aagatctacc tggtgaagtt ggttatgctc tggatatccc atggtatgct1440tccttaccaa gattggaaac tcgttattac cttgaacaat acggcggtga agatgatgtc1500tggataggca agacattata cagaatgggt tacgtgtcca ataacacata tctagaaatg1560gcaaagctgg attacaataa ctatgttgca gtccttcaat tagaatggta cacaatacaa1620caatggtacg tcgatattgg tatagagaag ttcgaatctg acaacatcaa gtcagtcctg1680seq id no: 34mktgfispat vfhhrispat tfrhhlspat instgivalr dinfrckavs keysdllqkd60easftkwddd kvkdhldtnk nlypndeike fvesvkamfg smndgeinvs aydtawvalv120qdvdgsgspq fpsslewian nqlsdgswgd hllfsahdri intlacvial tswnvhpskc180ekglnflren ickledenae hmpigfevtf pslidiakkl nievpedtpa lkeiyarrdi240kltkipmevl hkvpttllhs legmpdlewe kllklqckdg sflfspssta falmqtkdek300clqyltnivt kfnggvpnvy pvdlfehiwv vdrlqrlgia ryfkseikdc veyinkywtk360ngicwarnth vqdiddtamg frvlrahgyd vtpdvfrqfe kdgkfvcfag qstqavtgmf420nvyrasqmlf pgeriledak kfsynylkek qstnelldkw iiakdlpgev gyaldipwya480slprletryy leqyggeddv wigktlyrmg yvsnntylem akldynnyva vlqlewytiq540qwyvdigiek fesdniksvl vsyylaaasi feperskeri awakttilvd kitsifdssq600sskeditafi dkfrnksssk khsingepwh evmvalkktl hgfaldalmt hsqdihpqlh660qawemwltkl qdgvdvtael mvqminmtag rwvskellth pqyqrlstvt nsvchditkl720hnfkensttv dskvqelvql vfsdtpddld qdmkqtfltv mktfyykawc dpntindhis780kvfeivi787seq id no: 35atgcctgatg cacacgatgc tccacctcca caaataagac agagaacact agtagatgag60gctacccaac tgctaactga gtccgcagaa gatgcatggg gtgaagtcag tgtgtcagaa120tacgaaacag caaggctagt tgcccatgct acatggttag gtggacacgc cacaagagtg180gccttccttc tggagagaca acacgaagac gggtcatggg gtccaccagg tggatatagg240ttagtcccta cattatctgc tgttcacgca ttattgacat gtcttgcctc tcctgctcag300gatcatggcg ttccacatga tagactttta agagctgttg acgcaggctt gactgccttg360agaagattgg ggacatctga ctccccacct gatactatag cagttgagct ggttatccca420tctttgctag agggcattca acacttactg gaccctgctc atcctcatag tagaccagcc480ttctctcaac atagaggctc tcttgtttgt cctggtggac tagatgggag aactctagga540gctttgagat cacacgccgc agcaggtaca ccagtaccag gaaaagtctg gcacgcttcc600gagactttgg gcttgagtac cgaagctgct tctcacttgc aaccagccca aggtataatc660ggtggctctg ctgctgccac agcaacatgg ctaaccaggg ttgcaccatc tcaacagtca720gattctgcca gaagatacct tgaggaatta caacacagat actctggccc agttccttcc780attaccccta tcacatactt cgaaagagca tggttattga acaattttgc agcagccggt840gttccttgtg aggctccagc tgctttgttg gattccttag aagcagcact tacaccacaa900ggtgctcctg ctggagcagg attgcctcca gatgctgatg atacagccgc tgtgttgctt960gcattggcaa cacatgggag aggtagaaga ccagaagtac tgatggatta caggactgac1020gggtatttcc aatgctttat tggggaaagg actccatcaa tttcaacaaa cgctcacgta1080ttggaaacat tagggcatca tgtggcccaa catccacaag atagagccag atacggatca1140gccatggata ccgcatcagc ttggctgctg gcagctcaaa agcaagatgg ctcttggtta1200gataaatggc atgcctcacc atactacgct actgtttgtt gcacacaagc cctagccgct1260catgcaagtc ctgcaactgc accagctaga cagagagctg tcagatgggt tttagccaca1320caaagatccg atggcggttg gggtctatgg cattcaactg ttgaagagac tgcttatgcc1380ttacagatct tggccccacc ttctggtggt ggcaatatcc cagtccaaca agcacttact1440agaggcagag caagattgtg tggagccttg ccactgactc ctttatggca tgataaggat1500ttgtatactc cagtaagagt agtcagagct gccagagctg ctgctctgta cactaccaga1560gatctattgt taccaccatt gtaa1584seq id no: 36mpdahdappp qirqrtlvde atqlltesae dawgevsvse yetarlvaha twlgghatrv60afllerqhed gswgppggyr lvptlsavha lltclaspaq dhgvphdrll ravdagltal120rrlgtsdspp dtiavelvip sllegiqhll dpahphsrpa fsqhrgslvc pggldgrtlg180alrshaaagt pvpgkvwhas etlglsteaa shlqpaqgii ggsaaatatw ltrvapsqqs240dsarryleel qhrysgpvps itpityfera wllnnfaaag vpceapaall dsleaaltpq300gapagaglpp daddtaavll alathgrgrr pevlmdyrtd gyfqcfiger tpsistnahv360letlghhvaq hpqdrarygs amdtasawll aaqkqdgswl dkwhaspyya tvcctqalaa420haspatapar qravrwvlat qrsdggwglw hstveetaya lqilappsgg gnipvqqalt480rgrarlcgal pltplwhdkd lytpvrvvra araaalyttr dlllppl527seq id no: 37atgaacgccc tatccgaaca cattttgtct gaattgagaa gattattgtc tgaaatgagt60gatggcggat ctgttggtcc atctgtgtat gatacggccc aggccctaag attccacggt120aacgtaacag gtagacaaga tgcatatgct tggttgatcg cccagcaaca agcagatgga180ggttggggct ctgccgactt tccactcttt agacatgctc caacatgggc tgcacttctc240gcattacaaa gagctgatcc acttcctggc gcagcagacg cagttcagac cgcaacaaga300ttcttgcaaa gacaaccaga tccatacgct catgccgttc ctgaggatgc ccctattggt360gctgaactga tcttgcctca gttttgtgga gaggctgctt ggttgttggg aggtgtggcc420ttccctagac acccagccct attaccatta agacaggctt gtttagtcaa actgggtgca480gtcgccatgt tgccttcagg acacccattg ctccactcct gggaggcatg gggtacttct540ccaacaacag cctgtccaga cgatgatggt tctataggta tctcaccagc agctacagcc600gcctggagag cccaggctgt gaccagaggc tcaactcctc aagtgggcag agctgacgca660tacttacaaa tggcttcaag agcaacgaga tcaggcatag aaggagtctt ccctaatgtt720tggcctataa acgtattcga accatgctgg tcactgtaca ctctccatct tgccggtctg780ttcgcccatc cagcactggc tgaggctgta agagttatcg ttgctcaact tgaagcaaga840ttgggagtgc atggcctcgg accagcttta cattttgctg ccgacgctga tgatactgca900gttgccttat gcgttctgca tttggctggc agagatcctg cagttgacgc attgagacat960tttgaaattg gtgagctctt tgttacattc ccaggagaga gaaatgctag tgtctctacg1020aacattcacg ctcttcatgc tttgagattg ttaggtaaac cagctgccgg agcaagtgca1080tacgtcgaag caaatagaaa tccacatggt ttgtgggaca acgaaaaatg gcacgtttca1140tggctttatc caactgcaca cgccgttgca gctctagctc aaggcaagcc tcaatggaga1200gatgaaagag cactagccgc tctactacaa gctcaaagag atgatggtgg ttggggagct1260ggtagaggat ccactttcga ggaaaccgcc tacgctcttt tcgctttaca cgttatggac1320ggatctgagg aagccacagg cagaagaaga atcgctcaag tcgtcgcaag agccttagaa1380tggatgctag ctagacatgc cgcacatgga ttaccacaaa caccactctg gattggtaag1440gaattgtact gtcctactag agtcgtaaga gtagctgagc tagctggcct gtggttagca1500ttaagatggg gtagaagagt attagctgaa ggtgctggtg ctgcacctta a1551seq id no: 38mnalsehils elrrllsems dggsvgpsvy dtaqalrfhg nvtgrqdaya wliaqqqadg60gwgsadfplf rhaptwaall alqradplpg aadavqtatr flqrqpdpya havpedapig120aelilpqfcg eaawllggva fprhpallpl rqaclvklga vamlpsghpl lhsweawgts180pttacpdddg sigispaata awraqavtrg stpqvgrada ylqmasratr sgiegvfpnv240wpinvfepcw slytlhlagl fahpalaeav rvivaqlear lgvhglgpal hfaadaddta300valcvlhlag rdpavdalrh feigelfvtf pgernasvst nihalhalrl lgkpaagasa360yveanrnphg lwdnekwhvs wlyptahava alaqgkpqwr deralaallq aqrddggwga420grgstfeeta yalfalhvmd gseeatgrrr iaqvvarale wmlarhaahg lpqtplwigk480elycptrvvr vaelaglwla lrwgrrvlae gagaap516seq id no: 39z . maysatggttttgt cttcttcttg tactacagta ccacacttat cttcattagc tgtcgtgcaa60cttggtcctt ggagcagtag gattaaaaag aaaaccgata ctgttgcagt accagccgct120gcaggaaggt ggagaagggc cttggctaga gcacagcaca catcagaatc cgcagctgtc180gcaaagggca gcagtttgac ccctatagtg agaactgacg ctgagtcaag gagaacaaga240tggccaaccg atgacgatga cgccgaacct ttagtggatg agatcagggc aatgcttact300tccatgtctg atggtgacat ttccgtgagc gcatacgata cagcctgggt cggattggtt360ccaagattag acggcggtga aggtcctcaa tttccagcag ctgtgagatg gataagaaat420aaccagttgc ctgacggaag ttggggcgat gccgcattat tctctgccta tgacaggctt480atcaataccc ttgcctgcgt tgtaactttg acaaggtggt ccctagaacc agagatgaga540ggtagaggac tatctttttt gggtaggaac atgtggaaat tagcaactga agatgaagag600tcaatgccta ttggcttcga attagcattt ccatctttga tagagcttgc taagagccta660ggtgtccatg acttccctta tgatcaccag gccctacaag gaatctactc ttcaagagag720atcaaaatga agaggattcc aaaagaagtg atgcataccg ttccaacatc aatattgcac780agtttggagg gtatgcctgg cctagattgg gctaaactac ttaaactaca gagcagcgac840ggaagttttt tgttctcacc agctgccact gcatatgctt taatgaatac cggagatgac900aggtgtttta gctacatcga tagaacagta aagaaattca acggcggcgt ccctaatgtt960tatccagtgg atctatttga acatatttgg gccgttgata gacttgaaag attaggaatc1020tccaggtact tccaaaagga gatcgaacaa tgcatggatt atgtaaacag gcattggact1080gaggacggta tttgttgggc aaggaactct gatgtcaaag aggtggacga cacagctatg1140gcctttagac ttcttaggtt gcacggctac agcgtcagtc ctgatgtgtt taaaaacttc1200gaaaaggacg gtgaattttt cgcatttgtc ggacagtcta atcaagctgt taccggtatg1260tacaacttaa acagagcaag ccagatatcc ttcccaggcg aggatgtgct tcatagagct1320ggtgccttct catatgagtt cttgaggaga aaagaagcag agggagcttt gagggacaag1380tggatcattt ctaaagatct acctggtgaa gttgtgtata ctttggattt tccatggtac1440ggcaacttac ctagagtcga ggccagagac tacctagagc aatacggagg tggtgatgac1500gtttggattg gcaagacatt gtataggatg ccacttgtaa acaatgatgt atatttggaa1560ttggcaagaa tggatttcaa ccactgccag gctttgcatc agttagagtg gcaaggacta1620aaaagatggt atactgaaaa taggttgatg gactttggtg tcgcccaaga agatgccctt1680agagcttatt ttcttgcagc cgcatctgtt tacgagcctt gtagagctgc cgagaggctt1740gcatgggcta gagccgcaat actagctaac gccgtgagca cccacttaag aaatagccca1800tcattcagag aaaggttaga gcattctctt aggtgtagac ctagtgaaga gacagatggc1860tcctggttta actcctcaag tggctctgat gcagttttag taaaggctgt cttaagactt1920actgattcat tagccaggga agcacagcca atccatggag gtgacccaga agatattata1980cacaagttgt taagatctgc ttgggccgag tgggttaggg aaaaggcaga cgctgccgat2040agcgtgtgca atggtagttc tgcagtagaa caagagggat caagaatggt ccatgataaa2100cagacctgtc tattattggc tagaatgatc gaaatttctg ccggtagggc agctggtgaa2160gcagccagtg aggacggcga tagaagaata attcaattaa caggctccat ctgcgacagt2220cttaagcaaa aaatgctagt ttcacaggac cctgaaaaaa atgaagagat gatgtctcac2280gtggatgacg aattgaagtt gaggattaga gagttcgttc aatatttgct tagactaggt2340gaaaaaaaga ctggatctag cgaaaccagg caaacatttt taagtatagt gaaatcatgt2400tactatgctg ctcattgccc acctcatgtc gttgatagac acattagtag agtgattttc2460gagccagtaa gtgccgcaaa gtaaccgcgg2490seq id no: 40z . maysmvlssscttv phlsslavvq lgpwssrikk ktdtvavpaa agrwrralar aqhtsesaav60akgssltpiv rtdaesrrtr wptddddaep lvdeiramlt smsdgdisvs aydtawvglv120prldggegpq fpaavrwirn nqlpdgswgd aalfsaydrl intlacvvtl trwslepemr180grglsflgrn mwklatedee smpigfelaf pslielaksl gvhdfpydhq alqgiyssre240ikmkripkev mhtvptsilh slegmpgldw akllklqssd gsflfspaat ayalmntgdd300rcfsyidrtv kkfnggvpnv ypvdlfehiw avdrlerlgi sryfqkeieq cmdyvnrhwt360edgicwarns dvkevddtam afrllrlhgy svspdvfknf ekdgeffafv gqsnqavtgm420ynlnrasqis fpgedvlhra gafsyeflrr keaegalrdk wiiskdlpge vvytldfpwy480gnlprveard yleqygggdd vwigktlyrm plvnndvyle larmdfnhcq alhqlewqgl540krwytenrlm dfgvaqedal rayflaaasv yepcraaerl awaraailan avsthlrnsp600sfrerlehsl rcrpseetdg swfnsssgsd avlvkavlrl tdslareaqp ihggdpedii660hkllrsawae wvrekadaad svcngssave qegsrmvhdk qtclllarmi eisagraage720aasedgdrri iqltgsicds lkqkmlvsqd pekneemmsh vddelklrir efvqyllrlg780ekktgssetr qtflsivksc yyaahcpphv vdrhisrvif epvsaak827seq id no: 41cttcttcact aaatacttag acagagaaaa cagagctttt taaagccatg tctcttcagt60atcatgttct aaactccatt ccaagtacaa cctttctcag ttctactaaa acaacaatat120cttcttcttt ccttaccatc tcaggatctc ctctcaatgt cgctagagac aaatccagaa180gcggttccat acattgttca aagcttcgaa ctcaagaata cattaattct caagaggttc240aacatgattt gcctctaata catgagtggc aacagcttca aggagaagat gctcctcaga300ttagtgttgg aagtaatagt aatgcattca aagaagcagt gaagagtgtg aaaacgatct360tgagaaacct aacggacggg gaaattacga tatcggctta cgatacagct tgggttgcat420tgatcgatgc cggagataaa actccggcgt ttccctccgc cgtgaaatgg atcgccgaga480accaactttc cgatggttct tggggagatg cgtatctctt ctcttatcat gatcgtctca540tcaataccct tgcatgcgtc gttgctctaa gatcatggaa tctctttcct catcaatgca600acaaaggaat cacgtttttc cgggaaaata ttgggaagct agaagacgaa aatgatgagc660atatgccaat cggattcgaa gtagcattcc catcgttgct tgagatagct cgaggaataa720acattgatgt accgtacgat tctccggtct taaaagatat atacgccaag aaagagctaa780agcttacaag gataccaaaa gagataatgc acaagatacc aacaacattg ttgcatagtt840tggaggggat gcgtgattta gattgggaaa agctcttgaa acttcaatct caagacggat900ctttcctctt ctctccttcc tctaccgctt ttgcattcat gcagacccga gacagtaact960gcctcgagta tttgcgaaat gccgtcaaac gtttcaatgg aggagttccc aatgtctttc1020ccgtggatct tttcgagcac atatggatag tggatcggtt acaacgttta gggatatcga1080gatactttga agaagagatt aaagagtgtc ttgactatgt ccacagatat tggaccgaca1140atggcatatg ttgggctaga tgttcccatg tccaagacat cgatgataca gccatggcat1200ttaggctctt aagacaacat ggataccaag tgtccgcaga tgtattcaag aactttgaga1260aagagggaga gtttttctgc tttgtggggc aatcaaacca agcagtaacc ggtatgttca1320acctataccg ggcatcacaa ttggcgtttc caagggaaga gatattgaaa aacgccaaag1380agttttctta taattatctg ctagaaaaac gggagagaga ggagttgatt gataagtgga1440ttataatgaa agacttacct ggcgagattg ggtttgcgtt agagattcca tggtacgcaa1500gcttgcctcg agtagagacg agattctata ttgatcaata tggtggagaa aacgacgttt1560ggattggcaa gactctttat aggatgccat acgtgaacaa taatggatat ctggaattag1620caaaacaaga ttacaacaat tgccaagctc agcatcagct cgaatgggac atattccaaa1680agtggtatga agaaaatagg ttaagtgagt ggggtgtgcg cagaagtgag cttctcgagt1740gttactactt agcggctgca actatatttg aatcagaaag gtcacatgag agaatggttt1800gggctaagtc aagtgtattg gttaaagcca tttcttcttc ttttggggaa tcctctgact1860ccagaagaag cttctccgat cagtttcatg aatacattgc caatgctcga cgaagtgatc1920atcactttaa tgacaggaac atgagattgg accgaccagg atcggttcag gccagtcggc1980ttgccggagt gttaatcggg actttgaatc aaatgtcttt tgaccttttc atgtctcatg2040gccgtgacgt taacaatctc ctctatctat cgtggggaga ttggatggaa aaatggaaac2100tatatggaga tgaaggagaa ggagagctca tggtgaagat gataattcta atgaagaaca2160atgacctaac taacttcttc acccacactc acttcgttcg tctcgcggaa atcatcaatc2220gaatctgtct tcctcgccaa tacttaaagg caaggagaaa cgatgagaag gagaagacaa2280taaagagtat ggagaaggag atggggaaaa tggttgagtt agcattgtcg gagagtgaca2340catttcgtga cgtcagcatc acgtttcttg atgtagcaaa agcattttac tactttgctt2400tatgtggcga tcatctccaa actcacatct ccaaagtctt gtttcaaaaa gtctagtaac2460ctcatcatca tcatcgatcc attaacaatc agtggatcga tgtatccata gatgcgtgaa2520taatatttca tgtagagaag gagaacaaat tagatcatgt agggttatca2570seq id no: 42mslqyhvlns ipsttflsst kttisssflt isgsplnvar dksrsgsihc sklrtqeyin60sqevqhdlpl ihewqqlqge dapqisvgsn snafkeavks vktilrnltd geitisaydt120awvalidagd ktpafpsavk wiaenqlsdg swgdaylfsy hdrlintlac vvalrswnlf180phqcnkgitf frenigkled endehmpigf evafpsllei arginidvpy dspvlkdiya240kkelkltrip keimhkiptt llhslegmrd ldwekllklq sqdgsflfsp sstafafmqt300rdsncleylr navkrfnggv pnvfpvdlfe hiwivdrlqr lgisryfeee ikecldyvhr360ywtdngicwa rcshvqdidd tamafrllrq hgyqvsadvf knfekegeff cfvgqsnqav420tgmfnlyras qlafpreeil knakefsyny llekrereel idkwiimkdl pgeigfalei480pwyaslprve trfyidqygg endvwigktl yrmpyvnnng ylelakqdyn ncqaqhqlew540difqkwyeen rlsewgvrrs ellecyylaa atifesersh ermvwakssv lvkaisssfg600essdsrrsfs dqfheyiana rrsdhhfndr nmrldrpgsv qasrlagvli gtlnqmsfdl660fmshgrdvnn llylswgdwm ekwklygdeg egelmvkmii lmknndltnf fththevrla720eiinriclpr qylkarrnde kektiksmek emgkmvelal sesdtfrdvs itfldvakaf780yyfalcgdhl qthiskvlfq kv802seq id no: 43atgaatttga gtttgtgtat agcatctcca ctattgacca aatctaatag accagctgct60ttatcagcaa ttcatacagc tagtacatcc catggtggcc aaaccaaccc tacgaatctg120ataatcgata cgaccaagga gagaatacaa aaacaattca aaaatgttga aatttcagtt180tcttcttatg atactgcgtg ggttgccatg gttccatcac ctaattctcc aaagtctcca240tgtttcccag aatgtttgaa ttggctgatt aacaaccagt tgaatgatgg atcttggggt300ttagtcaatc acacgcacaa tcacaaccat ccacttttga aagattcttt atcctcaact360ttggcttgca tcgtggccct aaagagatgg aacgtaggtg aggatcagat taacaagggg420cttagtttca ttgaatctaa cttggcttcc gcgactgaaa aatctcaacc atctccaata480ggattcgata tcatctttcc aggtctgtta gagtacgcca aaaatctaga tatcaactta540ctgtctaagc aaactgattt ctcactaatg ttacacaaga gagaattaga acaaaagaga600tgtcattcaa acgaaatgga tggttaccta gcttatatct ctgaaggtct tggtaatctt660tacgattgga atatggtgaa aaagtaccag atgaaaaatg gctcagtttt caattcccct720tctgcaactg cggcagcatt cattaaccat caaaatccag gatgcctgaa ctatttgaat780tcactactag acaaattcgg caacgcagtt ccaactgtat accctcacga tttgtttatc840agattgagta tggtggatac aattgaaaga cttggtatat cccaccactt tagagtcgag900atcaaaaatg ttttggatga gacataccgt tgttgggtgg agagagatga acaaatcttt960atggatgttg tgacgtgcgc gttggccttt agattgttgc gtattaacgg ttacgaagtt1020agtccagatc cacttgccga aattacaaac gaattagctt taaaggatga atacgccgct1080cttgaaacat atcatgcgtc acatatcctt taccaagagg acttatcatc tggaaaacaa1140attcttaaat ctgctgattt cctgaaggaa atcatatcca ctgatagtaa tagactgtcc1200aaactgatcc ataaagaggt tgaaaatgca cttaagttcc ctattaacac cggcttagaa1260cgtattaaca caagacgtaa catccagctt tacaacgtag acaatactag aatcttgaaa1320accacttacc attcttccaa catatcaaac actgattacc taagattagc tgttgaagat1380ttctacacat gtcagtctat ctatagagaa gagctgaaag gattagagag atgggtcgtt1440gagaataagc tagatcaatt gaaatttgcc agacaaaaga cagcttattg ttacttctca1500gttgccgcca ctttatcaag tccagaattg tcagatgcac gtatttcttg ggctaaaaac1560ggaattttga caactgttgt tgatgatttc tttgatattg gcgggacaat cgacgaattg1620acaaacctga ttcaatgcgt tgaaaagtgg aatgtcgatg tcgataaaga ctgttgctca1680gaacatgtta gaatactgtt cttggctctg aaagatgcta tctgttggat cggggatgag1740gctttcaaat ggcaagctag agatgtgacg tctcacgtca ttcaaacctg gctagaactg1800atgaactcta tgttgagaga agcaatttgg actagagatg catacgttcc tacattaaac1860gagtatatgg aaaacgctta tgtctccttt gctttgggtc ctatcgttaa gcctgccata1920tactttgtag gaccaaagct atccgaggaa atcgtcgaat catcagaata ccataacttg1980ttcaagttaa tgtccacaca aggcagatta cttaatgata ttcattcttt caaaagagag2040tttaaggaag gaaagttaaa tgctgttgct ctgcatcttt ctaatggcga aagtggtaaa2100gtcgaagagg aagtagttga ggaaatgatg atgatgatca aaaacaagag aaaggagttg2160atgaaactaa tcttcgaaga gaacggttca attgttccta gagcatgtaa ggatgcattt2220tggaacatgt gtcatgtgct aaactttttc tacgcaaacg acgatggttt tactgggaac2280acaatactag atacagtaaa agacatcata tacaaccctt tggtcttagt aaacgaaaac2340gaggagcaaa gataa2355seq id no: 44mnlslciasp lltksnrpaa lsaihtasts hggqtnptnl iidttkeriq kqfknveisv60ssydtawvam vpspnspksp cfpeclnwli nnqlndgswg lvnhthnhnh pllkdslsst120lacivalkrw nvgedqinkg lsfiesnlas ateksqpspi gfdiifpgll eyaknldinl180lskqtdfslm lhkreleqkr chsnemdgyl ayiseglgnl ydwnmvkkyq mkngsvfnsp240sataaafinh qnpgclnyln slldkfgnav ptvyphdlfi rlsmvdtier lgishhfrve300iknvldetyr cwverdeqif mdvvtcalaf rllringyev spdplaeitn elalkdeyaa360letyhashil yqedlssgkq ilksadflke iistdsnrls klihkevena lkfpintgle420rintrrniql ynvdntrilk ttyhssnisn tdylrlaved fytcqsiyre elkglerwvv480enkldqlkfa rqktaycyfs vaatlsspel sdariswakn gilttvvddf fdiggtidel540tnliqcvekw nvdvdkdccs ehvrilflal kdaicwigde afkwqardvt shviqtwlel600mnsmlreaiw trdayvptln eymenayvsf algpivkpai yfvgpklsee ivesseyhnl660fklmstqgrl lndihsfkre fkegklnava lhlsngesgk veeevveemm mmiknkrkel720mklifeengs ivprackdaf wnmchvlnff yanddgftgn tildtvkdii ynplvlvnen780eeqr784seq id no: 45atgaatctgt ccctttgtat agctagtcca ctgttgacaa aatcttctag accaactgct60ctttctgcaa ttcatactgc cagtactagt catggaggtc aaacaaaccc aacaaatttg120ataatcgata ctactaagga gagaatccaa aagctattca aaaatgttga aatctcagta180tcatcttatg acaccgcatg ggttgcaatg gtgccatcac ctaattcccc aaaaagtcca240tgttttccag agtgcttgaa ttggttaatc aataatcagt taaacgatgg ttcttggggt300ttagtcaacc acactcataa ccacaatcat ccattattga aggactcttt atcatcaaca360ttagcctgta ttgttgcatt gaaaagatgg aatgtaggtg aagatcaaat caacaagggt420ttatcattca tagaatccaa tctagcttct gctaccgaca aatcacaacc atctccaatc480gggttcgaca taatcttccc tggtttgctg gagtatgcca aaaaccttga tatcaactta540ctgtctaaac aaacagattt ctctttgatg ctacacaaaa gagagttaga gcagaaaaga600tgccattcta acgaaattga cgggtactta gcatatatct cagaaggttt gggtaatttg660tatgactgga acatggtcaa aaagtatcag atgaaaaatg gatccgtatt caattctcct720tctgcaactg ccgcagcatt cattaatcat caaaaccctg ggtgtcttaa ctacttgaac780tcactattag ataagtttgg aaatgcagtt ccaacagtct atcctttgga cttgtacatc840agattatcta tggttgacac tatagagaga ttaggtattt ctcatcattt cagagttgag900atcaaaaatg ttttggacga gacatacaga tgttgggtcg aaagagatga gcaaatcttt960atggatgtcg tgacctgcgc tctggctttt agattgctaa ggatacacgg atacaaagta1020tctcctgatc aactggctga gattacaaac gaactggctt tcaaagacga atacgccgca1080ttagaaacat accatgcatc ccaaatactt taccaggaag acctaagttc aggaaaacaa1140atcttgaagt ctgcagattt cctgaaaggc attctgtcta cagatagtaa taggttgtct1200aaattgatac acaaggaagt agaaaacgca ctaaagtttc ctattaacac tggtttagag1260agaatcaata ctaggagaaa cattcagctg tacaacgtag ataatacaag gattcttaag1320accacctacc atagttcaaa catttccaac acctattact taagattagc tgtcgaagac1380ttttacactt gtcaatcaat ctacagagag gagttaaagg gcctagaaag atgggtagtt1440caaaacaagt tggatcaact gaagtttgct agacagaaga cagcatactg ttatttctct1500gttgctgcta ccctttcatc cccagaattg tctgatgcca gaataagttg ggccaaaaat1560ggtattctta caactgtagt cgatgatttc tttgatattg gaggtactat tgatgaactg1620acaaatctta ttcaatgtgt tgaaaagtgg aacgtggatg tagataagga ttgctgcagt1680gaacatgtga gaatactttt cctggctcta aaagatgcaa tatgttggat tggcgacgag1740gccttcaagt ggcaagctag agatgttaca tctcatgtca tccaaacttg gcttgaactg1800atgaactcaa tgctaagaga agcaatctgg acaagagatg catacgttcc aacattgaac1860gaatacatgg aaaacgctta cgtctcattt gccttgggtc ctattgttaa gccagccata1920tactttgttg ggccaaagtt atccgaagag attgttgagt cttccgaata tcataaccta1980ttcaagttaa tgtcaacaca aggcagactt ctgaacgata tccactcctt caaaagagaa2040ttcaaggaag gtaagctaaa cgctgttgct ttgcacttgt ctaatggtga atctggcaaa2100gtggaagagg aagtcgttga ggaaatgatg atgatgatca aaaacaagag aaaggaattg2160atgaaattga ttttcgagga aaatggttca atcgtaccta gagcttgtaa agatgctttt2220tggaatatgt gccatgttct taacttcttt tacgctaatg atgatggctt cactggaaat2280acaatattgg atacagttaa agatatcatc tacaacccac ttgttttggt caatgagaac2340gaggaacaaa gataa2355seq id no: 46mnlslciasp lltkssrpta lsaihtasts hggqtnptnl iidttkeriq klfknveisv60ssydtawvam vpspnspksp cfpeclnwli nnqlndgswg lvnhthnhnh pllkdslsst120lacivalkrw nvgedqinkg lsfiesnlas atdksqpspi gfdiifpgll eyaknldinl180lskqtdfslm lhkreleqkr chsneidgyl ayiseglgnl ydwnmvkkyq mkngsvfnsp240sataaafinh qnpgclnyln slldkfgnav ptvypldlyi rlsmvdtier lgishhfrve300iknvldetyr cwverdeqif mdvvtcalaf rllrihgykv spdqlaeitn elafkdeyaa360letyhasqil yqedlssgkq ilksadflkg ilstdsnrls klihkevena lkfpintgle420rintrrniql ynvdntrilk ttyhssnisn tyylrlaved fytcqsiyre elkglerwvv480qnkldqlkfa rqktaycyfs vaatlsspel sdariswakn gilttvvddf fdiggtidel540tnliqcvekw nvdvdkdccs ehvrilflal kdaicwigde afkwqardvt shviqtwlel600mnsmlreaiw trdayvptln eymenayvsf algpivkpai yfvgpklsee ivesseyhnl660fklmstqgrl lndihsfkre fkegklnava lhlsngesgk veeevveemm mmiknkrkel720mklifeengs ivprackdaf wnmchvlnff yanddgftgn tildtvkdii ynplvlvnen780eeqr784seq id no: 47atggctatgc cagtgaagct aacacctgcg tcattatcct taaaagctgt gtgctgcaga60ttctcatccg gtggccatgc tttgagattc gggagtagtc tgccatgttg gagaaggacc120cctacccaaa gatctacttc ttcctctact actagaccag ctgccgaagt gtcatcaggt180aagagtaaac aacatgatca ggaagctagt gaagcgacta tcagacaaca attacaactt240gtggatgtcc tggagaatat gggaatatcc agacattttg ctgcagagat aaagtgcata300ctagacagaa cttacagatc ttggttacaa agacacgagg aaatcatgct ggacactatg360acatgtgcta tggcttttag aatcctaaga ttgaacggat acaacgtttc atcagatgaa420ctataccacg ttgtagaggc atctggtctg cataattctt tgggtgggta tcttaacgat480accagaacac tacttgaatt acacaaggct tcaacagtta gtatctctga ggatgaatct540atcttagatt caattggctc tagatccaga acattgctta gagaacaatt ggagtctggt600ggcgcactga gaaagccttc tttattcaaa gaggttgaac atgcactgga tggacctttt660tacaccacac ttgatagact tcatcatagg tggaatattg aaaacttcaa cattattgag720caacacatgt tggagactcc atacttatct aaccagcata catcaaggga tatcctagca780ttgtcaatta gagatttttc ctcctcacaa ttcacttatc aacaagagct acagcatctg840gagagttggg ttaaggaatg tagattagat caactacagt tcgcaagaca gaaattagcg900tacttttacc tatcagccgc aggcaccatg ttttctcctg agctttctga tgcgagaaca960ttatgggcca aaaacggggt gttgacaact attgttgatg atttctttga tgttgccggt1020tctaaagagg aattggaaaa cttagtcatg ctggtcgaaa tgtgggatga acatcacaaa1080gttgaattct attctgagca ggtcgaaatc atcttctctt ccatctacga ttctgtcaac1140caattgggtg agaaggcctc tttggttcaa gacagatcaa ttacaaaaca ccttgttgaa1200atatggttag acttgttaaa gtccatgatg acggaagttg aatggagact gtcaaaatac1260gtgcctacag aaaaggaata catgattaat gcctctctta tcttcggcct aggtccaatc1320gttttaccag ctttgtattt cgttggtcca aagatttcag aaagtatagt aaaggaccca1380gaatatgatg aattgttcaa actaatgtca acatgtggta gattgttgaa tgacgtgcaa1440acgttcgaaa gagaatacaa tgagggtaaa ctgaattctg tcagtctatt ggttcttcac1500ggaggcccaa tgtctatttc agacgcaaag aggaaattac aaaagcctat tgatacgtgt1560agaagagatc ttctttcttt ggtccttaga gaagagtctg tagtaccaag accatgtaag1620gaactattct ggaaaatgtg taaagtgtgc tatttctttt actcaacaac tgatgggttt1680tctagtcaag tcgaaagagc aaaagaggta gacgctgtca taaatgagcc actgaagttg1740caaggttctc atacactggt atctgatgtt taa1773seq id no: 48mampvkltpa slslkavccr fssgghalrf gsslpcwrrt ptqrstssst trpaaevssg60kskqhdqeas eatirqqlql vdvlenmgis rhfaaeikci ldrtyrswlq rheeimldtm120tcamafrilr lngynvssde lyhvveasgl hnslggylnd trtllelhka stvsisedes180ildsigsrsr tllreqlesg galrkpslfk evehaldgpf yttldrlhhr wnienfniie240qhmletpyls nqhtsrdila lsirdfsssq ftyqqelqhl eswvkecrld qlqfarqkla300yfylsaagtm fspelsdart lwakngvltt ivddffdvag skeelenlvm lvemwdehhk360vefyseqvei ifssiydsvn qlgekaslvq drsitkhlve iwldllksmm tevewrlsky420vptekeymin aslifglgpi vlpalyfvgp kisesivkdp eydelfklms tcgrllndvq480tfereynegk lnsvsllvlh ggpmsisdak rklqkpidtc rrdllslvlr eesvvprpck540elfwkmckvc yffysttdgf ssqverakev davineplkl qgshtlvsdv590seq id no: 49atgcagaact tccatggtac aaaggaaagg atcaaaaaga tgtttgacaa gattgaattg60tccgtttctt cttatgatac agcctgggtt gcaatggtcc catcccctga ttgcccagaa120acaccttgtt ttccagaatg tactaaatgg atcctagaaa atcagttggg tgatggtagt180tggtcacttc ctcatggcaa tccacttcta gttaaagatg cattatcttc cactcttgct240tgtattctgg ctcttaaaag atggggaatc ggtgaggaac agattaacaa aggactgaga300ttcatagaac tcaactctgc tagtgtaacc gataacgaac aacacaaacc aattggattt360gacattatct ttccaggtat gattgaatac gctatagact tagacctgaa tctaccacta420aaaccaactg acattaactc catgttgcat cgtagagccc ttgaattgac atcaggtgga480ggcaaaaatc tagaaggtag aagagcttac ttggcctacg tctctgaagg aatcggtaag540ctgcaagatt gggaaatggc tatgaaatac caacgtaaaa acggatctct gttcaatagt600ccatcaacaa ctgcagctgc attcatccat atacaagatg ctgaatgcct ccactatatt660cgttctcttc tccagaaatt tggaaacgca gtccctacaa tataccctct cgatatctat720gccagacttt caatggtaga tgccctggaa cgtcttggta ttgatagaca tttcagaaag780gagagaaagt tcgttctgga tgaaacatac agattttggt tgcaaggaga agaggagatt840ttctccgata acgcaacctg tgctttggcc ttcagaatat tgagacttaa tggttacgat900gtctctcttg aagatcactt ctctaactct ctgggcggtt acttaaagga ctcaggagca960gctttagaac tgtacagagc cctccaattg tcttacccag acgagtccct cctggaaaag1020caaaattcta gaacttctta cttcttaaaa caaggtttat ccaatgtctc cctctgtggt1080gacagattgc gtaaaaacat aattggagag gtgcatgatg ctttaaactt ttccgaccac1140gctaacttac aaagattagc tattcgtaga aggattaagc attacgctac tgacgataca1200aggattctaa aaacttccta cagatgctca acaatcggta accaagattt tctaaaactt1260gcagtggaag atttcaatat ctgtcaatca atacaaagag aggaattcaa gcatattgaa1320agatgggtcg ttgaaagacg tctagacaag ttaaagttcg ctagacaaaa agaggcctat1380tgctatttct cagccgcagc aacattgttt gcccctgaat tgtctgatgc tagaatgtct1440tgggccaaaa atggtgtatt gacaactgtg gttgatgatt tcttcgatgt cggaggctct1500gaagaggaat tagttaactt gatagaattg atcgagcgtt gggatgtgaa tggcagtgca1560gatttttgta gtgaggaagt tgagattatc tattctgcta tccactcaac tatctctgaa1620ataggtgata agtcatttgg ctggcaaggt agagatgtaa agtctcaagt tatcaagatc1680tggctggact tattgaaatc aatgttaact gaagctcaat ggtcttcaaa caagtctgtt1740cctaccctag atgagtatat gacaaccgcc catgtttcat tcgcacttgg tccaattgta1800cttccagcct tatacttcgt tggcccaaag ttgtcagaag aggttgcagg tcatcctgaa1860ctactaaacc tctacaaagt cacatctact tgtggcagac tactgaatga ttggagaagt1920tttaagagag aatccgagga aggtaagctc aacgctatta gtttatacat gatccactcc1980ggtggtgctt ctacagaaga ggaaacaatc gaacatttca aaggtttgat tgattctcag2040agaaggcaac tgttacaatt ggtgttgcaa gagaaggata gtatcatacc tagaccatgt2100aaagatctat tttggaatat gattaagtta ttacacactt tctacatgaa agatgatggc2160ttcacctcaa atgagatgag gaatgtagtt aaggcaatca ttaacgaacc aatctcactg2220gatgaattat ga2232seq id no: 50mscirpwfcp ssisatltdp asklvtgefk ttslnfhgtk erikkmfdki elsvssydta60wvamvpspdc petpcfpect kwilenqlgd gswslphgnp llvkdalsst lacilalkrw120gigeeqinkg lrfielnsas vtdneqhkpi gfdiifpgmi eyakdldlnl plkptdinsm180lhrralelts gggknlegrr aylayvsegi gklqdwemam kyqrkngslf nspsttaaaf240ihiqdaeclh yirsllqkfg navptiypld iyarlsmvda lerlgidrhf rkerkfvlde300tyrfwlqgee eifsdnatca lafrilrlng ydvsledhfs nslggylkds gaalelyral360qlsypdesll ekqnsrtsyf lkqglsnvsl cgdrlrknii gevhdalnfp dhanlqrlai420rrrikhyatd dtrilktsyr cstignqdfl klavedfnic qsiqreefkh ierwvverrl480dklkfarqke aycyfsaaat lfapelsdar mswakngvlt tvvddffdvg gseeelvnli540elierwdvng sadfcseeve iiysaihsti seigdksfgw qgrdvkshvi kiwldllksm600lteaqwssnk svptldeymt tahvsfalgp ivlpalyfvg pklseevagh pellnlykvm660stcgrllndw rsfkreseeg klnaislymi hsggasteee tiehfkglid sqrrqllqlv720lqekdsiipr pckdlfwnmi kllhtfymkd dgftsnemrn vvkaiinepi sldel775seq id no: 51a . thalianaatgtctatca accttcgctc ctccggttgt tcgtctccga tctcagctac tttggaacga60ggattggact cagaagtaca gacaagagct aacaatgtga gctttgagca aacaaaggag120aagattagga agatgttgga gaaagtggag ctttctgttt cggcctacga tactagttgg180gtagcaatgg ttccatcacc gagctcccaa aatgctccac ttttcccaca gtgtgtgaaa240tggttattgg ataatcaaca tgaagatgga tcttggggac ttgataacca tgaccatcaa300tctcttaaga aggatgtgtt atcatctaca ctggctagta tcctcgcgtt aaagaagtgg360ggaattggtg aaagacaaat aaacaagggt ctccagttta ttgagctgaa ttctgcatta420gtcactgatg aaaccataca gaaaccaaca gggtttgata ttatatttcc tgggatgatt480aaatatgcta gagatttgaa tctgacgatt ccattgggct cagaagtggt ggatgacatg540atacgaaaaa gagatctgga tcttaaatgt gatagtgaaa agttttcaaa gggaagagaa600gcatatctgg cctatgtttt agaggggaca agaaacctaa aagattggga tttgatagtc660aaatatcaaa ggaaaaatgg gtcactgttt gattctccag ccacaacagc agctgctttt720actcagtttg ggaatgatgg ttgtctccgt tatctctgtt ctctccttca gaaattcgag780gctgcagttc cttcagttta tccatttgat caatatgcac gccttagtat aattgtcact840cttgaaagct taggaattga tagagatttc aaaaccgaaa tcaaaagcat attggatgaa900acctatagat attggcttcg tggggatgaa gaaatatgtt tggacttggc cacttgtgct960ttggctttcc gattattgct tgctcatggc tatgatgtgt cttacgatcc gctaaaacca1020tttgcagaag aatctggttt ctctgatact ttggaaggat atgttaagaa tacgttttct1080gtgttagaat tatttaaggc tgctcaaagt tatccacatg aatcagcttt gaagaagcag1140tgttgttgga ctaaacaata tctggagatg gaattgtcca gctgggttaa gacctctgtt1200cgagataaat acctcaagaa agaggtcgag gatgctcttg cttttccctc ctatgcaagc1260ctagaaagat cagatcacag gagaaaaata ctcaatggtt ctgctgtgga aaacaccaga1320gttacaaaaa cctcatatcg tttgcacaat atttgcacct ctgatatcct gaagttagct1380gtggatgact tcaatttctg ccagtccata caccgtgaag aaatggaacg tcttgatagg1440tggattgtgg agaatagatt gcaggaactg aaatttgcca gacagaagct ggcttactgt1500tatttctctg gggctgcaac tttattttct ccagaactat ctgatgctcg tatatcgtgg1560gccaaaggtg gagtacttac aacggttgta gacgacttct ttgatgttgg agggtccaaa1620gaagaactgg aaaacctcat acacttggtc gaaaagtggg atttgaacgg tgttcctgag1680tacagctcag aacatgttga gatcatattc tcagttctaa gggacaccat tctcgaaaca1740ggagacaaag cattcaccta tcaaggacgc aatgtgacac accacattgt gaaaatttgg1800ttggatctgc tcaagtctat gttgagagaa gccgagtggt ccagtgacaa gtcaacacca1860agcttggagg attacatgga aaatgcgtac atatcatttg cattaggacc aattgtcctc1920ccagctacct atctgatcgg acctccactt ccagagaaga cagtcgatag ccaccaatat1980aatcagctct acaagctcgt gagcactatg ggtcgtcttc taaatgacat acaaggtttt2040aagagagaaa gcgcggaagg gaagctgaat gcggtttcat tgcacatgaa acacgagaga2100gacaatcgca gcaaagaagt gatcatagaa tcgatgaaag gtttagcaga gagaaagagg2160gaagaattgc ataagctagt tttggaggag aaaggaagtg tggttccaag ggaatgcaaa2220gaagcgttct tgaaaatgag caaagtgttg aacttatttt acaggaagga cgatggattc2280acatcaaatg atctgatgag tcttgttaaa tcagtgatct acgagcctgt tagcttacag2340aaagaatctt taacttga2358seq id no: 52a . thalianamsinlrssgc sspisatler gldsevqtra nnvsfeqtke kirkmlekve lsvsaydtsw60vamvpspssq naplfpqcvk wlldnqhedg swgldnhdhq slkkdvlsst lasilalkkw120gigerqinkg lqfielnsal vtdetiqkpt gfdiifpgmi kyardlnlti plgsevvddm180irkrdldlkc dsekfskgre aylayvlegt rnlkdwdliv kyqrkngslf dspattaaaf240tqfgndgclr ylcsllqkfe aavpsvypfd qyarlsiivt leslgidrdf kteiksilde300tyrywlrgde eicldlatca lafrlllahg ydvsydplkp faeesgfsdt legyvkntfs360vlelfkaaqs yphesalkkq ccwtkqylem elsswvktsv rdkylkkeve dalafpsyas420lersdhrrki lngsaventr vtktsyrlhn ictsdilkla vddfnfcqsi hreemerldr480wivenrlqel kfarqklayc yfsgaatlfs pelsdarisw akggvlttvv ddffdvggsk540eelenlihlv ekwdlngvpe yssehveiif svlrdtilet gdkaftyqgr nvthhivkiw600ldllksmlre aewssdkstp sledymenay isfalgpivl patyligppl pektvdshqy660nqlyklvstm grllndiqgf kresaegkln avslhmkher dnrskeviie smkglaerkr720eelhklvlee kgsvvpreck eaflkmskvl nlfyrkddgf tsndlmslvk sviyepvslq780keslt785seq id no: 53atggaatttg atgaaccatt ggttgacgaa gcaagatctt tagtgcagcg tactttacaa60gattatgatg acagatacgg cttcggtact atgtcatgtg ctgcttatga tacagcctgg120gtgtctttag ttacaaaaac agtcgatggg agaaaacaat ggcttttccc agagtgtttt180gaatttctac tagaaacaca atctgatgcc ggaggatggg aaatcgggaa ttcagcacca240atcgacggta tattgaatac agctgcatcc ttacttgctc taaaacgtca cgttcaaact300gagcaaatca tccaacctca acatgaccat aaggatctag caggtagagc tgaacgtgcc360gctgcatctt tgagagcaca attggctgca ttggatgtgt ctacaactga acacgtcggt420tttgagataa ttgttcctgc aatgctagac ccattagaag ccgaagatcc atctctagtt480ttcgattttc cagctaggaa acctttgatg aagattcatg atgctaagat gagtagattc540aggccagaat acttgtatgg caaacaacca atgaccgcct tacattcatt agaggctttc600ataggcaaaa tcgacttcga taaggtaaga caccaccgta cccatgggtc tatgatgggt660tctccttcat ctaccgcagc ctacttaatg cacgcttcac aatgggatgg tgactcagag720gcttacctta gacacgtgat taaacacgca gcagggcagg gaactggtgc tgtaccatct780gctttcccat caacacattt tgagtcatct tggattctta ccacattgtt tagagctgga840ttttcagctt ctcatcttgc ctgtgatgag ttgaacaagt tggtcgagat acttgagggc900tcattcgaga aggaaggtgg ggcaatcggt tacgctccag ggtttcaagc agatgttgat960gatactgcta aaacaataag tacattagca gtccttggaa gagatgctac accaagacaa1020atgatcaagg tatttgaagc taatacacat tttagaacat accctggtga aagagatcct1080tctttgacag ctaattgtaa tgctctatca gccttactac accaaccaga tgcagcaatg1140tatggatctc aaattcaaaa gattaccaaa tttgtctgtg actattggtg gaagtctgat1200ggtaagatta aagataagtg gaacacttgc tacttgtacc catctgtctt attagttgag1260gttttggttg atcttgttag tttattggag cagggtaaat tgcctgatgt tttggatcaa1320gagcttcaat acagagtcgc catcacattg ttccaagcat gtttaaggcc attactagac1380caagatgccg aaggatcatg gaacaagtct atcgaagcca cagcctacgg catccttatc1440ctaactgaag ctaggagagt ttgtttcttc gacagattgt ctgagccatt gaatgaggca1500atccgtagag gtatcgcttt cgccgactct atgtctggaa ctgaagctca gttgaactac1560atttggatcg aaaaggttag ttacgcacct gcattattga ctaaatccta tttgttagca1620gcaagatggg ctgctaagtc tcctttaggc gcttccgtag gctcttcttt gtggactcca1680ccaagagaag gattggataa gcatgtcaga ttattccatc aagctgagtt attcagatcc1740cttccagaat gggaattaag agcctccatg attgaagcag ctttgttcac accacttcta1800agagcacata gactagacgt tttccctaga caagatgtag gtgaagacaa atatcttgat1860gtagttccat tcttttggac tgccgctaac aacagagata gaacttacgc ttccactcta1920ttcctttacg atatgtgttt tatcgcaatg ttaaacttcc agttagacga attcatggag1980gccacagccg gtatcttatt cagagatcat atggatgatt tgaggcaatt gattcatgat2040cttttggcag agaaaacttc cccaaagagt tctggtagaa gtagtcaggg cacaaaagat2100gctgactcag gtatagagga agacgtgtca atgtccgatt cagcttcaga ttcccaggat2160agaagtccag aatacgactt ggttttcagt gcattgagta cctttacaaa acatgtcttg2220caacacccat ctatacaaag tgcctctgta tgggatagaa aactacttgc tagagagatg2280aaggcttact tacttgctca tatccaacaa gcagaagatt caactccatt gtctgaattg2340aaagatgtgc ctcaaaagac tgatgtaaca agagtttcta catctactac taccttcttt2400aactgggtta gaacaacttc cgcagaccat atatcctgcc catactcctt ccactttgta2460gcatgccatc taggcgcagc attgtcacct aaagggtcta acggtgattg ctatccttca2520gctggtgaga agttcttggc agctgcagtc tgcagacatt tggccaccat gtgtagaatg2580tacaacgatc ttggatcagc tgaacgtgat tctgatgaag gtaatttgaa ctccttggac2640ttccctgaat tcgccgattc cgcaggaaac ggagggatag aaattcagaa ggccgctcta2700ttaaggttag ctgagtttga gagagattca tacttagagg ccttccgtcg tttacaagat2760gaatccaata gagttcacgg tccagccggt ggtgatgaag ccagattgtc cagaaggaga2820atggcaatcc ttgaattctt cgcccagcag gtagatttgt acggtcaagt atacgtcatt2880agggatattt ccgctcgtat tcctaaaaac gaggttgaga aaaagagaaa attggatgat2940gctttcaatt ga2952seq id no: 54mefdeplvde arslvqrtlq dyddrygfgt mscaaydtaw vslvtktvdg rkqwlfpecf60eflletqsda ggweignsap idgilntaas llalkrhvqt eqiiqpqhdh kdlagraera120aaslraqlaa ldvsttehvg feiivpamld pleaedpslv fdfparkplm kihdakmsrf180rpeylygkqp mtalhsleaf igkidfdkvr hhrthgsmmg spsstaaylm hasqwdgdse240aylrhvikha agqgtgavps afpsthfess wilttlfrag fsashlacde lnklveileg300sfekeggaig yapgfqadvd dtaktistla vlgrdatprq mikvfeanth frtypgerdp360sltancnals allhqpdaam ygsqiqkitk fvcdywwksd gkikdkwntc ylypsvllve420vlvdlvslle qgklpdvldq elqyrvaitl fqaclrplld qdaegswnks ieataygili480ltearrvcff drlseplnea irrgiafads msgteaqlny iwiekvsyap alltksylla540arwaaksplg asvgsslwtp pregldkhvr lfhqaelfrs lpewelrasm ieaalftpll600rahrldvfpr qdvgedkyld vvpffwtaan nrdrtyastl flydmcfiam lnfqldefme660atagilfrdh mddlrqlihd llaektspks sgrssqgtkd adsgieedvs msdsasdsqd720rspeydlvfs alstftkhvl qhpsiqsasv wdrkllarem kayllahiqq aedstplsel780kdvpqktdvt rvststttff nwvrttsadh iscpysfhfv achlgaalsp kgsngdcyps840agekflaaav crhlatmcrm yndlgsaerd sdegnlnsld fpefadsagn ggieiqkaal900lrlaeferds yleafrrlqd esnrvhgpag gdearlsrrr maileffaqq vdlygqvyvi960rdisaripkn evekkrkldd afn983seq id no: 55atggcttcta gtacacttat ccaaaacaga tcatgtggcg tcacatcatc tatgtcaagt60tttcaaatct tcagaggtca accactaaga tttcctggca ctagaacccc agctgcagtt120caatgcttga aaaagaggag atgccttagg ccaaccgaat ccgtactaga atcatctcct180ggctctggtt catatagaat agtaactggc ccttctggaa ttaaccctag ttctaacggg240cacttgcaag agggttcctt gactcacagg ttaccaatac caatggaaaa atctatcgat300aacttccaat ctactctata tgtgtcagat atttggtctg aaacactaca gagaactgaa360tgtttgctac aagtaactga aaacgtccag atgaatgagt ggattgagga aattagaatg420tactttagaa atatgacttt aggtgaaatt tccatgtccc cttacgacac tgcttgggtg480gctagagttc cagcgttgga cggttctcat gggcctcaat tccacagatc tttgcaatgg540attatcgaca accaattacc agatggggac tggggcgaac cttctctttt cttgggttac600gatagagttt gtaatacttt agcctgtgtg attgcgttga aaacatgggg tgttggggca660caaaacgttg aaagaggaat tcagttccta caatctaaca tatacaagat ggaggaagat720gacgctaatc atatgccaat aggattcgaa atcgtattcc ctgctatgat ggaagatgcc780aaagcattag gtttggattt gccatacgat gctactattt tgcaacagat ttcagccgaa840agagagaaaa agatgaaaaa gatcccaatg gcaatggtgt acaaataccc aaccacttta900cttcactcct tagaaggctt gcatagagaa gttgattgga ataagttgtt acaattacaa960tctgaaaatg gtagttttct ttattcacct gcttcaaccg catgcgcctt aatgtacact1020aaggacgtta aatgttttga ttacttaaac cagttgttga tcaagttcga ccacgcatgc1080ccaaatgtat atccagtcga tctattcgaa agattatgga tggttgacag attgcagaga1140ttagggatct ccagatactt tgaaagagag attagagatt gtttacaata cgtctacaga1200tattggaaag attgtggaat cggatgggct tctaactctt ccgtacaaga tgttgatgat1260acagccatgg cgtttagact tttaaggact catggtttcg acgtaaagga agattgcttt1320agacagtttt tcaaggacgg agaattcttc tgcttcgcag gccaatcatc tcaagcagtt1380acaggcatgt ttaatctttc aagagccagt caaacattgt ttccaggaga atctttattg1440aaaaaggcta gaaccttctc tagaaacttc ttgagaacaa agcatgagaa caacgaatgt1500ttcgataaat ggatcattac taaagatttg gctggtgaag tcgagtataa cttgaccttc1560ccatggtatg cctctttgcc tagattagaa cataggacat acttagatca atatggaatc1620gatgatatct ggataggcaa atctttatac aaaatgcctg ctgttaccaa cgaagttttc1680ctaaagttgg caaaggcaga ctttaacatg tgtcaagctc tacacaaaaa ggaattggaa1740caagtgataa agtggaacgc gtcctgtcaa ttcagagatc ttgaattcgc cagacaaaaa1800tcagtagaat gctattttgc tggtgcagcc acaatgttcg aaccagaaat ggttcaagct1860agattagtct gggcaagatg ttgtgtattg acaactgtct tagacgatta ctttgaccac1920gggacacctg ttgaggaact tagagtgttt gttcaagctg tcagaacatg gaatccagag1980ttgatcaacg gtttgccaga gcaagctaaa atcttgttta tgggcttata caaaacagtt2040aacacaattg cagaggaagc attcatggca cagaaaagag acgtccatca tcatttgaaa2100cactattggg acaagttgat aacaagtgcc ctaaaggagg ccgaatgggc agagtcaggt2160tacgtcccaa catttgatga atacatggaa gtagctgaaa tttctgttgc tctagaacca2220attgtctgta gtaccttgtt ctttgcgggt catagactag atgaggatgt tctagatagt2280tacgattacc atctagttat gcatttggta aacagagtcg gtagaatctt gaatgatata2340caaggcatga agagggaggc ttcacaaggt aagatctcat cagttcaaat ctacatggag2400gaacatccat ctgttccatc tgaggccatg gcgatcgctc atcttcaaga gttagttgat2460aattcaatgc agcaattgac atacgaagtt cttaggttca ctgcggttcc aaaaagttgt2520aagagaatcc acttgaatat ggctaaaatc atgcatgcct tctacaagga tactgatgga2580ttctcatccc ttactgcaat gacaggattc gtcaaaaagg ttcttttcga acctgtgcct2640gagtaa2646seq id no: 56masstliqnr scgvtssmss fqifrgqplr fpgtrtpaav qclkkrrclr ptesvlessp60gsgsyrivtg psginpssng hlqegslthr lpipmeksid nfqstlyvsd iwsetlqrte120cllqvtenvq mnewieeirm yfrnmtlgei smspydtawv arvpaldgsh gpqfhrslqw180iidnqlpdgd wgepslflgy drvcntlacv ialktwgvga qnvergiqfl qsniykmeed240danhmpigfe ivfpammeda kalgldlpyd atilqqisae rekkmkkipm amvykypttl300lhsleglhre vdwnkllqlq sengsflysp astacalmyt kdvkcfdyln qllikfdhac360pnvypvdlfe rlwmvdrlqr lgisryfere irdclqyvyr ywkdcgigwa snssvqdvdd420tamafrllrt hgfdvkedcf rqffkdgeff cfagqssqav tgmfnlsras qtlfpgesll480kkartfsrnf lrtkhennec fdkwiitkdl ageveynltf pwyaslprle hrtyldqygi540ddiwigksly kmpavtnevf lklakadfnm cqalhkkele qvikwnascq frdlefarqk600svecyfagaa tmfepemvqa rlvwarccvl ttvlddyfdh gtpveelrvf vqavrtwnpe660linglpeqak ilfmglyktv ntiaeeafma qkrdvhhhlk hywdklitsa lkeaewaesg720yvptfdeyme vaeisvalep ivcstlffag hrldedvlds ydyhlvmhlv nrvgrilndi780qgmkreasqg kissvqiyme ehpsvpseam aiahlqelvd nsmqqltyev lrftavpksc840krihlnmaki mhafykdtdg fssltamtgf vkkvlfepvp e881seq id no: 57atgcctggta aaattgaaaa tggtacccca aaggacctca agactggaaa tgattttgtt60tctgctgcta agagtttact agatcgagct ttcaaaagtc atcattccta ctacggatta120tgctcaactt catgtcaagt ttatgataca gcttgggttg caatgattcc aaaaacaaga180gataatgtaa aacagtggtt gtttccagaa tgtttccatt acctcttaaa aacacaagcc240gcagatggct catggggttc attgcctaca acacagacag cgggtatcct agatacagcc300tcagctgtgc tggcattatt gtgccacgca caagagcctt tacaaatatt ggatgtatct360ccagatgaaa tggggttgag aatagaacac ggtgtcacat ccttgaaacg tcaattagca420gtttggaatg atgtggagga caccaaccat attggcgtcg agtttatcat accagcctta480ctttccatgc tagaaaagga attagatgtt ccatcttttg aatttccatg taggtccatc540ttagagagaa tgcacgggga gaaattaggt catttcgacc tggaacaagt ttacggcaag600ccaagctcat tgttgcactc attggaagca tttctcggta agctagattt tgatcgacta660tcacatcacc tataccacgg cagtatgatg gcatctccat cttcaacggc tgcttatctt720attggggcta caaaatggga tgacgaagcc gaagattacc taagacatgt aatgcgtaat780ggtgcaggac atgggaatgg aggtatttct ggtacatttc caactactca tttcgaatgt840agctggatta tagcaacgtt gttaaaggtt ggctttactt tgaagcaaat tgacggcgat900ggcttaagag gtttatcaac catcttactt gaggcgcttc gtgatgagaa tggtgtcata960ggctttgccc ctagaacagc agatgtagat gacacagcca aagctctatt ggccttgtca1020ttggtaaacc agccagtgtc acctgatatc atgattaagg tctttgaggg caaagaccat1080tttaccactt ttggttcaga aagagatcca tcattgactt ccaacctgca cgtcctttta1140tctttactta aacaatctaa cttgtctcaa taccatcctc aaatcctcaa aacaacatta1200ttcacttgta gatggtggtg gggttccgat cattgtgtca aagacaaatg gaatttgagt1260cacctatatc caactatgtt gttggttgaa gccttcactg aagtgctcca tctcattgac1320ggtggtgaat tgtctagtct gtttgatgaa tcctttaagt gtaagattgg tcttagcatc1380tttcaagcgg tacttagaat aatcctcacc caagacaacg acggctcttg gagaggatac1440agagaacaga cgtgttacgc aatattggct ttagttcaag cgagacatgt atgctttttc1500actcacatgg ttgacagact gcaatcatgt gttgatcgag gtttctcatg gttgaaatct1560tgctcttttc attctcaaga cctgacttgg acctctaaaa cagcttatga agtgggtttc1620gtagctgaag catataaact agctgcttta caatctgctt ccctggaggt tcctgctgcc1680accattggac attctgtcac gtctgccgtt ccatcaagtg atcttgaaaa atacatgaga1740ttggtgagaa aaactgcgtt attctctcca ctggatgagt ggggtctaat ggcttctatc1800atcgaatctt catttttcgt accattactg caggcacaaa gagttgaaat ataccctaga1860gataatatca aggtggacga agataagtac ttgtctatta tcccattcac atgggtcgga1920tgcaataata ggtctagaac tttcgcaagt aacagatggc tatacgatat gatgtacctt1980tcattactcg gctatcaaac cgacgagtac atggaagctg tagctgggcc agtgtttggg2040gatgtttcct tgttacatca aacaattgat aaggtgattg ataatacaat gggtaacctt2100gcgagagcca atggaacagt acacagtggt aatggacatc agcacgaatc tcctaatata2160ggtcaagtcg aggacacctt gactcgtttc acaaattcag tcttgaatca caaagacgtc2220cttaactcta gctcatctga tcaagatact ttgagaagag agtttagaac attcatgcac2280gctcatataa cacaaatcga agataactca cgattcagta agcaagcctc atccgatgcg2340ttttcctctc ctgaacaatc ttactttcaa tgggtgaact caactggtgg ctcacatgtc2400gcttgcgcct attcatttgc cttctctaat tgcctcatgt ctgcaaattt gttgcagggt2460aaagacgcat ttccaagcgg aacgcaaaag tacttaatct cctctgttat gagacatgcc2520acaaacatgt gtagaatgta taacgacttt ggctctattg ccagagacaa cgctgagaga2580aatgttaata gtattcattt tcctgagttt actctctgta acggaacttc tcaaaaccta2640gatgaaagga aggaaagact tctgaaaatc gcaacttacg aacaagggta tttggataga2700gcactagagg ccttggaaag acagagtaga gatgatgccg gagacagagc tggatctaaa2760gatatgagaa agttgaaaat cgttaagtta ttctgtgatg ttacggactt atacgatcag2820ctctacgtta tcaaagattt gtcatcctct atgaagtaa2859seq id no: 58mpgkiengtp kdlktgndfv saakslldra fkshhsyygl cstscqvydt awvamipktr60dnvkqwlfpe cfhyllktqa adgswgslpt tqtagildta savlallcha qeplqildvs120pdemglrieh gvtslkrqla vwndvedtnh igvefiipal lsmlekeldv psfefpcrsi180lermhgeklg hfdleqvygk pssllhslea flgkldfdrl shhlyhgsmm aspsstaayl240igatkwddea edylrhvmrn gaghgnggis gtfptthfec swiiatllkv gftlkqidgd300glrglstill ealrdengvi gfaprtadvd dtakallals lvnqpvspdi mikvfegkdh360fttfgserdp sltsnlhvll sllkqsnlsq yhpqilkttl ftcrwwwgsd hcvkdkwnls420hlyptmllve aftevlhlid ggelsslfde sfkckiglsi fqavlriilt qdndgswrgy480reqtcyaila lvqarhvcff thmvdrlqsc vdrgfswlks csfhsqdltw tsktayevgf540vaeayklaal qsaslevpaa tighsvtsav pssdlekymr lvrktalfsp ldewglmasi600iessffvpll qaqrveiypr dnikvdedky lsiipftwvg cnnrsrtfas nrwlydmmyl660sllgyqtdey meavagpvfg dvsllhqtid kvidntmgnl arangtvhsg nghqhespni720gqvedtltrf tnsvlnhkdv lnssssdqdt lrrefrtfmh ahitqiedns rfskqassda780fsspeqsyfq wvnstggshv acaysfafsn clmsanllqg kdafpsgtqk ylissvmrha840tnmcrmyndf gsiardnaer nvnsihfpef tlcngtsqnl derkerllki atyeqgyldr900alealerqsr ddagdragsk dmrklkivkl fcdvtdlydq lyvikdlsss mk952seq id no: 59s . rebaudianaatggatgctg tgacgggttt gttaactgtc ccagcaaccg ctataactat tggtggaact60gctgtagcat tggcggtagc gctaatcttt tggtacctga aatcctacac atcagctaga120agatcccaat caaatcatct tccaagagtg cctgaagtcc caggtgttcc attgttagga180aatctgttac aattgaagga gaaaaagcca tacatgactt ttacgagatg ggcagcgaca240tatggaccta tctatagtat caaaactggg gctacaagta tggttgtggt atcatctaat300gagatagcca aggaggcatt ggtgaccaga ttccaatcca tatctacaag gaacttatct360aaagccctga aagtacttac agcagataag acaatggtcg caatgtcaga ttatgatgat420tatcataaaa cagttaagag acacatactg accgccgtct tgggtcctaa tgcacagaaa480aagcatagaa ttcacagaga tatcatgatg gataacatat ctactcaact tcatgaattc540gtgaaaaaca acccagaaca ggaagaggta gaccttagaa aaatctttca atctgagtta600ttcggcttag ctatgagaca agccttagga aaggatgttg aaagtttgta cgttgaagac660ctgaaaatca ctatgaatag agacgaaatc tttcaagtcc ttgttgttga tccaatgatg720ggagcaatcg atgttgattg gagagacttc tttccatacc taaagtgggt cccaaacaaa780aagttcgaaa atactattca acaaatgtac atcagaagag aagctgttat gaaatcttta840atcaaagagc acaaaaagag aatagcgtca ggcgaaaagc taaatagtta tatcgattac900cttttatctg aagctcaaac tttaaccgat cagcaactat tgatgtcctt gtgggaacca960atcattgaat cttcagatac aacaatggtc acaacagaat gggcaatgta cgaattagct1020aaaaacccta aattgcaaga taggttgtac agagacatta agtccgtctg tggatctgaa1080aagataaccg aagagcatct atcacagctg ccttacatta cagctatttt ccacgaaaca1140ctgagaagac actcaccagt tcctatcatt cctctaagac atgtacatga agataccgtt1200ctaggcggct accatgttcc tgctggcaca gaacttgccg ttaacatcta cggttgcaac1260atggacaaaa acgtttggga aaatccagag gaatggaacc cagaaagatt catgaaagag1320aatgagacaa ttgattttca aaagacgatg gccttcggtg gtggtaagag agtttgtgct1380ggttccttgc aagccctttt aactgcatct attgggattg ggagaatggt tcaagagttc1440gaatggaaac tgaaggatat gactcaagag gaagtgaaca cgataggcct aactacacaa1500atgttaagac cattgagagc tattatcaaa cctaggatct aa1542seq id no: 60s . rebaudianamdavtglltv pataitiggt avalavalif wylksytsar rsqsnhlprv pevpgvpllg60nllqlkekkp ymtftrwaat ygpiysiktg atsmvvvssn eiakealvtr fqsistrnls120kalkvltadk tmvamsdydd yhktvkrhil tavlgpnaqk khrihrdimm dnistqlhef180vknnpeqeev dlrkifqsel fglamrqalg kdveslyved lkitmnrdei fqvlvvdpmm240gaidvdwrdf fpylkwvpnk kfentiqqmy irreavmksl ikehkkrias geklnsyidy300llseaqtltd qqllmslwep iiessdttmv ttewamyela knpklqdrly rdiksvcgse360kiteehlsql pyitaifhet lrrhspvpii plrhvhedtv lggyhvpagt elavniygcn420mdknvwenpe ewnperfmke netidfqktm afgggkrvca gslqalltas igigrmvqef480ewklkdmtqe evntiglttq mlrplraiik pri513seq id no: 61aagcttacta gtaaaatgga cggtgtcatc gatatgcaaa ccattccatt gagaaccgct60attgctattg gtggtactgc tgttgctttg gttgttgcat tatacttttg gttcttgaga120tcctacgctt ccccatctca tcattctaat catttgccac cagtacctga agttccaggt180gttccagttt tgggtaattt gttgcaattg aaagaaaaaa agccttacat gaccttcacc240aagtgggctg aaatgtatgg tccaatctac tctattagaa ctggtgctac ttccatggtt300gttgtctctt ctaacgaaat cgccaaagaa gttgttgtta ccagattccc atctatctct360accagaaaat tgtcttacgc cttgaaggtt ttgaccgaag ataagtctat ggttgccatg420tctgattatc acgattacca taagaccgtc aagagacata ttttgactgc tgttttgggt480ccaaacgccc aaaaaaagtt tagagcacat agagacacca tgatggaaaa cgtttccaat540gaattgcatg ccttcttcga aaagaaccca aatcaagaag tcaacttgag aaagatcttc600caatcccaat tattcggttt ggctatgaag caagccttgg gtaaagatgt tgaatccatc660tacgttaagg atttggaaac caccatgaag agagaagaaa tcttcgaagt tttggttgtc720gatccaatga tgggtgctat tgaagttgat tggagagact ttttcccata cttgaaatgg780gttccaaaca agtccttcga aaacatcatc catagaatgt acactagaag agaagctgtt840atgaaggcct tgatccaaga acacaagaaa agaattgcct ccggtgaaaa cttgaactcc900tacattgatt acttgttgtc tgaagcccaa accttgaccg ataagcaatt attgatgtct960ttgtgggaac ctattatcga atcttctgat accactatgg ttactactga atgggctatg1020tacgaattgg ctaagaatcc aaacatgcaa gacagattat acgaagaaat ccaatccgtt1080tgcggttccg aaaagattac tgaagaaaac ttgtcccaat tgccatactt gtacgctgtt1140ttccaagaaa ctttgagaaa gcactgtcca gttcctatta tgccattgag atatgttcac1200gaaaacaccg ttttgggtgg ttatcatgtt ccagctggta ctgaagttgc tattaacatc1260tacggttgca acatggataa gaaggtctgg gaaaatccag aagaatggaa tccagaaaga1320ttcttgtccg aaaaagaatc catggacttg tacaaaacta tggcttttgg tggtggtaaa1380agagtttgcg ctggttcttt acaagccatg gttatttctt gcattggtat cggtagattg1440gtccaagatt ttgaatggaa gttgaaggat gatgccgaag aagatgttaa cactttgggt1500ttgactaccc aaaagttgca tccattattg gccttgatta acccaagaaa gtaactcgag1560ccgcgg1566seq id no: 62mdgvidmqti plrtaiaigg tavalvvaly fwflrsyasp shhsnhlppv pevpgvpvlg60nllqlkekkp ymtftkwaem ygpiysirtg atsmvvvssn eiakevvvtr fpsistrkls120yalkvltedk smvamsdyhd yhktvkrhil tavlgpnaqk kfrahrdtmm envsnelhaf180feknpnqevn lrkifqsqlf glamkqalgk dvesiyvkdl ettmkreeif evlvvdpmmg240aievdwrdff pylkwvpnks feniihrmyt rreavmkali qehkkriasg enlnsyidyl300lseaqtltdk qllmslwepi iessditmvt tewamyelak npnmqdrlye eiqsvcgsek360iteenlsqlp ylyavfqetl rkhcpvpimp lryvhentvl ggyhvpagte vainiygcnm420dkkvwenpee wnperflsek esmdlyktma fgggkrvcag slqamvisci gigrlvqdfe480wklkddaeed vntlglttqk lhpllalinp rk512seq id no: 63r . s uavissimusatggccaccc tccttgagca tttccaagct atgccctttg ccatccctat tgcactggct60gctctgtctt ggctgttcct cttttacatc aaagtttcat tcttttccaa caagagtgct120caggctaagc tccctcctgt gccagtggtt cctgggctgc cggtgattgg gaatttactg180caactcaagg agaagaaacc ctaccagact tttacaaggt gggctgagga gtatggacca240atctattcta tcaggactgg tgcttccacc atggtcgttc tcaataccac ccaagttgca300aaagaggcca tggtgaccag atatttatcc atctcaacca gaaagctatc aaacgcacta360aagattctta ctgctgataa atgtatggtt gcaataagtg actacaacga ttttcacaag420atgataaagc gatacatact ctcaaatgtt cttggaccta gtgctcagaa gcgtcaccgg480agcaacagag ataccttgag agctaatgtc tgcagccgat tgcattctca agtaaagaac540tctcctcgag aagctgtgaa tttcagaaga gtttttgagt gggaactctt tggaattgca600ttgaagcaag cctttggaaa ggacatagaa aagcccattt atgtggagga acttggcact660acactgtcaa gagatgagat ctttaaggtt ctagtgcttg acataatgga gggtgcaatt720gaggttgatt ggagagattt cttcccttac ctgagatgga ttccgaatac gcgcatggaa780acaaaaattc agcgactcta tttccgcagg aaagcagtga tgactgccct gatcaacgag840cagaagaagc gaattgcttc aggagaggaa atcaactgtt atatcgactt cttgcttaag900gaagggaaga cactgacaat ggaccaaata agtatgttgc tttgggagac ggttattgaa960acagcagata ctacaatggt aacgacagaa tgggctatgt atgaagttgc taaagactca1020aagcgtcagg atcgtctcta tcaggaaatc caaaaggttt gtggatcgga gatggttaca1080gaggaatact tgtcccaact gccgtacctg aatgcagttt tccatgaaac gctaaggaag1140cacagtccgg ctgcgttagt tcctttaaga tatgcacatg aagataccca actaggaggt1200tactacattc cagctggaac tgagattgct ataaacatat acgggtgtaa catggacaag1260catcaatggg aaagccctga ggaatggaaa ccggagagat ttttggaccc gaaatttgat1320cctatggatt tgtacaagac catggctttt ggggctggaa agagggtatg tgctggttct1380cttcaggcaa tgttaatagc gtgcccgacg attggtaggc tggtgcagga gtttgagtgg1440aagctgagag atggagaaga agaaaatgta gatactgttg ggctcaccac tcacaaacgc1500tatccaatgc atgcaatcct gaagccaaga agtta1535seq id no: 64r . suavissimusatggctacct tgttggaaca ttttcaagct atgccattcg ctattccaat tgctttggct60gctttgtctt ggttgttttt gttctacatc aaggtttctt tcttctccaa caaatccgct120caagctaaat tgccaccagt tccagttgtt ccaggtttgc cagttattgg taatttgttg180caattgaaag aaaagaagcc ataccaaacc ttcactagat gggctgaaga atatggtcca240atctactcta ttagaactgg tgcttctact atggttgtct tgaacactac tcaagttgcc300aaagaagcta tggttaccag atacttgtct atctctacca gaaagttgtc caacgccttg360aaaattttga ccgctgataa gtgcatggtt gccatttctg attacaacga tttccacaag420atgatcaaga gatatatctt gtctaacgtt ttgggtccat ctgcccaaaa aagacataga480tctaacagag ataccttgag agccaacgtt tgttctagat tgcattccca agttaagaac540tctccaagag aagctgtcaa ctttagaaga gttttcgaat gggaattatt cggtatcgct600ttgaaacaag ccttcggtaa ggatattgaa aagccaatct acgtcgaaga attgggtact660actttgtcca gagatgaaat cttcaaggtt ttggtcttgg acattatgga aggtgccatt720gaagttgatt ggagagattt tttcccatac ttgcgttgga ttccaaacac cagaatggaa780actaagatcc aaagattata ctttagaaga aaggccgtta tgaccgcctt gattaacgaa840caaaagaaaa gaattgcctc cggtgaagaa atcaactgct acatcgattt cttgttgaaa900gaaggtaaga ccttgaccat ggaccaaatc tctatgttgt tgtgggaaac cgttattgaa960actgctgata ccacaatggt tactactgaa tgggctatgt acgaagttgc taaggattct1020aaaagacaag acagattata ccaagaaatc caaaaggtct gcggttctga aatggttaca1080gaagaatact tgtcccaatt gccatacttg aatgctgttt tccacgaaac tttgagaaaa1140cattctccag ctgctttggt tccattgaga tatgctcatg aagatactca attgggtggt1200tattacattc cagccggtac tgaaattgcc attaacatct acggttgcaa catggacaaa1260caccaatggg aatctccaga agaatggaag ccagaaagat ttttggatcc taagtttgac1320ccaatggact tgtacaaaac tatggctttt ggtgctggta aaagagtttg cgctggttct1380ttacaagcta tgttgattgc ttgtccaacc atcggtagat tggttcaaga atttgaatgg1440aagttgagag atggtgaaga agaaaacgtt gatactgttg gtttgaccac ccataagaga1500tatccaatgc atgctatttt gaagccaaga tcttaa1536seq id no: 65aagcttacta gtaaaatggc ctccatcacc catttcttac aagattttca agctactcca60ttcgctactg cttttgctgt tggtggtgtt tctttgttga tattcttctt cttcatccgt120ggtttccact ctactaagaa aaacgaatat tacaagttgc caccagttcc agttgttcca180ggtttgccag ttgttggtaa tttgttgcaa ttgaaagaaa agaagccata caagactttc240ttgagatggg ctgaaattca tggtccaatc tactctatta gaactggtgc ttctaccatg300gttgttgtta actctactca tgttgccaaa gaagctatgg ttaccagatt ctcttcaatc360tctaccagaa agttgtccaa ggctttggaa ttattgacct ccaacaaatc tatggttgcc420acctctgatt acaacgaatt tcacaagatg gtcaagaagt acatcttggc cgaattattg480ggtgctaatg ctcaaaagag acacagaatt catagagaca ccttgatcga aaacgtcttg540aacaaattgc atgcccatac caagaattct ccattgcaag ctgttaactt cagaaagatc600ttcgaatctg aattattcgg tttggctatg aagcaagcct tgggttatga tgttgattcc660ttgttcgttg aagaattggg tactaccttg tccagagaag aaatctacaa cgttttggtc720agtgacatgt tgaagggtgc tattgaagtt gattggagag actttttccc atacttgaaa780tggatcccaa acaagtcctt cgaaatgaag attcaaagat tggcctctag aagacaagcc840gttatgaact ctattgtcaa agaacaaaag aagtccattg cctctggtaa gggtgaaaac900tgttacttga attacttgtt gtccgaagct aagactttga ccgaaaagca aatttccatt960ttggcctggg aaaccattat tgaaactgct gatacaactg ttgttaccac tgaatgggct1020atgtacgaat tggctaaaaa cccaaagcaa caagacagat tatacaacga aatccaaaac1080gtctgcggta ctgataagat taccgaagaa catttgtcca agttgcctta cttgtctgct1140gtttttcacg aaaccttgag aaagtattct ccatctccat tggttccatt gagatacgct1200catgaagata ctcaattggg tggttattat gttccagccg gtactgaaat tgctgttaat1260atctacggtt gcaacatgga caagaatcaa tgggaaactc cagaagaatg gaagccagaa1320agatttttgg acgaaaagta cgatccaatg gacatgtaca agactatgtc ttttggttcc1380ggtaaaagag tttgcgctgg ttctttacaa gctagtttga ttgcttgtac ctccatcggt1440agattggttc aagaatttga atggagattg aaagacggtg aagttgaaaa cgttgatacc1500ttgggtttga ctacccataa gttgtatcca atgcaagcta tcttgcaacc tagaaactga1560ctcgagccgc gg1572seq id no: 66masithflqd fqatpfataf avggvsllif fffirgfhst kkneyyklpp vpvvpglpvv60gnllqlkekk pyktflrwae ihgpiysirt gastmvvvns thvakeamvt rfssistrkl120skalelltsn ksmvatsdyn efhkmvkkyi laellganaq krhrihrdtl ienvlnklha180htknsplqav nfrkifesel fglamkqalg ydvdslfvee lgttlsreei ynvlvsdmlk240gaievdwrdf fpylkwipnk sfemkiqrla srrqavmnsi vkeqkksias gkgencylny300llseaktlte kqisilawet iietadttvv ttewamyela knpkqqdrly neiqnvcgtd360kiteehlskl pylsavfhet lrkyspsplv plryahedtq lggyyvpagt eiavniygcn420mdknqwetpe ewkperflde kydpmdmykt msfgsgkrvc agslqaslia ctsigrlvqe480fewrlkdgev envdtlgltt hklypmqail qprn514seq id no: 67atgatttcct tgttgttggg ttttgttgtc tcctccttct tgtttatctt cttcttgaaa60aaattgttgt tcttcttcag tcgtcacaaa atgtccgaag tttctagatt gccatctgtt120ccagttccag gttttccatt gattggtaac ttgttgcaat tgaaagaaaa gaagccacac180aagactttca ccaagtggtc tgaattatat ggtccaatct actctatcaa gatgggttcc240tcttctttga tcgtcttgaa ctctattgaa accgccaaag aagctatggt cagtagattc300tcttcaatct ctaccagaaa gttgtctaac gctttgactg ttttgacctg caacaaatct360atggttgcta cctctgatta cgatgacttt cataagttcg tcaagagatg cttgttgaac420ggtttgttgg gtgctaatgc tcaagaaaga aaaagacatt acagagatgc cttgatcgaa480aacgttacct ctaaattgca tgcccatacc agaaatcatc cacaagaacc agttaacttc540agagccattt tcgaacacga attattcggt gttgctttga aacaagcctt cggtaaagat600gtcgaatcca tctatgtaaa agaattgggt gtcaccttgt ccagagatga aattttcaag660gttttggtcc acgacatgat ggaaggtgct attgatgttg attggagaga tttcttccca720tacttgaaat ggatcccaaa caactctttc gaagccagaa ttcaacaaaa gcacaagaga780agattggctg ttatgaacgc cttgatccaa gacagattga atcaaaacga ttccgaatcc840gatgatgact gctacttgaa tttcttgatg tctgaagcta agaccttgac catggaacaa900attgctattt tggtttggga aaccattatc gaaactgctg ataccacttt ggttactact960gaatgggcta tgtacgaatt ggccaaacat caatctgttc aagatagatt attcaaagaa1020atccaatccg tctgcggtgg tgaaaagatc aaagaagaac aattgccaag attgccttac1080gtcaatggtg tttttcacga aaccttgaga aagtattctc cagctccatt ggttccaatt1140agatacgctc atgaagatac ccaaattggt ggttatcata ttccagccgg ttctgaaatt1200gccattaaca tctacggttg caacatggat aagaagagat gggaaagacc tgaagaatgg1260tggccagaaa gatttttgga agatagatac gaatcctccg acttgcataa gactatggct1320tttggtgctg gtaaaagagt ttgtgctggt gctttacaag ctagtttgat ggctggtatt1380gctatcggta gattggttca agaattcgaa tggaagttga gagatggtga agaagaaaac1440gttgatactt acggtttgac ctcccaaaag ttgtatccat tgatggccat tatcaaccca1500agaagatctt aa1512seq id no: 68masmislllg fvvssflfif flkkllfffs rhkmsevsrl psvpvpgfpl ignllqlkek60kphktftkws elygpiysik mgssslivln sietakeamv srfssistrk lsnaltvltc120nksmvatsdy ddfhkfvkrc llngllgana qerkrhyrda lienvtsklh ahtrnhpqep180vnfraifehe lfgvalkqaf gkdvesiyvk elgvtlsrde ifkvlvhdmm egaidvdwrd240ffpylkwipn nsfeariqqk hkrrlavmna liqdrlnqnd sesdddcyln flmseaktlt300meqiailvwe tiietadttl vttewamyel akhqsvqdrl fkeiqsvcgg ekikeeqlpr360lpyvngvfhe tlrkyspapl vpiryahedt qiggyhipag seiainiygc nmdkkrwerp420eewwperfle dryessdlhk tmafgagkrv cagalqaslm agiaigrlvq efewklrdge480eenvdtyglt sqklyplmai inprrs506seq id no: 69aagcttacta gtaaaatgga catgatgggt attgaagctg ttccatttgc tactgctgtt60gttttgggtg gtatttcctt ggttgttttg atcttcatca gaagattcgt ttccaacaga120aagagatccg ttgaaggttt gccaccagtt ccagatattc caggtttacc attgattggt180aacttgttgc aattgaaaga aaagaagcca cataagacct ttgctagatg ggctgaaact240tacggtccaa ttttctctat tagaactggt gcttctacca tgatcgtctt gaattcttct300gaagttgcca aagaagctat ggtcactaga ttctcttcaa tctctaccag aaagttgtcc360aacgccttga agattttgac cttcgataag tgtatggttg ccacctctga ttacaacgat420tttcacaaaa tggtcaaggg tttcatcttg agaaacgttt taggtgctcc agcccaaaaa480agacatagat gtcatagaga taccttgatc gaaaacatct ctaagtactt gcatgcccat540gttaagactt ctccattgga accagttgtc ttgaagaaga ttttcgaatc cgaaattttc600ggtttggctt tgaaacaagc cttgggtaag gatatcgaat ccatctatgt tgaagaattg660ggtactacct tgtccagaga agaaattttt gccgttttgg ttgttgatcc aatggctggt720gctattgaag ttgattggag agattttttc ccatacttgt cctggattcc aaacaagtct780atggaaatga agatccaaag aatggatttt agaagaggtg ctttgatgaa ggccttgatt840ggtgaacaaa agaaaagaat cggttccggt gaagaaaaga actcctacat tgatttcttg900ttgtctgaag ctaccacttt gaccgaaaag caaattgcta tgttgatctg ggaaaccatc960atcgaaattt ccgatacaac tttggttacc tctgaatggg ctatgtacga attggctaaa1020gacccaaata gacaagaaat cttgtacaga gaaatccaca aggtttgcgg ttctaacaag1080ttgactgaag aaaacttgtc caagttgcca tacttgaact ctgttttcca cgaaaccttg1140agaaagtatt ctccagctcc aatggttcca gttagatatg ctcatgaaga tactcaattg1200ggtggttacc atattccagc tggttctcaa attgccatta acatctacgg ttgcaacatg1260aacaaaaagc aatgggaaaa tcctgaagaa tggaagccag aaagattctt ggacgaaaag1320tatgacttga tggacttgca taagactatg gcttttggtg gtggtaaaag agtttgtgct1380ggtgctttac aagcaatgtt gattgcttgc acttccatcg gtagattcgt tcaagaattt1440gaatggaagt tgatgggtgg tgaagaagaa aacgttgata ctgttgcttt gacctcccaa1500aaattgcatc caatgcaagc cattattaag gccagagaat gactcgagcc gcgg1554seq id no: 70mdmmgieavp fatavvlggi slvvlifirr fvsnrkrsve glppvpdipg lplignllql60kekkphktfa rwaetygpif sirtgastmi vlnssevake amvtrfssis trklsnalki120ltfdkcmvat sdyndfhkmv kgfilrnvlg apaqkrhrch rdtlienisk ylhahvktsp180lepvvlkkif eseifglalk qalgkdiesi yveelgttls reeifavlvv dpmagaievd240wrdffpylsw ipnksmemki qrmdfrrgal mkaligeqkk rigsgeekns yidfllseat300tltekqiaml iwetiieisd ttlvtsewam yelakdpnrq eilyreihkv cgsnklteen360lsklpylnsv fhetlrkysp apmvpvryah edtqlggyhi pagsqiaini ygcnmnkkqw420enpeewkper fldekydlmd lhktmafggg krvcagalqa mliactsigr fvqefewklm480ggeeenvdtv altsqklhpm qaiikare508seq id no: 71aagcttaaaa tgagtaagtc taatagtatg aattctacat cacacgaaac cctttttcaa60caattggtct tgggtttgga ccgtatgcca ttgatggatg ttcactggtt gatctacgtt120gctttcggcg catggttatg ttcttatgtg atacatgttt tatcatcttc ctctacagta180aaagtgccag ttgttggata caggtctgta ttcgaaccta catggttgct tagacttaga240ttcgtctggg aaggtggctc tatcataggt caagggtaca ataagtttaa agactctatt300ttccaagtta ggaaattggg aactgatatt gtcattatac cacctaacta tattgatgaa360gtgagaaaat tgtcacagga caagactaga tcagttgaac ctttcattaa tgattttgca420ggtcaataca caagaggcat ggttttcttg caatctgact tacaaaaccg tgttatacaa480caaagactaa ctccaaaatt ggtttccttg accaaggtca tgaaggaaga gttggattat540gctttaacaa aagagatgcc tgatatgaaa aatgacgaat gggtagaagt agatatcagt600agtataatgg tgagattgat ttccaggatc tccgccagag tctttctagg gcctgaacac660tgtcgtaacc aggaatggtt gactactaca gcagaatatt cagaatcact tttcattaca720gggtttatct taagagttgt acctcatatc ttaagaccat tcatcgcccc tctattacct780tcatacagga ctctacttag aaacgtttca agtggtagaa gagtcatcgg tgacatcata840agatctcagc aaggggatgg taacgaagat atactttcct ggatgagaga tgctgccaca900ggagaggaaa agcaaatcga taacattgct cagagaatgt taattctttc tttagcatca960atccacacta ctgcgatgac catgacacat gccatgtacg atctatgtgc ttgccctgag1020tacattgaac cattaagaga tgaagttaaa tctgttgttg gggcttctgg ctgggacaag1080acagcgttaa acagatttca taagttggac tccttcctaa aagagtcaca aagattcaac1140ccagtattct tattgacatt caatagaatc taccatcaat ctatgacctt atcagatggc1200actaacattc catctggaac acgtattgct gttccatcac acgcaatgtt gcaagattct1260gcacatgtcc caggtccaac cccacctact gaatttgatg gattcagata tagtaagata1320cgttctgata gtaactacgc acaaaagtac ctattctcca tgaccgattc ttcaaacatg1380gctttcggat acggcaagta tgcttgtcca ggtagatttt acgcgtctaa tgagatgaaa1440ctaacattag ccattttgtt gctacaattt gagttcaaac taccagatgg taaaggtcgt1500cctagaaata tcactatcga ttctgatatg attccagacc caagagctag actttgcgtc1560agaaaaagat cacttagaga tgaatgaccg cgg1593seq id no: 72msksnsmnst shetlfqqlv lgldrmplmd vhwliyvafg awlcsyvihv lsssstvkvp60vvgyrsvfep twllrlrfvw eggsiigqgy nkfkdsifqv rklgtdivii ppnyidevrk120lsqdktrsve pfindfagqy trgmvflqsd lqnrviqqrl tpklvsltkv mkeeldyalt180kempdmknde wvevdissim vrlisrisar vflgpehcrn qewltttaey seslfitgfi240lrvvphilrp fiapllpsyr tllrnvssgr rvigdiirsq qgdgnedils wmrdaatgee300kqidniaqrm lilslasiht tamtmthamy dlcacpeyie plrdevksvv gasgwdktal360nrfhkldsfl kesqrfnpvf lltfnriyhq smtlsdgtni psgtriavps hamlqdsahv420pgptpptefd gfryskirsd snyaqkylfs mtdssnmafg ygkyacpgrf yasnemkltl480ailllqfefk lpdgkgrprn itidsdmipd prarlcvrkr slrde525seq id no: 73aagcttaaaa tggaagatcc tactgtctta tatgcttgtc ttgccattgc agttgcaact60ttcgttgtta gatggtacag agatccattg agatccatcc caacagttgg tggttccgat120ttgcctattc tatcttacat cggcgcacta agatggacaa gacgtggcag agagatactt180caagagggat atgatggcta cagaggatct acattcaaaa tcgcgatgtt agaccgttgg240atcgtgatcg caaatggtcc taaactagct gatgaagtca gacgtagacc agatgaagag300ttaaacttta tggacggatt aggagcattc gtccaaacta agtacacctt aggtgaagct360attcataacg atccatacca tgtcgatatc ataagagaaa aactaacaag aggccttcca420gccgtgcttc ctgatgtcat tgaagagttg acacttgcgg ttagacagta cattccaaca480gaaggtgatg aatgggtgtc cgtaaactgt tcaaaggccg caagagatat tgttgctaga540gcttctaata gagtctttgt aggtttgcct gcttgcagaa accaaggtta cttagatttg600gcaatagact ttacattgtc tgttgtcaag gatagagcca tcatcaatat gtttccagaa660ttgttgaagc caatagttgg cagagttgta ggtaacgcca ccagaaatgt tcgtagagct720gttccttttg ttgctccatt ggtggaggaa agacgtagac ttatggaaga gtacggtgaa780gactggtctg aaaaacctaa tgatatgtta cagtggataa tggatgaagc tgcatccaga840gatagttcag tgaaggcaat cgcagagaga ttgttaatgg tgaacttcgc ggctattcat900acctcatcaa acactatcac tcatgctttg taccaccttg ccgaaatgcc tgaaactttg960caaccactta gagaagagat cgaaccatta gtcaaagagg agggctggac caaggctgct1020atgggaaaaa tgtggtggtt agattcattt ctaagagaat ctcaaagata caatggcatt1080aacatcgtat ctttaactag aatggctgac aaagatatta cattgagtga tggcacattt1140ttgccaaaag gtactctagt ggccgttcca gcgtattcta ctcatagaga tgatgctgtc1200tacgctgatg ccttagtatt cgatcctttc agattctcac gtatgagagc gagagaaggt1260gaaggtacaa agcaccagtt cgttaatact tcagtcgagt acgttccatt tggtcacgga1320aagcatgctt gtccaggaag attcttcgcc gcaaacgaat tgaaagcaat gttggcttac1380attgttctaa actatgatgt aaagttgcct ggtgacggta aacgtccatt gaacatgtat1440tggggtccaa cagttttgcc tgcaccagca ggccaagtat tgttcagaaa gagacaagtt1500agtctataac cgcgg1515seq id no: 74medptvlyac laiavatfvv rwyrdplrsi ptvggsdlpi lsyigalrwt rrgreilqeg60ydgyrgstfk iamldrwivi angpkladev rrrpdeelnf mdglgafvqt kytlgeaihn120dpyhvdiire kltrglpavl pdvieeltla vrqyiptegd ewvsvncska ardivarasn180rvfvglpacr nqgyldlaid ftlsvvkdra iinmfpellk pivgrvvgna trnvrravpf240vaplveerrr lmeeygedws ekpndmlqwi mdeaasrdss vkaiaerllm vnfaaihtss300ntithalyhl aempetlqpl reeieplvke egwtkaamgk mwwldsflre sqrynginiv360sltrmadkdi tlsdgtflpk gtlvavpays thrddavyad alvfdpfrfs rmraregegt420khqfvntsve yvpfghgkha cpgrffaane lkamlayivl nydvklpgdg krplnmywgp480tvlpapagqv lfrkrqvsl499seq id no: 75atggcatttt tctctatgat ttcaattttg ttgggatttg ttatttcttc tttcatcttc60atctttttct tcaaaaagtt acttagtttt agtaggaaaa acatgtcaga agtttctact120ttgccaagtg ttccagtagt gcctggtttt ccagttattg ggaatttgtt gcaactaaag180gagaaaaagc ctcataaaac tttcactaga tggtcagaga tatatggacc tatctactct240ataaagatgg gttcttcatc tcttattgta ttgaacagta cagaaactgc taaggaagca300atggtcacta gattttcatc aatatctacc agaaaattgt caaacgccct aacagttcta360acctgcgata agtctatggt cgccacttct gattatgatg acttccacaa attagttaag420agatgtttgc taaatggact tcttggtgct aatgctcaaa agagaaaaag acactacaga480gatgctttga ttgaaaatgt gagttccaag ctacatgcac acgctagaga tcatccacaa540gagccagtta actttagagc aattttcgaa cacgaattgt ttggtgtagc attaaagcaa600gccttcggta aagacgtaga atccatatac gtcaaggagt taggcgtaac attatcaaaa660gatgaaatct ttaaggtgct tgtacatgat atgatggagg gtgcaattga tgtagattgg720agagatttct tcccatattt gaaatggatc cctaataagt cttttgaagc taggatacaa780caaaagcaca agagaagact agctgttatg aacgcactta tacaggacag attgaagcaa840aatgggtctg aatcagatga tgattgttac cttaacttct taatgtctga ggctaaaaca900ttgactaagg aacagatcgc aatccttgtc tgggaaacaa tcattgaaac agcagatact960accttagtca caactgaatg ggccatatac gagctagcca aacatccatc tgtgcaagat1020aggttgtgta aggagatcca gaacgtgtgt ggtggagaga aattcaagga agagcagttg1080tcacaagttc cttaccttaa cggcgttttc catgaaacct tgagaaaata ctcacctgca1140ccattagttc ctattagata cgcccacgaa gatacacaaa tcggtggcta ccatgttcca1200gctgggtccg aaattgctat aaacatctac gggtgcaaca tggacaaaaa gagatgggaa1260agaccagaag attggtggcc agaaagattc ttagatgatg gcaaatatga aacatctgat1320ttgcataaaa caatggcttt cggagctggc aaaagagtgt gtgccggtgc tctacaagcc1380tccctaatgg ctggtatcgc tattggtaga ttggtccaag agttcgaatg gaaacttaga1440gatggtgaag aggaaaatgt cgatacttat gggttaacat ctcaaaagtt atacccacta1500atggcaatca tcaatcctag aagatcctaa1530seq id no: 76maffsmisil lgfvissfif ifffkkllsf srknmsevst lpsvpvvpgf pvignllqlk60ekkphktftr wseiygpiys ikmgsssliv lnstetakea mvtrfssist rklsnaltvl120tcdksmvats dyddfhklvk rcllngllga naqkrkrhyr dalienvssk lhahardhpq180epvnfraife helfgvalkq afgkdvesiy vkelgvtlsk deifkvlvhd mmegaidvdw240rdffpylkwi pnksfeariq qkhkrrlavm naliqdrlkq ngsesdddcy lnflmseakt300ltkeqiailv wetiietadt tlvitewaiy elakhpsvqd rlckeiqnvc ggekfkeeql360sqvpylngvf hetlrkyspa plvpiryahe dtqiggyhvp agseiainiy gcnmdkkrwe420rpedwwperf lddgkyetsd lhktmafgag krvcagalqa slmagiaigr lvqefewklr480dgeeenvdty gltsqklypl maiinprrs509seq id no: 77s . rebaudianaatgcaatcag attcagtcaa agtctctcca tttgatttgg tttccgctgc tatgaatggc60aaggcaatgg aaaagttgaa cgctagtgaa tctgaagatc caacaacatt gcctgcacta120aagatgctag ttgaaaatag agaattgttg acactgttca caacttcctt cgcagttctt180attgggtgtc ttgtatttct aatgtggaga cgttcatcct ctaaaaagct ggtacaagat240ccagttccac aagttatcgt tgtaaagaag aaagagaagg agtcagaggt tgatgacggg300aaaaagaaag tttctatttt ctacggcaca caaacaggaa ctgccgaagg ttttgctaaa360gcattagtcg aggaagcaaa agtgagatat gaaaagacct ctttcaaggt tatcgatcta420gatgactacg ctgcagatga tgatgaatat gaggaaaaac tgaaaaagga atccttagcc480ttcttcttct tggccacata cggtgatggt gaacctactg ataatgctgc taacttctac540aagtggttca cagaaggcga cgataaaggt gaatggctga aaaagttaca atacggagta600tttggtttag gtaacagaca atatgaacat ttcaacaaga tcgctattgt agttgatgat660aaacttactg aaatgggagc caaaagatta gtaccagtag gattagggga tgatgatcag720tgtatagaag atgacttcac cgcctggaag gaattggtat ggccagaatt ggatcaactt780ttaagggacg aagatgatac ttctgtgact accccataca ctgcagccgt attggagtac840agagtggttt accatgataa accagcagac tcatatgctg aagatcaaac ccatacaaac900ggtcatgttg ttcatgatgc acagcatcct tcaagatcta atgtggcttt caaaaaggaa960ctacacacct ctcaatcaga taggtcttgt actcacttag aattcgatat ttctcacaca1020ggactgtctt acgaaactgg cgatcacgtt ggcgtttatt ccgagaactt gtccgaagtt1080gtcgatgaag cactaaaact gttagggtta tcaccagaca catacttctc agtccatgct1140gataaggagg atgggacacc tatcggtggt gcttcactac caccaccttt tcctccttgc1200acattgagag acgctctaac cagatacgca gatgtcttat cctcacctaa aaaggtagct1260ttgctggcat tggctgctca tgctagtgat cctagtgaag ccgataggtt aaagttcctg1320gcttcaccag ccggaaaaga tgaatatgca caatggatcg tcgccaacca acgttctttg1380ctagaagtga tgcaaagttt tccatctgcc aagcctccat taggtgtgtt cttcgcagca1440gtagctccac gtttacaacc aagatactac tctatcagtt catctcctaa gatgtctcct1500aacagaatac atgttacatg tgctttggtg tacgagacta ctccagcagg cagaattcac1560agaggattgt gttcaacctg gatgaaaaat gctgtccctt taacagagtc acctgattgc1620tctcaagcat ccattttcgt tagaacatca aatttcagac ttccagtgga tccaaaagtt1680ccagtcatta tgataggacc aggcactggt cttgccccat tcaggggctt tcttcaagag1740agattggcct tgaaggaatc tggtacagaa ttgggttctt ctatcttttt ctttggttgc1800cgtaatagaa aagttgactt tatctacgag gacgagctta acaattttgt tgagacagga1860gcattgtcag aattgatcgt cgcattttca agagaaggga ctgccaaaga gtacgttcag1920cacaagatga gtcaaaaagc ctccgatata tggaaacttc taagtgaagg tgcctatctt1980tatgtctgtg gcgatgcaaa gggcatggcc aaggatgtcc atagaactct gcatacaatt2040gttcaggaac aagggagtct ggattcttcc aaggctgaat tgtacgtcaa aaacttacag2100atgtctggaa gatacttaag agatgtttgg taa2133seq id no: 78s . rebaudianamqsdsvkvsp fdlvsaamng kameklnase sedpttlpal kmlvenrell tlfttsfavl60igclvflmwr rssskklvqd pvpqvivvkk kekesevddg kkkvsifygt qtgtaegfak120alveeakvry ektsfkvidl ddyaadddey eeklkkesla ffflatygdg eptdnaanfy180kwftegddkg ewlkklqygv fglgnrqyeh fnkiaivvdd kltemgakrl vpvglgdddq240cieddftawk elvwpeldql lrdeddtsvt tpytaavley rvvyhdkpad syaedqthtn300ghvvhdaqhp srsnvafkke lhtsqsdrsc thlefdisht glsyetgdhv gvysenlsev360vdealkllgl spdtyfsvha dkedgtpigg aslpppfppc tlrdaltrya dvlsspkkva420llalaahasd pseadrlkfl aspagkdeya qwivanqrsl levmqsfpsa kpplgvffaa480vaprlqpryy sissspkmsp nrihvtcalv yettpagrih rglcstwmkn avpltespdc540sqasifvrts nfrlpvdpkv pvimigpgtg lapergelqe rlalkesgte lgssifffgc600rnrkvdfiye delnnfvetg alselivafs regtakeyvq hkmsqkasdi wkllsegayl660yvcgdakgma kdvhrtlhti vqeqgsldss kaelyvknlq msgrylrdvw710seq id no: 79atgaaggtca gtccattcga attcatgtcc gctattatca agggtagaat ggacccatct60aactcctcat ttgaatctac tggtgaagtt gcctccgtta tctttgaaaa cagagaattg120gttgccatct tgaccacttc tattgctgtt atgattggtt gcttcgttgt cttgatgtgg180agaagagctg gttctagaaa ggttaagaat gtcgaattgc caaagccatt gattgtccat240gaaccagaac ctgaagttga agatggtaag aagaaggttt ccatcttctt cggtactcaa300actggtactg ctgaaggttt tgctaaggct ttggctgatg aagctaaagc tagatacgaa360aaggctacct tcagagttgt tgatttggat gattatgctg ccgatgatga ccaatacgaa420gaaaaattga agaacgaatc cttcgccgtt ttcttgttgg ctacttatgg tgatggtgaa480cctactgata atgctgctag attttacaag tggttcgccg aaggtaaaga aagaggtgaa540tggttgcaaa acttgcacta tgctgttttt ggtttgggta acagacaata cgaacacttc600aacaagattg ctaaggttgc cgacgaatta ttggaagctc aaggtggtaa tagattggtt660aaggttggtt taggtgatga cgatcaatgc atcgaagatg atttttctgc ttggagagaa720tctttgtggc cagaattgga tatgttgttg agagatgaag atgatgctac tactgttact780actccatata ctgctgctgt cttggaatac agagttgtct ttcatgattc tgctgatgtt840gctgctgaag ataagtcttg gattaacgct aatggtcatg ctgttcatga tgctcaacat900ccattcagat ctaacgttgt cgtcagaaaa gaattgcata cttctgcctc tgatagatcc960tgttctcatt tggaattcaa catttccggt tccgctttga attacgaaac tggtgatcat1020gttggtgtct actgtgaaaa cttgactgaa actgttgatg aagccttgaa cttgttgggt1080ttgtctccag aaacttactt ctctatctac accgataacg aagatggtac tccattgggt1140ggttcttcat tgccaccacc atttccatca tgtactttga gaactgcttt gaccagatac1200gctgatttgt tgaactctcc aaaaaagtct gctttgttgg ctttagctgc tcatgcttct1260aatccagttg aagctgatag attgagatac ttggcttctc cagctggtaa agatgaatat1320gcccaatctg ttatcggttc ccaaaagtct ttgttggaag ttatggctga attcccatct1380gctaaaccac cattaggtgt tttttttgct gctgttgctc caagattgca acctagattc1440tactccattt catcctctcc aagaatggct ccatctagaa tccatgttac ttgtgctttg1500gtttacgata agatgccaac tggtagaatt cataagggtg tttgttctac ctggatgaag1560aattctgttc caatggaaaa gtcccatgaa tgttcttggg ctccaatttt cgttagacaa1620tccaatttta agttgccagc cgaatccaag gttccaatta tcatggttgg tccaggtact1680ggtttggctc cttttagagg ttttttacaa gaaagattgg ccttgaaaga atccggtgtt1740gaattgggtc catccatttt gtttttcggt tgcagaaaca gaagaatgga ttacatctac1800gaagatgaat tgaacaactt cgttgaaacc ggtgctttgt ccgaattggt tattgctttt1860tctagagaag gtcctaccaa agaatacgtc caacataaga tggctgaaaa ggcttctgat1920atctggaact tgatttctga aggtgcttac ttgtacgttt gtggtgatgc taaaggtatg1980gctaaggatg ttcatagaac cttgcatacc atcatgcaag aacaaggttc tttggattct2040tccaaagctg aatccatggt caagaacttg caaatgaatg gtagatactt aagagatgtt2100tggtaa2106seq id no: 80mkvspfefms aiikgrmdps nssfestgev asvifenrel vailttsiav migcfvvlmw60rragsrkvkn velpkplivh epepevedgk kkvsiffgtq tgtaegfaka ladeakarye120katfrvvdld dyaadddqye eklknesfav fllatygdge ptdnaarfyk wfaegkerge180wlqnlhyavf glgnrqyehf nkiakvadel leaqggnrlv kvglgdddqc ieddfsawre240slwpeldmll rdeddattvt tpytaavley rvvfhdsadv aaedkswina nghavhdaqh300pfrsnvvvrk elhtsasdrs cshlefnisg salnyetgdh vgvycenlte tvdealnllg360lspetyfsiy tdnedgtplg gsslpppfps ctlrtaltry adllnspkks allalaahas420npveadrlry laspagkdey aqsvigsqks llevmaefps akpplgvffa avaprlqprf480ysisssprma psrihvtcal vydkmptgri hkgvcstwmk nsvpmekshe cswapifvrq540snfklpaesk vpiimvgpgt glapergelq erlalkesgv elgpsilffg crnrrmdyiy600edelnnfvet galselviaf sregptkeyv qhkmaekasd iwnlisegay lyvcgdakgm660akdvhrtlht imqeqgslds skaesmvknl qmngrylrdv w701seq id no: 81atggcagaat tagatacact tgatatagta gtattaggtg ttatcttttt gggtactgtg60gcatacttta ctaagggtaa attgtggggt gttaccaagg atccatacgc taacggattc120gctgcaggtg gtgcttccaa gcctggcaga actagaaaca tcgtcgaagc tatggaggaa180tcaggtaaaa actgtgttgt tttctacggc agtcaaacag gtacagcgga ggattacgca240tcaagacttg caaaggaagg aaagtccaga ttcggtttga acactatgat cgccgatcta300gaagattatg acttcgataa cttagacact gttccatctg ataacatcgt tatgtttgta360ttggctactt acggtgaagg cgaaccaaca gataacgccg tggatttcta tgagttcatt420actggcgaag atgcctcttt caatgagggc aacgatcctc cactaggtaa cttgaattac480gttgcgttcg gtctgggcaa caatacctac gaacactaca actcaatggt caggaacgtt540aacaaggctc tagaaaagtt aggagctcat agaattggag aagcaggtga gggtgacgac600ggagctggaa ctatggaaga ggacttttta gcttggaaag atccaatgtg ggaagccttg660gctaaaaaga tgggcttgga ggaaagagaa gctgtatatg aacctatttt cgctatcaat720gagagagatg atttgacccc tgaagcgaat gaggtatact tgggagaacc taataagcta780cacttggaag gtacagcgaa aggtccattc aactcccaca acccatatat cgcaccaatt840gcagaatcat acgaactttt ctcagctaag gatagaaatt gtctgcatat ggaaattgat900atttctggta gtaatctaaa gtatgaaaca ggcgaccata tcgcgatctg gcctaccaac960ccaggtgaag aggtcaacaa atttcttgac attctagatc tgtctggtaa gcaacattcc1020gtcgtaacag tgaaagcctt agaacctaca gccaaagttc cttttccaaa tccaactacc1080tacgatgcta tattgagata ccatctggaa atatgcgctc cagtttctag acagtttgtc1140tcaactttag cagcattcgc ccctaatgat gatatcaaag ctgagatgaa ccgtttggga1200tcagacaaag attacttcca cgaaaagaca ggaccacatt actacaatat cgctagattt1260ttggcctcag tctctaaagg tgaaaaatgg acaaagatac cattttctgc tttcatagaa1320ggccttacaa aactacaacc aagatactat tctatctctt cctctagttt agttcagcct1380aaaaagatta gtattactgc tgttgtcgaa tctcagcaaa ttccaggtag agatgaccca1440ttcagaggtg tagcgactaa ctacttgttc gctttgaagc agaaacaaaa cggtgatcca1500aatccagctc cttttggcca atcatacgag ttgacaggac caaggaataa gtatgatggt1560atacatgttc cagtccatgt aagacattct aactttaagc taccatctga tccaggcaaa1620cctattatca tgatcggtcc aggtaccggt gttgcccctt ttagaggctt cgtccaagag1680agggcaaaac aagccagaga tggtgtagaa gttggtaaaa cactgctgtt ctttggatgt1740agaaagagta cagaagattt catgtatcaa aaagagtggc aagagtacaa ggaagctctt1800ggcgacaaat tcgaaatgat tacagctttt tcaagagaag gatctaaaaa ggtttatgtt1860caacacagac tgaaggaaag atcaaaggaa gtttctgatc ttctatccca aaaagcatac1920ttctacgttt gcggagacgc cgcacatatg gcacgtgaag tgaacactgt gttagcacag1980atcatagcag aaggccgtgg tgtatcagaa gccaagggtg aggaaattgt caaaaacatg2040agatcagcaa atcaatacca agtgtgttct gatttcgtaa ctttacactg taaagagaca2100acatacgcga attcagaatt gcaagaggat gtctggagtt aa2142seq id no: 82maeldtldiv vlgviflgtv ayftkgklwg vtkdpyangf aaggaskpgr trniveamee60sgkncvvfyg sqtgtaedya srlakegksr fglntmiadl edydfdnldt vpsdnivmfv120latygegept dnavdfyefi tgedasfneg ndpplgnlny vafglgnnty ehynsmvrnv180nkaleklgah rigeagegdd gagtmeedfl awkdpmweal akkmgleere avyepifain240erddltpean evylgepnkl hlegtakgpf nshnpyiapi aesyelfsak drnclhmeid300isgsnlkyet gdhiaiwptn pgeevnkfld ildlsgkqhs vvtvkalept akvpfpnptt360ydailryhle icapvsrqfv stlaafapnd dikaemnrlg sdkdyfhekt gphyyniarf420lasvskgekw tkipfsafie gltklqpryy sisssslvqp kkisitavve sqqipgrddp480frgvatnylf alkqkqngdp npapfgqsye ltgprnkydg ihvpvhvrhs nfklpsdpgk540piimigpgtg vapfrgfvqe rakqardgve vgktllffgc rkstedfmyq kewqeykeal600gdkfemitaf sregskkvyv qhrlkerske vsdllsqkay fyvcgdaahm arevntvlaq660iiaegrgvse akgeeivknm rsanqyqvcs dfvtlhcket tyanselqed vws713seq id no: 83atgcaatcgg aatccgttga agcatcgacg attgatttga tgactgctgt tttgaaggac60acagtgatcg atacagcgaa cgcatctgat aacggagact caaagatgcc gccggcgttg120gcgatgatgt tcgaaattcg tgatctgttg ctgattttga ctacgtcagt tgctgttttg180gtcggatgtt tcgttgtttt ggtgtggaag agatcgtccg ggaagaagtc cggcaaggaa240ttggagccgc cgaagatcgt tgtgccgaag aggcggctgg agcaggaggt tgatgatggt300aagaagaagg ttacgatttt cttcggaaca caaactggaa cggctgaagg tttcgctaag360gcacttttcg aagaagcgaa agcgcgatat gaaaaggcag cgtttaaagt gattgatttg420gatgattatg ctgctgattt ggatgagtat gcagagaagc tgaagaagga aacatatgct480ttcttcttct tggctacata tggagatggt gagccaactg ataatgctgc caaattttat540aaatggttta ctgagggaga cgagaaaggc gtttggcttc aaaaacttca atatggagta600tttggtcttg gcaacagaca atatgaacat ttcaacaaga ttggaatagt ggttgatgat660ggtctcaccg agcagggtgc aaaacgcatt gttcccgttg gtcttggaga cgacgatcaa720tcaattgaag acgatttttc ggcatggaaa gagttagtgt ggcccgaatt ggatctattg780cttcgcgatg aagatgacaa agctgctgca actccttaca cagctgcaat ccctgaatac840cgcgtcgtat ttcatgacaa acccgatgcg ttttctgatg atcatactca aaccaatggt900catgctgttc atgatgctca acatccatgc agatccaatg tggctgttaa aaaagagctt960catactcctg aatccgatcg ttcatgcaca catcttgaat ttgacatttc tcacactgga1020ttatcttatg aaactgggga tcatgttggt gtatactgtg aaaacctaat tgaagtagtg1080gaagaagctg ggaaattgtt aggattatca acagatactt atttctcgtt acatattgat1140aacgaagatg gttcaccact tggtggacct tcattacaac ctccttttcc tccttgtact1200ttaagaaaag cattgactaa ttatgcagat ctgttaagct ctcccaaaaa gtcaactttg1260cttgctctag ctgctcatgc ttccgatccc actgaagctg atcgtttaag atttcttgca1320tctcgcgagg gcaaggatga atatgctgaa tgggttgttg caaaccaaag aagtcttctt1380gaagtcatgg aagctttccc gtcagctaga ccgccacttg gtgttttctt tgcagcggtt1440gcaccgcgtt tacagcctcg ttactactct atttcttcct ccccaaagat ggaaccaaac1500aggattcatg ttacttgcgc gttggtttat gaaaaaactc ccgcaggtcg tatccacaaa1560ggaatctgct caacctggat gaagaacgct gtacctttga ccgaaagtca agattgcagt1620tgggcaccga tttttgttag aacatcaaac ttcagacttc caattgaccc gaaagtcccg1680gttatcatga ttggtcctgg aaccgggttg gctccattta ggggttttct tcaagaaaga1740ttggctctta aagaatccgg aaccgaactc gggtcatcta ttttattctt cggttgtaga1800aaccgcaaag tggattacat atatgagaat gaactcaaca actttgttga aaatggtgcg1860ctttctgagc ttgatgttgc tttctcccgc gatggcccga cgaaagaata cgtgcaacat1920aaaatgaccc aaaaggcttc tgaaatatgg aatatgcttt ctgagggagc atatttatat1980gtatgtggtg atgctaaagg catggctaaa gatgtacacc gtacacttca caccattgtg2040caagaacagg gaagtttgga ctcgtctaaa gcggagttgt atgtgaagaa tctacaaatg2100tcaggaagat acctccgtga tgtttggtaa2130seq id no: 84mqsesveast idlmtavlkd tvidtanasd ngdskmppal ammfeirdll lilttsvavl60vgcfvvlvwk rssgkksgke leppkivvpk rrleqevddg kkkvtiffgt qtgtaegfak120alfeeakary ekaafkvidl ddyaadldey aeklkketya ffflatygdg eptdnaakfy180kwftegdekg vwlqklqygv fglgnrqyeh fnkigivvdd glteqgakri vpvglgdddq240sieddfsawk elvwpeldll lrdeddkaaa tpytaaipey rvvfhdkpda fsddhtqtng300havhdaqhpc rsnvavkkel htpesdrsct hlefdishtg lsyetgdhvg vycenlievv360eeagkllgls tdtyfslhid nedgsplggp slqppfppct lrkaltnyad llsspkkstl420lalaahasdp teadrlrfla sregkdeyae wvvanqrsll evmeafpsar pplgvffaav480aprlqpryys issspkmepn rihvtcalvy ektpagrihk gicstwmkna vpltesqdcs540wapifvrtsn frlpidpkvp vimigpgtgl apfrgflqer lalkesgtel gssilffgcr600nrkvdyiyen elnnfvenga lseldvafsr dgptkeyvqh kmtqkaseiw nmlsegayly660vcgdakgmak dvhrtlhtiv qeqgsldssk aelyvknlqm sgrylrdvw709seq id no: 85s . rebaudianaatgcaatcta actccgtgaa gatttcgccg cttgatctgg taactgcgct gtttagcggc60aaggttttgg acacatcgaa cgcatcggaa tcgggagaat ctgctatgct gccgactata120gcgatgatta tggagaatcg tgagctgttg atgatactca caacgtcggt tgctgtattg180atcggatgcg ttgtcgtttt ggtgtggcgg agatcgtcta cgaagaagtc ggcgttggag240ccaccggtga ttgtggttcc gaagagagtg caagaggagg aagttgatga tggtaagaag300aaagttacgg ttttcttcgg cacccaaact ggaacagctg aaggcttcgc taaggcactt360gttgaggaag ctaaagctcg atatgaaaag gctgtcttta aagtaattga tttggatgat420tatgctgctg atgacgatga gtatgaggag aaactaaaga aagaatcttt ggcctttttc480tttttggcta cgtatggaga tggtgagcca acagataatg ctgccagatt ttataaatgg540tttactgagg gagatgcgaa aggagaatgg cttaataagc ttcaatatgg agtatttggt600ttgggtaaca gacaatatga acattttaac aagatcgcaa aagtggttga tgatggtctt660gtagaacagg gtgcaaagcg tcttgttcct gttggacttg gagatgatga tcaatgtatt720gaagatgact tcaccgcatg gaaagagtta gtatggccgg agttggatca attacttcgt780gatgaggatg acacaactgt tgctactcca tacacagctg ctgttgcaga atatcgcgtt840gtttttcatg aaaaaccaga cgcgctttct gaagattata gttatacaaa tggccatgct900gttcatgatg ctcaacatcc atgcagatcc aacgtggctg tcaaaaagga acttcatagt960cctgaatctg accggtcttg cactcatctt gaatttgaca tctcgaacac cggactatca1020tatgaaactg gggaccatgt tggagtttac tgtgaaaact tgagtgaagt tgtgaatgat1080gctgaaagat tagtaggatt accaccagac acttactcct ccatccacac tgatagtgaa1140gacgggtcgc cacttggcgg agcctcattg ccgcctcctt tcccgccatg cactttaagg1200aaagcattga cgtgttatgc tgatgttttg agttctccca agaagtcggc tttgcttgca1260ctagctgctc atgccaccga tcccagtgaa gctgatagat tgaaatttct tgcatccccc1320gccggaaagg atgaatattc tcaatggata gttgcaagcc aaagaagtct ccttgaagtc1380atggaagcat tcccgtcagc taagccttca cttggtgttt tctttgcatc tgttgccccg1440cgcttacaac caagatacta ctctatttct tcctcaccca agatggcacc ggataggatt1500catgttacat gtgcattagt ctatgagaaa acacctgcag gccgcatcca caaaggagtt1560tgttcaactt ggatgaagaa cgcagtgcct atgaccgaga gtcaagattg cagttgggcc1620ccaatatacg tccgaacatc caatttcaga ctaccatctg accctaaggt cccggttatc1680atgattggac ctggcactgg tttggctcct tttagaggtt tccttcaaga gcggttagct1740ttaaaggaag ccggaactga cctcggttta tccattttat tcttcggatg taggaatcgc1800aaagtggatt tcatatatga aaacgagctt aacaactttg tggagactgg tgctctttct1860gagcttattg ttgctttctc ccgtgaaggc ccgactaagg aatatgtgca acacaagatg1920agtgagaagg cttcggatat ctggaacttg ctttctgaag gagcatattt atacgtatgt1980ggtgatgcca aaggcatggc caaagatgta catcgaaccc tccacacaat tgtgcaagaa2040cagggatctc ttgactcgtc aaaggcagaa ctctacgtga agaatctaca aatgtcagga2100agatacctcc gtgacgtttg gtaa2124seq id no: 86s . rebaudianamqsnsvkisp ldlvtalfsg kvldtsnase sgesamlpti amimenrell milttsvavl60igcvvvlvwr rsstkksale ppvivvpkrv qeeevddgkk kvtvffgtqt gtaegfakal120veeakaryek avfkvidldd yaadddeyee klkkeslaff flatygdgep tdnaarfykw180ftegdakgew lnklqygvfg lgnrqyehfn kiakvvddgl veqgakrlvp vglgdddqci240eddftawkel vwpeldqllr deddttvatp ytaavaeyrv vfhekpdals edysytngha300vhdaqhpcrs nvavkkelhs pesdrscthl efdisntgls yetgdhvgvy cenlsevvnd360aerlvglppd tyssihtdse dgsplggasl pppfppctlr kaltcyadvl sspkksalla420laahatdpse adrlkflasp agkdeysqwi vasqrsllev meafpsakps lgvffasvap480rlqpryysis sspkmapdri hvtcalvyek tpagrihkgv cstwmknavp mtesqdcswa540piyvrtsnfr lpsdpkvpvi migpgtglap frgflqerla lkeagtdlgl silffgcrnr600kvdfiyenel nnfvetgals elivafsreg ptkeyvqhkm sekasdiwnl lsegaylyvc660gdakgmakdv hrtlhtivqe qgsldsskae lyvknlqmsg rylrdvw707seq id no: 87atgtcctcca actccgattt ggtcagaaga ttggaatctg ttttgggtgt ttctttcggt60ggttctgtta ctgattccgt tgttgttatt gctaccacct ctattgcttt ggttatcggt120gttttggttt tgttgtggag aagatcctct gacagatcta gagaagttaa gcaattggct180gttccaaagc cagttactat cgttgaagaa gaagatgaat tcgaagttgc ttctggtaag240accagagttt ctattttcta cggtactcaa actggtactg ctgaaggttt tgctaaggct300ttggctgaag aaatcaaagc cagatacgaa aaagctgccg ttaaggttat tgatttggat360gattacacag ccgaagatga caaatacggt gaaaagttga agaaagaaac tatggccttc420ttcatgttgg ctacttatgg tgatggtgaa cctactgata atgctgctag attttacaag480tggttcaccg aaggtactga tagaggtgtt tggttggaac atttgagata cggtgtattc540ggtttgggta acagacaata cgaacacttc aacaagattg ccaaggttgt tgatgatttg600ttggttgaac aaggtgccaa gagattggtt actgttggtt tgggtgatga tgatcaatgc660atcgaagatg atttctccgc ttggaaagaa gccttgtggc cagaattgga tcaattattg720caagatgata ccaacaccgt ttctactcca tacactgctg ttattccaga atacagagtt780gttatccacg atccatctgt tacctcttat gaagatccat actctaacat ggctaacggt840aatgcctctt acgatattca tcatccatgt agagctaacg ttgccgtcca aaaagaattg900cataagccag aatctgacag aagttgcatc catttggaat tcgatatttt cgctactggt960ttgacttacg aaaccggtga tcatgttggt gtttacgctg ataattgtga tgatactgta1020gaagaagccg ctaagttgtt gggtcaacca ttggatttgt tgttctccat tcataccgat1080aacaacgacg gtacttcttt gggttcttct ttgccaccac catttccagg tccatgtact1140ttgagaactg ctttggctag atatgccgat ttgttgaatc caccaaaaaa ggctgctttg1200attgctttag ctgctcatgc tgatgaacca tctgaagctg aaagattgaa gttcttgtca1260tctccacaag gtaaggacga atattctaaa tgggttgtcg gttcccaaag atccttggtt1320gaagttatgg ctgaatttcc atctgctaaa ccaccattgg gtgtattttt tgctgctgtt1380gttcctagat tgcaacctag atattactcc atctcttcca gtccaagatt tgctccacat1440agagttcatg ttacttgcgc tttggtttat ggtccaactc caactggtag aattcacaga1500ggtgtatgtt cattctggat gaagaatgtt gtcccattgg aaaagtctca aaactgttct1560tgggccccaa ttttcatcag acaatctaat ttcaagttgc cagccgatca ttctgttcca1620atagttatgg ttggtccagg tactggttta gctcctttta gaggtttctt acaagaaaga1680ttggccttga aagaagaagg tgctcaagtt ggtcctgctt tgttgttttt tggttgcaga1740aacagacaaa tggacttcat ctacgaagtc gaattgaaca actttgtcga acaaggtgct1800ttgtccgaat tgatcgttgc tttttcaaga gaaggtccat ccaaagaata cgtccaacat1860aagatggttg aaaaggcagc ttacatgtgg aacttgattt ctcaaggtgg ttacttctac1920gtttgtggtg atgctaaagg tatggctaga gatgttcata gaacattgca taccatcgtc1980caacaagaag aaaaggttga ttctaccaag gccgaatcca tcgttaagaa attgcaaatg2040gacggtagat acttgagaga tgtttggtga2070seq id no: 88mssnsdlvrr lesvlgvsfg gsvtdsvvvi attsialvig vlvllwrrss drsrevkqla60vpkpvtivee edefevasgk trvsifygtq tgtaegfaka laeeikarye kaavkvidld120dytaeddkyg eklkketmaf fmlatygdge ptdnaarfyk wftegtdrgv wlehlrygvf180glgnrqyehf nkiakvvddl lveqgakrlv tvglgdddqc ieddfsawke alwpeldqll240qddtntvstp ytavipeyrv vihdpsvtsy edpysnmang nasydihhpc ranvavqkel300hkpesdrsci hlefdifatg ltyetgdhvg vyadncddtv eeaakllgqp ldllfsihtd360nndgtslgss lpppfpgpct lrtalaryad llnppkkaal ialaahadep seaerlkfls420spqgkdeysk wvvgsqrslv evmaefpsak pplgvffaav vprlqpryys isssprfaph480rvhvtcalvy gptptgrihr gvcsfwmknv vpleksqncs wapifirqsn fklpadhsvp540ivmvgpgtgl apfrgflqer lalkeegaqv gpallffgcr nrqmdfiyev elnnfveqga600lselivafsr egpskeyvqh kmvekaaymw nlisqggyfy vcgdakgmar dvhrtlhtiv660qqeekvdstk aesivkklqm dgrylrdvw689seq id no: 89atgacttctg cactttatgc ctccgatctt ttcaaacaat tgaaaagtat catgggaacg60gattctttgt ccgatgatgt tgtattagtt attgctacaa cttctctggc actggttgct120ggtttcgttg tcttattgtg gaaaaagacc acggcagatc gttccggcga gctaaagcca180ctaatgatcc ctaagtctct gatggcgaaa gatgaggatg atgacttaga tctaggttct240ggaaaaacga gagtctctat cttcttcggc acacaaaccg gaacagccga aggattcgct300aaagcacttt cagaagagat caaagcaaga tacgaaaagg cggctgtaaa agtaatcgat360ttggatgatt acgctgccga tgatgaccaa tatgaggaaa agttgaaaaa ggaaacattg420gctttctttt gtgtagccac gtatggtgat ggtgaaccaa ccgataacgc cgcaagattc480tacaagtggt ttactgaaga gaacgaaaga gatatcaagt tgcagcaact tgcttacggc540gtttttgcct taggtaacag acaatacgag cactttaaca agataggtat tgtcttagat600gaagagttat gcaaaaaggg tgcgaagaga ttgattgaag tcggtttagg agatgatgat660caatctatcg aggatgactt taatgcatgg aaggaatctt tgtggtctga attagataag720ttacttaagg acgaagatga taaatccgtt gccactccat acacagccgt cattccagaa780tatagagtag ttactcatga tccaagattc acaacacaga aatcaatgga aagtaatgtg840gctaatggta atactaccat cgatattcat catccatgta gagtagacgt tgcagttcaa900aaggaattgc acactcatga atcagacaga tcttgcatac atcttgaatt tgatatatca960cgtactggta tcacttacga aacaggtgat cacgtgggtg tctacgctga aaaccatgtt1020gaaattgtag aggaagctgg aaagttgttg ggccatagtt tagatcttgt tttctcaatt1080catgccgata aagaggatgg ctcaccacta gaaagtgcag tgcctccacc atttccagga1140ccatgcaccc taggtaccgg tttagctcgt tacgcggatc tgttaaatcc tccacgtaaa1200tcagctctag tggccttggc tgcgtacgcc acagaacctt ctgaggcaga aaaactgaaa1260catctaactt caccagatgg taaggatgaa tactcacaat ggatagtagc tagtcaacgt1320tctttactag aagttatggc tgctttccca tccgctaaac ctcctttggg tgttttcttc1380gccgcaatag cgcctagact gcaaccaaga tactattcaa tttcatcctc acctagactg1440gcaccatcaa gagttcatgt cacatccgct ttagtgtacg gtccaactcc tactggtaga1500atccataagg gcgtttgttc aacatggatg aaaaacgcgg ttccagcaga gaagtctcac1560gaatgttctg gtgctccaat ctttatcaga gcctccaact tcaaactgcc ttccaatcct1620tctactccta ttgtcatggt cggtcctggt acaggtcttg ctccattcag aggtttctta1680caagagagaa tggccttaaa ggaggatggt gaagagttgg gatcttcttt gttgtttttc1740ggctgtagaa acagacaaat ggatttcatc tacgaagatg aactgaataa ctttgtagat1800caaggagtta tttcagagtt gataatggct ttttctagag aaggtgctca gaaggagtac1860gtccaacaca aaatgatgga aaaggccgca caagtttggg acttaatcaa agaggaaggc1920tatctatatg tctgtggtga tgcaaagggt atggcaagag atgttcacag aacacttcat1980actatagtcc aggaacagga aggcgttagt tcttctgaag cggaagcaat tgtgaaaaag2040ttacaaacag agggaagata cttgagagat gtgtggtaa2079seq id no: 90mtsalyasdl fkqlksimgt dslsddvvlv iattslalva gfvvllwkkt tadrsgelkp60lmipkslmak dedddldlgs gktrvsiffg tqtgtaegfa kalseeikar yekaavkvid120lddyaadddq yeeklkketl affcvatygd geptdnaarf ykwfteener diklqqlayg180vfalgnrqye hfnkigivld eelckkgakr lievglgddd qsieddfnaw keslwseldk240llkdeddksv atpytavipe yrvvthdprf ttqksmesnv angnttidih hpcrvdvavq300kelhthesdr scihlefdis rtgityetgd hvgvyaenhv eiveeagkll ghsldlvfsi360hadkedgspl esavpppfpg pctlgtglar yadllnpprk salvalaaya tepseaeklk420hltspdgkde ysqwivasqr sllevmaafp sakpplgvff aaiaprlqpr yysisssprl480apsrvhvtsa lvygptptgr ihkgvcstwm knavpaeksh ecsgapifir asnfklpsnp540stpivmvgpg tglapfrgfl qermalkedg eelgssllff gcrnrqmdfi yedelnnfvd600qgviselima fsregaqkey vqhkmmekaa qvwdlikeeg ylyvcgdakg mardvhrtlh660tivqeqegvs sseaeaivkk lqtegrylrd vw692seq id no: 91a . thalianaatgtcttcct cttcctcttc cagtacctct atgattgatt tgatggctgc tattattaaa60ggtgaaccag ttatcgtctc cgacccagca aatgcctctg cttatgaatc agttgctgca120gaattgtctt caatgttgat cgaaaacaga caattcgcca tgatcgtaac tacatcaatc180gctgttttga tcggttgtat tgtcatgttg gtatggagaa gatccggtag tggtaattct240aaaagagtcg aacctttgaa accattagta attaagccaa gagaagaaga aatagatgac300ggtagaaaga aagttacaat atttttcggt acccaaactg gtacagctga aggttttgca360aaagccttag gtgaagaagc taaggcaaga tacgaaaaga ctagattcaa gatagtcgat420ttggatgact atgccgctga tgacgatgaa tacgaagaaa agttgaagaa agaagatgtt480gcatttttct ttttggcaac ctatggtgac ggtgaaccaa ctgacaatgc agccagattc540tacaaatggt ttacagaggg taatgatcgt ggtgaatggt tgaaaaactt aaagtacggt600gttttcggtt tgggtaacag acaatacgaa catttcaaca aagttgcaaa ggttgtcgac660gatattttgg tcgaacaagg tgctcaaaga ttagtccaag taggtttggg tgacgatgac720caatgtatag aagatgactt tactgcctgg agagaagctt tgtggcctga attagacaca780atcttgagag aagaaggtga caccgccgtt gctaccccat atactgctgc agtattagaa840tacagagttt ccatccatga tagtgaagac gcaaagttta atgatatcac tttggccaat900ggtaacggtt atacagtttt cgatgcacaa cacccttaca aagctaacgt tgcagtcaag960agagaattac atacaccaga atccgacaga agttgtatac acttggaatt tgatatcgct1020ggttccggtt taaccatgaa gttgggtgac catgtaggtg ttttatgcga caatttgtct1080gaaactgttg atgaagcatt gagattgttg gatatgtccc ctgacactta ttttagtttg1140cacgctgaaa aagaagatgg tacaccaatt tccagttctt taccacctcc attccctcca1200tgtaacttaa gaacagcctt gaccagatac gcttgcttgt tatcatcccc taaaaagtcc1260gccttggttg ctttagccgc tcatgctagt gatcctactg aagcagaaag attgaaacac1320ttagcatctc cagccggtaa agatgaatat tcaaagtggg tagttgaatc tcaaagatca1380ttgttagaag ttatggcaga atttccatct gccaagcctc cattaggtgt cttctttgct1440ggtgtagcac ctagattgca accaagattc tactcaatca gttcttcacc taagatcgct1500gaaactagaa ttcatgttac atgtgcatta gtctacgaaa agatgccaac cggtagaatt1560cacaagggtg tatgctctac ttggatgaaa aatgctgttc cttacgaaaa atcagaaaag1620ttgttcttag gtagaccaat cttcgtaaga caatcaaact tcaagttgcc ttctgattca1680aaggttccaa taatcatgat aggtcctggt acaggtttag ccccattcag aggtttcttg1740caagaaagat tggctttagt tgaatctggt gtcgaattag gtccttcagt tttgttcttt1800ggttgtagaa acagaagaat ggatttcatc tatgaagaag aattgcaaag attcgtcgaa1860tctggtgcat tggccgaatt atctgtagct ttttcaagag aaggtccaac taaggaatac1920gttcaacata agatgatgga taaggcatcc gacatatgga acatgatcag tcaaggtgct1980tatttgtacg tttgcggtga cgcaaagggt atggccagag atgtccatag atctttgcac2040acaattgctc aagaacaagg ttccatggat agtaccaaag ctgaaggttt cgtaaagaac2100ttacaaactt ccggtagata cttgagagat gtctggtga2139seq id no: 92a . thalianamsssssssts midlmaaiik gepvivsdpa nasayesvaa elssmlienr qfamivttsi60avligcivml vwrrsgsgns krveplkplv ikpreeeidd grkkvtiffg tqtgtaegfa120kalgeeakar yektrfkivd lddyaaddde yeeklkkedv affflatygd geptdnaarf180ykwftegndr gewlknlkyg vfglgnrqye hfnkvakvvd dilveqgaqr lvqvglgddd240qcieddftaw realwpeldt ilreegdtav atpytaavle yrvsihdsed akfnditlan300gngytvfdaq hpykanvavk relhtpesdr scihlefdia gsgltmklgd hvgvlcdnls360etvdealrll dmspdtyfsl haekedgtpi ssslpppfpp cnlrtaltry acllsspkks420alvalaahas dpteaerlkh laspagkdey skwvvesqrs llevmaefps akpplgvffa480gvaprlqprf ysissspkia etrihvtcal vyekmptgri hkgvcstwmk navpyeksek540lflgrpifvr qsnfklpsds kvpiimigpg tglapergel qerlalvesg velgpsvlff600gcrnrrmdfi yeeelqrfve sgalaelsva fsregptkey vqhkmmdkas diwnmisqga660ylyvcgdakg mardvhrslh tiaqeqgsmd stkaegfvkn lqtsgrylrd vw712seq id no: 93s . rebaudianaatggaagcct cttacctata catttctatt ttgcttttac tggcatcata cctgttcacc60actcaactta gaaggaagag cgctaatcta ccaccaaccg tgtttccatc aataccaatc120attggacact tatacttact caaaaagcct ctttatagaa ctttagcaaa aattgccgct180aagtacggac caatactgca attacaactc ggctacagac gtgttctggt gatttcctca240ccatcagcag cagaagagtg ctttaccaat aacgatgtaa tcttcgcaaa tagacctaag300acattgtttg gcaaaatagt gggtggaaca tcccttggca gtttatccta cggcgatcaa360tggcgtaatc taaggagagt agcttctatc gaaatcctat cagttcatag gttgaacgaa420tttcatgata tcagagtgga tgagaacaga ttgttaatta gaaaacttag aagttcatct480tctcctgtta ctcttataac agtcttttat gctctaacat tgaacgtcat tatgagaatg540atctctggca aaagatattt cgacagtggg gatagagaat tggaggagga aggtaagaga600tttcgagaaa tcttagacga aacgttgctt ctagccggtg cttctaatgt tggcgactac660ttaccaatat tgaactggtt gggagttaag tctcttgaaa agaaattgat cgctttgcag720aaaaagagag atgacttttt ccagggtttg attgaacagg ttagaaaatc tcgtggtgct780aaagtaggca aaggtagaaa aacgatgatc gaactcttat tatctttgca agagtcagaa840cctgagtact atacagatgc tatgataaga tcttttgtcc taggtctgct ggctgcaggt900agtgatactt cagcgggcac tatggaatgg gccatgagct tactggtcaa tcacccacat960gtattgaaga aagctcaagc tgaaatcgat agagttatcg gtaataacag attgattgac1020gagtcagaca ttggaaatat cccttacatc gggtgtatta tcaatgaaac tctaagactc1080tatccagcag ggccattgtt gttcccacat gaaagttctg ccgactgcgt tatttccggt1140tacaatatac ctagaggtac aatgttaatc gtaaaccaat gggcgattca tcacgatcct1200aaagtctggg atgatcctga aacctttaaa cctgaaagat ttcaaggatt agaaggaact1260agagatggtt tcaaacttat gccattcggt tctgggagaa gaggatgtcc aggtgaaggt1320ttggcaataa ggctgttagg gatgacacta ggctcagtga tccaatgttt tgattgggag1380agagtaggag atgagatggt tgacatgaca gaaggtttgg gtgtcacact tcctaaggcc1440gttccattag ttgccaaatg taagccacgt tccgaaatga ctaatctcct atccgaactt1500taa1503seq id no: 94s . rebaudianameasylyisi llllasylft tqlrrksanl pptvfpsipi ighlyllkkp lyrtlakiaa60kygpilqlql gyrrvlviss psaaeecftn ndvifanrpk tlfgkivggt slgslsygdq120wrnlrrvasi eilsvhrlne fhdirvdenr llirklrsss spvtlitvfy altlnvimrm180isgkryfdsg dreleeegkr freildetll lagasnvgdy lpilnwlgvk slekklialq240kkrddffqgl ieqvrksrga kvgkgrktmi elllslqese peyytdamir sfvlgllaag300sdtsagtmew amsllvnhph vlkkaqaeid rvignnrlid esdignipyi gciinetlrl360ypagpllfph essadcvisg yniprgtmli vnqwaihhdp kvwddpetfk perfqglegt420rdgfklmpfg sgrrgcpgeg lairllgmtl gsviqcfdwe rvgdemvdmt eglgvtlpka480vplvakckpr semtnllsel500seq id no: 95atggaagtaa cagtagctag tagtgtagcc ctgagcctgg tctttattag catagtagta60agatgggcat ggagtgtggt gaattgggtg tggtttaagc cgaagaagct ggaaagattt120ttgagggagc aaggccttaa aggcaattcc tacaggtttt tatatggaga catgaaggag180aactctatcc tgctcaaaca agcaagatcc aaacccatga acctctccac ctcccatgac240atagcacctc aagtcacccc ttttgtcgac caaaccgtga aagcttacgg taagaactct300tttaattggg ttggccccat accaagggtg aacataatga atccagaaga tttgaaggac360gtcttaacaa aaaatgttga ctttgttaag ccaatatcaa acccacttat caagttgcta420gctacaggta ttgcaatcta tgaaggtgag aaatggacta aacacagaag gattatcaac480ccaacattcc attcggagag gctaaagcgt atgttacctt catttcacca aagttgtaat540gagatggtca aggaatggga gagcttggtg tcaaaagagg gttcatcatg tgagttggat600gtctggcctt ttcttgaaaa tatgtcggca gatgtgatct cgagaacagc atttggaact660agctacaaaa aaggacagaa aatctttgaa ctcttgagag agcaagtaat atatgtaacg720aaaggctttc aaagttttta cattccagga tggaggtttc tcccaactaa gatgaacaag780aggatgaatg agattaacga agaaataaaa ggattaatca ggggtattat aattgacaga840gagcaaatca ttaaggcagg tgaagaaacc aacgatgact tattaggtgc acttatggag900tcaaacttga aggacattcg ggaacatggg aaaaacaaca aaaatgttgg gatgagtatt960gaagatgtaa ttcaggagtg taagctgttt tactttgctg ggcaagaaac cacttcagtg1020ttgctggctt ggacaatggt tttacttggt caaaatcaga actggcaaga tcgagcaaga1080caagaggttt tgcaagtctt tggaagcagc aagccagatt ttgatggtct agctcacctt1140aaagtcgtaa ccatgatttt gcttgaagtt cttcgattat acccaccagt cattgaactt1200attcgaacca ttcacaagaa aacacaactt gggaagctct cactaccaga aggagttgaa1260gtccgcttac caacactgct cattcaccat gacaaggaac tgtggggtga tgatgcaaac1320cagttcaatc cagagaggtt ttcggaagga gtttccaaag caacaaagaa ccgactctca1380ttcttcccct tcggagccgg tccacgcatt tgcattggac agaacttttc tatgatggaa1440gcaaagttgg ccttagcatt gatcttgcaa cacttcacct ttgagctttc tccatctcat1500gcacatgctc cttcccatcg tataaccctt caaccacagt atggtgttcg tatcatttta1560catcgacgtt ag1572seq id no: 96r . suavissimusatggaagtca ctgtcgcctc ttctgtcgct ttatccttag tcttcatttc cattgtcgtc60agatgggctt ggtccgttgt caactgggtt tggttcaaac caaagaagtt ggaaagattc120ttgagagagc aaggtttgaa gggtaattct tatagattct tgtacggtga catgaaggaa180aattctattt tgttgaagca agccagatcc aaaccaatga acttgtctac ctctcatgat240attgctccac aagttactcc attcgtcgat caaactgtta aagcctacgg taagaactct300ttcaattggg ttggtccaat tcctagagtt aacatcatga acccagaaga tttgaaggat360gtcttgacca agaacgttga cttcgttaag ccaatttcca acccattgat taaattgttg420gctactggta ttgccattta cgaaggtgaa aagtggacta agcatagaag aatcatcaac480cctaccttcc actctgaaag attgaagaga atgttaccat ctttccatca atcctgtaat540gaaatggtta aggaatggga atccttggtt tctaaagaag gttcttcttg cgaattggat600gtttggccat tcttggaaaa tatgtctgct gatgtcattt ccagaaccgc tttcggtacc660tcctacaaga agggtcaaaa gattttcgaa ttgttgagag agcaagttat ttacgttacc720aagggtttcc aatccttcta catcccaggt tggagattct tgccaactaa aatgaacaag780cgtatgaacg agatcaacga agaaattaaa ggtttgatca gaggtattat tatcgacaga840gaacaaatta ttaaagctgg tgaagaaacc aacgatgatt tgttgggtgc tttgatggag900tccaacttga aggatattag agaacatggt aagaacaaca agaatgttgg tatgtctatt960gaagatgtta ttcaagaatg taagttattc tacttcgctg gtcaagagac cacttctgtt1020ttgttagcct ggactatggt cttgttaggt caaaaccaaa attggcaaga tagagctaga1080caagaagttt tgcaagtctt cggttcttcc aagccagact ttgatggttt ggcccacttg1140aaggttgtta ctatgatttt gttagaagtt ttgagattgt acccaccagt cattgagtta1200atcagaacca ttcataaaaa gactcaattg ggtaaattat ctttgccaga aggtgttgaa1260gtcagattac caaccttgtt gattcaccac gataaggaat tatggggtga cgacgctaat1320caatttaatc cagaaagatt ttccgaaggt gtttccaagg ctaccaaaaa ccgtttgtcc1380ttcttcccat ttggtgctgg tccacgtatt tgtatcggtc aaaacttttc catgatggaa1440gccaagttgg ctttggcttt aatcttgcaa cacttcactt tcgaattgtc tccatcccat1500gcccacgctc cttctcatag aatcacttta caaccacaat acggtgtcag aatcatctta1560cacagaagat aa1572seq id no: 97r . suavissimusmevtvassva lslvfisivv rwawsvvnwv wfkpkklerf lreqglkgns yrflygdmke60nsillkqars kpmnlstshd iapqvtpfvd qtvkaygkns fnwvgpiprv nimnpedlkd120vltknvdfvk pisnplikll atgiaiyege kwtkhrriin ptfhserlkr mlpsfhqscn180emvkeweslv skegssceld vwpflenmsa dvisrtafgt sykkgqkife llreqviyvt240kgfqsfyipg wrflptkmnk rmneineeik glirgiiidr eqiikageet nddllgalme300snlkdirehg knnknvgmsi edviqecklf yfagqettsv llawtmvllg qnqnwqdrar360qevlqvfgss kpdfdglahl kvvtmillev lrlyppviel irtihkktql gklslpegve420vrlptllihh dkelwgddan qfnperfseg vskatknrls ffpfgagpri cigqnfsmme480aklalalilq hftfelspsh ahapshritl qpqygvriil hrr523seq id no: 98atggaagcat caagggctag ttgtgttgcg ctatgtgttg tttgggtgag catagtaatt60acattggcat ggagggtgct gaattgggtg tggttgaggc caaagaaact agaaagatgc120ttgagggagc aaggccttac aggcaattct tacaggcttt tgtttggaga caccaaggat180ctctcgaaga tgctggaaca aacacaatcc aaacccatca aactctccac ctcccatgat240atagcgccac gagtcacccc atttttccat cgaactgtga actctaatgg caagaattct300tttgtttgga tgggccctat accaagagtg cacatcatga atccagaaga tttgaaagat360gccttcaaca gacatgatga ttttcataag acagtaaaaa atcctatcat gaagtctcca420ccaccgggca ttgtaggcat tgaaggtgag caatgggcta aacacagaaa gattatcaac480ccagcattcc atttagagaa gctaaagggt atggtaccaa tattttacca aagttgtagc540gagatgatta acaaatggga gagcttggtg tccaaagaga gttcatgtga gttggatgtg600tggccttatc ttgaaaattt taccagcgat gtgatttccc gagctgcatt tggaagtagc660tatgaagagg gaaggaaaat atttcaacta ctaagagagg aagcaaaagt ttattcggta720gctctacgaa gtgtttacat tccaggatgg aggtttctac caaccaagca gaacaagaag780acgaaggaaa ttcacaatga aattaaaggc ttacttaagg gcattataaa taaaagggaa840gaggcgatga aggcagggga agccactaaa gatgacttac taggaatact tatggagtcc900aacttcaggg aaattcagga acatgggaac aacaaaaatg ctggaatgag tattgaagat960gtaattggag agtgtaagtt gttttacttt gctgggcaag agaccacttc ggtgttgctt1020gtttggacaa tgattttact aagccaaaat caggattggc aagctcgtgc aagagaagag1080gtcttgaaag tctttggaag caacatccca acctatgaag agctaagtca cctaaaagtt1140gtgaccatga ttttacttga agttcttcga ttatacccat cagtcgttgc gcttcctcga1200accactcaca agaaaacaca gcttggaaaa ttatcattac cagctggagt ggaagtctcc1260ttgcccatac tgcttgttca ccatgacaaa gagttgtggg gtgaggatgc aaatgagttc1320aagccagaga ggttttcaga gggagtttca aaggcaacaa agaacaaatt tacatactta1380cctttcggag ggggtccaag gatttgcatt ggacaaaact ttgccatggt ggaagctaaa1440ttggccttgg ccctgatttt acaacacttt gcctttgagc tttctccatc ctatgctcat1500gctccttctg cagttataac ccttcaacct caatttggtg ctcatatcat tttgcataaa1560cgttga1566seq id no: 99atggaagctt ctagagcatc ttgtgttgct ttgtgtgttg tttgggtttc catcgttatt60actttggctt ggagagtttt gaattgggtc tggttaagac caaaaaagtt ggaaagatgc120ttgagagaac aaggtttgac tggtaactct tacagattgt tgttcggtga taccaaggac180ttgtctaaga tgttggaaca aactcaatcc aagcctatca agttgtctac ctctcatgat240attgctccaa gagttactcc attcttccat agaactgtta actccaacgg taagaactct300tttgtttgga tgggtccaat tccaagagtc catattatga accctgaaga tttgaaggac360gctttcaaca gacatgatga tttccataag accgtcaaga acccaattat gaagtctcca420ccaccaggta tagttggtat tgaaggtgaa caatgggcca aacatagaaa gattattaac480ccagccttcc acttggaaaa gttgaaaggt atggttccaa tcttctacca atcctgctct540gaaatgatta acaagtggga atccttggtt tccaaagaat cttcctgtga attggatgtc600tggccatatt tggaaaactt cacctccgat gttatttcca gagctgcttt tggttcttct660tacgaagaag gtagaaagat cttccaatta ttgagagaag aagccaaggt ttactccgtt720gctttgagat ctgtttacat tccaggttgg agattcttgc caactaagca aaacaaaaag780accaaagaaa tccacaacga aatcaagggt ttgttgaagg gtatcatcaa caagagagaa840gaagctatga aggctggtga agctacaaaa gatgatttgt tgggtatctt gatggaatcc900aacttcagag aaatccaaga acacggtaac aacaagaatg ccggtatgtc tattgaagat960gttatcggtg aatgcaagtt gttctacttt gctggtcaag aaactacctc cgttttgttg1020gtttggacca tgattttgtt gtcccaaaat caagattggc aagctagagc tagagaagaa1080gtcttgaaag ttttcggttc taacatccca acctacgaag aattgtctca cttgaaggtt1140gtcactatga tcttgttgga agtattgaga ttatacccat ccgttgttgc attgccaaga1200actactcata agaaaactca attgggtaaa ttgtccttgc cagctggtgt tgaagtttct1260ttgccaattt tgttagtcca ccacgacaaa gaattgtggg gtgaagatgc taatgaattc1320aagccagaaa gattctccga aggtgtttct aaagctacca agaacaagtt cacttacttg1380ccatttggtg gtggtccaag aatatgtatt ggtcaaaatt tcgctatggt cgaagctaaa1440ttggctttgg ctttgatctt gcaacatttc gctttcgaat tgtcaccatc ttatgctcat1500gctccatctg ctgttattac attgcaacca caatttggtg cccatatcat cttgcataag1560agataac1567seq id no: 100measrascva lcvvwvsivi tlawrvlnwv wlrpkklerc lreqgltgns yrllfgdtkd60lskmleqtqs kpiklstshd iaprvtpffh rtvnsngkns fvwmgpiprv himnpedlkd120afnrhddfhk tvknpimksp ppgivgiege qwakhrkiin pafhleklkg mvpifyqscs180eminkweslv skessceldv wpylenftsd visraafgss yeegrkifql lreeakvysv240alrsvyipgw rflptkqnkk tkeihneikg llkgiinkre eamkageatk ddllgilmes300nfreiqehgn nknagmsied vigecklfyf agqettsvll vwtmillsqn qdwqararee360vlkvfgsnip tyeelshlkv vtmillevlr lypsvvalpr tthkktqlgk lslpagvevs420lpillvhhdk elwgedanef kperfsegvs katknkftyl pfgggprici gqnfamveak480lalalilqhf afelspsyah apsavitlqp qfgahiilhk r521seq id no: 101aswvavlsvv wvsmviawaw rvlnwvwlrp kklekclreq glagnsyrll fgdtkdlskm60leqtqskpik lstshdiaph vtpffhqtvn sygknsfvwm gpiprvhimn pedlkdtfnr120hddfhkvvkn pimkslpqgi vgiegeqwak hrkiinpafh leklkgmvpi fyrscsemin180kweslvskes sceldvwpyl enftsdvisr aafgssyeeg rkifqllree akiytvamrs240vyipgwrflp tkqnkkakei hneikgllkg iinkreeamk ageatkddll gilmesnfre300iqehgnnkna gmsiedvige cklfyfagqe ttsvllvwtm vllsqnqdwq arareevlqv360fgsniptyee lsqlkvvtmi llevlrlyps vvalprtthk ktqlgklslp agvevslpil420lvhhdkelwg edanefkper fsegvskatk nqftyfpfgg gpricigqnf ammeaklals480lilrhfalel splyahapsv titlqpqyga hiilhkr517seq id no: 102measrpscva lsvvlvsivi awawrvlnwv wlrpnklerc lreqgltgns yrllfgdtke60ismmveqaqs kpiklstthd iaprvipfsh qivytygrns fvwmgptprv timnpedlkd120afnksdefqr aisnpivksi sqglsslege kwakhrkiin pafhleklkg mlptfyqscs180eminkweslv fkegsremdv wpylenltsd visraafgss yeegrkifql lreeakfyti240aarsvyipgw rflptkqnkr mkeihkevrg llkgiinkre daikageaak gnllgilmes300nfreiqehgn nknagmsied vigecklfyf agqettsvll vwtlvllsqn qdwqararee360vlqvfgtnip tydqlshlkv vtmillevlr lypavvelpr ttykktqlgk fllpagvevs420lhimlahhdk elwgedakef kperfsegvs katknqftyf pfgagprici gqnfamleak480lalslilqhf tfelspsyah apsvtitlhp qfgahfilhk r521seq id no: 103cvalsvvlvs iviawawrvl nwvwlrpnkl erclreqglt gnsyrllfgd tkeismmveq60aqskpiklst thdiaprvip fshqivytyg rnsfvwmgpt prvtimnped lkdafnksde120fqraisnpiv ksisqglssl egekwakhrk iinpafhlek lkgmlptfyq scseminkwe180slvfkegsre mdvwpylenl tsdvisraaf gssyeegrki fqllreeakf ytiaarsvyi240pgwrflptkq nkrmkeihke vrgllkgiin kredaikage aakgnllgil mesnfreiqe300hgnnknagms iedvigeckl fyfagqetts vllvwtlvll sqnqdwqara reevlqvfgt360niptydqlsh lkvvtmille vlrlypavve lprttykktq lgkfllpagv evslhimlah420hdkelwgeda kefkperfse gvskatknqf tyfpfgagpr icigqnfaml eaklalslil480qhftfelsps yahapsvtit lhpqfgahfi lhkr514seq id no: 104mgpiprvhim npedlkdtfn rhddfhkvvk npimkslpqg ivgiegdqwa khrkiinpaf60hleklkgmvp ifyqscsemi niwkslvske ssceldvwpy lenftsdvis raafgssyee120grkifqllre eakvytvavr svyipgwrfl ptkqnkktke ihneikgllk giinkreeam180kageatkddl lgilmesnfr eiqehgnnkn agmsiedvig ecklfyfagq ettsvllvwt240mvllsqnqdw qarareevlq vfgsniptye elshlkvvtm illevlrlyp svvalprtth300kktqlgklsl pagvevslpi llvhhdkelw gedanefkpe rfsegvskat knqftyfpfg360ggpricigqn fammeaklal slilqhftfe lspqyshaps vtitlqpqyg ahlilhkr418seq id no: 105atgggtttgt tcccattaga ggattcctac gcgctggtct ttgaaggact agcaataaca60ctggctttgt actatctact gtctttcatc tacaaaacat ctaaaaagac atgtacacct120cctaaagcat ctggtgaaat cattccaatt acaggaatca tattgaatct gctatctggc180tcaagtggtc tacctattat cttagcactt gcctctttag cagacagatg tggtcctatt240ttcaccatta ggctgggtat taggagagtg ctagtagtat caaattggga aatcgctaag300gagattttca ctacccacga tttgatagtt tctaatagac caaaatactt agccgctaag360attcttggtt tcaattatgt ttcattctct ttcgctccat acggcccata ttgggtcgga420atcagaaaga ttattgctac aaaactaatg tcttcttcca gacttcagaa gttgcaattt480gtaagagttt ttgaactaga aaactctatg aaatctatca gagaatcatg gaaggagaaa540aaggatgaag agggaaaggt attagttgag atgaaaaagt ggttctggga actgaatatg600aacatagtgt taaggacagt tgctggtaaa caatacactg gtacagttga tgatgccgat660gcaaagcgta tctccgagtt attcagagaa tggtttcact acactggcag atttgtcgtt720ggagacgctt ttccttttct aggttggttg gacctgggcg gatacaaaaa gacaatggaa780ttagttgcta gtagattgga ctcaatggtc agtaaatggt tagatgagca tcgtaaaaag840caagctaacg atgacaaaaa ggaggatatg gatttcatgg atatcatgat ctccatgaca900gaagcaaatt caccacttga aggatacggc actgatacta ttatcaagac cacatgtatg960actttgattg tttcaggagt tgatacaacc tcaatcgtac ttacttgggc cttatcactt1020ttgttaaaca acagagatac tttgaaaaag gcacaagagg aattagatat gtgcgtaggt1080aaaggaagac aagtcaacga gtctgatctt gttaacttga tatacttgga agcagtgctt1140aaagaggctt taagacttta cccagcagcg ttcttaggcg gaccaagagc attcttggaa1200gattgtactg ttgctggtta tagaattcca aagggcacct gcttgttgat taacatgtgg1260aaactgcata gagatccaaa catttggagt gatccttgcg aattcaagcc agaaagattt1320ttgacaccta atcaaaagga tgttgatgtg atcggtatgg atttcgaatt gataccattt1380ggtgccggca gaagatattg tccaggtact agattggctt tacagatgtt gcatatcgta1440ttagcgacat tgctgcaaaa cttcgaaatg tcaacaccaa acgatgcgcc agtcgatatg1500actgcttctg ttggcatgac aaatgccaaa gcatcacctt tagaagtctt gctatcacct1560cgtgttaaat ggtcctaa1578seq id no: 106mglfpledsy alvfeglait lalyyllsfi yktskktctp pkasgehpit ghlnllsgss60glphlalasl adrcgpifti rlgirrvlvv snweiakeif tthdlivsnr pkylaakilg120fnyvsfsfap ygpywvgirk iiatklmsss rlqklqfvrv felensmksi reswkekkde180egkvlvemkk wfwelnmniv lrtvagkqyt gtvddadakr iselfrewfh ytgrfvvgda240fpflgwldlg gykktmelva srldsmvskw ldehrkkqan ddkkedmdfm dimismtean300splegygtdt iikttcmtli vsgvdttsiv ltwalsllln nrdtlkkaqe eldmcvgkgr360qvnesdlvnl iyleavlkea lrlypaaflg gprafledct vagyripkgt cllinmwklh420rdpniwsdpc efkperfltp nqkdvdvigm dfelipfgag rrycpgtrla lqmlhivlat480llqnfemstp ndapvdmtas vgmtnakasp levllsprvk ws522seq id no: 107atgatacaag ttttaactcc aattctactc ttcctcatct tcttcgtttt ctggaaagtc60tacaaacatc aaaagactaa aatcaatcta ccaccaggtt ccttcggctg gccatttttg120ggtgaaacct tagccttact tagagcaggc tgggattctg agccagaaag attcgtaaga180gagcgtatca aaaagcatgg atctccactt gttttcaaga catcactatt tggagacaga240ttcgctgttc tttgcggtcc agctggtaat aagtttttgt tctgcaacga aaacaaatta300gtggcatctt ggtggccagt ccctgtaagg aagttgttcg gtaaaagttt actcacaata360agaggagatg aagcaaaatg gatgagaaaa atgctattgt cttacttggg tccagatgca420tttgccacac attatgccgt tactatggat gttgtaacac gtagacatat tgatgtccat480tggaggggca aggaggaagt taatgtattt caaacagtta agttgtacgc attcgaatta540gcttgtagat tattcatgaa cctagatgac ccaaaccaca tcgcgaaact cggtagtctt600ttcaacattt tcctcaaagg gatcatcgag cttcctatag acgttcctgg aactagattt660tactccagta aaaaggccgc agctgccatt agaattgaat tgaaaaagct cattaaagct720agaaaactcg aattgaagga gggtaaggcg tcttcttcac aggacttgct ttctcatcta780ttaacatcac ctgatgagaa tgggatgttc ttgacagaag aggaaatagt cgataacatt840ctacttttgt tattcgctgg tcacgatacc tctgcactat caataacact tttgatgaaa900accttaggtg aacacagtga tgtgtacgac aaggttttga aggaacaatt agaaatttcc960aaaacaaagg aggcttggga atcactaaag tgggaagata tccagaagat gaagtactca1020tggtcagtaa tctgtgaagt catgagattg aatcctcctg tcatagggac atacagagag1080gcgttggttg atatcgacta tgctggttac actatcccaa aaggatggaa gttgcattgg1140tcagctgttt ctactcaaag agacgaagcc aatttcgaag atgtaactag attcgatcca1200tccagatttg aaggggcagg ccctactcca ttcacatttg tgcctttcgg tggaggtcct1260agaatgtgtt taggcaaaga gtttgccagg ttagaagtgt tagcatttct ccacaacatt1320gttaccaact ttaagtggga tcttctaatc cctgatgaga agatcgaata tgatccaatg1380gctactccag ctaagggctt gccaattaga cttcatccac accaagtcta a1431seq id no: 108miqvltpill fliffvfwkv ykhqktkinl ppgsfgwpfl getlallrag wdseperfvr60erikkhgspl vfktslfgdr favlcgpagn kflfcnenkl vaswwpvpvr klfgksllti120rgdeakwmrk mllsylgpda fathyavtmd vvtrrhidvh wrgkeevnvf qtvklyafel180acrlfmnldd pnhiaklgsl fniflkgiie lpidvpgtrf ysskkaaaai rielkklika240rklelkegka sssqdllshl ltspdengmf lteeeivdni llllfaghdt salsitllmk300tlgehsdvyd kvlkeqleis ktkeaweslk wediqkmkys wsvicevmrl nppvigtyre360alvdidyagy tipkgwklhw savstqrdea nfedvtrfdp srfegagptp ftfvpfgggp420rmclgkefar levlaflhni vtnfkwdlli pdekieydpm atpakglpir lhphqv476seq id no: 109atggagtctt tagtggttca tacagtaaat gctatctggt gtattgtaat cgtcgggatt60ttctcagttg gttatcacgt ttacggtaga gctgtggtcg aacaatggag aatgagaaga120tcactgaagc tacaaggtgt taaaggccca ccaccatcca tcttcaatgg taacgtctca180gaaatgcaac gtatccaatc cgaagctaaa cactgctctg gcgataacat tatctcacat240gattattctt cttcattatt cccacacttc gatcactgga gaaaacagta cggcagaatc300tacacatact ctactggatt aaagcaacac ttgtacatca atcatccaga aatggtgaag360gagctatctc agactaacac attgaacttg ggtagaatca cccatataac caaaagattg420aatcctatct taggtaacgg aatcataacc tctaatggtc ctcattgggc ccatcagcgt480agaattatcg cctacgagtt tactcatgat aagatcaagg gtatggttgg tttgatggtt540gagtctgcta tgcctatgtt gaataagtgg gaggagatgg taaagagagg cggagaaatg600ggatgcgaca taagagttga tgaggacttg aaagatgttt cagcagatgt gattgcaaaa660gcctgtttcg gatcctcatt ttctaaaggt aaggctattt tctctatgat aagagatttg720cttacagcta tcacaaagag aagtgttcta ttcagattca acggattcac tgatatggtc780tttgggagta aaaagcatgg tgacgttgat atagacgctt tagaaatgga attggaatca840tccatttggg aaactgtcaa ggaacgtgaa atagaatgta aagatactca caaaaaggat900ctgatgcaat tgattttgga aggggcaatg cgttcatgtg acggtaacct ttgggataaa960tcagcatata gaagatttgt tgtagataat tgtaaatcta tctacttcgc agggcatgat1020agtacagctg tctcagtgtc atggtgtttg atgttactgg ccctaaaccc atcatggcaa1080gttaagatcc gtgatgaaat tctgtcttct tgcaaaaatg gtattccaga tgccgaaagt1140atcccaaacc ttaaaacagt gactatggtt attcaagaga caatgagatt ataccctcca1200gcaccaatcg tcgggagaga agcctctaaa gatatcagat tgggcgatct agttgttcct1260aaaggcgtct gtatatggac actaatacca gctttacaca gagatcctga gatttgggga1320ccagatgcaa acgatttcaa accagaaaga ttttctgaag gaatttcaaa ggcttgtaag1380tatcctcaaa gttacattcc atttggtctg ggtcctagaa catgcgttgg taaaaacttt1440ggcatgatgg aagtaaaggt tcttgtttcc ctgattgtct ccaagttctc tttcactcta1500tctcctacct accaacatag tcctagtcac aaacttttag tagaaccaca acatggggtg1560gtaattagag tggtttaa1578seq id no: 110meslvvhtvn aiwcivivgi fsvgyhvygr avveqwrmrr slklqgvkgp ppsifngnvs60emqriqseak hcsgdniish dyssslfphf dhwrkqygri ytystglkqh lyinhpemvk120elsqtntlnl grithitkrl npilgngiit sngphwahqr riiayefthd kikgmvglmv180esampmlnkw eemvkrggem gcdirvdedl kdvsadviak acfgssfskg kaifsmirdl240ltaitkrsvl frfngftdmv fgskkhgdvd idalemeles siwetvkere ieckdthkkd300lmqlilegam rscdgnlwdk sayrrfvvdn cksiyfaghd stavsvswcl mllalnpswq360vkirdeilss ckngipdaes ipnlktvtmv iqetmrlypp apivgreask dirlgdlvvp420kgvciwtlip alhrdpeiwg pdandfkper fsegiskack ypqsyipfgl gprtcvgknf480gmmevkvlvs livskfsftl sptyqhspsh kllvepqhgv virvv525seq id no: 111atgtacttcc tactacaata cctcaacatc acaaccgttg gtgtctttgc cacattgttt60ctctcttatt gtttacttct ctggagaagt agagcgggta acaaaaagat tgccccagaa120gctgccgctg catggcctat tatcggccac ctccacttac ttgcaggtgg atcccatcaa180ctaccacata ttacattggg taacatggca gataagtacg gtcctgtatt cacaatcaga240ataggcttgc atagagctgt agttgtctca tcttgggaaa tggcaaagga atgttcaaca300gctaatgatc aagtgtcttc ttcaagacct gaactattag cttctaagtt gttgggttat360aactacgcca tgtttggttt ttcaccatac ggttcatact ggagagaaat gagaaagatc420atctctctcg aattactatc taattccaga ttggaactat tgaaagatgt tagagcctca480gaagttgtca catctattaa ggaactatac aaattgtggg cggaaaagaa gaatgagtca540ggattggttt ctgtcgagat gaaacaatgg ttcggagatt tgactttaaa cgtgatcttg600agaatggtgg ctggtaaaag atacttctcc gcgagtgacg cttcagaaaa caaacaggcc660cagcgttgta gaagagtctt cagagaattc ttccatctct ccggcttgtt tgtggttgct720gatgctatac cttttcttgg atggctcgat tggggaagac acgagaagac cttgaaaaag780accgccatag aaatggattc catcgcccag gagtggcttg aggaacatag acgtagaaaa840gattctggag atgataattc tacccaagat ttcatggacg ttatgcaatc tgtgctagat900ggcaaaaatc taggcggata cgatgctgat acgattaaca aggctacatg cttaactctt960atatcaggtg gcagtgatac tactgtagtt tctttgacat gggctcttag tcttgtgtta1020aacaatagag atactttgaa aaaggcacag gaagagttag acatccaagt cggtaaggaa1080agattggtta acgagcaaga catcagtaag ttagtttact tgcaagcaat agtaaaagag1140acactcagac tttatccacc aggtcctttg ggtggtttga gacaattcac tgaagattgt1200acactaggtg gctatcacgt ttcaaaagga actagattaa tcatgaactt atccaagatt1260caaaaagatc cacgtatttg gtctgatcct actgaattcc aaccagagag attccttacg1320actcataaag atgtcgatcc acgtggtaaa cactttgaat tcattccatt cggtgcagga1380agacgtgcat gtcctggtat cacattcgga ttacaagtac tacatctaac attggcatct1440ttcttgcatg cgtttgaatt ttcaacacca tcaaatgagc aggttaacat gagagaatca1500ttaggtctta cgaatatgaa atctacccca ttagaagttt tgatttctcc aagactatcc1560cttaattgct tcaaccttat gaaaatttga1590seq id no: 112myfllqylni ttvgvfatlf lsyclllwrs ragnkkiape aaaawpiigh lhllaggshq60lphitlgnma dkygpvftir iglhravvvs swemakecst andqvsssrp ellaskllgy120nyamfgfspy gsywremrki islellsnsr lellkdvras evvtsikely klwaekknes180glvsvemkqw fgdltlnvil rmvagkryfs asdasenkqa qrcrrvfref fhlsglfvva240daipflgwld wgrhektlkk taiemdsiaq ewleehrrrk dsgddnstqd fmdvmqsvld300gknlggydad tinkatcltl isggsdttvv sltwalslvl nnrdtlkkaq eeldiqvgke360rlvneqdisk lvylqaivke tlrlyppgpl gglrqftedc tlggyhvskg trlimnlski420qkdpriwsdp tefqperflt thkdvdprgk hfefipfgag rracpgitfg lqvlhltlas480flhafefstp sneqvnmres lgltnmkstp levlisprls scslyn526seq id no: 113atggaaccta acttttactt gtcattacta ttgttgttcg tgaccttcat ttctttaagt60ctgtttttca tcttttacaa acaaaagtcc ccattgaatt tgccaccagg gaaaatgggt120taccctatca taggtgaaag tttagaattc ctatccacag gctggaaggg acatcctgaa180aagttcatat ttgatagaat gcgtaagtac agtagtgagt tattcaagac ttctattgta240ggcgaatcca cagttgtttg ctgtggggca gctagtaaca aattcctatt ctctaacgaa300aacaaactgg taactgcctg gtggccagat tctgttaaca aaatcttccc aacaacttca360ctggattcta atttgaagga ggaatctata aagatgagaa agttgctgcc acagttcttc420aaaccagaag cacttcaaag atacgtcggc gttatggatg taatcgcaca aagacatttt480gtcactcact gggacaacaa aaatgagatc acagtttatc cacttgctaa aagatacact540ttcttgcttg cgtgtagact gttcatgtct gttgaggatg aaaatcatgt ggcgaaattc600tcagacccat tccaactaat cgctgcaggc atcatttcac ttcctatcga tcttcctggt660actccattca acaaggccat aaaggcttca aatttcatta gaaaagagct gataaagatt720atcaaacaaa gacgtgttga tctggcagag ggtacagcat ctccaaccca ggatatcttg780tcacatatgc tattaacatc tgatgaaaac ggtaaatcta tgaacgagtt gaacattgcc840gacaagattc ttggactatt gataggaggc cacgatacag cttcagtagc ttgcacattt900ctagtgaagt acttaggaga attaccacat atctacgata aagtctacca agagcaaatg960gaaattgcca agtccaaacc tgctggggaa ttgttgaatt gggatgactt gaaaaagatg1020aagtattcat ggaatgtggc atgtgaggta atgagattgt caccaccttt acaaggtggt1080tttagagagg ctataactga ctttatgttt aacggtttct ctattccaaa agggtggaag1140ttatactggt ccgccaactc tacacacaaa aatgcagaat gtttcccaat gcctgagaaa1200ttcgatccta ccagatttga aggtaatggt ccagcgcctt atacatttgt accattcggt1260ggaggcccta gaatgtgtcc tggaaaggaa tacgctagat tagaaatctt ggttttcatg1320cataatctgg tcaaacgttt taagtgggaa aaggttattc cagacgaaaa gattattgtc1380gatccattcc caatcccagc taaagatctt ccaatccgtt tgtatcctca caaagcttaa1440seq id no: 114mepnfylsll llfvtfisls lffifykqks plnlppgkmg ypiigeslef lstgwkghpe60kfifdrmrky sselfktsiv gestvvccga asnkflfsne nklvtawwpd svnkifptts120ldsnlkeesi kmrkllpqff kpealqryvg vmdviaqrhf vthwdnknei tvyplakryt180fllacrlfms vedenhvakf sdpfqliaag iislpidlpg tpfnkaikas nfirkeliki240ikqrrvdlae gtasptqdil shmlltsden gksmnelnia dkilglligg hdtasvactf300lvkylgelph iydkvyqeqm eiakskpage llnwddlkkm kyswnvacev mrlspplqgg360freaitdfmf ngfsipkgwk lywsansthk naecfpmpek fdptrfegng papytfvpfg420ggprmcpgke yarleilvfm hnlvkrfkwe kvipdekiiv dpfpipakdl pirlyphka479seq id no: 115atggcctctg ttactttggg ttcctggatc gtcgtccacc accataacca tcaccatcca60tcatctatcc taactaaatc tcgttcaaga tcctgtccta ttacactaac caaaccaatc120tcttttcgtt caaagagaac agtttcctct agtagttcta tcgtgtcctc tagtgtcgtc180actaaggaag acaatctgag acagtctgaa ccttcttcct ttgatttcat gtcatatatc240attactaagg cagaactagt gaataaggct cttgattcag cagttccatt aagagagcca300ttgaaaatcc atgaagcaat gagatactct cttctagctg gcgggaagag agtcagacct360gtactctgca tagcagcgtg cgaattagtt ggtggcgagg aatcaaccgc tatgcctgcc420gcttgtgctg tagaaatgat tcatacaatg tcactgatac acgatgattt gccatgtatg480gataacgatg atctgagaag gggtaagcca actaaccata aggttttcgg cgaagatgtt540gccgtcttag ctggtgatgc tttgttatct ttcgcgttcg aacatttggc atccgcaaca600tcaagtgatg ttgtgtcacc agtaagagta gttagagcag ttggagaact ggctaaagct660attggaactg agggtttagt tgcaggtcaa gtcgtcgata tctcttccga aggtcttgat720ttgaatgatg taggtcttga acatctcgaa ttcatccatc ttcacaagac agctgcactt780ttagaagcca gtgcggttct cggcgcaatt gttggcggag ggagtgatga cgaaattgag840agattgagga agtttgctag atgtatagga ttactgttcc aagtagtaga cgatatacta900gatgtgacaa agtcttccaa agagttggga aaaacagctg gtaaagattt gattgccgac960aaattgacct accctaagat tatggggcta gaaaaatcaa gagaatttgc cgagaaactc1020aatagagagg cgcgtgatca actgttgggt ttcgattctg ataaagttgc accactctta1080gccttagcca actacatcgc ttacagacaa aactaa1116seq id no: 116masvtlgswi vvhhhnhhhp ssiltksrsr scpitltkpi sfrskrtvss sssivsssvv60tkednlrqse pssfdfmsyi itkaelvnka ldsavplrep lkiheamrys llaggkrvrp120vlciaacelv ggeestampa acavemihtm slihddlpcm dnddlrrgkp tnhkvfgedv180avlagdalls fafehlasat ssdvvspvrv vravgelaka igteglvagq vvdissegld240lndvglehle fihlhktaal leasavlgai vgggsddeie rlrkfarcig llfqvvddil300dvtksskelg ktagkdliad kltypkimgl eksrefaekl nreardqllg fdsdkvapll360alanyiayrq n371seq id no: 117r . suavissimusmatllehfqa mpfaipiala alswlflfyi kvsffsnksa qaklppvpvv pglpvignll60qlkekkpyqt ftrwaeeygp iysirtgast mvvlnttqva keamvtryls istrklsnal120kiltadkcmv aisdyndfhk mikryilsnv lgpsaqkrhr snrdtlranv csrlhsqvkn180spreavnfrr vfewelfgia lkqafgkdie kpiyveelgt tlsrdeifkv lvldimegai240evdwrdffpy lrwipntrme tkiqrlyfrr kavmtaline qkkriasgee incyidfllk300egktltmdqi smllwetvie tadttmvtte wamyevakds krqdrlyqei qkvcgsemvt360eeylsqlpyl navfhetlrk hspaalvplr yahedtqlgg yyipagteia iniygcnmdk420hqwespeewk perfldpkfd pmdlyktmaf gagkrvcags lqamliacpt igrlvqefew480klrdgeeenv dtvgltthkr ypmhailkpr s511seq id no: 118s . cerevisiaeatgtcatttc aaattgaaac ggttcccacc aaaccatatg aagaccaaaa gcctggtacc60tctggtttgc gtaagaagac aaaggtgttt aaagacgaac ctaactacac agaaaatttc120attcaatcga tcatggaagc tattccagag ggttctaaag gtgccactct tgttgtcggt180ggtgatgggc gttactacaa tgatgtcatt cttcataaga ttgccgctat cggtgctgcc240aacggtatta aaaagttagt tattggccag catggtcttc tgtctacgcc agccgcttct300cacatcatga gaacctacga ggaaaaatgt actggtggta ttatcttaac cgcctcacat360aatccaggtg gtccagaaaa tgacatgggt attaagtata acttatccaa tgggggtcct420gctcctgaat ccgtcacaaa tgctatttgg gagatttcca aaaagcttac cagctataag480attatcaaag acttcccaga actagacttg ggtacgatag gcaagaacaa gaaatacggt540ccattactcg ttgacattat cgatattaca aaagattatg tcaacttctt gaaggaaatc600ttcgatttcg acttaatcaa gaaattcatc gataatcaac gttctactaa gaattggaag660ttactgtttg acagtatgaa cggtgtaact ggaccatacg gtaaggctat tttcgttgat720gaatttggtt taccggcgga tgaggtttta caaaactggc atccttctcc ggattttggt780ggtatgcatc cagatccaaa cttaacttat gccagttcgt tagtgaaaag agtagatcgt840gaaaagattg agtttggtgc tgcatccgat ggtgatggtg atagaaatat gatttacggt900tacggcccat ctttcgtttc tccaggtgac tccgtcgcaa ttattgccga atatgcagct960gaaatcccat atttcgccaa gcaaggtata tatggtctgg cccgttcatt ccctacctca1020ggagccatag accgtgttgc caaggcccat ggtctaaact gttatgaggt cccaactggc1080tggaaatttt tctgtgcttt gttcgacgct aaaaaattat ctatttgtgg tgaagaatcg1140tttggtactg gttccaacca cgtaagggaa aaggacggtg tttgggccat tatggcgtgg1200ttgaacatct tggccattta caacaagcat catccggaga acgaagcttc tattaagacg1260atacagaatg aattctgggc aaagtacggc cgtactttct tcactcgtta tgattttgaa1320aaagttgaaa cagaaaaagc taacaagatt gtcgatcaat tgagagcata tgttaccaaa1380tcgggtgttg ttaattccgc cttcccagcc gatgagtctc ttaaggtcac cgattgtggt1440gatttttcat acacagattt ggacggttct gtttctgacc atcaaggttt atatgtcaag1500ctttccaatg gtgcaagatt cgttctaaga ttgtcaggta caggttcttc aggtgctacc1560attagattgt acattgaaaa atactgcgat gataaatcac aataccaaaa gacagctgaa1620gaatacttga agccaattat taactcggtc atcaagttct tgaactttaa acaagtttta1680ggaactgaag aaccaacggt tcgtacttaa1710seq id no: 119s . cerevisiaemsfqietvpt kpyedqkpgt sglrkktkvf kdepnytenf iqsimeaipe gskgatlvvg60gdgryyndvi lhkiaaigaa ngikklvigq hgllstpaas himrtyeekc tggiiltash120npggpendmg ikynlsnggp apesvtnaiw eiskkltsyk iikdfpeldl gtigknkkyg180pllvdiidit kdyvnflkei fdfdlikkfi dnqrstknwk llfdsmngvt gpygkaifvd240efglpadevl qnwhpspdfg gmhpdpnlty asslvkrvdr ekiefgaasd gdgdrnmiyg300ygpsfvspgd svaiiaeyaa eipyfakqgi yglarsfpts gaidrvakah glncyevptg360wkffcalfda kklsicgees fgtgsnhvre kdgvwaimaw lnilaiynkh hpeneasikt420iqnefwakyg rtfftrydfe kvetekanki vdqlrayvtk sgvvnsafpa deslkvtdcg480dfsytdldgs vsdhqglyvk lsngarfvlr lsgtgssgat irlyiekycd dksqyqktae540eylkpiinsv ikflnfkqvl gteeptvrt569seq id no: 120s . cerevisiaeatgtccacta agaagcacac caaaacacat tccacttatg cattcgagag caacacaaac60agcgttgctg cctcacaaat gagaaacgcc ttaaacaagt tggcggactc tagtaaactt120gacgatgctg ctcgcgctaa gtttgagaac gaactggatt cgtttttcac gcttttcagg180agatatttgg tagagaagtc ttctagaacc accttggaat gggacaagat caagtctccc240aacccggatg aagtggttaa gtatgaaatt atttctcagc agcccgagaa tgtctcaaac300ctttccaaat tggctgtttt gaagttgaac ggtgggctgg gtacctccat gggctgcgtt360ggccctaaat ctgttattga agtgagagag ggaaacacct ttttggattt gtctgttcgt420caaattgaat acttgaacag acagtacgat agcgacgtgc cattgttatt gatgaattct480ttcaacactg acaaggatac ggaacacttg attaagaagt attccgctaa cagaatcaga540atcagatctt tcaatcaatc caggttccca agagtctaca aggattcttt attgcctgtc600cccaccgaat acgattctcc actggatgct tggtatccac caggtcacgg tgatttgttt660gaatctttac acgtatctgg tgaactggat gccttaattg cccaaggaag agaaatatta720tttgtttcta acggtgacaa cttgggtgct accgtcgact taaaaatttt aaaccacatg780atcgagactg gtgccgaata tataatggaa ttgactgata agaccagagc cgatgttaaa840ggtggtactt tgatttctta cgatggtcaa gtccgtttat tggaagtcgc ccaagttcca900aaagaacaca ttgacgaatt caaaaatatc agaaagttta ccaacttcaa cacgaataac960ttatggatca atctgaaagc agtaaagagg ttgatcgaat cgagcaattt ggagatggaa1020atcattccaa accaaaaaac tataacaaga gacggtcatg aaattaatgt cttacaatta1080gaaaccgctt gtggtgctgc tatcaggcat tttgatggtg ctcacggtgt tgtcgttcca1140agatcaagat tcttgcctgt caagacctgt tccgatttgt tgctggttaa atcagatcta1200ttccgtctgg aacacggttc tttgaagtta gacccatccc gttttggtcc aaacccatta1260atcaagttgg gctcgcattt caaaaaggtt tctggtttta acgcaagaat ccctcacatc1320ccaaaaatcg tcgagctaga tcatttgacc atcactggta acgtcttttt aggtaaagat1380gtcactttga ggggtactgt catcatcgtt tgctccgacg gtcataaaat cgatattcca1440aacggctcca tattggaaaa tgttgtcgtt actggtaatt tgcaaatctt ggaacattga1500seq id no: 121s . cerevisiaemstkkhtkth styafesntn svaasqmrna lnkladsskl ddaarakfen eldsfftlfr60rylvekssrt tlewdkiksp npdevvkyei isqqpenvsn lsklavlkln gglgtsmgcv120gpksvievre gntfldlsvr qieylnrqyd sdvplllmns fntdkdtehl ikkysanrir180irsfnqsrfp rvykdsllpv pteydsplda wyppghgdlf eslhvsgeld aliaqgreil240fvsngdnlga tvdlkilnhm ietgaeyime ltdktradvk ggtlisydgq vrllevaqvp300kehidefkni rkftnfntnn lwinlkavkr liessnleme iipnqktitr dgheinvlql360etacgaairh fdgahgvvvp rsrflpvktc sdlllvksdl frlehgslkl dpsrfgpnpl420iklgshfkkv sgfnariphi pkiveldhlt itgnvflgkd vtlrgtviiv csdghkidip480ngsilenvvv tgnlqileh499seq id no: 122s . cerevisiaeatgtctagtc aaacagaaag aacttttatt gcggtaaaac cagatggtgt ccagaggggc60ttagtatctc aaattctatc tcgttttgaa aaaaaaggtt acaaactagt tgctattaaa120ttagttaaag cggatgataa attactagag caacattacg cagagcatgt tggtaaacca180tttttcccaa agatggtatc ctttatgaag tctggtccca ttttggccac ggtctgggag240ggaaaagatg tggttagaca aggaagaact attcttggtg ctactaatcc tttgggcagt300gcaccaggta ccattagagg tgatttcggt attgacctag gcagaaacgt ctgtcacggc360agtgattctg ttgatagcgc tgaacgtgaa atcaatttgt ggtttaagaa ggaagagtta420gttgattggg aatctaatca agctaagtgg atttatgaat ga462seq id no: 123s . cerevisiaemssqtertfi avkpdgvqrg lvsqilsrfe kkgyklvaik lvkaddklle qhyaehvgkp60ffpkmvsfmk sgpilatvwe gkdvvrqgrt ilgatnplgs apgtirgdfg idlgrnvchg120sdsvdsaere inlwfkkeel vdwesnqaew iye153seq id no: 124s . rebaudianaatggctgctg ctgatactga aaagttgaac aatttgagat ccgccgtttc tggtttgacc60caaatttctg ataacgaaaa gtccggtttc atcaacttgg tcagtagata tttgtctggt120gaagctcaac acgttgaatg gtctaaaatt caaactccaa ccgataagat cgttgttcca180tacgatactt tgtctgctgt tccagaagat gctgctcaaa caaaatcttt gttggataag240ttggtcgtct tgaagttgaa cggtggtttg ggtactacta tgggttgtac tggtccaaag300tctgttatcg aagttagaaa cggtttgacc ttcttggatt tgatcgtcat ccaaatcgaa360tccttgaaca agaagtacgg ttgttctgtt cctttgttgt tgatgaactc tttcaacacc420catgaagata cccaaaagat cgtcgaaaag tactccggtt ctaacattga agttcacacc480ttcaatcaat cccaataccc aagattggtt gtcgatgaat ttttgccatt gccatctaaa540ggtgaaactg gtaaagatgg ttggtatcca ccaggtcatg gtgatgtttt tccatccttg600atgaattccg gtaagttgga tgctttgttg tcccaaggta aagaatacgt tttcgttgcc660aactctgata acttgggtgc agttgttgat ttgaagatct tgaaccactt gatccaaaac720aagaacgaat actgcatgga agttactcca aagactttgg ctgatgttaa gggtggtact780ttgatttctt acgatggtaa ggttcaatta ttggaaatcg cccaagttcc agatgaacac840gttaatgaat tcaagtccat cgaaaagttt aagatcttta acactaacaa cttgtgggtc900aacttgaacg ccattaagag attggttcaa gctgatgctt tgaagatgga aattattcca960aatccaaaag aagtcaacgg tgtcaaggta ttgcaattgg aaactgctgc tggtgctgct1020attaagtttt tcgataatgc catcggtatc aacgtcccaa gatctagatt tttgcctgtt1080aaggcttcct ctgacttgtt gttagttcaa tcagacttgt acaccgaaaa ggatggttac1140gttattagaa acccagctag aaaggatcca gctaacccat ctattgaatt gggtccagaa1200ttcaaaaagg tcggtgattt cttgaagaga ttcaagtcta tcccatccat catcgaattg1260gactcattga aagtttctgg tgatgtctgg tttggttcca acgttgtttt gaaaggtaag1320gttgttgttg ctgccaaatc cggtgaaaaa ttggaaattc cagatggtgc cttgattgaa1380aacaaagaag ttcatggtgc ctccgacatt tga1413seq id no: 125s . rebaudianamaaadtekln nlrsavsglt qisdneksgf inlvsrylsg eaqhvewski qtptdkivvp60ydtlsavped aaqtkslldk lvvlklnggl gttmgctgpk svievrnglt fldliviqie120slnkkygcsv plllmnsfnt hedtqkivek ysgsnievht fnqsqyprlv vdeflplpsk180getgkdgwyp pghgdvfpsl mnsgkldall sqgkeyvfva nsdnlgavvd lkilnhliqn240kneycmevtp ktladvkggt lisydgkvql leiaqvpdeh vnefksiekf kifntnnlwv300nlnaikrlvq adalkmeiip npkevngvkv lqletaagaa ikffdnaigi nvprsrflpv360kassdlllvq sdlytekdgy virnparkdp anpsielgpe fkkvgdflkr fksipsiiel420dslkvsgdvw fgsnvvlkgk vvvaaksgek leipdgalie nkevhgasdi470seq id no: 126a . pullulansatgtcctctg aaatggctac tcatttgaaa cctaatggtg gtgccgaatt cgaaaaaaga60catcatggta agacccaatc ccatgttgct tttgaaaaca cttctacatc tgttgctgcc120tcccaaatga gaaatgcttt gaatactttg tgcgattccg ttactgatcc agctgaaaag180caaagattcg aaaccgaaat ggataacttc ttcgccttgt ttagaagata cttgaacgat240aaggctaagg gtaacgaaat cgaatggtct agaattgctc caccaaaacc agaacaagtt300gttgcttatc aagacttgcc tgaacaagaa tccgttgaat tcttgaacaa attggccgtc360ttgaagttga atggtggttt gggtacttct atgggttgtg ttggtccaaa gtctgttatc420gaagttagag atggtatgtc cttcttggat ttgtccgtta gacaaatcga atacttgaat480agaacctacg gtgttaacgt tccattcgtc ttgatgaatt ctttcaacac tgatgctgat540accgccaaca ttatcaaaaa gtacgaaggt cacaacatcg acatcatgac cttcaatcaa600tctagatacc caagaatctt gaaggattct ttgttgccag ctccaaaatc tgccaactct660caaatttctg attggtatcc accaggtcat ggtgacgttt ttgaatcctt gtacaactct720ggtatcttgg ataagttgtt ggaaagaggt gtcgaaatcg ttttcttgtc caatgctgat780aatttgggtg ccgttgttga tttgaagatc ttgcaacata tggttgatac caaggccgaa840tatatcatgg aattgactga taagactaag gccgatgtta agggtggtac tattattgac900tatgaaggtc aagccagatt attggaaatt gcccaagttc caaaagaaca cgtcaacgaa960ttcaagtcca tcaagaagtt taagtacttc aacaccaaca acatctggat gaacttgaga1020gctgttaaga gaatcgtcga aaacaacgaa ttggccatgg aaattatccc aaacggtaaa1080tctattccag ccgacaaaaa aggtgaagcc gatgtttcta tagttcaatt ggaaactgct1140gttggtgctg ccattagaca ttttaacaat gctcatggtg tcaacgtccc aagaagaaga1200tttttgccag ttaagacctg ctccgatttg atgttggtta agtctgactt gtacactttg1260aagcacggtc aattgattat ggacccaaat agatttggtc cagccccatt gattaagttg1320ggtggtgatt ttaagaaggt ttcctcattc caatccagaa tcccatccat tcctaaaatc1380ttggaattgg atcatttgac cattaccggt ccagttaact tgggtagagg tgttactttt1440aagggtactg ttattatcgt tgcctccgaa ggtcaaacca ttgatattcc acctggttcc1500attttggaaa acgttgttgt tcaaggttcc ttgagattat tagaacatta a1551seq id no: 127a . pullulansmssemathlk pnggaefekr hhgktqshva fentstsvaa sqmrnalntl cdsvtdpaek60qrfetemdnf falfrrylnd kakgneiews riappkpeqv vayqdlpeqe sveflnklav120lklngglgts mgcvgpksvi evrdgmsfld lsvrqieyln rtygvnvpfv lmnsfntdad180taniikkyeg hnidimtfnq sryprilkds llpapksans qisdwyppgh gdvfeslyns240gildkllerg veivflsnad nlgavvdlki lqhmvdtkae yimeltdktk advkggtiid300yegqarllei aqvpkehvne fksikkfkyf ntnniwmnlr avkrivenne lameiipngk360sipadkkgea dvsivqleta vgaairhfnn ahgvnvprrr flpvktcsdl mlvksdlytl420khgqlimdpn rfgpaplikl ggdfkkvssf qsripsipki leldhltitg pvnlgrgvtf480kgtviivase gqtidippgs ilenvvvqgs lrlleh516seq id no: 128a . thalianaatggctgcta ctactgaaaa cttgccacaa ttgaaatctg ccgttgatgg tttgactgaa60atgtccgaat ctgaaaagtc cggtttcatc tctttggtca gtagatattt gtctggtgaa120gcccaacata tcgaatggtc taaaattcaa actccaaccg acgaaatcgt tgtcccatac180gaaaaaatga ctccagtttc tcaagatgtc gccgaaacta agaatttgtt ggataagttg240gtcgtcttga agttgaatgg tggtttgggt actactatgg gttgtactgg tccaaagtct300gttatcgaag ttagagatgg tttaaccttc ttggacttga tcgtcatcca aatcgaaaac360ttgaacaaca agtacggttg caaggttcca ttggtcttga tgaattcttt caacacccat420gatgataccc acaagatcgt tgaaaagtac accaactcca acgttgatat ccacaccttc480aatcaatcta agtacccaag agttgttgcc gatgaatttg ttccatggcc atctaaaggt540aagactgaca aagaaggttg gtatccacca ggtcatggtg atgtttttcc agctttaatg600aactccggta agttggatac tttcttgtcc caaggtaaag aatacgtttt cgttgccaac660tctgataact tgggtgctat agttgatttg accatcttga agcacttgat ccaaaacaag720aacgaatact gcatggaagt tactccaaag actttggctg atgttaaggg tggtactttg780atttcttacg aaggtaaggt tcaattattg gaaatcgccc aagttccaga tgaacacgtt840aatgaattca agtccatcga aaagttcaag atcttcaaca ccaacaactt gtgggttaac900ttgaaggcca tcaagaaatt ggttgaagct gatgctttga agatggaaat tatcccaaac960ccaaaagaag ttgacggtgt taaggtattg caattggaaa ctgctgctgg tgctgctatt1020agatttttcg ataatgccat cggtgttaac gtcccaagat ctagattttt gccagttaag1080gcttcctccg atttgttgtt ggttcaatct gacttgtaca ccttggttga cggttttgtt1140acaagaaaca aggctagaac taacccatcc aacccatcta ttgaattggg tccagaattc1200aaaaaggttg ccacattctt gtccagattc aagtctattc catccatcgt cgaattggac1260tcattgaaag tttctggtga tgtctggttt ggttcctcta tagttttgaa gggtaaggtt1320actgttgctg ctaaatctgg tgttaagttg gaaattccag atagagccgt tgtcgaaaac1380aaaaacatta acggtcctga agatttgtga1410seq id no: 129a . thalianamaattenlpq lksavdglte mseseksgfi slvsrylsge aqhiewskiq tptdeivvpy60ekmtpvsqdv aetknlldkl vvlklngglg ttmgctgpks vievrdgltf ldliviqien120lnnkygckvp lvlmnsfnth ddthkiveky tnsnvdihtf nqskyprvva defvpwpskg180ktdkegwypp ghgdvfpalm nsgkldtfls qgkeyvfvan sdnlgaivdl tilkhliqnk240neycmevtpk tladvkggtl isyegkvqll eiaqvpdehv nefksiekfk ifntnnlwvn300lkaikklvea dalkmeiipn pkevdgvkvl qletaagaai rffdnaigvn vprsrflpvk360assdlllvqs dlytlvdgfv trnkartnps npsielgpef kkvatflsrf ksipsiveld420slkvsgdvwf gssivlkgkv tvaaksgvkl eipdravven kningpedl469seq id no: 130e . coliatggctgcta ttaacaccaa ggttaagaag gctgttattc cagttgctgg tttgggtact60agaatgttgc cagctacaaa agccattcca aaagaaatgt taccattggt cgataagcca120ttgatccaat acgttgtcaa cgaatgtatt gctgctggta ttaccgaaat cgttttggtt180actcactcct ccaagaactc cattgaaaat catttcgaca cctcattcga attggaagcc240atgttggaaa agagagtcaa gagacaatta ttggacgaag tccaatctat ttgcccacca300catgttacta tcatgcaagt tagacaaggt ttggctaaag gtttgggtca tgctgttttg360tgtgctcatc cagttgttgg tgatgaacca gttgcagtta ttttgccaga tgttatcttg420gacgaatacg aatccgattt gtctcaagat aacttggctg aaatgatcag aagattcgac480gaaactggtc actcccaaat tatggttgaa cctgttgctg atgttactgc ttatggtgtt540gttgattgca agggtgttga attggctcca ggtgaatctg ttccaatggt tggtgttgta600gaaaagccaa aagctgatgt tgctccatct aatttggcta tcgttggtag atatgttttg660tccgctgata tttggccttt gttggctaaa actccaccag gtgctggtga cgaaattcaa720ttgactgatg ctatcgacat gttgatcgaa aaagaaaccg ttgaagccta ccacatgaag780ggtaaatctc atgattgtgg taacaagttg ggttacatgc aagcttttgt tgaatacggt840atcagacata acaccttagg tactgaattc aaggcttggt tggaagaaga aatgggtatc900aagaagtaa909seq id no: 131e . colimaaintkvkk avipvaglgt rmlpatkaip kemlplvdkp liqyvvneci aagiteivlv60thssknsien hfdtsfelea mlekrvkrql ldevqsicpp hvtimqvrqg lakglghavl120cahpvvgdep vavilpdvil deyesdlsqd nlaemirrfd etghsqimve pvadvtaygv180vdckgvelap gesvpmvgvv ekpkadvaps nlaivgryvl sadiwpllak tppgagdeiq240ltdaidmlie ketveayhmk gkshdcgnkl gymqafveyg irhntlgtef kawleeemgi300kk302seq id no: 132r . suavissimusatggctgctg ttgctactga taagatctct aagttgaagt ctgaagttgc tgccttgtcc60caaatttctg aaaacgaaaa gtccggtttc atcaacttgg tcagtagata tttgtctggt120actgaagcta ctcacgttga atggtctaaa attcaaactc caaccgatga agttgttgtt180ccatatgata ctttggctcc aactccagaa gatccagctg aaactaagaa gttgttagat240aagttggtcg tcttgaagtt gaacggtggt ttgggtacta ctatgggttg tactggtcca300aagtctgtta tcgaagttag aaacggtttg accttcttgg atttgatcgt cattcaaatc360gaaaccttga acaacaagta cggttgtaac gttcctttgt tgttgatgaa ctctttcaac420acccatgatg acaccttcaa gatcgttgaa agatacacca agtccaacgt tcaaatccat480accttcaatc aatcccaata cccaagattg gttgtcgaag ataattctcc attgccatct540aagggtcaaa ctggtaaaga tggttggtat ccaccaggtc atggtgatgt ttttccatct600ttgagaaact ccggtaagtt ggatttgttg ttatcccaag gtaaagaata cgttttcatc660tccaactctg ataacttggg tgcagttgtt gatttgaaga tcttgtccca tttggtccaa720aaaaagaacg aatactgcat ggaagttacc ccaaaaactt tggctgatgt taagggtggt780actttgattt cttacgaagg tagaacccaa ttattggaaa ttgcccaagt tccagatcaa840cacgttaacg aattcaagtc catcgaaaag ttcaagatct ttaacaccaa caatttgtgg900gtcaacttga acgccattaa gagattagtt gaagctgatg ccttgaaaat ggaaatcatc960ccaaatccaa aagaagtcga cggtattaag gtcttgcaat tggaaactgc tgctggtgct1020gctattagat ttttcaatca tgccatcggt atcaacgtcc caagatctag atttttgcca1080gttaaggcta cctccgattt gttattggtt caatctgact tgtacaccgt cgaagatggt1140ttcgttatta gaaacactgc tagaaagaat ccagccaacc catctgttga attgggtcca1200gaattcaaaa aggttgccaa cttcttgtcc agattcaagt ctattccatc catcatcgaa1260ttggactcat tgaaggttgt tggtgatgta tggtttggtg ctggtgttgt tttgaaaggt1320aaggttacta ttactgctaa gccaggtgtt aagttggaaa ttccagataa ggctgtcttg1380gaaaacaagg atattaacgg tcctgaagat ttgtga1416seq id no: 133r . suavissimusmaavatdkis klksevaals qiseneksgf inlvsrylsg teathvewsk iqtptdevvv60pydtlaptpe dpaetkklld klvvlklngg lgttmgctgp ksvievrngl tfldliviqi120etlnnkygcn vplllmnsfn thddtfkive rytksnvqih tfnqsqyprl vvednsplps180kgqtgkdgwy ppghgdvfps lrnsgkldll lsqgkeyvfi snsdnlgavv dlkilshlvq240kkneycmevt pktladvkgg tlisyegrtq lleiaqvpdq hvnefksiek fkifntnnlw300vnlnaikrlv eadalkmeii pnpkevdgik vlqletaaga airffnhaig invprsrflp360vkatsdlllv qsdlytvedg fvirntarkn panpsvelgp efkkvanfls rfksipsiie420ldslkvvgdv wfgagvvlkg kvtitakpgv kleipdkavl enkdingped l471seq id no: 134h . vulgareatggctgctg ctgcagttgc tgctgattct aaaattgatg gtttgagaga tgctgttgcc60aagttgggtg aaatttctga aaacgaaaag gccggtttca tctccttggt ttctagatat120ttgtctggtg aagccgaaca aatcgaatgg tctaaaattc aaactccaac cgatgaagtt180gttgttccat atgatacttt ggctccacca cctgaagatt tggatgctat gaaggctttg240ttggataagt tggttgtctt gaagttgaat ggtggtttgg gtactactat gggttgtact300ggtccaaagt ctgttatcga agttagaaac ggtttcacct tcttggattt gatcgttatc360caaattgaat ccttgaacaa gaagtacggt tgctctgttc ctttgttgtt gatgaactct420ttcaacaccc atgatgacac ccaaaagatc gttgaaaagt actccaactc caacatcgaa480atccacacct tcaatcaatc tcaataccca agaatcgtca ccgaagattt tttgccattg540ccatctaaag gtcaaactgg taaagatggt tggtatccac caggtcatgg tgatgttttt600ccatctttga acaactccgg taagttggat accttgttgt ctcaaggtaa agaatacgtt660ttcgttgcca actctgataa cttgggtgct atcgttgata ttaagatctt gaaccacttg720atccacaatc aaaacgaata ctgcatggaa gttactccaa agactttggc tgatgttaag780ggtggtactt tgatttctta cgaaggtaga gttcaattat tggaaatcgc ccaagttcca840gatgaacacg ttgatgaatt caagtccatc gaaaagttca aaatcttcaa caccaacaac900ttgtgggtta acttgaaggc cattaagaga ttggttgatg ctgaagcttt gaaaatggaa960atcatcccaa accctaaaga agttgacggt gttaaggtat tgcaattgga aactgctgct1020ggtgctgcta ttagattctt tgaaaaagcc atcggtatca acgtcccaag atctagattt1080ttgccagtta aggctacctc tgacttgttg ttggttcaat cagacttgta caccttggtt1140gacggttacg ttattagaaa tccagctaga gttaagccat ccaacccatc tattgaattg1200ggtccagaat tcaagaaggt cgctaatttc ttggctagat tcaagtctat cccatccatc1260gttgaattgg actcattgaa agtttctggt gatgtctctt ttggttccgg tgttgttttg1320aagggtaatg ttactattgc tgctaaggct ggtgttaagt tggaaattcc agatggtgct1380gttttggaaa acaaggatat taacggtcca gaagatattt ga1422seq id no: 135h . vulgaremaaaavaads kidglrdava klgeisenek agfislvsry lsgeaeqiew skiqtptdev60vvpydtlapp pedldamkal ldklvvlkln gglgttmgct gpksvievrn gftfldlivi120qieslnkkyg csvplllmns fnthddtqki vekysnsnie ihtfnqsqyp rivtedflpl180pskgqtgkdg wyppghgdvf pslnnsgkld tllsqgkeyv fvansdnlga ivdikilnhl240ihnqneycme vtpktladvk ggtlisyegr vqlleiaqvp dehvdefksi ekfkifntnn300lwvnlkaikr lvdaealkme iipnpkevdg vkvlqletaa gaairffeka iginvprsrf360lpvkatsdll lvqsdlytlv dgyvirnpar vkpsnpsiel gpefkkvanf larfksipsi420veldslkvsg dvsfgsgvvl kgnvtiaaka gvkleipdga vlenkdingp edi473seq id no: 136o . sativaatggctgacg aaaaattggc caaattgaga gaagctgttg ctggtttgtc tcaaatctct60gataacgaaa agtccggttt catttccttg gttgctagat atttgtccgg tgaagaagaa120catgttgaat gggctaaaat tcatacccca accgatgaag ttgttgttcc atatgatact180ttggaagctc caccagaaga tttggaagaa acaaaaaagt tgttgaacaa gttggccgtc240ttgaagttga atggtggttt gggtactact atgggttgta ctggtccaaa gtctgttatc300gaagttagaa acggtttcac cttcttggat ttgatcgtca tccaaatcga atccttgaac360aaaaagtacg gttccaacgt tcctttgttg ttgatgaact ctttcaacac ccatgaagat420accttgaaga tcgttgaaaa gtacaccaac tccaacatcg aagttcacac cttcaatcaa480tctcaatacc caagagttgt tgccgatgaa tttttgccat ggccatctaa aggtaagact540tgtaaagatg gttggtatcc accaggtcat ggtgatattt ttccatcctt gatgaacagt600ggtaagttgg acttgttgtt gtcccaaggt aaagaatacg ttttcattgc caactccgat660aacttgggtg ctatagttga tatgaagatt ttgaaccact tgatccacaa gcaaaacgaa720tactgtatgg aagttactcc aaagactttg gctgatgtta agggtggtac tttgatctct780tacgaagata aggttcaatt attggaaatc gcccaagttc cagatgctca tgttaatgaa840ttcaagtcca tcgaaaagtt caagatcttt aacaccaaca acttgtgggt taacttgaag900gccattaaga gattagttga agctgacgct ttgaagatgg aaattatccc aaacccaaaa960gaagttgacg gtgttaaggt attgcaattg gaaactgctg ctggtgctgc tattagattt1020ttcgatcatg ctatcggtat caacgtccca agatctagat ttttaccagt taaggctacc1080tccgacttgc aattagttca atctgacttg tacaccttgg ttgatggttt cgttactaga1140aatccagcta gaactaatcc atccaaccca tctattgaat tgggtccaga attcaagaag1200gttggttgtt ttttgggtag attcaagtct atcccatcca tcgttgaatt ggacactttg1260aaagtttctg gtgatgtttg gttcggttcc tccattacat tgaaaggtaa ggttactatt1320accgctcaac caggtgttaa gttggaaatt ccagatggtg ctgtcatcga aaacaaggat1380attaacggtc ctgaagattt gtga1404seq id no: 137o . sativamadeklaklr eavaglsqis dneksgfisl varylsgeee hvewakihtp tdevvvpydt60leappedlee tkkllnklav lklngglgtt mgctgpksvi evrngftfld liviqiesln120kkygsnvpll lmnsfnthed tlkivekytn snievhtfnq sqyprvvade flpwpskgkt180ckdgwyppgh gdifpslmns gkldlllsqg keyvfiansd nlgaivdmki lnhlihkqne240ycmevtpktl advkggtlis yedkvqllei aqvpdahvne fksiekfkif ntnnlwvnlk300aikrlveada lkmeiipnpk evdgvkvlql etaagaairf fdhaiginvp rsrflpvkat360sdlqlvqsdl ytlvdgfvtr npartnpsnp sielgpefkk vgcflgrfks ipsiveldtl420kvsgdvwfgs sitlkgkvti taqpgvklei pdgavienkd ingpedl467seq id no: 138s . tuberosumatggctactg ctactacttt gtctccagct gatgctgaaa agttgaacaa tttgaaatct60gctgtcgccg gtttgaatca aatctctgaa aacgaaaagt ccggtttcat caacttggtt120ggtagatatt tgtctggtga agcccaacat attgactggt ctaaaattca aactccaacc180gatgaagttg ttgtcccata tgataagttg gctccattgt ctgaagatcc agctgaaaca240aaaaagttgt tggacaagtt ggtcgtcttg aagttgaatg gtggtttggg tactactatg300ggttgtactg gtccaaagtc tgttatcgaa gttagaaacg gtttgacctt cttggatttg360atcgtcaagc aaattgaagc tttgaacgct aagttcggtt gttctgttcc tttgttgttg420atgaactctt tcaacaccca tgatgacacc ttgaagatcg ttgaaaagta cgccaactcc480aacattgata tccacacctt caatcaatcc caatacccaa gattggttac cgaagatttt540gctccattgc catgtaaagg taactctggt aaagatggtt ggtatccacc aggtcatggt600gatgtttttc catccttgat gaattccggt aagttggatg ctttgttggc taagggtaaa660gaatacgttt tcgttgccaa ctctgataac ttgggtgcta tcgttgattt gaaaatcttg720aaccacttga tcttgaacaa gaacgaatac tgcatggaag ttactccaaa gactttggct780gatgttaagg gtggtacttt gatttcttac gaaggtaagg ttcaattatt ggaaatcgcc840caagttccag atgaacacgt taatgaattc aagtccatcg aaaagtttaa gatcttcaac900actaacaact tgtgggtcaa cttgtctgcc attaagagat tggttgaagc tgatgccttg960aaaatggaaa ttattccaaa cccaaaagaa gtcgatggtg tcaaagtatt gcaattggaa1020actgctgctg gtgctgctat taagtttttc gatagagcta ttggtgccaa cgttccaaga1080tctagatttt tgccagttaa ggctacctct gacttgttgt tggttcaatc agacttgtac1140actttgactg atgaaggtta cgttattaga aacccagcta gatccaatcc atccaaccca1200tctattgaat tgggtccaga attcaagaag gtagccaatt ttttgggtag attcaagtct1260atcccatcca tcatcgattt ggattctttg aaagttactg gtgatgtctg gtttggttct1320ggtgttactt tgaaaggtaa agttaccgtt gctgctaagt caggtgttaa gttggaaatt1380ccagatggtg ctgttattgc caacaaggat attaacggtc cagaagatat ctaa1434seq id no: 139s . tuberosummatattlspa daeklnnlks avaglnqise neksgfinlv grylsgeaqh idwskiqtpt60devvvpydkl aplsedpaet kklldklvvl klngglgttm gctgpksvie vrngltfldl120ivkqiealna kfgcsvplll mnsfnthddt lkivekyans nidihtfnqs qyprlvtedf180aplpckgnsg kdgwyppghg dvfpslmnsg kldallakgk eyvfvansdn lgaivdlkil240nhlilnkney cmevtpktla dvkggtlisy egkvqlleia qvpdehvnef ksiekfkifn300tnnlwvnlsa ikrlveadal kmeiipnpke vdgvkvlqle taagaaikff draiganvpr360srflpvkats dlllvqsdly tlidegyvir nparsnpsnp sielgpefkk vanflgrfks420ipsiidldsl kvtgdvwfgs gvtlkgkvtv aaksgvklei pdgaviankd ingpedi477seq id no: 140atgttcttgt tggttacctc ttgcttcttg ccagattctg gttcttctgt taaggtcagt60ttgttcatct tcggtgtctc attggtttct acctctccaa ttgatggtca aaaaccaggt120acttctggtt tgagaaagaa ggtcaaggtt ttcaagcaac ctaactactt ggaaaacttc180gttcaagcta ctttcaacgc tttgactacc gaaaaagtta agggtgctac tttggttgtt240tctggtgatg gtagatatta ctccgaacaa gccattcaaa tcatcgttaa gatggctgct300gctaacggtg ttagaagagt ttgggttggt caaaactctt tgttgtctac tccagctgtt360tccgccatta ttagagaaag agttggtgct gatggttcta aagctactgg tgctttcatt420ttgactgctt ctcataatcc aggtggtcca actgaagatt tcggtattaa gtacaacatg480gaaaatggtg gtccagcccc agaatctatt actgataaga tatacgaaaa caccaagacc540atcaaagaat acccaattgc agaagatttg ccaagagttg atatctctac tatcggtatc600acttctttcg aaggtcctga aggtaaattc gacgttgaag tttttgattc cgctgatgat660tacgtcaagt tgatgaagtc catcttcgac ttcgaatcca tcaagaagtt gttgtcttac720ccaaagttca ccttttgtta cgatgcattg catggtgttg ctggtgctta tgctcataga780attttcgttg aagaattggg tgctccagaa tcctctttat tgaactgtgt tccaaaagaa840gattttggtg gtggtcatcc agatccaaat ttgacttatg ccaaagaatt ggttgccaga900atgggtttgt ctaagactga tgatgctggt ggtgaaccac ctgaatttgg tgctgctgca960gatggtgatg ctgatagaaa tatgatcttg ggtaaaagat tcttcgtcac cccatctgat1020tccgttgcta ttattgctgc taatgctgtt ggtgctattc catacttttc atccggtttg1080aaaggtgttg ctagatctat gccaacttct gctgctttgg atgttgttgc taagaatttg1140ggtttgaagt tcttcgaagt tccaactggt tggaaattct tcggtaattt gatggatgca1200ggtatgtgtt ctgtttgcgg tgaagaatca tttggtactg gttccgatca tatcagagaa1260aaggatggta tttgggctgt tttggcttgg ttgtctattt tggctcacaa gaacaaagaa1320accttggatg gtaatgccaa gttggttact gttgaagata tcgttagaca acattgggct1380acttacggta gacattacta cactagatac gactacgaaa acgttgatgc tacagctgct1440aaagaattga tgggtttatt ggtcaagttg caatcctcat tgccagaagt taacaagatc1500atcaagggta tccatcctga agttgctaat gttgcttctg ctgatgaatt cgaatacaag1560gatccagttg atggttccgt ttctaaacat caaggtatca gatacttgtt tgaagatggt1620tccagattgg ttttcagatt gtctggtaca ggttctgaag gtgctactat tagattgtac1680atcgaacaat acgaaaagga cgcctctaag attggtagag attctcaaga tgctttgggt1740ccattggttg atgttgcttt gaagttgtcc aagatgcaag aattcactgg tagatcttct1800ccaaccgtta ttacctga1818seq id no: 141mfllvtscfl pdsgssvkvs lfifgvslvs tspidgqkpg tsglrkkvkv fkqpnylenf60vqatfnaltt ekvkgatlvv sgdgryyseq aiqiivkmaa angvrrvwvg qnsllstpav120saiirervga dgskatgafi ltashnpggp tedfgikynm enggpapesi tdkiyentkt180ikeypiaedl prvdistigi tsfegpegkf dvevfdsadd yvklmksifd fesikkllsy240pkftfcydal hgvagayahr ifveelgape ssllncvpke dfggghpdpn ltyakelvar300mglsktddag geppefgaaa dgdadrnmil gkrffvtpsd svaiiaanav gaipyfssgl360kgvarsmpts aaldvvaknl glkffevptg wkffgnlmda gmcsvcgees fgtgsdhire420kdgiwavlaw lsilahknke tldgnaklvt vedivrqhwa tygrhyytry dyenvdataa480kelmgllvkl qsslpevnki ikgihpevan vasadefeyk dpvdgsvskh qgirylfedg540srlvfrlsgt gsegatirly ieqyekdask igrdsqdalg plvdvalkls kmqeftgrss600ptvit605seq id no: 142atggccattc ataatagagc tggtcaacca gcacaacaat ccgatttgat taacgttgct60caattgaccg cccaatatta cgttttgaaa cctgaagctg gtaacgctga acatgctgtt120aagtttggta cttctggtca tagaggttct gctgctagac attcttttaa cgaaccacat180attttggcta tcgctcaagc tattgctgaa gaaagagcta agaacggtat tactggtcca240tgttacgttg gtaaagatac ccatgctttg tctgaaccag ctttcatttc tgttttggaa300gttttggctg ctaacggtgt tgatgttatc gttcaagaaa acaacggttt cactccaact360ccagctgttt ctaatgctat tttggttcac aacaaaaagg gtggtccatt ggctgatggt420atagttatta ctccatctca taacccacct gaagatggtg gtattaagta caatccacca480aatggtggtc cagctgatac aaatgttact aaggttgttg aagatagagc caacgctttg540ttagctgatg gtttgaaagg tgtcaagaga atctctttgg atgaagctat ggcttcaggt600catgtcaaag aacaagattt ggttcaacca ttcgttgaag gtttggctga tatagttgat660atggctgcta ttcaaaaggc tggtttgact ttgggtgttg atccattggg tggttctggt720attgaatact ggaaaagaat cggtgaatat tacaacttga acttgaccat cgtcaacgat780caagttgacc aaactttcag attcatgcac ttggataagg atggtgctat tagaatggac840tgttcttctg aatgtgctat ggctggttta ttggctttga gagataagtt cgatttggct900tttgctaacg atccagatta cgatagacat ggtatcgtta ctccagcagg tttgatgaat960ccaaatcatt acttggctgt tgccatcaac tacttgtttc aacatagacc acaatggggt1020aaggatgttg ctgttggtaa aactttggtt tcctccgcta tgatcgatag agttgttaac1080gatttgggta gaaagttggt tgaagttcca gttggtttca agtggtttgt tgacggtttg1140tttgatggtt cttttggttt tggtggtgaa gaatctgctg gtgcttcatt tttgagattt1200gatggtactc catggtccac tgacaaagat ggtattatca tgtgtttgtt ggctgctgaa1260attactgctg ttactggtaa gaatccacaa gaacactaca acgaattggc taagagattt1320ggtgctccat cttacaatag attgcaagct gctgctactt ctgctcaaaa agctgcttta1380tctaagttgt ccccagaaat ggtttctgct tctactttag ctggtgatcc aattacagct1440agattgactg ctgctccagg taatggtgct tctattggtg gtttaaaggt tatgactgat1500aacggttggt ttgctgcaag accatctggt actgaagatg cttacaaaat ctactgcgaa1560tccttcttgg gtgaagaaca tagaaagcaa attgaaaaag aagccgtcga aatcgtcagt1620gaagttttga agaatgccta a1641seq id no: 143maihnragqp aqqsdlinva qltaqyyvlk peagnaehav kfgtsghrgs aarhsfneph60ilaiaqaiae erakngitgp cyvgkdthal sepafisvle vlaangvdvi vqenngftpt120pavsnailvh nkkggpladg ivitpshnpp edggikynpp nggpadtnvt kvvedranal180ladglkgvkr isldeamasg hvkeqdlvqp fvegladivd maaiqkaglt lgvdplggsg240ieywkrigey ynlnltivnd qvdqtfrfmh ldkdgairmd cssecamagl lalrdkfdla300fandpdydrh givtpaglmn pnhylavain ylfqhrpqwg kdvavgktlv ssamidrvvn360dlgrklvevp vgfkwfvdgl fdgsfgfgge esagasflrf dgtpwstdkd giimcllaae420itavtgknpq ehynelakrf gapsynrlqa aatsaqkaal sklspemvsa stlagdpita480rltaapgnga sigglkvmtd ngwfaarpsg tedaykiyce sflgeehrkq iekeaveivs540evlkna546seq id no: 144r . suavissimusatgtcctccg gtaagattaa gagagttcaa actactccat tcgacggtca aaaaccaggt60acttctggtt tgagaaagaa ggttaaggtt ttcacccaac ctaactactt gcaaaacttc120gttcaatcta ccttcaacgc tttgccatct gataaggtaa aaggtgctag attggttgtt180tctggtgatg gtagatactt ctccaaagaa gccattcaaa tcatcattaa gatggctgct240ggtaacggtg ttaagtctgt ttgggttggt caaaatggtt tgttgtctac tccagctgtt300tctgctgttg ttagagaaag agttggtgct gatggttgta aagcttctgg tgctttcatt360ttgactgctt ctcataatcc aggtggtcca aatgaagatt tcggtatcaa gtacaacatg420gaaaatggtg gtccagctcc agaatctatt accaacaaaa tctacgaaaa caccacccaa480atcaaagaat acttgaccgt tgatttgcca gaagttgata ttactaagcc aggtgttact540accttcgaag ttgaaggtgg tactttcact gttgatgttt tcgattctgc ttccgattac600gtcaagttga tgaagtccat tttcgacttc gaatccatca gaaagttgtt gtcctctcca660aagttcacct tttgttttga tgcattgcat ggtgttggtg gtgcttacgc taaaagaatt720ttcgttgaag aattgggtgc caaagaatcc tctttgttga actgtgttcc taaagaagat780tttggtggtg gtcatccaga tccaaatttg acatatgcta aagaattggt cgccagaatg840ggtttgtcta agtctaatac tcaaaacgaa ccaccagaat ttggtgctgc tgcagatggt900gatgctgata gaaatatggt tttgggtaag agattcttcg ttaccccatc tgattccgtt960gctattattg ctgctaatgc tgttgaagct atcccatact tttctactgg tttgaaaggt1020gttgctagat ctatgccaac ttctgctgct ttggatgttg ttgctaaaca cttgaacttg1080aagttcttcg aagtaccaac tggttggaag tttttcggta atttgatgga tgctggtttg1140tgttctgttt gcggtgaaga atcttttggt actggttccg atcatatcag agaaaaggat1200ggtatttggg ctgttttggc ttggttgtca attattgcca tcaagaacaa ggataacatc1260ggtggtgata agttggttac cgttgaagat atcgttagaa aacattgggc tacttacggt1320agacattact acactagata cgattacgaa aacgttgatg ctggtaaggc taaagatttg1380atggcatcat tggtcaactt gcaatcatct ttgcctgaag ttaacaagat cgttaagggt1440atctgttccg atgttgcaaa tgttgttggt gccgatgaat tcgaatacaa ggattctgtt1500gatggttcca tctccaaaca tcaaggtatc agatacttgt tcgaagatgg ttcaagattg1560gttttcagat tgtctggtac aggttctgaa ggtgctacta ttagattgta catcgaacaa1620tacgaaaatg acccatccaa gatctccaga gaatcttctg aagctttggc tccattggtt1680gaagttgctt tgaaattgtc caagatgcaa gaattcactg gtagatcagc tccaactgtt1740attacctga1749seq id no: 145r . suavissimusmssgkikrvq ttpfdgqkpg tsglrkkvkv ftqpnylqnf vqstfnalps dkvkgarlvv60sgdgryfske aiqiiikmaa gngvksvwvg qngllstpav savvrervga dgckasgafi120ltashnpggp nedfgikynm enggpapesi tnkiyenttq ikeyltvdlp evditkpgvt180tfeveggtft vdvfdsasdy vklmksifdf esirkllssp kftfcfdalh gvggayakri240fveelgakes sllncvpked fggghpdpnl tyakelvarm glsksntqne ppefgaaadg300dadrnmvlgk rffvtpsdsv aiiaanavea ipyfstglkg varsmptsaa ldvvakhlnl360kffevptgwk ffgnlmdagl csvcgeesfg tgsdhirekd giwavlawls iiaiknkdni420ggdklvtved ivrkhwatyg rhyytrydye nvdagkakdl maslvnlqss lpevnkivkg480icsdvanvvg adefeykdsv dgsiskhqgi rylfedgsrl vfrlsgtgse gatirlyieq540yendpskisr essealaplv evalklskmq eftgrsaptv it582seq id no: 146atggcctctt tcaaggttaa cagagttgaa tcctctccaa tcgaaggtca aaaaccaggt60acttctggtt tgagaaagaa ggttaaggtt ttcacccaac cacattactt gcacaacttc120gttcaatcta ctttcaacgc tttgtctgcc gaaaaagtta agggttctac tttggttgtt180tccggtgatg gtagatatta ctccaaggat gccattcaaa tcatcattaa gatggctgct240gctaacggtg ttagaagagt ttgggttggt caaaatggtt tgttgtctac tccagctgtt300tctgctgttg ttagagaaag agttggtgct gatggttcta aatctaacgg tgctttcatt360ttgactgcct ctcataatcc aggtggtcca aatgaagatt tcggtatcaa gtacaacatg420gaaaatggtg gtccagctcc agaaggtatt actgataaga tttttgaaaa caccaagacc480atcaaagaat acttcattgc tgaaggtttg ccagacgttg atatttccgc tattggtatc540tcttcattct ctggtccaga tggtcaattc gatgttgatg ttttcgattc ctcttccgac600tacgtcaaat tgatgaagtc catcttcgac ttccaatcca tcaagaagtt gattacctcc660ccacaatttt ctttctgtta cgatgcttta catggtgttg gtggtgctta tgctaagcca720atttttgttg atgaattggg tgccaaagaa tcctctttgt tgaactgtgt tcctaaagaa780gattttggtg gtggtcatcc agatccaaat ttgacttacg ctaaagaatt ggtttccaga840atgggtttgg gtaagaatcc agattctaat ccaccagaat ttggtgctgc tgcagatggt900gatgctgata gaaatatgat cttgggtaaa agattcttcg tcaccccatc tgattccgtt960gctattattg ctgctaatgc cgttcaatca atcccatact tttcatccgg tttgaaaggt1020gttgctagat ctatgccaac ttctgctgct ttggatgttg ttgctaagtc tttgaacttg1080aagttcttcg aagttccaac tggttggaag tttttcggta atttgatgga tgctggtttg1140tgttctgttt gcggtgaaga atcatttggt actggttccg atcatatcag agaaaaggat1200ggtatttggg ctgttttggc ttggttgtct attttggctc ataagaacaa ggacaacttg1260aacggtggta acttggttac tgttgaagat atcgttaagc aacattgggc tacttacggt1320agacattact acactagata cgactacgaa aacgttgatg ctggtgctgc aaaagaattg1380atggctcatt tggttaagtt gcaatcctcc atctctgatg ttaacacctt cattaagggt1440atcagatccg atgttgctaa tgttgcatct gctgatgaat tcgaatacaa ggatccagtt1500gacggttcta tttccaaaca tcaaggtatt agatacttgt ttgaagatgg ttccagattg1560gttttcagat tgtctggtac aggttctgaa ggtgctacta ttagattgta catcgaacaa1620tacgaaaagg attcctctaa gaccggtaga gattctcaag aagctttggc tccattagtt1680gaagttgcct tgaaattgtc caagatgcaa gaattcactg gtagatctgc tccaactgtt1740attacctga1749seq id no: 147masfkvnrve sspiegqkpg tsglrkkvkv ftqphylhnf vqstfnalsa ekvkgstlvv60sgdgryyskd aiqiiikmaa angvrrvwvg qngllstpav savvrervga dgsksngafi120ltashnpggp nedfgikynm enggpapegi tdkifentkt ikeyfiaegl pdvdisaigi180ssfsgpdgqf dvdvfdsssd yvklmksifd fqsikklits pqfsfcydal hgvggayakp240ifvdelgake ssllncvpke dfggghpdpn ltyakelvsr mglgknpdsn ppefgaaadg300dadrnmilgk rffvtpsdsv aiiaanavqs ipyfssglkg varsmptsaa ldvvakslnl360kffevptgwk ffgnlmdagl csvcgeesfg tgsdhirekd giwavlawls ilahknkdnl420nggnlvtved ivkqhwatyg rhyytrydye nvdagaakel mahlvklqss isdvntfikg480irsdvanvas adefeykdpv dgsiskhqgi rylfedgsrl vfrlsgtgse gatirlyieq540yekdssktgr dsqealaplv evalklskmq eftgrsaptv it582seq id no: 148gcacacacca tagcttcaaa atgtttctac tcctttttta ctcttccaga ttttctcgga60ctccgcgcat cgccgtacca cttcaaaaca cccaagcaca gcatactaaa tttcccctct120ttcttcctct agggtgtcgt taattacccg tactaaaggt ttggaaaaga aaaaagagac180cgcctcgttt ctttttcttc gtcgaaaaag gcaataaaaa tttttatcac gtttcttttt240cttgaaaatt tttttttttg atttttttct ctttcgatga cctcccattg atatttaagt300taataaacgg tcttcaattt ctcaagtttc agtttcattt ttcttgttct attacaactt360tttttacttc ttgctcatta gaaagaaagc atagcaatct aatctaagtt ttaattacaa420ggatcc426seq id no: 149ggaagtacct tcaaagaatg gggtcttatc ttgttttgca agtaccactg agcaggataa60taatagaaat gataatatac tatagtagag ataacgtcga tgacttccca tactgtaatt120gcttttagtt gtgtattttt agtgtgcaag tttctgtaaa tcgattaatt tttttttctt180tcctcttttt attaacctta atttttattt tagattcctg acttcaactc aagacgcaca240gatattataa catctgcata ataggcattt gcaagaatta ctcgtgagta aggaaagagt300gaggaactat cgcatacctg catttaaaga tgccgatttg ggcgcgaatc ctttattttg360gcttcaccct catactatta tcagggccag aaaaaggaag tgtttccctc cttcttgaat420tgatgttacc ctcataaagc acgtggcctc ttatcgagaa agaaattacc gtcgctcgtg480atttgtttgc aaaaagaaca aaactgaaaa aacccagaca cgctcgactt cctgtcttcc540tattgattgc agcttccaat ttcgtcacac aacaaggtcc tagcgacggc tcacaggttt600tgtaacaagc aatcgaaggt tctggaatgg cgggaaaggg tttagtacca catgctatga660tgcccactgt gatctccaga gcaaagttcg ttcgatcgta ctgttactct ctctctttca720aacagaattg tccgaatcgt gtgacaacaa cagcctgttc tcacacactc ttttcttcta780accaaggggg tggtttagtt tagtagaacc tcgtgaaact tacatttaca tatatataaa840cttgcataaa ttggtcaatg caagaaatac atatttggtc ttttctaatt cgtagttttt900caagttctta gatgctttct ttttctcttt tttacagatc atcaaggaag taattatcta960ctttttacaa caaatataaa acaa984seq id no: 150cattatcaat actgccattt caaagaatac gtaaataatt aatagtagtg attttcctaa60ctttatttag tcaaaaaatt agccttttaa ttctgctgta acccgtacat gcccaaaata120gggggcgggt tacacagaat atataacatc gtaggtgtct gggtgaacag tttattcctg180gcatccacta aatataatgg agcccgcttt ttaagctggc atccagaaaa aaaaagaatc240ccagcaccaa aatattgttt tcttcaccaa ccatcagttc ataggtccat tctcttagcg300caactacaga gaacaggggc acaaacaggc aaaaaacggg cacaacctca atggagtgat360gcaacctgcc tggagtaaat gatgacacaa ggcaattgac ccacgcatgt atctatctca420ttttcttaca ccttctatta ccttctgctc tctctgattt ggaaaaagct gaaaaaaaag480gttgaaacca gttccctgaa attattcccc tacttgacta ataagtatat aaagacggta540ggtattgatt gtaattctgt aaatctattt cttaaacttc ttaaattcta cttttatagt600tagtcttttt tttagtttta aaacaccaag aacttagttt cgaataaaca cacataaaca660aacaaa666seq id no: 151gatctgggcc gtatacttac atatagtaga tgtcaagcgt aggcgcttcc cctgccggct60gtgagggcgc cataaccaag gtatctatag accgccaatc agcaaactac ctccgtacat120tcatgttgca cccacacatt tatacaccca gaccgcgaca aattacccat aaggttgttt180gtgacggcgt cgtacaagag aacgtgggaa ctttttaggc tcaccaaaaa agaaagaaaa240aatacgagtt gctgacagaa gcctcaagaa aaaaaaaatt cttcttcgac tatgctggag300gcagagatga tcgagccggt agttaactat atatagctaa attggttcca tcaccttctt360ttctggtgtc gctccttcta gtgctatttc tggcttttcc tatttttttt tttccatttt420tctttctctc tttctaatat ataaattctc ttgcattttc tatttttctc tctatctatt480ctacttgttt attcccttca aggttttttt ttaaggagta cttgttttta gaatatacgg540tcaacgaact ataattaact aaaca565seq id no: 152agttataata atcctacgtt agtgtgagcg ggatttaaac tgtgaggacc ttaatacatt60cagacacttc tgcggtatca ccctacttat tcccttcgag attatatcta ggaacccatc120aggttggtgg aagattaccc gttctaagac ttttcagctt cctctattga tgttacacct180ggacacccct tttctggcat ccagttttta atcttcagtg gcatgtgaga ttctccgaaa240ttaattaaag caatcacaca attctctcgg ataccacctc ggttgaaact gacaggtggt300ttgttacgca tgctaatgca aaggagccta tatacctttg gctcggctgc tgtaacaggg360aatataaagg gcagcataat ttaggagttt agtgaacttg caacatttac tattttccct420tcttacgtaa atatttttct ttttaattct aaatcaatct ttttcaattt tttgtttgta480ttcttttctt gcttaaatct ataactacaa aaaacacata cataaactaa aa532seq id no: 153gatctatgcg actgggtgag catatgttcc gctgatgtga tgtgcaagat aaacaagcaa60ggcagaaact aacttcttct tcatgtaata aacacacccc gcgtttattt acctatctct120aaacttcaac accttatatc ataactaata tttcttgaga taagcacact gcacccatac180cttccttaaa aacgtagctt ccagtttttg gtggttccgg cttccttccc gattccgccc240gctaaacgca tatttttgtt gcctggtggc atttgcaaaa tgcataacct atgcatttaa300aagattatgt atgctcttct gacttttcgt gtgatgaggc tcgtggaaaa aatgaataat360ttatgaattt gagaacaatt ttgtgttgtt acggtatttt actatggaat aatcaatcaa420ttgaggattt tatgcaaata tcgtttgaat atttttccga ccctttgagt acttttcttc480ataattgcat aatattgtcc gctgcccctt tttctgttag acggtgtctt gatctacttg540ctatcgttca acaccacctt attttctaac tatttttttt ttagctcatt tgaatcagct600tatggtgatg gcacattttt gcataaacct agctgtcctc gttgaacata ggaaaaaaaa660atatataaac aaggctcttt cactctcctt gcaatcagat ttgggtttgt tccctttatt720ttcatatttc ttgtcatatt cctttctcaa ttattatttt ctactcataa cctcacgcaa780aataacacag tcaaatctat caaaa805seq id no: 154atccgctcta accgaaaagg aaggagttag acaacctgaa gtctaggtcc ctatttattt60tttttaatag ttatgttagt attaagaacg ttatttatat ttcaaatttt tctttttttt120ctgtacaaac gcgtgtacgc atgtaacatt atactgaaaa ccttgcttga gaaggttttg180ggacgctcga ag192seq id no: 155gtagatacgt tgttgacact tctaaataag cgaatttctt atgatttatg atttttatta60ttaaataagt tataaaaaaa ataagtgtat acaaatttta aagtgactct taggttttaa120aacgaaaatt cttattcttg agtaactctt tcctgtaggt caggttgctt tctcaggtat180agcatgaggt cgctc195
|
171-352-905-325-126
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
H03H3/04,H03H9/13,H03H9/56
| 1987-05-26T00:00:00 |
1987
|
[
"H03"
] |
monolithic crystal filter with wide bandwidth and method of making same
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a monolithic coupled-dual resonator crystal filter is produced for operation with wide bandwidths (especially at high center frequencies) by providing an ultra-small gap between juxtaposed resonator electrodes. a gap width of substantially less than 0.006 inch is obtained by laser-machine trimming the gap. an initial single electrode may thus be divided into a pair of such juxtaposed resonator electrodes. further metallic plate-back is provided on the electrodes for center-frequency control. although this typically may decrease the coupling bandwidth somewhat, an increased thickness of metallic plate-back material on the ground electrode, opposite the ultra-thin gap area on the active side of the crystal wafer, provides precisely controlled extra wide bandwidth.
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1. a monolithic bandpass crystal filter comprising: a crystal wafer having two sides; a pair of juxtaposed electrodes formed with extended leads for connection to other circuits and disposed on a first side of said wafer without conductive coupling but with electroacoustic coupling via said wafer with a gap therebetween which is substantially less than 0.006 inch in width, said gap having been formed by a laser trimming operation which also thereby forms said pair of electrodes from a singular conductive member by separating it into two electrically unconnected portions; at least one further electrode disposed on the second side of said wafer opposite said pair of juxtaposed electrodes. 2. a monolithic crystal filter as in claim 1 wherein said gap width is within the range of 0.001 to 0.005 inch. 3. a monolithic crystal filter as in claim 1 wherein each of said pair of juxtaposed electrodes are dimensioned to be no greater than about 0.0009 square inch in area. 4. a monolithic crystal filter as in claim 1 wherein said electrodes are dimensioned and located so as to provide a filter center frequency in excess of about 40 mhz and a filter bandwidth in excess of about 50 khz. 5. a monolithic crystal filter as in claim 1 having a filter bandwidth in excess of 100 khz. 6. a monolithic bandpass crystal filter comprising: a crystal wafer having two sides; a pair of juxtaposed electrodes disposed on a first side of said wafer without conductive coupling but with electro-acoustic coupling via said wafer with a gap therebetween which is substantially less than 0.006 inch in width, said gap having been formed by a laser trimming operation; at least one further electrode disposed on the second side of said wafer opposite said pair of juxtaposed electrodes. 7. a method of making a wideband, high frequency bandpass monolithic crystal filter on a crystal wafer having first and second sides, said method comprising the steps of: forming conductive electrodes on each of said first and second sides of the wafer, said electrodes each having extended leads for connection to other circuits and being disposed in generally opposing positions; and laser trimming a slot through electrode material on at least said first side so as to accurately divide said electrode material and thus, by separating a singular conductive electrode by laser trimming, to provide a pair of completely separated but juxtaposed first electrodes with a gap therebetween which is substantially less than 0.006 inch in width. 8. a method as in claim 7 wherein said gap width is within the range of 0.001 to 0.005 inch. 9. a method as in claim 7 wherein each of said juxtaposed electrodes are dimensioned to be no greater than about 0.0009 square inch in area. 10. a method as in claim 7 wherein said electrodes are dimensioned and located so as to provide a filter center frequency in excess of about 40 mhz and a filter bandwidth in excess of about 50 khz. 11. a method as in claim 7 wherein said filter has a bandwidth in excess of 100 khz. 12. a method of making a wideband, high frequency bandpass monolithic crystal filter on a crystal wafer having first and second sides, said method comprising: forming conductive electrodes on each of said first and second sides of the wafer, said electrodes being disposed in generally opposing positions; laser trimming a slot through electrode material on at least said first side so as to accurately divide said electrode material and thus provide a pair of completely separated but juxtaposed first electrodes with a gap therebetween which is substantially less than 0.006 inch in width; and depositing further electrode material onto the electrode located on said second side opposite said gap to produce an area of increased thickness as compared to other areas of said electrode located on said second side.
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this application is generally related to a monolithic (e.g., coupled-dual resonator) crystal filter and to a method for manufacturing same. it is particularly directed to the achievement of such filters having extraordinarily wide operational bandwidths (especially at extraordinarily high center frequencies) as compared to conventional monolithic filter structures. some commonly assigned generally related prior patents and patent applications directed to monolithic coupled-dual resonator crystal filter structures and methods for making same are listed below: u.s. pat. no. 3,963,982--roberts (1976) u.s. pat. no. 3,992,760--roberts (1976) u.s. pat. no. 4,093,914--peppiatt et al (1978) u.s. pat. no. 4,627,379--roberts et al (1986) u.s. application ser. no. 851,910 which s a file wrapper divisional of ser. no. 676,125 filed nov. 29, 1984 (now abandoned). the general overall structure and theory of operation for monolithic coupled-dual resonator crystal filters is well-known in the art. in general, such filters provide a bandpass filter transmission characteristic having a much higher quality factor (q) than is attainable with lumped capacitance/inductance filter structures. such monolithic quartz crystal filter structures are also of a very compact size as compared to lumped component filters. in general, monolithic crystal filters of this type are formed by deposition of shaped electrode structures onto opposing, generally planar, sides of a quartz crystal wafer. the "active" side typically includes a pair of juxtaposed resonator electrodes while the "ground" side typically includes at least one further electrode disposed generally opposite the resonator electrodes on the other side of the wafer. it is generally known that the separation gap between the resonator electrodes is inversely proportional to filter bandwidth and that the mass loading of the electrodes is generally determinative of filter center frequency. the relationship between the many parameters of this system (e.g., electrode area, mass, relative location, etc.,) are, unfortunately, interrelated to some extend such that changing any one of these parameters typically affects to some degree many if not all of the important functional characteristics of the filter system. accordingly, typical manufacturing processes involve real-time monitoring of one or more actual filter system responses to control final adjustment of parameters such as center frequency, bandwidth, etc. one particularly useful parameter to monitor during such manufacturing processes is the so-called synchronous peak separation frequency (spsf) as described in the above-referenced related u.s. pat. no. 4,093,914. in conventional monolithic crystal filter manufacturing techniques, the nominal electrode dimensions are achieved by depositing metallic material through masks in a vapor deposition process. thereafter, fine tuning of the filter characteristics is achieved by carefully controlled further deposition of electrode material in selected sub-portions of the electrode areas and/or in selectively removing or "trimming" electrode material earlier deposited. it is also known to increase coupling between the resonator electrodes by the deposition of strip electrodes therebetween and/or by the additional plating of electrode material on the ground electrode opposite the gap between resonator electrodes. some prior art documents relating to laser machining of electrode structures for the purpose of adjusting at least the center frequency of such filters are identified below: hokanson, et al--"laser machining thin film electrode arrays on quartz crystal substrates", 23rd annual frequency control symposium, may 1969, pp. 163--170. watanabe et al, "high performance monolithic crystal filters with strip electrodes", electron. commun. japan, vol. 57, part a, pp. 53-60, 1975. u.s. pat. no. 4,131,484--caruso et al (1978) u.s. pat. no. 4,642,505--arvanitis (1987) other prior art patents generally relevant to the construction of piezoelectric crystal assemblies of this general type are described in many prior art documents, of which the following are merely a short non-exhaustive list: u.s. pat. no. 2.323,610--koch (1943) u.s. pat. no. 2,571,167--ruggles et al (1951) u.s. pat. no. 2,765,765--bigler et al (1956) u.s. pat. no. 2,906,235--hirsh (1959) u.s. pat. no. 3,549,414--currane et al (1970) u.s. pat. no. 3,573,672--fair (1971) u.s. pat. no. 3,600,675--grenier (1971) u.s. pat. no. 3,670,693--rorick et al (1972) u.s. pat. no. 3,756,851--rennick et al (1973) u.s. pat. no. 3,866,155--kobayashi et al (1975) u.s. pat. no. 4,107,349--vig (1978) u.s. pat. no. 4,112,134--buynak et al (1978) u.s. pat. no. 4,112,147--thompson (1978) u.s. pat. no. 4,163,959--dailing (1979) u.s. pat. no. 4,323,031--kaplan (1982) u.s. pat. no. 4,329,666--arvanitis (1982) u.s. pat. no. 4,343,827--thompson (1982). as is apparent from such prior art documents, the most common conventional technique for forming nominal resonator electrode areas is to use a precision masking technique in conjunction with vapor deposition processes. unfortunately, it has proved to be impossible to reliably control the gap width between the resonator electrodes to any less than about 0.006 inch using such conventional construction techniques. for this (and perhaps other related reasons), prior to this invention it was not practical to produce monolithic crystal filters in commercial quantities having bandwidths and greater than about 50 khz at normal mobile radio if center frequencies (with this value decreasing as the center frequency increases above 40 mhz). in brief summary, especially for higher filter center frequencies, the spacing between the coupled dual-resonator electrode pairs must be substantially reduced while yet permitting sufficient metalization (i.e., plate-back) thicknesses (i.e., mass) to produce stable operation--and while still realizing the required high spsf for a wide bandwidth. for example, a bandwidth of even 40 khz at a center frequency of 45 mhz is an unusually wide bandwidth for this frequency by conventional standards. futhermore, because of rf radiation problems associated with high impedance termination at high rf frequencies, it is very desirable that monolithic crystal filters operating at these higher frequencies have extremely low termination impedances. this implies that a very narrow inter-electrode gap width must be realized over a fairly long gap length--which makes the "precision" masked base-plated resonator electrode pairs very difficult to realize in commercial practice. when one attempts to achieve commercial production of such higher frequency wide bandwidth filters using conventional masking techniques, the resulting range of expected variation in spsf after the initial base plating operation is quite large--thus causing final frequency plating adjustments to become virtually impossible or, at best, very inefficient processes. now, however, we have discovered a new manufacturing technique which permits the realization of monolithic crystal filters having exceptionally wide bandwidths--even at exceptionally high center frequencies--while yet maintaining a very practice commercial manufacturing process. in brief summary, a very accurate while still very narrow gap spacing between the resonator electrodes is achieved in an exemplary embodiment by initially base-plating a single resonator electrode and then subdividing it by laser machining operations into a pair of juxtaposed electrodes disposed on the "active" side of a quartz wafer. in this manner, an inter-electrode gap width substantially less than 0.006 inch (e.g., typically within the range of 0.001 to 0.005 inch, and possibly as low as 0.0002 inch) may be reliably and quickly achieved. using available programmable laser machining apparatus, the process can even be accomplished in a very efficient batch processing mode (i.e., where a large number or "batch" of base-plated crystal blanks are laser trimmed virtually at the same time). although this very accurate, very small, gap width itself produces significantly increased coupling factors (and therefore significantly increased bandwidth), this coupling may be decreased somewhat by subsequent frequency adjustment plate-back onto sub-portions of the resonator electrodes. however, any such loss (which may be of minor proportions) can be more than compensated by increased deposition of electrode material on the other or "ground" side in the area opposite the gap. indeed, it has been discovered that if an exceptionally heavy plate-back on the ground electrode (opposite the gap) is employed, a significant further increase in bandwidth (e.g., spsf parameter) can be achieved. typically, the plate-back on the ground electrode is simply continued until a desired filter bandwidth response is achieved provided sufficient resonator activity still remains (e.g., by monitoring the spsf). furthermore, by using precise laser machining to define the inter-electrode gap (e.g. even for lower frequency or lower bandwidth crystal filters), the expected variation in center frequency and coupling or bandwidth filter parameters can be greatly reduced before entering final system adjustment processes (e.g., a final frequency adjustment by deposition of further electrode material on selected sub-portions of the resonator electrodes). that is, when conventional precision masking techniques are used for base-plating the resonator electrodes, the expected tolerances during large-scale commercial manufacturing can still be quite large because the conventional masking technique can only be realized with a limited degree of precision. with modern laser machining equipment being used to separate the initial single resonator electrode into a pair of electrodes or to precision trim the gap (e.g., typically in batch operations), there would be negligible further cost in also using the laser apparatus to precision rim the base-plated electrode pattern (e.g., in the gap area so as to reduce expected variation in coupling/bandwidth determining parameters of the filter and/or about the perimeter or other areas of the base-plate electrodes so as to reduce expected variation in center frequency parameters of the filters prior to final plate-back adjustments). using this invention, it already has been possible to fabricate monolithic dual resonator crystal filters having center frequencies well in excess of 40 mhz (e.g., up to a 57.5 mhz fundamental frequency with effective overtone operation as high as 150 mhz or even higher) and filter bandwidths well in excess of 30 khz (e.g., on the order of 200 to 250 khz). such monolithic crystal filter structures with these exceptionally wide bandwidths and/or high center frequencies have not been possible to construct in the past using conventional mask techniques for base-plating the resonator electrode areas (and thus inherently defining the inter-electrode gap with no more precision than is possible using masking techniques for delineating the inner gap boundaries). these as well as other objects and advantages of this invention will be more completely appreciated by carefully studying the following detailed description of a presently preferred exemplary embodiment of this invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: figs. 1a and 1b show the active and ground side of a quartz crystal wafer after an initial electrode base plating operation; figs. 2a and 2b show the "active" and "ground" side of the same crystal wafer after a laser trimming operation which separates the base electrode structure on at least the active side into two separate electrodes and after the wafer has been conventionally mounted in a holder/connector base; figs. 3a and 3b show the active and ground side of the same wafer after it has been subjected to further plate-back operations so as to adjust the center frequency and the bandwidth of the filter; and fig. 4 is a flowchart depicting several salient manufacturing steps in the novel process used to form the novel filter structure of this invention. as earlier explained, to realize wide bandwidth coupling (especially at higher center frequencies), it is necessary to very accurately achieve very narrow spacing between a pair of crystal resonators, each formed by an electrode pair. using conventional photo-etched masks for vapor deposition of electrode conductive areas, the minimum practical spacing between resonators is on the order of 0.006 inch to 0.008 inch. however, to achieve extraordinarily wide bandwidths (especially at higher frequencies), the spacing between resonator electrodes might have to be on the order 0.0015 inch or even less. a range of 0.001 to 0.005 inch spacing is, in general, believed to be an appropriate range for achieving relatively wide bandwidths (especially at higher frequencies). furthermore, the use of unusually small electrode ares not only provides for some increased coupling (i.e., increased bandwidth) but also tends to reduce spurious out-of-band responses (or at least drive them considerably away from the desired active bandwidth of the filter within the frequency spectrum). as shown in figs. 1a and 1b, a thin quartz crystal wafer 10 (e.g., usually less than 0.004 inch thickness for an at-cut wafer which is ground, lapped or etched to an approximate desired frequency of operation) is initially "base-plated" (e.g., to a desired initial mass loading thickness usually less than 2500 angstroms or so for at-cut wafers using conventional masked vapor deposition processes) with an electrode 12 on the "active" side (fig. 1a) and with electrode 14 on the "ground" side (fig. 1b). as can be seen in fig. 1b, side contact areas 12a and 12b typically extend around an edge of the wafer's ground side so as to facilitate mechanical connections. electrode 12 is then laser machined at line 16 (fig. 2a) so as to divide the initially single electrode area of width 2l.sub.x +d into two active juxtaposed resonator electrodes 18, 20 (each of dimension l.sub.x along the x axis). as indicated in fig. 2b, there may unintentionally also be some loss of material along a similar line 22 on the ground side in electrode 14 (which will, in the exemplary embodiment, later be plated over). after the laser trimming operation (using conventional available laser machining tools which may be programmed so as to batch process a plurality of wafers), wafer 10 is conventionally attached to a holder base 24 and to its respective three electrodes 26, 28 and 30. as depicted in figs. 2a nd 2b, electrodes 26 and 30 are physically attached within apertures of base 24 with insulating (typically glass) feed-through sleeves 32, 34, respectively. the center lead 28 may be electrically connected with metallic base 24 to serve as a true ground electrode in a typical embodiment. the upper portions of electrodes 26, 28 and 30 are physically attached with conductive (silver) cement to contact areas 12a, 14a and 12b as shown at 36, 38 and 40, respectively. as is well-known in the art, the initial base-plate leaves the crystal center frequency somewhat high so that it can be tuned downward to the desired center frequency by the application of additional electrode mass ("frequency adjust spots") 42, 44 as depicted in fig. 3a. as will be recognized, this additional plate-back on the resonator electrodes may reduce coupling (i.e., bandwidth) somewhat. however, any such loss in bandwidth is more than compensated for by the sue of additional plate-back 46 applied on the ground side of wafer 10 in the area just opposite gap line 16 on the active side (thereby also surely plating over any possible loss of material along line 22 on the ground side due to the laser trimming process). in effect, plate-back 46 is applied as needed to get a desired wide bandwidth while the frequency adjust plate-back 42, 44 is applied as needed to get the desired center frequency for the filter. as depicted in figs. 1a-3b, the thickness of the wafer 10 and of the various electrode materials is in the y dimension while two-dimensional areas of the electrodes are measured in the x,z dimensions. in one exemplary embodiment, resonator electrodes 18, 20 were laser machined to have a gap spacing therebetween of approximately 0.0015 inch while the finished dimensions of the resonator electrodes were approximately l.sub.x =0.029 inch and l.sub.z =0.031 inch (e.g., an area of approximately 0.0009 square inch). it is preferred in some exemplary embodiments to have electrode areas no larger than approximately this size. in this particular exemplary embodiment, a frequency adjust plate-back of approximately 60 khz was used and the resulting spsf coupling factor was discovered already to be quite wide banded (e.g., in the 75 khz to 80 khz range). the accurate narrow spacing of approximately 0.0015 inch between resonator electrodes was achieved by laser machining an initially unitary electrode 12 (which caused partial removal of material on the opposite or "ground" side along line 22--which was later more than replaced by plate-back 46). subsequently, the coupling spsf factor was adjusted to the 200 khz target by depositing an extremely thick plating 46 on the ground side in an area opposite the gap 16 between resonators. although the exact thickness of the plate-back 46 is not known, the relevant plate-back operation was simply continued as long as necessary by monitoring the upper or lower short circuit peak response of the filter during the plating operations (a true spsf measurement involving both peaks cannot efficiently be monitored in a dynamic mode during plate-back with existing technology due to the extraordinarily wide coupling factors which are achieved with this invention). finally, a further final frequency adjust plate-back operation can be performed to add even further material to plate-back areas 42, 44 thus leaving the center frequency of the filter at precisely the desired point (e.g., because the center frequency is typically a more sensitive and important parameter than the bandwidth which, although possibly slightly affected by the final frequency plate-back, should not be greatly changed by the final frequency plate-back operation. typically, the final frequency plate-back is achieved by conventional vapor metal deposition of silver or gold on the active side in the areas 42, 44 and depicted in fig. 3a. the coupling factor (spsf) may be increased somewhat by positioning the frequency plate-spots relatively close to the gap 16 between the resonators 18, 20 (care being taken not to plate across the gap 16). the achievement of a very accurate and very narrow spacing between resonator electrodes 18, 20 (especially when used in conjunction with an unusually heavy plate-back 46 opposite the gap on the ground side of the wafer) is believed to be particularly important in producing the exceptionally wide bandwidth response of the exemplary embodiment. as previously mention, the achievement of this monolithic crystal filter structure is, in the exemplary embodiment, achieved by a fabrication method which initially lays down a unitary base-plate electrode 12 in the resonator area of the crystal wafer 10. a laser machining operation is then used to physically and electrically separate the single electrode 12 into two resonator electrodes 18, 20 while realizing an unusually narrow yet accurately dimensioned gap spacing 16 substantially less than the 0.006 inch minimum typically achievable with conventional masked vapor deposition processes. (as understood by those in the art, the actual resonator areas underlying resonator electrodes 18, 20 are also defined by opposing areas of the ground electrode 14 on the opposite side of wafer 10.) this division of the initial unitary electrode 12 into a pair of juxtaposed resonator electrodes 18, 20 with an accurate extremely narrow gap spacing is followed by an exceptionally heavy plate-back 46 on the ground side at a location opposite gap 16. prototype units have been realized using the method of this invention with coupling (i.e., bandwidth) in the 80 khz to 250 khz range. it is believed that the technique can be employed for achieving coupled dual resonator crystal filters having bandwidths in the 50 khz to 300 khz range (even at higher center frequencies where smaller bandwidths are traditionally encountered). such higher bandwidth filters (especially at higher frequencies) may be particularly useful for space and military applications. in the aforementioned exemplary embodiment, the fabricated quartz wafer blanks were initially etched into the 21.456 mhz to 21.475 mhz center frequency range, followed by a nickel over aluminum base-plate (e.g., 180 angstroms of nickel over various thicknesses of aluminum based on the particular etch range (such as 770 angstroms of aluminum for etch limits of 21.456 mhz to 21.462 mhz). the resulting base-plate produced an electroded crystal with initial resonator frequency in the 21.415 to 21.430 mhz range. the electroded crystal plate was then mounted to a holder base 24 and cemented as shown in figs. 2a and 2b. the crystal was then laser trimmed with a single pass along line 16 to produce an effective space between electrodes 18, 20 of approximately 0.0015 inch. in the constructed samples, the initial dimensions of single resonator 12 were 2l.sub.x +d=0.059 inch and l.sub.z =0.031 inch. of course, after laser trimming, the gap dimension was d=0.0015 inch and each of the now separate resonator electrodes 18, 20 had dimensions l.sub.x =0.02875 inch and l.sub.z =0.031 inch. the mounted crystal, prior to laser trimming, produced a resonance when measured from one lead on the active side to the ground side in the range of 21.403 mhz to 21.425 mhz. after laser trimming, the resulting short circuit resonant peaks appear and units tested reveal the lower short circuit peak to be in the range from 21.3980 mhz to 21.4106 mhz while the upper short circuit peak was in the 21.478 to 21.486 mhz range. the manufacturing method employed in the exemplary embodiment is briefly depicted in the flowchart of fig. 4. from starting point 100, a conventional quartz crystal substrate is formed using conventional processes at 102. an initial electrode base-plate is applied to the crystal substrate at 104 using conventional masked vapor deposition processes--but including a single resonator electrode in the exemplary embodiment. (it will be understood that an ill defined "gap" of extremely narrow dimensions might alternately be attempted and later "cleaned" up by laser trimming.) using conventional programmable laser machining apparatus, the accurate very narrow gap 16 is then laser trimmed at step 106 through the resonator electrode(s) to provide a pair of separate resonator electrodes 18, 20 having a precision narrow gap width (e.g., in the range of 0.001 to 0.005 inch) therebetween all along the gap length. thereafter, frequency plate-back adjustments may be made at 108 (taking care not to plate across the precision formed gap between resonator electrodes) and plate-back coupling adjustments made at 110 so as to achieve the desired novel wideband high-frequency crystal filter (for example having a center frequency greater than about 40 mhz and having a bandwidth much greater than about 30 khz). as indicated by connecting line 112, the order (and possible repetition) of the frequency plate-back adjustment step 108 and the coupling plate-back adjustment step 110 may be controlled as desired to produce the requisite final center frequency and bandwidth. as previously mentioned, the precision laser trimming adjustment of gap width may be used on even lower frequency, narrower bandwidth filters (e.g., having possibly wider gap width between resonator electrodes) to reduce the statistical variation of base-plated crystal wafers going into the final frequency and coupling adjustment plate-back steps 108, 110. in this manner, the efficiency and yield of large scale commercial filter production processes can be materially enhanced. while only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will recognize that may modifications and variations may be made in these exemplary embodiments while still retaining some of the novel features and advantages of this invention. accordingly, such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
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171-951-618-356-071
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US
|
[
"TW",
"US"
] |
C01B3/34,C01B3/48,C01B3/24
| 2005-11-16T00:00:00 |
2005
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[
"C01"
] |
plasma-induced hydrogen production from water
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a process for producing hydrogen for direct use as a fuel or for input to a fuel cell from dissociating h2o in a plasma reformer with hydrocarbon fuel acting as an initiator. the molar ratio of water to hydrocarbon fuel in the input mixture for reactions, and therefore the production of hydrogen from water increases with the carbon number of the hydrocarbon fuel. steps in the process include: mixing and vaporizing an h2o and hydrocarbon fuel mixture in an atomization/evaporation chamber, further heating the mixture in a rotating-flow buffer chamber, dissociating h2o and hydrocarbon fuel in a plasma reformer, converting carbon monoxide and h2o to hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a water shift reactor and optionally conditioning the reformate stream by removing carbon dioxide and by purifying hydrogen.
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1. a process for producing hydrogen from dissociating h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuels comprising: mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel; heating the vaporized h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel mixture in a heat exchanger; passing the vaporized h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel mixture to a plasma reformer, dissociating h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel, and forming a reformate stream containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and trace hydrocarbons in a reaction chamber of the plasma reformer in an intense electron field between emitting electrodes and collecting electrodes at a temperature in the chamber of between 400° c. and 1900° c.; converting carbon monoxide in the reformate stream and added h 2 o to hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a water shift reactor; and cooling the reformate stream from the water shift reactor in the heat exchanger and heating the vaporized h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel mixture entering the heat exchanger. 2. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 1 wherein dissociating the vaporized h 2 o and forming a reformate stream occurs in the reaction chamber of the plasma reformer at a temperature between 700° c. and 1000° c. 3. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 1 further comprising separating the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger into a pure hydrogen stream and a stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 4. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 2 further comprising separating the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger into a pure hydrogen stream and a stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 5. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 3 further comprising removing carbon dioxide from the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger prior to separating into the hydrogen stream and the stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 6. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 4 further comprising removing carbon dioxide from the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger prior to separating into the hydrogen stream and the stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 7. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 2 wherein mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel is accomplished by radiant heating in an injection-atomization chamber and in a buffer chamber with rotating mixture flow and convective heat transfer. 8. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 4 wherein mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel is accomplished by radiant heating in an injection-atomization chamber and in a rotating blade buffer chamber with rotating mixture flow and convective heat transfer. 9. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 5 wherein mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel is accomplished by radiant heating in an injection-atomization chamber and in a non-rotating blade buffer chamber with rotating mixture flow and convective and radiant heat transfer. 10. a process for producing hydrogen from dissociating h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuels comprising: mixing, atomizing, and vaporizing h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel mixture by radiant heating in an injection-atomization chamber and in a buffer chamber with rotating mixture flow and convective and radiant heat transfer; heating the vaporized h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel mixture in a heat exchanger; passing the vaporized h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel mixture to a plasma reformer, dissociating h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel, and forming a reformate stream containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and trace hydrocarbons in a reaction chamber of the plasma reformer in an intense electron field between emitting electrodes and collecting electrodes at a temperature in the chamber of between 400° c. and 1900° c.; cooling the reformate stream from the reformer in the heat exchanger and heating the vaporized h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel mixture entering the heat exchanger; converting carbon monoxide in the cooled reformate stream from the heat exchanger and added h 2 o to hydrogen and carbon dioxide in a water shift reactor; and separating the cooled reformate stream from the water shift reactor into a pure hydrogen stream and a stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream. 11. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 10 wherein dissociating the vaporized h 2 o and forming a reformate stream occurs in the reaction chamber of the plasma reformer at a temperature between 700° c. and 1000° c. 12. the process for producing hydrogen as set forth in claim 11 further comprising removing carbon dioxide from the cooled reformate stream from the water shift reactor prior to separating into the hydrogen stream and the stream containing other constituents of the reformate stream.
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background of the invention this invention pertains to dissociating h 2 o into hydrogen and oxygen. more particularly it pertains to splitting h 2 o into hydrogen and oxygen in a process wherein a hydrocarbon fuel acts as an initiator and the dissociation takes place under non-equilibrium thermal plasma conditions after the fuel and h 2 o are uniformly mixed and heated using rotating flow. hydrogen powered fuel cells have long been recognized as having great potential for stationary power generation and for transportation applications. advantages of fuel cells include their ability to generate power more efficiently than internal combustion engines and other conventional power sources while producing essentially no pollutants. however, currently, no scalable, cost-effective, environmentally attractive hydrogen production process is available for commercialization. hydrogen can be produced from dissociation of h 2 o or from reforming of hydrogen fuels. dissociation of h 2 o is ideal from an environmental perspective because it produces no greenhouse gases; dissociation of h 2 o through electrolysis is energy-intensive and prohibitively expensive. hydrogen can be produced from hydrocarbon fuels with use of conventional technologies such as steam reforming, partial oxidation, and auto-thermal reforming. however, these technologies tend to require large components and to be not efficient in meeting large demands, a disadvantage for space-limited facilities such as fueling stations. there are also several technical issues such as capability for fast starts, sulfur contamination, and soot or carbon formation. one problem common to conventional reforming is sulfur removal. conventional reformer technology requires removal of sulfur from liquid fuels, which is usually accomplished with use of catalysts and heavy heaters. such components usually raise gas poisoning and temperature sensitivity issues. also in conventional reformer technology, poor fuel dispersion will create uneven fuel distribution and result in carbon/coke formation in fuel-rich zones and hot spots in fuel-lean zones. the u.s. department of energy (usdoe) estimates that currently it costs between $5.00 and $6.00 to produce a kilogram of hydrogen, and that this cost should be reduced to $1.50/kg to be competitive with conventional fuels. the usdoe has also set a primary energy efficiency of 75% to be met in the year 2010. the efficiency of conventional technology for producing hydrogen currently ranges between 65% and 80%. it is difficult to dissociate h 2 o because very high temperatures, in excess of 2500° c., are needed. also, it is difficult to ionize h 2 o because it has a higher ionization energy and enthalpy formations of ions (12.6 ev and 976 kj/mol, respectively) than hydrocarbon fuels of interest. for example, gasoline has an ionization energy of 9.8 ev and an enthalpy formation of ions of 737 kj/mol. in addition, it is difficult to ionize h 2 o using high energy electrons because h 2 o is a small molecule that has a small cross section for ionization by high energy (hard) electrons. however, h 2 o cross section for ionization is larger for low energy (soft) electrons than for hard electrons. such an environment can be created in a reactor in which plasma conditions are set up when hydrocarbon fuels and h 2 o are heated to temperatures in the range of 700° c. to 1,000° c. wang has taught the use of a reactor for the chemical destruction of heavy-molecule volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, or hydrogen sulfide in u.s. pat. no. 5,614,146. in such a reactor, the energy to produce plasma and maintain high temperatures comes from the fuel and from electric sources. thermal radiation enhancement and energy trapping techniques are also used to minimize heat loss. electro-magnetic hydrodynamics (emhd) flow creates non-equilibrium chemical reaction conditions to minimize recombination and the conversion or reforming rates. wang and lyons in u.s. pat. no. 6,458,478 b1 have taught the use of such a reactor in an integrated system for producing electricity in a fuel cell for stationary or electric-powered vehicle applications. the reactor taught by wang above has been improved to make it efficient for dissociating h 2 o (see u.s. pat. no. 7,070,634 b1). electrons generated at a hot electrode surface flow toward a cold electrode surface. interaction between electrons and molecules of a steam/hydrocarbon gas flow generates ionization plasma and increases conductivity of the gas flow. owing to continued fuel/h 2 o feeding, thermal expansion and the emhd forces, the plasma flow is being pushed downstream and forms a plasma volumetric flow swept through the entire reactor volume. although it is preferred that the dissociation occur in the type of plasma reformer described above, the use of a plasma reformer to produce hydrogen rich gas is taught is discussed by cohn, et al. in u.s. pat. no. 5,887,554 and by bromberg et al. in u.s. pat. no. 5,409,784. the use of a plasma reactor with microwave energies for the production of hydrogen from dissociation of hydrogen sulfide is taught by harkness et al in u.s. pat. no. 5,211,923. also, conventional technologies such as steam reformers, partial oxidation reformers and autothermal reformers could be used. summary of the invention the present invention is a process for producing hydrogen from an h 2 o/hydrocarbon fuel mixture in an non-equilibrium thermal plasma environment. a non-combustion pyrolysis process is used to create and maintain this environment. dissociation of h 2 o is induced by ionization in the plasma environment. the present invention in part replaces hydrocarbon fuels, which have costs, with h 2 o, which is virtually without cost, as a fuel for producing hydrogen. preliminary cost estimates based on h 2 o replacing 50% of the hydrocarbon fuel and a nearly 100% primary energy efficiency indicate that a cost of less than $2.00/kg of hydrogen can be achieved. this cost can be further reduced through optimization of the system so that the cost target of $1.50/kg of hydrogen is feasible. therefore, an object of the invention is to reduce the cost of producing hydrogen to commercially competitive levels while reducing the consumption of hydrocarbon fuels. in this invention, the first step is for liquid fuel and water to be separately injected into an atomization/evaporation chamber where they are uniformly mixed and simultaneously vaporized by thermal radiation. the resulting vapor and partly vaporized droplets then enter a buffer chamber where further vaporization and uniformity takes place from thermal radiation. the buffer chamber uses rotating flow to provide uniform mixing and heating. the uniform mixing and uniform heating steps in the atomization/evaporation chamber and the buffer chamber used together with computer control provides precise heating, which has important applications in the semiconductor, pharmaceutical metal processing, and food industries. these pretreatment steps help ensure uniform fuel distributions and help prevent uneven fuel distribution that results in carbon/coke formation in fuel-rich zones and hot spots in fuel-lean zones. carbon and coke formation, and system plugging resulting from carbon and coke formation are also avoided because carbon reacts directly with oxygen from the dissociation of water to form carbon dioxide. therefore another object of the invention is to avoid carbon and coke formation. reforming techniques that use combustion require introduction of air. the introduction of air causes nitrogen dilution, increases product gas volume, causes polluting nitrogen oxides emissions, and causes formation of free oxygen, which compromises hydrogen safety. therefore, another object of the invention is to eliminate the undesirable consequences of using combustion. the primary energy source for the invention is electricity. this allows for quick starts and provides control for maintaining optimum conditions for hydrogen production. therefore, another object of the invention is to provide a quick-starting and readily controlled process for producing hydrogen. brief description of the several views fig. 1 shows a flow diagram for the process wherein hydrogen is not separated from other constituents of the reformate stream. fig. 2 shows a flow diagram for the process wherein hydrogen is separated from other constituents of the reformate stream. fig. 3 shows a schematic of an injection-atomization chamber. fig. 4 a shows a schematic of a buffer chamber. fig. 4 b shows a rotating blade type of buffering internals in the buffer chamber. fig. 4 c shows a fin blade distribution on the envelope of the rotor fig. 4 d shows a three-dimensional drawing of the fin blade patterns fig. 5 shows an elevation of a plasma reformer. fig. 6 is a graph of ionization potential of various hydrocarbons as a function of carbon number. fig. 7 is a graph of water/fuel ratio as a function of hydrocarbon carbon number. detailed description of the invention with reference to fig. 1 and fig. 2 , liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel from source 50 and water or steam from source 60 enter an injection-atomization chamber 70 after passing through pumps 52 and 62 , respectively and control valves 54 and 64 , respectively. this injection-atomization chamber has fuel and h 2 o injectors or atomizers where liquid fuel and water are mixed, atomized, and vaporized to a uniform mixture. if both the fuel is gaseous and h 2 o is in the form of steam, this chamber is still used to mix the two. this mixture is then directed to a buffer chamber 80 where the vapor or partially vaporized droplets exiting the injection-atomization chamber are further vaporized by thermal radiation into a complete vapor or superheated vapor. the complete vapor and superheated fuel-h 2 o mixture leaves the buffer chamber to enter a heat exchanger 90 where the mixture is heated to a higher temperature in the range of 350-500° c. the preheated mixture then flows in a plasma reformer 100 where the hydrocarbon fuel and h 2 o are dissociated. the reformate stream (syngas) contains mainly hydrogen (h 2 ), carbon monoxide (co), carbon dioxide (co 2 ), and trace hydrocarbons such as ch 4 , c 2 h 2 , c 2 h 4 . this syngas is quite hot and is directed to heat exchanger 90 to preheat the fuel-h 2 o mixture leaving buffer chamber 80 . in the process shown in fig. 1 the syngas exits the system 160 after leaving heat exchanger 90 and could be fed directly to hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines, industrial boilers and furnaces, or residential and commercial heating means. if the process is to be used to produce hydrogen with sufficient purity for use in a fuel cell, the flow diagram shown in fig. 2 is applicable. the reformate stream leaving the plasma reformer is directed to a water shift reactor 110 to convert carbon monoxide and h 2 o to carbon dioxide and hydrogen. steam in the reformate stream or steam added to it from an external source could be used to supply the h 2 o used in the water shift reactor. the co-reduced reformate stream exiting from water shift reactor 110 is directed to heat exchanger 90 to further recover waste heat from reformer 100 . trace amounts of unconverted co is optionally further removed by co removal device 120 after exiting the heat exchanger and before entering hydrogen separator or purifier 130 from which a stream that is pure hydrogen exiting through pipe 140 and a stream with other gases, mainly carbon dioxide, exiting through pipe 150 . the co removal device can be a catalytic reactor, such as a preferred oxidation (prox) device. the water shift reactor 110 may also be located between the heat exchanger and the co removal device. in this case, the reformate stream from the plasma reformer enters into heat exchanger 90 and transfers heat to the stream entering the heat exchanger. this cooled reformate stream, after leaving the heat exchanger, enters water shift reactor 110 and then co removal device 120 . several commercially available products, such as membrances and pressure swing adsorption (psa) devices can be used as hydrogen separator, carbon monoxide removal, or purification devices. the co-reduced reformate stream is then separated into two streams in the hydrogen purifier 130 as before. the plasma reformer and ancillary components can be built as a compact unit with fuel/h 2 o inlet pipes that fuel 50 and water 60 enter, and hydrogen/off-gas outlet pipes that hydrogen 140 and other gases 150 exit being its interfaces. it can be a stand-alone unit for hydrogen production or it can be integrated with a fuel cell stack for power generation. fig. 3 is a schematic of the injection-atomization chamber 70 . the figure shows two injection nozzles 71 , one for liquid fuel 50 and the other for water 60 , located on the top of the chamber. trajectories of sprays 73 from those nozzle tips 72 intersect so that particle-to-particle interactions and uniform mixing are achieved and droplet-to-droplet agglomeration from different surface tension between hydrocarbon fuel and water are avoided. the atomized droplets are heated rapidly and vaporized almost instantaneously by thermal radiation. there is no internal heating means in the injection-atomization chamber; rather a heating source 81 (detailed in fig. 4 a ) is supplied from buffer chamber 80 through thermal radiation. because thermal radiation is transferred from the buffer chamber 80 to the injection-atomization chamber 70 , for effective heating and energy exchange between atomized droplets and heating sources, the atomized droplets produced in the injection-atomization chamber 70 must be within the viewing angle (i.e, see or face the heating sources within the radiation configuration reviewing factor). fig. 4 a shows the major components of the integrated buffer chamber 80 includes an inlet pipe 810 , an outlet pipe 811 , rotor 87 , rotor blades 89 , a motor, 88 , an internal wall 84 , heating means 81 between the internal wall and a thermal insulation layer 83 , and an outer stainless steel casing 82 . the buffer chamber would also have a computer control device or an ecu (electronic control unit) device. a mixture of atomized water and fuel 56 flows from the injection-atomization chamber 70 and enters the buffer chamber 80 . the buffer chamber provides radiant heat to the injection-atomization chamber as well as to itself, and to provide means for turbulent mixing and for superheated (dry) gas. a good design of the buffer chamber is critical for (1) effective atomization and vaporization of droplets in the injection-atomization chamber by supplying radiant energy; (2) energy efficient in both chambers; (3) complete vaporization of fuel and water in the buffer chamber; (4) fast and effective mixing of fuel and water vapor in the buffer chamber; (5) elimination of hot spots and coke or carbon formation in downstream components, such as the plasma reformer; (6) fuel and h 2 o having enough resident time to produce a superheated gas stream in a compact and short flow-length device; and (7) preventing fouling and promotion of uniform flow distributions in downstream components. the buffer chamber is very important because prevention of fouling and promotion of uniform flow distributions enhances reliable starts after long periods of non-use as well as cold weather starts. to achieve these design objectives, the buffering internals located at the center of the chamber along the flow direction must be designed with surfaces that can see (within its view area) heat sources from the surrounding walls as well as see much of its fellow internal areas. for optimum thermal radiation transfer, the size, view angle, surface area, and other radiation properties are critical. the rotor 87 is connected to the motor 88 which provides the driving force. however, this invention does not exclude a configuration of blades that are fixed without rotation. in this fixed-blades configuration the mixture flow is still rotating when it passes the zip-zap fixed blades. the rotor is supported by the inlet screen mesh 85 and outlet screen mesh 86 . the inlet and outlet meshes not only provide structural support but also allow the inlet and outlet flows to pass through the buffer chamber. the buffering internals, (i.e rotor, rotor blades, and motor) are located along a central axis of the chamber along the direction of flow and an external heat source is 81 located at the internal wall surface that is facing the buffering internals. electric heaters such as ceramic band heater or mica band heater are a preferred heating means. these heaters are clamped around the internal wall. the heat input is supplied by heating means 81 to the internal wall surfaces 84 . the heat flux on the reactor wall surfaces will be transferred to the flow medium through convection and to the fin blades 89 through thermal radiation. the fin blade consists of three rotating patterns 11 , 22 , and 33 that are described in figs. 4 b - 4 d in detail. the temperature and heat flux of the fin blades 89 are increased from thermal radiation from the reactor wall 84 . in addition, the heating process of the fuel and h 2 o is enhanced from flow mixing and increased in heat transfer surface area created by the fin blade arrangement shown in fig. 4 b and the rotation of the fin blades. the combination of thermal radiation enhancement and rotating flow significantly promotes a uniform heating to the medium from all the reactor wall boundaries including rotor blade surfaces. the rotor blade design takes advantage of combining thermal radiation and convection heat transfer for uniform mixing and uniform heating. this uniformly mixing and uniformly heating mixture exits the outlet pipe 811 as an outlet flow 57 before entering the heat exchanger 90 and then plasma reformer 100 . a rotating blade design that combines thermal radiation and convection heat transfer for uniform mixing and heating, as shown in figs. 4 b - 4 d is preferred. this invention does not require catalysts in the pre-reformer components. therefore, a wide range of operational temperatures and fuel compositions (particularly sulfur and heavy aromatic contents) can be tolerated. fig. 4 b shows an arrangement of fin blades consisting of three rotating patterns 11 , 22 , 33 with 30 degree offset angle. each fin pattern has four blades. however, the fin patterns are not be limited by three and the offset angle is not limited by 30 degree. other combinations of fin patterns, blades per pattern, and offset angles can achieve the objectives of achieving uniform mixing and uniform heating. this three-pattern configuration can be repeated for many times depending on the heating or temperature requirements. the cross-section of the buffer chamber 80 includes the rotor 87 , blades 89 , fin blade patterns 11 , 22 and 33 , and internal wall 84 . the locations of the blades 89 and its fin blade patterns are arranged with 30 degree offset angle in a clockwise fashion at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270, 300, 330, 360 (or 0) degree angles. fig. 4 c shows the fin blade distribution on the envelope of the rotor. the three rotating patterns with 30 degree offset angles are shown in three repeated sections. the inlet flow 56 enters from the top and the outlet flow 57 exits to the bottom of the figure. this invented fin blade distribution will significantly promote the effective mixing and increase the convective heat transfer coefficient in the zip-zap flow among the fin blades. fig. 4 d shows a three-dimensional drawing of the blade 89 with three fin blade patterns 11 , 22 , and 33 . rotating mixture flow with convective and radiant heat transfer can also be achieved in a buffer chamber with fixed, or non-rotating blades. the heart of the invention is producing hydrogen from reforming h 2 o and a hydrocarbon fuel in the plasma reformer. fig. 5 shows an elevation view of a plasma reformer. the plasma reformer, has an inlet 34 to admit the preheating gaseous mixture of h 2 o and hydrocarbon fuel into the plasma reformer. this mixture is further heated and mixed in turbulent heating zone 35 . the mixture then enters reaction chamber 45 . the h 2 o in the mixture that enters the reaction chamber is in the form of superheated steam. the reaction chamber contains one or more emitter electrodes 10 and one or more collector electrodes 20 . each emitter electrode—collector electrode pair forms an electric circuit and is at high temperature by being heated by an external source of electricity. the electrical energy produces active energetic electrons ( hard e − ), and maintains and controls optimal plasma conditions. these hard electrons produce excited species ions, free radicals, and additional lower energy electrons ( soft e − ) through electron-impaction or electron-expelling dissociation, excitation, and ionization of hydrocarbon molecules. when multiple electrodes are used there could be in circuits using different external sources of electricity, such as 110 volt ac, 220 volt ac or dc. the emitter electrodes 10 are embedded in the outer lateral walls of the reaction chamber. the collector electrodes 20 , which can be single or multiple, form or are embedded in the inner lateral wall of the reaction chamber, which surrounds the center line c l of the reformer. it is preferred that a filter 15 , which could be made of a semiconductor, such as silicon-based zirconium oxide, or a ceramic alloy such as alumina, surrounds the collector electrodes. the filter acts to neutralize ions and to allow passing of electrons to the collector electrode(s) while slowing them down so that they impart less kinetic energy (heat) to the collector electrodes. the filter also acts as a thermal radiation shield to cool the collector electrode(s) to improve their effectiveness. the hot emitter electrodes emit active high-energy electrons ( hard e − ) that may be absorbed by hydrocarbon molecules in the reaction chamber or may expel orbital electrons from the hydrocarbon molecules if the energy transferred to the molecule exceeds the ionization potential of the molecule. when an orbital electron is expelled, the molecule becomes ionized and the incident or expelled electron loses energy and becomes a lower energy or soft electron ( soft e − ). the energy-degraded incident electron and the expelled electrons are soft electrons. more than one orbital electron can be expelled as shown in eq. 1, where m represents a molecule m +( hard e − ) m + +2 ( soft e − ) m ++ +3 ( soft e − ) (1) h 2 o has a high ionization potential (12.6 ev) and is a small molecule that presents a small target for hard electrons. hydrocarbons are larger molecules and those that have a lower ionization potential than water are more readily ionized by hard electrons. fig. 6 shows that the ionization potential of hydrocarbon decreases as the number of carbon atoms in the molecule, the carbon number, increases. ionization originates with ionization of hydrocarbons near the surface of the emitter electrodes 10 . these red-hot electrodes also originate an electricity-conducting gas medium that propagates from the emitter electrodes to the collector electrode 20 . the hydrocarbon fuel in addition to being dissociated itself, by being initially ionized initiates plasma conditions that have a field of soft electrons. the soft electrons thus produced readily interact with and are absorbed by the superheated h 2 o stream molecules that are energetic at the high temperatures in the reaction chamber. soft electrons with energies about 5 ev to 6 ev are optimum for dissociating h 2 o, into hydrogen and oxygen through electron impaction or absorption. hard electrons with energy above 7 ev and ions play key roles in dissociating and ionizing hydrocarbon fuels. for hydrogen production, the preferred temperature range in the chamber is 700° c. to 1000° c., although the temperature could range from 400° c. upwards to 1900° c. as shown in eq. 2, steam interacts with soft electrons to form ionized h 2 o, or hydro-radicals, which dissociates into hydrogen and oxygen. the oxygen thus produced reacts with carbon from dissociation of the hydrocarbon fuel to form carbon oxides, co x , instead of forming carbon or coke. 2 h 2 o+2 ( soft e − ) 2 h 2 o − . . . 2 h 2 +o 2 (2) fig. 7 plots the ratio of h 2 o mole to hydrocarbon fuel moles as a function of carbon number to obtain complete reactions. the figure shows that the h 2 o/fuel ratio is a linear function of carbon number. the solid line was obtained from preliminary demonstration tests performed by the inventor in which the ratio of h 2 o/fuel was arbitrarily limited. the dotted line represents the theoretical stoichiometric ratio. the figure also shows scattered point data reported in the literature. with careful selection of electrode material, and optimized reactor design and operational conditions, the value of h 2 o/fuel moles can be pushed above the stochiometric ratio line. this means that the majority of hydrogen produced by this process is produced from h 2 o, with hydrocarbon fuel acting as only an initiator, agent, or promoter. for the plasma reformer to perform well the emitter electrodes should be made of a suitable emitter material. emitter electrodes should be capable of (1) supplying heat to maintain high temperatures in the reaction chamber of the plasma reformer; and (2) emitting electrons from their surfaces. the properties of good emitter materials are: a high electron emission capability; (2) low rate of deterioration; (3) low emissivity to reduce thermal radiation of the emitters; and (4) no reactions with the hydrocarbon fuel and the surrounding walls, including the collector electrodes. transitional metals, such as tungsten, titanium, chromium, niobium, zirconium, and molybdenum have these properties. the collector electrode material should be a transitional metal with a low work function. the lower the work function, the less energy electron give up entering the collector surface. preferred collector materials include tungsten, zirconium, titanium, and molybdenum. the number, shape, and orientation of electrodes are also important. it is preferred that emitter electrode surfaces have needle-type extrusions (with a diameter from 1-2 nanometers to 100 micrometers) to enhance electron emission. such needle-type extrusions can be growth with special design and treatment, such as acidic etching. a high electron emission rate will result in a high population of electrons in the reaction chamber and will increase the probability of ionization of the hydrocarbon fuel and dissociation of h 2 o. to maintain the high temperature range that is required in reaction chamber 45 , the plasma reformer should surround it with layers of insulation. a preferred embodiment, as shown in fig. 5 of the plasma reformer should have the following structure. proceeding from the outside of the reformer inward there is steel casing 31 , compression-expansion cushion mat 40 , insulating high-temperature fiber blankets 30 , high temperature vacuum form fibers 29 , a ceramic outer wall 28 , an energy retaining zone 27 , a ceramic inner wall 26 , and turbulent heating zone 35 and reaction chamber 45 . vacuum form fibers are formed with higher density and a higher percentage of higher melting/boiling point ceramic materials than fiber blankets.
|
172-329-588-130-181
|
US
|
[
"CN",
"KR",
"DE",
"EP",
"JP",
"US"
] |
G06F15/78,G06F11/36
| 1992-07-21T00:00:00 |
1992
|
[
"G06"
] |
in-circuit emulation capability mode in integrated circuit
|
purpose: to provide an in-circuit emulation ability mode to be incorporated in an integrated circuit. constitution: the in-circuit emulation ability mode disables the microcontroller (40) of the integrated circuit and permits the usage of an in- external circuit emulator for testing and debugging the integrated circuit without necessity to physically replace the microcontroller (40) with an in-circuit emulator hardware. the in-circuit emulation ability mode is applied in any integrated circuit but it is discovered that the integrated circuit where the in-circuit emulation ability mode is specially suitable for incorporation to the mainbody and the transmitter/receiver of a cordless telephone where modem voice, a precision channel, a microcontroller (40) part and the man-machine interface function of the cordless telephone are integrated.
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an integrated circuit operable in a normal mode and in an in-circuit emulation mode, the circuit comprising a microcontroller (40), and means including a reset pin (42) and an input pin (44) for disabling the microcontroller and for enabling an external emulator to function for the microcontroller when the microcontroller is disabled, the arrangement being such that at least one address bus control signal and/or at least one data bus control signal become(s) an input when the microcontroller is disabled and the circuit is operating in the in-circuit emulation mode. an integrated circuit according to claim 1 wherein the input pin (44) has at least two states, a first of the states being for setting the operation of the integrated circuit in the normal mode and a second of the states being for setting the operation of the integrated circuit in the in-circuit emulation mode. the integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein the microcontroller (40) is disabled at reset if, when the reset pin goes high, the input pin is low. an integrated circuit according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the input pin (44) is a tri-level in1 pin. an integrated circuit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the microcontroller (40) has a clock input, the clock input being routed away from the microcontroller when operating in the in-circuit emulation mode. an integrated circuit according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a watchdog timer (46) which is inoperative when operating in the in-circuit emulation mode. an integrated circuit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one internally connected i/0 port is electrically routed from the microcontroller (40) when operating in the in-circuit emulation mode. an integrated circuit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a clock (74), electrically connected to a first timer input and a second timer input, remains electrically routed to the microcontroller when operating in the in-circuit emulation mode. an integrated circuit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the integrated circuit includes peripheral circuits and the peripheral circuits include at least an audio interface, the peripheral circuits being adapted to remain enabled when the integrated circuit is operable in the normal mode and in the in-circuit emulation mode. the use of an integrated circuit according to any one of the preceding claims in a base unit and a handset unit of a cordless telephone.
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this application is related to our copending european patent applications 93305465.2, 93305458.7, 93305450.4, 93305457.9, 93305466.0, 93305459.5, 93305482.7, 93305454.6, 93305461.1, 93305449.6, 93305453.8. the present invention relates to an in-circuit emulator capability mode in an integrated circuit and, more particularly, to such an in-circuit emulator capability mode incorporated in an integrated circuit involved with the speech, control channel, or microcontroller portions of a modem, or with the man-machine interface functions of a cordless telephone. an in-circuit emulator (ice) is a device which allows a prototype, for example, a prototype integrated circuit including a microcontroller, to be attached to a development system for purposes of testing and debugging the prototype. a development system is a tool for development of software for use with the prototype which transforms the software to a form useable by the prototype and allows for download of the software to the prototype's memory for execution. with the help of an ice, the memory and input/output of a development system can be shared with the prototype. this allows for real time operation of the prototype during initial stages of development of the prototype prior to integrating the prototype with other units of an electrical system. by so using an ice, hardware and software designs may be tested in a prototype which forms only a part of (and likely performs only a limited function in) an integrated electronic system composed of a number of units performing a variety of functions which acting together perform as the system. further, once the prototype is integrated with the entire integrated system, an ice may be used to extensively test the integrated system in an emulation mode by thereby performing iterations involving various aspects of the software and hardware of the system. typically, ice's are separate devices from the prototype or electronic system tested therewith. as is known to those skilled in the art, to connect and use an ice with a particular ic prototype or electronic system to be tested, the microcontroller of the ic must be physically replaced with the ice hardware. only by such physical replacement may the ice be used to emulate the microcontroller and allow software developers to develop and debug their software. replacement of the microcontroller of an ic with ice hardware is easily effected if the microcontroller is kept separate from the rest of the electronic system, that is, when it is not incorporated into an ic and is removable from the rest of the system. replacement of the microcontroller with ice hardware is not easily effected if the microcontroller is fixedly incorporated into the ic to be tested. it is generally preferred that microcontrollers be incorporated and fixed with an ic, rather than as a separate unit connected therewith. incorporation of microcontrollers into the ic is typically more economical from a manufacturing perspective and limits the space needed to house the electronics of a device. to date, only a single solution to these problems inherent in the procedure of replacing a microcontroller with an ice in a particular system has been known. that solution involves building a mini ice hardware piece and incorporating the piece into the design of the ic. the hardware piece is then used to emulate the microcontroller and provide the ic with all of the general purpose functions of the microcontroller. the problem with this approach is that these additional hardware pieces increase the expense of the system and the space needed to house the system. we describe an in-circuit emulation capability mode incorporated in an ic that allows use of an external ice to test and debug ic software and hardware without the necessity of physically replacing the microcontroller of the ic with the ice hardware. as is apparent, this presents a better solution to the problems with the physical replacement of a microcontroller with ice hardware. one particular application for which an ic incorporated with an in-circuit emulation capability mode is well-suited is a cordless telephone. cordless telephones may be contrasted with standard telephones in several respects. the standard telephone consists of a base unit and a handset unit connected to each other by an electrical cord. the base unit itself is connected by another cord to a receptacle on a wall, telephone pole or a similar immovable structure to which the telephone network line extends. because of this connection to an immovable structure, the range of movement of the operator of the telephone is quite limited. even when the cords connecting the handset unit to the base unit and the base unit to the wall are long, it can be cumbersome either to move the entire telephone around to make calls from different locations or to walk around with the handset unit once a call has been placed. the simple fact that there is always a continuous physical connection between the person making the phone call and the immovable wall or other fixed structure can be a great inconvenience. the cordless telephone, on the other hand, represents a significant improvement over the standard telephone. in the conventional cordless telephone, the base unit is still connected to the receptacle on the immovable wall or the like by a cord so that message signals from the telephone network line may be received and transmitted. however, the handset unit of the cordless telephone is an independently operative unit from which calls may be made and by which calls may be received with no physical connection to the base unit. the handset unit has a transmitting/receiving system or transceiver, a loudspeaker in an earpiece and a microphone in a mouthpiece. the base unit and the handset unit of the cordless telephone communicate with each other over a communication channel established by the transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves, conventionally radio waves. the handset unit may then be taken considerable distances from the base unit while still making and receiving telephone calls. since there is no telephone cord extending between the handset unit and the base unit, the operator is free to move about without hindrance. heretofore, integrated circuits have been developed and used in cordless telephones to perform various functions. there are, however, a number of aspects of ic's in such phones that can be improved. according to the present invention there is provided an integrated circuit operable in a normal mode and in an in-circuit emulation mode, the circuit comprising a microcontroller, and means including a reset pin and an input pin for disabling the microcontroller and for enabling an external emulator to function for the microcontroller when the microcontroller is disabled, the arrangement being such that at least one address bus control signal and/or at least one data bus control signal become(s) an input when the microcontroller is disabled and the circuit is operating in the in-circuit emulation mode. in one embodiment of the invention, the ic is designed to be installed in both the base unit and handset unit of a cordless telephone and integrates the speech, control channels, and microcontroller portions of a modem, and the man-machine interface functions of a cordless telephone. preferably, the input pin is a tri-level input 1 pin, the means for disabling and the means for enabling each being activated at reset if, when the reset pin goes high, the tri-level input 1 pin is low. preferably, the microcontroller has a clock input which is routed away from the microcontroller when the means for disabling and the means for enabling are activated. preferably, the integrated circuit includes a watchdog timer which does not operate when the means for disabling and the means for enabling are activated. preferably, the integrated circuit includes at least one internally connected i/o port, the means for disabling and the means for enabling causing the at least one internally connected i/o port to be electrically routed away from the microcontroller. preferably, the integrated circuit includes a clock electrically connected to a first timer input and a second timer input, the clock remaining electrically routed to the microcontroller when the means for disabling and the means for enabling are activated. in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only: fig. 1 (which consists of fig. la and fig. 1b) is a block diagram of a exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 2 is a block diagram of a handset unit of a cordless telephone into which an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention has been installed; and fig. 3 is a block diagram of a base unit of a cordless telephone into which an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention has been installed. fig. 4 is a block diagram of a microcontroller system that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 5 is a block diagram of a clock generator module that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 6 is a possible structure for an interrupt controller that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 7 shows a possible structure of the status, mask, and source registers necessary to handle interrupt cause signals from a logic module in an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 8 shows a state diagram of a watchdog timer and a reset output mechanism that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 9 shows a possible organization of a watchdog timer that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 10 shows a possible basic structure of an interrupt function mechanism that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 11 shows an external interrupt input structure that may be present in an exemplary ic including the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention; fig. 12 shows a block diagram of a serial interface that may be present in an exemplary ic including the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention; fig. 13 is a block diagram of a keypad scanner that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 14 is a block diagram of a real-time clock module that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 15 is a block diagram of a battery level detector that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 16 shows various ct2 modules that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 17 is a block diagram of a transmit modulator that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 18 is a block diagram of a frame controller that may form part of an exemplary ic which includes an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention; fig. 19 is a block diagram of an audio interface of a cordless telephone into which the exemplary ic's have been incorporated (hereinafter, "a cordless telephone"); and fig. 20 is a block diagram of the audio path of a cordless telephone, excluding the analog interface. detailed description of the invention in the detailed description that follows, to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and as an example only, an embodiment of the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention which is incorporated into an exemplary ic for use with a cordless telephone system is precisely described. it should be expressly understood that the present invention is not necessarily limited to that application, although the invention has been found to work especially well in actual practice when so used. further, it should also be expressly understood that a multitude of different embodiments of the present invention could be employed in the particular application described; as is typical and understood, the present invention is limited solely by the scope of the appended claims. general description of in-circuit emulation capability mode the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention is incorporated in the circuitry of an ic. the mode serves to disable the microcontroller of the ic and allow an external ice to function in the place of the microcontroller. incorporating the mode into the ic circuitry in accordance with the teachings of the present invention eliminates the problems in the prior art of physically replacing the microcontroller with the ice device in order to perform ice software development and software and hardware debugging. the in-circuit emulation capability mode is incorporated with the ic in a manner such that the mode is triggered by particular signals in the ic circuitry. an ic circuit incorporating an in-circuit emulation capability mode should, therefore, have at least two operational modes: a normal operating mode and the in-circuit emulation mode. in the normal operating mode, the microcontroller functions to control the electron paths through the circuitry of the ic. however, when particular signals in the ic circuitry trigger the in-circuit emulation capability mode, control functions are diverted from the microcontroller to an external ice which then, in lieu of the microcontroller, serves to control the ic circuitry. thus, it should be understood that an ic may support an in-circuit emulation capability mode that disables an on-chip microcontroller allowing an external ice to function in its place. in a preferred embodiment of the in-circuit emulation capability mode, the mode is triggered in an ic at reset if, when the reset pin goes high, the tri-level input 1 pin is low. further in such an embodiment, all internal connections to input/output ports are routed from the microcontroller (i.e., "off chip"), with the exception of the clock connected to the timer 0 and timer 1 inputs (this clock can be external to the ic). ale and psen/ then become inputs. the clock input to the microcontroller, which is routed off chip, is forced on at reset in in-circuit emulation capability mode. the watchdog timer of the ic, in such an embodiment, does not operate in this mode. the ic itself referring now to the drawings wherein for convenience and clarity like or similar elements are generally referred to with the same reference numeral throughout the several views and initially to fig. 1, there is shown a block diagram of an exemplary ic which incorporates an in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention. pertinent elements of the exemplary ic with respect to the in-circuit emulation capability mode thereof will be discussed hereinbelow. the exemplary ic includes an 8-bit microcontroller providing the function of the 8oc32t2 member of the 8oc51 family of advanced micro devices (amd) products, which microcontroller will also be discussed herein to the extent as may be relevant to the particular embodiment of the in-circuit emulation capability mode incorporated in the exemplary ic. operating modes generally describing the ic shown in fig. 1, it may be noted initially that the ic has three basic modes of operation. those three modes are an in-circuit emulation mode, a normal mode, and a test mode. the in-circuit emulation capability mode is the subject of the present invention. generally, the in-circuit emulation capability mode disables the on-chip microcontroller (designated by reference numeral 40 in fig. 1), allowing an external ice to be used for software development and software and hardware debugging. the normal mode is the mode in which the product containing the ic is operated by the end user. a final mode of operation, the test mode, is basically the same as the normal mode, except that in the test mode it is possible to also enable internal test functions of the ic. entry into the three operating modes is controlled by the state of the reset pin 42 and the tri-level in1 (tri 1) pin 44. although those pins 42, 44 could effect such selection in a number of different ways, one way would be to have the state of the tri 1 pin be monitored and acted upon by the ic when the reset pin 42 goes inactive. if the tri 1 is low, for example, the in-circuit emulation capability mode could be activated. at a mid supply or no-connect point, the test mode could be activated. finally, when the tri 1 pin is high and, again, when the reset pin 42 goes inactive, the ic could operate in the normal mode. in this exemplary ic, the in-circuit emulation capability mode is triggered at reset if, when the reset pin 42 goes high, the tri-level input 1 pin 44 is low. further, all internal connections to i/o ports of the exemplary ic are routed from the microcontroller (i.e., "off-chip"), with the exception of the clock connected to the timer 0 and timer 1 inputs (this clock can be external to the ic). ale and psen/ then become inputs. the clock input to the microcontroller, which is routed off chip, is forced on at reset in in-circuit emulation capability mode. the watchdog timer 46 does not operate in this mode. when the ic shown in fig. 1 (which ic, it should be noted, depicts an exemplary embodiment of the present invention) is placed in the in-circuit emulation capability mode, a number of pins shown in fig. 1 change function. specifically, in the in-circuit emulation capability mode, the following pins change function as described below: table-tabl0001 pin use in ice mode int0/out, csout0/ int0/out int1/out, csout1/ int1/out cpuclkout, csout2/ cpuclkout ale i/0, out9 ale input rd/ rd/ input wr/ wr/ input addr15-8 addr15-8 inputs addr/data7-0 addr/data7-0 - addresses = inputs data i/o = o/i p1. 6-0 high-z p1. 7 input p3. 1-0 high-z registers because of the level of sophistication of those skilled in the art and the degree of detail shown in figs. 1-3, no attempt will be made herein to precisely describe the functions of each pin and register within the exemplary ic shown. such a description is simply not necessary for those skilled in the relevant art to obtain a full understanding of all of the inventive aspects of the present invention. further, reference may be had to the various related applications for further specifics about these and other aspects. system control -- requirements certain aspects of the ic system control relevant to the in-circuit emulation capability mode are, however, described hereinbelow. for further details than those given herein of system control requirements and other system matters of the ic, reference may be had to the various related applications. in the exemplary ic shown in fig. 1 (which ic, as previously stated, is exemplary of the type ic in which the present in-circuit emulation capability mode may be incorporated), the psen/pin assumes a high impedance state when the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the ic is triggered. as part of a functional view of the system control, it is appropriate now to discuss i/o port utilization and effects thereon of the in-circuit emulation capability mode. accordingly, each of the four i/o ports used in the exemplary ic in which the present invention may be included is discussed immediately below. with regard to port o, it is used in connection with multiplexed address/data bus bits 7-0. port 1 is used for general i/o lines. these lines are mapped to specific control functions by software. the port 1 i/o lines contain a weak pull-up. during emulation mode, the weak pull-ups are disabled and the port pins assume a high impedance state. port 2 is used for address lines 15-18. the port 2 i/o lines contain a weak pull-up. disabling the weak pull-up is accomplished by setting a corresponding port control register bit (pcrb) to an appropriate value. after reset, the port 2 weak pull-ups are enabled. during emulation mode, the weak pull-ups are disabled and the port pins assume a high impedance state. with regard now to port 3, p3. 0, p3. 1, p3. 2, p3. 3, p3. 4, p3. 5, p3. 6, and p3.7 need to be discussed. p3.0 is used as either the microcontroller serial port receive data input (rxd) or as a general purpose i/o pin. p3. 1 is used as either the microcontroller serial port transmit data output (txd) or as a general purpose i/o pin. p3. 2 is used internally as an interrupt input from the internal interrupt controller (into/). p3. 3 is used internally as an interrupt input from the internal interrupt controller (int1/). p3. 4 is used as the internal timer 0 clock input. this pin is not available external to the ic. p3. 5 is used as the internal timer 1 clock input. this pin is not available external to the ic. p3. 6 is the wr/ strobe for the address/data bus. p3. 7 is the rd/ strobe for the address/data bus. the port 3 i/o lines contain a weak pull-up. disabling the weak pull-up is accomplished by setting a corresponding port control register bit (pcrb) to an appropriate value. after reset, the port 3 weak pull-ups are enabled. during emulation mode, the weak pull-ups are disabled and the port pins assume a high impedance state. discussing now i/o buffer configuration, in the exemplary ic in which an embodiment of the present invention may be incorporated, the port 1, 2, and 3 i/o buffers are capable of disabling the weak p-channel pull-up through software control. the necessity of this function permits the buffers to eliminate current sourcing when the buffer is driven low by an external signal. this weak pull-up disabling feature of the exemplary ic eliminates undesirable power consumption increases. the amd 80c32t2 lacks such a mechanism. after reset, all of the port 1, 2, and 3 i/o buffers are held "high" by the weak pull-up. this state is functionally compatible with the 80c32t2 microcontroller. to disable the weak pull-up, the software must first disable each bit by configuring the port pin with the corresponding port control register bit. the corresponding port control register bit resides at the same address as the port sfr bit. for example, port 1 resides at sfr memory location 90h. the port 1 control register also resides at sfr memory location 90h. modification of the port 1 control register is only accomplished when the pcra bit in the pcfig sfr is set to a "1". when the pcra bit is cleared, an operation to the port sfr address results in the port sfr getting updated. since only ports 1, 2 and 3 contain weak pull-ups, port 0 is exempt from this feature. the following table describes the different combinations of the port setup in the exemplary ic. table-tabl0002 pcrb port bit function 0 0 drives a "0" output, no pull-up (80c51 compatible) 0 1 drives a "1" for 2 cycle, weak pull-up is on. (80c51 compatible) 1 0 drives a "0" output, no pull-up 1 1 input only, (no pull-up, high impedance input) upon power-up, the pcra bit is disabled and any writes to the ports result in the port sfr being updated. once the pcra bit in the pcfig register is set, it becomes possible for each port bit to have the weak p-channel device turned off. after each port bit is appropriately configured, the user must clear the pcra bit before writing to the ports. if the user turns on the weak p-channel device after it is disabled, the port pin may not return to a "1" immediately. this condition is similar to the 80c51 when an external device drives the input signal low and then allows the pin to "float" back to a "1". this rise time of the signal is dependent on the loading of the pin and may take several microseconds to return to a stable "1". discussing now the interface to on-chip peripheral bus in the exemplary ic presented as an example of the type of ic in which the present invention may be incorporated, all user visible registers and on-chip ram reside on an internal version of the microcontroller address/data bus. in order to reduce power consumption, this bus does not change state during accesses to program memory space. when the ic is in an in-circuit emulation mode, this power saving feature is not available, and the on-chip peripheral bus will transition during accesses to program memory space. discussing now on-chip ram in the exemplary ic, such an ic having an 80c32t2 microcontroller has 256 bytes of ram located in the "internal data ram" space. 1024 bytes of additional "on-chip" ram is located in "external data ram" space. all of the 1024 bytes of on-chip ram is backed up by the real-time clock's back-up battery. the backed up ram can support read and write accesses down to 2. 2 volts. the backed up ram can retain data down to 1.8 volts. discussing now interrupt enable during shut-down in the exemplary ic, if the ic is in a shut-down mode and the microcontroller is in an idle mode, the condition of the microcontroller's interrupt mask bits (tcon register bits 7, 2, and 0) is ignored, enabling the into/ and int1/ interrupts. the actual tcon bits are not changed to safeguard against the ic entering a shut-down mode with interrupts disabled. it should also be noted that in the exemplary ic, anytime that the cpuclk speed is programmed to be less than 9. 216 mhz the length of the psen pulse is shortened by one cycle of cpuclk (that is, the falling edge is delayed by one cpuclk cycle). this reduces the power consumed by the external memory devices when the cpuclk is slowed down. those skilled in the art should take note with reference to fig. 4 that the ale i/o pin is multiplexed with the general output bit 9. the int0/out and int1/out pins are multiplexed with the external i/o 0 and external ram chip select outputs, respectively, from the address decoder module 76. during the in-circuit emulation mode, these pins always provide the ale-out, int0/, and int1/output functions. during normal operation, the ale pin can be either ale out or general output 9. selection is programmed in the address decoder module. the int0/ and int1/ pins are always used as chip select outputs in normal operation. those skilled in the art should take further note with reference to fig. 4 that a demultiplexed form of the 80c32t2's address bus is constructed by latching the low-order address byte, providing the latched address 7-0 pins. the address is latched off of the a/d 7-0 bus on the falling edge of ale. in the exemplary ic, internal timing accounts for the delays associated with bringing a/d 7-0 and ale on chip when the exemplary ic is in in-circuit emulation mode. to facilitate a complete understanding of the microcontroller shown in fig. 4 and its role in the ic of the exemplary ic which includes the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention, a brief discussion of each pin shown therein follows. po. 7-po. 0 is the microcontroller i/o port 0. this port provides the multiplexed d7-0 and a7-0 bus. when the exemplary ic is in reset the pins are held weakly high. in shut-down, the pins will either be held strongly low or weakly high. in in-circuit emulation mode the pins are high impedance. p1. 7-p1. 0 is the microcontroller i/o port 1. this port provides the eight general purpose i/o pins associated with the parallel port module. when the ic is in reset the pins are held weakly high. in shut-down, the pins hold their programmed state. in in-circuit emulation mode the pins are high impedance. p2. 7-p2. 0 is the microcontroller i/o port 2. this port provides the high order eight bits of the address bus (a15-8). when the ic is in reset or shut-down, the pins are held weakly high. in in-circuit emulation mode the pins are high impedance. p3. 7 is the microcontroller i/o port 3. 7. this pin provides the microcontroller rd/ (read, active low) strobe. in in-circuit emulation mode the pin is high impedance. in shut-down or during reset the pin is held weakly high. p3. 6 is the microcontroller i/o port 3. 6. this pin provides the microcontroller wr/ (write, active low) strobe. in in-circuit emulation mode the pin is high impedance. in shut-down or during reset the pin is held weakly high. p3. 1 is the microcontroller i/o port 3. 1. this pin provides the microcontroller's internal serial port transmit data output. the pin can also be used as a general purpose i/o port. in in-circuit emulation mode the pin is high impedance. in reset the pin is held weakly high. in shut-down the pin holds its programmed state. p3. 0 is the microcontroller i/o port 3. 0. this pin provides the microcontroller's internal serial port receive data input. the pin can also be used as a general purpose i/o port. in in-circuit emulation mode the pin is high impedance. in reset the pin is held weakly high. in shut-down the pin holds its programmed state. psen/ is the program store enable. when active, the address on ports 0 and 2 pertains to code space. psen/ is placed in a high impedance state in in-circuit emulation mode, and is an output in normal mode. in reset, psen/ is held weakly high. in shut-down the pin is held strongly high. ale is the address latch enable. this signal is used to latch the address off of the a/d 7-0 bus. ale is high impedance during in-circuit emulation mode. ale is an output, multiplexed with out9 during normal mode. in shut-down or reset the pin is held strongly high. latched address 7-0 is the output of the address latch, providing the non-multiplexed la7-0 bus. at reset, shut-down, and in in-circuit emulation mode these pins are driven strongly. system control -- clock generator the clock generator 82 (see fig. 1a) provides the crystal oscillator, power mode control, module enable control, and clock dividers for the exemplary ic. when the ic is placed in shut-down mode the 18. 432 mhz oscillator (e.g., oscillator 72 in fig. 3) and all clocks derived from it are stopped. all modules are disabled except the real-time clock 74. all analog pins are placed in their off state, that is, the same state as when the ic is in reset. the ic is placed into shut-down mode by setting a bit in a shut-down/microcontroller clock control register. after the bit is set the oscillator 72 continues to run for 3. 56 - 7. 12 milliseconds in order for software to place itself in its idle mode, then all clocks, including the cpuclk are stopped. in the exemplary ic, the ic terminates the shut-down cycle if an interrupt is received after the enable bit is set, and before the cpu clock is stopped. continuing to discuss the exemplary ic, access to the shut-down/microcontroller clock control register is protected by an interlock mechanism to reduce the risk of accidental clock stoppage due to software problems. this mechanism requires the software to write to a special access control register, and then write the shut-down/microcontroller clock control register. this double-write procedure must be done twice before the clock speed control register is updated. wake-up comes from reset, an any-key-down indication from the keypad scanner 88, the real-time clock interrupt (if not masked within the real-time clock 74), or any non-masked interrupt. when the ic leaves shut-down mode the oscillator is re-started. a delay of approximately 3. 56 milliseconds is required for the oscillator to stabilize. after this delay, the microcontroller 44 and watchdog timer 46 clocks are re-started. the microcontroller clock re-starts at the previously programmed rate. when the ic is in shut-down, the keypad any-key-down and real-time clock interrupts are enabled, even if the associated interrupt enable bits are cleared, i.e., even if the interrupts are disabled. the actual interrupt enable bits are not changed. also, it should be noted that the real-time clock interrupts can still be masked within the real-time clock module 74 in the exemplary ic. the microcontroller clock in the exemplary ic has a programmable divider with an input of 18. 432 mhz. the programmable rates are divided by 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256. when the ic leaves the shut-down mode, the cpu clock returns to the speed programmed in the control register. the cpuclk can be turned off by placing the ic in shut-down mode. when the clock speed is changed, the transition to the new frequency is accomplished without producing clock pulses that violate the 80c32t2, or other such appropriate product, data sheet timing specifications. the microcontroller clock also has a selectable automatic speed-up mode. if the automatic speed-up option is selected, all interrupts force the microcontroller clock divider to the divide by two state. after the clock is sped-up, it will remain at the divided by two frequency until the speed is reprogrammed to a lower value. no illegally short pulses are allowed at the frequency transition point. once the command is issued by the microcontroller to enter shut-down, the processor clock continues to run for between 3. 56 and 7. 12 milliseconds before being stopped. the clocks to each module are provided by the clock generator module 82. control bits are provided to allow software to turn on and off specific modules. when a module is turned off, its clock is stopped and held low. the serial port 94 supports data rates of 288 khz, 144 khz, and 36 khz. the clock provided to the serial port module is divided down to the desired data rate by the clock generator module 82. the clock speed is selected via the serial port timing control register. the serial port module and this clock are enabled via a module enable control register 0. when the module is disabled, the clock is stopped low. fig. 5 is a block diagram of the clock generator module of the exemplary ic. as may be seen in fig. 5, the clock generator module directly or indirectly comprises the oscillator 70, shut-down mode control logic 170, microcontroller clock control logic 172, module enables 174, and a module clock divider 176. each of these is described further in an individual paragraph immediately below. the oscillator 70 is designed to run at 18. 432 mhz, using a parallel resonant mode crystal. start-up capacitors are required; however, the exemplary ic minimizes capacitance value to save power. the shut-down mode/microcontroller clock control logic 170, 172 controls the entry into shut-down, microcontroller clock frequency, and automatic speed-up. with respect to the module enables 174, register bits to turn on and off specific modules within the ic are located in the clock generator module 82. these bits also stop the clock outputs to their respective modules. the module clock divider logic 176 is a divider chain that produces the clock frequencies required by each module. the clock generator module 82 has three pins. pin mclk xtal is the master clock crystal pin 1. this pin is for input and is on the input side of the oscillator 70. the oscillator 70 is designed to work with either a parallel resonant crystal or an external logic level input. the mclk xtal 2 pin is the master clock crystal pin 2. this pin is for output and is on the output side of the oscillator 70. if a crystal is used, this pin is connected to the crystal. if an external logic level signal is used, this pin is left unconnected. the cpuclkout pin is connected to the same clock that feeds the microcontroller 40. it is an output that can be routed off chip. in in-circuit emulation mode, the cpuclkout is always active. when the ic is not in in-circuit emulation mode, this clock is multiplexed with the csout2/ signal from the parallel i/o port module. the multiplexer control is located in the address decoder module 76 (see fig. 1b). in reset, this pin defaults to the csout2/ function, and is held high. at shut-down, if the pin is programmed for cpuclk operation it is held low. the clock controller module 82 of the exemplary ic contains the following programmable registers: a shut-down/microcontroller clock control register; a shut-down/microcontroller clock access; a protection register; a module enable control register 1; a module enable control register 2; and a serial port timing control register. system control--address decoder the addresses of all internal registers as well as the on-chip ram and the three external chip selects of the exemplary ic are decoded by the address decoder module 76. enable signals are generated when internal registers or internal ram is accessed by the microcontroller. chip selects outputs are generated when external ram space or either of the two external i/o spaces are accessed. the address decoder module 76 of the exemplary ic includes a csout0/pin, a csout1/pin and a csout2/pin. the csout0/pin carries a signal which is multiplexed with the int0/out signal. this pin also provides the chip select function when the ic is not in in-circuit emulation mode. the csout0/signal is active (low) when a movx instruction is executed to the external i/o 1 space. in reset or shut-down this pin is held high. the csout1/pin carries a signal which is multiplexed with the int1/out signal. this pin also provides the chip select function when the ic is not in in-circuit emulation mode. the csout1/ signal is active (low) when a movx instruction is executed to the external ram space. in reset or shut-down this pin is held high. the csout2/pin carries a signal which is multiplexed with the cpuclkout signal. this pin also provides the chip select function when the ic is not in in-circuit emulation mode and the csout2/ enable bit is set in a chip select control register. the csout2/ signal is active (low) when a movx instruction is executed to the external i/o 2 space. in reset, this pin is held high. if the pin is programmed for csout2/ mode, it is held high in shut-down. the aforementioned chip select control register is the only user visible register in the address decoder module 76. it may also be noted that the decoder module 76 of the exemplary ic includes an address latch and an associated pin. the address latch provides the latched form of the low order eight address bits (laddr 7-0). the latched address bus (laddr 7-0) pins are outputs when the ic is in normal, shut-down, or in-circuit emulation modes. when the ic is in shut-down, the pins are driven strongly with the last value before entering shut-down. the outputs change on the falling edge of ale. system control--interrupt controller the interrupt controller 86 of the exemplary ic gathers interrupt requests from various sources internal and external to the ic and generates an interrupt to the microcontroller 40 (int0/ and int1/). the interrupt system employed in the exemplary ic in which an embodiment of the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention may be incorporated has a multilevel structure, including interrupt causes and status registers, a local mask, a local interrupt source register, a main interrupt mask register, and a main interrupt source register. each of these elements is discussed further in an individual paragraph immediately below. with regard to interrupt causes and status registers, the causes of the interrupts form the lowest level, and are local to each module. these causes can be inputs to pins, conditions such as empty or full data buffers, and the like. the causes are reported in "status registers". a status register, when read by software, always returns the current state of cause signal (for example, the current logic level on an input pin). the bits in a status register are not affected by interrupt masking. discussing now the local mask, the cause signals are anded with associated mask signals from an "interrupt mask register". the output of these and gates connect to a "local interrupt source register". the mask register is located in the module that contains the associated cause signals. the local interrupt source register is used by software to determine the cause of an interrupt. the bits in the interrupt source register can be set by either rising edge, falling edge, or both edges of the non-masked cause signal. the bits in interrupt source registers are cleared separately from each other. in general, each bit is cleared when software responds to the cause. this response can be reading a receive buffer, reading an input port status register, or the like. the outputs of each of the register bits is ored together to produce one interrupt request signal. this signal is sent to the interrupt controller module. the source register is located in the module that contains the associated cause signals. with respect to the main interrupt mask register, the interrupt request signals are anded with associated mask signals from the "main interrupt mask register" (located in the interrupt controller module 86). the output of these and gates connect to a "main local interrupt source register". the main interrupt source register is used by software to determine the cause of an interrupt. the bits in the interrupt source register reflect the logic level of the interrupt request signals, provided they are not masked. in general, each interrupt request is cleared when software responds to the specific interrupt cause. the outputs of the main interrupt source register are ored together and forwarded to the microcontroller. figure 6 shows the structure of the interrupt controller 86 of the exemplary ic. interrupt requests from the logic module 96 (see fig. 1a), external interrupt inputs (such as hookswitch/lock-ups), the serial i/o 94, the parallel i/o (see fig. 13 and the accompanying discussion), keypad scanner 88, and the real-time clock 74 modules feed the two main interrupt source registers 178, 180. a master interrupt mask function is provided in the microcontroller in the form of a main mask register 0 182, and a main mask register 1 184. by way of example only, set forth immediately below is a list of interrupt causes in the exemplary ic employed in a cordless telephone application. table-tabl0003 interrupt cause set/cleared d channel receive set: receive buffer contains 6 bytes of data cleared: when receive buffer is read d channel receive error set: error detected in received d channel data cleared: d channel status register is read d channel transmit set: transmit buffer empty cleared: when transmit buffer is loaded si/o receive set: receive buffer full cleared: reading receive buffer si/o transmit set: transmit buffer empty cleared: when transmit buffer is loaded rtc timer set: timer bit set (and not masked)in rtc source register cleared: reading rtc source register rtc alarm set: alarm bit set (and not masked)in rtc source register cleared: reading rtc source register rtc update end set: update end bit set (and not masked) in rtc source register cleared: reading rtc source register pi/o p1.0-p1.1 set: programmed edge of non-masked port 1 pin cleared: reading pi/o interrupt source register 0 pi/o p1.2-p1.3 set: programmed edge of non-masked port 1 pin cleared: reading pi/o interrupt source register 1 pi/o p1.4-p1.7 set: programmed edge of non-masked port 1 pin cleared: reading pi/o interrupt source register 2 keypad status set: change in keypad status register cleared: reading keypad status register keypad any key down set: key closure when ic is in shut-down mode cleared: reading main interrupt source register 1 external interrupt inputs 1, 2, and 3 set: any transition of the external interrupt input pins (normally used for hookswitch, synthesizer lockup, and modulator lock-up cleared: reading the indicated external interrupt status register (one register for each input) chm set: rising edge of chm signal cleared: reading chm/sync source register sync set: rising edge of sync signal cleared: reading chm/sync source register sync-d set: rising edge of sync-d signal cleared: reading chm/sync source register sync error set: rising edge of sync error signal cleared: reading chm/sync source register figure 7 shows the structure of the status, mask, and source registers necessary to handle interrupt cause signals from the logic module 96. the interrupt controller module 86 of the exemplary ic is comprised of seven user-accessible registers: a main interrupt source register 0 186; a main interrupt mask register 0 188; a main interrupt source register 1 190; a main interrupt mask register 1 192; a d-channel status register 194; a chm/sync mask register 196; and a chm/sync interrupt source register 198. the interrupt controller 86 includes an int0/out pin, and an int1/out pin. the int0/out signal is an output from the interrupt controller 86 to the microcontroller 40. it is routed off-chip via the int0/out pins. it is used only in in-circuit emulation mode. when the ic is not in in-circuit emulation mode, this pin is used for the chip select zero (csout0) output. the int1/out pin carries a signal which is an output from the interrupt controller 86 to the microcontroller 40. it is routed off-chip via the int1/out pin. it is used only in in-circuit emulation mode. when the ic is not in in-circuit emulation mode, this pin is used for the chip select one (csout1) output. user accessible registers in the interrupt controller module include the main interrupt source register 0 186; the main interrupt source register 1 190; the main interrupt mask register 0 188; the main interrupt mask register 1 192; the d channel status register; the chm/sync interrupt source register 198; and the chm/sync mask register 196. system control--watchdog timer/reset the watchdog timer 46 detects if the microcontroller software becomes hung-up or lost, and generates a hardware reset to the ic as well as the rest of the system. the watchdog timer 46 is not operational in shut-down or in-circuit emulation modes. system control--parallel port the parallel i/o port of the exemplary ic consists of the microcontroller port 1 interrupt structure, a 11-bit general purpose output latch, 2 tri-level input pins, and three external interrupt inputs. the rxd and txd pins in microcontroller port 3 can also operate as general purpose i/o ports. these ports are organized as discussed immediately below. with respect to the microcontroller port p1.0 - p1. 7, maskable interrupts are programmably generated on one edge of each pin. in the exemplary ic, for interrupt reporting purposes, the pins are divided into three separate interrupt source registers, one for p1. 7-4, one for p1. 3-2, and one for p1. 1-0. the general purpose outputs, of which there are 11, are programmed via the general purpose outputs registers 0 and 1. the outputs all default high. the two tri-level input single pins can report three input states, high, low, or open. typical applications are dial type selection and factory test mode selection. additionally, as discussed in considerable detail above, tri-level in1 is used to select in-circuit emulation mode. with respect to the external interrupt inputs, three input pins are provided that generate interrupt requests on both rising and falling edges. these pins can be used for hookswitch, channel synthesizer lock-up, and modem synthesizer lock-up inputs. functionally, all eight of the port 1 pins, when programmed as inputs, can generate maskable interrupts on edge transitions. the interrupt function is implemented in hardware separate from the microcontroller. fig. 10 shows the basic structure of the interrupt function of the exemplary ic. referring to fig. 10, the output latch of the exemplary ic provides 11 general purpose output pins for controlling external functions. this is a simple pair of registers (one 7-bit and one 4-bit) residing on the microcontroller data bus. when a bit is set in one of the registers (by software), the corresponding output pin is also set. when the bit is cleared, the pin is cleared. all pins that provide one of the general purpose outputs as their default state, default to a high level. the multiplexing control for all pins except the keypad (out 6, 7) and tri-level input (out 10) is located in the module where their other function originates, not in the parallel port module (designated by reference numeral 208 in fig. 10). the keypad and tri-level multiplexing is controlled in general purpose output register 1. when the parallel i/o port is disabled, via a module enable control register 0 located in the clock generator module 82, all pins that are operating as general purpose outputs are placed in a high impedance state. continuing to refer to fig. 10, two pins are provided in the exemplary ic that can detect three distinct input states: high, low, and open, or no connect. the state of the input is reported in an external interrupt status register. these pins do not generate interrupt requests. the tri-level in1 pin is used primarily for selecting the operating mode of the ic after the reset pin goes inactive. the tri-level in1 pin can be used as a general input in slight variations of the exemplary ic, but extreme care should be taken since a reset could cause the ic to enter the in-circuit emulation mode. referring still further to fig. 10, three interrupt inputs are provided in the exemplary ic that generate interrupt requests on both rising and falling transitions. the status of each input pin is reported in a separate one-bit register. if a pin changes state since the last time its status register was read or reset, an interrupt request is latched and sent to the interrupt controller module. reading the source register clears the latch and thus the interrupt request. in general, in fig. 10, it may be seen that the 11 outputs of the exemplary ic are independently controlled by their respective bits in the general purpose output control registers 0 and 1. further, the input pins are pulled to mid-supply (vcc/2) by pull-up and pull-down resistors when read. the pins each feed a separate pair of comparators. one is biased to produce a high at its output if the input is high, and one is biased to produce a high at its output if the input is low. if the input is open, both comparators output a low state. still further, it may be noted that the pin logic should be designed to disable the pull-up and pull-down resistors when the state of the pin is not being evaluated. this is a power saving feature. the maximum resistance of the external input with respect to vcc or vss is 50 ohms (when the input is high or low). the maximum capacitance is 50 pf. referring now to fig. 11, there is shown a more detailed view of the external interrupt input structure of the exemplary ic in which the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention may be included. it may be seen therein that this structure comprises three input pins 220, 222, 224, three status registers 226, 228, 230, and three transition detector latches 232, 234, 236. the three external interrupt input status registers 226, 228, 230, which are one-bit registers, report the current status of the external interrupt input pins 220, 222, 224. the status bit changes as the pins change. reading one of the registers clears the associated transition detector latch 232, 234, 236. the output of each latch 232, 234, 236 is fed to the interrupt controller module 86 where it is anded with an enable bit. system control--serial port the serial interface of the exemplary ic is a combination of four serial channels. in the exemplary ic, these channels provide communication with frequency synthesizers, an lcd controller, an eeprom, and a pcm codec test equipment. a combined set of transmit, receive, and clock logic is used to support the synthesizer, lcd, eeprom, and pcm interfaces (see fig. 12 wherein the transmit, receive and clock logic are generally designated by reference numerals 240, 242 and 246, respectively). this combined set of hardware is referred to as the si/o interface. with respect to the constructed synthesizer interface of the exemplary ic, it may be noted that communication between the ic and a synthesizer chip, e.g., an mb1501 synthesizer chip, is unidirectional. communication goes only from the ic to the synthesizer. with respect to the lcd interface of the exemplary ic, a serial interface is provided for communicating between the on-chip microcontroller and an nec µpd7225 lcd controller ic, or the like. this is also a one direction interface, with communication going only from the ic to the lcd controller. the eeprom interface of the exemplary ic is bidirectional, and is compatible with 8- and 16-bit devices that support the national, general instruments, exel interface. additionally, support for devices that output data on the falling edge of the clock is required. thus, for compatibility with a wide variety of devices, the port can be programmed to receive data on the rising or falling edge. with respect to the pcm test port of the exemplary ic, two special modes can be invoked from software that will convert the serial port to a codec or adpcm transcoder test port. in codec test mode, the data in pin becomes the 64 kbps codec receive input, the data out pin becomes the 64 kbps codec transmit output, and the clock pin becomes a gated 512 khz pcm data clock output (bursts of eight cycles at the 8 khz frame rate). in adpcm test mode the data in pin becomes the 64 kbps adpcm transmit input (pcm data input), the data out pin becomes the 64 kbps adpcm receive output (pcm data output), and the clock pin becomes the 512 khz pcm data clock output (eight bit bursts at the 8 khz frame rate). the b/d channel port provides the 8 khz frame sync clock. the 64 khz data clock must be synchronized to the 8 khz frame sync. the pcm test port of the exemplary ic does not use the serial i/o port's transmit buffer, receive buffer, or clock generator. the audio path logic provides the clock and a serial transmit bit stream, and receives the receive data in serial form. in other words, the pcm test function uses the serial i/o port pins, but the logic to support clock generation, clock synchronization, serial to parallel, and parallel conversion is handled within the audio path logic. system control--keypad scanner the keypad scanner of the exemplary ic in which an embodiment of the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention may be included provides the ability to support keypads of up to 36 keys. this keypad scanner operates in two modes: 1) activity detect, and 2) normal. in the activity detect mode, it is not necessary to determine which key is depressed, only that a key has been depressed. this allows the ic to wake up from shut-down mode when the user presses a key. an output is generated to the clock generator module 82 when activity is detected while the ic is in shut-down mode. in normal mode, the identity of the depressed key is determined and reported. debouncing is the responsibility of the user software. an interrupt is generated when activity is detected, e.g., when a key is closed. typically, the user responds to the interrupt by masking the keypad interrupt, setting a microcontroller timer (debounce time is typically 4 to 16 milliseconds), and returning from the interrupt. when the timer expires an interrupt is generated. this causes the user to read a keypad status register, which at this time contains the stable identity of the depressed key. this status includes a no keys down code (00000000), a multiple keys down code (0xxxxxx1), and codes for each of the keys (0rrrccc0); r = row code, c = column code, and x = don't care. figure 13 shows a block diagram of the keypad scanner. the module is comprised of the scanner unit 250 and the keypad status register 252. the scanner 250 contains row and column input pins and comparators, and a block of logic 254 that detects the no keys down, multiple keys down, and any key down conditions. the status logic formats the inputs from the scanner, and presents this status to the user. more specifically, keypad status logic comprises the following: inputs 6 row comparator outputs 6 column comparator outputs no keys down output multiple keys down output microcontroller read strobe microcontroller data bus register select strobe from address decoder module outputs register drives the internal data bus when accessed by the address decoder module. an interrupt request is generated whenever the value of the register changes. this interrupt request is connected to interrupt controller. encoder the six row and six column signals are encoded into two three-bit words (octal to binary encoding). this is combined with the no keys down and multiple keys down indications to form a seven-bit word. bit 7 of the register is always 0. system control--real-time clock a real-time clock is provided on the exemplary ic. this clock 74 (see fig. 1a) operates from the normal ic supply while the ic is powered on, and from a dedicated battery when the ic is powered down. a 32. 768 khz crystal is connected to the real-time clock. additionally, a 1k byte block of ram is provided. this "on-chip" ram is independent from the real-time clock except that it is powered from the real-time clock's batt in pin. figure 14 shows a block diagram of the real-time clock module 74 of the exemplary ic. system control--battery level detector the exemplary ic includes a mechanism providing a digital representation of the power supply (i.e., battery) voltage level over a range of 2. 7 to 5. 5 volts. functionally, the battery voltage monitor circuit compares the voltage on a vcc pin to an internal threshold voltage. if vcc is above the threshold voltage, the comparator output is high. if vcc is below the threshold, the comparator output is low. in the exemplary ic, the internal threshold voltage is programmable via a 4-bit code from 2.7 volts to 5. 4 volts, with an accuracy of ±5%. fig. 15 is a block diagram of the battery level detector module of the exemplary ic. ct2 the ct2 portion of an exemplary ic which incorporates the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention may include the following modules: fifos 90, a b/d channel port (see fig. 3b), a transmit modem 100, an rssi a/d converter 92, and a logic module 96. in the exemplary ic, two unidirectional fifos 260, 262 are provided between the adpcm block 84, the b channel i/o 264, and the frame formatter 96, with one in the transmit direction and one in the receive direction 262 (see fig. 16). these fifos provide an elastic store between the 72 kbps radio burst rate and the constant 32 kbps adpcm, b channel port rate. the fifos appear to be serial when viewed from the frame formatter 96, and 4 bits wide when viewed by the adpcm block 84 because the adpcm operates on nibbles. the fifo module 90 in the exemplary ic builds 512 khz, 32 khz, and 8 khz clocks from either a 1. 152 mhz clock from the logic module 96, (specifically, a pll1152) or a fixed 1. 152 mhz clock from the clock generator module 82. the b/d channel i/o port module 264 in the exemplary ic provides six i/o pins that are multiplexed to serve four separate functions: a b channel i/o port, including encryption; a d channel i/o port; a single transmit (tx modulator i/o); and six general purpose output ports. the transmit modulator 100 of the exemplary ic accepts serial data from the ct2 logic module 96 and converts it to a quadrature pair of single-ended analog outputs. the outputs generated in the exemplary ic are intended to be externally mixed with an if carrier and summed to obtain the desired frequency modulated signal. a block diagram of the modulator 100 is shown in fig. 17. the heart of the modulator 100 is a look-up rom 270 addressed by a data dependent state machine address generator 272 and followed by a series of synchronizing latches 274. two identical 6-bit + sign dac's followed by buffers drive the analog outputs. as discussed in much greater detail in various of the related applications, a test mode may be provided in the exemplary ic to simplify spectral measurements. the receive signal strength indication (rssi) module 92 provides a digital representation of the rf receive signal level. discussing now generally the logic module 96, a frame controller is provided which comprises a receive timing recovery, a frame timing generator, a sync channel handler, a b channel handler, a d channel handler, and a modem timing adjustment. fig. 18 is a block diagram of the frame controller, including the receive timing recovery, frame timing generator, sync channel handler, b channel handler, d channel handler. with regard to the receive timing recovery function, bit synchronized timing from the receive data (rx data) is generated and fed to the various functions. the syn channel handler receives a burst signal and the plled clock from the receive clock generator (dpll) and it gives received sync information to the frame timing generator and the cpu. it also receives transmit timing pulses from the frame timing generator, transmit data from the b channel handler and the d channel handler and it generates a transmit burst signal. the frame timing generator receives received synchronization information from the syn channel handler when the system is receiving a signal, gives all the necessary receive and transmit timing pulses to the b channel handler, the d channel handler, the syn channel handler of the transmit portions, modem timing adjustment, and any other blocks where those pulses are required. the modem timing adjustment measures the delay of the modem and the rf section when they are transmitting and receiving a reference signal from the modem. cordless telephone application as previously discussed, the in-circuit emulation capability mode of the present invention is well-suited for use in a cordless telephone, when included in an ic to be used in a cordless telephone. referring now to figs. 2 and 3, shown therein is a cordless telephone of a type into which ic's including the in-circuit emulation capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention, for example, the exemplary ic previously described, may be incorporated. such a cordless telephone includes a handset or terminal unit 2 (shown in fig. 2) and a base unit or base station 4 (shown in fig. 3). base unit 4 is connected by a telephone cord to an outlet or receptacle in a wall, a telephone pole, or another fixed structure, so that it may both receive and transmit telephone message signals through a telephone network line 6 and so that it also may be powered thereby. an antenna 8 on the handset 2, and a corresponding antenna 10 on the base station 4 are used to create a communication channel between the two units by the transmission and reception of radio waves. as is conventional, handset unit 2 includes a keypad 12 for making or dialing outgoing calls, and a mouthpiece and an earpiece, with which a microphone 14 and a loudspeaker 16 are, respectively, associated. a telephone number may be entered on the keypad 12, and corresponding information is transmitted over the communication channel to base unit 4, and thence to the telephone network line 6. alternatively, when base unit 4 receives a message signal from the telephone network line 6 indicating that an incoming call is present, a signal from base unit 4 causes a ringing sound in handset unit 2 and a second ringing sound in base unit 4 to indicate the existence of the incoming call. the standard maximum separation of such a handset unit 2 and base unit 4, which is called the service area, is about 300 meters, and is set by the federal communications commission (fcc). typically, there are ten duplex channels permitted for each system with the upper channel having a frequency in the 49 mhz band and the lower channel having a frequency in the 46 mhz band. of course, such operating parameters are set by the fcc and do not form a part of the present invention. the base station 4, like the handset 2, comprises a microphone 22, an ear piece 24, and a keypad 26. likewise, both the handset 2 and the base station 4 include a rom 28, 30, an eprom 32, 34, an lcd and controller 36, 38, as well as a number of other elements which generally relate to the radio signals and power levels. as may also be seen in figs. 2 and 3, an ic including the in-circuit emulator capability mode according to the teachings of the present invention is used in both the handset unit 2 and the base station 4. the ic is designated by reference numeral 18 in fig. 2 and by reference numeral 20 in fig. 3. based upon the foregoing, those skilled in the art should now fully understand and appreciate the improvements made by the teachings herein. those skilled in the art should also fully understand and appreciate the value and merits of the in-circuit emulation capability mode described herein which may be incorporated in an ic and, in particular, in an ic for use in cordless telephones. on virtually every point made herein, however, further details may be found in the related cases listed in the cross-reference to related applications section above. although those details are not necessary for those skilled in the art to practice the present invention or to comprehend its best mode of practice, those details may be useful to those skilled in the art and they may wish to refer to them. obviously, numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings herein. accordingly, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described above.
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172-980-694-826-986
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US
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| 2012-05-07T00:00:00 |
2012
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[
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continuous process for producing biogenic activated carbon
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biogenic activated carbon compositions disclosed herein comprise at least 55 wt% carbon, some of which may be present as graphene, and have high surface areas, such as iodine numbers of greater than 2000. some embodiments provide biogenic activated carbon that is responsive to a magnetic field. a continuous process for producing biogenic activated carbon comprises countercurrently contacting, by mechanical means, a feedstock with a vapor stream comprising an activation agent including water and/or carbon dioxide; removing vapor from the reaction zone; recycling at least some of the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to an inlet of the reaction zone(s) and/or to the feedstock; and recovering solids from the reaction zone(s) as biogenic activated carbon. methods of using the biogenic activated carbon are disclosed.
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a method of using graphene, the method comprising: obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, at least about 55 wt% total carbon, at most about 15 wt% hydrogen, and at most about 1 wt% nitrogen, wherein at least a portion of the total carbon is present in the form of graphene; and optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition, thereby producing a separated graphene; using the graphene as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, or the separated biogenic graphene, in a battery electrode, a fuel cell electrode, a voltaic cell, an energy storage material or device, a supercapacitor, a sink for static electricity dissipation, or a material or device for electronic or ionic transport. the method of claim 1, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, on a dry basis, at least about 95 wt% total carbon. the method of any preceding claim, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, on a dry basis, at most about 0.5 wt% nitrogen. the method of any preceding claim, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, on a dry basis, at most about 5 wt% hydrogen. the method of any one of the above claims, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, on a dry basis, at most about 0.5 wt% phosphorus. the method of any preceding claim, comprising using the biogenic graphene as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, or the separated biogenic graphene, in a battery electrode. the method of any of claims 1 to 5, comprising using the biogenic graphene as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, or the separated biogenic graphene, in an energy storage material or device. the method of any of claims 1 to 5, comprising using the biogenic graphene as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, or the separated biogenic graphene, in a material or device for electronic or ionic transport. a composition comprising graphene, wherein the graphene is derived from a biogenic activated carbon composition, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, on a dry basis, at least about 55 wt% total carbon, at most about 15 wt% hydrogen, and at most about 1 wt% nitrogen, wherein at least a portion of the total carbon is present in the form of biogenic graphene, and wherein the composition comprising graphene is included in a battery electrode, a fuel cell electrode, a voltaic cell, an energy storage material or device, a supercapacitor, a sink for static electricity dissipation, or a material or device for electronic or ionic transport. the composition comprising graphene of claim 9, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, on a dry basis, at least about 95 wt% total carbon. the composition comprising graphene of claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, on a dry basis, at most about 0.5 wt% nitrogen. the composition comprising graphene of any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises at most about 5 wt% hydrogen. the composition comprising graphene of any of claims 9 to 12, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises at most about 0.5 wt% phosphorus. the composition comprising graphene of any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the composition comprising graphene is included in a battery electrode. the composition comprising graphene of any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the composition comprising graphene is included in an energy storage material or device. the composition comprising graphene of any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the composition comprising graphene is included in a material or device for electronic or ionic transport.
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priority claim this international patent application claims the priority benefit of u.s. provisional patent application no. 61/643,741, filed on may 7, 2012 ; u.s. provisional patent application no. 61/721,827, filed on november 2, 2012 ; and u.s. provisional patent application no. 61/737,514, filed on december 14, 2012 , each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. field of the invention the present disclosure generally relates to processes, systems, and apparatus for the production of biogenic activated carbon, to biogenic activated carbon and to uses of biogenic activated carbon including emissions control. background activated carbon was first produced commercially at the beginning of the 20th century and was used initially to decolorize sugar, then later to remove taste and odor from water. granular activated carbon was first developed for gas masks and has been used subsequently for a variety of additional purposes such as solvent recovery and air purification. processes to produce activated carbon generally require large energy inputs and suffer from low yields. most processes require two distinct steps: pyrolysis of the carbonaceous raw material followed by activation of the pyrolyzed solids. pyrolysis typically involves directly heating the carbonaceous substrate in a low-oxygen environment. activation generally involves application of steam or carbon dioxide to increase surface area of the pyrolyzed solids. summary in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and optionally wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and optionally wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and from about 0.0001 wt% to about 5 wt% iron; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene, wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and from about 0.1 wt% to about 5 wt% iron; wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a biogenic graphene-containing product characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a composition comprising graphene, wherein the graphene is derived from a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a continuous process for producing biogenic activated carbon, said process comprising: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture from said feedstock; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent comprising at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) recycling at least a portion of said separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s); and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s) as biogenic activated carbon. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a continuous process for producing biogenic activated carbon, said process comprising: (a) providing a starting carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said carbon-containing feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture therefrom; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically conveying said feedstock and countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent including at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) introducing a carbon-containing liquid or vapor stream from an external source to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s); and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s) as biogenic activated carbon. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a continuous process for producing graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon, said process comprising: (a) providing a starting carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said carbon-containing feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture from said carbon-containing feedstock; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically conveying said feedstock and countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent including at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) recycling at least a portion of said separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s); and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s), wherein said solids include graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a continuous process for producing graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon, said process comprising: (a) providing a starting carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said carbon-containing feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture from said feedstock; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically conveying said feedstock and countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent comprising at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) recycling at least a portion of said separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s), to increase the surface area of carbon in said solids; and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s) as biogenic activated carbon, wherein said biogenic activated carbon comprises, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, wherein at least a portion of said biogenic activated carbon is present in the form of graphene, wherein said biogenic activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein said biogenic activated carbon is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing or removing at least one contaminant from a gas-phase emission stream, said method comprising: (a) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one contaminant; (b) contacting the gas-phase emissions stream with an additive and activated carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition to generate contaminant-adsorbed particles; and (c) separating at least a portion of said contaminant-adsorbed particles from said gas-phase emissions stream to produce a contaminant-reduced gas-phase emissions stream. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce mercury emissions, said method comprising: (a) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising mercury; (b) contacting the gas-phase emissions stream with activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising iron or an iron-containing compound to generate mercury-adsorbed carbon particles; and (c) separating at least a portion of said mercury-adsorbed carbon particles from said gas-phase emissions stream using electrostatic precipitation, to produce a mercury-reduced gas-phase emissions stream. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a process for producing energy comprising: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; and (b) oxidizing said carbon-containing feedstock to generate energy and a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one contaminant, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition adsorbs at least a portion of the at least one contaminant. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to purify a liquid, said method comprising: (a) providing a liquid comprising at least one contaminant; and (b) contacting said liquid with an additive and activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition to generate contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles and a contaminant-reduced liquid. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of removing at least a portion of a sulfur contaminant from a liquid, said method comprising: (a) providing a liquid comprising a sulfur contaminant; and (b) contacting said liquid with an additive and activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition, wherein after step (b) at least a portion of the activated carbon particles comprises the sulfur contaminant. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a process to reduce a concentration of sulfates in water, said process comprising: (a) providing a volume or stream of water comprising sulfates; and (b) contacting said water with an additive and activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of removing a sulfur contaminant from a gas-phase emissions stream, said method comprising: (a) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one sulfur contaminant; (b) contacting the gas-phase emissions stream with an additive and activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; and (c) separating at least a portion of said activated-carbon particles from said gas-phase emissions stream after step (b). in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing or removing one or more contaminants from a gas or liquid, said method comprising: (a) providing a gas or liquid stream containing one or more contaminants; and (b) contacting said gas or liquid stream with a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and an iodine number of at least about 500, wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing or removing one or more contaminants from a gas or liquid, said method comprising: (a) providing a gas or liquid stream containing one or more contaminants; and (b) contacting said gas or liquid stream with a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and an iodine number of at least about 500, wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing or removing a contaminant from a liquid or gas, said method comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; and (c) contacting the liquid or gas with said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition. in another embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene, said method comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; and (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, in an adhesive, a sealant, a coating, a paint, an ink a composite material, a catalyst, a catalyst support, a battery electrode, a fuel cell electrode, a graphene-based circuit or memory system, an energy storage material or device, a supercapacitor, a sink for static electricity dissipation, a material or device for electronic or ionic transport, a high-bandwidth communication system, an infrared sensor, a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, an electronic display, a voltaic cell, or a graphene aerogel. brief description of the figures fig. 1 depicts a multi-reactor embodiment of a system of the disclosure. fig. 2 depicts a single reactor, multi-zone embodiment of a system of the disclosure fig. 3 depicts one embodiment of a zero-oxygen continuous feed mechanism suitable for use in connection with the present disclosure. fig. 4 depicts another embodiment of a single reactor, multi-zone biomass processing unit suitable for use in connection with the present disclosure. fig. 5 depicts one embodiment of a carbon recovery unit suitable for use in connection with the present disclosure. fig. 6 depicts an embodiment of one embodiment of a single-reactor biomass processing unit of the present disclosure with an optional dryer. fig. 7 depicts a pyrolysis reactor system embodiment of the disclosure with an optional dryer and a gas inlet. fig. 8 depicts an embodiment of a single-reactor biomass processing unit of the disclosure with a gas inlet and an optional cooler. fig. 9 depicts a single-reactor biomass processing unit system embodiment of the disclosure with an optional dryer and de-aerator, and an inert gas inlet. fig. 10 depicts a multiple-reactor system embodiment of the disclosure with an optional dryer and de-aerator, and an inert gas inlet. fig. 11 depicts a multiple-reactor system embodiment of the disclosure with an optional dryer and cooler, and a material enrichment unit. fig. 12 depicts a multiple-reactor system embodiment of the disclosure with an optional dryer, de-aerator, a cooler, and an inert gas inlet. fig. 13 depicts a multiple-reactor system embodiment of the disclosure with an optional dryer and de-aerator, an inert gas inlet, and a cooler. fig. 14 shows dispersion of magnetic particles in a biogenic activated carbon according to the present disclosure. fig. 15 shows biogenic activated carbon with iron halide additive prepared according to the present disclosure attracted to a magnet. fig. 16 depicts change in gas component concentration over time when passed through a plug of a biogenic activated carbon according to the present disclosure. fig. 17 depicts adsorption of carbon dioxide over time for a plug of a biogenic activated carbon according to the present disclosure. fig. 18 depicts a graph illustrating the effect of retention time on fixed carbon content of a biogenic activated carbon product produced according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. fig. 19 depicts a graph illustrating the effect of pyrolysis temperature on fixed carbon content of a biogenic activated carbon product produced according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. fig. 20 depicts a graph illustrating the effect of biomass particle size on fixed carbon content of a biogenic activated carbon product produced according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. fig. 21 depicts a single-reactor biomass processing unit embodiment of the disclosure for producing biogenic activated carbon. fig. 22 depicts a two-reactor biomass processing unit embodiment of the disclosure for producing biogenic activated carbon. fig. 23 is a transmission electron micrograph of exemplary activated carbon with an iodine number of 2029. the dark, curved line segments are graphene crystallites. fig. 24 is a transmission electron micrograph of exemplary activated carbon with an iodine number of 2029. the dark, curved line segments are graphene crystallites. fig. 25 is a transmission electron micrograph of activated carbon with an iodine number of 2029. parallel lines across image are atomically thin layers of graphene. fig. 26 is a transmission electron micrograph of activated carbon with an iodine number of 2029. dark, curved line segments are graphene crystallites. fig. 27 is a transmission electron micrograph of activated carbon with an iodine number of 716. parallel lines across image are atomically thin layers of graphene. fig. 28 is a transmission electron micrograph of activated carbon with an iodine number of 716. parallel lines across image are atomically thin layers of graphene within graphite. fig. 29 is a transmission electron micrograph of activated carbon with an iodine number of 716. the roughly square object at bottom center is zoomed out from fig. 28 . lighter regions comprise small graphene crystallites. fig. 30 is a transmission electron micrograph of activated carbon with an iodine number of 716. the small, dark, square object left of center is the graphite piece from figs. 28 and 29 . lighter regions indicate small graphene crystallites. fig. 31 is a transmission electron micrograph of activated carbon with an iodine number of 806. parallel lines across image are atomically thin layers of graphene, while shorter curved segments are graphene crystallites. detailed description this description will enable one skilled in the art to make and use the disclosure, and it describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the disclosure. these and other embodiments, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those skilled in the art when taken with reference to the following detailed description of the disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing reaction conditions, stoichiometries, concentrations of components, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about." accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending at least upon a specific analytical technique. for present purposes, "biogenic" is intended to mean a material (whether a feedstock, product, or intermediate) that contains an element, such as carbon, that is renewable on time scales of months, years, or decades. non-biogenic materials may be non-renewable, or may be renewable on time scales of centuries, thousands of years, millions of years, or even longer geologic time scales. note that a biogenic material may include a mixture of biogenic and non-biogenic sources. for present purposes, "reagent" is intended to mean a material in its broadest sense; a reagent may be a fuel, a chemical, a material, a compound, an additive, a blend component, a solvent, and so on. a reagent is not necessarily a chemical reagent that causes or participates in a chemical reaction. a reagent may or may not be a chemical reactant; it may or may not be consumed in a reaction. a reagent may be a chemical catalyst for a particular reaction. a reagent may cause or participate in adjusting a mechanical, physical, or hydrodynamic property of a material to which the reagent may be added. for example, a reagent may be introduced to a metal to impart certain strength properties to the metal. a reagent may be a substance of sufficient purity (which, in the current context, is typically carbon purity) for use in chemical analysis or physical testing. graphene is a monolayer of carbon atoms tightly packed into a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice, and is a basic building block for graphitic materials of other dimensionalities. graphene can be wrapped up into zero-dimensional fullerenes, rolled into one-dimensional nanotubes, or stacked into three-dimensional graphite, for example. that is, although graphene is a single layer of atomic carbon, any number of layers (such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more) may be present in any particular portion of a graphene-containing sample. as used herein, "graphene" refers to graphene in any of its forms, including related sp 2 graphitic allotropes that are typically planar, although not necessarily flat, single layers of graphene, and multiple layers of graphene. in one embodiment, the graphene is a one-atom thick planar sheet of sp 2 -bonded carbon atoms that are in a hexagonal arrangement. in another embodiment, the graphene is a one-atom thick planar sheet of sp 2 -bonded carbon atoms that are in a hexagonal arrangement in a honeycomb crystal lattice. in another embodiment, the graphene has a carbon-carbon bond length of about 0.142 nm. unless the context dictates otherwise, all references to graphene include strictly a single layer as well as multiple layers of carbon atoms. also, all references to graphene should be regarded as interchangeable with "biogenic graphene." biogenic activated carbon has relatively high carbon content compared to the initial feedstock utilized to produce the biogenic activated carbon. a biogenic activated carbon as provided herein will normally contain greater than about half its weight as carbon, since the typical carbon content of biomass is no greater than about 50 wt%. more typically, but depending on feedstock composition, a biogenic activated carbon will contain at least 55 wt%, at least 60 wt%, at least 65 wt%, at least 70 wt%, at least 75 wt%, at least 80 wt % 85 wt%, at least 90 wt%, at least 95 wt%, at least 96 wt%, at least 97 wt%, at least 98 wt%, at least 99 wt% carbon. notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "biogenic activated carbon" is used herein for practical purposes to consistently describe materials that may be produced by processes and systems of the disclosure, in various embodiments. limitations as to carbon content, or any other concentrations, shall not be imputed from the term itself but rather only by reference to particular embodiments and equivalents thereof. for example it will be appreciated that a starting material having very low initial carbon content, subjected to the disclosed processes, may produce a biogenic activated carbon that is highly enriched in carbon relative to the starting material (high yield of carbon), but nevertheless relatively low in carbon (low purity of carbon), including less than or equal to about 50 wt% carbon. "pyrolysis" and "pyrolyze" generally refer to thermal decomposition of a carbonaceous material. in pyrolysis, less oxygen is present than is required for complete combustion of the material, such as less than or equal to about 10%, less than or equal to about 5%, less than or equal to about 1%, less than or equal to about 0.5%, less than or equal to about 0.1%, or less than or equal to about 0.01% of the oxygen that is required for complete combustion. in some embodiments, pyrolysis is performed in the absence of oxygen. exemplary changes that may occur during pyrolysis include any of the following: (i) heat transfer from a heat source increases the temperature inside the feedstock; (ii) the initiation of primary pyrolysis reactions at this higher temperature releases volatiles and forms a char; (iii) the flow of hot volatiles toward cooler solids results in heat transfer between hot volatiles and cooler unpyrolyzed feedstock; (iv) condensation of some of the volatiles in the cooler parts of the feedstock, followed by secondary reactions, can produce tar; (v) autocatalytic secondary pyrolysis reactions proceed while primary pyrolytic reactions simultaneously occur in competition; and (vi) further thermal decomposition, reforming, water-gas shift reactions, free-radical recombination, and/or dehydrations can also occur, which are a function of the residence time, temperature, and pressure profile. pyrolysis can at least partially dehydrate the feedstock. in various embodiments, pyrolysis removes greater than about 50%, greater than about 75%, greater than about 90%, greater than about 95%, greater than about 99%, or more than 99% of the water from the feedstock. as discussed above, some variations of the disclosure are premised, at least in part, on the discovery that multiple reactors or multiple zones within a single reactor can be designed and operated in a way that optimizes carbon yield and product quality from pyrolysis, while maintaining flexibility and adjustability for feedstock variations and product requirements. generally speaking, temperatures and residence times are selected to achieve relatively slow pyrolysis chemistry. the benefit is potentially the substantial preservation of cell walls contained in the biomass structure, which means the final product can retain some, most, or all of the shape and strength of the starting biomass. in order to maximize this potential benefit, an apparatus that does not mechanically destroy the cell walls or otherwise convert the biomass particles into small fines can be utilized. various reactor configurations are discussed following the process description below. additionally, if the feedstock is a milled or sized feedstock, such as wood chips or pellets, it may be desirable for the feedstock to be carefully milled or sized. careful initial treatment will tend to preserve the strength and cell-wall integrity that is present in the native feedstock source (e.g., trees). this can also be important when the final product should retain some, most, or all of the shape and strength of the starting biomass. in various embodiments, measures are taken to preserve the vascular structure of woody feedstock to create greater strength in biogenic activated carbon products. for example, and without limitation, in various embodiments the feedstock is prepared by drying feedstock over an extended period of time, for example over a period of time of no less than 1 hour, no less than about 2 hours, no less than about 3 hours, no less than about 4 hours, no less than about 5 hours, no less than about 6 hours, no less than about 7 hours, no less than about 8 hours, no less than about 9 hours, no less than about 10 hours, no less than about 11 hours, no less than about 12 hours, no less than about 13 hours, no less than about 14 hours, no less than about 15 hours, no less than about 16 hours, no less than about 17 hours, no less than about 18 hours, no less than about 19 hours, no less than about 20 hours, no less than about 21 hours, no less than about 22 hours, no less than about 23 hours, or no less than about 24 hours, to allow water and gases to exit the biomass without destroying the vascular structure of the feedstock. in various embodiments, use of a slow progressive heat rate during pyrolysis (for example in contrast to flash pyrolysis) over minutes or hours is used to allow water and gases to exit the biomass without destroying the vascular structure of the feedstock. for example and without limitation, a rate of temperature increase during the pyrolysis step may range from about 1 °c. per minute to about 40 °c. per minute, for example about 1 °c. per minute, about 2 °c. per minute, about 4 °c. per minute, about 5 °c. per minute, about 10 °c. per minute, about 15 °c. per minute, about 20 °c. per minute, about 25 °c. per minute, about 30 °c. per minute, about 35 °c. per minute, or about 40 °c. per minute. in some embodiments, the temperature increase occurs in a pre-heat zone to produce a preheated feedstock. in some embodiments, the temperature increase occurs predominantly or entirely in a pre-heat zone to produce a preheated feedstock. in some embodiments, the temperature of a preheated feedstock is increased in a pre-pyrolysis zone. in some embodiments, the temperature increase occurs at least in part in a carbonization zone or a pyrolysis zone. in some embodiments, the temperature increase occurs predominantly or entirely in a carbonization zone or a pyrolysis zone. in some embodiments, a preheat zone, pre-pyrolysis zone, carbonization zone or pyrolysis zone is configured to increase the temperature during pyrolysis from an initial, low temperature to a final, higher temperature over time. in some embodiments, the temperature increase is linear or substantially linear over time. in some embodiments, the rate of temperature increase increases or decreases over time such that the temperature during preheating, pre-pyrolysis and/or carbonization or pyrolysis is at least partially nonlinear, for example logarithmic or substantially logarithmic for at least a portion of the preheat, pre-pyrolysis and/or carbonization or pyrolysis step. in various embodiments, an additive is used prior to drying or pyrolysis to reduce gas formation that could damage the vascular structure of the feedstock during pyrolysis. in various embodiments, prior to pyrolysis, dried feedstock is sized using a saw or other cutting device designed to be less destructive to the vascular structure of wood than other sizing approaches such as chipping or shearing wet wood that fractures wood and decreases its strength. in such embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has a greater strength index (e.g., csr value) than a comparable biogenic activated carbon product not prepared in such a manner. in various embodiments, the feedstock is prepared by milling biomass to form a plurality of biomass pieces that are substantially uniform size and substantially uniform shape. for example and without limitation, biomass can be processed to produce sawdust of approximately uniform grain size (e.g., mesh size). alternatively, biomass can be processed to produce chips having substantially uniform dimensions (e.g., approximately 1 inch by approximately 1/2-inch by approximately 1/8-inch pieces). in other embodiments, feedstock can be prepared by milling biomass to form lengths of material with substantially uniform width and depth dimensions or diameters (e.g., wood bars, boards or dowels). in related embodiments, the lengths of material having substantially uniform width and depth or diameter can be further milled to produce feedstock pieces of substantially uniform lengths, resulting in a feedstock material having substantially uniform size and shape. for example, wood dowels having a uniform diameter (e.g., about 1-1/8 inches) can be cut into pieces of substantially uniform length (e.g., about 1.5 inches). the resulting feedstock pieces have a substantially uniform shape (cylinders) and a substantially uniform size (about 1-1/8 inch diameter by about 1.5 inch lengths). in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product prepared from a feedstock consisting of pieces of substantially uniform shape and size is produced in greater mass yield than a comparable biogenic activated carbon product prepared from feedstock pieces of substantially non-uniform shape and/or size. referring now generally to figs. 1 to 13 , block flow diagrams of a several exemplary multi reactor embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated. each figure is discussed in turn below. it should be appreciated figs. 1 to 13 represent some example embodiments but not all contemplated embodiments of the present disclosure. as discussed below, various additional non-illustrated embodiments and combinations of the several components and features discussed herein are also contemplated. as will be understood in the discussion below, any of the plurality of reactors discussed herein can be independent reactors, or alternatively within a single reactor bpu can include a plurality of zones, or a combination thereof. it should be appreciated that, although the figures each illustrate a different alternative embodiment, all other discussion in this disclosure can apply to each of the illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments. referring now generally to fig. 1 , a block flow diagram of a multi reactor embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. this embodiment can utilize two to a plurality of different reactors. three reactors are shown in the illustrative embodiment, however, any different number of reactors could be employed. in one embodiment, each reactor is connected to at least one other reactor via a material transport unit 304 (shown in fig. 3 ). in one embodiment, the material transport unit 304 controls atmosphere and temperature conditions. in the illustrated embodiment, the raw material 109, such as biomass, is optionally dried and sized outside the system and introduced into the first reactor 100 in a low-oxygen atmosphere, optionally through the use of a material feed system 108. as discussed in further detail below and as illustrated in fig. 3 , the material feed system 108 reduces the oxygen level in the ambient air in the system to less than or equal to about 3%. the raw material 109 enters the first reactor 112 via the enclosed material transport unit 304 after the oxygen levels have been decreased in the first reactor. in one embodiment, the raw material transport unit will include an encapsulated jacket or sleeve through which steam and off-gases from the reactor are sent and used to pre-heat the biomass either directly or sent to a process gas heater and or heat exchanger and then sent and used to pre-heat or pyrolize the biomass. in the illustrated embodiment, the raw material 109 first travels from the material feed system 108 on the material transport unit 304 into the first reactor of the bpu 112. as discussed in more detail below, in one embodiment, the first reactor 112 is configured to be connected to any other reactor in the system to recover waste heat 132 and conserve energy through a suitable waste heat recovery system. in one embodiment, the waste heat given off in the first reactor 112 is used to operate a steaming bin or another appropriate heating mechanism configured to dry raw materials 109 inside or outside of the system. in various embodiments, other byproducts of the waste heat, such as a substantially heated inert gas or the like, can be used elsewhere in the system to further enrich the material at any point along the process. in the illustrated embodiment, the biomass 109 enters the first reactor 112, wherein the temperature is raised from the range of about ambient temperature to about 150 °c to a temperature of about 100 °c to about 200 °c. in one embodiment, the temperature does not exceed 200 °c in the first reactor 112. as discussed in greater detail below, the first reactor 112 can include an output mechanism to capture and exhaust off-gases 120 from the biomass 123 while it is being heated. in one embodiment, the off-gases 120 are extracted for optional later use. in various embodiments, the heating source used for the various zones in the bpu 102 is electrical or gas. in one embodiment, the heating source used for the various reactors of the bpu 102 is waste gas from other reactors of the unit 102 or from external sources. in various embodiments, the heat is indirect. following preheating in the first reactor 112, the material transport unit 304 passes the preheated material 123 into the optional second reactor 114. in one embodiment reactor 114 is the same as reactor 112. in one embodiment where reactor 114 is different than reactor 112, the material transport unit 304 penetrates the second reactor 114 through a high-temperature vapor seal system (e.g. an airlock), which allows the material transport unit 304 to penetrate the second reactor while preventing gas from escaping. in one embodiment, the interior of the second reactor 114 is heated to a temperature of about 100 °c to about 600 °c or about 200 °c to about 600 °c. in another embodiment, the second reactor 114 includes an output port similar to the first reactor 102 to capture and exhaust the gases 122 given off of the preheated material 123 while it is being carbonized. in one embodiment, the gases 122 are extracted for optional later use. in one illustrative embodiment, the off-gases 120 from the first reactor 112 and the off-gases 122 from the second reactor 114 are combined into one gas stream 124. once carbonized, the carbonized biomass 125 exits the second reactor 114 and enters the third reactor 116 for cooling. again, the third reactor can be the same reactor as 112 or 114 or different. in one embodiment, when the biogenic activated carbon product 125 enters the third reactor 116, the carbonized biomass 125 is allowed to cool (actively or passively) to a specified temperature range to form carbonized biomass 126, as discussed above. in one embodiment, temperature of the carbonized biomass 125 is reduced in the third reactor under substantially inert atmospheric conditions. in another embodiment, the third reactor cools the carbonized biomass 125 with an additional water cooling mechanism. it should be appreciated that the carbonized biomass 126 is allowed to cool in the third reactor 116 to the point where it will not spontaneously combust if exposed to oxygenated air. in one such embodiment, the third reactor 116 reduces temperature of the carbonized biomass to below 200 °c. in one embodiment, the third reactor includes a mixer (not shown) to agitate and uniformly cool the carbonized biomass. it should be appreciated that cooling may occur either directly or indirectly with water or other liquids; cooling may also occur either directly or indirectly with air or other cooled gases, or any combination of the above. it should be appreciated that in several embodiments (not shown) one or more additional coolers or cooling mechanisms are employed to further reduce the temperature of the carbonized biomass. in various such embodiments, the cooler is separate from the other reactors 112, 114, 116, along the material transport system. in some embodiments, the cooler follows the reactors. in some embodiments, the cooler can be the same as the reactors 112, 114, 116. in other embodiments, the cooler is, for example, a screw, auger, conveyor (specifically a belt conveyor in one embodiment), drum, screen, pan, counterflow bed, vertical tower, jacketed paddle, cooled screw or combination thereof that cools either directly or indirectly with water or other liquids, or directly or indirectly with other gases, or combination of the above. in various embodiments, coolers could include water spray, cooled inert gas streams, liquid nitrogen, or ambient air if below ignition temperature. it should be appreciated that heat can be recovered from this step by capturing the flash steam generated by the water spray, or the superheated steam generated when saturated steam is introduced and heated by the carbonized biomass. as illustrated in figs 1 and 5 , the gas-phase separator unit 200 includes at least one input and a plurality of outputs. the at least one input is connected to the exhaust ports on the first reactor 112 and the second reactor 114 of the bpu 102. one of the outputs is connected to the carbon recovery unit 104, and another one of the outputs is connected to collection equipment or further processing equipment such as an acid hydrogenation unit 106 or distillation column. in various embodiments, the gas-phase separator processes the off-gases 120, 122 from the first reactor 112 and the second reactor 114 to produce a condensate 128 and an enrichment gas 204. in various embodiments, condensables may be used for either energy recovery (134) (for example in the dryer, reactor or process gas heater), or for other carbon enrichment. in various embodiments, non-condensables (for example co) may be used for energy recovery (134) (for example in a dryer, reactor or process gas heater), as an inert gas in the process (for example in the deaeration unit, reactor, bpu or cooler discussed in more detail below) or for carbon enrichment. in various embodiments, the condensate 128 includes polar compounds, such as acetic acid, methanol and furfural. in another embodiment, the enrichment gas 204 produced by the gas-phase separator 200 includes at least non-polar gases, for example carbon monoxide, terpenes, methane, carbon dioxide, etc. in one embodiment, the gas-phase separator comprises a fractionation column. in one embodiment, acetic acid is sent via a line 128 to an optional acid hydrogenation unit. in another embodiment, methanol and/or furfural are sent via optional additional line(s) 136 to a distillation/processing unit 138 in various embodiments, as discussed in more detail below, the carbon recovery unit itself has the facility to enrich the material. in various other embodiments, the material is enriched in a material enrichment unit separate from the carbon recovery unit. it should be appreciated that, in some such embodiments, the carbon recovery unit is a vessel for storing the carbonized material, and the separate material enrichment unit is the unit in which gases are introduced to enrich the material. in the illustrated embodiment, the carbon recovery unit 500 also enriches the carbonized biomass 126. the carbonized biomass 126 exits the third reactor along the material transport unit 304 and enters the carbon recovery unit 500. in various embodiments, as illustrated in more detail in fig. 5 and discussed above, the carbon recovery unit 500 also includes an input 524 connected to the gas-phase separator 200. in one embodiment, the enrichment gas 204 is directed into the carbon recovery unit to be combined with the biogenic activated carbon product 126 to create a high carbon biogenic activated carbon product 136. in another embodiment, a carbon-enriched gas from an external source can also be directed to the carbon recovery unit to be combined with the carbonized biomass 126 to add additional carbon to the ultimate high carbon biogenic activated carbon product produced. in various embodiments, the carbonized biomass 126 is temperature-reduced carbonized biomass. illustratively, the system 100 can be co-located near a timber processing facility and carbon-enriched gas from the timber processing facility can be used as gas from an external source. referring now generally to fig. 2 , a block flow diagram of a single reactor, multi-zone embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. in the illustrated embodiment, the raw material 209, such as biomass, is introduced into the reactor 200 in a low-oxygen atmosphere, optionally through the use of a material feed system 108 already described. as discussed in further detail below, the material feed system 108 reduces the oxygen level in the ambient air in the system to less than or equal to about 3%. the raw material 209 enters the bpu 202 in an enclosed material transport unit 304 after the oxygen levels have been decreased. in one embodiment, the material transport unit will include an encapsulated jacket or sleeve through which steam and off-gases from the reactor 200 are sent and used to pre-heat the biomass. in the illustrated embodiment, the raw material first travels from the material feed system 108 on the material transport unit 304 through an optional drying zone 210 of the bpu 202. in one embodiment, the optional drying zone 210 heats the raw material to remove water and other moisture prior to being passed along to the preheat zone 212. in one embodiment, the interior of the optional drying zone 210 is heated to a temperature of about ambient temperature to about 150° c. water 238 or other moisture removed from the raw material 209 can be exhausted, for example, from the optional drying zone 210. in another embodiment, the optional drying zone is adapted to allow vapors and steam to be extracted. in another embodiment, vapors and steam from the optional drying zone are extracted for optional later use. as discussed below, vapors or steam extracted from the optional drying zone can be used in a suitable waste heat recovery system with the material feed system. in one embodiment, the vapors and steam used in the material feed system pre-heat the raw materials while oxygen levels are being purged in the material feed system. in another embodiment, biomass is dried outside of the reactor and the reactor does not comprise a drying zone. as discussed in more detail below, in one embodiment, the optional drying zone 210 is configured to be connected to the cooling zone 216 to recover waste heat 232 and conserve energy through a suitable waste heat recovery system. in one embodiment, the waste heat given off in the cooling zone 216 is used to operate a heating mechanism configured to dry raw materials 209 in the optional drying zone 210. after being dried for a desired period of time, the dried biomass 221 exits the optional drying zone 210 and enters preheat zone 212. in the illustrated embodiment, the dried biomass 221 enters the first (preheat) zone 212, wherein the temperature is raised from the range of about ambient temperature to about 150 °c to a temperature range of about 100 °c to about 200 °c. in one embodiment, the temperature does not exceed 200 °c in the first/preheat zone 212. it should be appreciated that if the preheat zone 212 is too hot or not hot enough, the dried biomass 221 may process incorrectly prior to entering the second zone 214. as discussed in greater detail below, the preheat zone 212 can includes an output mechanism to capture and exhaust off-gases 220 from the dried biomass 221 while it is being preheated. in another embodiment, the off-gases 220 are extracted for optional later use. in various embodiments, the heating source used for the various zones in the bpu 202 is electric or gas. in one embodiment, the heating source used for the various zones of the bpu 202 is waste gas from other zones of the unit 202 or from external sources. in various embodiments, the heat is indirect. following the preheat zone 212, the material transport unit 304 passes the preheated material 223 into the second (pyrolysis) zone 214. in one embodiment, the material transport unit 304 penetrates the second/pyrolysis zone through a high-temperature vapor seal system (such as an airlock, not shown), which allows the material transport unit 304 to penetrate the high-temperature pyrolysis zone while preventing (or minimizing) gas from escaping. in one embodiment, the interior of the pyrolysis zone 214 is heated to a temperature of about 100 °c to about 600 °c or about 200 °c to about 500 °c. in another embodiment, the pyrolysis zone 214 includes an output port similar to the preheat zone 212 to capture and exhaust the gases 222 given off of the preheated biomass 223 while it is being carbonized. in one embodiment, the gases 222 are extracted for optional later use. in one illustrative embodiment, the off-gases 220 from the preheat zone 212 and the off-gases 222 from the pyrolysis zone 214 are combined into one gas stream 224. once carbonized, the carbonized biomass 225 exits the second/pyrolysis zone 214 and enters the third/temperature-reducing or cooling zone 216. in one embodiment, when the carbonized biomass 225 enters the cooling zone 216, the carbonized biomass 225 is allowed to cool to a specified temperature range of about 20 °c to 25 °c (about room temperature) to become temperature-reduced carbonized biomass 226, as discussed above. in various embodiments, the bpu 202 includes a plurality of cooling zones. in one embodiment, the cooling zone 216 cools the carbonized biomass to below 200 °c. in one embodiment, the cooling zone includes a mixer to agitate and uniformly cool the materials. in various embodiments, one or more of the plurality of cooling zones is outside of the bpu 202. as illustrated in figs 2 and 5 , the gas-phase separator unit 200 includes at least one input and a plurality of outputs. in this illustrative embodiment, the at least one input is connected to the exhaust ports on the first/preheat zone 212 and the second/pyrolysis zone 214 of the bpu 202. one of the outputs is connected to the carbon recovery unit 500 (which is configured to enrich the material), and another one of the outputs is connected to collection equipment or further processing equipment such as an acid hydrogenation unit 206 or distillation column. in various embodiments, the gas-phase separator processes the off-gases 220, 222 from the first/preheat zone 212 and the second/pyrolysis zone 214 to produce a condensate 228 and an enrichment gas 204. in one embodiment, the condensate 228 includes polar compounds, such as acetic acid, methanol and furfural. in one embodiment, the enrichment gas 204 produced by the gas-phase separator 200 includes at least non-polar gases. in one embodiment, the gas-phase separator comprises a fractionation column. in one embodiment, acetic acid is sent via a line 228 to an optional acid hydrogenation unit 206. in another embodiment, methanol and/or furfural are sent via optional additional line(s) 236 to a distillation/processing unit 238. in the illustrated embodiments, the carbonized biomass exits the cooling reactor/zone along the material transfer unit 304 and enters the carbon recovery unit 500. in various embodiments, as illustrated in more detail in fig. 5 and discussed above, the carbon recovery unit 500 also includes an input 524 connected to the gas-phase separator 200. in one embodiment, the enrichment gas 204 is directed into the carbon recovery unit 500 to be combined with the biogenic activated carbon product 226 to create a high carbon biogenic activated carbon product 136. in another embodiment, a carbon-enriched gas from an external source can also be directed to the carbon recovery unit 500 to be combined with the biogenic activated carbon product 226 to add additional carbon to the biogenic activated carbon product. in various embodiments, gases pulled from the carbon recovery unit 500 at reference 234 are optionally used in energy recovery systems and/or systems for further carbon enrichment. similarly, in various embodiments, gases pulled from one or more zones of the bpu 202 are optionally used in energy recovery systems and/or systems for further carbon enrichment. illustratively, the system 200 can be co-located near a timber processing facility and carbon-enriched gas from the timber processing facility can be used as gas from an external source. now referring generally to fig. 3 , one material feed system embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. as discussed above, high oxygen levels in the ambient air surrounding the raw material as it processes could result in undesirable combustion or oxidation of the raw material, which reduces the amount and quality of the final product. in one embodiment, the material feed system is a closed system and includes one or more manifolds configured to purge oxygen from the air surrounding the raw material. in one embodiment, oxygen level of about 0.5% to about 1.0% are used for pre-heating, pyrolyzing/carbonizing and cooling. it should be appreciated that a primary goal of the closed material feed system is to reduce oxygen levels to less than or equal to about 3%, less than or equal to about 2%, less than or equal to about 1% or less than or equal to about 0.5%. after the oxygen level is reduced, the biomass is transferred along the material feed system into the bpu. it should be appreciated that in various embodiments, pre-heating of inert gases through recovered process energy and subsequent introduction of pre-heated inert gases to the bpu, reactor or trimming reactor makes the system more efficient. in some embodiments, a trimming reactor is included in the system. in one trimming reactor embodiment, pyrolyzed material from the bpu is fed into a separate additional reactor for further pyrolysis where heated inert gas is introduced to create a product with higher fixed carbon levels. in various embodiments, the secondary process may be conducted in a container such as a drum, tank, barrel, bin, tote, pipe, sack, press, or roll-off container. in various embodiments, the final container also may be used for transport of the carbonized biomass. in some embodiments, the inert gas is heated via a heat exchanger that derives heat from gases extracted from the bpu and combusted in a process gas heater. as seen in fig. 3 , the closed material feed system 108 includes a raw material feed hopper 300, a material transport unit 304 and an oxygen purge manifold 302. in one embodiment, the raw material feed hopper 300 is any suitable open-air or closed-air container configured to receive raw or sized/dried biomass 109/209. the raw material feed hopper 300 is operably connected with the material transport unit 304, which, in one embodiment, is a screw or auger system operably rotated by a drive source. in one embodiment, the raw material 109/209 is fed into the material transport unit 304 by a gravity-feed system. it should be appreciated that the material transport unit 304 of fig. 3 is fashioned such that the screw or auger 305 is enclosed in a suitable enclosure 307. in one embodiment, the enclosure 307 is substantially cylindrically shaped. in various embodiments, material feed systems include a screw, auger, conveyor, drum, screen, chute, drop chamber, pneumatic conveyance device, including a rotary airlock or a double or triple flap airlock. as the raw material 109/209 is fed from the raw material feed hopper 300 to the material transport unit 304, the auger or screw 305 is rotated, moving the raw material 109/209 toward the oxygen purge manifold 302. it should be appreciated that, when the raw material 109/209 reaches the oxygen purge manifold 302, the ambient air among the raw material 109/209 in the material transport unit 304 includes about 20.9% oxygen. in various embodiments, the oxygen purge manifold 302 is arranged adjacent to or around the material transport unit 304. within the oxygen fold manifold of one embodiment, the enclosure 307 of the material transport unit 304 includes a plurality of gas inlet ports 310a, 310b, 310c and a plurality of gas outlet ports 308a, 308b, 308c. the oxygen purge manifold 302 has at least one gas inlet line 312 and at least one gas outlet line 314. in various embodiments, the at least one gas inlet line 312 of the oxygen purge manifold 302 is in operable communication with each of the plurality of gas inlet ports 310a, 310b, 310c. similarly, in various embodiments, the at least one gas outlet line 314 of the oxygen purge manifold 302 is in operable communication with each of the plurality of gas outlet ports 308a, 308b, 308c. it should be appreciated that, in one embodiment, the gas inlet line 312 is configured to pump an inert gas into the gas inlet ports 310a, 310b, 310c. in one such embodiment, the inert gas is nitrogen containing substantially no oxygen. in one embodiment, the inert gas will flow counter-current to the biomass. as will be understood, the introduction of inert gas 312 into the enclosed material transport unit 304 will force the ambient air out of the enclosed system. in operation, when the inert gas 312 is introduced to the first gas inlet port 310a of one embodiment, a quantity of oxygen-rich ambient air is forced out of outlet port 308a. it should be appreciated that, at this point, the desired level of less than or equal to about 2% oxygen, less than or equal to about 1% oxygen, less than or equal to about 0.5% oxygen or less than or equal to about 0.2% oxygen may not be achieved. therefore, in various embodiments, additional infusions of the inert gas 312 must be made to purge the requisite amount of oxygen from the air surrounding the raw material 109 in the enclosed system. in one embodiment, the second gas inlet port 310b pumps the inert gas 312 into the enclosed system subsequent to the infusion at the first gas inlet port 310a, thereby purging more of the remaining oxygen from the enclosed system. it should be appreciated that, after one or two infusions of inert gas 312 to purge the oxygen 314, the desired level of less oxygen may be achieved. if, in one embodiment, the desired oxygen levels are still not achieved after two inert gas infusions, a third infusion of inert gas 312 at gas inlet 310c will purge remaining undesired amounts of oxygen 314 from the enclosed system at gas outlet 308c. additional inlets/outlets may also be incorporated if desired. in various embodiments, oxygen levels are monitored throughout the material feed system to allow calibration of the amount and location of inert gas infusions. in one alternative embodiment, heat, steam and gases recovered from the reactor are directed to the feed system where they are enclosed in jacket and separated from direct contact with the feed material, but indirectly heat the feed material prior to introduction to the reactor. in one alternative embodiment, heat, steam and gases recovered from the drying zone of the reactor are directed to the feed system where they are enclosed in jacket and separated from direct contact with the feed material, but indirectly heat the feed material prior to introduction to the reactor. it should be appreciated that the gas inlet ports 310a, 310b, 310c and the corresponding gas outlet ports 308a, 308b, 308c, respectively, of one embodiment are slightly offset from one another with respect to a vertical bisecting plane through the material transport unit 304. for example, in one embodiment, inlet port 310a and corresponding outlet port 308a are offset on material transport unit 304 by an amount that approximately corresponds with the pitch of the auger 305 in the material transport unit 304. in various embodiments, after the atmosphere surrounding the raw material 109/209 is satisfactorily de-oxygenated, it is fed from the material feed system 108 into the bpu 102. in various embodiments, oxygen levels are monitored throughout the material feed system to allow the calibration of the amount and location of inert gas infusions. it should be appreciated that, in one embodiment, the raw material 109/209, and subsequently the dried biomass 221, preheated biomass 123/223, carbonized biomass 125/225 and carbonized biomass 126/226, travel through the reactor 102 (or reactors) along a continuous material transport unit 304. in another embodiment, the material transport unit carrying the material differs at different stages in the process. in one embodiment, the process of moving the material through the reactor, zones or reactors is continuous. in one such embodiment, the speed of the material transport unit 304 is appropriately calibrated and calculated by an associated controller and processor such that the operation of the material transport unit 304 does not require interruption as the material moves through the reactor or reactors. in another embodiment, the controller associated with the reactor 102 or reactors (112/114/116) is configured to adjust the speed of the material transport unit 304 based on one or more feedback sensors, detected gas (e.g. from the optional ftir), measured parameters, temperature gauges, or other suitable variables in the reactor process. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, any suitable moisture sensors, temperature sensors or gas sensors in operable communication with the controller and processor could be integrated into or between each of the zones/reactors or at any suitable position along the material transport unit 304. in one embodiment, the controller and processor use the information from sensors or gauges to optimize the speed and efficiency of the bpu 100/200. in one embodiment, the controller associated with the reactor 102 or reactors (112/114/116) is configured to operate the material transport unit 304. in one embodiment, the controller associated with the reactor 102 or reactors (112/114/116) is configured to monitor the concentration, temperature and moisture of the gas inside the material transport unit 304 or inside any of the reactors. in one embodiment, the controller is configured to adjust the speed of the material transport unit 304, the input of gases into the material transport unit and the heat applied to the material in the material transport unit based upon one or more readings taken by the various sensors. referring now to figs. 2 and 4 , one embodiment of the bpu 102 is illustrated. it should be appreciated that the graphical representation of the bpu 202 in fig 4 corresponds substantially to the bpu 202 in fig 2 . it should also be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the bpu 202 is enclosed in a kiln shell to control and manipulate the high amounts of heat required for the reactor process. as seen in fig. 4 , in one embodiment, the kiln shell of the bpu 202 includes several insulating chambers (416, 418) surrounding the four zones 210, 212, 214 and 216 . in one embodiment, the kiln includes four separated zones. in various embodiments, each of the four zones 210, 212, 214 and 216 of the bpu 202 includes at least one inlet flight and at least one outlet flight. as discussed in greater detail below, within each zone of one such embodiment, the inlet and outlet flights are configured to be adjustable to control the flow of feed material, gas and heat into and out of the zone. a supply of inert air can be introduced into the inlet flight and the purged air can be extracted from the corresponding outlet flight. in various embodiments, one or more of the outlet flights of a zone in the bpu 202 are connected to one or more of the other inlet or outlet flights in the bpu. in one embodiment, after the raw material 209 is de-oxygenated in the material feed system 108, it is introduced to the bpu 202, and specifically to the first of four zones the optional drying zone 210. as seen in fig. 4 , the drying zone includes inlet flight 422b and outlet flight 420a. in one embodiment, the drying zone is heated to a temperature of about 80° c to about 150° c to remove water or other moisture from the raw materials 209. the biomass is then moved to the second or pre-heat zone 212 where the biomass is pre-heated as described above. in another embodiment, the material that has optionally been dried and pre-heated is moved to the third or carbonization zone. in one embodiment, carbonization occurs at a temperature from about 200 °c to about 700 °c, for example about 200 °c, about 210 °c, about 220 °c, about 230 °c, about 240 °c, about 250 °c, about 260 °c, about 270 °c, about 280 °c, about 290 °c, about 300° c, about 310 °c, about 320 °c, about 330 °c, about 340 °c, about 350 °c, about 360 °c, about 370 °c, about 380 °c, about 390 °c, about 400 °c, 410 °c, about 420 °c, about 430 °c, about 440 °c, about 450 °c, about 460 °c, about 470 °c, about 480 °c, about 490 °c, about 500 °c, about 510 °c, about 520 °c, about 530 °c, about 540 °c, about 550 °c, about 560 °c, about 570 °c, about 580 °c, about 590 °c, about 600 °c, about 610 °c, about 620 °c, about 630 °c, about 640 °c, about 650 °c, about 660 °c, about 670 °c, about 680 °c, about 690 °c, or about 700 °c. in another embodiment, a carbonization zone of a reactor 421 is adapted to allow gases produced during carbonization to be extracted. in another embodiment, gases produced during carbonization are extracted for optional later use. in one embodiment, a carbonization temperature is selected to minimize or eliminate production of methane (ch 4 ) and maximize carbon content of the carbonized biomass. in another embodiment, carbonized biomass is moved to a temperature-reducing or cooling zone (third zone) and is allowed to passively cool or is actively cooled. in one embodiment, carbonized biomass solids are cooled to a temperature ± 10, 20, 30 or 40 °c of room temperature. in various embodiments, the bpu includes a plurality of gas introduction probes and gas extraction probes. in the embodiment of the bpu illustrated in fig 4 , the bpu further includes a plurality of gas introduction probes: 408, 410, 412 and 414, and a plurality of gas extraction probes: 400, 402, 404 and 406. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, one of each gas introduction probes and one of each gas extraction probes correspond with a different one of the plurality of zones 210, 212, 214 and 216. it should also be appreciated that, in various alternative embodiments, the bpu 202 includes any suitable number of gas introduction probes and gas extraction probes, including more than one gas introduction probes and more than one gas extraction probes for each of the plurality of zones. in the illustrated embodiment, the drying zone 210 is associated with gas introduction probe 412 and gas extraction probe 402. in one embodiment, the gas introduction probe 412 introduces nitrogen to the drying zone 210 and the gas extraction probe 402 extracts gas from the drying zone 210. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the gas introduction probe 412 is configured to introduce a mixture of gas into the drying zone 210. in one embodiment, the gas extracted is oxygen. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the gas extraction probe 402 extracts gases from the drying zone 210 to be reused in a heat or energy recovery system, as described in more detail above. in the illustrated embodiment, the pre-heat zone 212 is associated with gas introduction probe 414 and gas extraction probe 400. in one embodiment, gas introduction probe 414 introduces nitrogen to the pre-heat zone 212 and gas extraction probe 400 extracts gas from the pre-heat zone 212. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the gas introduction probe 414 is configured to introduce a mixture of gas into the pre-heat zone 212. in various embodiments, the gas extracted in gas extraction probe 400 includes carbon-enriched off-gases. it should be appreciated that in one embodiment, as discussed above, the gases extracted from the pre-heat zone 212 and pyrolysis zone 214 are reintroduced to the material at a later stage in the process, for example in the carbon recovery unit. in various embodiments, the gases extracted from any of the zones of the reactor are used for either energy recovery in the dryer or process gas heater, for further pyrolysis in a trimming reactor, or in the carbon enrichment unit. in the illustrated embodiment, the pyrolysis zone 214 is associated with gas introduction probe 410 and gas extraction probe 404. in one embodiment, gas introduction probe 410 introduces nitrogen to the pyrolysis zone 214 and gas extraction probe 404 extracts gas from the pyrolysis zone 214. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the gas introduction probe 410 is configured to introduce a mixture of gas into the pyrolysis zone 214. in various embodiments, the gas extracted in the gas extraction probe 404 includes carbon-enriched off-gases. it should be appreciated that in one embodiment, as discussed above, the carbon-enriched gases extracted from the pyrolysis zone 214 are used and reintroduced to the material at a later stage in the process. in various embodiments, as described in more detail below, the extracted gas 400 from the pre-heat zone 212 and the extracted gas 404 from the pyrolysis zone 214 are combined prior to being reintroduced to the material. in the illustrated embodiment, the cooling zone 116 is associated with gas introduction probe 408 and gas extraction probe 406. in one embodiment, gas introduction probe 408 introduces nitrogen to the cooling zone116 and gas extraction probe 406 extracts gas from the cooling zone116. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the gas introduction probe 408 is configured to introduce a mixture of gas into the cooling zone116. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the gas extraction probe 406 extracts gases from the cooling zone116 to be reused in a heat or energy recovery system, as described in more detail above. it should be appreciated that the gas introduction probes and gas extraction probes of various embodiments described above are configured to operate with the controller and plurality of sensors discussed above to adjust the levels and concentrations of gas being introduced to and gas being extracted from each zone. in various embodiments, the gas introduction probes and gas extraction probes are made of a suitable pipe configured to withstand high temperature fluctuations. in one embodiment, the gas introduction probes and gas extraction probes include a plurality of openings through which the gas is introduced or extracted. in various embodiments, the plurality of openings are disposed on the lower side of the inlet and gas extraction probes. in various embodiments, each of the plurality of openings extends for a substantial length within the respective zone. in one embodiment, the gas introduction probes extend from one side of the bpu 202 through each zone. in one such embodiment, each of the four gas introduction probes extend from a single side of the bpu to each of the respective zones. in various embodiments, gaseous catalysts are added that enrich fixed carbon levels. it should be appreciated that, in such an embodiment, the plurality of openings for each of the four gas introduction probes are only disposed in the respective zone associated with that particular gas introduction probe. for example, viewing fig. 4 , if each of the gas introduction probes extends from the left side of the drying zone into each one of the zones, all four gas introduction probes would travel through the drying zone, with the drying zone gas introduction probes terminating in the drying zone. the three remaining gas introduction probes would all travel through the pre-heat zone, with the pre-heat zone gas introduction probe terminating in the pre-heat zone. the two remaining gas introduction probes would travel through the pyrolysis zone, with the pyrolysis zone gas introduction probe terminating in the pyrolysis zone. the cooling zone gas introduction probe would be the only gas introduction probe to travel into and terminate in the cooling zone. it should be appreciated that in various embodiments, the gas extraction probes are configured similar to the gas introduction probes described in this example. it should also be appreciated that the gas introduction probes and gas extraction probes can each start from either side of the bpu. in various embodiments, the gas introduction probes are arranged concentrically with one another to save space used by the multiple-port configuration described in the example above. in one such embodiment, each of the four inlet probes/ports would have a smaller diameter than the previous inlet probe/port. for example, in one embodiment, the drying zone gas introduction probe has the largest interior diameter, and the pre-heat zone gas introduction probe is situated within the interior diameter of the drying zone inlet probe/port, the pyrolysis zone gas introduction probe is then situated within the interior diameter of the pre-heat zone gas introduction probe and the cooling zone gas introduction probe is situated within the pyrolysis zone gas introduction probe. in one example embodiment, a suitable connector is attached to each of the four gas introduction probes outside of the bpu 102 to control the air infused into each of the four gas introduction probes individually. in one such embodiment, similar to the example above, the drying zone gas introduction probe would terminate in the drying zone, and the three other gas introduction probes would continue onto the preheat zone. however, with a concentric or substantially concentric arrangement, only the outer-most gas introduction probe is exposed in each zone before being terminated. therefore, in one such embodiment, the individual zone gas introductions are effectively controlled independent of one another, while only requiring one continuous gas introduction probe line. it should be appreciated that a similar concentric or substantially concentric configuration is suitably used for the gas extraction probes in one embodiment. in one embodiment, each zone or reactor is adapted to extract and collect off-gases from one or more of the individual zones or reactors. in another embodiment, off-gases from each zone/reactor remain separate for disposal, analysis and/or later use. in various embodiments, each reactor/zone contains a gas detection system such as an ftir that can monitor gas formation within the zone/reactor. in another embodiment, off-gases from a plurality of zones/reactors are combined for disposal, analysis and/or later use, and in various embodiments, off gases from one or more zones/reactors are fed to a process gas heater. in another embodiment, off-gases from one or more zones/reactors are fed into a carbon recovery unit. in another embodiment, off-gases from one or more zones/reactors are fed to a gas-phase separator prior to introduction in the carbon recovery unit. in one embodiment, a gas-phase separator comprises a fractionation column. any fractionation column known to those skilled in the art may be used. in one embodiment, off-gases are separated into non-polar compounds and polar compounds using a standard fractionation column heated to a suitable temperature, or a packed column. in another embodiment, non-polar compounds or enriched gases from a gas-phase separator are extracted for optional later use, and in various embodiments, off gases from one or more zones/reactors are fed to a process gas heater. in one embodiment, gases extracted from the pre-heat zone/reactor, the pyrolysis zone/reactor and optionally the cooling zone/reactor are extracted into a combined stream and fed into the gas-phase separator. in various embodiments, one or more of the zones/reactors is configured to control whether and how much gas is introduced into the combined stream. as discussed above and generally illustrated in fig. 5 , the off-gases 124/224 from the bpu 102/202 are directed into the gas-phase separator 200. in various embodiments, the off-gases 124/224 include the extracted gases 120 from the first/preheat zone/reactor 112/212 combined with the extracted gases 122/222 from the second/pyrolysis zone/reactor 114/214 or either gas stream alone. when the off-gases 124/224 enter the gas-phase separator 200, the off-gases 124/224 are separated into polar compounds 128/228/136/236 and non-polar compounds 204, such as non-polar gases. in various embodiments, the gas-phase separator 200 is a known fractionation column. in various embodiments, the enriched gases 204 extracted from the combined off-gases 124/224 are directed from the gas-phase separator 200 into the carbon recovery unit 500 via input 524, which enriches the material. as discussed above, and as illustrated in figs. 8 and 11 , it should be appreciated that in various embodiments, the extracted gases are first introduced into a material enrichment unit, and then into a separate carbon recovery unit. in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 5 , the material enrichment takes place in the carbon recovery unit 500. in one embodiment ( fig. 5 ), the gas-phase separator 200 includes a plurality of outputs. in various embodiments, one output from the gas-phase separator 200 is connected to the carbon recovery unit 500 to introduce an enriched gas stream to the carbon recovery unit 500. in one embodiment, a portion of the enriched gas stream is directed to the carbon recovery unit 500 and another portion is directed to a scrubber, or another suitable purifying apparatus to clean and dispose of unwanted gas. in various embodiments, off-gases that are not sent to the carbon recovery unit may be used for either energy recovery (for example in a process gas heater) or as an inert gas (for example in the deaeration unit, reactor, bpu, or cooler). similarly, in various embodiments, off-gases from the carbon recovery unit may be used for either energy recovery (for example in a process gas heater), as an inert gas (for example in the deaeration unit, reactor, bpu, or cooler), or in a secondary recovery unit. in one embodiment, another output from the gas-phase separator extracts polar compounds, optionally condensing them into a liquid component, including a plurality of different liquid parts. in various embodiments, the liquid includes water, acetic acid, methanol and furfural. in various embodiments, the outputted liquid is stored, disposed of, further processed, or re-used. for example, it should be appreciated that the water outputted in one embodiment can be re-used to heat or cool another portion of a system. in another embodiment, the water is drained. it should also be appreciated that the acetic acid, methanol and furfural outputted in one embodiment can be routed to storage tanks for re-use, re-sale, distillation or refinement. as seen in fig. 5 , the carbon recovery unit 500 of one embodiment comprises a housing with an upper portion and a lower portion. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments in which a material enrichment unit is separate from the carbon recovery unit, the material enrichment unit includes features similar to those discussed with respect to the carbon recovery unit 500 of fig. 5 . in one embodiment, the carbon recovery unit, comprises: a housing 502 with an upper portion 502a and a lower portion 502b; an inlet 524 at a bottom of the lower portion of the housing configured to carry reactor off-gas; an outlet 534 at a top of the upper portion of the housing configured to carry a concentrated gas stream; a path 504 defined between the upper portion and lower portion of the housing; and a transport system 528 following the path, the transport system configured to transport reagent, wherein the housing is shaped such that the reagent adsorbs at least some of the reactor off-gas. in various embodiments, the upper portion includes a plurality of outlets and the lower portion includes a plurality of inlets. in one embodiment, the housing 502 is substantially free of corners having an angle of 110 degrees or less, 90 degrees or less, 80 degrees or less or 70 degrees or less. in one embodiment, the housing 502 is substantially free of convex corners. in another embodiment, the housing 502 is substantially free of convex corners capable of producing eddies or trapping air. in another embodiment, the housing 502 is substantially shaped like a cube, rectangular prism, ellipsoid, a stereographic ellipsoid, a spheroid, two cones affixed base-to-base, two regular tetrahedrons affixed base-to-base, two rectangular pyramids affixed base-to-base or two isosceles triangular prisms affixed base-to-base. in one embodiment, the upper portion 502a and lower portion 502b of the housing 502 are each substantially shaped like a half-ellipsoid, half rectangular prism, half-stereographic ellipsoid, a half-spheroid, a cone, a regular tetrahedron, a rectangular pyramid, an isosceles triangular prism or a round-to-rectangular duct transition. in another embodiment, the inlet 524 at the bottom of the lower portion of the housing 502b and the outlet 534 at the top of the upper portion of the housing 502a are configured to connect with a pipe. in another embodiment, the top of the lower portion of the housing 502b and the bottom of the upper portion of the housing 502a are substantially rectangular, circular or elliptical. in another embodiment, the width between the top of the lower portion of the housing 502b and the bottom of the upper portion of the housing 502a is wider than a width of the transport system 528. in one embodiment, the width of the transport system 528 is its height. in one embodiment, the carbon recovery unit 500 comprises a path 504 defined between the upper portion and the lower portion, an inlet opening 506 and an outlet opening 508. in one embodiment, the inlet opening and outlet opening are configured to receive the transport system. in one embodiment, the transport system 528 is at least semipermeable or permeable to the enriching gas. in one embodiment, the inlet opening 506 includes an inlet opening sealing mechanism to reduce escape of gas and the outlet opening 508 includes an outlet opening sealing mechanism to reduce escape of gas. in one embodiment, the inlet and outlet opening sealing mechanisms comprise an airlock. in various embodiments, the lower portion 502b of the housing of the carbon recovery unit has a narrow round bottom connection opening, which is connected to the gas-phase separator 200 for the transport of gas stream 204. in various embodiments, the top of the lower portion 502b of the housing of the carbon recovery unit 500 is substantially rectangular in shape, and substantially wider than the narrow round bottom connection opening. it should be appreciated that in one embodiment, the lower portion transitions from the round bottom opening to a rectangular top opening. in one embodiment, the rectangular top opening of the lower portion is about six feet wide (along the direction of the conveyor system). in various embodiments, the top portion of the carbon recovery unit 500 is shaped substantially similarly to the lower portion. in one embodiment, the lower opening of the top portion is wider than the top opening of the lower portion. in one embodiment, the rectangular lower opening of the top portion is about six and a half feet wide (along the direction of the conveyor system). in one embodiment, the top portion is configured to capture all gases passed through the carbon recovery unit 500 that are not adsorbed by the activated materials. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the shape of the lower portion of the carbon recovery unit aids in slowing down and dispersing the gases 204 across a wider surface area of the conveyor carrying the biogenic activated carbon product 126/226. in various embodiments, the precise shape of the lower 502b and upper 502a portions of the carbon recovery unit 500 depend upon the angle of gas dispersion coming from the gas-phase separator pipe. it should be appreciated that in various embodiments, the gas naturally will tend to expand as it is pumped up at a flared range of between 5 and 30 degrees from the vertical. in one embodiment, the flare angle is approximately 15 degrees. it should be appreciated that the lower portion of the carbon recovery unit is constructed with as few creases and corners as possible to prevent the trapping of air or formation of eddies. in one embodiment, the carbon recovery unit 500 is configured to connect to the gas-phase separator 200 as discussed above, as well as the bpu 102/202. in various embodiments, the carbon recovery unit 500 is connected to the output of the cooling reactor/zone 216/116, or the last cooling zone of the bpu 102/202 or outside of the bpu. in one embodiment, the output of the cooling reactor/zone 116/216 includes biogenic activated carbon product that have been processed in the bpu 102/202. in one embodiment, the biogenic activated carbon product 126/226 enters the carbon recovery unit 500 along a suitable transport system. in various embodiments, the top portion and the bottom portion of the carbon recovery unit are connected to one another, and define a pathway through which a transport system passes. in one embodiment, the transport system is constructed with a porous or mesh material configured to allow gas to pass there through. it should be appreciated that the transport system is configured to pass through an opening of the carbon recovery unit 500 and then through an exit opening in the carbon recovery. in some embodiments, the entrance and the exit into and out of the carbon recovery unit are appropriately sealed with an airlock or another suitable sealing mechanism to prevent gases from escaping through the conveyor opening. in various embodiments, off-gases that are not sent to the carbon recovery unit may be used for either energy recovery (for example in a process gas heater) or as an inert gas (for example in the deaeration unit, reactor, bpu, or cooler). similarly, in various embodiments, off-gases from the carbon recovery unit may be used for either energy recovery (for example in a process gas heater), as an inert gas (for example in the deaeration unit, reactor, bpu, or cooler), or in a secondary recovery unit. in various embodiments, the process operates by first outputting the biogenic activated carbon product 126/226 from the cooling zone 116/216 onto the transport system using a suitable discharge mechanism from the cooling reactor/zone 116/216. in one embodiment, the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216 are spread across the width of the transport system to minimize material stacking or bunching and maximize surface area for gaseous absorption. at the point which the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216 are deposited and suitably spread onto the transport system, in various embodiments, the transport system transports the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216 through the opening in the carbon recovery unit 104 defined between the lower portion and the top portion discussed above. in the carbon recovery unit 104, the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216 adsorb gases piped into the lower portion of the carbon recovery unit 104 from the gas-phase separator 200. after the biogenic activated carbon product is enriched with non-polar gases, it should be appreciated that the biogenic activated carbon product becomes a high carbon biogenic activated carbon product. in various embodiments, the high carbon biogenic activated carbon product is a final product of the process disclosed herein and is transported away from the carbon recovery unit 104 into a suitable storage or post-processing apparatus. in one embodiment, after the enriched gases 204 pass through the conveyor and the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216, the resulting gas is extracted at the top portion of the carbon recovery unit 104. in various embodiments, the exhausted gases 134 are carried away to a suitable scrubber, stack or recovery system. in some embodiments, the exhaust gases are exploited for any reusable qualities in the system, including usage in a secondary carbon recovery unit or for energy. in various embodiments, off-gases that are not sent to the carbon recovery unit may be used for either energy recovery (for example in a process gas heater) or as an inert gas (for example in the deaeration unit, reactor, bpu, or cooler). similarly, in various embodiments, off-gases from the carbon recovery unit may be used for either energy recovery (for example in a process gas heater), as an inert gas (for example in the deaeration unit, reactor, bpu, or cooler), or in a secondary recovery unit. it should be appreciated that the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216 include a high amount of carbon, and carbon has a high preference for adsorbing non-polar gases. it should also be appreciated that the enriched gas stream 204 includes primarily non-polar gases like terpenes, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane. in various embodiments, as the enriched gases are directed from the gas-phase separator into the carbon recovery unit, the gas flow rate and the conveyor speed are monitored and controlled to ensure maximum absorption of the non-polar gases in the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216. in another embodiment, the high-energy organic compounds comprise at least a portion of the enriched gases 204 eluted during carbonization of the biomass, and outputted from the gas-phase separator 200 to the carbon recovery unit 104. in various embodiments, the enriched gases 204 are further enriched with additional additives prior to being introduced to the carbon recovery unit or material enrichment unit. as discussed in more detail below, in various embodiments, the residence time of the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216 in the carbon recovery unit is controlled and varies based upon the composition of the biogenic activated carbon product 126/216 and gas flow and composition. in one embodiment, the biogenic activated carbon product is passed through one or more carbon recovery units more than one time. in various embodiments, the output of enriched air from the gas-phase separator and the output of exhausted air from the carbon recovery unit 104 can be diverted or bifurcated into an additional carbon recovery unit or further refined or used for energy or inert gas for use in the process. referring more generally to figs. 6 to 13 , various embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated and discussed. it should be appreciated that the various embodiments and alternatives discussed below with respect to figs. 6 to 13 apply to the embodiments of figs. 1 to 5 discussed above, and vice versa. referring specifically now to fig. 6 , this embodiment can utilize a bpu including a single reactor having two to a greater plurality of different zones. two zones are shown in the illustrative embodiment, however, any different number of zones could be employed. in one embodiment, each zone is connected to at least one other zone via a material transport unit (not pictured). in one embodiment, the material transport unit controls atmosphere and temperature conditions. specifically in one embodiment illustrated in fig. 6 , the system 600 includes a material feed system 602, a bpu 606 including a pyrolysis zone 608 and a cooling zone 610, a cooler 614 and a carbon recovery unit 616. it should be appreciated that the cooler 614 of fig. 6 is outside of the bpu 606, and is in addition to the cooling zone 610 that resides within the bpu 606. .in various embodiments, the system 600 includes an optional dryer between the material feed system 602 and the bpu 606. in various embodiments, the bpu 606 includes a plurality of zones. in fig. 6 , the bpu 606 includes a pyrolysis zone 608 and a cooling zone 610. the bpu 606 also includes at least a plurality of inlets and outlets for adding substances to and removing various substances from the plurality of zone 608, 610, including at least condensable vapors and non-condensable gases 612. it should be appreciated that in various embodiments discussed below, one or more of the plurality of zone 608 or 610 are enclosed by the bpu 606. referring now to fig. 7 , a system 700 of one embodiment is illustrated and discussed. system 700 includes a single-reactor system, including a material feed system 702, a pre-heater 706, a pyrolysis reactor 708, a cooler, 714 and a carbon recovery unit 716. in various embodiments, the system 700 includes an optional dryer 704 between the material feed system 702 and the pre-heater 706. as seen in fig. 7 , the pyrolysis reactor 708 of one embodiment includes at least one gas inlet 710 and at least one outlet 712 for outputting substances from the pyrolysis reactor 708. in various embodiments, the substances outputted through outlet 712 include condensable vapors and/or non-condensable gases. it should be appreciated that the pyrolysis reactor 708 can include one or more zones, not discussed in detail herein. in various embodiments, the system 700 includes one or more reactors in addition to the pyrolysis reactor 708. referring now to fig. 8 , a single-reactor, multiple zone bpu system 800 of one embodiment is illustrated and discussed. system 800 includes a material feed system 802, a bpu 808 having a pyrolysis zone 810 and a cooling zone 812, a material enrichment unit 818, and a carbon recovery unit 820. similar to the embodiments discussed above, fig. 8 also includes an optional dryer 804 located between the material feed system 802 and the bpu 808. it should be appreciated that moisture 806 from the dryer 804 is removed during the drying process. fig. 8 also includes an optional cooler 816 outside of the bpu 808 and before the material enrichment unit 818. as discussed in more detail below, the material enrichment unit 818 is in communication with a gas outlet 814 of the bpu 808, which carries condensable vapors and non-condensable gases from the bpu. it should be appreciated that various embodiments illustrated in fig. 8 include a separate carbon recovery unit 820 from the material enrichment unit 818. as discussed above, in various embodiments, the carbon recovery unit 820 of fig. 8 is an appropriate vessel in which the enriched material is stored following the material enrichment unit 818, and the carbon recovery unit 820 does not further enrich the material. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, an optional process gas heater 824 is disposed in the system and attached to the bpu 808. in various embodiments, vapors or other off-gases from the bpu 808 are inputted into the optional process gas heater 824, along with an external source of any one or more of air, natural gas, and nitrogen. as discussed below, in various embodiments, the air emissions from the process gas heater 824 are inputted into dryer 804 as a heat or energy recovery system. referring now to fig. 9 , a bpu 908 of a system 900 of one embodiment is illustrated and discussed. the bpu 908 includes a plurality of zones: the pre-heat zone 904, the pyrolysis zone 910, and the cooling zone 914. the bpu 908 of one embodiment also includes a material feed system 902 in communication with one of the zones at least one gas inlet 906 in communication with one or more of the zones 904, 910, 914. in various embodiments, as discussed below, one of the zones also includes at least one outlet 912 for outputting substances, in one embodiment, condensable vapors and/or non-condensable gases. in various embodiments, one of the zones also includes an outlet for outputting the advanced carbon from the system 900. it should be appreciated that, although fig. 9 shows the gas inlet 906 being connected to the pre-heat zone 904, various embodiments include inlets into any combination of the three zones. similarly, it should be appreciated that although the gaseous outlet 912 comes from the pyrolysis zone 910, various embodiments include outlets out of one or more of any combination of the three zones. as discussed below, various embodiments contemplated include inputs and outputs within the bpu: e.g., an outlet of the pyrolysis zone 910 is then input into the pre-heat zone 904. it should be appreciated that, in the illustrated embodiment, each of the reactors in the bpu is connected to one another via the material feed system, as discussed above. in various embodiments, the pre-heat zone 904 of the bpu 908 is configured for feeding biomass 902 (or another carbon-containing feedstock) in a manner that does not "shock" the biomass, which would rupture the cell walls and initiate fast decomposition of the solid phase into vapors and gases. in one embodiment, pre-heat zone 904 can be thought of as mild pyrolysis. in various embodiments, pyrolysis zone 910 of the bpu 908 is configured as the primary reaction zone, in which preheated material undergoes pyrolysis chemistry to release gases and condensable vapors, resulting in a solid material which is a high-carbon reaction intermediate. biomass components (primarily cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) decompose and create vapors, which escape by penetrating through pores or creating new nanopores. the latter effect contributes to the creation of porosity and surface area. in various embodiments, the cooling zone 914 of the bpu 908 is configured for receiving the high-carbon reaction intermediate and cooling down the solids, i.e. the cooling zone 914 will be a lower temperature than the pyrolysis zone 910. in the cooling zone 914, the chemistry and mass transport can be complex. in various embodiments, secondary reactions occur in the cooling zone 914. it should be appreciated that carbon-containing components that are in the gas phase can decompose to form additional fixed carbon and/or become adsorbed onto the carbon. thus, the advanced carbon 916 is not simply the solid, devolatilized residue of the processing steps, but rather includes additional carbon that has been deposited from the gas phase, such as by decomposition of organic vapors (e.g., tars) that can form carbon. referring now to figs. 10 to 13 , various multiple reactor embodiments of the system are illustrated and discussed. similar to each of the embodiments, the systems include an optional deaerator and an optional dryer, as discussed in more detail below. referring to fig. 10 , the system 1000 includes material feed system 1002, a pyrolysis reactor 1012, a cooling reactor 1018, a cooler 1020 and a carbon recovery unit 1022. as discussed further below, a gas source 1016 is configured to input gas into one or both of the pyrolysis reactor 1012 and the cooling reactor 1018. in various embodiments, the pyrolysis reactor includes an outlet to output at least condensable vapors and/or non-condensable gases. in various embodiments, the carbon recovery unit 1022 includes an outlet 1024 to output activated carbon from the system 1000. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments illustrated at least in figs. 10 to 13 , the illustrated systems includes an optional de-aerator and an optional dryer. as seen in fig. 10 , for example, represented by broken lines, the optional de-aerator 1004 is connected to the system 1000 between the material feed system 1002 and the pyrolysis reactor 1002. similarly, the dryer 1006 is connected to the system 1000 between the material feed system 1002 and the pyrolysis reactor 1012. in various embodiments, the dryer 1006 and deaerator 1004 are also connected to one another such that the material from the material feed system can follow any number of different paths through the material feed system, the de-aerator, the dryer, and to the pyrolysis reactor. it should be appreciated that in some embodiments, the material only passes through one of the optional de-aerator 1004 and dryer 1006. in some embodiments, with reference to fig. 10 , a process for producing a biogenic activated carbon comprises the following steps: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying the feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture contained within the feedstock; (c) optionally deaerating the feedstock to remove at least a portion of interstitial oxygen, if any, contained with the feedstock; (d) pyrolyzing the feedstock in the presence of a substantially inert gas phase for at least 10 minutes and with at least one temperature selected from about 250°c to about 700°c, to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases; (e) separating at least a portion of the condensable vapors and at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from the hot pyrolyzed solids; (f) cooling the hot pyrolyzed solids to generate cooled pyrolyzed solids; and (g) recovering a biogenic activated carbon comprising at least a portion of the cooled pyrolyzed solids. referring now to fig. 11 a multiple reactor system 1100 of one embodiment is illustrated. similar to the embodiment discussed above and illustrated in fig. 10 , this embodiment includes a material feed system 1102, pyrolysis reactor 1112, cooling reactor 1118, and carbon recovery unit 1124. in the illustrated embodiment of fig. 11 , the cooler 1120 is optional, and a material enrichment unit 1122 is disposed between the optional cooler 1120 and the carbon recovery unit 1124. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, the material enrichment unit 1122 enriches the material before it continues into the separate carbon recovery unit 1124, which may or may not further enrich the material. in various embodiments, an optional deaerator 1104 and an optional dryer 1106 are disposed between the material feed system 1102 and the pyrolysis reactor 1112. in the illustrated embodiment, the pyrolysis reactor 1112 also includes an outlet 1114 configured to remove substances such as condensable vapors and non-condensable gases, and route the removed substances to the material enrichment unit 1122. various embodiments extend the concept of additional carbon formation by including a separate material enrichment unit 818, 1122 in which cooled carbon is subjected to an environment including carbon-containing species, to enrich the carbon content of the final product. when the temperature of this unit is below pyrolysis temperatures, the additional carbon is expected to be in the form of adsorbed carbonaceous species, rather than additional fixed carbon. as will be described in detail below, there are a large number of options as to intermediate input and output (purge or probe) streams of one or more phases present in any particular reactor, various mass and energy recycle schemes, various additives that may be introduced anywhere in the process, adjustability of process conditions including both reaction and separation conditions in order to tailor product distributions, and so on. zone or reactor-specific input and output streams enable good process monitoring and control, such as through ftir sampling and dynamic process adjustments. the present disclosure is different than fast pyrolysis, and it is different than conventional slow pyrolysis. high-quality carbon materials in the present disclosure, including compositions with high fractions of fixed carbon, may be obtained from the disclosed processes and systems. "biomass," for purposes of this disclosure, shall be construed as any biogenic feedstock or mixture of a biogenic and non-biogenic feedstock. elementally, biomass includes at least carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. the methods and apparatus of the disclosure can accommodate a wide range of feedstocks of various types, sizes, and moisture contents. biomass includes, for example, plant and plant-derived material, vegetation, agricultural waste, forestry waste, wood waste, paper waste, animal-derived waste, poultry-derived waste, and municipal solid waste. in various embodiments of the disclosure utilizing biomass, the biomass feedstock may include one or more materials selected from: timber harvesting residues, softwood chips, hardwood chips, tree branches, tree stumps, knots, leaves, bark, sawdust, off-spec paper pulp, cellulose, corn, corn stover, wheat straw, rice straw, sugarcane bagasse, switchgrass, miscanthus, animal manure, municipal garbage, municipal sewage, commercial waste, grape pumice, almond shells, pecan shells, coconut shells, coffee grounds, grass pellets, hay pellets, wood pellets, cardboard, paper, carbohydrates, plastic, and cloth. a person of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the feedstock options are virtually unlimited. various embodiments of the present disclosure are also be used for carbon-containing feedstocks other than biomass, such as a fossil fuel (e.g., coal or petroleum coke), or any mixtures of biomass and fossil fuels (such as biomass/coal blends). in some embodiments, a biogenic feedstock is, or includes, coal, oil shale, crude oil, asphalt, or solids from crude-oil processing (such as petcoke). feedstocks may include waste tires, recycled plastics, recycled paper, and other waste or recycled materials. any method, apparatus, or system described herein may be used with any carbonaceous feedstock. carbon-containing feedstocks may be transportable by any known means, such as by truck, train, ship, barge, tractor trailer, or any other vehicle or means of conveyance. selection of a particular feedstock or feedstocks is not regarded as technically critical, but is carried out in a manner that tends to favor an economical process. typically, regardless of the feedstocks chosen, there can be (in some embodiments) screening to remove undesirable materials. the feedstock can optionally be dried prior to processing. the feedstock employed may be provided or processed into a wide variety of particle sizes or shapes. for example, the feed material may be a fine powder, or a mixture of fine and coarse particles. the feed material may be in the form of large pieces of material, such as wood chips or other forms of wood (e.g., round, cylindrical, square, etc.). in some embodiments, the feed material comprises pellets or other agglomerated forms of particles that have been pressed together or otherwise bound, such as with a binder. it is noted that size reduction is a costly and energy-intensive process. pyrolyzed material can be sized with significantly less energy input, i.e. it can be more energy efficient to reduce the particle size of the product, not the feedstock. this is an option in the present disclosure because the process does not require a fine starting material, and there is not necessarily any particle-size reduction during processing. the present disclosure provides the ability to process very large pieces of feedstock. notably, some market applications of the activated carbon product actually require large sizes (e.g., on the order of centimeters), so that in some embodiments, large pieces are fed, produced, and sold. it should be appreciated that, while not necessary in all embodiments of this disclosure, smaller sizing has resulted in higher fixed carbon numbers under similar process conditions and may be utilized in some applications that typically call for small sized activated carbon products and/or higher fixed carbon content. when it is desired to produce a final carbonaceous biogenic activated carbon product that has structural integrity, such as in the form of cylinders, there are at least two options in the context of this disclosure. first, the material produced from the process is collected and then further process mechanically into the desired form. for example, the product is pressed or pelletized, with a binder. the second option is to utilize feed materials that generally possess the desired size and/or shape for the final product, and employ processing steps that do not destroy the basic structure of the feed material. in some embodiments, the feed and product have similar geometrical shapes, such as spheres, cylinders, or cubes. the ability to maintain the approximate shape of feed material throughout the process is beneficial when product strength is important. also, this control avoids the difficulty and cost of pelletizing high fixed-carbon materials. the starting feed material in various embodiments is provided with a range of moisture levels, as will be appreciated. in some embodiments, the feed material is already sufficiently dry that it need not be further dried before pyrolysis. typically, it will be desirable to utilize commercial sources of biomass which will usually contain moisture, and feed the biomass through a drying step before introduction into the pyrolysis reactor. however, in some embodiments a dried feedstock is used. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, while any biomass works, the following factors may impact the process and its products: how material is grown, harvested, irrigated, material species selection and carbon content. particularly, in various embodiments, low fertilizer and low phosphorous used in growing results in better properties for metal making. in various embodiments, low impact shearing during harvest results in greater strength. in various embodiments, less irrigation and smaller growth rings may result in greater strength. it should be appreciated that, in various embodiments additives and/or catalysts are included in the bpu, and temperature profiles within the bpu are selected to promote production of carbon dioxide over carbon monoxide, leading to greater fixed carbon in the final product. it is desirable to provide a relatively low-oxygen environment in the pyrolysis reactor, such as about 10%, 5%, 3%, or 1% o 2 in the gas phase. first, uncontrolled combustion should be avoided in the pyrolysis reactor, for safety reasons. some amount of total carbon oxidation to co 2 may occur, and the heat released from the exothermic oxidation may assist the endothermic pyrolysis chemistry. large amounts of oxidation of carbon, including partial oxidation to syngas, will reduce the carbon yield to solids. practically speaking, it can be difficult to achieve a strictly oxygen-free environment in each of the reactor(s) or the bpu. this limit can be approached, and in some embodiments, the reactor(s) or the bpu is substantially free of molecular oxygen in the gas phase. to ensure that little or no oxygen is present in the reactor(s) or bpu, it may be desirable to remove air from the feed material before it is introduced to the reactor(s) or the bpu. there are various ways to remove or reduce air in the feedstock. in some embodiments, as seen in figs. 10 , 11 , 12 and 13 , a deaeration unit is utilized in which feedstock, before or after drying, is conveyed in the presence of another gas which can remove adsorbed oxygen and penetrate the feedstock pores to remove oxygen from the pores. most gases that have lower than 21 vol% o 2 may be employed, at varying effectiveness. in some embodiments, nitrogen is employed. in some embodiments, co and/or co 2 is employed. mixtures may be used, such as a mixture of nitrogen and a small amount of oxygen. steam may be present in the deaeration gas, although adding significant moisture back to the feed should be avoided. the effluent from the deaeration unit may be purged (to the atmosphere or to an emissions treatment unit) or recycled. in principle, the effluent (or a portion thereof) from the deaeration unit could be introduced into the pyrolysis reactor itself since the oxygen removed from the solids will now be highly diluted. in this embodiment, it may be advantageous to introduce the deaeration effluent gas to the last zone of the reactor, when it is operated in a countercurrent configuration. various types of deaeration units may be employed. in one embodiment, if drying it to be performed, deaerating after drying prevents the step of scrubbing soluble oxygen out of the moisture present. in certain embodiments, the drying and deaerating steps are combined into a single unit, or some amount of deaeration is achieved during drying. the optionally dried and optionally deaerated feed material is introduced to a pyrolysis reactor or multiple reactors in series or parallel. the material feed system in various embodiments introduces the feedstock using any known means, including screw material feed systems or lock hoppers, for example. in some embodiments, a material feed system incorporates an airlock. when a single reactor is employed (such as in fig. 6 , 3 or 4 ), multiple zones can be present. multiple zones, such as two, three, four, or more zones, can allow for the separate control of temperature, solids residence time, gas residence time, gas composition, flow pattern, and/or pressure in order to adjust the overall process performance. as discussed above, references to "zones" shall be broadly construed to include regions of space within a single physical unit (such as in figs. 6 , 8 or 9 ), physically separate units (such as in fig. 7 and 10 to 13 ), or any combination thereof. for a bpu, the demarcation of zones within that bpu may relate to structure, such as the presence of flights within the bpu or distinct heating elements to provide heat to separate zones. alternatively, or additionally, in various embodiments, the demarcation of zones in a bpu relates to function, such as at least: distinct temperatures, fluid flow patterns, solid flow patterns, and extent of reaction. in a single batch reactor, "zones" are operating regimes in time, rather than in space. various embodiments include the use of multiple batch bpus. it will be appreciated that there are not necessarily abrupt transitions from one zone to another zone. for example, the boundary between the preheating zone and pyrolysis zone may be somewhat arbitrary; some amount of pyrolysis may take place in a portion of the preheating zone, and some amount of "preheating" may continue to take place in the pyrolysis zone. the temperature profile in the bpu is typically continuous, including at zone boundaries within the zone. some embodiments, as seen for example in fig. 9 , employ a pre-heat zone 304 that is operated under conditions of preheating and/or mild pyrolysis. in various embodiments, the temperature of the pre-heat zone 304 is from about 80°c to about 500°c, such as about 300°c to about 400°c. in various embodiments, the temperature of the pre-heat zone 304 is not so high as to shock the biomass material which ruptures the cell walls and initiates fast decomposition of the solid phase into vapors and gases. pyrolysis commonly known as fast or flash pyrolysis is avoided in the present disclosure. all references to zone temperatures in this specification should be construed in a non-limiting way to include temperatures that may apply to the bulk solids present, or the gas phase, or the reactor or bpu walls (on the process side). it will be understood that there will be a temperature gradient in each zone, both axially and radially, as well as temporally (i.e., following start-up or due to transients). thus, references to zone temperatures may be references to average temperatures or other effective temperatures that may influence the actual kinetics. temperatures may be directly measured by thermocouples or other temperature probes, or indirectly measured or estimated by other means. the second zone, or the primary pyrolysis zone, is operated under conditions of pyrolysis or carbonization. the temperature of the pyrolysis zone may be selected from about 250°c to about 700°c, such as about 300°c, 350°c, 400°c, 450°c, 500°c, 550°c, 600°c, or 650°c. within this zone, preheated biomass undergoes pyrolysis chemistry to release gases and condensable vapors, leaving a significant amount of solid material as a high-carbon reaction intermediate. biomass components (primarily cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) decompose and create vapors, which escape by penetrating through pores or creating new pores. the temperature will at least depend on the residence time of the pyrolysis zone, as well as the nature of the feedstock and product properties. the cooling zone is operated to cool down the high-carbon reaction intermediate to varying degrees. in various embodiments, the temperature of the cooling zone is a lower temperature than that of the pyrolysis zone. in various embodiments, the temperature of the cooling zone is selected from about 100°c to about 550°c, such as about 150°c to about 350°c. in various embodiments, chemical reactions continue to occur in the cooling zone. it should be appreciated that in various embodiments, secondary pyrolysis reactions are initiated in the cooling zone. carbon-containing components that are in the gas phase can condense (due to the reduced temperature of the cooling zone). the temperature remains sufficiently high, however, to promote reactions that may form additional fixed carbon from the condensed liquids (secondary pyrolysis) or at least form bonds between adsorbed species and the fixed carbon. one exemplary reaction that may take place is the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide plus fixed carbon (boudouard reaction). the residence times of the zones may vary. for a desired amount of pyrolysis, higher temperatures may allow for lower reaction times, and vice versa. the residence time in a continuous bpu ( reactor) is the volume divided by the volumetric flow rate. the residence time in a batch reactor is the batch reaction time, following heating to reaction temperature. it should be recognized that in multiphase bpus, there are multiple residence times. in the present context, in each zone, there will be a residence time (and residence-time distribution) of both the solids phase and the vapor phase. for a given apparatus employing multiple zones, and with a given throughput, the residence times across the zones will generally be coupled on the solids side, but residence times may be uncoupled on the vapor side when multiple inlet and outlet ports are utilized in individual zones. in various embodiments, the solids and vapor residence times are uncoupled. the solids residence time of the preheating zone may be selected from about 5 min to about 60 min, such as about 10 min depending on the temperature and time required to reach a preheat temperature. the heat-transfer rate, which will depend on the particle type and size, the physical apparatus, and on the heating parameters, will dictate the minimum residence time necessary to allow the solids to reach a predetermined preheat temperature. the solids residence time of the pyrolysis zone may be selected from about 10 min to about 120 min, such as about 20 min, 30 min, or 45 min. depending on the pyrolysis temperature in this zone, there should be sufficient time to allow the carbonization chemistry to take place, following the necessary heat transfer. for times below about 10 min, in order to remove high quantities of non-carbon elements, the temperature would need to be quite high, such as above 700°c. this temperature would promote fast pyrolysis and its generation of vapors and gases derived from the carbon itself, which is to be avoided when the intended product is solid carbon. in a static system of various embodiments, an equilibrium conversion is reached at a certain time. when, as in certain embodiments, vapor is continuously flowing over solids with continuous volatiles removal, the equilibrium constraint may be removed to allow for pyrolysis and devolatilization to continue until reaction rates approach zero. longer times would not tend to substantially alter the remaining recalcitrant solids. the solids residence time of the cooling zone in various embodiments may be selected from about 5 min to about 60 min, such as about 30 min. depending on the cooling temperature in this zone, there should be sufficient time to allow the carbon solids to cool to the desired temperature. the cooling rate and temperature will dictate the minimum residence time necessary to allow the carbon to be cooled. additional time may not be desirable, unless some amount of secondary pyrolysis is desired. as discussed above, the residence time of the vapor phase may be separately selected and controlled. the vapor residence time of the preheating zone may be selected from about 0.1 min to about 10 min, such as about 1 min. the vapor residence time of the pyrolysis zone may be selected from about 0.1 min to about 20 min, such as about 2 min. the vapor residence time of the cooling zone may be selected from about 0.1 min to about 15 min, such as about 1.5 min. short vapor residence times promote fast sweeping of volatiles out of the system, while longer vapor residence times promote reactions of components in the vapor phase with the solid phase. the mode of operation for the reactor, and overall system, may be continuous, semi-continuous, batch, or any combination or variation of these. in some embodiments, the bpu is a continuous, countercurrent reactor in which solids and vapor flow substantially in opposite directions. the bpu may also be operated in batch but with simulated countercurrent flow of vapors, such as by periodically introducing and removing gas phases from the batch vessel. various flow patterns may be desired or observed. with chemical reactions and simultaneous separations involving multiple phases in multiple zones, the fluid dynamics can be quite complex. typically, the flow of solids may approach plug flow (well-mixed in the radial dimension) while the flow of vapor may approach fully mixed flow (fast transport in both radial and axial dimensions). multiple inlet and outlet ports for vapor may contribute to overall mixing. the pressure in each zone may be separately selected and controlled. the pressure of each zone may be independently selected from about 1 kpa to about 3000 kpa, such as about 101.3 kpa (normal atmospheric pressure). independent zone control of pressure is possible when multiple gas inlets and outlets are used, including vacuum ports to withdraw gas when a zone pressure less than or equal to about atmospheric is desired. similarly, in a multiple reactor system, the pressure in each reactor may be independently selected and controlled. the process may conveniently be operated at atmospheric pressure, in some embodiments. there are many advantages associated with operation at atmospheric pressure, ranging from mechanical simplicity to enhanced safety. in certain embodiments, the pyrolysis zone is operated at a pressure of about 90 kpa, 95 kpa, 100 kpa, 101 kpa, 102 kpa, 105 kpa, or 110 kpa (absolute pressures). vacuum operation (e.g., 10-100 kpa) would promote fast sweeping of volatiles out of the system. higher pressures (e.g., 100-1000 kpa) may be useful when the off-gases will be fed to a high-pressure operation. elevated pressures may also be useful to promote heat transfer, chemistry, or separations. the step of separating at least a portion of the condensable vapors and at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from the hot pyrolyzed solids may be accomplished in the reactor itself, or using a distinct separation unit. a substantially inert sweep gas may be introduced into one or more of the zones. condensable vapors and non-condensable gases are then carried away from the zone (s) in the sweep gas, and out of the bpu. the sweep gas may be n 2 , ar, co, co 2 , h 2 , h 2 o, ch 4 , other light hydrocarbons, or combinations thereof, for example. the sweep gas may first be preheated prior to introduction, or possibly cooled if it is obtained from a heated source. the sweep gas more thoroughly removes volatile components, by getting them out of the system before they can condense or further react. the sweep gas allows volatiles to be removed at higher rates than would be attained merely from volatilization at a given process temperature. or, use of the sweep gas allows milder temperatures to be used to remove a certain quantity of volatiles. the reason the sweep gas improves the volatiles removal is that the mechanism of separation is not merely relative volatility but rather liquid/vapor phase disengagement assisted by the sweep gas. the sweep gas can both reduce mass-transfer limitations of volatilization as well as reduce thermodynamic limitations by continuously depleting a given volatile species, to cause more of it to vaporize to attain thermodynamic equilibrium. it is important to remove gases laden with volatile organic carbon from subsequent processing stages, in order to produce a product with high fixed carbon. without removal, the volatile carbon can adsorb or absorb onto the pyrolyzed solids, thereby requiring additional energy (cost) to achieve a purer form of carbon which may be desired. by removing vapors quickly, it is also speculated that porosity may be enhanced in the pyrolyzing solids. in various embodiments, such as activated carbon products, higher porosity is desirable. in certain embodiments, the sweep gas in conjunction with a relatively low process pressure, such as atmospheric pressure, provides for fast vapor removal without large amounts of inert gas necessary. in some embodiments, the sweep gas flows countercurrent to the flow direction of feedstock. in other embodiments, the sweep gas flows cocurrent to the flow direction of feedstock. in some embodiments, the flow pattern of solids approaches plug flow while the flow pattern of the sweep gas, and gas phase generally, approaches fully mixed flow in one or more zones. the sweep may be performed in any one or more of the zones. in some embodiments, the sweep gas is introduced into the cooling zone and extracted (along with volatiles produced) from the cooling and/or pyrolysis zones. in some embodiments, the sweep gas is introduced into the pyrolysis zone and extracted from the pyrolysis and/or preheating zones. in some embodiments, the sweep gas is introduced into the preheating zone and extracted from the pyrolysis zone. in these or other embodiments, the sweep gas may be introduced into each of the preheating, pyrolysis, and cooling zones and also extracted from each of the zones. in some embodiments, the zone or zones in which separation is carried out is a physically separate unit from the bpu. the separation unit or zone may be disposed between zones, if desired. for example, there may be a separation unit placed between pyrolysis and cooling zones. the sweep gas may be introduced continuously, especially when the solids flow is continuous. when the pyrolysis reaction is operated as a batch process, the sweep gas may be introduced after a certain amount of time, or periodically, to remove volatiles. even when the pyrolysis reaction is operated continuously, the sweep gas may be introduced semi-continuously or periodically, if desired, with suitable valves and controls. the volatiles-containing sweep gas may exit from the one or more zones, and may be combined if obtained from multiple zones. the resulting gas stream, containing various vapors, may then be fed to a process gas heater for control of air emissions, as discussed above and illustrated in fig. 8 . any known thermal-oxidation unit may be employed. in some embodiments, the process gas heater is fed with natural gas and air, to reach sufficient temperatures for substantial destruction of volatiles contained therein. the effluent of the process gas heater will be a hot gas stream comprising water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. this effluent stream may be purged directly to air emissions, if desired. in some embodiments, the energy content of the process gas heater effluent is recovered, such as in a waste-heat recovery unit. the energy content may also be recovered by heat exchange with another stream (such as the sweep gas). the energy content may be utilized by directly or indirectly heating, or assisting with heating, a unit elsewhere in the process, such as the dryer or the reactor. in some embodiments, essentially all of the process gas heater effluent is employed for indirect heating (utility side) of the dryer. the process gas heater may employ other fuels than natural gas. the yield of carbonaceous material may vary, depending on the above-described factors including type of feedstock and process conditions. in some embodiments, the net yield of solids as a percentage of the starting feedstock, on a dry basis, is at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, or higher. the remainder will be split between condensable vapors, such as terpenes, tars, alcohols, acids, aldehydes, or ketones; and non-condensable gases, such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane. the relative amounts of condensable vapors compared to non-condensable gases will also depend on process conditions, including the water present. in some embodiments, incorporation of an additive before a pyrolysis step improves yield of carbonaceous material compared to an identical process where the additive is added after the pyrolysis step (if at all). in some embodiments, an additive (e.g., a halogen-containing additive) is added to wet biomass and/or after drying the biomass but before pyrolysis and the resulting mass yield of carbonaceous material (e.g., biogenic activated carbon) is greater than the mass yield of a biogenic activated carbon produced additive (i) not added at any time, or (ii) added after pyrolysis, but by an otherwise identical process. in terms of the carbon balance, in some embodiments the net yield of carbon as a percentage of starting carbon in the feedstock is at least 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or higher. for example, the in some embodiments the carbonaceous material contains between about 40% and about 70% of the carbon contained in the starting feedstock. the rest of the carbon results in the formation of methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, light hydrocarbons, aromatics, tars, terpenes, alcohols, acids, aldehydes, or ketones, to varying extents. in alternative embodiments, some portion of these compounds is combined with the carbon-rich solids to enrich the carbon and energy content of the product. in these embodiments, some or all of the resulting gas stream from the reactor, containing various vapors, may be condensed, at least in part, and then passed over cooled pyrolyzed solids derived from the cooling zone and/or from the separate cooler. these embodiments are described in more detail below. following the reaction and cooling within the cooling zone (if present), the carbonaceous solids may be introduced into a cooler. in some embodiments, solids are collected and simply allowed to cool at slow rates. if the carbonaceous solids are reactive or unstable in air, it may be desirable to maintain an inert atmosphere and/or rapidly cool the solids to, for example, a temperature less than or equal to about 40°c, such as ambient temperature. in some embodiments, a water quench is employed for rapid cooling. in some embodiments, a fluidized-bed cooler is employed. a "cooler" should be broadly construed to also include containers, tanks, pipes, or portions thereof. it should be appreciated that in various embodiments, the cooler is distinct from the cooling unit or cooling reactor. in some embodiments, the process further comprises operating the cooler to cool the warm pyrolyzed solids with steam, thereby generating the cool pyrolyzed solids and superheated steam; wherein the drying is carried out, at least in part, with the superheated steam derived from the cooler. optionally, the cooler may be operated to first cool the warm pyrolyzed solids with steam to reach a first cooler temperature, and then with air to reach a second cooler temperature, wherein the second cooler temperature is lower than the first cooler temperature and is associated with a reduced combustion risk for the warm pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the air. following cooling to ambient conditions, the carbonaceous solids may be recovered and stored, conveyed to another site operation, transported to another site, or otherwise disposed, traded, or sold. the solids may be fed to a unit to reduce particle size. a variety of size-reduction units are known in the art, including crushers, shredders, grinders, pulverizers, jet mills, pin mills, and ball mills. screening or some other means for separation based on particle size may be included. the screening may be upstream or downstream of grinding, if present. a portion of the screened material (e.g., large chunks) may be returned to the grinding unit. the small and large particles may be recovered for separate downstream uses. in some embodiments, cooled pyrolyzed solids are ground into a fine powder, such as a pulverized carbon or activated carbon product or increased strength. various additives may be introduced throughout the process, before, during, or after any step disclosed herein. the additives may be broadly classified as process additives, selected to improve process performance such as carbon yield or pyrolysis time/temperature to achieve a desired carbon purity; and product additives, selected to improve one or more properties of the biogenic activated carbon, or a downstream product incorporating the reagent. certain additives may provide enhanced process and product characteristics, such as overall yield of biogenic activated carbon product compared to the amount of biomass feedstock. the additive may be added at any suitable time during the entire process. for example and without limitation, the additive may be added before, during or after a feedstock drying step; before, during or after a feedstock deaerating step; before, during or after a pyrolysis step; before, during or after a separation step; before, during or after any cooling step; before, during or after a biogenic activated carbon recovery step; before, during or after a pulverizing step; before, during or after a sizing step; and/or before, during or after a packaging step. additives may be incorporated at or on feedstock supply facilities, transport trucks, unloading equipment, storage bins, conveyors (including open or closed conveyors), dryers, process heaters, or any other units. additives may be added anywhere into the pyrolysis process itself, using suitable means for introducing additives. additives may be added after carbonization, or even after pulverization, if desired. accordingly, one example of a single-reactor biomass processing unit consistent with the present disclosure is depicted in fig. 21 . unit 2100 comprises a hopper 2104 into which feedstock 2102 is fed. hopper 2104 is optionally configured to enable addition and/or mixing of reactor off-gases (e.g., vapor stream 2114) and/or additives and/or gases from external sources 2162 to feedstock 2102 before conveying the feedstock 2102 to reactor 2112. activated carbon 2126 is mechanically conveyed through reactor 2112 before exiting at the opposite end. steam, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof 2152 is introduced into reactor 2112 in a countercurrent manner compared to the biomass path. vapor stream 2114 is removed at least in part from the reactor 2112 and is optionally fed into hopper 2104, and then to a thermal oxidizer 2124. heat exchanger 2154 enables heat from the emissions of the thermal oxidizer to heat gas stream 2158, which can comprise nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide. gas stream 2158, or a portion thereof, is recycled via path 2160 to the reactor 2112, and/or optionally to the feedstock 2102 before entry into the reactor 2112 (not shown). off-gases 2156 can be disposed of according to standard methods, for example through a stack. the embodiment shown in fig. 22 illustrates a two-reactor biomass processing unit consistent with the present disclosure. unit 2200 comprises a first multizone reactor unit 2212a, configured substantially similarly to processing unit 2100 described above with respect to fig. 21 . in this embodiment, however, at least a portion of the biogenic activated carbon 2226a produced by reactor 2212a is fed into a hopper 2204 and then into second reactor 2212b via path 2202. at least a portion of the optionally thermally oxidized and optionally adjusted vapor stream 2260 produced by first reactor 2212a, thermal oxidizer 2224 and heat exchanger 2254 is fed countercurrently into second reactor 2212b. optionally, at least a portion of the off-gases from second reactor 2212b are recycled via path 2272 to indirectly heat the second reactor 2212b. alternatively or in addition, portions of the off-gases that are not recycled as heat can be disposed of, for example by a stack, via path 2256b. biogenic activated carbon product exits second reactor 2212b via path 2226b. in these or other embodiments, the present disclosure provides a continuous process for producing biogenic activated carbon, the process comprising: (a) providing a starting carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture from said feedstock; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically conveying said feedstock and countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent comprising at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) recycling at least a portion of said separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s); and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s) as biogenic activated carbon. in some embodiments, step (b) is carried out to remove at least a portion of moisture contained within the feedstock. for example, the feedstock may be dried to contain about 12 wt% or less moisture, such as about 8 wt% or about 4 wt% or less moisture. in certain embodiments, no additional water is added to the feedstock. the activation agent may include water that is derived from moisture contained originally in the feedstock. in some embodiments, the activation agent includes both water and carbon dioxide. the ratio of water to carbon dioxide may be optimized to increase activation of the solids. at least one of the indirectly heated reaction zones is preferably maintained at a reaction temperature selected from about 700°c to about 900°c. all of the indirectly heated reaction zones are maintained at a maximum reaction temperature less than or equal to about 950°c, in some embodiments. in some embodiments, step (d) comprises removing at least a portion of the condensable vapors from the reaction zone. in some embodiments, step (d) comprises removing all of the vapor stream from the reaction zone. in some embodiments, step (e) comprises introducing at least some of the separated vapor stream to the gas inlet of the reaction zone and/or to the feedstock prior to step (c). in some embodiments, step (e) comprises introducing a thermally treated form of at least some of the separated vapor stream to the gas inlet of the reaction zone and/or to the feedstock prior to step (c). in some embodiments, step (e) further comprises additional heating of the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof. in some embodiments, step (e) further comprises adjusting gas composition of the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof. adjusting gas composition may include introducing one or more species selected from the group consisting of water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen. in some embodiments, the adjusted gas composition comprises from 0% to 100% water, for example about 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or about 100% water. in some embodiments, the adjusted gas composition comprises from 0% to 100% carbon dioxide, for example about 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or about 100% carbon dioxide. in some embodiments, the adjusted gas composition comprises from 0% to 100% nitrogen, for example about 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or about 100% nitrogen. in some embodiments, the adjusted gas composition comprises from 0% to 100% oxygen, for example about 0%, about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, about 4%, about 5%, about 6%, about 7%, about 8%, about 9%, about 10%, about 11%, about 12%, about 13%, about 14%, about 15%, about 16%, about 17%, about 18%, about 19%, about 20%, about 21%, about 22%, about 23%, about 24%, about 25%, about 26%, about 27%, about 28%, about 29%, about 30%, about 31%, about 32%, about 33%, about 34%, about 35%, about 36%, about 37%, about 38%, about 39%, about 40%, about 41%, about 42%, about 43%, about 44%, about 45%, about 46%, about 47%, about 48%, about 49%, about 50%, about 51%, about 52%, about 53%, about 54%, about 55%, about 56%, about 57%, about 58%, about 59%, about 60%, about 61%, about 62%, about 63%, about 64%, about 65%, about 66%, about 67%, about 68%, about 69%, about 70%, about 71%, about 72%, about 73%, about 74%, about 75%, about 76%, about 77%, about 78%, about 79%, about 80%, about 81%, about 82%, about 83%, about 84%, about 85%, about 86%, about 87%, about 88%, about 89%, about 90%, about 91%, about 92%, about 93%, about 94%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or about 100% oxygen. in some embodiments, the adjusted gas composition comprises no more than about 16%, no more than about 14%, no more than about 12%, no more than about 10%, no more than about 8%, no more than about 6%, no more than about 4%, or no more than about 2% of oxygen. the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, may contain, or be adjusted to contain, less than or equal to about 1 wt% (such as about 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, or 0.8 wt%) combined carbon monoxide and voc content. the gas composition may be adjusted to contain at least about 70 wt%, at least about 75% nitrogen, at least about 80% nitrogen, at least about 85% nitrogen, at least about 90% nitrogen, at least about 95% nitrogen, or about 100% nitrogen, in some embodiments. at least some of the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, may be introduced to a delivery system configured for mechanically feeding the feedstock into a first indirectly heated reaction zone. such a delivery system may include a feed auger or screw, for example. in some embodiments, at least some of the activation agent is derived from the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof. step (e) may increase the yield of carbon in the solids. additionally, step (e) preferably increases the surface area and iodine number of the solids. in some embodiments, step (f) comprises recovering all of the solids from the reaction zone as biogenic activated carbon. an additive is optionally introduced before, during, or after one or more of steps (a)-(f), and wherein the additive is selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. the additive may be selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. the biogenic activated carbon may be characterized by an iodine number of at least about 500, 1000, 1500, or 2000. the biogenic activated carbon may be characterized by a surface area of at least about 1000 m 2 /g, 1500 m 2 /g, 2000 m 2 /g, or higher. in some embodiments, at least a portion of the biogenic activated carbon is present in the form of graphene. the biogenic activated carbon may be responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. also, the biogenic activated carbon may have a higher electrical conductance and/or capacitance than the starting carbon-containing feedstock. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in some embodiments, the magnetic properties of the biogenic activated carbon are due at least in part to the presence of a magnetic metal or compound thereof, such as iron. in other embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field notwithstanding the presence of iron, an iron compound, another magnetic metal or compound thereof, an ore, a metalloid or compound thereof, or another non-graphene material that itself responds to an externally applied magnetic field. that is, in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field to an extent beyond that which can be attributed to the presence of iron, an iron compound, another magnetic metal or compound thereof, an ore, a metalloid or compound thereof, or another non-graphene material that itself responds to an externally applied magnetic field. in certain embodiments, the process further comprises introducing at least some of the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to a reactor for growing graphene on a substrate in two or three dimensions. in such a process, the carbon contained in the vapor is deposited onto a substrate (such as silicon) to form single layers of carbon. the substrate may be a layer or a three-dimensional object. the liquid or vapor stream from an external source may vary widely. exemplary vapor streams may include co, co 2 , ch 4 , light hydrocarbons, tars, etc. exemplary liquid streams may include heavier hydrocarbons (including olefins or aromatics), methanol, ethanol, or heavier alcohols, organic acids, aldehydes, etc. the external source may be a voc off-gas stream from an adjacent or co-located chemical or fuel plant, for example. combinations are possible, including not only liquid/vapor streams but also mixtures of external sources with recycled gases within the system, i.e., the separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof. in some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a continuous process for producing graphene, the process comprising: (a) providing a starting carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture from said feedstock; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically conveying said feedstock and countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent including at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) recycling at least a portion of said separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s); and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s) as graphene. in some embodiments, the solids recovered in step (f) consist of graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon. the graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon may contain widely varying fractions of graphene relative to total carbon present. for example, the mass (or mole) ratio of carbon present as graphene to total carbon in the biogenic activated carbon may be from about 0.0001 to about 1, such as about 0.001, about 0.005, about 0.01, about 0.005, about 0.1, about 0.15, about 0.2, about 0.25, about 0.3, about 0.4, about 0.5, about 0.6, about 0.7, about 0.8, about 0.9, about 0.95, or higher. it should also be noted that the graphene content is not necessarily uniform throughout the biogenic activated carbon. in some embodiments, it is believed (without being limited by hypothesis) that graphene is grown from carbon-containing vapors that pass over the pyrolyzed or pyrolyzing feedstock, the graphene may be primarily present at or near the surface of the resulting solids. in other embodiments, with sufficient heat and mass transport into the solids, graphene formation may occur essentially throughout the solids. the process may further comprise separating graphene from the graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon. the separation may be achieved by mechanical, magnetic, or electrical means, such as by a centrifuge, magnetic separator, or electrostatic precipitator, respectively. in some embodiments, the solids are further treated to increase graphene content in the solids. for example, a catalyst may be introduced to enhance graphene growth. the solids may be introduced to a separate process to fabricate or transfer graphene on a substrate or on a device. in some embodiments, an external source of carbon is introduced to increase surface area and/or increase carbon yield and/or increase graphene content. in some of these embodiments, a continuous process for producing biogenic activated carbon comprises: (a) providing a starting carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture from said feedstock; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically conveying said feedstock and countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent including at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) recycling at least a portion of said separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s); and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s), wherein said solids include graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon. in one embodiment, a continuous process for producing graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon comprises: (a) providing a starting carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture from said feedstock; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically conveying said feedstock and countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent including at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) recycling at least a portion of said separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s); and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s), wherein said solids include graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon. in some embodiments, the process further comprises treating the solids recovered in step (f) to increase graphene content. in some embodiments, the process further comprises using at least a portion of the solids recovered in step (f) to fabricate graphene on a substrate or a device. in some embodiments, the graphene or graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in some embodiments, the graphene or graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon has an electrical conductance value and/or an electrical capacitance value that is greater than the carbon-containing feedstock. in some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a continuous process for producing graphene-containing biogenic activated carbon, the process comprising: (a) providing a starting carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying said feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture from said feedstock; (c) in one or more indirectly heated reaction zones, mechanically conveying said feedstock and countercurrently contacting said feedstock with a vapor stream comprising a substantially inert gas and an activation agent comprising at least one of water or carbon dioxide, to generate solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, wherein said condensable vapors and said non-condensable gases enter said vapor stream; (d) removing at least a portion of said vapor stream from said reaction zone, to generate a separated vapor stream; (e) recycling at least a portion of said separated vapor stream, or a thermally treated form thereof, to said feedstock prior to step (c) and/or to a gas inlet of said reaction zone(s), to increase the surface area of carbon in said solids; and (f) recovering at least a portion of said solids from said reaction zone(s) as biogenic activated carbon, wherein said biogenic activated carbon comprises, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, wherein at least a portion of said biogenic activated carbon is present in the form of graphene, wherein said biogenic activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein said biogenic activated carbon is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in some variations, the present disclosure provides a process for producing a biogenic activated carbon product, the process comprising: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (a') adding an additive to the feedstock to produce an enhanced feedstock; (b) optionally drying the enhanced feedstock to produce a dried enhanced feedstock; (c) optionally deaerating the enhanced feedstock or the dried enhanced feedstock to remove at least a portion of interstitial oxygen, if any, contained with the enhanced feedstock or the dried enhanced feedstock; (d) in a pyrolysis zone, pyrolyzing the feedstock produced in any of steps (a'), (b) or (c), or a combination thereof, in the presence of a substantially inert gas for at least about 10 minutes and with a pyrolysis temperature selected from about 250°c to about 700°c, to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases; (e) separating at least a portion of the condensable vapors and at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from the hot pyrolyzed solids; (f) in a cooling zone, cooling the hot pyrolyzed solids, in the presence of the substantially inert gas for at least about 5 minutes and with a cooling-zone temperature less than or equal to about the pyrolysis temperature, to generate warm pyrolyzed solids; (g) in an optional cooler that is separate from the cooling zone, further cooling the warm pyrolyzed solids to generate cool pyrolyzed solids; (h) recovering a biogenic activated carbon product comprising at least a portion of the warm or cool pyrolyzed solids; and (i) pulverizing said biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce average particle size of said biogenic activated carbon composition.. some embodiments provide a process for producing a biogenic activated carbon composition, said process comprising: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (a') adding an additive to the feedstock to produce an enhanced feedstock; (b) optionally drying the enhanced feedstock to produce a dried enhanced feedstock; (c) optionally deaerating the enhanced feedstock or the dried enhanced feedstock to remove at least a portion of interstitial oxygen, if any, contained with the enhanced feedstock or the dried enhanced feedstock; (d) in a pyrolysis zone, pyrolyzing the feedstock produced in any of steps (a'), (b) or (c), or a combination thereof, in the presence of a substantially inert gas for at least 10 minutes and with a pyrolysis temperature selected from about 250°c to about 700°c, to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases; (e) separating at least a portion of said condensable vapors and at least a portion of said non-condensable gases from said hot pyrolyzed solids; (f) in a cooling zone, cooling said hot pyrolyzed solids, in the presence of said substantially inert gas for at least 5 minutes and with a cooling temperature less than or equal to about said pyrolysis temperature, to generate warm pyrolyzed solids; (g) in an optional cooler that is separate from said cooling zone, cooling said warm pyrolyzed solids to generate cool pyrolyzed solids; (h) recovering a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising at least a portion of said cool pyrolyzed solids; and (i) pulverizing said biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce average particle size of said biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, the process comprises adding an additive before the pyrolysis step. in such embodiments, the resulting biogenic activated carbon may be produced in a mass yield that is higher than biogenic activated carbon produced without additive, or with additive added during or after the pyrolysis step but by an otherwise identical method. in a related embodiment, the biogenic activated carbon product performs as well as or better than the comparable biogenic activated carbon product. in some embodiments, the process requires less energy input to produce a biogenic activated carbon product when an additive is added before the pyrolysis step. in some embodiments, the resulting biogenic activated carbon has a higher fixed carbon content compared to a biogenic activated carbon produced without additive (or with additive added during or after the pyrolysis step) but by an otherwise identical process. in some embodiments, the additive is distributed more thoroughly and/or evenly throughout the biogenic activated carbon as compared to biogenic activated carbon produced by the same process but wherein the additive is added during or after the pyrolysis step. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon requires less additive to achieve a desired performance characteristic when added before the pyrolysis step compared to a biogenic activated carbon produced by an otherwise identical process but wherein the additive is added during or after the pyrolysis step. in some embodiments, an additive is selected from a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, or a combination thereof. for example an additive may be selected from, but is by no means limited to, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron halide, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, an additive is selected from an acid, a base, or a salt thereof. for example an additive may be selected from, but is by no means limited to, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids (e.g., citric acid), or combinations thereof. in some embodiments, an additive is selected from a metal halide. metal halides are compounds between metals and halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine). the halogens can form many compounds with metals. metal halides are generally obtained by direct combination, or more commonly, neutralization of basic metal salt with a hydrohalic acid. in some embodiments, an additive is selected from iron halide (fex 2 and/or fex 3 ), iron chloride (fecl 2 and/or fecl 3 ), iron bromide (febr 2 and/or febr 3 ), or hydrates thereof, and any combinations thereof. in some variations, a biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, on a dry basis: 55 wt% or more total carbon; 15 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus; 0.2 wt% or less sulfur; an additive selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. in some embodiments, the additive comprises iodine or an iodine compound, or a combination of iodine and one or more iodine compounds. when the additive comprises iodine, it may be present in the biogenic activated carbon composition as absorbed or intercalated molecular i 2 , as physically or chemically adsorbed molecular i 2 , as absorbed or intercalated atomic i, as physically or chemically adsorbed atomic i, or any combination thereof. when the additive comprises one or more iodine compounds, they may be selected from the group consisting of iodide ion, hydrogen iodide, an iodide salt, a metal iodide, ammonium iodide, an iodine oxide, triiodide ion, a triiodide salt, a metal triiodide, ammonium triiodide, iodate ion, an iodate salt, a polyiodide, iodoform, iodic acid, methyl iodide, an iodinated hydrocarbon, periodic acid, orthoperiodic acid, metaperiodic acid, and combinations, salts, acids, bases, or derivatives thereof. in some variations, the biogenic activated carbon composition is produced by a process comprising at least the steps of: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying the feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture contained within the feedstock; (c) optionally deaerating the feedstock to remove at least a portion of interstitial oxygen, if any, contained with the feedstock; (d) in a pyrolysis zone, pyrolyzing the feedstock in the presence of a substantially inert gas for at least 10 minutes and with a pyrolysis temperature selected from about 250°c to about 700°c, to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases; (e) separating at least a portion of the condensable vapors and at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from the hot pyrolyzed solids; (f) in a cooling zone, cooling the hot pyrolyzed solids, in the presence of the substantially inert gas for at least 5 minutes and with a cooling temperature less than or equal to about the pyrolysis temperature, to generate warm pyrolyzed solids; (g) in a cooling unit that is separate from the cooling zone, cooling the warm pyrolyzed solids to generate cool pyrolyzed solids; (h) recovering a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising at least a portion of the cool pyrolyzed solids; and (i) pulverizing the biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce average particle size of the biogenic activated carbon composition. in some variations, a process for producing a biogenic activated carbon composition, the process comprising: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying the feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture contained within the feedstock; (c) optionally deaerating the feedstock to remove at least a portion of interstitial oxygen, if any, contained with the feedstock; (d) in a pyrolysis zone, pyrolyzing the feedstock in the presence of a substantially inert gas for at least 10 minutes and with a pyrolysis temperature selected from about 250°c to about 700°c, to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases; (e) separating at least a portion of the condensable vapors and at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from the hot pyrolyzed solids; (f) in a cooling zone, cooling the hot pyrolyzed solids, in the presence of the substantially inert gas for at least 5 minutes and with a cooling temperature less than or equal to about the pyrolysis temperature, to generate warm pyrolyzed solids; (g) in a cooling unit that is separate from the cooling zone, cooling the warm pyrolyzed solids to generate cool pyrolyzed solids; (h) recovering a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising at least a portion of the cool pyrolyzed solids; and (i) pulverizing the biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce average particle size of the biogenic activated carbon composition, wherein an additive is introduced before, during, or after one or more of steps (a)-(i), and wherein the additive is selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. in some embodiments, the additive comprises iodine or an iodine compound, or a combination of iodine and one or more iodine compounds, optionally dissolved in a solvent. various solvents for iodine or iodine compounds are known in the art. for example, alkyl halides such as (but not limited to) n-propyl bromide or n-butyl iodide may be employed. alcohols such as methanol or ethanol may be used. in some embodiments, a tincture of iodine may be employed to introduce the additive into the composition. in some embodiments, the additive comprises iodine that is introduced as a solid that sublimes to iodine vapor for incorporation into the biogenic activated carbon composition. at room temperature, iodine is a solid. upon heating, the iodine sublimes into a vapor. thus, solid iodine particles may be introduced into any stream, vessel, pipe, or container (e.g. a barrel or a bag) that also contains the biogenic activated carbon composition. upon heating the iodine particles will sublime, and the i 2 vapor can penetrate into the carbon particles, thus incorporating iodine as an additive on the surface of the particles and potentially within the particles. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing or removing at least one contaminant from a gas-phase emission stream, said method comprising: (a) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one contaminant; (b) contacting the gas-phase emissions stream with an additive and activated carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition to generate contaminant-adsorbed particles; and (c) separating at least a portion of said contaminant-adsorbed particles from said gas-phase emissions stream to produce a contaminant-reduced gas-phase emissions stream. in some embodiments, the activated carbon particles further comprise the additive. in some embodiments, step (b) comprises directly adding the additive to said gas-phase emissions stream. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the contaminant is a metal selected from the group consisting of mercury, boron, selenium, arsenic, compounds thereof, salts thereof and mixtures thereof. in some embodiments, the contaminant is a hazardous air pollutant. in some embodiments, the contaminant is a volatile organic compound. in some embodiments, the contaminant is a non-condensable gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, methane, ethane, ethylene, ozone, ammonia, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles include at least one contaminant selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, sulfur dioxide, absorbed forms thereof, adsorbed forms thereof, reacted forms thereof, or mixtures thereof. in some embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from, arises out of, or is produced by combustion of a fuel comprising said biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from, arises out of, or is produced by co-combustion of coal and said biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, the method further comprises (d) treating said contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles to regenerate said activated carbon particles. in some embodiments, the method further comprises (d') combusting said contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles to generate energy. in one embodiment, a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce mercury emissions comprises: (a) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising mercury; (b) contacting the gas-phase emissions stream with activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising iron or an iron-containing compound to generate mercury-adsorbed carbon particles; and (c) separating at least a portion of said mercury-adsorbed carbon particles from said gas-phase emissions stream using electrostatic precipitation, to produce a mercury-reduced gas-phase emissions stream. in some embodiments, the presence of said iron or an iron-containing compound in the activated-carbon particles enhances said electrostatic precipitation during step (c), thereby improving mercury control. in some embodiments, the method further comprises: (d) separating at least a portion of the mercury-adsorbed carbon particles from other electrostatic precipitates formed in step (c). in some embodiments, step (d) comprises exposing said mercury-adsorbed carbon particles to a magnetic field. in some embodiments, a process for producing energy comprises: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; and (b) oxidizing said carbon-containing feedstock to generate energy and a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one contaminant, wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition adsorbs at least a portion of the at least one contaminant. in some embodiments, the carbon-containing feedstock comprises the at least one contaminant, or a precursor thereof. in some embodiments, the carbon-containing feedstock further comprises biomass. in some embodiments, the carbon-containing feedstock further comprises coal. in some embodiments, the carbon-containing feedstock consists essentially of said biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of mercury, boron, selenium, arsenic, a compound thereof, a salt thereof, and mixtures thereof. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant comprises a hazardous air pollutant or volatile organic compound. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant comprises a non-condensable gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, methane, ethane, ethylene, ozone, ammonia, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in any method of use disclosed herein, the biogenic activated carbon composition may have a heat value of at least about 5,000 btu/lb, for example about 5,000, at least about 6,000, at least about 7,000, at least about 8,000, at least about 9,000, at least about 10,000, at least about 11,000, at least about 12,000, or greater than about 12,000 btu/lb. in any method of use disclosed herein, biogenic activated carbon compositions as disclosed herein may be added to (e.g. mixed with) fuel anywhere in a fuel delivery, fuel storage, fuel preparation, or fuel mixing process in any suitable location, such as a fuel yard, in storage bins, on conveyors, in mixers, during injection, etc. alternatively or in addition to the foregoing, biogenic activated carbon may be added to a combustion zone either mixed with, or independent from, other fuel source(s). for example and without limitation, in some embodiments the biogenic activated carbon composition is provided at or before a combustion zone, at or before a burner tip, and/or before or concurrently with a step of oxidizing the carbon-containing feedstock. in one embodiment, a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to purify a liquid comprises: (a) providing a liquid comprising at least one contaminant; and (b) contacting said liquid with an additive and activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition to generate contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles and a contaminant-reduced liquid. in some embodiments, the activated carbon particles comprise said additive. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant is a metal selected from the group consisting of arsenic, boron, selenium, mercury, a compound thereof, a salt thereof, and mixtures thereof. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant comprises an organic compound. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant comprises a halogen. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant comprises hydrogen sulfide. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant comprises a chlorination by-product. in some embodiments, the at least one contaminant comprises a pesticide or herbicide. in some embodiments, the liquid comprises water. in some embodiments, the method further comprises treating the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles to regenerate said activated-carbon particles. in some embodiments, the method further comprises combusting the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles to generate energy. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of removing at least a portion of a sulfur contaminant from a liquid comprising: (a) providing a liquid comprising a sulfur contaminant; and (b) contacting said liquid with an additive and activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition, wherein after step (b) at least a portion of the activated carbon particles comprises the sulfur contaminant. in some embodiments, the sulfur contaminant is selected from the group consisting of elemental sulfur, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, sulfate anions, bisulfate anions, sulfite anions, bisulfite anions, thiols, sulfides, disulfides, polysulfides, thioethers, thioesters, thioacetals, sulfoxides, sulfones, thiosulfinates, sulfimides, sulfoximides, sulfonediimines, sulfur halides, thioketones, thioaldehydes, sulfur oxides, thiocarboxylic acids, thioamides, sulfonic acids, sulfinic acids, sulfenic acids, sulfonium, oxosulfonium, sulfuranes, persulfuranes, derivatives thereof, salts thereof and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the sulfur contaminant is a sulfate in anionic and/or salt form. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, step (b) comprises filtration and/or osmosis of said liquid. in some embodiments, step (b) comprises contacting the liquid with an osmosis membrane comprising said activated-carbon particles and said additive. in some embodiments, step (b) comprises adding said activated-carbon particles directly to said liquid. in some embodiments, the method further comprises: (c) sedimentation of said activated-carbon particles with said sulfur contaminant from said liquid. in some embodiments, the liquid comprises wastewater. in some embodiments, the wastewater is produced by a process selected from the group consisting of metal mining, acid mine drainage, mineral processing, municipal sewer treatment, pulp and paper production, and ethanol production. in some embodiments, the liquid is a natural body of water. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a process to reduce a concentration of sulfates in water comprising: (a) providing a volume or stream of water comprising sulfates; and (b) contacting said water with an additive and activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, before step (a) the water comprises sulfates at a concentration of greater than about 50 mg/l, and after step (b) the water comprises sulfates at a concentration of no more than about 50 mg/l. in some embodiments, after step (b) the water comprises sulfates at a concentration of no more than about 10 mg/l. in some embodiments, the water is a wastewater stream. in some embodiments, the wastewater stream is produced by a process selected from the group consisting of metal mining, acid mine drainage, mineral processing, municipal sewer treatment, pulp and paper production, and ethanol production. in some embodiments, the water is a natural body of water. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of removing a sulfur contaminant from a gas-phase emissions stream comprising: (a) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one sulfur contaminant; (b) contacting the gas-phase emissions stream with an additive and activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; and (c) separating at least a portion of said activated-carbon particles from said gas-phase emissions stream after step (b). in some embodiments, the sulfur-containing contaminant is selected from the group consisting of elemental sulfur, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, sulfate anions, bisulfate anions, sulfite anions, bisulfite anions, thiols, sulfides, disulfides, polysulfides, thioethers, thioesters, thioacetals, sulfoxides, sulfones, thiosulfinates, sulfimides, sulfoximides, sulfonediimines, sulfur halides, thioketones, thioaldehydes, sulfur oxides, thiocarboxylic acids, thioamides, sulfonic acids, sulfinic acids, sulfenic acids, sulfonium, oxosulfonium, sulfuranes, persulfuranes, salts thereof, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from, arises out of, or is produced by combustion of a fuel comprising said biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from, arises out of, or is produced by co-combustion of coal and said biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, step (c) comprises filtration. in some embodiments, step (c) comprises electrostatic precipitation. in some embodiments, step (c) comprises scrubbing. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing or removing one or more contaminants from a gas or liquid comprising: (a) providing a gas or liquid stream containing one or more contaminants; and (b) contacting said gas or liquid stream with a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and an iodine number of at least about 500, wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing or removing one or more contaminants from a gas or liquid comprising: (a) providing a gas or liquid stream containing one or more contaminants; and (b) contacting said gas or liquid stream with a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and an iodine number of at least about 500, wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of reducing or removing a contaminant from a liquid or gas, said method comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; and (c) contacting the liquid or gas with said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, the liquid is water. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a composition comprising graphene, wherein the graphene is derived from a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. in some embodiments, the composition is included in an adhesive, a sealant, a coating, a paint, an ink, a component of a composite material, a catalyst, a catalyst support, a battery electrode component, a fuel cell electrode component, a graphene-based circuit or memory system component, an energy storage material, a supercapacitor component, a sink for static electricity dissipation, a material for electronic or ionic transport, a high-bandwidth communication system component, a component of an infrared sensor, a component of a chemical sensor, a component of a biological sensor, a component of an electronic display, a component of a voltaic cell, or a graphene aerogel. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, in an adhesive, sealant, coating, paint, or ink. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, as a component in a composite material to adjust mechanical or electrical properties of said composite material. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, as a catalyst, a catalyst support, a battery electrode material, or a fuel cell electrode material. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, in a graphene-based circuit or memory system. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, as an energy-storage material or as a supercapacitor component. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, as a sink for static electricity dissipation in a liquid or vapor fuel delivery system. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, as a material for electronic or ionic transport. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, in a high-bandwidth communication system. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, as a component of an infrared, chemical, or biological sensor. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, as a component of an electronic display. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, as a component of a photovoltaic cell. in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of using graphene comprising: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating said graphene from said biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using said graphene, in separated form or as part of said biogenic activated carbon composition, to form a graphene aerogel. in one embodiments provide a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce emissions, the method comprising: (a) providing activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; (b) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one selected contaminant; (c) providing an additive selected to assist in removal of the selected contaminant from the gas-phase emissions stream; (d) introducing the activated-carbon particles and the additive into the gas-phase emissions stream, to adsorb at least a portion of the selected contaminant onto the activated-carbon particles, thereby generating contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles within the gas-phase emissions stream; and (e) separating at least a portion of the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles from the gas-phase emissions stream, to produce a contaminant-reduced gas-phase emissions stream. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises 55 wt% or more total carbon; 15 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus; and 0.2 wt% or less sulfur. the additive may be provided as part of the activated-carbon particles. alternatively, or additionally, the additive may be introduced directly into the gas-phase emissions stream. the additive (to assist in removal of the selected contaminant from the gas-phase emissions stream) may be selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. in some embodiments, the additive comprises iodine or an iodine compound, or a combination of iodine and one or more iodine compounds, optionally dissolved in a solvent. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant is a metal, such as a metal selected from the group consisting of mercury, boron, selenium, arsenic, and any compound, salt, and mixture thereof. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant is a hazardous air pollutant or a volatile organic compound. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant is a non-condensable gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, methane, ethane, ethylene, ozone, ammonia, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles include, in absorbed, adsorbed, or reacted form, at least one, two, three, or all contaminants selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and sulfur dioxide. in some embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from combustion of a fuel comprising the biogenic activated carbon composition. in certain embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from co-combustion of coal and the biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, the separating in step (e) comprises filtration, which may for example utilize fabric filters. in some embodiments, separating in step (e) comprises electrostatic precipitation. scrubbing (including wet or dry scrubbing) may also be employed. optionally, the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles may be treated to regenerate the activated-carbon particles. in some embodiments, the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles are thermally oxidized catalytically or non-catalytically. the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles, or a regenerated form thereof, may be combusted to provide energy and/or gasified to provide syngas. in some embodiments, a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce mercury emissions, comprises: (a) providing activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition that includes an additive comprising iodine or an iodine-containing compound; (b) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising mercury; (c) introducing the activated-carbon particles into the gas-phase emissions stream, to adsorb at least a portion of the mercury onto the activated-carbon particles, thereby generating mercury-adsorbed carbon particles within the gas-phase emissions stream; and (d) separating at least a portion of the mercury-adsorbed carbon particles from the gas-phase emissions stream using electrostatic precipitation, to produce a mercury-reduced gas-phase emissions stream. in some variations, a process for energy production is provided, the process comprising: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; and (b) oxidizing the carbon-containing feedstock to generate energy and a gas-phase emissions stream, wherein the presence of the biogenic activated carbon composition within the carbon-containing feedstock is effective to adsorb at least one contaminant produced as a byproduct of the oxidizing or derived from the carbon-containing feedstock, thereby reducing emissions of the contaminant, and wherein the biogenic activated carbon composition further includes an additive that is selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. in some embodiments, the contaminant, or a precursor thereof, is contained within the carbon-containing feedstock. in some embodiments, the contaminant is produced as a byproduct of the oxidizing. the carbon-containing feedstock further comprises biomass, coal, or another carbonaceous feedstock, in various embodiments. the selected contaminant may be a metal selected from the group consisting of mercury, boron, selenium, arsenic, and any compound, salt, and mixture thereof; a hazardous air pollutant; a volatile organic compound; or a non-condensable gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, methane, ethane, ethylene, ozone, ammonia; and combinations thereof. in some variations, a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to purify a liquid, comprises: (a) providing activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; (b) providing a liquid comprising at least one selected contaminant; (c) providing an additive selected to assist in removal of the selected contaminant from the liquid; and (d) contacting the liquid with the activated-carbon particles and the additive, to adsorb at least a portion of the at least one selected contaminant onto the activated-carbon particles, thereby generating contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles and a contaminant-reduced liquid. the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises, in some embodiments, 55 wt% or more total carbon; 15 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus; and 0.2 wt% or less sulfur. the additive may be provided as part of the activated-carbon particles and/or introduced directly into the liquid. the additive may be selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. in some embodiments, the additive comprises iodine that is present in the biogenic activated carbon composition as absorbed or intercalated molecular i 2 , physically or chemically adsorbed molecular i 2 , absorbed or intercalated atomic i, physically or chemically adsorbed atomic i, or a combination thereof. in some embodiments, the additive comprises an iodine-containing compound, such as (but not limited to) an iodine-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of iodide ion, hydrogen iodide, an iodide salt, a metal iodide, ammonium iodide, an iodine oxide, triiodide ion, a triiodide salt, a metal triiodide, ammonium triiodide, iodate ion, an iodate salt, a polyiodide, iodoform, iodic acid, methyl iodide, an iodinated hydrocarbon, periodic acid, orthoperiodic acid, metaperiodic acid, and combinations, salts, acids, bases, or derivatives thereof. additives may result in a final product with higher energy content (energy density). an increase in energy content may result from an increase in total carbon, fixed carbon, volatile carbon, or even hydrogen. alternatively or additionally, the increase in energy content may result from removal of non-combustible matter or of material having lower energy density than carbon. in some embodiments, additives reduce the extent of liquid formation, in favor of solid and gas formation, or in favor of solid formation. in various embodiments, additives chemically modify the starting biomass, or the treated biomass prior to pyrolysis, to reduce rupture of cell walls for greater strength/integrity. in some embodiments, additives may increase fixed carbon content of biomass feedstock prior to pyrolysis. additives may result in a final biogenic activated carbon product with improved mechanical properties, such as yield strength, compressive strength, tensile strength, fatigue strength, impact strength, elastic modulus, bulk modulus, or shear modulus. additives may improve mechanical properties by simply being present (e.g., the additive itself imparts strength to the mixture) or due to some transformation that takes place within the additive phase or within the resulting mixture. for example, reactions such as vitrification may occur within a portion of the biogenic activated carbon product that includes the additive, thereby improving the final strength. chemical additives may be applied to wet or dry biomass feedstocks. the additives may be applied as a solid powder, a spray, a mist, a liquid, or a vapor. in some embodiments, additives may be introduced through spraying of a liquid solution (such as an aqueous solution or in a solvent), or by soaking in tanks, bins, bags, or other containers. in certain embodiments, dip pretreatment is employed wherein the solid feedstock is dipped into a bath comprising the additive, either batchwise or continuously, for a time sufficient to allow penetration of the additive into the solid feed material. in some embodiments, additives applied to the feedstock may reduce energy requirements for the pyrolysis, and/or increase the yield of the carbonaceous product. in these or other embodiments, additives applied to the feedstock may provide functionality that is desired for the intended use of the carbonaceous product, as will be further described below regarding compositions. in some embodiments, the process for producing a biogenic activated carbon further comprises a step of sizing (e.g., sorting, screening, classifying, etc.) the warm or cool pyrolyzed solids to form sized pyrolyzed solids. the sized pyrolyzed solids can then be used in applications which call for an activated carbon product having a certain particle size characteristic. the throughput, or process capacity, may vary widely from small laboratory-scale units to full commercial-scale biorefineries, including any pilot, demonstration, or semi-commercial scale. in various embodiments, the process capacity is at least about 1 kg/day, 10 kg/day, 100 kg/day, 1 ton/day (all tons are metric tons), 10 tons/day, 100 tons/day, 500 tons/day, 1000 tons/day, 2000 tons/day, or higher. in some embodiments, a portion of solids produced may be recycled to the front end of the process, i.e. to the drying or deaeration unit or directly to the bpu or reactor. by returning to the front end and passing through the process again, treated solids may become higher in fixed carbon. solid, liquid, and gas streams produced or existing within the process can be independently recycled, passed to subsequent steps, or removed/purged from the process at any point. in some embodiments, pyrolyzed material is recovered and then fed to a separate reactor for further pyrolysis, to create a product with higher carbon purity. in some embodiments, the secondary process may be conducted in a simple container, such as a steel drum, in which heated inert gas (such as heated n 2 ) is passed through. other containers useful for this purpose include process tanks, barrels, bins, totes, sacks, and roll-offs. this secondary sweep gas with volatiles may be sent to the process gas heater, or back to the main bpu, for example. to cool the final product, another stream of inert gas, which is initially at ambient temperature for example, may be passed through the solids to cool the solids, and then returned to an inert gas preheat system. in various embodiments, the secondary process takes place in a separate carbonization or pyrolysis reactor, in which preheated substantially inert gas is inputted to pyrolyze the material and drive carbonization. some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a biogenic activated carbon production system comprising: (a) a material feed system configured to introduce a carbon-containing feedstock; (b) an optional dryer, disposed in operable communication with the material feed system, configured to remove moisture contained within a carbon-containing feedstock; (c) a biomass processing unit including a plurality of zones, disposed in operable communication with the dryer, wherein the biomass processing unit contains at least a pyrolysis zone disposed in operable communication with a spatially separated cooling zone, and wherein the biomass processing unit is configured with an outlet to remove condensable vapors and non-condensable gases from solids; (d) an external cooler, disposed in operable communication with the biomass processing unit; and (e) a carbon recovery unit, disposed in operable communication with the cooler. some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a biogenic activated carbon production system comprising: (a) a material feed system configured to introduce a carbon-containing feedstock; (b) an optional dryer, disposed in operable communication with the material feed system, configured to remove moisture contained within a carbon-containing feedstock; (c) an optional preheater, disposed in operable communication with the dryer, configured to heat and/or mildly pyrolyze the feedstock; (d) a pyrolysis reactor, disposed in operable communication with the preheater, configured to pyrolyze the feedstock; (e) a cooler, disposed in operable communication with the pyrolysis reactor, configured to cool pyrolyzed solids; and (f) a carbon recovery unit, disposed in operable communication with the cooler, wherein the system is configured with at least one gas outlet to remove condensable vapors and non-condensable gases from solids. the material feed system may be physically integrated with the bpu, such as through the use of a screw material feed system or auger mechanism to introduce feed solids into one of the reactors or zones. in some embodiments, the system further comprises a preheating zone, disposed in operable communication with the pyrolysis zone. each of the pyrolysis zone, cooling zone, and preheating zone (it present) may be located within a single bpu, or may be located in separate bpus. optionally, the dryer may be configured as a drying zone within the bpu. optionally, the cooler may be disposed within the bpu (i.e., configured as an additional cooling zone or integrated with the cooling zone discussed above). the system may include a purging means for removing oxygen from the system. for example, the purging means may comprise one or more inlets to introduce a substantially inert gas, and one or more outlets to remove the substantially inert gas and displaced oxygen from the system. in some embodiments, the purging means is a deaerater disposed in operable communication between the dryer and the bpu. the bpu can be configured with at least a first gas inlet and a first gas outlet. the first gas inlet and the first gas outlet may be disposed in communication with different zones, or with the same zones. in some embodiments, the bpu is configured with a second gas inlet and/or a second gas outlet. in some embodiments, the bpu is configured with a third gas inlet and/or a third gas outlet. in some embodiments, the bpu is configured with a fourth gas inlet and/or a fourth gas outlet. in some embodiments, each zone present in the bpu is configured with a gas inlet and a gas outlet. gas inlets and outlets allow not only introduction and withdrawal of vapor, but gas outlets (probes) in particular allow precise process monitoring and control across various stages of the process, up to and potentially including all stages of the process. precise process monitoring would be expected to result in yield and efficiency improvements, both dynamically as well as over a period of time when operational history can be utilized to adjust process conditions. in some embodiments (see, generally, fig. 4 ), a reaction gas probe is disposed in operable communication with the pyrolysis zone. such a reaction gas probe may be useful to extract gases and analyze them, in order to determine extent of reaction, pyrolysis selectivity, or other process monitoring. then, based on the measurement, the process may be controlled or adjusted in any number of ways, such as by adjusting feed rate, rate of inert gas sweep, temperature (of one or more zones), pressure (of one or more zones), additives, and so on. as intended herein, "monitor and control" via reaction gas probes should be construed to include any one or more sample extractions via reaction gas probes, and optionally making process or equipment adjustments based on the measurements, if deemed necessary or desirable, using well-known principles of process control (feedback, feedforward, proportional-integral-derivative logic, etc.). a reaction gas probe may be configured to extract gas samples in a number of ways. for example, a sampling line may have a lower pressure than the pyrolysis reactor pressure, so that when the sampling line is opened an amount of gas can readily be extracted from pyrolysis zone. the sampling line may be under vacuum, such as when the pyrolysis zone is near atmospheric pressure. typically, a reaction gas probe will be associated with one gas output, or a portion thereof (e.g., a line split from a gas output line). in some embodiments, both a gas input and a gas output are utilized as a reaction gas probe by periodically introducing an inert gas into a zone, and pulling the inert gas with a process sample out of the gas output ("sample sweep"). such an arrangement could be used in a zone that does not otherwise have a gas inlet/outlet for the substantially inert gas for processing, or, the reaction gas probe could be associated with a separate gas inlet/outlet that is in addition to process inlets and outlets. a sampling inert gas that is introduced and extracted periodically for sampling (in embodiments that utilize sample sweeps) could even be different than the process inert gas, if desired, either for reasons of accuracy in analysis or to introduce an analytical tracer. for example, acetic acid concentration in the gas phase of the pyrolysis zone may be measured using a gas probe to extract a sample, which is then analyzed using a suitable technique (such as gas chromatography, gc; mass spectroscopy, ms; gc-ms, or fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, ftir). co and/or co 2 concentration in the gas phase could be measured and used as an indication of the pyrolysis selectivity toward gases/vapors, for example. terpene concentration in the gas phase could be measured and used as an indication of the pyrolysis selectivity toward liquids, and so on. in some embodiments, the system further comprises at least one additional gas probe disposed in operable communication with the cooling zone, or with the drying zone (if present) or the preheating zone (if present). a gas probe for the cooling zone could be useful to determine the extent of any additional chemistry taking place in the cooling zone, for example. a gas probe in the cooling zone could also be useful as an independent measurement of temperature (in addition, for example, to a thermocouple disposed in the cooling zone). this independent measurement may be a correlation of cooling temperature with a measured amount of a certain species. the correlation could be separately developed, or could be established after some period of process operation. a gas probe for the drying zone could be useful to determine the extent of drying, by measuring water content, for example. a gas probe in the preheating zone could be useful to determine the extent of any mild pyrolysis taking place, for example. in certain embodiments, the cooling zone is configured with a gas inlet, and the pyrolysis zone is configured with a gas outlet, to generate substantially countercurrent flow of the gas phase relative to the solid phase. alternatively, or additionally, the preheating zone (when it is present) may be configured with a gas outlet, to generate substantially countercurrent flow of the gas phase relative to the solid phase. alternatively, or additionally, the drying zone may be configured with a gas outlet, to generate substantially countercurrent flow. the pyrolysis reactor or reactors may be selected from any suitable reactor configuration that is capable of carrying out the pyrolysis process. exemplary reactor configurations include, but are not limited to, fixed-bed reactors, fluidized-bed reactors, entrained-flow reactors, augers, rotating cones, rotary drum kilns, calciners, roasters, moving-bed reactors, transport-bed reactors, ablative reactors, rotating cones, or microwave-assisted pyrolysis reactors. in some embodiments in which an auger is used, sand or another heat carrier can optionally be employed. for example, the feedstock and sand can be fed at one end of a screw. the screw mixes the sand and feedstock and conveys them through the reactor. the screw can provide good control of the feedstock residence time and does not dilute the pyrolyzed products with a carrier or fluidizing gas. the sand can be reheated in a separate vessel. in some embodiments in which an ablative process is used, the feedstock is moved at a high speed against a hot metal surface. ablation of any char forming at surfaces can maintain a high rate of heat transfer. such apparatus can prevent dilution of products. as an alternative, the feedstock particles may be suspended in a carrier gas and introduced at a high speed through a cyclone whose wall is heated. in some embodiments in which a fluidized-bed reactor is used, the feedstock can be introduced into a bed of hot sand fluidized by a gas, which is typically a recirculated product gas. reference herein to "sand" shall also include similar, substantially inert materials, such as glass particles, recovered ash particles, and the like. high heat-transfer rates from fluidized sand can result in rapid heating of the feedstock. there can be some ablation by attrition with the sand particles. heat is usually provided by heat-exchanger tubes through which hot combustion gas flows. circulating fluidized-bed reactors can be employed, wherein gas, sand, and feedstock move together. exemplary transport gases include recirculated product gases and combustion gases. high heat-transfer rates from the sand ensure rapid heating of the feedstock, and ablation is expected to be stronger than with regular fluidized beds. a separator can be employed to separate the product gases from the sand and char particles. the sand particles can be reheated in a fluidized burner vessel and recycled to the reactor. in some embodiments, the bpu is a continuous reactor comprising a feedstock inlet, a plurality of spatially separated zones configured for separately controlling the temperature and mixing within each of the zones, and a carbonaceous-solids outlet, wherein one of the zones is configured with a first gas inlet for introducing a substantially inert gas into the bpu, and wherein one of the zones is configured with a first gas outlet. in some embodiments the reactor includes at least two, three, four, or more zones. each of the zones is disposed in communication with separately adjustable heating means independently selected from the group consisting of electrical heat transfer, steam heat transfer, hot-oil heat transfer, phase-change heat transfer, waste heat transfer, and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, at least one zone is heated with an effluent stream from the process gas heater, if present. the bpu may be configured for separately adjusting gas-phase composition and gas-phase residence time of at least two zones, up to and including all zones present in the bpu. the bpu may be equipped with a second gas inlet and/or a second gas outlet. in some embodiments, the bpu is configured with a gas inlet in each zone. in these or other embodiments, the bpu is configured with a gas outlet in each zone. the bpu may be a cocurrent or countercurrent reactor. in some embodiments, the material feed system comprises a screw or auger feed mechanism. in some embodiments, the carbonaceous-solids outlet comprises a screw or auger output mechanism. some embodiments utilize a rotating calciner with a screw material feed system. in these embodiments, some or all of the bpu is axially rotatable, i.e. it spins about its centerline axis. the speed of rotation will impact the solid flow pattern, and heat and mass transport. each of the zones may be configured with flights disposed on internal walls, to provide agitation of solids. the flights may be separately adjustable in each of the zones. other means of agitating solids may be employed, such as augers, screws, or paddle conveyors. in some embodiments, the bpu includes a single, continuous auger disposed throughout each of the zones. in other embodiments, the reactor includes twin screws disposed throughout each of the zones. some systems are designed specifically with the capability to maintain the approximate size of feed material throughout the process-that is, to process the biomass feedstock without destroying or significantly damaging its structure. in some embodiments, the pyrolysis zone does not contain augers, screws, or rakes that would tend to greatly reduce the size of feed material being pyrolyzed. in some embodiments of the disclosure, the system further includes a process gas heater disposed in operable communication with the outlet at which condensable vapors and non-condensable gases are removed. the process gas heater can be configured to receive a separate fuel (such as natural gas) and an oxidant (such as air) into a combustion chamber, adapted for combustion of the fuel and at least a portion of the condensable vapors. certain non-condensable gases may also be oxidized, such as co or ch 4 , to co 2 . when a process gas heater is employed, the system may include a heat exchanger disposed between the process gas heater and the dryer, configured to utilize at least some of the heat of the combustion for the dryer. this embodiment can contribute significantly to the overall energy efficiency of the process. in some embodiments, the system further comprises a material enrichment unit, disposed in operable communication with the cooler, configured for combining condensable vapors, in at least partially condensed form, with the solids. the material enrichment unit may increase the carbon content of the biogenic activated carbon obtained from the carbon recovery unit. the system may further include a separate pyrolysis zone adapted to further pyrolyze the biogenic activated carbon to further increase its carbon content. the separate pyrolysis zone may be a relatively simply container, unit, or device, such as a tank, barrel, bin, drum, tote, sack, or roll-off. the overall system may be at a fixed location, or it may be made portable. the system may be constructed using modules which may be simply duplicated for practical scale-up. the system may also be constructed using economy-of-scale principles, as is well-known in the process industries. some embodiments of the present disclosure relating to carbon enrichment of solids will now be further described. in some embodiments, a process for producing a biogenic activated carbon comprises: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying the feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture contained within the feedstock; (c) optionally deaerating the feedstock to remove at least a portion of interstitial oxygen, if any, contained with the feedstock; (d) in a pyrolysis zone, pyrolyzing the feedstock in the presence of a substantially inert gas for at least 10 minutes and with a pyrolysis temperature selected from about 250°c to about 700°c, to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases; (e) separating at least a portion of the condensable vapors and at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from the hot pyrolyzed solids; (f) in a cooling zone, cooling the hot pyrolyzed solids, in the presence of the substantially inert gas for at least 5 minutes and with a cooling temperature less than or equal to about the pyrolysis temperature, to generate warm pyrolyzed solids; (g) optionally cooling the warm pyrolyzed solids in a cooler to generate cool pyrolyzed solids; (h) subsequently passing at least a portion of the condensable vapors and/or at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from step (e) across the warm pyrolyzed solids and/or the cool pyrolyzed solids, to form enriched pyrolyzed solids with increased carbon content; and (i) in a carbon recovery unit, recovering a biogenic activated carbon comprising at least a portion of the enriched pyrolyzed solids. in some embodiments, step (h) includes passing at least a portion of the condensable vapors from step (e), in vapor and/or condensed form, across the warm pyrolyzed solids, to produce enriched pyrolyzed solids with increased carbon content. in some embodiments, step (h) includes passing at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from step (e) across the warm pyrolyzed solids, to produce enriched pyrolyzed solids with increased carbon content. it should be appreciated that in various embodiments, carbon enrichment increases carbon content, energy content, as well as mass yield. alternatively, or additionally, vapors or gases may be contacted with the cool pyrolyzed solids. in some embodiments, step (h) includes passing at least a portion of the condensable vapors from step (e), in vapor and/or condensed form, across the cool pyrolyzed solids, to produce enriched pyrolyzed solids with increased carbon content. in some embodiments, step (h) includes passing at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from step (e) across the cool pyrolyzed solids, to produce enriched pyrolyzed solids with increased carbon content. in certain embodiments, step (h) includes passing substantially all of the condensable vapors from step (e), in vapor and/or condensed form, across the cool pyrolyzed solids, to produce enriched pyrolyzed solids with increased carbon content. in certain embodiments, step (h) includes passing substantially all of the non-condensable gases from step (e) across the cool pyrolyzed solids, to produce enriched pyrolyzed solids with increased carbon content. the process may include various methods of treating or separating the vapors or gases prior to using them for carbon enrichment. for example, an intermediate feed stream consisting of at least a portion of the condensable vapors and at least a portion of the non-condensable gases, obtained from step (e), may be fed to a separation unit configured to generate at least first and second output streams. in certain embodiments, the intermediate feed stream comprises all of the condensable vapors, all of the non-condensable gases, or both. separation techniques can include or use distillation columns, flash vessels, centrifuges, cyclones, membranes, filters, packed beds, capillary columns, and so on. separation can be principally based, for example, on distillation, absorption, adsorption, or diffusion, and can utilize differences in vapor pressure, activity, molecular weight, density, viscosity, polarity, chemical functionality, affinity to a stationary phase, and any combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the first and second output streams are separated from the intermediate feed stream based on relative volatility. for example, the separation unit may be a distillation column, a flash tank, or a condenser. thus in some embodiments, the first output stream comprises the condensable vapors, and the second output stream comprises the non-condensable gases. the condensable vapors may include at least one carbon-containing compound selected from terpenes, alcohols, acids, aldehydes, or ketones. the vapors from pyrolysis may include aromatic compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes. heavier aromatic compounds, such as refractory tars, may be present in the vapor. the non-condensable gases may include at least one carbon-containing molecule selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and methane. in some embodiments, the first and second output streams are separated intermediate feed stream based on relative polarity. for example, the separation unit may be a stripping column, a packed bed, a chromatography column, or membranes. thus in some embodiments, the first output stream comprises polar compounds, and the second output stream comprises non-polar compounds. the polar compounds may include at least one carbon-containing molecule selected from the group consisting of methanol, furfural, and acetic acid. the non-polar compounds may include at least one carbon-containing molecule selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, a terpene, and a terpene derivative. step (h) may increase the total carbon content of the biogenic activated carbon, relative to an otherwise-identical process without step (h). the extent of increase in carbon content may be, for example, about 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 25%, or even higher, in various embodiments. in some embodiments, step (h) increases the fixed carbon content of the biogenic activated carbon. in these or other embodiments, step (h) increases the volatile carbon content of the biogenic activated carbon. volatile carbon content is the carbon attributed to volatile matter in the reagent. the volatile matter may be, but is not limited to, hydrocarbons including aliphatic or aromatic compounds (e.g., terpenes); oxygenates including alcohols, aldehydes, or ketones; and various tars. volatile carbon will typically remain bound or adsorbed to the solids at ambient conditions but upon heating, will be released before the fixed carbon would be oxidized, gasified, or otherwise released as a vapor. depending on conditions associated with step (h), it is possible for some amount of volatile carbon to become fixed carbon (e.g., via boudouard carbon formation from co). typically, the volatile matter will be expected to enter the micropores of the fixed carbon and will be present as condensed/adsorbed species, but still relatively volatile. this residual volatility can be more advantageous for fuel applications, compared to product applications requiring high surface area and porosity. step (h) may increase the energy content (i.e., energy density) of the biogenic activated carbon. the increase in energy content may result from an increase in total carbon, fixed carbon, volatile carbon, or even hydrogen. the extent of increase in energy content may be, for example, about 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 25%, or even higher, in various embodiments. further separations may be employed to recover one or more non-condensable gases or condensable vapors, for use within the process or further processing. for example, further processing may be included to produce refined co or syngas. as another example, separation of acetic acid may be conducted, followed by reduction of the acetic acid into ethanol. the reduction of the acetic acid may be accomplished, at least in part, using hydrogen derived from the non-condensable gases produced. condensable vapors may be used for either energy in the process (such as by thermal oxidation) or in carbon enrichment, to increase the carbon content of the biogenic activated carbon. certain non-condensable gases, such as co or ch 4 , may be utilized either for energy in the process, or as part of the substantially inert gas for the pyrolysis step. combinations of any of the foregoing are also possible. a potential benefit of including step (h) is that the gas stream is scrubbed, with the resulting gas stream being enriched in co and co 2 . the resulting gas stream may be utilized for energy recovery, recycled for carbon enrichment of solids, and/or used as an inert gas in the reactor. similarly, by separating non-condensable gases from condensable vapors, the co/co 2 stream is prepared for use as the inert gas in the reactor system or in the cooling system, for example. other variations of the disclosure are premised on the realization that the principles of the carbon- enrichment step may be applied to any feedstock in which it is desired to add carbon. in some embodiments, a batch or continuous process for producing a biogenic activated carbon comprises: (a) providing a solid stream comprising a carbon-containing material; (b) providing a gas stream comprising condensable carbon-containing vapors, non-condensable carbon-containing gases, or a mixture of condensable carbon-containing vapors and non-condensable carbon-containing gases; and (c) passing the gas stream across the solid stream under suitable conditions to form a carbon-containing product with increased carbon content relative to the carbon-containing material. in some embodiments, the starting carbon-containing material is pyrolyzed biomass or torrefied biomass. the gas stream may be obtained during an integrated process that provides the carbon-containing material. or, the gas stream may be obtained from separate processing of the carbon-containing material. the gas stream, or a portion thereof, may be obtained from an external source (e.g., an oven at a lumber mill). mixtures of gas streams, as well as mixtures of carbon-containing materials, from a variety of sources, are possible. in some embodiments, the process further comprises recycling or reusing the gas stream for repeating the process to further increase carbon and/or energy content of the carbon-containing product. in some embodiments, the process further comprises recycling or reusing the gas stream for carrying out the process to increase carbon and/or energy content of another feedstock different from the carbon-containing material. in some embodiments, the process further includes introducing the gas stream to a separation unit configured to generate at least first and second output streams, wherein the gas stream comprises a mixture of condensable carbon-containing vapors and non-condensable carbon-containing gases. the first and second output streams may be separated based on relative volatility, relative polarity, or any other property. the gas stream may be obtained from separate processing of the carbon-containing material. in some embodiments, the process further comprises recycling or reusing the gas stream for repeating the process to further increase carbon content of the carbon-containing product. in some embodiments, the process further comprises recycling or reusing the gas stream for carrying out the process to increase carbon content of another feedstock. the carbon-containing product may have an increased total carbon content, a higher fixed carbon content, a higher volatile carbon content, a higher energy content, or any combination thereof, relative to the starting carbon-containing material. in related variations, a biogenic activated carbon production system comprises: (a) a material feed system configured to introduce a carbon-containing feedstock; (b) an optional dryer, disposed in operable communication with the material feed system, configured to remove moisture contained within a carbon-containing feedstock; (c) a bpu, disposed in operable communication with the dryer, wherein the bpu contains at least a pyrolysis zone disposed in operable communication with a spatially separated cooling zone, and wherein the bpu is configured with an outlet to remove condensable vapors and non-condensable gases from solids; (d) a cooler, disposed in operable communication with the bpu; (e) a material enrichment unit, disposed in operable communication with the cooler, configured to pass the condensable vapors and/or the non-condensable gases across the solids, to form enriched solids with increased carbon content; and (f) a carbon recovery unit, disposed in operable communication with the material enrichment unit. the system may further comprise a preheating zone, disposed in operable communication with the pyrolysis zone. in some embodiments, the dryer is configured as a drying zone within the bpu. each of the zones may be located within a single bpu or in separate bpus. also, the cooler may be disposed within the bpu. in some embodiments, the cooling zone is configured with a gas inlet, and the pyrolysis zone is configured with a gas outlet, to generate substantially countercurrent flow of the gas phase relative to the solid phase. in these or other embodiments, the preheating zone and/or the drying zone (or dryer) is configured with a gas outlet, to generate substantially countercurrent flow of the gas phase relative to the solid phase. in particular embodiments, the system incorporates a material enrichment unit that comprises: (i) a housing with an upper portion and a lower portion; (ii) an inlet at a bottom of the lower portion of the housing configured to carry the condensable vapors and non-condensable gases; (iii) an outlet at a top of the upper portion of the housing configured to carry a concentrated gas stream derived from the condensable vapors and non-condensable gases; (iv) a path defined between the upper portion and the lower portion of the housing; and (v) a material transport system following the path, the material transport system configured to transport the solids, wherein the housing is shaped such that the solids adsorb at least some of the condensable vapors and/or at least some of the non-condensable gases. the present disclosure is capable of producing a variety of compositions useful as biogenic activated carbons, and products incorporating these reagents. in some variations, a biogenic activated carbon is produced by any process disclosed herein, such as a process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising biomass; (b) optionally drying the feedstock to remove at least a portion of moisture contained within the feedstock; (c) optionally deaerating the feedstock to remove at least a portion of interstitial oxygen, if any, contained with the feedstock; (d) in a pyrolysis zone, pyrolyzing the feedstock in the presence of a substantially inert gas for at least 10 minutes and with a pyrolysis temperature selected from about 250°c to about 700°c, to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases; (e) separating at least a portion of the condensable vapors and at least a portion of the non-condensable gases from the hot pyrolyzed solids; (f) in a cooling zone, cooling the hot pyrolyzed solids, in the presence of the substantially inert gas for at least 5 minutes and with a cooling temperature less than or equal to about the pyrolysis temperature, to generate warm pyrolyzed solids; (g) cooling the warm pyrolyzed solids to generate cool pyrolyzed solids; and (h) recovering a biogenic activated carbon comprising at least a portion of the cool pyrolyzed solids. in some embodiments, the process for producing a biogenic activated carbon further comprises a step of sizing (e.g., sorting, screening, classifying, etc.) the warm or cool pyrolyzed solids to form sized pyrolyzed solids. the sized pyrolyzed solids can then be used in applications which call for an activated carbon product having a certain particle size characteristic. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon comprises at least about 55 wt.%, for example at least 55 wt.%, at least 60 wt.%, at least 65 wt.%, at least 70 wt%, at least 75 wt.%, at least 80 wt%, at least 85 wt.%, at least 90 wt%, at least 95 wt%, at least 96 wt%, at least 97 wt%, at least 98 wt%, or at least 99 wt% total carbon on a dry basis. the total carbon includes at least fixed carbon, and may further include carbon from volatile matter. in some embodiments, carbon from volatile matter is about at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 25%, or at least 50% of the total carbon present in the biogenic activated carbon. fixed carbon may be measured using astm d3172, while volatile carbon may be estimated using astm d3175, for example. biogenic activated carbon according to the present disclosure may comprise about 0 wt% to about 8 wt% hydrogen. in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon comprises greater than about 0.5 wt% hydrogen, for example about 0.6 wt%, about 0.7 wt%, about 0.8 wt%, about 0.9 wt%, about 1 wt%, about 1.2 wt%, about 1.4 wt%, about 1.6 wt%, about 1.8 wt%, about 2 wt%, about 2.2 wt%, about 2.4 wt%, about 2.6 wt%, about 2.8 wt%, about 3 wt%, about 3.2 wt%, about 3.4 wt%, about 3.6 wt%, about 3.8 wt%, about 4 wt%, or greater than about 4 wt% hydrogen. the hydrogen content of biogenic activated carbon may be determined by any suitable method known in the art, for example by the combustion analysis procedure outlined in astm d5373. in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon has a hydrogen content that is greater than the hydrogen content of activated carbon derived from fossil fuel sources. typically, fossil fuel based activated carbon products have less than or equal to about 1 wt% hydrogen, for example about 0.6 wt% hydrogen. in some embodiments, the characteristics of an activated carbon product can be optimized by blending an amount of a fossil fuel based activated carbon product (i.e., with a very low hydrogen content) with a suitable amount of a biogenic activated carbon product having a hydrogen content greater than that of the fossil fuel based activated carbon product. the biogenic activated carbon may comprise about 10 wt% or less, such as about 5 wt% or less, hydrogen on a dry basis. the biogenic activated carbon product may comprise about 1 wt% or less, such as about 0.5 wt% or less, nitrogen on a dry basis. the biogenic activated carbon product may comprise about 0.5 wt% or less, such as about 0.2 wt% or less, phosphorus on a dry basis. the biogenic activated carbon product may comprise about 0.2 wt% or less, such as about 0.1 wt% or less, sulfur on a dry basis. in certain embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon includes oxygen, such as up to 20 wt% oxygen, for example about 0.2 wt%, about 0.5 wt%, about 1 wt%, about 2 wt%, about 3 wt%, about 4 wt%, about 5 wt%, about 6 wt%, about 7 wt%, about 7.5 wt%, about 8 wt%, about 9 wt%, about 10 wt%, about 11 wt%, about 12 wt%, about 13 wt%, about 14 wt%, about 15 wt%, about 16 wt%, about 17 wt%, about 18 wt%, about 19 wt%, or about 20 wt% oxygen. the presence of oxygen may be beneficial in the activated carbon for certain applications, such as mercury capture, especially in conjunction with the presence of a halogen (such as chlorine or bromine). in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon has a oxygen content that is greater than the oxygen content of activated carbon derived from fossil fuel sources. typically, fossil fuel based activated carbon products have less than or equal to about 10 wt% oxygen, for example about 7 wt% oxygen or about 0.3 wt% oxygen. in some embodiments, the characteristics of an activated carbon product can be optimized by blending an amount of a fossil fuel based activated carbon product (i.e., with a very low oxygen content) with a suitable amount of a biogenic activated carbon product having a oxygen content greater than that of the fossil fuel based activated carbon product. carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen may be measured using astm d5373 for ultimate analysis, for example. oxygen may be estimated using astm d3176, for example. sulfur may be measured using astm d3177, for example. certain embodiments provide reagents with little or essentially no hydrogen (except from any moisture that may be present), nitrogen, phosphorus, or sulfur, and are substantially carbon plus any ash and moisture present. therefore, some embodiments provide a material with up to and including 100% carbon, on a dry/ash-free (daf) basis. generally speaking, feedstocks such as biomass contain non-volatile species, including silica and various metals, which are not readily released during pyrolysis. it is of course possible to utilize ash-free feedstocks, in which case there should not be substantial quantities of ash in the pyrolyzed solids. ash may be measured using astm d3174, for example. various amounts of non-combustible matter, such as ash, may be present. the biogenic activated carbon may comprise about 10 wt% or less, such as about 5 wt%, about 2 wt%, about 1 wt% or less than or equal to about 1 wt% of non-combustible matter on a dry basis. in certain embodiments, the reagent contains little ash, or even essentially no ash or other non-combustible matter. therefore, some embodiments provide essentially pure carbon, including 100% carbon, on a dry basis. various amounts of moisture may be present. on a total mass basis, the biogenic activated carbon may comprise at least 1 wt%, at least 2 wt%, at least 5 wt%, at least 10 wt%, at least 15 wt%, at least 25 wt%, at least 35 wt%, at least 50 wt%, or more than 50 wt% of moisture. as intended herein, "moisture" is to be construed as including any form of water present in the biogenic activated carbon product, including absorbed moisture, adsorbed water molecules, chemical hydrates, and physical hydrates. the equilibrium moisture content may vary at least with the local environment, such as the relative humidity. also, moisture may vary during transportation, preparation for use, and other logistics. moisture may be measured by any suitable method known in the art, including astm d3173, for example. the biogenic activated carbon may have various "energy content" which for present purposes means the energy density based on the higher heating value associated with total combustion of the bone-dry reagent. for example, the biogenic activated carbon may possess an energy content of about at least 11,000 btu/lb, at least 12,000 btu/lb, at least 13,000 btu/lb, at least 14,000 btu/lb, or at least 15,000 btu/lb. in certain embodiments, the energy content is between about 14,000-15,000 btu/lb. the energy content may be measured by any suitable method known in the art, including astm d5865, for example. the biogenic activated carbon may be formed into a powder, such as a coarse powder or a fine powder. for example, the reagent may be formed into a powder with an average mesh size of about 200 mesh, about 100 mesh, about 50 mesh, about 10 mesh, about 6 mesh, about 4 mesh, or about 2 mesh, in embodiments. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon has an average particle size of up to about 500 µm, for example less than or equal to about 10 µm, about 10 µm, about 25 µm, about 50 µm, about 75 µm, about 100 µm, about 200 µm, about 300 µm, about 400 µm, or about 500 µm. the biogenic activated carbon may be produced as powder activated carbon, which generally includes particles with a size predominantly less than or equal to about 0.21 mm (70 mesh). the biogenic activated carbon may be produced as granular activated carbon, which generally includes irregularly shaped particles with sizes ranging from 0.2 mm to 5 mm. the biogenic activated carbon may be produced as pelletized activated carbon, which generally includes extruded and cylindrically shaped objects with diameters from 0.8 mm to 5 mm. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon is formed into structural objects comprising pressed, binded, or agglomerated particles. the starting material to form these objects may be a powder form of the reagent, such as an intermediate obtained by particle-size reduction. the objects may be formed by mechanical pressing or other forces, optionally with a binder or other means of agglomerating particles together. following formation from pyrolysis, the biogenic activated carbon may be pulverized to form a powder. "pulverization" in this context is meant to include any sizing, milling, pulverizing, grinding, crushing, extruding, or other primarily mechanical treatment to reduce the average particle size. the mechanical treatment may be assisted by chemical or electrical forces, if desired. pulverization may be a batch, continuous, or semi-continuous process and may be carried out at a different location than that of formation of the pyrolyzed solids, in some embodiments. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon is produced in the form of structural objects whose structure substantially derives from the feedstock. for example, feedstock chips may produce product chips of biogenic activated carbon. or, feedstock cylinders may produce biogenic activated carbon cylinders, which may be somewhat smaller but otherwise maintain the basic structure and geometry of the starting material. a biogenic activated carbon according to the present disclosure may be produced as, or formed into, an object that has a minimum dimension of at least about 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, 8 cm, 9 cm, 10 cm, or higher. in various embodiments, the minimum dimension or maximum dimension can be a length, width, or diameter. other variations of the disclosure relate to the incorporation of additives into the process, into the product, or both. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon includes at least one process additive incorporated during the process. in these or other embodiments, the activated carbon includes at least one product additive introduced to the activated carbon following the process. other variations of the disclosure relate to the incorporation of additives into the process, into the product, or both. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon includes at least one process additive incorporated during the process. in these or other embodiments, the reagent includes at least one product additive introduced to the reagent following the process. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon comprises, on a dry basis: 55 wt% or more total carbon; 5 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; optionally from 0.5 wt% to 10 wt% oxygen; 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus; 0.2 wt% or less sulfur; and an additive selected from a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, or a combination thereof. the additive may be selected from, but is by no means limited to, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, chromium, silicon, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, or combinations thereof. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon comprises, on a dry basis: 55 wt% or more total carbon; 5 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; optionally from 0.5 wt% to 10 wt% oxygen; 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus; 0.2 wt% or less sulfur; and an additive selected from an acid, a base, or a salt thereof. the additive may be selected from, but is by no means limited to, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids (e.g., citric acid), or combinations thereof. in certain embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon comprises, on a dry basis: 55 wt% or more total carbon; 5 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; optionally from 0.5 wt% to 10 wt% oxygen; 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus; 0.2 wt% or less sulfur; a first additive selected from a metal, metal oxide, metal hydroxide, a metal halide, or a combination thereof; and a second additive selected from an acid, a base, or a salt thereof, wherein the first additive is different from the second additive. the first additive may be selected from iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, chromium, silicon, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, or combinations thereof, while the second additive may be independently selected from sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids (e.g., citric acid), or combinations thereof. a certain biogenic activated carbon consists essentially of, on a dry basis, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, non-combustible matter, and an additive selected from the group consisting of iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, chromium, silicon, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, and combinations thereof. a certain biogenic activated carbon consists essentially of, on a dry basis, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, non-combustible matter, and an additive selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, and combinations thereof. the amount of additive (or total additives) may vary widely, such as from about 0.01 wt% to about 25 wt%, including about 0.1 wt%, about 1 wt%, about 5 wt%, about 10 wt%, or about 20 wt% on a dry basis. it will be appreciated then when relatively large amounts of additives are incorporated, such as higher than about 1 wt%, there will be a reduction in energy content calculated on the basis of the total activated carbon weight (inclusive of additives). still, in various embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon with additive(s) may possess an energy content of about at least 11,000 btu/lb, at least 12,000 btu/lb, at least 13,000 btu/lb, at least 14,000 btu/lb, or at least 15,000 btu/lb, when based on the entire weight of the biogenic activated carbon (including the additive(s)). the above discussion regarding product form applies also to embodiments that incorporate additives. in fact, certain embodiments incorporate additives as binders or other modifiers to enhance final properties for a particular application. in some embodiments, the majority of carbon contained in the biogenic activated carbon is classified as renewable carbon. in some embodiments, substantially all of the carbon is classified as renewable carbon. there may be certain market mechanisms (e.g., renewable identification numbers, tax credits, etc.) wherein value is attributed to the renewable carbon content within the biogenic activated carbon. in some embodiments, the additive itself is derived from biogenic sources or is otherwise classified as derived from a renewable carbon source. for example, some organic acids such as citric acid are derived from renewable carbon sources. thus, in some embodiments, the carbon content of a biogenic activated carbon consists of, consists essentially of, or consists substantially of renewable carbon. for example, a fully biogenic activated carbon formed by methods as disclosed herein consist of, consist essentially of, or consist substantially of (a) pyrolyzed solids derived solely from biomass from renewable carbon sources and (b) one or more additives derived solely from renewable carbon sources the biogenic activated carbon produced as described herein is useful for a wide variety of carbonaceous products. in variations, a product includes any of the biogenic activated carbons that may be obtained by the disclosed processes, or that are described in the compositions set forth herein, or any portions, combinations, or derivatives thereof. generally speaking, the biogenic activated carbons may be combusted to produce energy (including electricity and heat); partially oxidized or steam-reformed to produce syngas; utilized for their adsorptive or absorptive properties; utilized for their reactive properties during metal refining (such as reduction of metal oxides) or other industrial processing; or utilized for their material properties in carbon steel and various other metal alloys. essentially, the biogenic activated carbons may be utilized for any market application of carbon-based commodities or advanced materials, including specialty uses to be developed. biogenic activated carbon prepared according to the processes disclosed herein has the same or better characteristics as traditional fossil fuel-based activated carbon. in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon has a surface area that is comparable to, equal to, or greater than surface area associated with fossil fuel-based activated carbon. in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon can control pollutants as well as or better than traditional activated carbon products. in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon has an inert material (e.g., ash) level that is comparable to, equal to, or less than or equal to about an inert material (e.g., ash) level associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon has a particle size and/or a particle size distribution that is comparable to, equal to, greater than, or less than or equal to about a particle size and/or a particle size distribution associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has a particle shape that is comparable to, substantially similar to, or the same as a particle shape associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has a particle shape that is substantially different than a particle shape associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has a pore volume that is comparable to, equal to, or greater than a pore volume associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has pore dimensions that are comparable to, substantially similar to, or the same as pore dimensions associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated product has an attrition resistance of particles value that is comparable to, substantially similar to, or the same as an attrition resistance of particles value associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has a hardness value that is comparable to, substantially similar to, or the same as a hardness value associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has a hardness value that is comparable to, substantially less than or equal to about, or less than or equal to about a hardness value associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has a bulk density value that is comparable to, substantially similar to, or the same as a bulk density value associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has a bulk density value that is comparable to, substantially less than or equal to about, or less than or equal to about a bulk density value associated with a traditional activated carbon product. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product has an absorptive capacity that is comparable to, substantially similar to, or the same as an absorptive capacity associated with a traditional activated carbon product. prior to suitability or actual use in any product applications, the disclosed biogenic activated carbons may be analyzed, measured, and optionally modified (such as through additives) in various ways. some properties of potential interest, other than chemical composition and energy content, include density, particle size, surface area, microporosity, absorptivity, adsorptivity, binding capacity, reactivity, desulfurization activity, basicity, hardness, and iodine number. some variations of the present disclosure provide various activated carbon products. activated carbon is used in a wide variety of liquid and gas-phase applications, including water treatment, air purification, solvent vapor recovery, food and beverage processing, sugar and sweetener refining, automotive uses, and pharmaceuticals. for activated carbon, key product attributes may include particle size, shape, and composition; surface area, pore volume and pore dimensions, particle-size distribution, the chemical nature of the carbon surface and interior, attrition resistance of particles, hardness, bulk density, and adsorptive capacity. the surface area of the biogenic activated carbon may vary widely. exemplary surface areas range from about 400 m 2 /g to about 2000 m 2 /g or higher, such as about 500 m 2 /g, 600 m 2 /g, 800 m 2 /g, 1000 m 2 /g, 1200 m 2 /g, 1400 m 2 /g, 1600 m 2 /g, or 1800 m 2 /g. surface area generally correlates to adsorption capacity. the iodine number is a parameter used to characterize activated carbon performance. the iodine number measures the degree of activation of the carbon, and is a measure of micropore (e.g., 0-20 å) content. it is an important measurement for liquid-phase applications. other pore-related measurements include methylene blue, which measures mesopore content (e.g., 20-500 å); and molasses number, which measures macropore content (e.g., >500 å). the pore-size distribution and pore volume are important to determine ultimate performance. a typical bulk density for the biogenic activated carbon is about 400 to 500 g/liter, such as about 450 g/liter. hardness or abrasion number is measure of activated carbon's resistance to attrition. it is an indicator of activated carbon's physical integrity to withstand frictional forces and mechanical stresses during handling or use. some amount of hardness is desirable, but if the hardness is too high, excessive equipment wear can result. exemplary abrasion numbers, measured according to astm d3802, range from about 1% to great than about 99%, such as about 1%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or greater than about 99%. in some embodiments, an optimal range of hardness can be achieved in which the biogenic activated carbon is reasonably resistant to attrition but does not cause abrasion and wear in capital facilities that process the activated carbon. this optimum is made possible in some embodiments of this disclosure due to the selection of feedstock as well as processing conditions. for example, it is known that coconut shells tend to produce abrasion numbers of 99% or higher, so coconut shells would be a less-than-optimal feedstock for achieving optimum hardness. in some embodiments in which the downstream use can handle high hardness, the process of this disclosure may be operated to increase or maximize hardness to produce biogenic activated carbon products having an abrasion number of about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or greater than about 99%. the biogenic activated carbon provided by the present disclosure has a wide range of commercial uses. for example, without limitation, the biogenic activated carbon may be utilized in emissions control, water purification, groundwater treatment, wastewater treatment, air stripper applications, pcb removal applications, odor removal applications, soil vapor extractions, manufactured gas plants, industrial water filtration, industrial fumigation, tank and process vents, pumps, blowers, filters, pre-filters, mist filters, ductwork, piping modules, adsorbers, absorbers, and columns. some variations provide a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein the activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene. in some embodiments, the composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field, or includes an additive that is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. such an additive may be iron or an iron-containing compound. the graphene itself (with no additive) may be responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. some variations provide a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and from about 0.0001 wt% to about 1 wt% iron; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene, wherein the activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein the composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. some variations provide a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and from about 0.1 wt% to about 1 wt% iron; wherein the activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein the composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. some variations provide a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein the activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene. the present disclosure also provides a biogenic graphene-containing product characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500. some variations of this disclosure provide a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce emissions, the method comprising: (a) providing activated carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; (b) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one selected contaminant; (c) providing an additive selected to assist in removal of the selected contaminant from the gas-phase emissions stream; (d) introducing the activated carbon particles and the additive into the gas-phase emissions stream, to adsorb at least a portion of the selected contaminant onto the activated carbon particles, thereby generating contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles within the gas-phase emissions stream; and (e) separating at least a portion of the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles from the gas-phase emissions stream, to produce a contaminant-reduced gas-phase emissions stream. the additive for the biogenic activated carbon composition may be provided as part of the activated carbon particles. alternatively, or additionally, the additive may be introduced directly into the gas-phase emissions stream, into a fuel bed, or into a combustion zone. other ways of directly or indirectly introducing the additive into the gas-phase emissions stream for removal of the selected contaminant are possible, as will be appreciated by one of skill in the art. a selected contaminant (in the gas-phase emissions stream) may be a metal, such as a metal is selected from the group consisting of mercury, boron, selenium, arsenic, and any compound, salt, and mixture thereof. a selected contaminant may be a hazardous air pollutant, an organic compound (such as a voc), or a non-condensable gas, for example. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product adsorbs, absorbs and/or chemisorbs a selected contaminant in greater amounts than a comparable amount of a non-biogenic activated carbon product. in some such embodiments, the selected contaminant is a metal, a hazardous air pollutant, an organic compound (such as a voc), a non-condensable gas, or any combination thereof. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant comprises mercury. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant comprises one or more vocs. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon comprises at least about 1 wt% hydrogen and/or at least about 10 wt% oxygen. hazardous air pollutants are those pollutants that cause or may cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental and ecological effects. section 112 of the clean air act, as amended, is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. pursuant to the section 112 of the clean air act, the united states environmental protection agency (epa) is mandated to control 189 hazardous air pollutants. any current or future compounds classified as hazardous air pollutants by the epa are included in possible selected contaminants in the present context. volatile organic compounds, some of which are also hazardous air pollutants, are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure at ordinary, room-temperature conditions. examples include short-chain alkanes, olefins, alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes. many volatile organic compounds are dangerous to human health or cause harm to the environment. epa regulates volatile organic compounds in air, water, and land. epa's definition of volatile organic compounds is described in 40 cfr section 51.100, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. non-condensable gases are gases that do not condense under ordinary, room-temperature conditions. non-condensable gas may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, methane, ethane, ethylene, ozone, ammonia, or combinations thereof. multiple contaminants may be removed by the activated carbon particles. in some embodiments, the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles include at least two contaminants, at least three contaminants, or more. the biogenic activated carbon as disclosed herein can allow multi-pollutant control as well as control of certain targeted pollutants (e.g. selenium). in certain embodiments, the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles include at least one, at least two, at least three, or all of, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and sulfur dioxide (in any combination). the separation in step (e) may include filtration (e.g., fabric filters) or electrostatic precipitation (esp), for example. fabric filters, also known as baghouses, may utilize engineered fabric filter tubes, envelopes, or cartridges, for example. there are several types of baghouses, including pulse-jet, shaker-style, and reverse-air systems. the separation in step (e) may also include scrubbing. an electrostatic precipitator, or electrostatic air cleaner, is a particulate collection device that removes particles from a flowing gas using the force of an induced electrostatic charge. electrostatic precipitators are highly efficient filtration devices that minimally impede the flow of gases through the device, and can easily remove fine particulate matter from the air stream. an electrostatic precipitator applies energy only to the particulate matter being collected and therefore is very efficient in its consumption of energy (electricity). the electrostatic precipitator may be dry or wet. a wet electrostatic precipitator operates with saturated gas streams to remove liquid droplets such as sulfuric acid mist from industrial process gas streams. wet electrostatic precipitators may be useful when the gases are high in moisture content, contain combustible particulate, or have particles that are sticky in nature. in some embodiments, the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles are treated to regenerate the activated carbon particles. in some embodiments, the method includes thermally oxidizing the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles. the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles, or a regenerated form thereof, may be combusted to provide energy. in some embodiments, the additive is selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, or a combination thereof. in certain embodiments, the additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids (e.g., citric acid), and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from combustion of a fuel comprising the biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments relating specifically to mercury removal, a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce mercury emissions comprises: (a) providing activated carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition that includes iron or an iron-containing compound; (b) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising mercury; (c) introducing the activated carbon particles into the gas-phase emissions stream, to adsorb at least a portion of the mercury onto the activated carbon particles, thereby generating mercury-adsorbed carbon particles within the gas-phase emissions stream; and (d) separating at least a portion of the mercury-adsorbed carbon particles from the gas-phase emissions stream using electrostatic precipitation or filtration, to produce a mercury-reduced gas-phase emissions stream. in some embodiments, a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to reduce emissions ( e.g ., mercury) further comprises using the biogenic activated carbon as a fuel source. in such embodiments, the high heat value of the biogenic activated carbon product can be utilized in addition to its ability to reduce emissions by adsorbing, absorbing and/or chemisorbing potential pollutants. thus, in an example embodiment, the biogenic activated carbon product, when used as a fuel source and as a mercury control product, prevents at least 70% of mercury from emanating from a power plant, for example about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, 98.5%, about 99%, about 99.1%, about 99.2%, about 99.3%, about 99.4%, about 99.5%, about 99.6%, about 99.7%, about 99.8%, about 99.9%, or greater than about 99.9% of mercury. as an exemplary embodiment, biogenic activated carbon may be injected (such as into the ductwork) upstream of a particulate matter control device, such as an electrostatic precipitator or fabric filter. in some cases, a flue gas desulfurization (dry or wet) system may be downstream of the activated carbon injection point. the activated carbon may be pneumatically injected as a powder. the injection location will typically be determined by the existing plant configuration (unless it is a new site) and whether additional downstream particulate matter control equipment is modified. for boilers currently equipped with particulate matter control devices, implementing biogenic activated carbon injection for mercury control could entail: (i) injection of powdered activated carbon upstream of the existing particulate matter control device (electrostatic precipitator or fabric filter); (ii) injection of powdered activated carbon downstream of an existing electrostatic precipitator and upstream of a retrofit fabric filter; or (iii) injection of powdered activated carbon between electrostatic precipitator electric fields. in some embodiments, powdered biogenic activated carbon injection approaches may be employed in combination with existing so 2 control devices. activated carbon could be injected prior to the so 2 control device or after the so 2 control device, subject to the availability of a means to collect the activated carbon sorbent downstream of the injection point. when electrostatic precipitation is employed, the presence of iron or an iron-containing compound in the activated carbon particles can improve the effectiveness of electrostatic precipitation, thereby improving mercury control. the method optionally further includes separating the mercury-adsorbed carbon particles, containing the iron or an iron-containing compound, from carbon or ash particles that do not contain the iron or an iron-containing compound. the carbon or ash particles that do not contain the iron or an iron-containing compound may be recovered for recycling, selling as a co-product, or other use. any separations involving iron or materials containing iron may employ magnetic separation, taking advantage of the magnetic properties of iron. a biogenic activated carbon composition that includes iron or an iron-containing compound is a "magnetic activated carbon" product. that is, the material is susceptible to a magnetic field. the iron or iron-containing compound may be separated using magnetic separation devices. additionally, the biogenic activated carbon, which contains iron, may be separated using magnetic separation. when magnetic separation is to be employed, magnetic metal separators may be magnet cartridges, plate magnets, or another known configuration. inclusion of iron or iron-containing compounds may drastically improve the performance of electrostatic precipitators for mercury control. furthermore, inclusion of iron or iron-containing compounds may drastically change end-of-life options, since the spent activated carbon solids may be separated from other ash. in some embodiments, a magnetic activated carbon product can be separated out of the ash stream. under the astm standards for use of fly ash in cement, the fly ash must come from coal products. if wood-based activated carbon can be separated from other fly ash, the remainder of the ash may be used per the astm standards for cement production. similarly, the ability to separate mercury-laden ash may allow it to be better handled and disposed of, potentially reducing costs of handling all ash from a certain facility. in some embodiments, the same physical material may be used in multiple processes, either in an integrated way or in sequence. thus, for example, an activated carbon may, at the end of its useful life as a performance material, then be introduced to a combustion process for energy value or to a metal process, etc. for example, an activated carbon injected into an emissions stream may be suitable to remove contaminants, followed by combustion of the activated carbon particles and possibly the contaminants, to produce energy and thermally destroy or chemically oxidize the contaminants. in some variations, a process for energy production comprises: (a) providing a carbon-containing feedstock comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition (which may include one or more additives); and (b) oxidizing the carbon-containing feedstock to generate energy and a gas-phase emissions stream, wherein the presence of the biogenic activated carbon composition within the carbon-containing feedstock is effective to adsorb at least one contaminant produced as a byproduct of the oxidizing or derived from the carbon-containing feedstock, thereby reducing emissions of the contaminant. in some embodiments, the contaminant, or a precursor thereof, is contained within the carbon-containing feedstock. in other embodiments, the contaminant is produced as a byproduct of the oxidizing. the carbon-containing feedstock may further include biomass, coal, or any other carbonaceous material, in addition to the biogenic activated carbon composition. in certain embodiments, the carbon-containing feedstock consists essentially of the biogenic activated carbon composition as the sole fuel source. the selected contaminant may be a metal selected from the group consisting of mercury, boron, selenium, arsenic, and any compound, salt, and mixture thereof; a hazardous air pollutant; an organic compound (such as a voc); a non-condensable gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, methane, ethane, ethylene, ozone, and ammonia; or any combinations thereof. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product adsorbs, absorbs and/or chemisorbs a selected contaminant in greater amounts than a comparable amount of a non-biogenic activated carbon product. in some such embodiments, the selected contaminant is a metal, a hazardous air pollutant, an organic compound (such as a voc), a non-condensable gas, or any combination thereof. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant comprises mercury. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant comprises one or more vocs. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon comprises at least about 1 wt% hydrogen and/or at least about 10 wt% oxygen. the biogenic activated carbon and the principles of the disclosure may be applied to liquid-phase applications, including processing of water, aqueous streams of varying purities, solvents, liquid fuels, polymers, molten salts, and molten metals, for example. as intended herein, "liquid phase" includes slurries, suspensions, emulsions, multiphase systems, or any other material that has (or may be adjusted to have) at least some amount of a liquid state present. a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to purify a liquid, in some variations, includes the following steps: (a) providing activated carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; (b) providing a liquid comprising at least one selected contaminant; (c) providing an additive selected to assist in removal of the selected contaminant from the liquid; and (d) contacting the liquid with the activated carbon particles and the additive, to adsorb at least a portion of the at least one selected contaminant onto the activated carbon particles, thereby generating contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles and a contaminant-reduced liquid. the additive may be provided as part of the activated carbon particles. or, the additive may be introduced directly into the liquid. in some embodiments, additives—which may be the same, or different—are introduced both as part of the activated carbon particles as well as directly into the liquid. in some embodiments relating to liquid-phase applications, an additive is selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, or a combination thereof. for example an additive may be selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids (e.g., citric acid), and combinations thereof. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant (in the liquid to be treated) is a metal, such as a metal selected from the group consisting of arsenic, boron, selenium, mercury, and any compound, salt, and mixture thereof. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant is an organic compound (such as a voc), a halogen, a biological compound, a pesticide, or a herbicide. the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles may include two, three, or more contaminants. in some embodiments, a biogenic activated carbon product adsorbs, absorbs and/or chemisorbs a selected contaminant in greater amounts than a comparable amount of a non-biogenic activated carbon product. in some such embodiments, the selected contaminant is a metal, a hazardous air pollutant, an organic compound (such as a voc), a non-condensable gas, or any combination thereof. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant comprises mercury. in some embodiments, the selected contaminant comprises one or more vocs. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon comprises at least about 1 wt% hydrogen and/or at least about 10 wt% oxygen. the liquid to be treated will typically be aqueous, although that is not necessary for the principles of this disclosure. in some embodiments, step (c) includes contacting the liquid with the activated carbon particles in a fixed bed. in other embodiments, step (c) includes contacting the liquid with the activated carbon particles in solution or in a moving bed. some variations provide a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to remove at least a portion of a sulfur-containing contaminant from a liquid, the method comprising: (a) providing activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; (b) providing a liquid containing a sulfur-containing contaminant; (c) providing an additive selected to assist in removal of the sulfur-containing contaminant from the liquid; and (d) contacting the liquid with the activated-carbon particles and the additive, to adsorb or absorb at least a portion of the sulfur-containing contaminant onto or into the activated-carbon particles. in some embodiments, the sulfur-containing contaminant is selected from the group consisting of elemental sulfur, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, sulfate anions, bisulfate anions, sulfite anions, bisulfite anions, thiols, sulfides, disulfides, polysulfides, thioethers, thioesters, thioacetals, sulfoxides, sulfones, thiosulfinates, sulfimides, sulfoximides, sulfonediimines, sulfur halides, thioketones, thioaldehydes, sulfur oxides, thiocarboxylic acids, thioamides, sulfonic acids, sulfinic acids, sulfenic acids, sulfonium, oxosulfonium, sulfuranes, persulfuranes, and combinations, salts, or derivatives thereof. for example, the sulfur-containing contaminant may be a sulfate, in anionic and/or salt form. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises 55 wt% or more total carbon; 15 wt% or less hydrogen; and 1 wt% or less nitrogen; and an additive if provided as part of the activated-carbon particles. the additive may be selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. the additive may alternatively (or additionally) be introduced directly into the liquid. in some embodiments, step (d) includes filtration of the liquid. in these or other embodiments, step (d) includes osmosis of the liquid. the activated-carbon particles and the additive may be directly introduced to the liquid prior to osmosis. the activated-carbon particles and the additive may be employed in pre-filtration prior to osmosis. in certain embodiments, the activated-carbon particles and the additive are incorporated into a membrane for osmosis. for example, known membrane materials such as cellulose acetate may be modified by introducing the activated-carbon particles and/or additives within the membrane itself or as a layer on one or both sides of the membrane. various thin-film carbon-containing composites could be fabricated with the activated-carbon particles and additives. in some embodiments, step (d) includes direct addition of the activated-carbon particles to the liquid, followed by for example sedimentation of the activated-carbon particles with the sulfur-containing contaminant from the liquid. the liquid may be an aqueous liquid, such as water. in some embodiments, the water is wastewater associated with a process selected from the group consisting of metal mining, acid mine drainage, mineral processing, municipal sewer treatment, pulp and paper, ethanol, and any other industrial process that is capable of discharging sulfur-containing contaminants in wastewater. the water may also be (or be part of) a natural body of water, such as a lake, river, or stream. some variations provide a process to reduce the concentration of sulfates in water, the process comprising: (a) providing activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; (b) providing a volume or stream of water containing sulfates; (c) providing an additive selected to assist in removal of the sulfates from the water; and (d) contacting the water with the activated-carbon particles and the additive, to adsorb or absorb at least a portion of the sulfates onto or into the activated-carbon particles. in some embodiments, the sulfates are reduced to a concentration of about 50 mg/l or less in the water, such as a concentration of about 10 mg/l or less in the water. in some embodiments, the sulfates are reduced, as a result of absorption and/or adsorption into the biogenic activated carbon composition, to a concentration of about 100 mg/l, 75 mg/l, 50 mg/l, 25 mg/l, 20 mg/l, 15 mg/l, 12 mg/l, 10 mg/l, 8 mg/l, or less in the wastewater stream. in some embodiments, the sulfate is present primarily in the form of sulfate anions and/or bisulfate anions. depending on ph, the sulfate may also be present in the form of sulfate salts. the water may be derived from, part of, or the entirety of a wastewater stream. exemplary wastewater streams are those that may be associated with a metal mining, acid mine drainage, mineral processing, municipal sewer treatment, pulp and paper, ethanol, or any other industrial process that could discharge sulfur-containing contaminants to wastewater. the water may be a natural body of water, such as a lake, river, or stream. in some embodiments, the process is conducted continuously. in other embodiments, the process is conducted in batch. the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises 55 wt% or more total carbon; 15 wt% or less hydrogen; and 1 wt% or less nitrogen, in some embodiments. the additive may be selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. the additive is provided as part of the activated-carbon particles and/or is introduced directly into the water. step (d) may include, but is not limited to, filtration of the water, osmosis of the water, and/or direct addition (with sedimentation, clarification, etc.) of the activated-carbon particles to the water. when osmosis is employed, the activated carbon can be used in several ways within, or to assist, an osmosis device. in some embodiments, the activated-carbon particles and the additive are directly introduced to the water prior to osmosis. the activated-carbon particles and the additive are optionally employed in pre-filtration prior to the osmosis. in certain embodiments, the activated-carbon particles and the additive are incorporated into a membrane for osmosis. this disclosure also provides a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition to remove a sulfur-containing contaminant from a gas phase, the method comprising: (a) providing activated-carbon particles comprising a biogenic activated carbon composition; (b) providing a gas-phase emissions stream comprising at least one sulfur-containing contaminant; (c) providing an additive selected to assist in removal of the sulfur-containing contaminant from the gas-phase emissions stream; (d) introducing the activated-carbon particles and the additive into the gas-phase emissions stream, to adsorb or absorb at least a portion of the sulfur-containing contaminant onto the activated-carbon particles; and (e) separating at least a portion of the activated-carbon particles from the gas-phase emissions stream. in some embodiments, the sulfur-containing contaminant is selected from the group consisting of elemental sulfur, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, sulfate anions, bisulfate anions, sulfite anions, bisulfite anions, thiols, sulfides, disulfides, polysulfides, thioethers, thioesters, thioacetals, sulfoxides, sulfones, thiosulfinates, sulfimides, sulfoximides, sulfonediimines, sulfur halides, thioketones, thioaldehydes, sulfur oxides, thiocarboxylic acids, thioamides, sulfonic acids, sulfinic acids, sulfenic acids, sulfonium, oxosulfonium, sulfuranes, persulfuranes, and combinations, salts, or derivatives thereof. the biogenic activated carbon composition may include 55 wt% or more total carbon; 15 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; and an additive selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. the additive may be provided as part of the activated-carbon particles, or may be introduced directly into the gas-phase emissions stream. in some embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from combustion of a fuel comprising the biogenic activated carbon composition. for example, the gas-phase emissions stream may be derived from co-combustion of coal and the biogenic activated carbon composition. in some embodiments, separating in step (e) comprises filtration. in these or other embodiments, separating in step (e) comprises electrostatic precipitation. in any of these embodiments, separating in step (e) may include scrubbing, which may be wet scrubbing, dry scrubbing, or another type of scrubbing. the biogenic activated carbon composition may comprise 55 wt% or more total carbon; 15 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus; and 0.2 wt% or less sulfur. in various embodiments, the additive is selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. the additive is provided as part of the activated-carbon particles, in some embodiments; alternatively or additionally, the additive may be introduced directly into the gas-phase emissions stream. in certain embodiments, the gas-phase emissions stream is derived from combustion of a fuel comprising the biogenic activated carbon composition. for example, the gas-phase emissions stream may be derived from co-combustion of coal and the biogenic activated carbon composition. the biogenic activated carbon composition comprises 55 wt% or more total carbon; 15 wt% or less hydrogen; 1 wt% or less nitrogen; 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus; and 0.2 wt% or less sulfur, in some embodiments. the additive may be selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. the additive may be provided as part of the activated-carbon particles. the additive may optionally be introduced directly into the wastewater stream. the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles may be further treated to regenerate the activated carbon particles. after regeneration, the activated carbon particles may be reused for contaminant removal, or may be used for another purpose, such as combustion to produce energy. in some embodiments, the contaminant-adsorbed carbon particles are directly oxidized (without regeneration) to produce energy. in some embodiments, with the oxidation occurs in the presence of an emissions control device (e.g., a second amount of fresh or regenerated activated carbon particles) to capture contaminants released from the oxidation of the contaminant-absorbed carbon particles. in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon according to the present disclosure can be used in any other application in which traditional activated carbon might be used. in some embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon is used as a total ( i.e., 100%) replacement for traditional activated carbon. in some embodiments, biogenic activated carbon comprises essentially all or substantially all of the activated carbon used for a particular application. in some embodiments, an activated carbon composition comprises about 1% to about 100% of biogenic activated carbon, for example, about 1%, about 2%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or about 100% biogenic activated carbon. for example and without limitation, biogenic activated carbon can be used-alone or in combination with a traditional activated carbon product-in filters. in some embodiments, a filter comprises an activated carbon component consisting of, consisting essentially of, or consisting substantially of a biogenic activated carbon. in some embodiments, a filter comprises an activated carbon component comprising about 1% to about 100% of biogenic activated carbon, for example, about 1%, about 2%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or about 100% biogenic activated carbon. in some embodiments, a packed bed or packed column comprises an activated carbon component consisting of, consisting essentially of, or consisting substantially of a biogenic activated carbon. in some embodiments, a packed bed or packed column comprises an activated carbon component comprising about 1% to about 100% of biogenic activated carbon, for example, about 1%, about 2%, about 5%, about 10%, about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95%, about 96%, about 97%, about 98%, about 99%, or about 100% biogenic activated carbon. in such embodiments, the biogenic activated carbon has a size characteristic suitable for the particular packed bed or packed column. the above description should not be construed as limiting in any way as to the potential applications of the biogenic activated carbon. injection of biogenic activated carbon into gas streams may be useful for control of contaminant emissions in gas streams or liquid streams derived from coal-fired power plants, biomass-fired power plants, metal processing plants, crude-oil refineries, chemical plants, polymer plants, pulp and paper plants, cement plants, waste incinerators, food processing plants, gasification plants, and syngas plants. essentially any industrial process or site that employs fossil fuel or biomass for generation of energy or heat, can benefit from gas treatment by the biogenic activated carbon provided herein. for liquid-phase applications, a wide variety of industrial processes that use or produce liquid streams can benefit from treatment by the biogenic activated carbon provided herein. additionally, when the biogenic activated carbon is co-utilized as a fuel source, either in parallel with its use for contaminant removal or in series following contaminant removal (and optionally following some regeneration), the biogenic activated carbon (i) has lower emissions per btu energy output than fossil fuels; (ii) has lower emissions per btu energy output than biomass fuels; and (iii) can reduce emissions from biomass or fossil fuels when co-fired with such fuels. it is noted that the biogenic activated carbon may also be mixed with coal or other fossil fuels and, through co-combustion, the activated carbon enables reduced emissions of mercury, so 2 , or other contaminants. in some variations, a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein the activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein the composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field; (b) providing a gas or liquid stream containing one or more contaminants; and (c) contacting the gas or liquid stream with the biogenic activated carbon composition to absorb, adsorb, or react at least a portion of the one or more contaminants from the gas or liquid stream. in some variations, a method of using a biogenic activated carbon composition comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein the activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) providing a gas or liquid stream containing one or more contaminants; and (c) contacting the gas or liquid stream with the biogenic activated carbon composition to absorb, adsorb, or react at least a portion of the one or more contaminants from the gas or liquid stream. methods of using graphene are also disclosed. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, for filtration of a liquid (e.g., water) containing a contaminant. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, for filtration of a gas containing a contaminant. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, in an adhesive, sealant, coating, paint, or ink. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, as a component in a composite material to adjust mechanical or electrical properties of said composite material. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, as a catalyst, a catalyst support, a battery electrode material, or a fuel cell electrode material. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, in a graphene-based circuit or memory system. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, as an energy-storage material or as a supercapacitor component. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, as a sink for static electricity dissipation in a liquid or vapor fuel delivery system. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, in a high-bandwidth communication system. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, as a component of an infrared, chemical, or biological sensor. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, as a component of an electronic display. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, as a component of a photovoltaic cell. in some embodiments, a method of using graphene comprises: (a) obtaining a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of the carbon is present in the form of graphene; (b) optionally separating the graphene from the biogenic activated carbon composition; (c) using the graphene, in separated form or as part of the biogenic activated carbon composition, to form a graphene aerogel. examples example 1. production of biogenic activated carbon product with additive. this example demonstrates the production of a biogenic activated carbon product having an additive, namely iron(ii) bromide. an aqueous solution of iron(ii) bromide hydrate was created by mixing 72.6 grams of iron(ii) bromide hydrate into 1 gallon of water (e.g., 1.0% bromine aqueous solution). this solution was added to 5.23 pounds (2.37 kg) of air-dried (12% moisture content) red pine wood chips. each wood chip was approximately 1" x ½" x 1/8". the container of wood chips and solution was sealed with a water tight lid. the contents were mixed periodically over the course of approximately four hours by tipping and rolling the container and contents. the wood chips and solution were kept sealed overnight to allow for saturation of the wood chips with the solution. thereafter, the contents were transferred to an open water-proof tub and allowed to air dry for several hours, with periodic mixing until all free liquid had been absorbed by the wood chips or evaporated. the contents were transferred to an air-dryer and allowed to dry overnight. the pretreated, air-dried wood chips were verified to have 12% moisture content. the mass of the pretreated, air dried wood chips was determined to be 5.25 lbs (2.38 kg). the contents were transferred to a pyrolysis reactor and processed at the following conditions: 370 °c. four-zone heat hot nitrogen introduction system operating at 300 °c. gas extraction probe flow rate of 0.4 cubic feet per minute low oxygen environment product processing time of 30 minutes the finished product was removed from the reactor at a temperature of less than or equal to about 100 °c. upon reaching room temperature (approximately 23 °c.), the finished product had a mass of 2.5 pounds (1.14 kg), indicating a mass yield of 47.6% based upon feedstock mass at 12% moisture content. on a dry basis (correcting out the 12% moisture), the mass yield was 54.1%. as shown in table 1 below, this represents an increase of 28-39% in mass yield over untreated wood chips processed under the same conditions. table-tabl0001 table 1. pretreatment of biomass with 1.0% aqueous iron(ii) bromide increases mass yield. pretreatment mass yield (12% moisture) mass yield (dry basis) iron(ii) bromide 47.6% 54.1% none 34.3% 39.0% none 35.4% 40.2% none 37.2% 42.2% these data indicate a significant improvement in the mass yield for wood chips treated with an iron (ii) bromide solution prior to pyrolytic processing. example 2. performance of iron(ii) bromide pretreated biogenic activated carbon. a sample of the iron(ii) bromide pretreated product prepared according to example 1 was size reduced and utilized in a mercury capture experiment. a sampling tube was prepared with an aliquot of the iron(ii) bromide pretreated biogenic activated carbon. a second tube containing a reference material prepared in accordance with usepa method 30b (supplied by ohio lumex) was used for comparison. both tubes sampled a vapor-phase mercury air sample at identical rates (500 cubic centimeters per minute) for 25 minutes. the sampling media from both tubes were immediately analyzed for mercury using an ohio lumex ra-915 plus zeeman atomic absorption spectrometry instrument. both sets of tubes had collected the same mass on the front sections (calculated as 136 ng/m 3 ), and below detectable levels for the second (backup) sections. as defined in method 30b, this indicates 100% capture of vapor phase mercury by each of the respective reagents. example 3. properties of pretreated biogenic activated carbon products. size-reduced pretreated biogenic activated carbons prepared according to the method of example 1 were subjected to a magnet. table 2 below summarizes the magnetic properties. table-tabl0002 table 2. magnetic properties of pretreated biogenic activated carbon products. sample pretreatment magnetic a-1 1% iron(ii) bromide (aq) yes a-2 0.5% iron(ii) chloride (aq) yes a-3 0.25% iron(ii) chloride (aq) yes a-4 0.1% iron(ii) chloride (aq) yes b 1% sodium halide (aq) no c 1 % potassium halide (aq) no d 1 % calcium halide (aq) no e 1 % manganese halide (aq) no to investigate the dispersion of magnetic particles in the biogenic activated carbon material, an electromicrograph of a portion of the sample a material was obtained. as shown in figure 14a , dispersion of the magnetic particles is not limited to the surface of the material, but rather is pervasive, complete, and essentially uniform throughout. for comparison, figure 14b shows a biogenic activated carbon product prepared by an identical method except without iron(ii) halide pretreatment. figure 15 illustrates the magnetic properties of the biogenic activated carbon product pretreated with iron(ii) bromide as described herein. example 4. reduction of acid gases by potassium permanganate-pretreated biogenic activated carbon. a synthetic mixture of gases (nitrogen with 24.7 ppm carbon monoxide, 24.9 ppm nitric oxide, and 25.1 ppm sulfur dioxide; linde gas north america) was used to evaluate the adsorptive properties of biogenic activated carbon pretreated with 1% aqueous potassium permanganate according to example 1. a mks model 2030 fourier transform infrared (ftir) detector was used to measure the concentration of co, no and so 2 in real time. a sample of 0.4 grams of the potassium permanganate pretreated biogenic activated carbon was loaded into a volatile organic sampling train (vost) tube and secured in place with filter frits and spring clamps. the ftir detector was operated on the standardize gas stream to establish the baseline measured values. then the vost tube containing the test material was placed into the gas stream before the detector. as shown in figure 16 , 100% of the sulfur dioxide was rapidly removed. in addition, about 20% of the nitric oxide was removed, while the carbon monoxide remained unchanged. the arrow in figure 16 at about 90 seconds indicates t 0 , the moment when the vost tube was inserted into the gas stream. example 5. reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by potassium permanganate-pretreated biogenic activated carbon product. a synthetic mixture of gases (nitrogen with 8.52% carbon dioxide and 11.00% oxygen; linde gas north america) was used to evaluate the adsorptive properties of biogenic activated carbon pretreated with 1% aqueous potassium permanganate according to example 1. a sample of 0.4 grams of the potassium permanganate pretreated biogenic activated carbon was loaded into a volatile organic sampling train (vost) tube and secured in place with filter frits and spring clamps. a mks model 2030 fourier transform infrared (ftir) detector was used to measure the concentration of co 2 in real time. the ftir detector was operated on the standardize gas stream at a flow of 300 ccm to establish the baseline measured values. then the vost tube containing the test material was placed into the gas stream before the detector. as shown in figure 17 , a large amount of co 2 was initially adsorbed, followed by an equilibration period which resulted in an average adsorption of 2.6% of the carbon dioxide. the black arrow in figure 17 at about 90 seconds indicates t 0 , the moment when the vost tube was inserted into the gas stream; the gray arrow at about 10.3 minutes indicates t f , the moment the vost tube was removed from the gas stream. example 6. preparation of biogenic activated carbon-general method. wood substrate red pine large chips, douglas fir cylinders (1.25-inch diameter pieces) and douglas fir pieces (approximately 2 inches by 2 inches), were loaded into a loading hopper having an optionally heated nitrogen gas flow. optionally, a 1% aqueous solution of an additive (e.g., naoh and/or koh) was applied by spray to the wood substrate while in the hopper or by soaking the biomass in the aqueous additive solution. regardless of the application method, the additive solution was allowed to penetrate the biomass for 30 minutes before the biomass was dried. once the reactor had reached the desired temperature, rotation of the reactor was initiated and the wood substrate was fed slowly by activating the material feed system. average residence times in the heated portion of the reactor for each batch are indicated in table 3. after exiting the heated portion of the reactor, the pyrolyzed material collected in a discharge hopper. a conveyor removed the biogenic activated carbon product from the discharge hopper for further analysis. biogenic activated carbon was prepared according to the general method above using various feedstock sizes, varying reactor temperatures, heated or ambient nitrogen, additive, and residence times. table 3 summarizes the pyrolysis parameters for each batch. table-tabl0003 table 3. preparation of biogenic activated carbon. sample substrate size reactor temp. nitrogen temp. additive residence time a large chips 371 °c. ambient (20-25 °c.) none 0.5 hours b large chips 350 °c. ambient none 0.5 hours c large chips 350 °c. 300 °c. none 0.5 hours d 1.25-inch cylinders 600 °c. 300 °c. none 2 hours e 2 x 2 inches 600 °c. 300 °c. none 2 hours f large chips 480 °c. ambient none 4 hours g large chips 480 °c. ambient koh 4 hours h large chips 370 °c. ambient koh 2.5 hours i large chips 370 °c. ambient koh 2 hours j1 treated input n/a n/a naoh n/a j2 j1 output 370 °c. ambient naoh 2 hours example 7. analysis of biogenic activated carbon. parameters of the biogenic activated carbon products prepared according to the general method of example 6 were analyzed according to table 4 below. table-tabl0004 table 4. methods used to analyze biogenic activated carbon. parameter method moisture (total) astm d3173 ash content astm d3174 volatile matter content astm d3175 fixed carbon content (bv calculation) astm d3172 sulfur content astm d3177 heating value (btu per pound) astm d5865 carbon content astm d5373 hydrogen content astm d5373 nitrogen content astm d5373 oxygen content (bv calculation) astm d3176 results for samples a through f, which were prepared without the use of additives, are shown in table 5 below. table-tabl0005 table 5. characteristics of biogenic activated carbon products a through f. sample → a b c d e f moisture (wt.%) 2.42 3.02 3.51 0.478 0.864 4.25 ash (wt.%) 1.16 0.917 0.839 1.03 1.06 1.43 volatile matter (wt.%) 38.7 46.4 42.8 2.8 17.0 18.4 fixed carbon (wt.%) 57.7 49.4 52.9 95.7 81.0 76.0 sulfur (wt.%) nd † nd nd nd nd nd heat value (btu/lb.) 12,807 12,452 12,346 14,700 13,983 13,313 carbon (wt.%) 73.3 71.2 71.0 nt ‡ nt 84.1 hydrogen (wt.%) 4.47 4.85 4.63 nt nt 2.78 nitrogen (wt.%) 0.251 0.227 0.353 nt nt 0.259 oxygen (wt.%) 18.3 19.7 19.6 nt nt 7.13 † nd: less than or equal to about 0.05 wt.% sulfur content. ‡ nt: not tested. results for samples g through j2, which were prepared with the use of additives, are shown in table 6 below. table-tabl0006 table 6. characteristics of biogenic activated carbon products g through j2. sample → g h i j1 j2 moisture (wt.%) 3.78 5.43 1.71 15.2 4.05 ash (wt.%) 5.97 12.6 15.8 7.9 20.2 volatile matter (wt.%) 17.8 30.2 19.7 59.1 25.3 fixed carbon (wt.%) 72.5 51.7 62.8 17.8 50.5 sulfur (wt.%) nd † nd nd nd nd heat value (btu/lb.) 12,936 10,530 11,997 6,968 9,639 carbon (wt.%) 81.1 64.4 69.6 41.9 67.2 hydrogen (wt.%) 2.6 3.73 3.82 4.64 3.78 nitrogen (wt.%) 0.20 0.144 0.155 0.145 0.110 oxygen (wt.%) 6.31 13.6 8.91 30.2 4.6 † nd: less than or equal to about 0.05 wt.% sulfur content. example 8. production of a high heat value biogenic activated carbon product. this example demonstrates production of a biogenic activated carbon product having a high heat value. a feedstock comprising douglas fir cylindrical pieces (1-1/8" diameter, approx. 1.5-inch lengths) was pyrolyzed according to the general method of example 6. the reactor was heated to 600 °c. and the feedstock was pyrolyzed with a residence time of 30 minutes. after cooling, the resulting biogenic activated carbon product was analyzed according to the methods described in example 7. results are shown in table 7. table-tabl0007 table 7. analysis of high heat value biogenic activated carbon product. proximate analysis parameter astm method as-received moisture free ash & moisture free moisture (total) d3173 1.45 wt.% -- -- ash d3174 0.829 wt.% 0.841 wt.% -- volatile matter d3175 7.15 wt.% 7.26 wt.% 7.32 wt.% fixed carbon d3172 90.6 wt.% 91.9 wt.% 92.7 wt% sulfur d3177 nd † nd nd heat value d5865 14,942 btu/lb 15,162 btu/lb 15,291 btu/lb ultimate analysis parameter astm method as-received moisture free ash & moisture free moisture (total) d3173 1.45 wt.% -- -- ash d3174 0.829 wt.% 0.841 wt.% -- sulfur d3177 nd nd nd carbon d5373 88.3 wt.% 89.6 wt.% 90.4 wt.% hydrogen ‡ d5373 1.97 wt.% 2.00 wt.% 2.01 wt.% nitrogen d5373 0.209 wt.% 0.212 wt.% 0.214 wt.% oxygen ‡ d3176 7.19 wt.% 7.30 wt.% 7.36 wt.% † nd: sulfur content was less than or equal to about 0.050 wt.% (as-received), less than or equal to about 0.051 wt.% (moisture-free), or less than or equal to about 0.052 wt.% (ash and moisture-free). ‡ excluding water. example 9. production of a high heat value biogenic activated carbon product. this example demonstrates production of a biogenic activated carbon product having a high heat value. a feedstock comprising red pine chips having an average particle size of approximately 1-inch by 1/2 inches by 1/8 inches was pyrolyzed according to the general method of example 6. the reactor was heated to 550 °c. and the feedstock was pyrolyzed with a residence time of 30 minutes. after cooling, the resulting biogenic activated carbon product was analyzed according to the methods described in example 7. results are shown in table 8. table-tabl0008 table 8. analysis of high heat value biogenic activated carbon product. proximate analysis parameter astm method as-received moisture free ash & moisture free moisture (total) d3173 2.55 wt.% -- -- ash d3174 1.52 wt.% 1.56 wt.% -- volatile matter d3175 10.1 wt.% 10.4 wt.% 10.5 wt.% fixed carbon d3172 85.8 wt.% 88.1 wt.% 89.5 wt.% sulfur d3177 nd † nd nd heat value d5865 14,792 btu/lb 15,179 btu/lb 15,420 btu/lb ultimate analysis parameter astm method as-received moisture free ash & moisture free moisture (total) d3173 2.55 wt.% -- -- ash d3174 1.52 wt.% 1.56 wt.% -- sulfur d3177 nd nd nd carbon d5373 88.9 wt.% 91.2 wt.% 92.7 wt.% hydrogen ‡ d5373 2.36 wt.% 2.42 wt.% 2.45 wt.% nitrogen d5373 0.400 wt.% 0.410 wt.% 0.417 wt.% oxygen ‡ d3176 4.22 wt.% 4.33 wt.% 4.40 wt.% nd † : sulfur content was less than or equal to about 0.050 wt.% (as-received), less than or equal to about 0.051 wt.% (moisture-free), or less than or equal to about 0.052 wt.% (ash and moisture-free). ‡ excluding water. example 10. production of a biogenic activated carbon product for blending with met coke. biogenic activated carbon was prepared from milled kiln-dried wood doweling substantially according to the general method of example 6. blends of met coke (sample id no. sgs/427-1104014-001) with 2% and 5% of the biogenic activated carbon product were prepared by mixing the met coke with the appropriate amount of biogenic activated carbon product. strength and reactivity values were measured according to astm d5341 for the blends compared to met coke alone are shown in table 9 (values are the average of a minimum of two tests per sample). table-tabl0009 table 9. csr and cri of biogenic activated carbon product-met coke blends. amount of biogenic activated carbon product cri csr 0 wt.% (baseline) 24.5% 62.8% 2 wt.% 25.7% (+ 1.2%) 62.3% (- 0.5%) 5 wt.% 28.0% (+ 3.5%) 61.2% (-1.6%) example 11. production of an enhanced hot-strength biogenic activated carbon product. red pine wood chips approximately sized 1" x ½" x 1/8" were pyrolyzed according to the general method of example 6 at 600 °c. with a residence time of 30 minutes. the resulting biogenic activated carbon product is referred to as "sample a." milled, kiln-dried wood doweling having a 1-1/8" diameter was cut into segments having a length of about 1.5 inches each. the segments were pyrolyzed according to the general method of example 1 at 600 °c. with a residence time of 2 hours. the resulting biogenic activated carbon product is referred to as "sample b." samples a and b were each placed separately into quartz tubes and heated at 1,100 °c. in the presence of co 2 gas for one hour. after one hour, sample a had a csr value of about 0%. after one hour, sample b had a csr value of 64.6%. these results indicate that potential for increasing hot strength of a biogenic coke replacement product and suitability for use as a replacement for met coke in various metal production applications. example 12. preparation of particularly dimensioned biogenic activated carbon product. as shown in table 10 below, biogenic activated carbon product having a particular shape and average dimension was produced according to the general method of example 6. table-tabl0010 table 10. properties of particularly dimensioned biogenic activated carbon product. sample fixed carbon initial volume final volume volume change initial mass final mass mass change blocks 90 wt.% 3.15 in 3 1.51 in 3 -52% 22.77 g 4.91 g -78% cvlinders-1 80 wt.% 1.46 in 3 0.64 in 3 -56% 14.47 g 3.61 g -75% cylinders-2 90 wt.% 1.46 in 3 0.58 in 3 -60% 14.47 g 3.60 g -75% example 13. effect of residence time on fixed carbon levels. the effect of residence time on fixed carbon levels in the biogenic activated carbon product was investigated by dividing one batch of feedstock into four groups of approximately equal mass composed of pieces of feedstock of approximately equal particle size. each of the four groups was subjected to pyrolysis according to the general method of example 6 at 350 °c. with residence times of 0 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, and 120 minutes, respectively. fixed carbon content of each sample was determined by astm d3172. results are shown in table 11 and corresponding fig. 18 . table-tabl0011 table 11. effect of residence time on fixed carbon levels. sample residence time fixed carbon residence-1 0 minutes 17 wt.% residence-2 30 minutes 50 wt.% residence-3 60 minutes 66 wt.% residence-4 120 minutes 72 wt.% example 14. effect of pyrolysis temperature on fixed carbon levels. the effect of pyrolysis temperature on fixed carbon levels in the biogenic activated carbon product was investigated by dividing one batch of feedstock into five groups of approximately equal mass composed of pieces of feedstock of approximately equal particle size. each of the five groups was subjected to pyrolysis according to the general method of example 6 with a 30 minute residence time. fixed carbon content of each sample was determined by astm d3172. results are shown in table 12 and corresponding fig. 19 . table-tabl0012 table 12. effect of residence time on fixed carbon levels. sample pyrolysis temp. fixed carbon temperature-1 310 °c. 38 wt.% temperature-2 370 °c. 58 wt.% temperature-3 400 °c. 64 wt.% temperature-4 500 °c. 77 wt.% temperature-5 600 °c. 83 wt.% example 15. effect of feedstock particle size on fixed carbon levels. the effect of feedstock particle size on fixed carbon levels in the biogenic activated carbon product was investigated by pyrolyzing three groups of red pine biomass: sawdust (average particle size of approximately 0.0625 inches), chips (average particle size of approximately 1 inch by 1/2 inch by 1/8 inches), and chunks (cylinders having a 1-1/8" diameter and a length of approximately 1.5 inches). each of the three groups was subjected to pyrolysis according to the general method of example 6 at 400 °c. for 30 minutes. fixed carbon content of each sample was determined by astm d3172. results are shown in table 13 and corresponding fig. 20 . table-tabl0013 table 13. effect of residence time on fixed carbon levels. sample average particle size fixed carbon sawdust ∼0.0625 inches 71 wt.% chips ∼1 inch x 1/2 inch x 1/8 inch 64 wt.% chunks ∼1.5" lengths of 1-1/8" diameter cylinders 62 wt.% example 161. effect of oxygen level during pyrolysis on mass yield of biogenic activated carbon product. this example demonstrates the effect of oxygen levels on the mass yield of biogenic activated carbon product. two samples of hardwood sawdust (4.0 g) were each placed in a quartz tube. the quartz tube was then placed into a tube furnace (lindberg model 55035). the gas flow was set to 2,000 ccm. one sample was exposed to 100% nitrogen atmosphere, while the other sample was subjected to a gas flow comprising 96% nitrogen and 4% oxygen. the furnace temperature was set to 290 °c. upon reaching 290 °c. (approximately 20 minutes), the temperature was held at 290 °c. for 10 minutes, at which time the heat source was shut off, and the tube and furnace allowed to cool for 10 minutes. the tubes were removed from the furnace (gas still flowing at 2,000 ccm). once the tubes and samples were cool enough to process, the gases were shut off, and the pyrolyzed material removed and weighed (table 14). table-tabl0014 table 14. effect of oxygen levels during pyrolysis on mass yield. sample atmosphere mass yield atmosphere-1(a) 100% nitrogen 87.5% atmosphere-2(a) 96% nitrogen, 4% oxygen 50.0% example 17. effect of oxygen level during pyrolysis on fixed carbon content level and heat value of biogenic activated carbon product. the increase in fixed carbon content and heat value from the use of a carbon recovery unit ("cru") is demonstrated. pyrolysis of hardwood sawdust according to example 15 was performed. a standard coconut shell charcoal ("csc") tube (skc cat. no. 226-09) was placed in the off-gas stream following a standard midget impinger containing 10 ml of hplc-grade water. increases in fixed carbon levels and heat value were compared to a csc tube that had not been exposed to any off-gases (table 15, ash and moisture-free data). table-tabl0015 table 15. increase in fixed carbon content and heat value as a function of oxygen content during pyrolysis. sample atmosphere increase in carbon content increase in heat value atmosphere-1(b) 100% nitrogen + 3.2% + 567 btu/lb (+ 4.0%) atmosphere-2(b) 96% nitrogen, 4% oxygen + 1.6% + 928 btu/lb (+ 6.5%) the results of examples 16 and 17 demonstrate the benefits of maintaining a near-zero oxygen atmosphere to on mass yield and commercial value of the disclosed pyrolyzation process. using the off-gases from these two experiments it was also possible to demonstrate that the btu-laden gases exiting the process can be captured for the purpose of enhancing the btu content and/or carbon content, of a carbon substrate (coal, coke, activated carbon, carbon). example 18. effect of heated nitrogen on fixed carbon content of a biogenic activated carbon product. this example demonstrates the effect of introducing heated nitrogen gas to the biomass processing unit. production of biogenic activated carbon product using a biomass consisting of red pine wood chips having a typical dimension of 1 inch by 1/2 inches by 1/8 inches was performed according to the general method of example 6 with a four-zone heat pilot-scale reactor at 350 °c. in the first run, nitrogen was introduced at ambient temperature. in a second run, which was performed immediately after the first run in order to minimize variation in other parameters, nitrogen was preheated to 300 °c. before injection into the pyrolysis zone. in each case, the nitrogen flow rate was 1.2 cubic feet per minute, and the biomass was processed for 30 minutes. fixed carbon content was measured on a dry, ash-free basis according to astm d3172 for each run (table 16). table-tabl0016 table 16. effect of nitrogen temperature on fixed carbon content of a biogenic activated carbon product. sample nitrogen temperature fixed carbon content atmosphere-1(c) ambient 51.7% atmosphere-2(c) 300 °c. 55.3% these test results demonstrate a 7.0% increase [(100)(55.3% - 51.7%)/55.3%] in the fixed carbon content of the biogenic activated carbon product carbonized product by utilizing pre-heated nitrogen. example 19. improvement of mass yield by pretreatment of biomass. this example demonstrates the production of a biogenic activated carbon product having an additive, namely iron(ii) bromide. an aqueous solution of iron(ii) bromide hydrate was created by mixing 72.6 grams of iron(ii) bromide hydrate into 1 gallon of water (e.g., 1.0% bromine aqueous solution). this solution was added to 5.23 pounds (2.37 kg) of air-dried (12% moisture content) red pine wood chips. each wood chip was approximately 1" x ½" x 1/8". the container of wood chips and solution was sealed with a water tight lid. the contents were mixed periodically over the course of approximately four hours by tipping and rolling the container and contents. the wood chips and solution were kept sealed overnight to allow for saturation of the wood chips with the solution. thereafter, the contents were transferred to an open water-proof tub and allowed to air dry for several hours, with periodic mixing until all free liquid had been absorbed by the wood chips or evaporated. the contents were transferred to an air-dryer and allowed to dry overnight. the pretreated, air-dried wood chips were verified to have 12% moisture content. the mass of the pretreated, air dried wood chips was determined to be 5.25 lbs (2.38 kg). the contents were transferred to a pyrolysis reactor with nitrogen gas preheated to 300 °c. with a gas flow rate of 0.4 cubic feet per minute. pyrolysis occurred at 370 °c. for 30 minutes. the finished product was removed from the reactor at a temperature of less than or equal to about 100 °c. upon reaching room temperature (approximately 23 °c.), the finished product had a mass of 2.5 pounds (1.14 kg), indicating a mass yield of 47.6% based upon feedstock mass (e.g., the mass contribution of the pretreatment additive was subtracted) at 12% moisture content. on a dry basis (correcting out the 12% moisture and the mass contribution of the pretreatment additive), the mass yield was 54.1%. as shown in table 17 below, this represents a 28-39% increase in mass yield over untreated wood chips processed under the same conditions. table-tabl0017 table 17. pretreatment of biomass with 1.0% aqueous iron(ii) bromide increases mass yield. pretreatment mass yield (12% moisture) mass yield (dry basis) none 34.3% 39.0% none 35.4% 40.2% none 37.2% 42.2% average (no pretreatment) 35.6% 40.5% i ron(ii) bromide 47.6% 54.1% % increase + 33.7% + 33.6% these data indicate a significant improvement in the mass yield for wood chips treated with an iron (ii) bromide solution prior to pyrolytic processing. example 20. enhanced activation through feedstock enhancement. this example demonstrates the positive benefits of recapturing gas-phase carbonaceous species onto a pre-carbonized substrate prior to a subsequent activation step. pre-carbonized feedstock (carbonized at 370°c) was utilized. in a first experiment, this material was pyrolyzed (activated, thermally treated) without passing the pyrolysis off-gases through the feedstock. the maximum achieved iodine number in this configuration was 909. in a second experiment, this same substrate was utilized as a gas-phase carbonaceous capture material. in this mode, the maximum iodine number was recorded as 950. these results are consistent with multiple experiments executed at pilot scale using both pre-carbonized feedstock substrate, and feedstock that has not been pre-carbonized. all publications, patents, and patent applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each publication, patent, or patent application were specifically and individually put forth herein. where methods and steps described above indicate certain events occurring in certain order, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the ordering of certain steps may be modified and that such modifications are in accordance with the variations of the disclosure. additionally, certain of the steps may be performed concurrently in a parallel process when possible, or performed sequentially. embodiments of the invention are defined in the following numbered clauses. 1. a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and optionally wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. 2. a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and optionally wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. 3. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition comprises at least about 75 wt%, at least about 85 wt%, or at least about 95 wt% carbon on a dry basis. 4. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition comprises less than or equal to about 0.5 wt% nitrogen on a dry basis. 5. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition comprises less than or equal to about 5 wt% hydrogen on a dry basis. 6. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition further comprises oxygen. 7. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 6, wherein said composition comprises between about 1 wt% and about 10 wt% oxygen on a dry basis. 8. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition comprises about 0.5 wt% or less phosphorus on a dry basis. 9. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition comprises about 0.2 wt% or less sulfur on a dry basis. 10. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition further includes an additive selected from an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, a metal oxide, a metal hydroxide, a metal halide, iodine, an iodine compound, or a combination thereof. 11. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 10, wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, manganese, aluminum, nickel, iron, chromium, silicon, boron, cerium, molybdenum, phosphorus, tungsten, vanadium, iron chloride, iron bromide, magnesium oxide, dolomite, dolomitic lime, fluorite, fluorospar, bentonite, calcium oxide, lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, hydrogen bromide, hydrogen chloride, sodium silicate, potassium permanganate, organic acids, iodine, an iodine compound, and combinations thereof. 12. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 10, wherein said additive is magnetic or includes a magnetic component. 13. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition further includes iron. 14. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 13, wherein said iron is present in said composition from about 0.0001 wt% to about 1 wt%, from about 0.1 wt% to about 0.5 wt%, from about 0.5 wt% to about 5 wt%, or from about 1 wt% to about 2 wt% on a dry basis. 15. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition is characterized by an iodine number of at least about 1000, at least about 1500, at least about 2000, or from about 2000 to about 2250. 16. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition is characterized by a surface area of at least about 1000 m2/g, at least about 1500 m2/g, or at least about 2000 m2/g. 17. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition is in powdered form, granular form, extruded form, or in structural object form. 18. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein said composition has an abrasion number from about 20% to about 99%. 19. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 2, wherein said composition includes an additive that is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. 20. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 19, wherein said additive includes iron or an iron-containing compound. 21. the biogenic activated carbon composition of clause 2, wherein said graphene is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. 22. a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and from about 0.0001 wt% to about 5 wt% iron; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene, wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. 23. a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen, and from about 0.1 wt% to about 5 wt% iron; wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein said composition is responsive to an externally applied magnetic field. 24. a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein said activated carbon composition is characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500, and wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. 25. a biogenic graphene-containing product characterized by an iodine number higher than about 500. 26. a composition comprising graphene, wherein the graphene is derived from a biogenic activated carbon composition comprising, on a dry basis, about 55 wt% or more total carbon, about 15 wt% or less hydrogen, and less than or equal to about 1 wt% nitrogen; wherein at least a portion of said carbon is present in the form of graphene. 27. the composition of clause 26, wherein the composition is included in an adhesive, a sealant, a coating, a paint, an ink, a component of a composite material, a catalyst, a catalyst support, a battery electrode component, a fuel cell electrode component, a graphene-based circuit or memory system component, an energy storage material, a supercapacitor component, a sink for static electricity dissipation, a material for electronic or ionic transport, a high-bandwidth communication system component, a component of an infrared sensor, a component of a chemical sensor, a component of a biological sensor, a component of an electronic display, a component of a voltaic cell, or a graphene aerogel.
|
174-606-506-819-678
|
JP
|
[
"US",
"JP",
"CN",
"WO"
] |
G06K9/00,A61B6/00,A61B6/03,G06T7/00,G06T11/00
| 2013-01-28T00:00:00 |
2013
|
[
"G06",
"A61"
] |
x-ray ct device, and image reconfiguration method
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difference of resolution depending on imaging position in one reconstructed image generated in the ffs method is reduced to improve measurement accuracy. the x-ray ct device interpolates missing data of the projection data obtained by the ffs method with view direction interpolation processing using real data of the projection data lining up along the angular direction of the rotational movement, and channel direction interpolation processing using real data of the projection data lining up along the channel direction, and generates a reconstructed image, in which contribution ratios of the projection data having been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing and the projection data having been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing differ according to position of pixel in the reconstructed image.
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1. an x-ray ct device comprising: an x-ray generation part that generates an x-ray, an x-ray detection part that has a plurality of x-ray detectors for detecting the x-ray, detects a transmitted x-ray, and outputs projection data, a rotation part that oppositely disposes the x-ray generation part and the x-ray detection part, and rotationally moves the x-ray generation part and the x-ray detection part, a projection data interpolation part that interpolates the projection data, a reconstruction part that performs a reconstruction operation using the interpolated projection data, and generates a reconstructed image, and a focal point moving part that moves a focal point of the x-ray alternately to a plurality of positions on a rotation orbit plane of the rotational movement, wherein: the x-ray detection part is constituted with the plurality of x-ray detectors arranged in the channel direction along the rotational direction, the projection data includes missing of data occurring in connection with movement of the focal point, the projection data interpolation part interpolates data at data missing positions of the projection data, with a view direction interpolation processing for interpolating the data using real data of the projection data lining up along the angular direction of the rotational movement and a channel direction interpolation processing for interpolating the data using real data of the projection data lining up along the channel direction, and the reconstruction part generates a reconstructed image in which contribution ratios of the projection data having been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing and the projection data having been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing are different depending on position of pixel in the reconstructed image. 2. the x-ray ct device according to claim 1 , wherein: the projection data interpolation part changes ratios of the view direction interpolation processing and channel direction interpolation processing to be performed according to the data missing position. 3. the x-ray ct device according to claim 1 , wherein: the projection data interpolation part divides the projection data into a plurality of regions according to distance from the rotation center of the rotational movement, interpolates the data of the data missing positions in a first region relatively closer to the rotation center with the view direction interpolation processing, and interpolates the data of the data missing positions in a second region relatively remoter from the rotation center with the channel direction interpolation processing. 4. the x-ray ct device according to claim 3 , wherein: the projection data interpolation part divides the projection data into the first region and the second region with a boundary indicating a position at which spatial resolution for the angular direction and spatial resolution for the channel direction of the projection data become the same. 5. the x-ray ct device according to claim 4 , wherein: the projection data interpolation part provides a connection region including a part of the first region and a part of the second region around the boundary, and continuously changes ratios of the view direction interpolation processing and channel direction interpolation processing to be performed in the connection region. 6. the x-ray ct device according to claim 4 , wherein: the projection data interpolation part determines the boundary using a value calculated on the basis of moving distance of the focal point of the x-ray, or a value calculated on the basis of a resolution measurement image for determining resolution according to the distance from the rotation center. 7. the x-ray ct device according to claim 1 , wherein: the projection data interpolation part generates two of the same projection data, interpolates data of the data missing positions of one of the projection data with the view direction interpolation processing to generate view direction interpolated projection data, and interpolates data of the data missing positions of the other projection data with the channel direction interpolation processing to generate channel direction interpolated projection data, and the reconstruction part generates the reconstructed image by using the view direction interpolated projection data, and the channel direction interpolated projection data. 8. the x-ray ct device according to claim 7 , wherein: the reconstruction part performs a reconstruction operation with the view direction interpolated projection data to generate a view direction interpolated reconstructed image, performs a reconstruction operation with the channel direction interpolated projection data to generate a channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, and generates a combined image by combining the view direction interpolated reconstructed image and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, in which contribution ratios of the view direction interpolated reconstructed image and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image differ according to position of pixel in the combined image. 9. the x-ray ct device according to claim 8 , wherein: the reconstruction part generates the combined image by providing a plurality of regions divided according to the distance from a reconstruction point of the rotation center and using the view direction interpolated reconstructed image for a first region relatively closer to the reconstruction point of the rotation center and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image for a second region relatively remoter from the reconstruction point of the rotation center, so that the combined image is generated as an image generated by combining the view direction interpolated reconstructed image of the first region and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image of the second region. 10. the x-ray ct device according to claim 9 , wherein: the x-ray ct device further comprises an operation part for specifying an arbitrary point on the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, and the reconstruction part superimposingly displays a boundary marker that indicates the boundary of the first region and the second region on the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, and replaces the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image within a specified region including the point specified by an operator through the operation part in the first region of the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image by the view direction interpolated reconstructed image. 11. the x-ray ct device according to claim 9 , wherein: the reconstruction part divides the combined image into the first region and the second region with a boundary that indicates a point at which spatial resolution for the angular direction and spatial resolution for the channel direction of the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image become the same, or a point at which spatial resolution for the angular direction and spatial resolution for the channel direction of the view direction interpolated reconstructed image become the same. 12. the x-ray ct device according to claim 11 , wherein: the reconstruction part provides a connection region including a part of the first region and a part of the second region around the boundary, and continuously changes contribution ratios of the view direction interpolated reconstructed image and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image in the connection region. 13. the x-ray ct device according to claim 7 , wherein: the reconstruction part generates the reconstructed image by performing a convolution operation for the interpolated projection data with making first weighting factor to be multiplied on the view direction interpolated projection data relatively larger than second weighting factor to be multiplied on the channel direction interpolated projection data for a position relatively closer to the reconstruction point of the rotation center in the reconstructed image, and making the second weighting factor relatively larger than the first weighting factor for a position relatively remoter from the reconstruction point of the rotation center in the reconstructed image. 14. the x-ray ct device according to claim 13 , wherein: the reconstruction part sets a plurality of sections divided according to the distance from the reconstruction point of the rotation center in the reconstructed image, and performs the convolution operation with a value of 1 as the first weighting factor and a value of 0 as the second weighting factor for the first region relatively closer to the reconstruction point of the rotation center, and a value of 0 as the first weighting factor and a value of 1 as the second weighting factor for the second region relatively remoter from the reconstruction point of the rotation center. 15. the x-ray ct device according to claim 14 , wherein: the reconstruction part divides the reconstructed image into the first region and the second region with a boundary indicating a point at which resolution for the angular direction and resolution for the channel direction of the projection data measured with moving the focal point of the x-ray become the same. 16. the x-ray ct device according to claim 15 , wherein: the reconstruction part provides a connection region including a part of the first region and a part of the second region around the boundary, and continuously changes the first weighting factor and the second weighting factor in the connection region. 17. the x-ray ct device according to claim 11 , wherein: the reconstruction part determines the boundary using a value calculated on the basis of moving distance of the focal point of the x-ray, or a value calculated on the basis of a resolution measurement image for determining resolution according to the distance from the rotation center. 18. the x-ray ct device according to claim 1 , wherein: the reconstruction part generates the reconstructed images using a filter function that continuously changes contribution ratios of the projection data having been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing and the projection data having been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing according to the distance from the rotation center of the rotational movement. 19. the x-ray ct device according to claim 18 , wherein: the filter function is a trigonometric function of which value changes according to the distance from the rotation center of the rotational movement. 20. a method for reconstructing an image using projection data obtained by performing imaging with an x-ray ct device comprising an x-ray generation part that generates an x-ray, an x-ray detection part that has a plurality of x-ray detectors for detecting the x-ray, detects a transmitted x-ray, and outputs projection data, a rotation part that oppositely disposes the x-ray generation part and the x-ray detection part, and rotationally moves the x-ray generation part and the x-ray detection part, and a focal point moving part that moves a focal point of the x-ray alternately to a plurality of positions on a rotation orbit plane of the rotational movement, in which the x-ray detection part is constituted with the plurality of x-ray detectors arranged in the channel direction along the rotational direction, and the rotational movement is performed with moving the focal point of the x-ray alternately to the positions, wherein the projection data includes missing of data associated with the movement of the focal point, and the method comprises: interpolating data of data missing positions, with a view direction interpolation processing for interpolating the data using real data of the projection data lining up along the angular direction of the rotational movement and a channel direction interpolation processing for interpolating the data using real data of the projection data lining up along the channel direction, and generating a reconstructed image in which contribution ratios of the projection data having been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing and the projection data having been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing are different depending on position of pixel in the reconstructed image.
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technical field the present invention relates to an x-ray ct device and an image reconstruction method, especially, a technique for improving spatial resolution to improve accuracy of imaging of a subject. background art needs for improvement of spatial resolution of x-ray ct (computed tomography) devices are increasing with use of more sophisticated x-ray ct measurement techniques. in order to improve the spatial resolution, use of finer x-ray detectors in the x-ray detection module, i.e., use of x-ray detectors of smaller sizes, is contemplated, but it results in degradation of the s/n ratio of the detected signals. as a method for improving the spatial resolution without using smaller x-ray detectors in the x-ray detection module, a technique called flying focal spot (ffs) method is disclosed in patent document 1. the ffs method is a method of producing positional shift of x-ray beam by electromagnetically changing the position of the focal point of x-ray alternately between two positions during the rotational movement of the scanner, and doubling the density of x-ray transmission data by that positional shift. in the ffs method, the projection data specified by the angular direction of the rotational movement of the scanner (also called view direction or θ direction) and the direction of the channel of the x-ray detection module suffer from missing of data for every view direction associated with the alternate change of the position of the x-ray focal point. in conventional techniques, such missing data are interpolated by using actually measured data (also called real data) obtained for the positions on both sides of the missing data position, for example, for the channel direction or the view direction. prior art reference patent document patent document 1: wo2011/018729 a1 summary of the invention object to be achieved by the invention according to the ffs method, sampling intervals with a sampling density twice larger than that obtainable in the usual methods can be realized around the rotation center axis of the scanner, but around the x-ray detection part, such double density cannot be obtained, and the sampling intervals are not uniform, either. moreover, the magnification degree of the x-ray beam differs according to the distance from the focal point of the x-ray, and a larger magnification degree results in poorer spatial resolution. therefore, if combination of projection data for counter view angle is taken into consideration, the highest spatial resolution shall be obtained around the imaging center, and the spatial resolution shall be more degraded at a position remoter from the imaging center. as described above, according to the ffs method, intervals of data sampling points and spatial resolution vary depending on the imaging position. therefore, the ffs method has a problem that, if the image reconstruction operation is performed by using projection data having been subjected to the conventional interpolation processing, the spatial resolution shall differ for the imaging center part and circumference part in one reconstructed image. an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for reducing the difference of the spatial resolution depending on the imaging position in one reconstructed image generated by the ffs method, and thereby improving the measurement accuracy. means for achieving the object according to the present invention, the aforementioned object is achieved by providing a data interpolation part that interpolates missing data by correcting the imaging position dependency of the data sampling interval and the imaging position dependency of the spatial resolution inherently included in the projection data obtained by the ffs method. that is, the x-ray ct device of the present invention comprises an x-ray generation part that generates an x-ray, an x-ray detection part that has a plurality of x-ray detectors for detecting the x-ray, detects a transmitted x-ray, and outputs projection data, a rotation part that oppositely disposes the x-ray generation part and the x-ray detection part, and rotationally moves the x-ray generation part and the x-ray detection part, a projection data interpolation part that interpolates the projection data, a reconstruction part that performs a reconstruction operation using the interpolated projection data, and generates a reconstructed image, and a focal point moving part that moves a focal point of the x-ray alternately to a plurality of positions on a rotation orbit plane (orbital plane of rotation) of the rotational movement. the projection data interpolation part interpolates data of data missing positions (referred to as missing data) generated in connection with the movement of the focal point, with a view direction interpolation processing for interpolating the missing data using real data of the projection data lining up along the angular direction of the rotational movement and a channel direction interpolation processing for interpolating the missing data using real data of the projection data lining up along the channel direction, and the reconstruction part generates a reconstructed image in which contribution ratios of the projection data having been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing and the projection data having been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing are different depending on position of pixel in the reconstructed image. the movement of the focal point of x-ray includes movement in the circumferential direction of the rotation orbit, and movement in the diametric direction of the rotation orbit. effect of the invention according to the present invention, there can be provided an x-ray ct device and image reconstruction method with which the imaging position-dependent difference of the resolution in one reconstructed image generated by the ffs method can be reduced, and measurement accuracy can be thereby improved. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is an explanatory drawing showing a schematic configuration of an x-ray ct device according to an embodiment of the present invention. fig. 2 shows explanatory drawings showing outline of the first embodiment-the third embodiment, wherein (a) shows the first embodiment, (b) shows outline of the second embodiment, and (c) shows outline of the third embodiment. fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing according to the first embodiment. fig. 4 is an explanatory drawing showing resolution for the view direction and resolution for the channel direction in a reconstructed image. fig. 5 is an explanatory drawing showing the data interpolation direction on a sinogram in a directionally weighted interpolation processing. fig. 6 is an explanatory drawing showing details of the view direction interpolation processing and the channel direction interpolation processing. fig. 7 is an explanatory drawing showing a method for calculating boundary position of view direction interpolation and channel direction interpolation, wherein (a) indicates geometrical relation of x-ray, focal point thereof, and x-ray detector into which the x-ray enters, (b) indicates moving distance corresponding to the rotation angle for one view, and (c) indicates geometrical relation of moving distance of the focal point and data sampling interval at the imaging center. fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing according to the second embodiment. fig. 9 is an explanatory drawing showing, wherein (a) and (b) shows an example of processing for combining reconstructed images respectively. fig. 10 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of display mode according to the second embodiment. fig. 11 is an explanatory drawing showing an example of display mode according to the second embodiment, wherein (a) indicates a case where a region including a specified point is within the circle in which the condition defined with the distance threshold l th is satisfied, (b) indicates a case where a region including a designated point is not within the circle in which the condition defined with the distance threshold l th is satisfied. fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing according to the third embodiment. fig. 13 is an explanatory drawing showing the relative positional relationship of the x-ray focal point 313 and the x-ray detection part 320 used in a usual method. fig. 14 is an explanatory drawing showing the relative positional relationship of the x-ray focal point 313 and the x-ray detection part 320 used in the ffs method. fig. 15 is an explanatory drawing showing a sinogram obtained by data collection according to the ffs method modes for carrying out the invention hereafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. the same reference numerals are used for the same components in all the appended drawings, and repetition of explanation will be omitted. the x-ray ct device of an embodiment of the present invention comprises an x-ray generation part that generates an x-ray, an x-ray detection part that has a plurality of x-ray detectors for detecting the x-ray, detects a transmitted x-ray, and outputs projection data, a rotation part that oppositely disposes the x-ray generation part and the x-ray detection part, and rotationally moves the x-ray generation part and the x-ray detection part, a projection data interpolation part that interpolates the projection data, a reconstruction part that performs a reconstruction operation using the interpolated projection data, and generates a reconstructed image, and a focal point moving part that moves a focal point of the x-ray alternately to a plurality of positions on a rotation orbit plane of the rotational movement. the x-ray detection part is constituted with a plurality of x-ray detectors arranged in the channel direction along the rotational direction, and the projection data include missing of data associated with movement of the focal point. the projection data interpolation part interpolates the data at the data missing positions in the projection data, by a view direction interpolation processing for interpolating the missing data using real data of the projection data lining up along the angular direction of the rotational movement and a channel direction interpolation processing for interpolating the missing data using real data of the projection data lining up along the channel direction, and the reconstruction part generates a reconstructed image in which contribution ratios of the projection data having been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing and the projection data having been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing are different depending on position of pixel in the reconstructed images. <schematic configuration of x-ray ct device> first, schematic configuration of the x-ray ct device of the embodiment will be explained with reference to fig. 1 . fig. 1 is an explanatory drawing showing a schematic configuration of the x-ray ct device according to the present invention. the x-ray ct device 100 shown in fig. 1 comprises an input and output part 200 , an imaging part 300 , and an image generation part 400 . the input and output part 200 has an input device such as a keyboard 211 and a mouse 212 , and an output device including a monitor 213 . the monitor 213 has a touch panel function, and may be used as an input device. since the keyboard 211 , mouse 212 , and monitor 213 are also used for inputting and setting of imaging conditions, they may also be collectively called an imaging condition input part 210 . the imaging part 300 comprises an x-ray generation part 310 , an x-ray detection part 320 that detects x-rays and outputs electric signals indicating intensities of the detected x-rays, a gantry 330 that oppositely carries the x-ray generation part 310 and the x-ray detection part 320 , and rotationally moves them, an imaging control part 340 that controls generation and detection of x-rays and operation of rotational movement of the gantry 330 , and a table 350 for placing subject. the image generation part 400 comprises a signal collection part 410 , a data processing part 420 , and an image display part 430 . the input and output part 200 and the image generation part 400 may not necessarily be provided integrally with the x-ray ct device 100 . the functions of them may be realized with, for example, separate devices connected through a network. the functions of them may also be realized with a device having the functions of both the image generation part 400 and the input and output part 200 . the x-ray generation part 310 of the imaging part 300 has an x-ray tube 311 . the x-ray tube 311 has a focal point moving part (not shown in the drawing) for electromagnetically changing the position of the x-ray focal point of the x-ray tube 311 alternately to a plurality of positions locating along the direction of the rotation of the gantry 330 . the function of changing the position of the x-ray focal point with this focal point moving part is called ffs function. the focal point moving part can change the position of the x-ray focal point during the rotation of the gantry 330 . the x-ray detection part 320 comprises a plurality of x-ray detection modules 321 constituted by laminating x-ray detectors and photoelectric conversion elements, and which are circularly disposed along the rotation direction of the gantry 330 , and disposed along the rotation axis direction of the gantry 330 . as for the directions concerning the disposition of the x-ray detection modules 321 in the x-ray detection part 320 , the direction along the rotation of the gantry 330 is henceforth referred to as the channel direction, and the direction along the center axis direction of the rotation of the gantry 330 is henceforth referred to as the slice direction. in fig. 1 and the following drawings, the y-axis is an axis parallel to the center axis of x-ray flux, and the x-axis is an axis perpendicularly intersects with the y-axis in the orbital plane of rotation (mid plain) of the gantry 330 . therefore, it can be said that the x-axis and the y-axis constitute a relative coordinate system within the orbital plane of rotation. the z-axis is an axis parallel to the rotation center axis of the gantry 330 , and is an axis perpendicularly intersects with the x-axis and y-axis. as for the relation with the slice direction, the z-axis is parallel to the slice direction. at the center of the gantry 330 , a bore 331 is provided, which is for disposing a subject 110 and a table 350 for placing subject. in the gantry 330 , there are provided a rotation plate 332 carrying the x-ray tube 311 and the x-ray detection modules 321 , and a driving mechanism (not shown in the drawing) for rotating the rotation plate 332 . the table 350 for placing subject has a driving mechanism (not shown in the drawing) for adjusting the position of the subject 110 relative to the gantry 330 . the imaging control part 340 comprises an x-ray controller 341 that controls the positions of the x-ray tube 311 and the x-ray focal point, a gantry controller 342 that controls rotational driving of the rotation plate 332 , a table controller 343 that controls driving of the table 350 for placing subject, a detection device controller 344 that controls imaging with the x-ray detection part 321 , and a master controller 345 that controls the flow of the operations performed by the x-ray controller 341 , the gantry controller 342 , the table controller 343 , and the detection device controller 344 . <x-ray tube, x-ray detection module and imaging part> the distance between the x-ray focal point of the x-ray tube 311 and the x-ray irradiation plane of the x-ray detection module 321 is set to be, for example, 1000 mm. the diameter of the bore 331 of the gantry 330 is set to be, for example, 700 mm. the x-ray detection module 321 consists of a scintillator and a semiconductor detection device, and detects x-rays. the x-ray detection part 320 is constituted with a plurality of the x-ray detection modules 321 circularly disposed along the rotation direction of the gantry 330 so that they locate at equal distances from a reference position such as average position of the plurality of x-ray focal positions or position of the center of gravity of the x-ray tube 311 . the number of the x-ray detection modules 321 included in the x-ray detection part 320 (number of channels) is, for example, 1000. the size of each x-ray detection module 321 for the channel direction is, for example, 1 mm. for ease of the manufacture, it may be configured by preparing a plurality of flat detection devices (detection device modules), and disposing them so that the centers of the planes of the detection devices are circularly disposed to imitate the circular disposition. the time required for rotation of the rotation plate 332 depends on parameters inputted by a user using the imaging condition input part 210 . for example, the rotation time is set to be 1.0 second/revolution. the number of times of imaging during one revolution of the imaging part 300 is 900, and whenever the rotation plate 332 rotates 0.4 degree, one time of imaging is performed. the specifications are not limited to these values, and may be variously changed according to the configuration of the x-ray ct device. <image generation part> the image generation part 400 comprises a signal collection part 410 , a data processing part 420 , and an image display part 430 . the signal collection part 410 comprises a data acquisition system (das, henceforth referred to as “das”) 411 . das 411 converts the electric signals (analog signals) outputted by the aforementioned x-ray detection part 321 into digital signals. the data processing part 420 comprises a central processing unit (cpu) 421 , a memory 422 , and an hdd (hard disk drive) device 423 . in the central processing unit 421 and the memory 422 , predetermined programs are loaded and executed to perform various processing such as correction operation of projection data (including the view direction interpolation processing and channel direction interpolation processing described later), and image reconstruction processing. that is, the central processing unit 421 , the memory 422 , and the predetermined programs cooperate to constitute the projection data interpolation part that performs the interpolation processing of the projection data, and the reconstruction part that performs the reconstruction operation using the projection data to generate a reconstructed image. the hdd device 423 stores data, and performs input and output of data. the image display part 430 is constituted with an image display monitor 431 such as liquid crystal display and crt (cathode ray tube). hereafter, the imaging method using the aforementioned x-ray ct device 100 will be explained. the imaging method mainly comprises three steps of [imaging condition setting step], [imaging step], and [image generation step]. hereafter, these steps will be explained respectively. [imaging condition setting step] in the imaging condition setting step, the imaging condition input part 210 shown in fig. 1 displays an input screen on the monitor 213 or another monitor. an operator sets the tube current and tube voltage of the x-ray tube 311 , imaging region of the subject 110 , resolution power, and so forth by using the mouse 212 and keyboard 211 constituting the imaging condition input part 210 , or a touch panel sensor provided on the monitor 213 or the like with looking at the screen. as for the method for moving the position of the focal point of the x-ray tube 311 , conditions therefor are determined by an operator according to the resolution desired for the subject 110 , and the determined conditions are inputted. if imaging conditions are stored beforehand, they may be read and used. in this case, an operator does not need to input them at every imaging operation. [imaging step] in the imaging step, when an operator directs the start of the imaging, imaging is performed according to the conditions of the imaging region, tube voltage, and tube current set in the imaging condition setting step already described. a specific example of the method will be explained below. first, the subject 110 is placed on the table 350 for placing subject. the master controller 345 shown in fig. 1 gives directions to a table controller 343 to move the table 350 for placing subject in a direction perpendicular to the rotation plate 332 (z-axis direction), and stop it when the imaging position of the rotation plate 332 matches the specified imaging position. disposition of the subject 110 is thereby completed. the master controller 345 also gives a direction at the same timing to the gantry controller 342 to operate a driving motor to start rotation of the rotation plate 332 . when the rotation of the rotation plate 332 reaches constant speed, and the disposition of the subject 110 is completed, the master controller 345 gives timing of x-ray irradiation from the x-ray tube 311 , and the positions of the x-ray focal point in the ffs imaging (it means that the imaging is performed by the ffs method) to the x-ray controller 341 , and gives timings of the imaging in the x-ray detection modules 321 to the detection device controller 344 . as the positions of the x-ray focal point in the ffs imaging, a plurality of positions are set on the orbital plane of rotation of the gantry 330 , more precisely, two focal point positions are set along the tangential direction of the orbital plane of rotation, and the focal point is alternately moved to the focal point positions. although the movement of the focal point of x-ray includes movement in the circumferential direction of the rotation orbit and movement in the diametric direction of the rotation orbit, only the movement in the circumferential direction will be explained in this explanation. then, imaging is started, that is, irradiation of x-rays and detection of the x-rays by the x-ray detection modules 321 are started. by repeatedly giving directions for such operations as mentioned above, imaging of the whole imaging region is performed. intensities of the x-rays are converted into electric signals in the x-ray detection modules 321 , and sent to das 411 . in das 411 , these electric signals are integrated for a certain period of time, and thereby converted into information on x-ray incidence amount per unit time (these are called “projection data”), and then they are stored in the hdd device 423 . when the table 350 for placing subject is repeatedly moved and stopped as described above, one projection data is obtained for every position of the table 350 . the imaging may also be performed with moving the table 350 for placing subject along the z-axis direction, as in the known helical scan, not with repeatedly moving and stopping the table 350 . [image generation step] in the image generation step, a processing for generating an image from the data stored in the hdd device 423 is performed with the central processing unit 421 , memory 422 , and hdd device 423 provided in the data processing part 420 shown in fig. 1 . in the usual imaging method shown in fig. 13 , the position of the focal point 313 of x-ray is fixed with respect to the x-ray detection module 321 . in contrast, in the imaging by the ffs method, the imaging is performed with moving the focal point of x-ray between two positions ( 313 a and 313 b ), as shown in fig. 14 . in figs. 13 and 14 , the y-axis is an axis parallel to the center axis of the x-ray flux, and the x-axis is an axis perpendicularly intersecting with the y-axis in the orbital plane of rotation (mid plane). the z-axis is an axis parallel to the rotation center axis of the scanner, and perpendicularly intersects with the x-axis and y-axis. the straight line l is a straight line passing around the rotation center, and parallel to the x-axis. the intersection r of the straight line l and a straight line connecting the x-ray focal point and each x-ray detection module 321 (x-ray beam) corresponds to a data sampling point. in this imaging according to the ffs method, because the x-ray focal point alternately moves with the rotational movement of the scanner, the projection data include missing data along the channel direction and the view direction as shown in fig. 15 . the present invention is characterized in that, in this [image generation step], the data missed along the channel direction and the view direction in the projection data obtained by imaging of the subject 110 performed by the ffs method (referred to as missing data) are interpolated, and a reconstruction image of the subject 110 is reconstructed by using them. embodiments of the method for generating a reconstructed image from projection data of which missing data are interpolated along the channel direction and the view direction are roughly classified into three types of embodiments. hereafter, outlines of these three types of embodiments will be explained with reference to fig. 2 , and then they will be respectively explained in detail as the first to third embodiments. fig. 2 includes explanatory drawings showing outlines of the first to third embodiments, in which (a) is an explanatory drawing showing outline of the first embodiment, (b) shows outline of the second embodiment, and (c) shows outline of the third embodiment. with fig. 2 , an example in which interpolation of missing data is performed along at least one of the view direction and the channel direction using a sinogram of projection data will be explained for convenience of explanation. sinogram is a graph in which projection data are developed on a coordinate system using a vertical axis that indicates the view direction (also called θ direction) and a horizontal axis that indicates the channel direction (also called x direction). the interpolation processing for the missing data along the view direction and the channel direction may also be performed for the projection data without developing them on a sinogram. according to the first embodiment, the sinogram is divided into a plurality of regions, and different kinds of interpolation processing are performed depending on the regions. as the interpolation processing, there are used a view direction interpolation processing with which missing data are interpolated by using real data lining up along the view direction, and a channel direction interpolation processing with which missing data are interpolated by using real data lining up along the channel direction. specifically, as shown in fig. 2(a) , a sinogram 500 is divided into a region 500 a near the center for the channel direction, and regions 500 b on both sides of the region 500 a (regions relatively nearer to the ends for the channel direction compared with the region 500 a ), the view direction interpolation processing is performed for the region 500 a , and the channel direction interpolation processing is performed for the regions 500 b . then, by using a sinogram 500 a obtained after the interpolation processing, the reconstruction operation is performed to generate a reconstructed image 510 . in the reconstructed image 510 obtained via such an interpolation processing, contribution ratio of the projection data that have been subjected to the view direction interpolation processing becomes relatively higher in a region around the position corresponding to the rotation center of the gantry 330 , and in a region surrounding the foregoing region, contribution ratio of the projection data that have been subjected to the channel direction interpolation processing becomes relatively higher. a circle 520 shown in fig. 2(a) indicates the boundary of such regions as mentioned above. the same shall apply to figs. 2(b) and 2(c) . when fov (also referred to as field of view) is set so that the center of the reconstructed field of view corresponds to the rotation center of the gantry 330 , the fov center, i.e., the image center of the reconstructed image, agrees with the reconstruction point of the rotation center axis in the reconstructed image. according to the second embodiment, as shown in fig. 2(b) , two of the same projection data are prepared for each position along the slice direction. in fig. 2(b) , the same sinogram 501 and sinogram 502 are used, for example. then, the view direction interpolation processing is performed for the whole region of one of the sinograms, sinogram 501 , to interpolate missing data. the projection data obtained by such an interpolation processing as mentioned above are referred to as “view direction interpolated projection data”. further, the channel direction interpolation processing is performed for the whole region of the other sinogram, sinogram 502 , to interpolate missing data. the projection data obtained by such an interpolation processing as mentioned above are referred to as “channel direction interpolated projection data”. then, a view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 is reconstructed from the view direction interpolated projection data (sinogram 501 a). a channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 is also reconstructed from the channel direction interpolated projection data (sinogram 502 a). then, the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 of are combined to generate a combined image 513 . in the combined image 513 , contribution ratio of the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 is relatively higher around the imaging center, and the contribution ratio of the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 become relatively higher in a circumferential part with respect to the imaging center. according to the third embodiment, the view direction interpolated projection data (sinogram 501 a) and the channel direction interpolated projection data (sinogram 502 a) are also generated as in the second embodiment. then, convolution operations are performed for the view direction interpolated projection data and the channel direction interpolated projection data, with changing first weight to be multiplied on the view direction interpolated projection data and second weight to be multiplied on the channel direction interpolated projection data according to pixel position on the reconstructed images 515 , to generate one reconstructed image 515 . since real coordinates in the reconstructed image 515 are known during the convolution operations, the convolution operations are performed with increasing the first weight relative to the second weight around the imaging center in the reconstructed images 515 , and increasing the second weight relative to the first weight in the circumferential part with respect to the imaging center in the reconstructed images 515 . hereafter, the details of the respective embodiments will be explained. first embodiment the first embodiment will be explained with reference to fig. 2(a) already referred to above, and figs. 3 to 7 . fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing of the image generation step of the first embodiment. fig. 4 is an explanatory drawing showing view number of the samplings and channel number of the samplings in a reconstructed image. fig. 5 is an explanatory drawing showing the data interpolation directions in the directionally weighted interpolation processing on a sinogram. fig. 6 is an explanatory drawing showing details of the view direction interpolation processing and the channel direction interpolation processing. fig. 7 includes explanatory drawings showing a method for calculating boundary position of a view direction interpolation region and a channel direction interpolation region, in which (a) indicates geometrical relation of x-ray, focal point thereof, and x-ray detector into which the x-ray enters, fig. (b) indicates moving distance corresponding to the rotation angle for one view, and fig. (c) indicates geometrical relation of moving distance of focal point and data sampling interval at the imaging center. hereafter, explanations will be made in the order of the steps mentioned in fig. 3 . (step s 101 ) first, the projection data are subjected to a pre-processing required for the view direction interpolation processing and the channel direction interpolation processing (step s 101 ). as the pre-processing, specifically, correction of linearity of circuit, defect correction (defective pixel correction), or the like is performed, for example. the linearity correction and defect correction are carried out by using known techniques. for the defect correction, for example, the technique described in japanese patent unexamined publication (kokai) no. 2005-124613 etc. can be used. (step s 102 ) then, the projection data obtained by the ffs imaging are subjected to an interpolation processing for missing data (refer to fig. 2a ) (step s 102 ). as already described, in the ffs imaging, the number of data sampling points for the channel direction increases around the rotation center axis, i.e., the sample density is high, but effective data sampling density for the channel direction becomes lower around the x-ray detection module 321 . therefore, in a reconstructed image reconstructed from the projection data obtained by carrying out the interpolation processing along the channel direction, the spatial resolution (referred to as channel number of the samplings) differs depending on the position of pixel (imaging position). moreover, since magnification changes depending on the imaging position, also in a reconstructed image reconstructed from the projection data obtained by carrying out the interpolation processing along the view direction, spatial resolution (referred to as the view number of the samplings) differs depending on the position of pixel (imaging position). fig. 4 is a graph using a coordinate system in which the horizontal axis indicates the distance from the imaging center in a reconstructed image, and the vertical axis indicates the channel number of the samplings and the view number of the samplings. as shown in fig. 4 , the channel number of the samplings is higher than the view number of the samplings near the imaging center, and both the channel number of the samplings and the view number of the samplings more degrade as the position becomes remoter from the imaging center. as for degree of this degradation, degree of the degradation of the channel number of the samplings is larger than that of the view number of the samplings. therefore, at a certain distance from the imaging center, the view number of the samplings and the channel number of the samplings become equal to each other. this distance is referred to as distance threshold, and represented by l th . at a distance larger than the distance threshold l th , the view number of the samplings exceeds the channel number of the samplings. the region of a distance from the imaging center not longer than the distance threshold l th is referred to as “first region”, and the region of a distance from the imaging center longer than the distance threshold l th is referred to as “second region”. in the first region, the view number of the samplings is relatively low, and the sample density of real data is relatively high for the channel direction. therefore, the view direction interpolation processing is performed to interpolate missing data. this aims at improvement in the resolution for the view direction. on the other hand, in the second region, although the view number of the samplings is relatively high, the sample density of real data is relatively low in the channel direction. therefore, the channel direction interpolation processing is performed to interpolate missing data. as a result, the difference of the view number of the samplings and the channel number of the samplings depending on the imaging position in the reconstructed image can be reduced. specifically, as shown in fig. 5 , in the sinogram 503 (this is an enlarged drawing of the sinogram 500 shown in fig. 2a ), a region within the distance threshold l th from the position x o for the channel direction as the center, which position corresponds to the position of the projection data of the rotation center for the channel direction, is defined as the first region, and the view direction interpolation processing is performed for this first region. further, for the second region defined with a distance from the position x o for the channel direction longer than the distance threshold l th , the channel direction interpolation processing is performed. in the sinogram shown in fig. 5 , the white squares indicate the positions where there are real data, and the gray squares indicate data missing positions. the view direction interpolation processing and the channel direction interpolation processing will be explained with reference to fig. 6 . the view direction interpolation processing means interpolating missing data at a data missing position by using real data of a position adjacent to the data missing position along the view direction. the channel direction interpolation processing means interpolating missing data at a data missing position by using real data of a position adjacent to the data missing position along the channel direction. for example, in fig. 6 , when data of a data missing position r 2 (coordinates (θ m , x n )) is calculated by using a filter f 1 consisting of a matrix of 1×3 including the data missing position r 2 at the center, it is calculated by using real data of the data sample point r 11 (coordinates (θ m−1 , x n )) and the data sample point r 12 (coordinates (θ m+1 , x n )) adjacent to the data missing position r 2 along the view direction. as for the calculation method, calculation result obtained in accordance with, for example, the following equation (1) is used as interpolated data of the data missing position r 2 . (equation 1) value of r 2={real data of r 11+real data of r 12}/2 (1) in the channel direction interpolation processing, when data of the data missing position r 2 (coordinates (θ m , x n )) is calculated by using a filter f 2 consisting of a matrix of 3×1 including the data missing position r 2 at the center, a value calculated by using real data of the data sample point r 13 (coordinates (θ m , x n−1 )) and the data sample point r 14 (coordinates (θ m , x n+1 )) adjacent to the data missing position r 2 along the channel direction in accordance with, for example, the following equation (2) is used as interpolated data of the data missing position r 2 . (equation 2) value of r 2={real data of r 13+real data of r 14}/2 (2) when the data sample point r 1 (any one of r 11 to r 14 ) is a data missing position, the view direction interpolation and the channel direction interpolation can be similarly performed for it by using real data of the positions on both sides thereof along the view direction or channel direction. the aforementioned sizes of the filters, 1×3 and 3×1, are mere examples, and the size is not limited to these. further, the value to be interpolated may also be calculated by optionally multiplying a larger weight on real data of a data sample point closer to the data missing position in the filter. hereafter, the processing for detecting the boundary of the regions to which the view direction interpolation processing and the channel direction interpolation processing are performed, respectively, i.e., the position corresponding to the distance threshold l th mentioned above, will be explained with reference to fig. 7 . as the premise of the determination of the boundary, it is supposed that the imaging center (reconstruction center point) and the rotation center locate at the same position. the imaging center is represented as o, the midpoint between the x-ray focal point 313 a and the x-ray focal point 313 b as s, the intersection of the perpendicular line drawn from the midpoint s to the x-ray detection part 320 and the x-ray detection part 320 (more precisely, intersection with the image receiving surface of the x-ray detection module 321 ) as i, the distance between s and i as sid, and the distance between o and i as oid. further, the width of the movement of the focal point position is represented as δ, and the number of divided segments along the rotation direction, i.e., the number of views, is represented as v. furthermore, the straight line passing the imaging center o and parallel to the x-axis is represented as lc, the sampling interval on the straight line lc used in usual imaging (imaging is not performed by the ffs method) shown in fig. 13 is represented as x lc , and the sampling interval on the straight line lc used in the ffs method is represented as g x . a straight line corresponding to the straight line lc moved toward the x-ray detection part 320 by δy is represented as ld, and a straight line corresponding to the straight line lc moved toward the x-ray focal point 313 a and the x-ray focal point 313 b by δy is represented as le. when the best resolution is obtained at the position of the imaging center o in imaging by the ffs method, the sampling interval at the position of the imaging center o on the straight line lc shown in fig. 7(a) becomes x lc /2. in this case, from the conditions of similarity of the triangles shown in fig. 7(c) , the following relation is obtained. as for the straight line le shifted by δy from the above position, also from the conditions of similarity, the sampling interval g x at a position on the straight line le is represented by the following equation. by eliminating δ/sid from the equations (3) and (4), the following relation is obtained, according to the equation (5), when δy is positive (δy is positive on the x-ray focal point side), the value of the sampling interval g x becomes larger than x lc /2, and thus spatial resolution degrades, whereas, when δy is negative, the sampling interval becomes smaller than x lc /2, and thus spatial resolution improves. however, the spatial resolution actually degrades even when δy is negative, as explained below. that is, among two of the sampling intervals or g x(e1) and or g x(e2) , which are adjacent to each other on the straight line le shown in fig. 7a , g x(e2) is shorter, and or g x(e1) is longer. when δy is positive, the longer sampling interval is obtained according to the equation (5), and when δy is negative, the shorter sampling interval is obtained according to the equation (5). when δy is negative, the longer sampling interval can be obtained from the sum of the longer sampling interval and the shorter sampling interval g x(e2) , if the sum is known. if it is assumed that the value of δy is such a value that the sampling interval is not changed so much for simplification of the explanation, the sum of the longer sampling interval and the shorter sampling interval can be approximated by twice of the sampling interval on the straight line lc (=x lc ), and when δy is negative, the longer sampling interval gx(e 1 ) can be represented by the following equation. if this sampling interval is regarded as the sampling interval g x in the case where δy is negative, from the equation (5) and the equation (6), where an absolute value is used for δy, the following relation can be obtained. that is, it can be seen that the resolution degrades along the channel direction (x direction) compared with that of the center irrespective of the sign of δy (positive/negative). on the other hand, the sampling interval g v for the view direction corresponds to the distance of the movement of the sampling point by the angle for one view. as shown in fig. 7(b) , when the number of views is sufficiently large, if the circumference of the circle (arc of the circle corresponding to the moving distance) is approximated by a straight line, the moving distance for one view at a position remote by δy from the imaging center o can be described as the equation (8). since the point at which the values of the equations (7) and (8) are the same is the point at which degradation of the resolution for the view direction and degradation of the resolution for the channel direction are the same, circumference of a circle of which radius, i.e., the distance δy from the center, satisfies the equation (9) is the boundary. the interpolation may be performed for the view direction for the region on the center side of the boundary, and may be performed for the channel direction for the region outside the boundary. the distance δy from the imaging center o corresponds to the distance threshold l th already mentioned above. the projection data for the position of the imaging center o is obtained as projection data for the position of the rotation center axis. therefore, in the first embodiment, for the first region of the projection data of which center is the position of channel of the x-ray detection module 321 intersecting with the perpendicular line drawn from the midpoint position s of the x-ray focal points to the x-ray detection part 320 and passing the imaging center o, which is within the distance threshold l th along the channel direction, missing data are interpolated by performing the view direction interpolation processing, and for the second region remote from the imaging center by a distance longer than the distance threshold l th , missing data are interpolated by performing the channel direction interpolation processing. in the aforementioned example, the distance threshold l th is determined by using the values calculated on the basis of the moving distance δ of the focal point of x-ray, the distance sid between the x-ray focal point and the x-ray detection module, and the distance oid between the rotation center and the x-ray detection module. however, in order to measure resolution corresponding to varying distance from the rotation center, it may be determined by using a value calculated on the basis of an image for resolution measurement consisting of an image obtained by imaging of a subject having a known size. (step s 103 ) in step s 103 , a pre-processing required for the log conversion or the reconstruction processing is performed (step s 103 ). this is also performed by using a known technique. the log conversion may also be performed in step s 101 performed before step s 102 . (step s 104 ) using the projection data having been subjected to the pre-processing in step s 103 , a reconstruction operation processing is performed to generate a reconstructed image (x-ray ct image) (step s 104 ). as for the reconstruction algorithm, reconstruction may be performed by using, for example, the feldkamp method or the sequential approximation method, which are known techniques, and type of the reconstruction algorithm is not particularly limited. (step s 105 ) the x-ray ct image is displayed (step s 105 ). according to this embodiment, in the x-ray ct device, difference of the resolution depending on the imaging position in one reconstructed image, which is produced when imaging is performed by the ffs method, can be reduced, and resolution of the reconstructed image can be optimized in accordance with positions of the pixels on the reconstructed image. in addition, it is expected that the x-ray ct device of the first embodiment shall be further improved by adding horizontal movement of the bed, which is a known technique. although resolutions at the rotation center of the x-ray ct device and a position remote from the rotation center differ even in a usual x-ray ct image, the degradation of the resolution becomes more marked at a position remote from the rotation center in the ffs method, as previously explained. however, it is expected that resolution shall be improved for a reconstruction field of view desired by a user by making the rotation center and the imaging center (reconstruction center) as closer as possible through horizontal movement and vertical movement of the bed. it can be expected that, in addition to the aforementioned effect, there should be thereby provided improvement in the resolution in a region of interest in a measured x-ray ct image. in the above explanation, one sinogram is divided into two regions, i.e., the first region and the second region, and either the view direction interpolation processing or the channel direction interpolation processing was performed for each region. however, a connection region including a position corresponding to the distance threshold l th may be provided between the first region and the second region, and the ratio of the view direction interpolation processing and the channel direction interpolation processing to be performed in this connection region may be continuously changed. furthermore, by defining variables x and θ for the projection data, weight to be multiplied in the view direction interpolation processing and weight to be multiplied in the channel direction interpolation processing may be continuously changed by using a filter function f(x, θ). this is equivalent to using infinite number of sections on the sinogram. use of a continuously changing filter function makes it possible to suppress generation of discontinuous points or boundaries in an x-ray ct image. as an example of the filter function, a trigonometric function of which value changes with change of the distance from the rotation center of the rotational movement. second embodiment as already explained with reference to fig. 2b , in the second embodiment, two of the same projection data are generated, all the missing data of one of the projection data are interpolated by the view direction interpolation processing to generate view direction interpolated projection data, and all the missing data of the other projection data are interpolated by the channel direction interpolation processing to generate channel direction interpolated projection data. then, the reconstruction operation is performed with the view direction interpolated projection data to generate a view direction interpolated reconstructed image, and the reconstruction operation is also performed with the channel direction interpolated projection data to generate a channel direction interpolated reconstructed image. then, a combined image is generated by combining the view direction interpolated reconstructed image and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, in which combined image, contribution ratios of the view direction interpolated reconstructed image and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image differ depending on the position of pixel in the combined image. hereafter, this embodiment will be explained with reference to figs. 8 to 11 . fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing according to the second embodiment. fig. 9 includes explanatory drawings showing processing for combining reconstructed images. fig. 10 includes explanatory drawings showing examples of display mode according to the second embodiment. fig. 11 includes explanatory drawings showing examples of display mode according to the second embodiment, wherein (a) shows a case where a region including a specified point is within the region of the boundary marker indicating positions corresponding to the distance threshold l th , and (b) shows a case where a region including a specified point is not within the region of the boundary marker indicating positions corresponding to the distance threshold l th . fig. 8 shows only the flow of the [image generation step] according to the second embodiment. the [imaging condition setting step] and the [imaging step] performed before the image generation step are as already described above, and therefore explanations thereof are omitted. hereafter, explanations will be made for the steps shown in fig. 8 . (step s 101 ) first, a pre-processing required for the view direction interpolation processing and the channel direction interpolation processing is performed for the projection data (step s 101 ). as the pre-processing, specifically, correction of linearity of circuits, defect correction (defective pixel correction), and so forth are performed, for example. the linearity correction and defect correction are performed by using known technique. (steps s 111 and s 112 ) then, missing data occurring in connection with the ffs function are interpolated. one set (two) of projection data measured for the same slice position is prepared. the view direction interpolation processing is performed for one of the projection data at all the data missing positions on the projection data to generate view direction interpolated projection data (s 111 ). for the other projection data, missing data at all the data missing positions on the projection data are interpolated by the channel direction interpolation processing to generate channel direction interpolated projection data (s 112 ). the channel direction interpolation processing and view direction interpolation processing referred to above are the same as the processings explained for the first embodiment with reference to fig. 6 . (steps s 103 - 1 and s 103 - 2 ) a pre-processing required for the log conversion or reconstruction processing is performed for the view direction interpolated projection data generated in step s 111 (step s 103 - 1 ). similarly, a pre-processing required for the log conversion or reconstruction processing is performed also for the channel direction interpolated projection data generated in step s 112 (step s 103 - 2 ). these are also performed by using a known technique. the log conversion can also be performed in step s 101 performed before steps s 111 and s 112 . (steps s 104 - 1 and s 104 - 2 ) a reconstruction operation is performed by using the view direction interpolated projection data to generate a reconstructed image (s 104 - 1 ). hereafter, this reconstructed image is referred to as “view direction interpolated reconstructed image” (corresponding to the reconstructed images 511 shown in fig. 2b ). furthermore, a reconstruction operation is also performed by using the channel direction interpolated projection data to generate a reconstructed image (s 104 - 2 ). this reconstructed image is henceforth referred to as “channel direction interpolated reconstructed image” (corresponding to the reconstructed images 512 shown in fig. 2b ). therefore, two reconstructed images are generated in this step. as for the reconstruction algorithm, reconstruction may be performed by using, for example, the feldkamp method or the sequential approximation method, which are known techniques, and type of the reconstruction algorithm is not particularly limited. (step s 113 ) then, two reconstructed images generated in steps s 104 - 1 and s 104 - 2 are combined (step s 113 ). examples of the combination are shown in fig. 9 . in fig. 9 , the inside of the region enclosed with an ellipse is the subject region, and the circle 520 is the boundary of the first region 513 a and the second region 513 b . as for the example shown in fig. 9(a) , in the combined images 513 , the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 is used for the first region 513 a within the distance threshold l th (the circle 520 drawn with a solid line) from the reconstruction point 0 at the rotation center axis, the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 is used for the second region 513 b outside the first region, which includes positions of the distance threshold l th , and they are combined to generate the combined image 513 . in the example shown in fig. 9(b) , there is provided a connection region 513 c connecting the first region 513 a and the second region 513 b , which includes positions of the distance threshold l th , in order to secure continuity in a region around the distance threshold l th , and for this region 513 c , the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 are added. in fig. 9(b) , the connection region 513 c is shown as a region between a broken line circle 531 concentric with the solid line circle 520 and having a radius shorter than the distance threshold l th , and a broken line circle 532 concentric with the solid line circle 520 and having a radius longer than the distance threshold l th . for addition of the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 , for example, only the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 is used for the first region 513 a , and only the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 is used for the second region 513 b . further, for the connection region 513 c , a weighting factor (weight) determined according to the distance from the position of the distance threshold l th is multiplied on both the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 , and then they are added. the contribution ratios of the view direction interpolated reconstructed image and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image can be thereby continuously changed in the connection region. in fig. 9 , for example, a weighting factor that linearly changes according to change of the distance from the imaging center (reconstruction point at the rotation center) in the combined image 513 is used, and for a position of the distance threshold l th , a weighting factor of 0.5 is multiplied on both the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 . as the position becomes closer to the imaging center o than the position of the distance threshold (position becomes closer to the first region 513 a ), the weight to be multiplied on the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 is made relatively larger than the weight to be multiplied on the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 . further, as the position becomes remoter from the imaging center o than the position of the distance threshold (position closer to the second region 513 b ), the weight to be multiplied on the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 is made relatively smaller than the weight to be multiplied on the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 . discontinuity at the combined position in the combined image 513 is thereby prevented, and therefore generation of artifacts at a position of the distance threshold l th can be reduced. according to the first embodiment, when the reconstruction part calculates the distance threshold l th , the boundary is determined as a point at which the resolution for the view direction and the resolution for the channel direction of the projection data become the same. however, the boundary may also be determined as a point at which the resolution for the view direction (angular direction) and the resolution for the channel direction become the same in the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, or a point at which the resolution for the view direction (angular direction) and the resolution for the channel direction become the same in the view direction interpolated reconstructed image. in this case, as in the first embodiment, the determination may be performed by the reconstruction part using values calculated on the basis of the moving distance of the focal point of x-ray, or values calculated on the basis a resolution measurement image for measuring resolution corresponding to the distance from the rotation center. (step s 114 ) finally, the image is displayed (step s 114 ). candidates of the image to be displayed include the combined image 513 , the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 , and the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 , and one of these or arbitrary combination of these may be displayed. diversified diagnosis is thereby enabled. as an example of the display mode, only the combined image 513 may be displayed as shown in fig. 10 . in this case, a boundary marker 540 that indicates the circle 520 corresponding to the distance threshold l th may be superimposingly displayed on the combined image 513 . change of the filter around the boundary marker 540 can be thereby informed to the operator. further, the boundary marker 540 may not be displayed for legibility of the whole display. as another example of the display mode, only the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 may be displayed in an initial display, and the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 may be displayed in the inside thereof as required. the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 shows higher uniformity of the resolution in the reconstructed image compared with the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 . therefore, the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 may be displayed first so that the operator can see the whole image at a resolution that is uniform to a certain degree, and when the operator specifies a concerned position, the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 of a region including the specified position may be displayed instead. for example, as shown in fig. 11(a) , the boundary marker 540 corresponding to the distance threshold l th is superimposingly displayed on the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 (in fig. 11 , it is displayed with a broken line). when an operation for specifying an arbitrary point within this boundary marker 540 is done (for example, moving a mouse cursor 550 to the specified position and clicking the mouse), a specified region 551 (drawn with a solid line in fig. 11 ), of which center is the specified position, is set. for only the inside of this specified region 551 , the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 showing higher resolution compared with the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 is displayed instead of the latter. as shown in fig. 11(b) , if the specified region 551 of which center is the specified point protrudes out of the boundary marker 540 corresponding to the distance threshold l th , for only the region within the boundary marker 540 of the specified region 551 , the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 may be displayed instead of the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image 512 . in this example of the display, if a region outside the boundary marker 540 is specified, substitution of the view direction interpolated reconstructed image 511 is not performed. in addition, in the example of the display shown in fig. 11 , a processing for calculating the distance threshold is performed in step s 113 , and the combining processing is unnecessary. according to this embodiment, the difference of the view number of the samplings and the channel number of the samplings occurring depending on the imaging position in the reconstructed image can be reduced. further, since a plurality of interpolated images (view direction interpolated reconstructed image, channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, and combined image) are generated, an interpolated image of a resolution desired by a user can be displayed, and thus there can be expected an effect that diversified diagnosis can be more easily performed. as a modification of the second embodiment, there may be used a filter function that continuously changes the weighting factor to be multiplied on the view direction interpolated reconstructed image and the weighting factor to be multiplied on the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image used in the combined image 513 according to the distance from the imaging center. the difference of the view number of the samplings and the channel number of the samplings can be thereby continuously reduced for the whole connection region. as an example of this filter function, a trigonometric function of which value changes according to the distance from the rotation center of the rotational movement (imaging center in the combined image) may be used. third embodiment according to the second embodiment, in order to generate the view direction interpolated reconstructed image and the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, it is necessary to perform the reconstruction operation processing twice. therefore, the reconstruction operation time is doubled. accordingly, according to the third embodiment, by changing the projection data used according to the pixel position during the reconstruction operation, the reconstruction operation is finished at once to shorten the reconstruction operation time. since the [imaging condition setting step] and the [imaging step] used in the third embodiment are also the same as those of the first embodiment, explanations thereof are omitted, and only the [image generation step] will be explained below. hereafter, the third embodiment will be explained with reference to fig. 2(c) and fig. 12 . fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the processing of the image generation step according to the third embodiment. hereafter, the third embodiment will be explained in the order of the steps shown in fig. 12 , but for the processings common to the first and second embodiments, only the outlines are described, and detailed explanations are omitted. (steps s 101 , s 111 , s 112 , s 103 - 1 and s 103 - 2 ) as in the second embodiment, one set (two) of the same projection data is prepared, and a pre-processing required for the view direction interpolation processing and the channel direction interpolation processing is performed for each of them (s 101 ). subsequently, the view direction interpolation processing (s 111 ) and the channel direction interpolation processing (s 112 ) are performed for them, respectively. then, a pre-processing for the log conversion or reconstruction processing is performed for the projection data having been subjected to the interpolation processings in steps s 111 and s 112 (s 103 - 1 , s 103 - 2 ). (step s 124 ) then, complex reconstruction is performed (step s 124 ). the “complex reconstruction” referred to here means generating one reconstructed image by performing a reconstruction operation using a plurality of kinds of projection data. ratio of use of the projection data used for the reconstruction processing is thereby changed according to the position of the pixel in the reconstructed image to optimize the interpolation levels for the view direction and the channel direction, and thereby improve the spatial resolution of the reconstructed image. a specific reconstruction procedure will be explained. the convolution method, which is a known technique, is first used. this is a method of weighting the projection data to be used for calculating pixel values of pixels of a reconstructed image according to the positions of the pixels in the reconstructed image (position of the pixels in the real space), and adding them. that is, since to which pixel on the reconstructed image each pixel value corresponds can be known at the time of the addition, ratios of the view direction interpolated projection data ( 501 a in fig. 2c ) and the channel direction interpolated projection data ( 502 a in fig. 2c ) used for the optimal projection data for that pixel are determined, and then the convolution operation is performed with them. for example, in the reconstructed image 515 shown in fig. 2(c) , for missing data in the first region inside the circle 520 , which indicates positions at the distance threshold l th from the imaging center (the imaging center is regarded to be the same as the reconstruction point at the rotation center in this embodiment), the reconstruction operation is performed by the convolution method using weight of 0 for the channel direction interpolated projection data 502 a and weight of 1 for the view direction interpolated projection data 501 a. that is, in the first region inside the circle 520 , the reconstruction operation is performed by using only the view direction interpolated projection data 501 a. for missing data of the second region outside the circle 520 , but including positions on the circle 520 , the reconstruction operation is performed by the convolution method using weight of 0 for the view direction interpolated projection data 501 a and weight of 1 for the channel direction interpolated projection data 502 a. that is, for this region, the reconstruction operation is performed by using only the channel direction interpolated projection data 502 a. in addition, when the reconstruction part calculates the distance threshold l th , a point where resolution for the view direction (angular direction) and resolution for the channel direction become the same in the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image, or a point where resolution for the view direction (angular direction) and resolution for the channel direction become the same in the view direction interpolated reconstructed image may be determined as the boundary. in this case, as in the first embodiment, the reconstruction part may calculate it by using values calculated on the basis of the moving distance of the focal point of x-ray, or values calculated on the basis of a resolution measurement image for determining resolution corresponding to the distance from the rotation center. although this embodiment has been explained by exemplifying the convolution method as the algorithm of the reconstruction operation processing, it is not limited to the convolution method so long as an algorithm with which the coordinates of the imaging position in the real space or the real coordinates in the reconstructed image of the same can be clarified is used. (step s 105 ) as in the first embodiment, the generated reconstructed image is displayed (s 105 ). alternatively, as shown in fig. 11 referred to in the explanation of the second embodiment, the channel direction interpolated reconstructed image may be displayed in an initial display, the boundary marker 540 that indicates the circle 520 corresponding to the distance threshold l th may be superimposingly displayed thereon, and when a specified region is set in the inside of the boundary marker 540 , there may be displayed a reconstructed image generated by performing the reconstruction operation by the convolution method with the projection data using the first weight and second weight determined according to the imaging position in the specified region (position in the reconstructed image 515 ). according to this embodiment, a reconstructed image in which the difference of the view number of the samplings and the channel number of the samplings in the reconstructed image is reduced can be generated by performing the reconstruction operation only once. therefore, it has an advantage that amount of memory eventually required can be made smaller compared with the second embodiment. as a modification of this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, in order to prevent formation of a discontinuous region at the circle 520 in the reconstructed images 515 , a connection region that includes the circle 520 and connects the first region and the second region may be provided, and the convolution operation may be performed for the missing data in the connection region by using a relatively larger first weight factor to be multiplied on the view direction interpolated projection data 501 a for a position closer to the imaging center and a relatively larger second weight factor to be multiplied on the channel direction interpolated projection data 502 a for a position remoter from the imaging center in the connection region, so that the first weight and the second weight are continuously changed. there may also be used a filter function that continuously changes the first weighting factor to be multiplied on the view direction interpolated projection data 501 a and the second weighting factor to be multiplied on the channel direction interpolated projection data 502 a according to the distance from the imaging center in the reconstructed image 515 . the difference of the view number of the samplings and the channel number of the samplings can be thereby continuously reduced for the whole reconstructed image. as an example of this filter function, a trigonometric function of which value changes according to the distance from the rotation center of the rotational movement (imaging center in the reconstructed image 515 ). description of numerical notations 100 . . . x-ray ct device110 . . . subject200 . . . input part210 . . . imaging condition input part211 . . . keyboard212 . . . mouse213 . . . monitor300 . . . imaging part310 . . . x-ray generation part311 . . . x-ray tube313 , 313 a , and 313 b . . . x-ray focal point320 . . . x-ray detection part321 . . . x-ray detection module330 . . . gantry331 . . . bore332 . . . rotation plate340 . . . imaging control part341 . . . x-ray controller342 . . . gantry controller343 . . . table controller344 . . . detection device controller345 . . . master controller350 . . . table for placing subject400 . . . image generation part410 . . . signal collection part411 . . . data acquisition system (das)420 . . . data processing part421 . . . central processing unit422 . . . memory423 . . . hdd device430 . . . image display part431 . . . image display monitor
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174-820-247-098-366
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US
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[
"US"
] |
B32B17/00,B01D29/56,B01D39/16,B32B5/02,B32B5/26,D04H3/16,B01D39/00,B01D37/00
| 2010-12-17T00:00:00 |
2010
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[
"B32",
"B01",
"D04"
] |
fine fiber filter media and processes
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fine fiber products including fiber webs, as well as related assemblies, systems and methods, are described. in some embodiments, fiber webs described herein may include fine fibers and relatively low amounts of degraded polymer formed during a fiber extrusion process. the fiber webs may be used for filter media applications.
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1. a fiber web comprising: a first layer and a second layer, wherein each of the first and second layers comprises a plurality of meltblown fibers having an average fiber diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns, wherein the second layer has the same composition as the first layer, and wherein the fiber web has: a mean pore size of greater than about 0.1 microns and less than about 2.0 microns; a surface area of greater than or equal to about 1.5 m 2 /g and less than or equal to about 6 m 2 /g; a water permeability of greater than about 0.2 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, wherein determining the water permeability comprises passing deionized water through the fiber web at a pressure of 20 psi until 1,000 ml of permeate has been collected; a permeate turbidity of less than about 8 ntu, wherein determining the permeate turbidity comprises passing a dispersion of iso 12103-1-a2 silica fine test dust in deionized water at a concentration of 1,500 ppm through the fiber web at a pressure of 30 psi until 50 ml of permeate is collected, and measuring turbidity of the collected permeate; a basis weight between about 15 g/m 2 and about 200 g/m 2 ; and a thickness between about 0.002 inches and about 0.02 inches, wherein the fiber web has a bubble point between about 1.5 microns and about 20 microns, wherein the bubble point is measured according to the standard astm f-316-80 method b, bs6410. 2. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a basis weight between about 30 g/m 2 and about 200 g/m 2 . 3. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a consistency of basis weight across the fiber web of about 3.0 standard deviations or less. 4. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a thickness between about 0.006 inches and about 0.016 inches. 5. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a consistency of thickness across the fiber web of about 3.0 standard deviations or less. 6. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of meltdown fibers have an average fiber diameter of less than about 1.0 microns. 7. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of meltblown fibers have an average fiber diameter of less than about 0.6 microns. 8. the fiber web of claim 1 , comprising a solidity of greater than or equal to about 10% and less than about 70%. 9. the fiber web of claim 1 , comprising a solidity of greater than or equal to about 25% and less than about 55%. 10. the fiber web of claim 1 , comprising a mean pore size of greater than about 0.2 microns and less than about 1.5 microns. 11. the fiber web of claim 1 , comprising a mean pore size of greater than about 0.3 microns and, less than about 1.0 microns. 12. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has an air permeability of greater than about 2 and less than about 35 cfm. 13. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has an air permeability of greater than about 2 and less than about 25 cfm. 14. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a water permeability of greater than about 0.2 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi and less than about 4 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi. 15. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has an initial permeate flux greater than about 5 ml/min·cm 2 and less than about 200 ml/min·cm 2 . 16. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has an initial permeate flux greater than about 5 ml/min·cm 2 and less than about 60 ml/min·cm 2 . 17. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a final permeate flux greater than about 1.5 ml/min·cm 2 and less than about 100 ml/min·cm 2 . 18. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a final permeate flux greater than about 2 ml/min·cm 2 and less than about 30 ml/min·cm 2 . 19. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a permeate turbidity of less than about 5 ntu. 20. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a permeate turbidity of less than about 2.5 ntu. 21. a filter element comprising the fiber web of claim 1 . 22. a method comprising passing a liquid through the fiber web of claim 1 . 23. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web is formed by stacking at least the first layer and the second layer. 24. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web is formed by laminating at least the first layer and the second layer. 25. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web is formed by subjecting at least the first layer and the second layer to a calendering process. 26. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a ratio of bubble point to mean pore size of less than about 3:1, wherein the bubble point is measured according to the standard astm f-316-80 method b, bs6410. 27. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a ratio of bubble point to mean pore size of between about 2:1 and about 3:1, wherein the bubble point is measured according to the standard astm f-316-80 method b, bs6410. 28. the fiber web of claim 1 , wherein the fiber web has a bubble point between about 1.5 microns and about 10 microns, wherein the bubble point is measured according to the standard astm f-316-80 method b, bs6410. 29. the fiber web of claim 1 , the fiber web has a surface area greater than about 2.0 m 2 /g and less than or equal to about 6 m 2 /g.
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cross reference to related applications the present application is a continuation-in-part of u.s. patent application ser. no. 12/971,539, filed on dec. 17, 2010 and entitled “fine fiber filter media and processes” and u.s. patent application ser. no. 12/971,594, filed on dec. 17, 2010 and entitled “fine fiber filter media and processes”, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. field fine fiber products, including those suitable for use as filter media, as well as related assemblies, systems and methods, are described. background filter media can be used to remove contamination in a variety of applications. depending on the application, the filter media may be designed to have different performance characteristics. in general, filter media can be formed of a web of fibers. the fiber web provides a porous structure that permits fluid (e.g., a liquid or a gas) to flow through the filter media. contaminant particles contained within the fluid may be trapped on the fibrous web. filter media characteristics, such as fiber diameter and basis weight, affect filter performance including filter efficiency and resistance to fluid flow through the filter. fiber webs can be formed by different processes. in a meltblowing process, a fiber web may be formed by extruding a polymeric material through a die and then attenuating the resulting filaments with a heated, high-velocity air stream. this process may generate fine fibers that can be collected onto a moving collector belt where they intertwine with each other to form a fiber web. there are several parameters during the extrusion process that can affect the structural and performance characteristics of the resulting fiber webs. improvements in the extrusion process may lead to fiber webs having improved structural and performance characteristics, such as reduced fiber diameters, increased surface area, and/or reduced basis weight. such improvements would find use in a number of different fields where fiber webs can be used, such as in filtration applications. summary the disclosure generally relates to fine fiber products, as well as related assemblies, systems and methods. in some embodiments, a series of fiber webs are provided. in one set of embodiments, a fiber web includes a plurality of meltblown fibers formed of a polymeric material and having an average fiber diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns. the fiber web has an air permeability between about 10 cfm and about 1800 cfm, a surface area between about 0.1 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, a basis weight between about 1.0 g/m 2 and about 100 g/m 2 , and a thickness between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.04 inches. the fiber web also has a surface density of particles formed of the polymeric material of less than about 1.6 particles/in 2 , wherein each of the particles has a largest cross-sectional dimension of about 1.0 mm or greater. in another set of embodiments, a fiber web includes a fiber web comprising a plurality of meltblown fibers having an average fiber diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns. the fiber web has a mean pore size of greater than about 0.1 microns and less than about 2.0 micron. the fiber web has a water permeability of greater than about 0.2 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, and a permeate turbidity of less than about 8 ntu. the fiber web also has a basis weight between about 15 g/m 2 and about 200 g/m 2 and a thickness between about 0.002 inches and about 0.02 inches. in another set of embodiments, a fiber web comprises a plurality of meltblown fibers having an average fiber diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns. the fiber web has a mean pore size of greater than about 0.1 microns and less than about 2.0 microns. the fiber web may have a ratio of bubble point to mean pore size of less than about 3:1. the fiber web may have a water permeability of greater than about 0.2 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi. additionally, the fiber web may have a solidity of greater than or equal to about 10% and less than about 70%. the fiber web may have a basis weight between about 15 g/m 2 and about 200 g/m 2 . the fiber web may have a thickness between about 0.002 inches and about 0.02 inches. in another set of embodiments, a fiber web includes a plurality of meltblown fibers formed of a polymeric material and having an average fiber diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 0.6 microns. the fiber web has an air permeability between about 10 cfm and about 1800 cfm, a surface area between about 0.1 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, a basis weight between about 1.0 g/m 2 and about 100 g/m 2 , and a thickness between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.04 inches. the fiber web also has a surface density of particles formed of the polymeric material of less than about 5 particles/in 2 , wherein each of the particles has a largest cross-sectional dimension of about 1.0 mm or greater. in another set of embodiments, a fiber web includes a plurality of meltblown fibers having an average fiber diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns. the fiber web has an air permeability between about 10 and about 1800 cfm, a surface area greater than about 2.0 m 2 /g, a basis weight between about 1.0 g/m 2 and about 100 g/m 2 , and a thickness between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.04 inches. in some embodiments, a series of methods of forming fiber webs is provided. in one set of embodiments, a method of forming a fiber web includes introducing a polymeric material into an extrusion system including an extruder inlet, a die outlet, and a processing space between the extruder inlet and the die outlet, wherein the extrusion system comprises a extruder barrel having an inner diameter of about 4 inches or less, and processing the polymeric material in the extrusion system such that the polymeric material has a dwell time of less than about 85 minutes in the processing space. the method also includes forming a plurality of meltblown fibers from the polymeric material, wherein the plurality of meltblown fibers have an average diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns, and forming a fiber web comprising the plurality of meltblown fibers. in another set of embodiments, a method of forming a fiber web includes introducing a polymeric material into an extrusion system including an extruder inlet, a die outlet, and a processing space between the extruder inlet and the die outlet having a volume of less than about 25,000 cm 3 . the method also includes forming a plurality of meltblown fibers from the polymeric material, wherein the plurality of meltblown fibers have an average diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns, and forming a fiber web comprising the plurality of meltblown fibers. in another set of embodiments, a method of forming a fiber web includes introducing a polymeric material into an extrusion system including an extruder inlet, a die outlet, and a processing space between the extruder inlet and the die outlet, and processing the polymeric material in the extrusion system such that the polymeric material has a dwell time in the processing space of less than about 30 minutes and a throughput of less than about 85 lbs/hr. the method also includes forming a plurality of meltblown fibers from the polymeric material, wherein the plurality of meltblown fibers have an average diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns, and forming a fiber web comprising the plurality of meltblown fibers. in another set of embodiments, a method of forming a fiber web includes introducing a polymeric material into an extrusion system including an extruder inlet, a die outlet, and a processing space between the extruder inlet and the die outlet, and processing the polymeric material in the extrusion system such that the polymeric material has a dwell time in the processing space of less than about 50 minutes and a throughput of less than about 55 lbs/hr. the method also includes forming a plurality of meltblown fibers from the polymeric material, wherein the plurality of meltblown fibers have an average diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns, and forming a fiber web comprising the plurality of meltblown fibers. other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures. in cases where the present specification and a document incorporated by reference include conflicting and/or inconsistent disclosure, the present specification shall control. if two or more documents incorporated by reference include conflicting and/or inconsistent disclosure with respect to each other, then the document having the later effective date shall control. brief description of the figures non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figure, which is schematic and is not intended to be drawn to scale. in the figure, each identical or nearly identical component illustrated is typically represented by a single numeral. for purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled, nor is every component of each embodiment of the invention shown where illustration is not necessary to allow those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention. in the figures: fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a process for fiber formation according to one set of embodiments. detailed description fine fiber products including fiber webs, as well as related assemblies, systems and methods, are described. in some embodiments, fiber webs described herein may include fine fibers and relatively low amounts of degraded polymer formed during a fiber extrusion process. polymer degradation may result in the formation of polymeric particles, which may lessen the properties of fiber webs used for filter media or other applications. polymer degradation may be decreased by, for example, decreasing the amount of time (e.g., dwell time) the polymeric material spends at relatively high temperatures and pressures in certain portions of the extrusion system. factors influencing this decreased dwell time are balanced with the desire to form fibers having small diameters which in certain conventional processes are produced at longer dwell times. in some embodiments, fiber webs described herein have a relatively low air permeability and a relatively high surface area, which can lead to increased performance. other advantages of the articles, methods and systems described herein are also provided. this disclosure describes several methods for addressing some problems associated with certain polymer fiber extrusion processes. one problem involves the formation of fibers having very small diameters. as described in more detail below, generally the formation of fibers having very small diameters in certain extrusion processes uses a relatively low polymer throughput. however, a low throughput may lead to the formation of degraded polymeric material in the form of particles during an extrusion process. this degradation may be caused by the polymeric material being subjected to the relatively high temperatures and pressures of the extrusion process for prolonged periods of time and/or to other conditions. as the amount of degraded polymer increases, less fiber is produced per unit of polymer. for fiber webs used for filtration or certain other applications, this occurrence is not desirable as it may result in having to form fiber webs having a higher basis weight in order to achieve the same level of performance as fiber webs without degraded polymer, all other factors being equal. in the past, increased amounts of degraded polymer formed during an extrusion process sometimes results in the practitioner having to change certain parameters of the extrusion process to reduce the amount of degraded polymer; however, these changes may lead to the formation of fibers having relatively larger diameters and/or fiber webs having less desirable performance characteristics. the inventors have discovered within the context of the invention that by balancing certain parameters of an extrusion process and/or by including one or more additives to the polymeric material used to form the fibers, fine fiber webs having relatively low amounts of polymer degradation, increased performance, and/or better structural characteristics can be achieved. examples of parameters that can be varied and additives that can be used to achieve this result are described in more detail below. although much of the description provided herein refers to a fiber web or a meltblown product used as filter media, it should be understood that the fiber web and/or meltblown product can be used in other applications in other embodiments. fig. 1 shows a system 1 that may be used in methods that form fine fibers according to certain embodiments described herein. as shown in this illustrative embodiment, a polymeric material 10 , such as a resin which may be in granular form, may be introduced into a mixer 20 , where the polymeric material can be optionally combined with one more additives. the polymeric material may then be transported in the direction of arrows 22 towards an inlet 24 of an extruder 25 . the extruder includes an extruder screw 26 that is mounted for rotation within an extruder barrel 27 . through the rotation of the screw, polymeric material is conveyed downstream within the extruder barrel, which may be heated to a desired temperature to create a fluid stream of polymeric material. the polymer is heated (generally slowly) from the inlet of the extruder to the outlet of the extruder to allow the polymeric material to flow more easily. the stream of polymeric material may then flow into one or more conduits 28 fluidically connecting the extruder to a die body 30 (e.g., connecting the extruder outlet to a die body inlet). the volume between the extruder inlet and a die outlet 44 collectively define a processing space having a particular internal volume that can be used to calculate the dwell time of the polymeric material, as described in more detail below. as shown illustratively in fig. 1 , a melt pump 32 may be positioned between conduit 28 and the die body. the melt pump can help control the amount of polymer throughput (lb/hr) delivered to the die body. the die body has a die temperature which influences the temperature of the polymeric material in the die body, including the temperature of the polymer in a spin pack 40 connected to the die body. the spin pack may include one or more channels 42 allowing the polymer to flow towards a die outlet 44 (e.g., a die tip) including one or more holes. the spin pack also includes one or more additional channels 46 which can allow air or other gases to flow towards the die tip. as the melted polymer exits the one or more die outlets, the air flowing in channels 46 attenuates the polymer into fibers. fiber formation can be controlled by modifying the process air temperature and process air volume. the polymer exiting the one or more holes of the die outlet is formed into meltblown fibers 50 onto a collector table 60 which includes a collector belt 70 . the diameter of the fibers may be controlled in part by air or other gases introduced into channels 55 , which can be used to quench the fibers. the heated, high velocity air impinges the polymer on either side of the die outlet as the polymer exits out of the die outlet. this air may attenuate the fiber to the final fiber size. quenching can be controlled by modifying the quench air temperature and quench air volume. the fibers collected onto the collector belt may be pulled towards the collector table using a suction box 74 . the fibers collected onto the collector belt form a fiber web. the distance 75 from the die tip to the collector table can be varied to control the density of the fiber web (e.g., as the distance is increased, the fiber velocity is decreased and the fiber temperature is reduced so packing of the fibers is less dense, resulting in a more lofty web). as the distance is increased, the velocity of the fiber is generally decreased, making a loftier fiber web. the collector suction is also controlled, which also impacts the loft of the fiber web. the basis weight and thickness of the fiber web can be varied by controlling the collector belt speed. the collector belt transports the fiber web to a winder 80 where the fiber web can be further processed if desired. in certain embodiments, a method of forming a fiber web may involve controlling the dwell time of the polymeric material in a processing space of a system such as the one shown in fig. 1 . the dwell time is the time the polymeric material spends in a processing space, which includes the combined volume where the polymeric material can reside between an extruder inlet and a die outlet, within the temperature- and pressure-controlled confines of the extrusion process. the combined volume may include, for example, the volume of the extruder (e.g., extruder barrel), die body, and any conduits fluidically connecting the extruder and die body. the dwell time can be calculated using the formula: dwell time= v·ρ/th (1) where v is the volume of the processing space as defined above, ρ is the density of the polymeric material being extruded, and th is the throughput of the polymeric material through the die body. without wishing to be bound by any theory, the inventors believe that in some embodiments, in order to form fine fiber webs, relatively low throughputs may be used during the extrusion process. relatively low throughputs allow fibers having small diameters to be formed; however, low throughputs may also result in a certain amount of the polymeric material used to form the fibers to become degraded due to the polymeric material being subjected to the relatively high temperatures and pressures of the extrusion process for prolonged periods of time (i.e., a relatively high dwell time). degradation may result in the formation of small polymeric particles as described in more detail below, which may lessen the filtration properties of the fiber web. if relatively high throughputs are used, the dwell time of the polymeric material decreases; however, fibers having larger diameters may be formed. as a result, in some embodiments a suitable process for forming fine fibers with low polymer degradation may involve balancing both the throughput and the dwell time of the polymeric material during the extrusion process. the inventors have recognized within the context of the invention that one method for decreasing the dwell time of the polymeric material while obtaining small fiber diameters is to decrease the volume of the processing space. as the processing space includes the combined volume between an extruder inlet and a die outlet, the volume of the processing space may be decreased by, for example, decreasing the diameter and/or length of the extruder barrel, decreasing the number, diameter and/or length of any conduits connecting the extruder and die body, decreasing the internal volume of the die body, and combinations thereof. using a relatively low processing space volume during an extrusion process can allow, in some embodiments, a relatively low polymer throughput to be used, while still maintaining a relatively low dwell time. as such, fine fiber webs having relatively low polymer degradation may be formed. the inventors have also observed within the context of the invention that in some embodiments, the temperature of the polymeric material in the processing space may have relatively little effect on the amount of polymer degradation, e.g., compared to the dwell time. one of ordinary skill in the art would have expected that polymer degradation was caused by the polymeric material being subjected to the relatively high temperatures (and pressures) during the extrusion process. accordingly, to decrease the amount of polymer degradation, one of ordinary skill in the art would likely decrease the temperature of the polymeric material in the extruder and/or die body. one of ordinary skill in the art would not have expected that low amounts of polymer degradation can be achieved while using relatively high processing temperatures in combination with modifying other parameters as described in certain methods provided herein. as noted above, in some embodiments, a method of forming a fiber web may involve controlling the dwell time of the polymeric material in a processing space of an extrusion system. in certain embodiments, the dwell time may range between about 1 minute and about 2,600 minutes. for example, the dwell time of the polymeric material may be between about 1 minute and about 1,500 minutes, between about 2 minutes and about 1,000 minutes, between about 2 minutes and about 500 minutes, between about 2 minutes and about 100 minutes, between about 3 minutes and about 90 minutes, between about 5 minutes and about 76 minutes, between about 5 minutes and about 50 minutes, between about 5 minutes and about 30 minutes, or between about 1 minute and about 15 minutes. in some embodiments, the dwell time of a polymeric material in a processing space is less than about 2,000 minutes, less than about 1,500 minutes, less than about 1,000 minutes, less than about 500 minutes, less than about 200 minutes, less than about 100 minutes, less than about 75 minutes, less than about 50 minutes, less than about 30 minutes, less than about 20 minutes, less than about 15 minutes, less than about 10 minutes, or less than about 5 minutes. other ranges and values of dwell time are also possible. the polymer throughput may range, for example, between about 1 lb/hour and about 200 lbs/hour. for instance, the polymer throughput may be between about 1 lb/hour and 150 lbs/hours, between about 1 lb/hour and 100 lbs/hour, between about 2 lbs/hour and about 90 lbs/hour, between about 20 lbs/hour and about 85 lbs/hour, between about 20 lbs/hour and about 60 lbs/hour, between about 40 lbs/hour and about 85 lbs/hour, or between about 1 lb/hour and 20 lbs/hour. in some embodiments, the polymer throughput may be less than about 200 lbs/hour, less than about 150 lbs/hour, less than about 100 lbs/hour, less than about 85 lbs/hour, less than about 60 lbs/hour, less than about 40 lbs/hour, less than about 20 lbs/hour. in other embodiments, the polymer throughput may be greater than about 20 lbs/hour, greater than about 40 lbs/hour, greater than about 85 lbs/hour, greater than about 100 lbs/hour, greater than about 150 lbs/hour, or greater than about 200 lbs/hour. other ranges and values of polymer throughput are also possible. the volume of the processing space where polymeric material can reside may be varied in some embodiments, e.g., to achieve a particular dwell time. the volume of the processing space may range, for example, between about 10 cm 3 and about 30,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 25,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 20,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 15,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 12,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 10,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 8,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 6,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 4,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 2,000 cm 3 , between about 10 cm 3 and about 1,000 cm 3 , or between about 10 cm 3 and about 500 cm 3 . in some cases, the volume of the processing space is less than about 30,000 cm 3 , less than about 25,000 cm 3 , less than about 20,000 cm 3 , less than about 15,000 cm 3 , less than about 12,000 cm 3 , less than about 10,000 cm 3 , less than about 8,000 cm 3 , less than about 6,000 cm 3 , less than about 4,000 cm 3 , less than 2,000 cm 3 , less than about 1,000 cm 3 , or less than about 500 cm 3 . other ranges and values of processing space volume are also possible. the size of the extruder screw (e.g., screw diameter) may be varied in some embodiments, e.g., to achieve a particular processing space volume. in some embodiments, the extruder screw diameter may be between about 0.25 and about 6.0 inches. for instance, the extruder screw diameter may be between about 0.25 inches and about 5.5 inches, between about 0.5 inches and about 5.0 inches, between about 1.0 inch and about 4.0 inches, between about 1.0 inch and about 3.5 inches, or between about 1.0 inch and about 3.0 inches. in some cases, extruder screw diameter may be about 6.0 inches or less, about 5.5 inches or less, about 5.0 inches or less, about 4.5 inches or less, about 4.0 inches or less, about 3.5 inches or less, about 3.0 inches or less, about 2.5 inches or less, about 2.0 inches or less, or about 1.5 inches or less. other ranges and values of extruder screw diameters are also possible. the extruder barrel diameter (e.g., the inner diameter of the barrel) may be varied in some embodiments and may be chosen to match the size of the extruder screw. for example, an extruder screw having a 4 inch diameter may be matched with an extruder barrel having an inner diameter of about 4.0 inches. in some embodiments, the extruder barrel may have an inner diameter of between about 0.25 and about 6.0 inches. for instance, the inner diameter of the extruder barrel may be between about 0.25 inches and about 5.5 inches, between about 0.5 inches and about 5.0 inches, between about 1.0 inch and about 4.0 inches, between about 1.0 inch and about 3.5 inches, or between about 1.0 inch and about 3.0 inches. in some cases, the inner diameter of the extruder barrel may be about 6.0 inches or less, about 5.5 inches or less, about 5.0 inches or less, about 4.5 inches or less, about 4.0 inches or less, about 3.5 inches or less, about 3.0 inches or less, about 2.5 inches or less, about 2.0 inches or less, or about 1.5 inches or less. other ranges and values of extruder barrel inner diameters are also possible. in certain embodiments, the length of the extruder barrel may be varied, e.g., to achieve a particular processing space volume. in some embodiments, the length of the extruder barrel may be between about 1 ft and about 15 ft. for instance, the length of the extruder barrel may be between about 1 ft and about 12 ft, between about 1 ft and about 10 ft, between about 1 ft and about 8 ft, between about 1 ft and about 6 ft, between about 1 ft and about 5 ft, between about 1 ft and about 4 ft, or between about 1 ft and about 2 ft. in some cases, the length of the extruder barrel is about 15 ft or less, about 12 ft or less, about 10 ft or less, about 8 ft or less, about 6 ft or less, about 5 ft or less, about 4 ft or less, about 3 ft or less, or about 2 ft or less. other ranges and values of extruder barrel lengths are also possible. in certain embodiments, the average diameter of one or more conduits between an extruder outlet and a die inlet (e.g., space where a polymeric material can reside) may be varied, e.g., to achieve a particular processing space volume. in some embodiments, the average conduit diameter may be between about 0.1 and about 10.0 inches. for instance, the average conduit diameter may be between about 0.3 inches and about 8.0 inches, between about 0.3 inches and about 5.0 inches, between about 0.1 inches and about 3.0 inches, between about 0.1 inches and about 2.0 inches, between about 0.5 inches and about 2.0 inches, between about 0.1 inches and about 1.8 inches, between about 0.1 inches and about 1.6 inches, between about 0.1 inches and about 1.4 inches, between about 0.1 inches and about 1.2 inches, between about 0.1 inches and about 1.0 inches, or between about 0.1 inches and about 0.8 inches. in some cases, the average conduit diameter is about 10.0 inches or less, about 8.0 inches or less, about 6.0 inches or less, about 4.0 inches or less, about 3.0 inches or less, about 2.0 inches or less, about 1.8 inches or less, about 1.6 inches or less, about 1.4 inches or less, about 1.2 inches or less, about 1.0 inches or less, about 0.8 inches or less, or about 0.7 inches or less. other ranges and values of average conduit diameters are also possible. in certain embodiments, the combined length of one or more conduits between an extruder outlet and a die inlet (e.g., space where a polymeric material can reside) may be varied, e.g., to achieve a particular processing space volume. in some embodiments, the combined conduit length may be between about 0.5 ft and about 75 ft. for instance, the combined conduit length may be between about 5 ft and about 50 ft, between about 5 ft and about 40 ft, between about 5 ft and about 30 ft, between about 10 ft and about 25 ft, between about 5 ft and about 25 ft, between about 5 ft and about 20 ft, between about 5 ft and about 15 ft, between about 1 ft and about 12 ft, between about 1 ft and about 10 ft, between about 1 ft and about 8 ft. in some cases, the conduit length may be about 75 ft or less, about 50 ft or less, about 40 ft or less, about 30 ft or less, about 25 ft or less, about 20 ft or less, about 15 ft or less, about 12 ft or less, about 10 ft or less, about 8 ft or less, or about 6 ft or less. other ranges and values of combined conduit lengths are also possible. the volume of the die body (including the spin pack) where polymeric material can reside may be varied in some embodiments. the volume of the die body may range, for example, between about 300 cm 3 and about 15,000 cm 3 , between about 300 cm 3 and about 13,000 cm 3 , between about 300 cm 3 and about 11,000 cm 3 , between about 300 cm 3 and about 9,000 cm 3 , between about 300 cm 3 and about 6,000 cm 3 , between about 300 cm 3 and about 4,000 cm 3 , between about 300 cm 3 and about 2,000 cm 3 , between about 300 cm 3 and about 1,000 cm 3 , or between about 300 cm 3 and about 600 cm 3 . in some cases, the volume of the die body is 15,000 cm 3 , less than about 13,000 cm 3 , less than about 10,000 cm 3 , less than about 8,000 cm 3 , less than about 6,000 cm 3 , less than about 4,000 cm 3 , less than 2,000 cm 3 , less than about 1,000 cm 3 , or less than about 600 cm 3 . other ranges and values of die volume are also possible. in some embodiments, an extrusion process described herein may include a particular die temperature range or value. in general, the die temperature may be selected to suitably soften (e.g., melt) the polymeric material that is to be formed into fibers. in some embodiments, the die temperature is between about 400° f. and about 630° f. for instance, the die temperature may be between about 410° f. and about 600° f., between about 410° f. and about 580° f., between about 420° f. and about 550° f., or between about 420° f. and about 500° f. in certain embodiments, the die temperature may be greater than about 400° f., greater than about 420° f., greater than about 440° f., greater than about 460° f., greater than about 480° f., or greater than about 500° f. in other embodiments, the die temperature may be less than about 630° f., less than about 550° f., less than about 500° f., or less than about 450° f. other ranges and values of die temperatures are also possible. the temperature of the extruder barrel typically varies from the inlet of the extruder to the outlet of the extruder to allow the polymeric material to flow more easily. the minimum temperature used to heat the polymer in the extruder barrel may be, for example, at least about 300° f., at least about 350° f., at least about 400° f., or at least about 420° f. the maximum temperature of the extruder barrel may be, for example, between about 400° f. and about 630° f. for instance, the maximum temperature of the extruder barrel may be between about 410° f. and about 600° f., between about 410° f. and about 580° f., between about 420° f. and about 550° f., between about 420° f. and about 480° f., or between about 420° f. and about 500° f. in certain embodiments, the maximum temperature of the extruder barrel may be greater than about 400° f., greater than about 420° f., greater than about 440° f., greater than about 460° f., greater than about 480° f., or greater than about 500° f. in other embodiments, the maximum temperature of the extruder barrel may be less than about 630° f., less than about 550° f., less than about 500° f., or less than about 450° f. in some embodiments, the maximum temperature of the extruder barrel is at least about 10° f. lower, at least about 20° f. lower, at least about 30° f. lower, or at least about 40° f. lower than the temperature of the die body. other ranges and values of temperatures of the extruder barrel are also possible. the process air temperature may also be varied. in some embodiments, the process air temperature may be between about 400° f. and about 630° f. for instance, the process air temperature may be between about 410° f. and about 600° f., between about 410° f. and about 580° f., between about 420° f. and about 550° f., between about 440° f. and about 530° f., or between about 420° f. and about 500° f. other ranges and values of process air temperatures are also possible. in some embodiments, it may be desirable to vary the process air volume. as described above, the process air is the heated air on either side of the die tip where the fibers are formed. this heated air (typically the same temperature as the die tip) impinges the fibers and helps attenuate the fibers to the final fiber size. it is believed that, in some embodiments, as the air volume increases, the fiber diameter can decrease. the process air volume can be selected as appropriate. in some embodiments, the process air volume may be between about 1,000 pounds/hour-meter (lbs/hr·m) and about 4,000 lbs/hr·m. for instance, the process air volume may be between about 1,500 lbs/hr·m and about 3,800 lbs/hr·m, between about 2,500 lbs/hr·m and about 3,750 lbs/hr·m, or between about 3,000 lbs/hr·m and about 3,500 lbs/hr·m. other ranges and values of process air volumes are also possible. the quench air temperature may also be varied. in some embodiments, the quench air temperature may be between about 0° f. and about 200° f. for instance, the quench air temperature may be between about 0° f. and about 150° f., between about 0° f. and about 100° f., between about 0° f. and about 75° f., between about 0° f. and about 50° f., between about 0° f. and about 30° f., or between about 0° f. and about 20° f. other ranges and values of quench air temperatures are also possible. in some embodiments, it may be desirable to vary the quench air volume. in some embodiments, the quench air volume may be between about 0 pounds/hour (lbs/hr) and about 750 lbs/hr. for instance, the quench air volume may be between about 0 lbs/hr and about 500 lbs/hr, between about 0 lbs/hr and about 250 lbs/hr, or between about 0 lbs/hr and about 150 lbs/hr. other ranges and values of quench air volumes are also possible. the size of the die outlets (e.g., holes) and number of outlets per inch for the die can generally be selected as desired. in some embodiments, the die can have about 35 holes per inch with 0.0125″ holes. in certain embodiments, the die can have about 70 holes per inch with 0.007″ holes. in some embodiments, the die can have from about 25 holes per inch to about 250 holes per inch. in certain cases, the die may include about 35 holes per inch or greater, about 50 holes per inch or greater, or about 70 holes per inch or greater. other dies can optionally be used. in some embodiments, the distance from the die tip to the collector may be varied. the distance from the die tip to the collector may be, for example, between about 3 inches and about 80 inches. for instance, the distance from the die tip to the collector may be between about 3 inches and about 50 inches, between about 4 inches and about 40 inches, between about 5 inches and about 25 inches, or between about 6 inches and about 15 inches. other ranges and values of distances from the die tip to the collector are also possible. the vacuum level created by the suction box can be selected as appropriate. in some embodiments, the vacuum level may be between about 1 inches of water and about 60 inches of water. for instance, the vacuum level may be between about 10 inches of water and about 50 inches of water, between about 20 inches of water and about 40 inches of water, between about 20 inches of water and about 30 inches of water, or between about 30 inches of water and about 40 inches of water. the line speed at which the collector belt moves can be selected as desired to form a fiber web. in some embodiments, the collector belt may move at a line speed between about 1 ft/min and about 400 ft/min. for instance, the collector belt may move at a line speed between about 10 ft/min and about 200 ft/min, between about 50 ft/min and about 150 ft/min, between about 50 ft/min and about 100 ft/min, or between about 75 ft/min and about 150 ft/min. it should be understood that the values and ranges of the parameters described above can be used in different combinations to control fiber formation during an extrusion process. for example, in some embodiments a relatively low dwell time and a relatively low throughput may be used to form fine fibers. for instance, in one set of embodiments, a method may include subjecting the polymeric material to a dwell time of less than about 30 minutes and a throughput of less than about 85 lbs/hr. in another set of embodiments, the polymeric material may have a dwell time of less than about 50 minutes and a throughput of less than about 55 lbs/hr. in some embodiments, using these or other parameters, fiber webs having relatively low surface densities of particles can be formed as described in more detail below. in some embodiments, varying the above-noted parameters during an extrusion process, and/or using one or more additives described herein, may result in essentially none or relatively low amounts of polymer degradation during fiber formation. in some cases, such processes can be used to form fine fibers, such as ones having a diameter in one of the ranges described herein (e.g., an average diameter between about 0.1 and about 1.5 microns, or between about 0.1 and about 0.6 microns). without wishing to be bound by any theory, the inventors believe that subjecting the polymer material used to form the fibers to relatively high temperatures and pressures for extended periods of time in an extrusion system can cause the polymeric material to degrade. degradation may involve chain scission, i.e., shortening of the polymer chains to produce lower molecular weight polymers, and/or other forms of decomposition (e.g., chemical decomposition, thermal decomposition, ionization). as a result of polymer degradation, small polymeric particles may be formed. these particles may have the same chemical composition as the polymeric material used to form the fibers (but having a lower molecular weight), or may be a derivative of the polymeric material used to form the fibers. the particles may be associated with the fiber web in various configurations. for instance, the particles may reside on the surface of the fibers, on the surface of the fiber web, in the center of the fiber web, or in combinations thereof. as noted above, as the amount of degraded polymer increases, less fiber is produced per unit of polymer. for fiber webs used for filtration, for example, this occurrence is not desirable as it may result in increased basis weight in order to achieve the same level of performance as fiber webs without degraded polymer, all other factors being equal. the shape and size of the polymeric particles formed may vary, and in some cases, the particles can even agglomerate to form larger particles. it should be understood that the polymeric particles described herein are different from fibers. the polymeric particles are non-fibrous, and generally have an aspect ratio (i.e., a length to largest cross-sectional dimension) of less than 50:1 and a largest cross-sectional dimension of at least 0.2 mm. in some embodiments, a particle may have a largest cross-sectional dimension of about 0.2 mm or greater, about 0.5 mm or greater, about 1.0 mm or greater, about 1.5 mm or greater, about 2.0 mm or greater, about 2.5 mm or greater, about 3.0 mm or greater, about 3.5 mm or greater, about 4.0 mm or greater, about 4.5 mm or greater, about 5.0 mm or greater, about 5.5 mm or greater, about 6.0 mm or greater, about 6.5 mm or greater, about 7.0 mm or greater, about 7.5 mm or greater, about 8.0 mm or greater, about 8.5 mm or greater, about 9.0 mm or greater, about 9.5 mm or greater, or about 10.0 mm or greater. other values and ranges of particle size are also possible. in certain embodiments, the average molecular weight of the particles formed during a fiber extrusion process may be less than about ½ the average molecular weight of the polymer used to form the fibers. for instance, the average molecular weight of the particles formed during a fiber extrusion process may be less than about ⅛, less than about 1/64, or less than about 1/200 the average molecular weight of the polymer used to form the fibers. other values of molecular weight of the particles associated with a fiber web are also possible. in some embodiments, a fiber web described herein may include a relatively low number of or essentially no particles on its surface. the amount of particles may be measured by determining the surface density of particles on the fiber web, i.e., the number of particles on a surface of the fiber web per unit area of the fiber web surface. for instance, a fiber web may have a surface density of particles of less than about 12.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 11.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 11.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 10.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 10.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 9.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 9.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 8.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 8.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 7.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 7.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 6.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 6.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 5.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 5.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 4.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 4.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 3.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 3.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 2.7 particles/inch 2 , less than about 2.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 2.2 particles/inch 2 , less than about 2.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 1.8 particles/inch 2 , less than about 1.6 particles/inch 2 , less than about 1.5 particles/inch 2 , less than about 1.3 particles/inch 2 , less than about 1.0 particles/inch 2 , less than about 0.8 particles/inch 2 , less than about 0.5 particles/inch 2 , or less than about 0.3 particles/inch 2 , wherein each of the particles has a largest cross-sectional dimension of one of the ranges or values described above. for example, in one particular embodiment, a fiber web has a surface density of particles of less than about 3.0 particles/inch 2 , wherein each of the particles has a largest cross-sectional dimension of between about 0.2 mm or greater. in this embodiment, even though the fiber web may include some particles having a largest cross-sectional dimension smaller than about 0.2 mm, these particles are not accounted for in calculating the surface density of particles. in another embodiment, a fiber web has a surface density of particles of less than about 3.0 particles/inch 2 , wherein each of the particles has a largest cross-sectional dimension of about 1.0 mm or greater. in this embodiment, even though the fiber web may include some particles having a largest cross-sectional dimension smaller than about 1.0 mm, these particles are not accounted for in calculating the surface density of particles. other surface densities of particles in a particular size range or value are also possible. the number of particles per area of fiber web can be determined as follows. a sample of fiber web can be layered together with carbon paper and a white sheet of standard copy paper, where the carbon paper is positioned between the fiber web and the copy paper. the composite structure can be placed in a continuous belt press where the following conditions are employed: a line speed of 2.5 m/min, a pressure of 6 bar, and a temperature of about 68° f.-80° f. (room temperature). after exposure to these conditions, the degraded polymer particles, if present, may lie at an elevated position compared to the fibers, and appear as small “dots” on the underlying copy paper. if a darker image is needed for detection, the copy paper can be photocopied with a standard copier to darken the carbon image. this copy paper image can be scanned using standard imaging software, and software (e.g., imagej software available for download at http://rsbweb.nih.gov/ij/) can be used to determine the number of “dots” on the image. these “dots” may be measured in pixels, and each pixel can be correlated to a certain size to determine the size and number of particles. for instance, 1 pixel may correspond to 0.2646 mm, so a “dot” having a size of 1 pixel on the image may correspond to 1 particle having a largest dimension of 0.2646 mm; a “dot” having a size of 4 pixels on the image may correspond to 1 particle having a largest dimension of 1.1 mm. pixel sizes may vary depending on the imaging hardware and/or software used. to calculate a surface density of particles, wherein each of the particles has a largest cross-sectional dimension of, for example, about 1.0 mm or greater, only the “dots” having a size of at least 4 pixels (e.g., a largest cross-sectional dimension of about 1.0 mm or greater) would be counted. this number would be divided by the area of the fiber web used for counting the particles to determine the surface density of particles. in this particular instance, even though the fiber web may include some particles having a largest cross-sectional dimension smaller than about 1.0 mm, these particles are not accounted for the purpose of this particular calculation. in some embodiments, fiber webs having a value or range of surface density of particles described above can also have one or more of the values and ranges of the features and performance characteristics described below. a fiber web described herein may be formed of fibers having an average diameter between about 0.1 microns and about 1.5 microns. for instance, the fiber web may include fibers (e.g., meltblown fibers) having an average diameter of between about 0.1 microns and about 1.3 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 1.2 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 1.0 microns, between about 0.25 microns and about 1.0 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 0.8 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 0.7 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 0.6 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 0.5 microns, or between about 0.1 microns and about 0.4 microns. in some embodiments, the average diameter of the fibers (e.g., meltblown fibers) in a fiber web may be about 1.5 microns or less, about 1.4 microns or less, about 1.3 microns or less, about 1.2 microns or less, about 1.1 microns or less, about 1.0 microns or less, about 0.9 microns or less, about 0.8 microns or less, about 0.7 microns or less, about 0.6 microns or less, about 0.5 microns or less, about 0.4 microns or less, or about 0.3 microns or less. in other embodiments, the average diameter of the fibers (e.g., meltblown fibers) in a fiber web may be greater than about 0.2 microns, greater than about 0.4 microns, greater than about 0.6 microns, greater than about 0.8 microns, greater than about 1.0 microns, or greater than about 1.2 microns. as used herein, fiber diameter is measured using scanning electron microscopy. the fiber web can generally have any suitable thickness. in some embodiments, the fiber web has a thickness between about 0.0005 inches and about 0.040 inches. for instance, the thickness of the fiber web may be between about 0.001 inches and about 0.030 inches, between about 0.001 inches and about 0.020 inches, between about 0.002 inches and about 0.02 inches, between about 0.006 inches and about 0.016 inches, between about 0.002 inches and about 0.010 inches, or between about 0.002 inches and about 0.020 inches. in some instances, the thickness of the fiber web may be less than or equal to about 0.040 inches, less than or equal to about 0.030 inches, less than or equal to about 0.025 inches, less than or equal to about 0.020 inches, less than or equal to about 0.018 inches, less than or equal to about 0.016 inches, less than or equal to about 0.015 inches, less than or equal to about 0.012 inches, less than or equal to about 0.010 inches, less than or equal to about 0.0070 inches, less than or equal to about 0.0060 inches, less than or equal to about 0.0050 inches, less than or equal to about 0.0040 inches, or less than or equal to about 0.0020 inches. in some instances, the thickness of the fiber web may be greater than about 0.0010 inches, greater than about 0.0020 inches, greater than about 0.0030 inches, greater than about 0.0040 inches, greater than about 0.0050 inches, greater than about 0.0060 inches, greater than about 0.0070 inches, greater than about 0.010 inches, greater than about 0.015 inches, greater than about 0.020 inches, or greater than about 0.030 inches. combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., a thickness of less than or equal to about 0.016 inches and greater than about 0.0060 inches). other ranges are also possible. as referred to herein, thickness is determined according to the standard astm d1777. in certain embodiments, the fiber webs described herein have a relatively high consistency (low variability) of thickness across the fiber web. for instance, the variability of thickness across the fiber web may be about 6.0 standard deviations or less, about 5.5 standard deviations or less, about 5.0 standard deviations or less, about 4.5 standard deviations or less, about 4.0 standard deviations or less, about 3.5 standard deviations or less, about 3.0 standard deviations or less, about 2.5 standard deviations or less, about 2.0 standard deviations or less, about 1.5 standard deviations or less, about 1.0 standard deviations or less, or about 0.5 standard deviations or less. other values of thickness variability are also possible. the variability of thickness may be determined by taking a statistically significant number of measurements across the fiber web. the basis weight of the fiber web can typically be selected as desired. in some embodiments, the basis weight of the fiber web may be between about 1.0 g/m 2 and about 200 g/m 2 (e.g., between about 1.0 g/m 2 and about 100 g/m 2 , between about 15 g/m 2 and about 200 g/m 2 , or between about 30 g/m 2 and about 200 g/m 2 ). for instance, the basis weight of the fiber web may be between about 1.0 g/m 2 and about 70 g/m 2 , between about 1.0 g/m 2 and about 50 g/m 2 , between about 3.0 g/m 2 and about 30 g/m 2 , or between about 3.0 g/m 2 and about 20 g/m 2 . in some embodiments, the basis weight of the fiber web is greater than about 1 g/m 2 (e.g., greater than about 10 g/m 2 , greater than about 15 g/m 2 , greater than about 25 g/m 2 , greater than about 30 g/m 2 , greater than about 50 g/m 2 , greater than about 75 g/m 2 , greater than about 100 g/m 2 , greater than about 125 g/m 2 , greater than about 150 g/m 2 , greater than about 175 g/m 2 , or greater than about 200 g/m 2 ), and/or less than about 400 g/m 2 (e.g., less than about 175 g/m 2 , less than about 150 g/m 2 , less than about 125 g/m 2 , less than about 100 g/m 2 , less than about 90 g/m 2 , less than about 75 g/m 2 , less than about 50 g/m 2 , less than about 25 g/m 2 , or less than about 15 g/m 2 ). combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., a basis weight of less than about 200 g/m 2 and greater than about 30 g/m 2 ). other ranges are also possible. as referred to herein, basis weight is determined according to astm d3776. in certain embodiments, the fiber webs described herein have a relatively high consistency (low variability) of basis weight across the fiber web. for instance, the variability of basis weight across the fiber web may be about 6.0 standard deviations or less, about 5.5 standard deviations or less, about 5.0 standard deviations or less, about 4.5 standard deviations or less, about 4.0 standard deviations or less, about 3.5 standard deviations or less, about 3.0 standard deviations or less, about 2.5 standard deviations or less, about 2.0 standard deviations or less, about 1.5 standard deviations or less, about 1.0 standard deviations or less, or about 0.5 standard deviations or less. other values of basis weight variability are also possible. the variability of basis weight may be determined by taking a statistically significant number of measurements across the fiber web. in some embodiments, a fiber web can include multiple layers (e.g., at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 layers). in some cases, two or more layers of the same composition (e.g., having the same fiber type, fiber size, etc.) may be stacked together to form a thicker fiber web having a relatively homogeneous composition across the thickness of the web. in other cases, two or more layers of different compositions can be stacked together to form a composite having different properties across the thickness of the web. stacked layers may optionally be adhered to one another using any suitable method such as lamination and calendering. lamination may involve, for example, compressing two or more layers together using a flatbed laminator or any other suitable device at a particular pressure and temperature for a certain residence time (i.e., the amount of time spent under pressure and heat). for instance, the pressure may be between about 30 psi to about 150 psi (e.g., between about 30 psi to about 90 psi, between about 60 psi to about 120 psi, between about 30 and 60 psi, or between about 120 psi and about 90 psi); the temperature may be between about 75° f. and about 400° f. (e.g., between about 75° f. and about 300° f., between about 200° f. and about 350° f., or between about 275° f. and about 390° f.); and the residence time between about 1 second to about 60 seconds (e.g., between about 1 second to about 30 seconds, between about 10 second to about 25 seconds, or between about 20 seconds and about 40 seconds). other ranges for pressure, temperature and residence time are also possible. calendering may involve, for example, compressing two or more layers together using calendar rolls under a particular linear pressure, temperature, and line speed. for instance, the linear pressure may be between about 50 lb/inch and about 400 lb/inch (e.g., between about 200 lb/inch and about 400 lb/inch, between about 50 lb/inch and about 200 lb/inch, or between about 75 lb/inch and about 300 lb/inch); the temperature may be between about 75° f. and about 400° f. (e.g., between about 75° f. and about 300° f., between about 200° f. and about 350° f., or between about 275° f. and about 390° f.); and the line speed may be between about 5 ft/min to about 100 ft/min (e.g., between about 5 ft/min to about 80 ft/min, between about 10 ft/min to about 50 ft/min, between about 15 ft/min to about 100 ft/min, or between about 20 ft/min to about 90 ft/min). other ranges for linear pressure, temperature and line speed are also possible. in certain embodiments, the fiber webs described herein may have a relatively high surface area. in certain embodiments, a fiber web may have a surface area between about 0.1 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g. for instance, a fiber web may have a surface area between about 0.1 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, between about 0.5 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, between about 1.0 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, between about 1.3 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, between about 1.5 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, between about 1.7 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, between about 1.8 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, between about 2.0 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g, or between about 2.5 m 2 /g and about 6.0 m 2 /g. in some cases, a fiber web has a surface area of about 1.0 m 2 /g or greater, about 1.3 m 2 /g or greater, 1.5 m 2 /g or greater, about 1.6 m 2 /g or greater, about 1.7 m 2 /g or greater, about 1.8 m 2 /g or greater, about 1.9 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.0 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.1 m 2 /g or greater, 2.2 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.3 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.4 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.5 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.6 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.7 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.8 m 2 /g or greater, 2.9 m 2 /g or greater, or about 3.0 m 2 /g or greater. as determined herein, surface area is measured through use of a standard bet surface area measurement technique. the bet surface area is measured according to section 10 of battery council international standard bcis-03a, “recommended battery materials specifications valve regulated recombinant batteries”, section 10 being “standard test method for surface area of recombinant battery separator mat”. following this technique, the bet surface area is measured via adsorption analysis using a bet surface analyzer (e.g., micromeritics gemini iii 2375 surface area analyzer) with nitrogen gas; the sample amount is between 0.5 and 0.6 grams in a ¾″ tube; and, the sample is allowed to degas at 75 degrees c. for a minimum of 3 hours. the mean pore size (mean flow pore) of the fiber web may also vary. in some embodiments, a fiber web has a mean pore size between about 1 micron and about 30 microns. for instance, the mean pore size may be between about 0.1 microns and about 10 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 3 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 1 micron, between about 1 micron and about 20 microns, between about 1 micron and about 15 microns, between about 5 microns and about 15 microns, between about 1 micron and about 10 microns, or between about 5 microns and about 15 microns. in certain embodiments, the mean pore size may be less than or equal to about 30 microns, less than or equal to about 25 microns, less than or equal to about 20 microns, less than or equal to about 15 microns, less than or equal to about 10 microns, less than or equal to about 6 microns, less than or equal to about 5 microns, less than or equal to about 3 microns, less than or equal to about 2.5 microns, less than or equal to about 2 microns, less than or equal to about 1.5 microns, less than or equal to about 1.0 micron, less than or equal to about 0.8 microns, less than or equal to about 0.6 microns, less than or equal to about 0.5 microns, less than or equal to about 0.4 microns, less than or equal to about 0.3 microns, or less than or equal to about 0.2 microns. in other embodiments, the mean pore size may be greater than about 0.1 microns, greater than about 0.2 microns, greater than about 0.3 microns, greater than about 0.35 microns, greater than about 0.4 microns, greater than about 0.5 microns, greater than about 0.6 microns, greater than about 0.8 microns, greater than about 1 micron, greater than about 2 microns, greater than about 3 microns, greater than about 5 microns, greater than about 10 microns, greater than about 15 microns, greater than about 20 microns, greater than about 25 microns, or greater than about 30 microns. combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., a mean pore size of less than or equal to about 1.0 micron and greater than about 0.3 microns). other values and ranges of mean pore size are also possible. as used herein, mean pore size is measured according to the standard astm f-316-80 method b, bs6410, e.g., using a capillary flow porometer made by porous materials, inc. in some embodiments, a bubble point of a fiber web may be measured. the bubble point refers to the largest pore size within the fiber web. in some embodiments, a fiber web has a bubble point of between about 0.1 micron and about 30 microns. for instance, the bubble point may be between about 0.1 microns and about 10 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 3 microns, between about 0.1 microns and about 1 micron, between about 1 micron and about 20 microns, between about 1 micron and about 15 microns, between about 1.2 microns and about 7 microns, between about 1 micron and about 10 microns, or between about 5 microns and about 15 microns. in certain embodiments, the bubble point may be less than or equal to about 30 microns, less than or equal to about 25 microns, less than or equal to about 20 microns, less than or equal to about 15 microns, less than or equal to about 10 microns, less than or equal to about 7 microns, less than or equal to about 6 microns, less than or equal to about 5 microns, less than or equal to about 3 microns, less than or equal to about 2.5 microns, less than or equal to about 2 microns, less than or equal to about 1.5 microns, less than or equal to about 1.0 micron, less than or equal to about 0.8 microns, less than or equal to about 0.6 microns, less than or equal to about 0.5 microns, less than or equal to about 0.4 microns, less than or equal to about 0.3 microns, or less than or equal to about 0.2 microns. in other embodiments, the bubble point may be greater than about 0.1 microns, greater than about 0.2 microns, greater than about 0.3 microns, greater than about 0.35 microns, greater than about 0.4 microns, greater than about 0.5 microns, greater than about 0.6 microns, greater than about 0.8 microns, greater than about 1 micron, greater than about 2 microns, greater than about 3 microns, greater than about 5 microns, greater than about 10 microns, greater than about 15 microns, greater than about 20 microns, greater than about 25 microns, or greater than about 30 microns. combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., a bubble point of less than or equal to about 1.0 micron and greater than about 0.3 microns). other values and ranges of bubble point are also possible. as used herein, bubble point is measured according to the standard astm f-316-80 method b, bs6410 e.g., using a capillary flow porometer made by porous materials inc. in some embodiments, the fiber webs described herein have a certain ratio of bubble point to mean pore size. in some embodiments, the ratio of bubble point to mean pore size is less than or equal to about 10:1, less than or equal to about 8:1, less than or equal to about 6:1, less than or equal to about 5:1, less than or equal to about 4:1, less than or equal to about 3:1, less than or equal to about 2.5:1, less than or equal to about 2:1, or less than or equal to about 1.5:1, in certain embodiments, the ratio of bubble point to mean pore size is greater than or equal to about 1:1, greater than or equal to about 1.5:1, greater than or equal to about 2:1, greater than or equal to about 2.5:1, greater than or equal to about 3:1, greater than or equal to about 4:1, greater than or equal to about 5:1, greater than or equal to about 6:1, greater than or equal to about 8:1, or greater than or equal to about 10:1. combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., a ratio of greater than about 1:1 and less than or equal to about 3:1). other ranges are also possible. in some embodiments, the solidity of the fiber web may be measured. the solidity is the volume fraction of media occupied by the solids (e.g., fibers) and is therefore the ratio of the solids volume per unit mass divided by the media's volume per unit mass. the solidity can be derived from the fiber web porosity based on the following equation solidity (%)=1−porosity (%). in some embodiments, the solidity of a fiber web described herein may range between about 5% and about 70%. for instance, the solidity may be greater than or equal to about 5%, greater than or equal to about 10%, greater than or equal to about 20%, greater than or equal to about 25%, greater than or equal to about 30%, greater than or equal to about 40%, greater than or equal to about 50%, greater than or equal to about 60%, or greater than or equal to about 70%. in some embodiments, the solidity of the fiber web may be less than about 70%, less than about 60%, less than about 55%, less than about 50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 20%, or less than about 10%. combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., a solidity of greater than or equal to about 25% and less than about 55%). other values and ranges of solidity are also possible. as used herein, solidity is expressed by the following formula: basis weight/(bulk fiber density×thickness). typically, the fiber web is formed of one or more polymers. exemplary polymers include polyolefins (e.g., polypropylenes), polyesters (e.g., polybutylene terephthalate, polybutylene naphthalate), polyamides (e.g., nylons), polycarbonates, polyphenylene sulfides, polystyrenes, polyurethanes (e.g., thermoplastic polyurethanes). optionally, the polymer(s) may contain fluorine atoms. examples of such polymers include pvdf and ptfe. examples of specific polymers that may be used include a polypropylene manufactured by lyondellbasell (mf650y), a polypropylene manufactured by total petrochemicals (3962), a polypropylene manufactured by exxon (pp3546g and achv6936g1 metocene pp), a polypropylene manufactured by borealis (hl512fb), a polyester (pbt) manufactured by ticona (hb85151m1 cx2008) and a nylon manufactured by basf (ultramid b3sq661). other polymers suitable for use in an extrusion process can also be used. in some embodiments, the fiber web includes one or more additives such as a binder, a lubricant, a slip agent, a surfactant, a coupling agent, a crosslinking agent, amongst others. in certain instances, one or more additives can be used to reduce or eliminate the number of polymeric particles formed on or in a fiber web. generally, the fiber web includes a small weight percentage of an additive. for example, the fiber web may include less than about 10%, less than about 8%, less than about 6%, less than about 5%, or less than about 4% of an additive. in some cases, the fiber web may include between about 1% and about 10%, between about 1% and about 8%, between about 1% and about 5% of an additive, or between about 1% and about 2.5% of an additive. in certain embodiments, the fiber web may include less than about 5%, less than about 3%, less than about 2%, or less than about 1% of a fatty acid additive as described below. in some embodiments, the additive may be added to the polymer material used to form the fibers when the polymeric material is in a molten (e.g., melted) state. in other embodiments, the additive coats the fibers after the fibers have been formed. in some embodiments, a fiber web may include an additive (e.g., a slip agent or other type of additive) in the form of a lipid. in some cases, the additive comprises a fatty acid (e.g., a saturated fatty acid, an unsaturated fatty acid, a mono-unsaturated fatty acid, a poly-unsaturated fatty acid). in certain embodiments, the fatty acid includes an amide group (e.g., a fatty acid amide). non-limiting examples of fatty acid amides include stearamide, behenamide, erucamide, n-(2-hdriethyl) erucamide, lauramide, n,n′-ethylene-bis-oleamide, n,n′-ethylene bissteamide, oleamide, oleyl palmitamide, stearyl erucamide, tallow amide, arachidonylethanolamide, n-arachidonylmaleimide, mixtures thereof, and derivatives thereof. examples of specific additives that may be used include an additive provided by standridge color corp., having a supplier part no.: 22686, and an additive containing provided by standridge color corp., having a supplier part no. 10sam1044. in certain embodiments, the additive is in the form of a fatty acid having a c n (carbon) chain, where n is an integer. in some cases, n is 2 or greater, 4 or greater, 6 or greater, 8 or greater, 10 or greater, 12 or greater, 14 or greater, 16 or greater, 18 or greater, 20 or greater, 22 or greater, 24 or greater, 26 or greater, 28 or greater, 30 or greater, 32 or greater, 34 or greater, 36 or greater, 38 or greater, or 40 or greater. in other cases, n is less than or equal to 50, less than or equal to 45, less than or equal to 40, less than or equal to 35, less than or equal to 40, less than or equal to 35, less than or equal to 30, less than or equal to 25, less than or equal to 20, less than or equal to 15, less than or equal to 10, or less than or equal to 5. the fiber webs described herein may have various performance characteristics. in some cases, the fiber webs have performance characteristics that enable them to be suitable for use as filter media. in some embodiments, methods described herein for forming meltblown fibers can result in a fiber web having a relatively low air permeability. for instance, the air permeability of a fiber web may be less than about 1,800 ft 3 /min/ft 2 (cfm), less than about 1,500 cfm, less than about 1,300 cfm, less than about 1,000 cfm, less than about 900 cfm, less than about 800 cfm, less than about 750 cfm, less than about 700 cfm, less than about 600 cfm, less than about 500 cfm, less than about 400 cfm, less than about 300 cfm, less than about 200 cfm, less than about 100 cfm, less than about 50 cfm, less than about 45 cfm, less than about 40 cfm, less than about 35 cfm, less than about 30 cfm, less than about 25 cfm, less than about 20 cfm, less than about 15 cfm, less than about 10 cfm, or less than about 5 cfm. in some embodiments, the air permeability may be greater than about 1 cfm, greater than about 2 cfm, greater than about 5 cfm, greater than about 10 cfm, greater than about 15 cfm, greater than about 20 cfm, greater than about 25 cfm, greater than about 30 cfm, greater than about 40 cfm, greater than about 50 cfm, greater than about 75 cfm, greater than about 100 cfm, greater than about 200 cfm, greater than about 500 cfm, greater than about 1,000 cfm, greater than about 1,300 cfm, or greater than about 1,500 cfm). in general, the air permeability of the fiber web can vary between about 2 cfm and about 1800 cfm (e.g., between about 10 cfm and about 1800 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 1,500 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 1,000 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 750 cfm, between about 40 cfm and about 750 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 600 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 500 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 400 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 300 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 200 cfm, between about 10 cfm and about 100 cfm, or between about 10 cfm and about 50 cfm). combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., an air permeability of greater than about 2 cfm and less than about 35 cfm). other ranges are also possible. as used herein, air permeability is measured according to the standard astm d737-75. the air permeability may be measured at a pressure of 12.5 mm h 2 o (e.g., for relatively low permeability measurements) or at a pressure of 250 mm h 2 o (e.g., for relatively high permeability measurements). unless otherwise indicated, the values described herein for air permeability are measured at a pressure of 250 mm h 2 o. the fiber webs described herein may have different ranges of nacl particle filtration efficiencies. the nacl particle filtration efficiency is [1−(c/c 0 )]*100%, where is the nacl particle concentration after passage through the fiber web and c 0 is the nacl particle concentration before passage through the filter. to measure nacl particle filtration efficiency, a 100 cm 2 surface area of the fiber web can be tested with nacl (sodium chloride) particles having a 0.26 micron mass mean diameter with a geometric standard deviation less than 1.83, a concentration of 15 to 20 mg/cm 3 , and a face velocity of 5.3 cm/s by a tsi 8130 certitest™ automated filter testing unit from tsi, inc. equipped with a sodium chloride generator. the instrument measures a pressure drop (e.g., an airflow resistance) across the fiber web and the resultant penetration value on an instantaneous basis at a flow rate less than or equal to 115 liters per minute (lpm). instantaneous readings can be defined as 1 pressure drop/penetration measurement. this test is described in astm d2 986-91. a fiber web described herein may have a nacl particle filtration efficiency between about 0.0001% and about 99.97%. for instance, the nacl particle filtration efficiency may be between about 0.001% and about 99.97%, between about 0.01% and about 99.97%, between about 0.1% and about 99.97%, between about 1% and about 99.97%, between about 10.0% and about 99.97%, between about 40.0% and about 99.97%, between about 60.0% and about 99.97%, or between about 85.0% and about 99.97%. in some cases, the nacl particle filtration efficiency is greater than about 10.0%, greater than about 20.0%, greater than about 30.0%, greater than about 40.0%, greater than about 50.0%, greater than about 60.0%, greater than about 70.0%, greater than about 80.0%, greater than about 90.0%, greater than about 95.0%, greater than about 97.0%, greater than about 98.0%, greater than about 99.0%, greater than about 99.5%, greater than about 99.9%, or greater than about 99.97%. other ranges and values of nacl particle filtration efficiency are also possible. in some cases, a fiber web described herein may have an airflow resistance between about 0.1 mm h 2 o and about 50.0 mm h 2 o. for instance, the air flow resistance may be between about 0.1 mm h 2 o and about 40.0 mm h 2 o, between about 0.1 mm h 2 o and about 30.0 mm h 2 o, between about 0.1 mm h 2 o and about 20.0 mm h 2 o, between about 0.1 mm h 2 o and about 10.0 mm h 2 o, between about 0.3 mm h 2 o and about 5.0 mm h 2 o, between about 0.3 mm h 2 o and about 3.5 mm h 2 o, between about 0.3 mm h 2 o and about 3.0 mm h 2 o, between about 0.1 mm h 2 o and about 2.5 mm h 2 o, or between about 0.1 mm h 2 o and about 2.0 mm h 2 o. in some cases, the air flow resistance of a fiber web is less than about 50.0 mm h 2 o, less than about 40.0 mm h 2 o, less than about 30.0 mm h 2 o, less than about 20.0 mm h 2 o, less than about 10.0 mm h 2 o, less than about 5.0 mm h 2 o, or less than about 2.5 mm h 2 o. in other cases, the air flow resistance of a fiber web is greater than about 1.0 mm h 2 o, greater than about 2.5 mm h 2 o, greater than about 5.0 mm h 2 o, greater than about 10.0 mm h 2 o, greater than about 20.0 mm h 2 o, greater than about 30.0 mm h 2 o, or greater than about 40.0 mm h 2 o, other ranges and values of air flow resistance are also possible. as used herein, air flow resistance is measured according to the standard astm d2 986-91 as described above. in some embodiments, a fiber web described herein may have good liquid performance as measured in deionized water (e.g., water flux, water permeability) and in an aqueous silica dispersion (e.g., permeate turbidity, initial permeate flux and/or final permeate flux in the silica dispersion). permeate refers to any amount of filtered water that passes through a media. as used herein, water flow rate is measured by passing deionized water through a fiber web at a pressure of 20 psi until 1,000 ml of permeate has been collected. the flow rate is determined when 1,000 ml of permeate has been collected. water flux is calculated by dividing the flow rate (ml/min) by a sample effective area (cm 2 ) of the fiber web (i.e., the area exposed to fluid flow) and is expressed in ml/min·cm 2 . in some embodiments, a fiber web described herein may have a water flux of between about 5 ml/min·cm 2 and about 200 ml/min·cm 2 . for example, the water flux may be greater than or equal to about 5 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 10 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 20 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 30 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 40 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 50 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 60 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 70 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 80 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 90 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 100 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 125 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 150 ml/min·cm 2 , or greater than or equal to about 175 ml/min·cm 2 . in some embodiments, the fiber web may have a water flux of less than about 200 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 175 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 150 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 125 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 100 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 90 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 80 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 70 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 60 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 50 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 40 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 30 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 20 ml/min·cm 2 , or less than about 10 ml/min·cm 2 . combinations of the above-referenced ranges are possible (e.g., a water flux of greater than about 10 ml/min·cm 2 and less than about 60 ml/min·cm 2 ). other ranges are also possible. water permeability is determined by dividing the water flux by the applied pressure for determining flow rate (e.g., 20 psi), and is expressed as ml/min·cm 2 ·psi. in some embodiments, a fiber web described herein may have a water of between about 0.1 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi and about 10.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi. for example, the water permeability may be greater than or equal to about 0.1 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, greater than or equal to about 0.2 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, greater than or equal to about 0.5 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, greater than or equal to about 1.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, greater than or equal to about 2.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, greater than or equal to about 3.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, greater than or equal to about 5.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, greater than or equal to about 7.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, or greater than or equal to about 10.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi. in some embodiments, the water permeability may be less than or equal to about 10.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, less than or equal to about 7.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, less than or equal to about 6.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, less than or equal to about 4.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, less than or equal to about 2.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, less than or equal to about 1.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi, or less than or equal to about 0.5 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi. combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., a water permeability of greater than or equal to 0.5 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi and less than about 3.0 ml/min·cm 2 ·psi) other ranges are also possible. in some embodiments, an initial permeate flux can be measured. as used herein, initial permeate flux is determined by passing an aqueous silica suspension through a fiber web at a pressure of 30 psi until 50 ml of permeate has been collected. the initial permeate flux is calculated by dividing the flow rate (ml/min) of the suspension by a sample effective area (cm 2 ) of the fiber web (i.e., the area exposed to fluid flow) and is expressed in ml/min·cm 2 . the flow rate is determined when 50 ml of permeate has been collected. in some embodiments, a final permeate flux can be measured. final permeate flux is determined by passing the aqueous silica suspension through the fiber web at a pressure of 30 psi until 500 ml of permeate has been collected. the final permeate flux is calculated by dividing the flow rate (ml/min) of the suspension by a sample effective area (cm 2 ) of the fiber web (i.e., the area exposed to fluid flow) and is expressed in ml/min·cm 2 . the flow rate is determined when 500 ml of permeate has been collected. under such testing conditions for initial permeate flux and final permeate flux, the flux gradually decreases until the filtration process is stopped after 50 ml (initial permeate flux) or 500 ml (final permeate flux) of the aqueous silica dispersion has passed through the filter. the occurrence of flux decrease—or “flux decline” (a measure of the decrease in flux from an initial permeate flux to a final permeate flux)—reflects a gradual clogging of the filter medium by silica particles. the initial flux reflects the filtration performance of a filter when clogging is limited (collected permeate is only 50 ml) and its value can sometimes match that of deionized water flux. the final flux reflects the filtration performance of the filter when a cake is formed and the retention mechanism is controlled by both the fiber web and the clogging layer. the aqueous silica suspension used for determining initial permeate flux and final permeate flux is prepared by dispersing iso 12103-1-a2 silica fine test dust (e.g., manufactured by powder technology) in deionized water at a concentration of 1,500 ppm. iso 12103-1-a2 silica fine test dust has an estimated mean particle size of 8.7 microns, and the full particle size distribution ranges from between about 0.7 microns to about 84 microns. in some embodiments, a fiber web described herein may have an initial permeate flux of between about 5 ml/min·cm 2 and about 200 ml/min·cm 2 . for example, the initial permeate flux may be greater than or equal to about 5 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 10 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 20 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 30 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 40 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 50 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 60 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 70 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 80 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 90 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 100 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 125 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 150 ml/min·cm 2 , or greater than or equal to about 175 ml/min·cm 2 . in some embodiments, the fiber web may have an initial permeate flux of less than about 200 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 175 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 150 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 125 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 100 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 90 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 80 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 70 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 60 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 50 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 40 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 30 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 20 ml/min·cm 2 , or less than about 10 ml/min·cm 2 . combinations of the above-referenced ranges are possible (e.g., an initial permeate flux of greater than about 5 ml/min·cm 2 and less than about 60 ml/min·cm 2 ). other ranges are also possible. in some embodiments, a fiber web described herein may have a final permeate flux of between about 1.5 ml/min·cm 2 and about 150 ml/min·cm 2 . for example, the final permeate flux may be greater than or equal to about 1.5 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 2 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 5 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 10 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 20 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 30 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 40 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 50 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 60 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 70 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 80 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 90 ml/min·cm 2 , greater than or equal to about 100 ml/min·cm 2 , or greater than or equal to about 125 ml/min·cm 2 . in some embodiments, the fiber web may have a final permeate flux of less than about 150 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 125 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 100 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 90 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 80 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 70 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 60 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 50 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 40 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 30 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 20 ml/min·cm 2 , less than about 10 ml/min·cm 2 , or less than about 5 ml/min·cm 2 . combinations of the above-referenced ranges are possible (e.g., a final permeate flux of greater than about 2 ml/min·cm 2 and less than about 30 ml/min·cm 2 ). other ranges are also possible. in some embodiments, turbidity of a permeate that has passed through a fiber web can be measured. turbidity refers to the haziness of a fluid caused by the presence of small particles dispersed in the solution. in general, a lower permeate turbidity reflects greater retentive capacity for the fiber web. as used herein, permeate turbidity is determined by passing an aqueous silica suspension, prepared as described above (i.e., 1,500 ppm silica), through a fiber web until 50 ml of permeate has been collected, and measuring turbidity of the collected permeate. turbidity can be measured with a nephelometer or a turbidimeter, which detects the amount of light scattered by the small particles when they are exposed to a light beam. nephelometric turbidity unit (ntu) measurement is obtained by relating the light scattered by a liquid media to the light scattered by a known concentration of formazin polymer. this unit of measure is recognized as a measure of the optical clarity of an aqueous sample. an example of a turbidimeter that can be used to measure turbidity is model micro tpi/tpw, manufactured by hf scientific, inc. this meter is built to meet design criteria specified in iso 7027 and din 27027 and satisfy criteria specified in standard us epa 180.1 on turbidity measurements. in some embodiments, a permeate turbidity of a dirty water solution that has passed through a fiber web may be between about 0.1 ntu and about 12.0 ntu. in certain embodiments, the permeate turbidity of a fiber web may be less than or equal to about 12.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 10.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 8.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 6.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 5.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 4.5 ntu, less than or equal to about 4.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 3.5 ntu, less than or equal to about 3.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 2.5 ntu, less than or equal to about 2.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 1.5 ntu, less than or equal to about 1.0 ntu, less than or equal to about 0.8 ntu, less than or equal to about 0.6 ntu, less than or equal to about 0.4 ntu, less than or equal to about 0.2 ntu, or less than or equal to about 0.1 ntu. in some embodiments, the permeate turbidity may be greater than or equal to about 0.1 ntu, greater than or equal to about 0.5 ntu, greater than or equal to about 0.7 ntu, greater than or equal to about 1.0 ntu, greater than or equal to about 1.5 ntu, greater than or equal to about 2.0 ntu, greater than or equal to about 3.0 ntu, greater than or equal to about 5.0 ntu, greater than or equal to about 6.0 ntu, greater than or equal to about 8.0 ntu, or greater than or equal to about 10.0 ntu. combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., a permeate turbidity of less than or equal to about 2.5 ntu and greater than about 0.1 ntu). other ranges are also possible. in some embodiments, a fiber web or filter media described herein is associated with a particular absolute micron rating. as used herein, an absolute micron rating of a fiber web or filter media refers to the diameter of the largest spherical particle that will pass through the web or media. beyond this cut-off point, the web or media will capture any larger particle. the absolute micron rating of a fiber web or filter media may be measured under laboratory conditions by determining the fiber web's filtration efficiency, as described herein. in some embodiments, a filter media described herein has an absolute micron rating of about 0.1 microns, about 0.15 microns, about 0.2 microns, about 0.25 microns, about 0.3 microns, about 0.35 microns, about 0.4 microns, about 0.45 microns, about 0.5 microns, about 0.55 microns, about 0.6 microns, about 0.65 microns, about 0.7 microns, about 0.75 microns, about 0.8 microns, about 0.85 microns, about 0.9 microns, about 0.95 microns, or about 1.0 microns. fiber webs having an absolute micron rating between the above-noted values are also possible (e.g., an absolute micron rating of between about 0.3 microns and about 0.5 microns, between about 0.35 microns and about 0.6 microns). other absolute micron ratings and ranges of absolute micron ratings are also possible. it should be understood that the fiber webs described herein having the values and ranges of the features and performance characteristics described above may be formed using different combinations of the parameters described above to control fiber formation during an extrusion process. for example, in some embodiments, a method involving subjecting the polymeric material used to form the fibers to a dwell time of less than about 85 minutes, and using an extruder barrel having an inner diameter of about 4 inches or less, may lead to fibers having small diameters (e.g., average diameter of about 1.0 microns or less, about 0.8 microns or less, or about 0.6 microns or less), fiber webs having relatively high surface areas (e.g., about 1.8 m 2 /g or greater, about 2.0 m 2 /g or greater, or about 2.2 m 2 /g or greater), and/or to fiber webs having relatively low amounts of polymer degradation (e.g., a surface density of polymeric particles of less than about 5.0 particles/in 2 , less than about 3.0 particles/in 2 , less than about 2.0 particles/in 2 , less than about 1.6 particles/in 2 , less than about 1.0 particles/in 2 , or less than about 0.8 particles/in 2 , less than about 0.5 particles/in 2 , or less than about 0.3 particles/in 2 , wherein each of the particles has a largest cross-sectional dimension of 1.0 mm or greater). in other embodiments, a method of forming fibers involving subjecting the polymeric material used to form the fibers to a processing space having a volume less than about 25,000 cm 3 , less than about 15,000 cm 3 , or less than about 9,000 cm 3 may lead to fibers and/or fiber webs having these characteristics. in certain embodiments, a fiber web described herein may be combined with one or more other components such as a substrate and/or a scrim, optionally with an adhesive. examples of substrates, scrims and adhesives are described in u.s. publication no. 2009/0120048, filed nov. 7, 2008, and entitled “meltblown filter medium”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. in some cases, a fiber web or a composite including a fiber web can be charged. in general, any of a variety of techniques can be used to charge the fiber web and or a composite including the fiber web to form an electret web. examples include ac and/or dc corona discharge. in some embodiments, the composite is subjected to a discharge of at least 1 kv/cm (e.g., at least 5 kv/cm, at least 10 kv/cm), and/or at most 30 kv/cm (e.g., at most 25 kv/cm, at most 20 kv/cm). for example, in certain embodiments, the composite can be subjected to a discharge of from 1 kv/cm to 30 kv/cm (e.g., from 5 kv/cm to 25 kv/cm, from 10 kv/cm to 20 kv/cm). exemplary processes are disclosed, for example, in u.s. pat. no. 5,401,446, which, to the extent it is not inconsistent with the present disclosure, is incorporated herein by reference. in some embodiments, a fiber web described herein can be a part of a filter element. examples of filter elements include gas turbine filter elements, heavy duty air filter elements, automotive air filter elements, hvac air filter elements, hepa filter elements, vacuum bag filter elements, fuel filter elements, and oil filter elements. such filter elements can be incorporated into corresponding filter systems (gas turbine filter systems, heavy duty air filter systems, automotive air filter systems, hvac air filter systems, hepa filter systems, vacuum bag filter systems, fuel filter systems, and oil filter systems). vacuum filter bag systems are commonly used in home vacuum cleaners. in such embodiments, a filter medium can optionally be prepared by coating a paper with the meltblown material. in certain embodiments, a filter medium can be prepared using a wet laid or dry laid product (e.g., cellulose, polymer, glass). a filter medium can optionally be pleated into any of a variety of configurations (e.g., panel, cylindrical). examples of filter media are described in more detail in u.s. publication no. 2009/0120048, filed nov. 7, 2008, and entitled “meltblown filter medium”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. the following examples are exemplary and not intended as limiting. examples 1-10 examples 1-10 show that various process parameters of an extrusion process can be varied to form fiber webs having small fiber diameters, high surface area, low air permeabilities, and/or low levels of polymer degradation according to certain embodiments described herein. a total of 80 experiments were conducted in which different fiber webs were formed with either polypropylene or polyester (polybutyleneterephthalate) fibers using a process similar to the one shown in fig. 1 , while varying various process conditions including extruder barrel inner diameter, die body temperature, and polymer throughput. performance characteristics and physical properties of the resulting fiber webs including air permeability, level of polymer degradation (e.g., surface density of particles), surface area, and fiber size were measured, and the values were compiled and input into modeling software, where mathematical modeling of these properties was performed. the models were refined (through reduction) until an acceptable accountability of the combined effect was obtained. a response calculation for each of the performance characteristics and physicals properties was determined. the resulting, non-coded, mathematical models were then placed into an excel spreadsheet, where a simple mathematical equation function was utilized to render the predicted physical property values of fiber webs that may be produced using different processing conditions (e.g., varying the values for extruder barrel inner diameter, die body temperature and polymer throughput). the results of the calculations are shown in tables 1-3. for each of the examples shown in tables 1-3, the following processing conditions would be used: extruder temperature profile (ramping) of 300° f., 325° f., 350° f., 375° f., 400° f., 425° f., 450° f.; the process air temperature being the same as that of the die body temperature; a process air setting of 3150 lbs/hr; a die to collector distance of 8.0 inches; a quench air rate of 225 lbs/hr; and a vacuum level of 17,500 ft 3 . table 1comparativeexam-exam-exam-example 1ple 1ple 2ple 3extruder barrel inner5211diameter (inches)extruder barrel length150603030(inches)conduit diameter (inches)1.510.750.75conduit length (inches)144144144144polymer typepolypropylenepppppp(pp)polymer throughput (lb/hr)305861102die body temp (° f.)470510510530dwell time (min)1571395volume of processing space25459630045414541(cm 3 )air permeability409409409409(ft 3 /min/ft 2 )surface area (m 2 /g)1.1410.95—surface density of3.29000.25particles* (particles/in 2 )fiber diameter (microns)0.951.21.281.44*the particles refer to ones having a largest cross-sectional dimension of 1.0 mm or greater. examples 1-3 show that by reducing the extruder barrel inner diameter, extruder barrel length and conduit diameter, and increasing the polymer throughput, the dwell times of the polymer in the processing space can be reduced. the surface density of particles of degraded polymer in fiber webs produced by processes under such conditions would be reduced compared to that of comparative example 1, where the dwell time is relatively higher. examples 1-3 also show that by decreasing the volume of the processing space (e.g., by reducing the extruder barrel length and conduit diameter), relatively high throughputs can be used and can be used to form fiber media having similar performance characteristics (e.g., air permeability) as media formed by the processing conditions shown for comparative example 1 (e.g., lower throughputs but higher processing space volumes). higher throughputs may result in lower manufacturing costs. table 2comparativeexample 2example 4example 5example 6example 7extruder barrel inner diameter52211(inches)extruder barrel length (inches)15060603030conduit diameter (inches)1.5110.750.75conduit length (inches)144144144144144polymer typepolypropylenepppppppp(pp)polymer throughput (lb/hr)3030303030die body temp (° f.)470470510510530dwell time (min)10024241717volume of processing space254596300630045414541(cm 3 )air permeability (ft 3 /min/ft 2 )409403261229143surface area (m 2 /g)1.141.231.481.561.7surface density of particles*3.290.750.7500(particles/in 2 )fiber diameter (microns)0.951.130.960.960.84*the particles refer to ones having a largest cross-sectional dimension of 1.0 mm or greater. examples 4-7 show that by reducing the extruder barrel inner diameter, extruder barrel length and conduit diameter, the dwell time of the polymer in the processing space can be reduced. the surface density of particles of degraded polymer in fiber webs produced by processes under such conditions would be reduced compared to that of comparative example 2, where the dwell time is relatively higher. the processing conditions shown in examples 4-7 can also result in fiber webs having lower air permeabilities and higher surface areas. smaller fiber diameters (example 7) can also be produced. table 3comparativeexam-exam-exam-example 2ple 8ple 9ple 10extruder barrel inner51.51.51.5diameter (inches)extruder barrel length150454545(inches)conduit diameter (inches)1.50.750.750.75conduit length (inches)144144144144polymer typepolypropylenepppppp(pp)polymer throughput (lb/hr)30301515die body temp (° f.)470600550560dwell time (min)100183636volume of processing space25459486248624862(cm 3 )air permeability409~896946(ft 3 /min/ft 2 )surface area (m 2 /g)1.142.132.072.14surface density of3.280.300.530.53particles* (particles/in 2 )fiber diameter (microns)0.960.500.670.60*the particles refer to ones having a largest cross-sectional dimension of 1.0 mm or greater. examples 8-10 show that by reducing the extruder barrel inner diameter, extruder barrel length and conduit diameter, the dwell time of the polymer in the processing space can be reduced. the surface density of particles of degraded polymer in fiber webs produced by processes under such conditions would be reduced compared to that of comparative example 2, where the dwell time is relatively higher. the processing conditions shown in examples 8-10 can also result in fiber webs having lower air permeabilities, higher surface areas, and smaller fiber diameters. examples 11-13 examples 11-12 show that fiber webs having small fiber diameters can be formed using extrusion processes described herein, and that multiple fiber webs formed by such a process can be stacked to form a single, thicker fiber web. in example 11, a polypropylene resin was processed using a 1.5 inch diameter extruder and a meltblown web (i.e., a base layer) was formed having a mean fiber size of 500 nm (s1). eight hand sheets of the base layer were stacked on top of one another and compressed with a flatbed laminator at 90 psi, 275 deg f., for a residence time of 24 seconds (s2). ten hand sheets of the base layer were also stacked on top of one another and compressed with a flatbed laminator at 90 psi, 275 deg f., for a residence time of 24 seconds (s3). the properties of these webs are summarized in table 4. table 4example 11basisairmean flowbubbleweightpermeabilitythicknessporepointsolidity(g/m 2 )(cfm)(microns)(microns)(microns)(%)meltblown17389** (10*)1505.310.35“base” layer -s18 base layers1363.6**2950.51.75—compressedaltogether - s210 base layers1702.9**3600.41.6—compressedaltogether - s3*measurement at a pressure of 250 mm of water-**measurement at 12.5 mm of water in example 12, a polypropylene resin was processed with a 1.5 inch diameter extruder and a meltblown web (i.e., a base layer) was formed having a mean fiber size of 500 nm. in sample s4, four hand sheets of the base layer were stacked a top each other and compressed between calender rolls under a linear pressure of 90 lb/inch at 140 deg f. and line speed of 30 fpm. properties of these webs are summarized in table 5. table 5example 12basisairmean flowbubbleweightpermeabilitythicknessporepointsolidity(g/m 2 )(cfm)(microns)(microns)(microns)(%)4 base layers682.25*1150.351.2558calendaredaltogether - s4*air permeability measured at 12.5 mm of water liquid filtration performance characteristics for the fiber webs described in tables 4 and 5 were measured. all liquid filtration measurements were performed using fiber webs having that were cut into circular pieces having a diameter of 47 mm. the cut fiber webs were placed into a holder having an o-ring that reduced the effective area of the fiber web to 12.5 cm 2 . the fiber web was first wetted by soaking the web for 1 minute in a mixture isopropanol/water 70/30 v/v. the web was then soaked in deionized water for 1 minute to exchange the isopropanol with water. the fiber web was then rinsed in deionized water for 1 minute. the fiber web was then placed into a filtration cell (an in-line stainless steel filter holder with a diameter of 47 mm) while the fiber web was still fully wetted with water. water flux was measured by passing deionized water through a fiber web at a pressure of 20 psi until 500 ml of permeate was collected. water flux was calculated by dividing the flow rate (ml/min) by the effective area of the fiber web (12.5 cm 2 ). table 6 shows the water flux and water permeability measured for the fiber webs described in tables 4 and 5. table 6water fluxwater permeabilitysample id(ml/min · cm 2 )(ml/min · cm 2 · psi)s2 (compressed-8 l)402mfp −0.5 microns3 (compressed-10 l)201mfp −0.4 microns4 (calendered)150.75mfp −0.35 micron table 7 shows initial permeate flux, final permeate flux, flux decline, and permeate turbidity that was measured after passing an aqueous silica dispersion (having an turbidity of 1,040 ntu prior to filtration) through the fiber webs described in tables 4 and 5. the aqueous silica dispersion, prepared by dispersing iso 12103-1-a2 silica fine test dust (manufactured by powder technology) in deionized water at a concentration of 1,500 ppm, was passed through each of the fiber webs at a pressure of 30 psi until 50 ml of permeate was collected (initial permeate flux) or until 500 ml of permeate was collected (final permeate flux). the collected permeate was used for the turbidity measurements using a turbidimeter (model micro tpi/tpw, manufactured by hf scientific, inc., which is built to meet design criteria specified in iso 7027 and din 27027) as per us epa 180.1 standard specifications. table 7finalinitial permeatepermeateflux at 50 mlflux at 500 mlfluxpermeatepermeate*permeate*declineturbiditysample id(ml/min · cm 2 )(ml/min · cm 2 )(%)*(ntu)s2 (compressed-125580.58 l) mfp−0.5 micronss3 (compressed-206.567.51.910 l) mfp−0.4 micronss4 (calendered)11.54.5610.45mfp−0.35 microns*all flux measurements were conducted at 30 psi as shown in tables 6 and 7, each of samples s2, s3 and s4 had a relatively high water permeability, meaning the fiber webs had relatively low resistances across the webs. each of the samples also had relatively low permeate turbidity measurements when filtering a 1,500 ppm aqueous silica dispersion, indicating that the fiber webs have a relatively large retentive properties. furthermore, when filtering a 1,500 ppm aqueous silica dispersion, each of the fiber webs had relatively low final permeate flux measurements, indicating that the fiber webs had a relatively low tendency to clog. example 13 surface area measurements of several fiber web samples were performed. sample s5 included two s1 samples (as described in example 11) that were compressed together using a flatbed laminator at a temperature of 275° f., a pressure of 60 psi, and a residence time of 24 seconds. sample s6 included three s1 samples that were compressed together using a flatbed under the same conditions. sample nb1 included fibers having an average fiber diameter of 1 micron. sample nb2 included two nb1 samples that were compressed together. sample nb3 included three nb1 samples that were compressed together. sample mb1 included fibers having an average fiber diameter of 2.5 microns. sample mb2 included two mb1 samples that were compressed together. sample mb3 included three mb1 samples that were compressed together. the results are shown in table 8. table 8surfaceareasample id(m 2 /g)compression settings1-fiber size: 0.5 microns3.0uncompresseds5 (2xs1 compressed)2.7flatbed laminator: 275° f. -60 psi - 24 secs6 (3xs1 compressed)2.7flatbed laminator: 275° f. -60 psi - 24 secnb1-fiber size: 1 micron1.7uncompressednb2 (2xnb1 compressed)1.6flatbed laminator: 275° f. -60 psi - 24 secnb3 (3xnb1 compressed)1.55flatbed laminator: 275° f. -60 psi - 24 secmb1-fiber size 2.5 microns1.0uncompressedmb2 (2xmb1 compressed)0.95flatbed laminator: 275° f. -60 psi - 24 secmb3 (3xmb1 compressed)0.9flatbed laminator: 275° f. -60 psi - 24 sec having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.
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175-045-458-408-426
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US
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[
"WO",
"US"
] |
H01Q1/24,H01Q3/24,H01Q3/34,H01Q9/04,H01Q21/20,H01Q25/00,H04B7/06,H04W16/28,H01Q13/24,H01Q1/22,H01Q1/38,H01Q3/26,H01Q3/30,H01Q21/00,H04B7/0495,H04W4/02,H04W4/029
| 2016-12-08T00:00:00 |
2016
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[
"H01",
"H04"
] |
apparatus and methods for selectively targeting communication devices with an antenna array
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aspects of the subject disclosure may include, detecting a communication device in transit, determining a trajectory of the communication device, selecting a section from a plurality of sections of an array of dielectric antennas according to the trajectory of the communication device, where the section corresponds to a set of one more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a set of launchers, and directing the set of launchers to launch electromagnetic waves directed to the set of one more dielectric antennas to generate a beam pattern directed to the communication device while in transit. other embodiments are disclosed.
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claims what is claimed is: 1. a device, comprising: an array of dielectric antennas mounted to a flexible printed circuit board, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is folded into a cylinder, and wherein the array of dielectric antennas is omnidirectional; a plurality of dielectric cores coupled to the array of dielectric antennas; a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: organizing the array of dielectric antennas into a plurality of horizontal sectors, each sector comprising one or more dielectric antennas of the array of dielectric antennas that differs from other dielectric antennas in other sectors of the array of dielectric antennas; detecting a first communication device in a first physical sector; selecting, according to the first physical sector, a first sector from the plurality of horizontal sectors of the array of dielectric antennas, wherein the first sector corresponds to a first set of one or more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a first set of one or more dielectric cores from the plurality of dielectric cores; detecting a second communication device in a second physical sector; selecting, according to the second physical sector, a second sector from the plurality of horizontal sectors of the array of dielectric antennas, wherein the second sector corresponds to a second set of one or more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a second set of one or more dielectric cores from the plurality of dielectric cores; launching first electromagnetic waves along the first set of one or more dielectric cores that causes the first set of one or more dielectric antennas to generate a first beam pattern directed to the first communication device; and launching second electromagnetic waves along the second set of one or more dielectric cores that causes the second set of one or more dielectric antennas to generate a second beam pattern directed to the second communication device. 2. the device of claim 1, wherein the launching of the first electromagnetic waves and the launching of the second electromagnetic waves is performed concurrently. 3. the device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: determining a trajectory of the second communication device based on movement toward a third physical sector; selecting, according to the third physical sector, a third sector from the plurality of horizontal sectors, wherein the third sector corresponds to a third set of one or more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a third set of one or more dielectric cores from the plurality of dielectric cores, wherein the second set of one or more dielectric antennas differs from the third set of one or more dielectric antennas, and wherein the second set of one or more dielectric cores differs from the third set of one or more dielectric cores; launching, at a time of arrival of the second communication device in the third physical sector, third electromagnetic waves along the third set of one or more dielectric cores that cause the third set of one or more dielectric antennas to generate a third beam pattern directed to the second communication device; and terminating, after the time of arrival of the second communication device in the third physical sector, the launching of the second electromagnetic waves to cease generation of the second beam pattern directed at the second communication device. 4. the device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: detecting a trajectory of movement of the first communication device; selecting, according to the trajectory, a third sector from the plurality of horizontal sectors, wherein the third sector corresponds to a third set of one or more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a third set of one or more dielectric cores from the plurality of dielectric cores, wherein the first set of one or more dielectric antennas differs from the third set of one or more dielectric antennas, and wherein the first set of one or more dielectric cores differs from the third set of one or more dielectric cores; detecting a transition by the first communication device from a first scope of coverage by the first sector to a second scope of coverage by the third sector; and responsive to the detecting the transition, launching third electromagnetic waves along the third set of one or more dielectric cores that cause the third set of one more dielectric antennas in the third sector to generate a third beam pattern directed to a new location of the first communication device. 5. the device of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic waves conveys first data to the first communication device. 6. the device of claim 1, wherein the first electromagnetic waves comprise a plurality of electromagnetic waves, and wherein each electromagnetic wave of the plurality of electromagnetic waves is launched in a different dielectric core of the first set of one or more dielectric cores. 7. the device of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting the plurality of electromagnetic waves to steer a direction of the first beam pattern. 8. the device of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise adjusting the plurality of electromagnetic waves to adjust a shape of the first beam pattern. 9. the device of claim 1, wherein the array of dielectric antennas comprises an array of dielectric polyrod antennas. 10. the device of claim 9, wherein each dielectric polyrod antenna of the array of dielectric polyrod antennas is independently selectable via a printed circuit board. 11. the device of claim 10, wherein the array of dielectric polyrod antennas is configured in a circular configuration to enable generation of beam patterns from the plurality of horizontal sectors having different angular directions. 12. the device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, at a fourth sector of the plurality of horizontal sectors, a wireless signal supplied by the first communication device, wherein the wireless signal conveys data, and wherein the fourth sector corresponds to a fourth set of one more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to receivers; and obtaining the data from fourth electromagnetic waves generated by the fourth set of one more dielectric antennas responsive to receiving the wireless signal. 13. the device of claim 1, wherein launchers, coupled to dielectric antennas associated with a remainder of the plurality of horizontal sectors that are not in use, are disabled. 14. a method, comprising: organizing, by a processing system including a processor, an array of dielectric antennas into a plurality of horizontal sectors, each sector comprising one or more dielectric antennas of the array of dielectric antennas that differs from other dielectric antennas in other sectors of the array of dielectric antennas, wherein the array of dielectric antennas is mounted to a flexible printed circuit board, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is folded into a cylinder, and wherein the array of dielectric antennas is omnidirectional; detecting, by the processing system, a first communication device in a first physical sector; selecting, by the processing system according to the first physical sector, a first sector from the plurality of horizontal sectors of the array of dielectric antennas, wherein the first sector corresponds to a first set of one or more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a first set of one or more dielectric cores from a plurality of dielectric cores; detecting, by the processing system, a second communication device in a second physical sector; selecting, by the processing system according to the second physical sector, a second sector from the plurality of horizontal sectors of the array of dielectric antennas, wherein the second sector corresponds to a second set of one or more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a second set of one or more dielectric cores from a plurality of dielectric cores; launching, by the processing system, first electromagnetic waves along the first set of one or more dielectric cores that causes the first set of one or more dielectric antennas to generate a first beam pattern directed to the first communication device; and launching, by the processing system, second electromagnetic waves along the second set of one or more dielectric cores that causes the second set of one or more dielectric antennas to generate a second beam pattern directed to the second communication device. 15. the method of claim 14, wherein the first electromagnetic waves conveys first data, wherein the second electromagnetic waves conveys second data, and wherein the first data differs from the second data.
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apparatus and methods for selectively targeting communication devices with an antenna array cross-reference to related applications [0001] this application is a continuation of and claims priority to u.s. patent application serial no. 15/372,448, filed december 8, 2016, which is incorporated by reference into this application as if set forth herein in full. field of the disclosure [0002] the subject disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for selectively targeting communication devices with an antenna array. background [0003] as smart phones and other portable devices increasingly become ubiquitous, and data usage increases, macrocell base station devices and existing wireless infrastructure in turn require higher bandwidth capability in order to address the increased demand. to provide additional mobile bandwidth, small cell deployment is being pursued, with microcells and picocells providing coverage for much smaller areas than traditional macrocells. [0004] in addition, most homes and businesses have grown to rely on broadband data access for services such as voice, video and internet browsing, etc. broadband access networks include satellite, 4g or 5g wireless, power line communication, fiber, cable, and telephone networks. brief description of the drawings [0005] reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: [0006] fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a guided-wave communications system in accordance with various aspects described herein. [0007] fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a transmission device in accordance with various aspects described herein. [0008] fig. 3 is a graphical diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an electromagnetic field distribution in accordance with various aspects described herein. [0009] fig. 4 is a graphical diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an electromagnetic field distribution in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00010] fig. 5a is a graphical diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a frequency response in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00011] fig. 5b is a graphical diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a longitudinal cross-section of an insulated wire depicting fields of guided electromagnetic waves at various operating frequencies in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00012] fig. 6 is a graphical diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an electromagnetic field distribution in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00013] fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an arc coupler in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00014] fig. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an arc coupler in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00015] fig. 9a is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a stub coupler in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00016] fig. 9b is a diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an electromagnetic distribution in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00017] figs. 10a and 10b are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of couplers and transceivers in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00018] fig. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a dual stub coupler in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00019] fig. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a repeater system in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00020] fig. 13 illustrates a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a bidirectional repeater in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00021] fig. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a waveguide system in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00022] fig. 15 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a guided-wave communications system in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00023] figs. 16a & 16b are block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a system for managing a power grid communication system in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00024] fig. 17a illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for detecting and mitigating disturbances occurring in a communication network of the system of figs. 16a and 16b. [00025] fig. 17b illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for detecting and mitigating disturbances occurring in a communication network of the system of figs. 16a and 16b. [00026] figs. 18a, 18b, and 18c are block diagrams illustrating example, non- limiting embodiment of a transmission medium for propagating guided electromagnetic waves. [00027] fig. 18d is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of bundled transmission media in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00028] fig. 18e is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a plot depicting cross-talk between first and second transmission mediums of the bundled transmission media of fig. 18d in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00029] fig. 18f is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of bundled transmission media to mitigate cross-talk in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00030] figs. 18g and 18h are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a transmission medium with an inner waveguide in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00031] figs. 181 and 18j are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of connector configurations that can be used with the transmission medium of figs. 18a, 18b, or 18c. [00032] fig. 18k is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of transmission mediums for propagating guided electromagnetic waves. [00033] fig. 18l is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of bundled transmission media to mitigate cross-talk in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00034] fig. 18m is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of exposed stubs from the bundled transmission media for use as antennas in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00035] figs. 18n, 180, 18p, 18q, 18r, 18s, 18t, 18u, 18v and 18w are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a waveguide device for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00036] figs. 19a and 19b are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a dielectric antenna and corresponding gain and field intensity plots in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00037] figs. 19c and 19d are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a dielectric antenna coupled to a lens and corresponding gain and field intensity plots in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00038] figs. 19e and 19f are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a dielectric antenna coupled to a lens with ridges and corresponding gain and field intensity plots in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00039] fig. 19g is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a dielectric antenna having an elliptical structure in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00040] fig. 19h is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of near- field and far-field signals emitted by the dielectric antenna of fig. 19g in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00041] fig. 191 is a block diagrams of example, non-limiting embodiments of a dielectric antenna for adjusting far-field wireless signals in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00042] figs. 19j and 19k are block diagrams of example, non-limiting embodiments of a flange that can be coupled to a dielectric antenna in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00043] fig. 19l is a block diagram of example, non-limiting embodiments of the flange, waveguide and dielectric antenna assembly in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00044] fig. 19m is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a dielectric antenna coupled to a gimbal for directing wireless signals generated by the dielectric antenna in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00045] fig. 19n is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a dielectric antenna in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00046] fig. 190 is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of an array of dielectric antennas configurable for steering wireless signals in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00047] figs. 19p1, 19p2, 19p3, 19p4, 19p5, 19p6, 19p7 and 19p8 are side-view block diagrams of example, non-limiting embodiments of a cable, a flange, and dielectric antenna assembly in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00048] figs. 19q1, 19q2 and 19q3 are front-view block diagrams of example, non- limiting embodiments of dielectric antennas in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00049] figs. 20a and 20b are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of the transmission medium of fig. 18a used for inducing guided electromagnetic waves on power lines supported by utility poles. [00050] fig. 20c is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a communication network in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00051] fig. 20d is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of an antenna mount for use in a communication network in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00052] fig. 20e is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of an antenna mount for use in a communication network in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00053] fig. 20f is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of an antenna mount for use in a communication network in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00054] fig. 21a illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for transmitting downlink signals. [00055] fig. 21b illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for transmitting uplink signals. [00056] fig. 21c illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for inducing and receiving electromagnetic waves on a transmission medium. [00057] fig. 21d illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for inducing and receiving electromagnetic waves on a transmission medium. [00058] fig. 21e illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for transmitting wireless signals from a dielectric antenna. [00059] fig. 21f illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for receiving wireless signals at a dielectric antenna. [00060] fig. 21g illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for detecting and mitigating disturbances occurring in a communication network. [00061] fig. 21h is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an alignment of fields of an electromagnetic wave to mitigate propagation losses due to water accumulation on a transmission medium in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00062] figs. 211 and 21j are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of electric field intensities of different electromagnetic waves propagating in the cable illustrated in fig. 20h in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00063] fig. 21k is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of electric fields of a goubau wave in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00064] fig. 21l is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of electric fields of a hybrid wave in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00065] fig. 21m is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of electric field characteristics of a hybrid wave versus a goubau wave in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00066] fig. 21n is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of mode sizes of hybrid waves at various operating frequencies in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00067] figs. 22a and 22b are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a waveguide device for launching hybrid waves in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00068] fig. 23 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a hybrid wave launched by the waveguide device of figs. 21a and 21b in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00069] fig. 24 illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for managing electromagnetic waves. [00070] figs. 25a, 25b, 25c, and 25d are block diagrams illustrating example, non- limiting embodiments of a waveguide device in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00071] figs. 25e, 25f, 25g, 25h, 251, 25j, 25k, 25l, 25m, 25n, 250, 25p, 25q, 25r, 25s, and 25t are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of wave modes and electric field plots in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00072] fig. 25u is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a waveguide device in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00073] figs. 25v, 25w, 25x are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of wave modes and electric field plots in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00074] fig. 25y illustrates a flow diagrams of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for managing electromagnetic waves. [00075] fig. 25z is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of substantially orthogonal wave modes in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00076] fig. 25aa is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an insulated conductor in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00077] fig. 25ab is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an uninsulated conductor in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00078] fig. 25ac is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an oxide layer formed on the uninsulated conductor of fig. 25ab in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00079] fig. 25ad is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of spectral plots in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00080] fig. 25ae is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of spectral plots in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00081] fig. 25af is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a wave mode and electric field plot in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00082] fig. 25ag is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments for transmitting orthogonal wave modes according to the method of fig. 25y in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00083] fig. 25ah is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments for transmitting orthogonal wave modes according to the method of fig. 25y in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00084] fig. 25ai is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments for selectively receiving a wave mode according to the method of fig. 25y in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00085] fig. 25aj is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments for selectively receiving a wave mode according to the method of fig. 25y in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00086] fig. 25ak is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments for selectively receiving a wave mode according to the method of fig. 25y in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00087] fig. 25al is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments for selectively receiving a wave mode according to the method of fig. 25y in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00088] fig. 26 is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a polyrod antenna for transmitting wireless signals in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00089] fig. 27 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of electric field characteristics of transmitted signals from a polyrod antenna in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00090] figs. 28a and 28b are block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a gain pattern and the corresponding input impedance for a polyrod antenna in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00091] figs. 29a and 29b are block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a polyrod antenna array in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00092] fig. 30 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a gain pattern for a polyrod antenna array in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00093] figs. 31a and 31b are block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of electric field characteristics of transmitted signals from a polyrod antenna and a polyrod antenna array in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00094] figs. 32a and 32b are block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a polyrod antenna array in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00095] fig. 33 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a gain pattern for a polyrod antenna array in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00096] figs. 34a and 34b are block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of vswr and s -parameter data for a polyrod antenna array in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00097] fig. 35 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of electric field characteristics of transmitted signals from a polyrod antenna array in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00098] figs. 36a, 36b and 37 are block diagrams illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of an antenna, electric field characteristics of transmitted signals from the antenna, and the antenna gain in accordance with various aspects described herein. [00099] figs. 38, 39, 40, 41a, 41b, 42a, and 42b are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of polyrod antennas in accordance with various aspects described herein. [000100] fig. 43 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a polyrod antenna array in accordance with various aspects described herein. [000101] fig. 44 illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for transmitting wireless signals utilizing beam steering in accordance with various aspects described herein. [000102] fig. 45 is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a communication system that utilizes beam steering in accordance with various aspects described herein. [000103] fig. 46 illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for transmitting wireless signals utilizing beam steering in accordance with various aspects described herein. [000104] figs. 47a, 47b, 47c, 47d, 47e, 47f, 47g, 47h, and 471 are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of an antenna system in accordance with various aspects described herein. [000105] fig. 47j illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method for utilizing the antenna system of figs. 47a-47i. [000106] fig. 48 is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a computing environment in accordance with various aspects described herein. [000107] fig. 49 is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a mobile network platform in accordance with various aspects described herein. [000108] fig. 50 is a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a communication device in accordance with various aspects described herein. detailed description [000109] one or more embodiments are now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. in the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various embodiments. it is evident, however, that the various embodiments can be practiced without these details (and without applying to any particular networked environment or standard). [000110] in an embodiment, a guided wave communication system is presented for sending and receiving communication signals such as data or other signaling via guided electromagnetic waves. the guided electromagnetic waves include, for example, surface waves or other electromagnetic waves that are bound to or guided by a transmission medium. it will be appreciated that a variety of transmission media can be utilized with guided wave communications without departing from example embodiments. examples of such transmission media can include one or more of the following, either alone or in one or more combinations: wires, whether insulated or not, and whether single-stranded or multi-stranded; conductors of other shapes or configurations including wire bundles, cables, rods, rails, pipes; non-conductors such as dielectric pipes, rods, rails, or other dielectric members; combinations of conductors and dielectric materials; or other guided wave transmission media. [000111] the inducement of guided electromagnetic waves on a transmission medium can be independent of any electrical potential, charge or current that is injected or otherwise transmitted through the transmission medium as part of an electrical circuit. for example, in the case where the transmission medium is a wire, it is to be appreciated that while a small current in the wire may be formed in response to the propagation of the guided waves along the wire, this can be due to the propagation of the electromagnetic wave along the wire surface, and is not formed in response to electrical potential, charge or current that is injected into the wire as part of an electrical circuit. the electromagnetic waves traveling on the wire therefore do not require a circuit to propagate along the wire surface. the wire therefore is a single wire transmission line that is not part of a circuit. also, in some embodiments, a wire is not necessary, and the electromagnetic waves can propagate along a single line transmission medium that is not a wire. [000112] more generally, "guided electromagnetic waves" or "guided waves" as described by the subject disclosure are affected by the presence of a physical object that is at least a part of the transmission medium (e.g., a bare wire or other conductor, a dielectric, an insulated wire, a conduit or other hollow element, a bundle of insulated wires that is coated, covered or surrounded by a dielectric or insulator or other wire bundle, or another form of solid or otherwise non-liquid or non-gaseous transmission medium) so as to be at least partially bound to or guided by the physical object and so as to propagate along a transmission path of the physical object. such a physical object can operate as at least a part of a transmission medium that guides, by way of an interface of the transmission medium (e.g., an outer surface, inner surface, an interior portion between the outer and the inner surfaces or other boundary between elements of the transmission medium), the propagation of guided electromagnetic waves, which in turn can carry energy, data and/or other signals along the transmission path from a sending device to a receiving device. [000113] unlike free space propagation of wireless signals such as unguided (or unbounded) electromagnetic waves that decrease in intensity inversely by the square of the distance traveled by the unguided electromagnetic waves, guided electromagnetic waves can propagate along a transmission medium with less loss in magnitude per unit distance than experienced by unguided electromagnetic waves. [000114] an electrical circuit allows electrical signals to propagate from a sending device to a receiving device via a forward electrical path and a return electrical path, respectively. these electrical forward and return paths can be implemented via two conductors, such as two wires or a single wire and a common ground that serves as the second conductor. in particular, electrical current from the sending device (direct and/or alternating) flows through the electrical forward path and returns to the transmission source via the electrical return path as an opposing current. more particularly, electron flow in one conductor that flows away from the sending device, returns to the receiving device in the opposite direction via a second conductor or ground. unlike electrical signals, guided electromagnetic waves can propagate along a transmission medium (e.g., a bare conductor, an insulated conductor, a conduit, a non-conducting material such as a dielectric strip, or any other type of object suitable for the propagation of surface waves) from a sending device to a receiving device or vice-versa without requiring the transmission medium to be part of an electrical circuit (i.e., without requiring an electrical return path) between the sending device and the receiving device. although electromagnetic waves can propagate in an open circuit, i.e., a circuit without an electrical return path or with a break or gap that prevents the flow of electrical current through the circuit, it is noted that electromagnetic waves can also propagate along a surface of a transmission medium that is in fact part of an electrical circuit. that is electromagnetic waves can travel along a first surface of a transmission medium having a forward electrical path and/or along a second surface of a transmission medium having an electrical return path. as a consequence, guided electromagnetic waves can propagate along a surface of a transmission medium from a sending device to a receiving device or vice-versa with or without an electrical circuit. [000115] this permits, for example, transmission of guided electromagnetic waves along a transmission medium having no conductive components (e.g., a dielectric strip). this also permits, for example, transmission of guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium having no more than a single conductor (e.g., an electromagnetic wave that propagates along the surface of a single bare conductor or along the surface of a single insulated conductor or an electromagnetic wave that propagates all or partly within the insulation of an insulated conductor). even if a transmission medium includes one or more conductive components and the guided electromagnetic waves propagating along the transmission medium generate currents that, at times, flow in the one or more conductive components in a direction of the guided electromagnetic waves, such guided electromagnetic waves can propagate along the transmission medium from a sending device to a receiving device without a flow of an opposing current on an electrical return path back to the sending device from the receiving device. as a consequence, the propagation of such guided electromagnetic waves can be referred to as propagating via a single transmission line or propagating via a surface wave transmission line. [000116] in a non-limiting illustration, consider a coaxial cable having a center conductor and a ground shield that are separated by an insulator. typically, in an electrical system a first terminal of a sending (and receiving) device can be connected to the center conductor, and a second terminal of the sending (and receiving) device can be connected to the ground shield. if the sending device injects an electrical signal in the center conductor via the first terminal, the electrical signal will propagate along the center conductor causing, at times, forward currents and a corresponding flow of electrons in the center conductor, and return currents and an opposing flow of electrons in the ground shield. the same conditions apply for a two terminal receiving device. [000117] in contrast, consider a guided wave communication system such as described in the subject disclosure, which can utilize different embodiments of a transmission medium (including among others a coaxial cable) for transmitting and receiving guided electromagnetic waves without an electrical circuit (i.e., without an electrical forward path or electrical return path depending on your perspective). in one embodiment, for example, the guided wave communication system of the subject disclosure can be configured to induce guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along an outer surface of a coaxial cable (e.g., the outer jacket or insulation layer of the coaxial cable). although the guided electromagnetic waves will cause forward currents on the ground shield, the guided electromagnetic waves do not require return currents in the center conductor to enable the guided electromagnetic waves to propagate along the outer surface of the coaxial cable. said another way, while the guided electromagnetic waves will cause forward currents on the ground shield, the guided electromagnetic waves will not generate opposing return currents in the center conductor (or other electrical return path). the same can be said of other transmission media used by a guided wave communication system for the transmission and reception of guided electromagnetic waves. [000118] for example, guided electromagnetic waves induced by the guided wave communication system on an outer surface of a bare conductor, or an insulated conductor can propagate along the outer surface of the bare conductor or the other surface of the insulated conductor without generating opposing return currents in an electrical return path. as another point of differentiation, where the majority of the signal energy in an electrical circuit is induced by the flow of electrons in the conductors themselves, guided electromagnetic waves propagating in a guided wave communication system on an outer surface of a bare conductor, cause only minimal forward currents in the bare conductor, with the majority of the signal energy of the electromagnetic wave concentrated above the outer surface of the bare conductor and not inside the bare conductor. furthermore, guided electromagnetic waves that are bound to the outer surface of an insulated conductor cause only minimal forward currents in the center conductor or conductors of the insulated conductor, with the majority of the signal energy of the electromagnetic wave concentrated in regions inside the insulation and/or above the outside surface of the insulated conductor - in other words, the majority of the signal energy of the electromagnetic wave is concentrated outside the center conductor(s) of the insulated conductor. [000119] consequently, electrical systems that require two or more conductors for carrying forward and reverse currents on separate conductors to enable the propagation of electrical signals injected by a sending device are distinct from guided wave systems that induce guided electromagnetic waves on an interface of a transmission medium without the need of an electrical circuit to enable the propagation of the guided electromagnetic waves along the interface of the transmission medium. [000120] it is further noted that guided electromagnetic waves as described in the subject disclosure can have an electromagnetic field structure that lies primarily or substantially outside of a transmission medium so as to be bound to or guided by the transmission medium and so as to propagate non-trivial distances on or along an outer surface of the transmission medium. in other embodiments, guided electromagnetic waves can have an electromagnetic field structure that lies primarily or substantially inside a transmission medium so as to be bound to or guided by the transmission medium and so as to propagate non-trivial distances within the transmission medium. in other embodiments, guided electromagnetic waves can have an electromagnetic field structure that lies partially inside and partially outside a transmission medium so as to be bound to or guided by the transmission medium and so as to propagate non-trivial distances along the transmission medium. the desired electronic field structure in an embodiment may vary based upon a variety of factors, including the desired transmission distance, the characteristics of the transmission medium itself, and environmental conditions/characteristics outside of the transmission medium (e.g., presence of rain, fog, atmospheric conditions, etc.). [000121] various embodiments described herein relate to coupling devices, that can be referred to as "waveguide coupling devices", "waveguide couplers" or more simply as "couplers", "coupling devices" or "launchers" for launching and/or extracting guided electromagnetic waves to and from a transmission medium at millimeter- wave frequencies (e.g., 30 to 300 ghz), wherein the wavelength can be small compared to one or more dimensions of the coupling device and/or the transmission medium such as the circumference of a wire or other cross sectional dimension, or lower microwave frequencies such as 300mhz to 30ghz. transmissions can be generated to propagate as waves guided by a coupling device, such as: a strip, arc or other length of dielectric material; a horn, monopole, rod, slot or other antenna; an array of antennas; a magnetic resonant cavity, or other resonant coupler; a coil, a strip line, a waveguide or other coupling device. in operation, the coupling device receives an electromagnetic wave from a transmitter or transmission medium. the electromagnetic field structure of the electromagnetic wave can be carried inside the coupling device, outside the coupling device or some combination thereof. when the coupling device is in close proximity to a transmission medium, at least a portion of an electromagnetic wave couples to or is bound to the transmission medium, and continues to propagate as guided electromagnetic waves. in a reciprocal fashion, a coupling device can extract guided waves from a transmission medium and transfer these electromagnetic waves to a receiver. [000122] according to an example embodiment, a surface wave is a type of guided wave that is guided by a surface of a transmission medium, such as an exterior or outer surface of the wire, or another surface of the wire that is adjacent to or exposed to another type of medium having different properties (e.g., dielectric properties). indeed, in an example embodiment, a surface of the wire that guides a surface wave can represent a transitional surface between two different types of media. for example, in the case of a bare or uninsulated wire, the surface of the wire can be the outer or exterior conductive surface of the bare or uninsulated wire that is exposed to air or free space. as another example, in the case of insulated wire, the surface of the wire can be the conductive portion of the wire that meets the insulator portion of the wire, or can otherwise be the insulator surface of the wire that is exposed to air or free space, or can otherwise be any material region between the insulator surface of the wire and the conductive portion of the wire that meets the insulator portion of the wire, depending upon the relative differences in the properties (e.g., dielectric properties) of the insulator, air, and/or the conductor and further dependent on the frequency and propagation mode or modes of the guided wave. [000123] according to an example embodiment, the term "about" a wire or other transmission medium used in conjunction with a guided wave can include fundamental guided wave propagation modes such as a guided waves having a circular or substantially circular field distribution, a symmetrical electromagnetic field distribution (e.g., electric field, magnetic field, electromagnetic field, etc.) or other fundamental mode pattern at least partially around a wire or other transmission medium. in addition, when a guided wave propagates "about" a wire or other transmission medium, it can do so according to a guided wave propagation mode that includes not only the fundamental wave propagation modes (e.g., zero order modes), but additionally or alternatively non-fundamental wave propagation modes such as higher-order guided wave modes (e.g., 1 st order modes, 2 nd order modes, etc.), asymmetrical modes and/or other guided (e.g., surface) waves that have non-circular field distributions around a wire or other transmission medium. as used herein, the term "guided wave mode" refers to a guided wave propagation mode of a transmission medium, coupling device or other system component of a guided wave communication system. [000124] for example, such non-circular field distributions can be unilateral or multilateral with one or more axial lobes characterized by relatively higher field strength and/or one or more nulls or null regions characterized by relatively low-field strength, zero-field strength or substantially zero-field strength. further, the field distribution can otherwise vary as a function of azimuthal orientation around the wire such that one or more angular regions around the wire have an electric or magnetic field strength (or combination thereof) that is higher than one or more other angular regions of azimuthal orientation, according to an example embodiment. it will be appreciated that the relative orientations or positions of the guided wave higher order modes or asymmetrical modes can vary as the guided wave travels along the wire. [000125] as used herein, the term "millimeter-wave" can refer to electromagnetic waves/signals that fall within the "millimeter-wave frequency band" of 30 ghz to 300 ghz. the term "microwave" can refer to electromagnetic waves/signals that fall within a "microwave frequency band" of 300 mhz to 300 ghz. the term "radio frequency" or "rf" can refer to electromagnetic waves/signals that fall within the "radio frequency band" of 10 khz to 1 thz. it is appreciated that wireless signals, electrical signals, and guided electromagnetic waves as described in the subject disclosure can be configured to operate at any desirable frequency range, such as, for example, at frequencies within, above or below millimeter-wave and/or microwave frequency bands. in particular, when a coupling device or transmission medium includes a conductive element, the frequency of the guided electromagnetic waves that are carried by the coupling device and/or propagate along the transmission medium can be below the mean collision frequency of the electrons in the conductive element. further, the frequency of the guided electromagnetic waves that are carried by the coupling device and/or propagate along the transmission medium can be a non-optical frequency, e.g., a radio frequency below the range of optical frequencies that begins at 1 thz. [000126] as used herein, the term "antenna" can refer to a device that is part of a transmitting or receiving system to transmit/radiate or receive wireless signals. [000127] in accordance with one or more embodiments, a method includes receiving a plurality of communication signals, and generating, by a transmitting device according to the plurality of communication signals, wireless signals to induce a plurality of electromagnetic waves bound at least in part to an insulated transmission medium, wherein the plurality of electromagnetic waves propagate along the insulated transmission medium without an electrical return path, wherein each electromagnetic wave of the plurality of electromagnetic waves conveys at least one communication signal of the plurality of communication signals, wherein the plurality of electromagnetic waves have a signal multiplexing configuration that reduces interference between the plurality of electromagnetic waves and enables a receiving device to retrieve from each electromagnetic wave of the plurality of electromagnetic waves the at least one communication signal. [000128] in accordance with one or more embodiments, a launcher can include a generator, and a circuit coupled to the generator. the controller performs operations including receiving a plurality of communication signals, and generating, according to the plurality of communication signals, signals that induce a plurality of electromagnetic waves bound at least in part to a dielectric layer of a transmission medium, wherein each electromagnetic wave of the plurality of electromagnetic waves conveys at least one communication signal of the plurality of communication signals, and wherein the plurality of electromagnetic waves has a signal multiplexing configuration that reduces interference between the plurality of electromagnetic waves. [000129] in accordance with one or more embodiments, a device includes means for receiving a plurality of communication signals, and means for generating, according to a plurality of communication signals, signals that induce a plurality of electromagnetic waves bound at least in part to a dielectric material, wherein each electromagnetic wave of the plurality of electromagnetic waves conveys at least one communication signal of the plurality of communication signals, wherein the plurality of electromagnetic waves has a multiplexing configuration that reduces interference between the plurality of electromagnetic waves. [000130] in accordance with one or more embodiments, a device can include an array of dielectric antennas, a plurality of dielectric cores coupled to the array of dielectric antennas, a processing system including a processor, and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations. the operations can include organizing the array of dielectric antennas into a plurality of sections, each section comprising one more dielectric antennas that differs from other dielectric antennas in other sections of the array of dielectric antennas, wherein the plurality of sections are angularly displaced, detecting a first location of a first communication device, selecting a first section from the plurality of sections according to the first location of the first communication device, wherein the first section corresponds to a first set of one more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a first set of one or more dielectric cores from the plurality of dielectric cores, and launching first electromagnetic waves along the first set of one or more dielectric cores that cause the first set of one more dielectric antennas to generate a first beam pattern directed to the first location of the first communication device. [000131] in accordance with one or more embodiments, a method can include detecting, by a processing system including a processor, a first location of a first communication device, selecting, by the processing system, a first section from a plurality of sections of an array of dielectric antennas according to the first location of the first communication device, wherein the first section corresponds to a first set of one more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a first set of launchers, and directing, by the processing system, the first set of launchers to launch first electromagnetic waves directed to the first set of one more dielectric antennas to generate a first beam pattern directed to the first location of the first communication device. [000132] in accordance with one or more embodiments, a device can include means for detecting a communication device in transit, means for determining a trajectory of the communication device, selecting a section from a plurality of sections of an array of dielectric antennas according to the trajectory of the communication device, wherein the section corresponds to a set of one more dielectric antennas from the array of dielectric antennas coupled to a set of launchers, and means for directing the set of launchers to launch electromagnetic waves directed to the set of one more dielectric antennas to generate a beam pattern directed to the communication device while in transit. [000133] referring now to fig. 1, a block diagram 100 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a guided wave communications system is shown. in operation, a transmission device 101 receives one or more communication signals 110 from a communication network or other communications device that includes data and generates guided waves 120 to convey the data via the transmission medium 125 to the transmission device 102. the transmission device 102 receives the guided waves 120 and converts them to communication signals 112 that include the data for transmission to a communications network or other communications device. the guided waves 120 can be modulated to convey data via a modulation technique such as phase shift keying, frequency shift keying, quadrature amplitude modulation, amplitude modulation, multi-carrier modulation such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and via multiple access techniques such as frequency division multiplexing, time division multiplexing, code division multiplexing, multiplexing via differing wave propagation modes and via other modulation and access strategies. [000134] the communication network or networks can include a wireless communication network such as a mobile data network, a cellular voice and data network, a wireless local area network (e.g., wifi or an 802.xx network), a satellite communications network, a personal area network or other wireless network. the communication network or networks can also include a wired communication network such as a telephone network, an ethernet network, a local area network, a wide area network such as the internet, a broadband access network, a cable network, a fiber optic network, or other wired network. the communication devices can include a network edge device, bridge device or home gateway, a set-top box, broadband modem, telephone adapter, access point, base station, or other fixed communication device, a mobile communication device such as an automotive gateway or automobile, laptop computer, tablet, smartphone, cellular telephone, or other communication device. [000135] in an example embodiment, the guided wave communication system 100 can operate in a bi-directional fashion where transmission device 102 receives one or more communication signals 112 from a communication network or device that includes other data and generates guided waves 122 to convey the other data via the transmission medium 125 to the transmission device 101. in this mode of operation, the transmission device 101 receives the guided waves 122 and converts them to communication signals 110 that include the other data for transmission to a communications network or device. the guided waves 122 can be modulated to convey data via a modulation technique such as phase shift keying, frequency shift keying, quadrature amplitude modulation, amplitude modulation, multi-carrier modulation such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and via multiple access techniques such as frequency division multiplexing, time division multiplexing, code division multiplexing, multiplexing via differing wave propagation modes and via other modulation and access strategies. [000136] the transmission medium 125 can include a cable having at least one inner portion surrounded by a dielectric material such as an insulator or other dielectric cover, coating or other dielectric material, the dielectric material having an outer surface and a corresponding circumference. in an example embodiment, the transmission medium 125 operates as a single-wire transmission line to guide the transmission of an electromagnetic wave. when the transmission medium 125 is implemented as a single wire transmission system, it can include a wire. the wire can be insulated or uninsulated, and single- stranded or multi-stranded (e.g., braided). in other embodiments, the transmission medium 125 can contain conductors of other shapes or configurations including wire bundles, cables, rods, rails, pipes. in addition, the transmission medium 125 can include non-conductors such as dielectric pipes, rods, rails, or other dielectric members; combinations of conductors and dielectric materials, conductors without dielectric materials or other guided wave transmission media. it should be noted that the transmission medium 125 can otherwise include any of the transmission media previously discussed. [000137] further, as previously discussed, the guided waves 120 and 122 can be contrasted with radio transmissions over free space / air or conventional propagation of electrical power or signals through the conductor of a wire via an electrical circuit. in addition to the propagation of guided waves 120 and 122, the transmission medium 125 may optionally contain one or more wires that propagate electrical power or other communication signals in a conventional manner as a part of one or more electrical circuits. [000138] referring now to fig. 2, a block diagram 200 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a transmission device is shown. the transmission device 101 or 102 includes a communications interface (i/f) 205, a transceiver 210 and a coupler 220. [000139] in an example of operation, the communications interface 205 receives a communication signal 110 or 112 that includes data. in various embodiments, the communications interface 205 can include a wireless interface for receiving a wireless communication signal in accordance with a wireless standard protocol such as lte or other cellular voice and data protocol, wifi or an 802.11 protocol, weviax protocol, ultra- wideband protocol, bluetooth protocol, zigbee protocol, a direct broadcast satellite (dbs) or other satellite communication protocol or other wireless protocol. in addition or in the alternative, the communications interface 205 includes a wired interface that operates in accordance with an ethernet protocol, universal serial bus (usb) protocol, a data over cable service interface specification (docsis) protocol, a digital subscriber line (dsl) protocol, a firewire (ieee 1394) protocol, or other wired protocol. in additional to standards-based protocols, the communications interface 205 can operate in conjunction with other wired or wireless protocol. in addition, the communications interface 205 can optionally operate in conjunction with a protocol stack that includes multiple protocol layers including a mac protocol, transport protocol, application protocol, etc. [000140] in an example of operation, the transceiver 210 generates an electromagnetic wave based on the communication signal 110 or 112 to convey the data. the electromagnetic wave has at least one carrier frequency and at least one corresponding wavelength. the carrier frequency can be within a millimeter-wave frequency band of 30ghz - 300ghz, such as 60ghz or a carrier frequency in the range of 30-40ghz or a lower frequency band of 300 mhz - 30ghz in the microwave frequency range such as 26- 30ghz, 11 ghz, 6 ghz or 3ghz, but it will be appreciated that other carrier frequencies are possible in other embodiments. in one mode of operation, the transceiver 210 merely upconverts the communications signal or signals 110 or 112 for transmission of the electromagnetic signal in the microwave or millimeter-wave band as a guided electromagnetic wave that is guided by or bound to the transmission medium 125. in another mode of operation, the communications interface 205 either converts the communication signal 110 or l l2 to a baseband or near baseband signal or extracts the data from the communication signal 110 or 112 and the transceiver 210 modulates a high- frequency carrier with the data, the baseband or near baseband signal for transmission. it should be appreciated that the transceiver 210 can modulate the data received via the communication signal 110 or 112 to preserve one or more data communication protocols of the communication signal 110 or 112 either by encapsulation in the payload of a different protocol or by simple frequency shifting. in the alternative, the transceiver 210 can otherwise translate the data received via the communication signal 110 or l l2 to a protocol that is different from the data communication protocol or protocols of the communication signal 110 or 112. [000141] in an example of operation, the coupler 220 couples the electromagnetic wave to the transmission medium 125 as a guided electromagnetic wave to convey the communications signal or signals 110 or 112. while the prior description has focused on the operation of the transceiver 210 as a transmitter, the transceiver 210 can also operate to receive electromagnetic waves that convey other data from the single wire transmission medium via the coupler 220 and to generate communications signals 110 or 112, via communications interface 205 that includes the other data. consider embodiments where an additional guided electromagnetic wave conveys other data that also propagates along the transmission medium 125. the coupler 220 can also couple this additional electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium 125 to the transceiver 210 for reception. [000142] the transmission device 101 or 102 includes an optional training controller 230. in an example embodiment, the training controller 230 is implemented by a standalone processor or a processor that is shared with one or more other components of the transmission device 101 or 102. the training controller 230 selects the carrier frequencies, modulation schemes and/or guided wave modes for the guided electromagnetic waves based on feedback data received by the transceiver 210 from at least one remote transmission device coupled to receive the guided electromagnetic wave. [000143] in an example embodiment, a guided electromagnetic wave transmitted by a remote transmission device 101 or 102 conveys data that also propagates along the transmission medium 125. the data from the remote transmission device 101 or 102 can be generated to include the feedback data. in operation, the coupler 220 also couples the guided electromagnetic wave from the transmission medium 125 and the transceiver receives the electromagnetic wave and processes the electromagnetic wave to extract the feedback data. [000144] in an example embodiment, the training controller 230 operates based on the feedback data to evaluate a plurality of candidate frequencies, modulation schemes and/or transmission modes to select a carrier frequency, modulation scheme and/or transmission mode to enhance performance, such as throughput, signal strength, reduce propagation loss, etc. [000145] consider the following example: a transmission device 101 begins operation under control of the training controller 230 by sending a plurality of guided waves as test signals such as pilot waves or other test signals at a corresponding plurality of candidate frequencies and/or candidate modes directed to a remote transmission device 102 coupled to the transmission medium 125. the guided waves can include, in addition or in the alternative, test data. the test data can indicate the particular candidate frequency and/or guide-wave mode of the signal. in an embodiment, the training controller 230 at the remote transmission device 102 receives the test signals and/or test data from any of the guided waves that were properly received and determines the best candidate frequency and/or guided wave mode, a set of acceptable candidate frequencies and/or guided wave modes, or a rank ordering of candidate frequencies and/or guided wave modes. this selection of candidate frequenc(ies) or/and guided-mode(s) are generated by the training controller 230 based on one or more optimizing criteria such as received signal strength, bit error rate, packet error rate, signal to noise ratio, propagation loss, etc. the training controller 230 generates feedback data that indicates the selection of candidate frequenc(ies) or/and guided wave mode(s) and sends the feedback data to the transceiver 210 for transmission to the transmission device 101. the transmission device 101 and 102 can then communicate data with one another based on the selection of candidate frequenc(ies) or/and guided wave mode(s). [000146] in other embodiments, the guided electromagnetic waves that contain the test signals and/or test data are reflected back, repeated back or otherwise looped back by the remote transmission device 102 to the transmission device 101 for reception and analysis by the training controller 230 of the transmission device 101 that initiated these waves. for example, the transmission device 101 can send a signal to the remote transmission device 102 to initiate a test mode where a physical reflector is switched on the line, a termination impedance is changed to cause reflections, a loop back mode is switched on to couple electromagnetic waves back to the source transmission device 102, and/or a repeater mode is enabled to amplify and retransmit the electromagnetic waves back to the source transmission device 102. the training controller 230 at the source transmission device 102 receives the test signals and/or test data from any of the guided waves that were properly received and determines selection of candidate frequenc(ies) or/and guided wave mode(s). [000147] while the procedure above has been described in a start-up or initialization mode of operation, each transmission device 101 or 102 can send test signals, evaluate candidate frequencies or guided wave modes via non-test such as normal transmissions or otherwise evaluate candidate frequencies or guided wave modes at other times or continuously as well. in an example embodiment, the communication protocol between the transmission devices 101 and 102 can include an on-request or periodic test mode where either full testing or more limited testing of a subset of candidate frequencies and guided wave modes are tested and evaluated. in other modes of operation, the re-entry into such a test mode can be triggered by a degradation of performance due to a disturbance, weather conditions, etc. in an example embodiment, the receiver bandwidth of the transceiver 210 is either sufficiently wide or swept to receive all candidate frequencies or can be selectively adjusted by the training controller 230 to a training mode where the receiver bandwidth of the transceiver 210 is sufficiently wide or swept to receive all candidate frequencies. [000148] referring now to fig. 3, a graphical diagram 300 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of an electromagnetic field distribution is shown. in this embodiment, a transmission medium 125 in air includes an inner conductor 301 and an insulating jacket 302 of dielectric material, as shown in cross section. the diagram 300 includes different gray-scales that represent differing electromagnetic field strengths generated by the propagation of the guided wave having an asymmetrical and non-fundamental guided wave mode. [000149] in particular, the electromagnetic field distribution corresponds to a modal "sweet spot" that enhances guided electromagnetic wave propagation along an insulated transmission medium and reduces end-to-end transmission loss. in this particular mode, electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium 125 to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission medium - in this case, the outer surface of the insulating jacket 302. electromagnetic waves are partially embedded in the insulator and partially radiating on the outer surface of the insulator. in this fashion, electromagnetic waves are "lightly" coupled to the insulator so as to enable electromagnetic wave propagation at long distances with low propagation loss. [000150] as shown, the guided wave has a field structure that lies primarily or substantially outside of the transmission medium 125 that serves to guide the electromagnetic waves. the regions inside the conductor 301 have little or no field. likewise regions inside the insulating jacket 302 have low field strength. the majority of the electromagnetic field strength is distributed in the lobes 304 at the outer surface of the insulating jacket 302 and in close proximity thereof. the presence of an asymmetric guided wave mode is shown by the high electromagnetic field strengths at the top and bottom of the outer surface of the insulating jacket 302 (in the orientation of the diagram) - as opposed to very small field strengths on the other sides of the insulating jacket 302. [000151] the example shown corresponds to a 38 ghz electromagnetic wave guided by a wire with a diameter of 1.1 cm and a dielectric insulation of thickness of 0.36 cm. because the electromagnetic wave is guided by the transmission medium 125 and the majority of the field strength is concentrated in the air outside of the insulating jacket 302 within a limited distance of the outer surface, the guided wave can propagate longitudinally down the transmission medium 125 with very low loss. in the example shown, this "limited distance" corresponds to a distance from the outer surface that is less than half the largest cross sectional dimension of the transmission medium 125. in this case, the largest cross sectional dimension of the wire corresponds to the overall diameter of 1.82 cm, however, this value can vary with the size and shape of the transmission medium 125. for example, should the transmission medium 125 be of a rectangular shape with a height of .3cm and a width of .4cm, the largest cross sectional dimension would be the diagonal of .5cm and the corresponding limited distance would be .25cm. the dimensions of the area containing the majority of the field strength also vary with the frequency, and in general, increase as carrier frequencies decrease. [000152] it should also be noted that the components of a guided wave communication system, such as couplers and transmission media can have their own cut-off frequencies for each guided wave mode. the cut-off frequency generally sets forth the lowest frequency that a particular guided wave mode is designed to be supported by that particular component. in an example embodiment, the particular asymmetric mode of propagation shown is induced on the transmission medium 125 by an electromagnetic wave having a frequency that falls within a limited range (such as fc to 2fc) of the lower cut-off frequency fc for this particular asymmetric mode. the lower cut-off frequency fc is particular to the characteristics of transmission medium 125. for embodiments as shown that include an inner conductor 301 surrounded by an insulating jacket 302, this cutoff frequency can vary based on the dimensions and properties of the insulating jacket 302 and potentially the dimensions and properties of the inner conductor 301 and can be determined experimentally to have a desired mode pattern. it should be noted however, that similar effects can be found for a hollow dielectric or insulator without an inner conductor. in this case, the cutoff frequency can vary based on the dimensions and properties of the hollow dielectric or insulator. [000153] at frequencies lower than the lower cut-off frequency, the asymmetric mode is difficult to induce in the transmission medium 125 and fails to propagate for all but trivial distances. as the frequency increases above the limited range of frequencies about the cutoff frequency, the asymmetric mode shifts more and more inward of the insulating jacket 302. at frequencies much larger than the cut-off frequency, the field strength is no longer concentrated outside of the insulating jacket, but primarily inside of the insulating jacket 302. while the transmission medium 125 provides strong guidance to the electromagnetic wave and propagation is still possible, ranges are more limited by increased losses due to propagation within the insulating jacket 302— as opposed to the surrounding air. [000154] referring now to fig. 4, a graphical diagram 400 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of an electromagnetic field distribution is shown. in particular, a cross section diagram 400, similar to fig. 3 is shown with common reference numerals used to refer to similar elements. the example shown corresponds to a 60 ghz wave guided by a wire with a diameter of 1.1 cm and a dielectric insulation of thickness of 0.36 cm. because the frequency of the guided wave is above the limited range of the cut-off frequency of this particular asymmetric mode, much of the field strength has shifted inward of the insulating jacket 302. in particular, the field strength is concentrated primarily inside of the insulating jacket 302. while the transmission medium 125 provides strong guidance to the electromagnetic wave and propagation is still possible, ranges are more limited when compared with the embodiment of fig. 3, by increased losses due to propagation within the insulating jacket 302. [000155] referring now to fig. 5a, a graphical diagram illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a frequency response is shown. in particular, diagram 500 presents a graph of end-to-end loss (in db) as a function of frequency, overlaid with electromagnetic field distributions 510, 520 and 530 at three points for a 200cm insulated medium voltage wire. the boundary between the insulator and the surrounding air is represented by reference numeral 525 in each electromagnetic field distribution. [000156] as discussed in conjunction with fig. 3, an example of a desired asymmetric mode of propagation shown is induced on the transmission medium 125 by an electromagnetic wave having a frequency that falls within a limited range (such as fc to 2fc) of the lower cut-off frequency fc of the transmission medium for this particular asymmetric mode. in particular, the electromagnetic field distribution 520 at 6 ghz falls within this modal "sweet spot" that enhances electromagnetic wave propagation along an insulated transmission medium and reduces end-to-end transmission loss. in this particular mode, guided waves are partially embedded in the insulator and partially radiating on the outer surface of the insulator. in this fashion, the electromagnetic waves are "lightly" coupled to the insulator so as to enable guided electromagnetic wave propagation at long distances with low propagation loss. [000157] at lower frequencies represented by the electromagnetic field distribution 510 at 3 ghz, the asymmetric mode radiates more heavily generating higher propagation losses. at higher frequencies represented by the electromagnetic field distribution 530 at 9 ghz, the asymmetric mode shifts more and more inward of the insulating jacket providing too much absorption, again generating higher propagation losses. [000158] referring now to fig. 5b, a graphical diagram 550 illustrating example, non- limiting embodiments of a longitudinal cross-section of a transmission medium 125, such as an insulated wire, depicting fields of guided electromagnetic waves at various operating frequencies is shown. as shown in diagram 556, when the guided electromagnetic waves are at approximately the cutoff frequency (f c ) corresponding to the modal "sweet spot", the guided electromagnetic waves are loosely coupled to the insulated wire so that absorption is reduced, and the fields of the guided electromagnetic waves are bound sufficiently to reduce the amount radiated into the environment (e.g., air). because absorption and radiation of the fields of the guided electromagnetic waves is low, propagation losses are consequently low, enabling the guided electromagnetic waves to propagate for longer distances. [000159] as shown in diagram 554, propagation losses increase when an operating frequency of the guide electromagnetic waves increases above about two-times the cutoff frequency (f c )— or as referred to, above the range of the "sweet spot". more of the field strength of the electromagnetic wave is driven inside the insulating layer, increasing propagation losses. at frequencies much higher than the cutoff frequency (f c ) the guided electromagnetic waves are strongly bound to the insulated wire as a result of the fields emitted by the guided electromagnetic waves being concentrated in the insulation layer of the wire, as shown in diagram 552. this in turn raises propagation losses further due to absorption of the guided electromagnetic waves by the insulation layer. similarly, propagation losses increase when the operating frequency of the guided electromagnetic waves is substantially below the cutoff frequency (f c ), as shown in diagram 558. at frequencies much lower than the cutoff frequency (f c ) the guided electromagnetic waves are weakly (or nominally) bound to the insulated wire and thereby tend to radiate into the environment (e.g., air), which in turn, raises propagation losses due to radiation of the guided electromagnetic waves. [000160] referring now to fig. 6, a graphical diagram 600 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of an electromagnetic field distribution is shown. in this embodiment, a transmission medium 602 is a bare wire, as shown in cross section. the diagram 300 includes different gray-scales that represent differing electromagnetic field strengths generated by the propagation of a guided wave having a symmetrical and fundamental guided wave mode at a single carrier frequency. [000161] in this particular mode, electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium 602 to propagate along an outer surface of the transmission medium - in this case, the outer surface of the bare wire. electromagnetic waves are "lightly" coupled to the wire so as to enable electromagnetic wave propagation at long distances with low propagation loss. as shown, the guided wave has a field structure that lies substantially outside of the transmission medium 602 that serves to guide the electromagnetic waves. the regions inside the conductor 602 have little or no field. [000162] referring now to fig. 7, a block diagram 700 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of an arc coupler is shown. in particular a coupling device is presented for use in a transmission device, such as transmission device 101 or 102 presented in conjunction with fig. 1. the coupling device includes an arc coupler 704 coupled to a transmitter circuit 712 and termination or damper 714. the arc coupler 704 can be made of a dielectric material, or other low-loss insulator (e.g., teflon, polyethylene, etc.), or made of a conducting (e.g., metallic, non-metallic, etc.) material, or any combination of the foregoing materials. as shown, the arc coupler 704 operates as a waveguide and has a wave 706 propagating as a guided wave about a waveguide surface of the arc coupler 704. in the embodiment shown, at least a portion of the arc coupler 704 can be placed near a wire 702 or other transmission medium, (such as transmission medium 125), in order to facilitate coupling between the arc coupler 704 and the wire 702 or other transmission medium, as described herein to launch the guided wave 708 on the wire. the arc coupler 704 can be placed such that a portion of the curved arc coupler 704 is tangential to, and parallel or substantially parallel to the wire 702. the portion of the arc coupler 704 that is parallel to the wire can be an apex of the curve, or any point where a tangent of the curve is parallel to the wire 702. when the arc coupler 704 is positioned or placed thusly, the wave 706 travelling along the arc coupler 704 couples, at least in part, to the wire 702, and propagates as guided wave 708 around or about the wire surface of the wire 702 and longitudinally along the wire 702. the guided wave 708 can be characterized as a surface wave or other electromagnetic wave that is guided by or bound to the wire 702 or other transmission medium. [000163] a portion of the wave 706 that does not couple to the wire 702 propagates as a wave 710 along the arc coupler 704. it will be appreciated that the arc coupler 704 can be configured and arranged in a variety of positions in relation to the wire 702 to achieve a desired level of coupling or non-coupling of the wave 706 to the wire 702. for example, the curvature and/or length of the arc coupler 704 that is parallel or substantially parallel, as well as its separation distance (which can include zero separation distance in an embodiment), to the wire 702 can be varied without departing from example embodiments. likewise, the arrangement of arc coupler 704 in relation to the wire 702 may be varied based upon considerations of the respective intrinsic characteristics (e.g., thickness, composition, electromagnetic properties, etc.) of the wire 702 and the arc coupler 704, as well as the characteristics (e.g., frequency, energy level, etc.) of the waves 706 and 708. [000164] the guided wave 708 stays parallel or substantially parallel to the wire 702, even as the wire 702 bends and flexes. bends in the wire 702 can increase transmission losses, which are also dependent on wire diameters, frequency, and materials. if the dimensions of the arc coupler 704 are chosen for efficient power transfer, most of the power in the wave 706 is transferred to the wire 702, with little power remaining in wave 710. it will be appreciated that the guided wave 708 can still be multi-modal in nature (discussed herein), including having modes that are non-fundamental or asymmetric, while traveling along a path that is parallel or substantially parallel to the wire 702, with or without a fundamental transmission mode. in an embodiment, non-fundamental or asymmetric modes can be utilized to minimize transmission losses and/or obtain increased propagation distances. [000165] it is noted that the term parallel is generally a geometric construct which often is not exactly achievable in real systems. accordingly, the term parallel as utilized in the subject disclosure represents an approximation rather than an exact configuration when used to describe embodiments disclosed in the subject disclosure. in an embodiment, substantially parallel can include approximations that are within 30 degrees of true parallel in all dimensions. [000166] in an embodiment, the wave 706 can exhibit one or more wave propagation modes. the arc coupler modes can be dependent on the shape and/or design of the coupler 704. the one or more arc coupler modes of wave 706 can generate, influence, or impact one or more wave propagation modes of the guided wave 708 propagating along wire 702. it should be particularly noted however that the guided wave modes present in the guided wave 706 may be the same or different from the guided wave modes of the guided wave 708. in this fashion, one or more guided wave modes of the guided wave 706 may not be transferred to the guided wave 708, and further one or more guided wave modes of guided wave 708 may not have been present in guided wave 706. it should also be noted that the cut-off frequency of the arc coupler 704 for a particular guided wave mode may be different than the cutoff frequency of the wire 702 or other transmission medium for that same mode. for example, while the wire 702 or other transmission medium may be operated slightly above its cutoff frequency for a particular guided wave mode, the arc coupler 704 may be operated well above its cut-off frequency for that same mode for low loss, slightly below its cut-off frequency for that same mode to, for example, induce greater coupling and power transfer, or some other point in relation to the arc coupler's cutoff frequency for that mode. [000167] in an embodiment, the wave propagation modes on the wire 702 can be similar to the arc coupler modes since both waves 706 and 708 propagate about the outside of the arc coupler 704 and wire 702 respectively. in some embodiments, as the wave 706 couples to the wire 702, the modes can change form, or new modes can be created or generated, due to the coupling between the arc coupler 704 and the wire 702. for example, differences in size, material, and/or impedances of the arc coupler 704 and wire 702 may create additional modes not present in the arc coupler modes and/or suppress some of the arc coupler modes. the wave propagation modes can comprise the fundamental transverse electromagnetic mode (quasi-temoo), where only small electric and/or magnetic fields extend in the direction of propagation, and the electric and magnetic fields extend radially outwards while the guided wave propagates along the wire. this guided wave mode can be donut shaped, where few of the electromagnetic fields exist within the arc coupler 704 or wire 702. [000168] waves 706 and 708 can comprise a fundamental tem mode where the fields extend radially outwards, and also comprise other, non-fundamental (e.g., asymmetric, higher-level, etc.) modes. while particular wave propagation modes are discussed above, other wave propagation modes are likewise possible such as transverse electric (te) and transverse magnetic (tm) modes, based on the frequencies employed, the design of the arc coupler 704, the dimensions and composition of the wire 702, as well as its surface characteristics, its insulation if present, the electromagnetic properties of the surrounding environment, etc. it should be noted that, depending on the frequency, the electrical and physical characteristics of the wire 702 and the particular wave propagation modes that are generated, guided wave 708 can travel along the conductive surface of an oxidized uninsulated wire, an unoxidized uninsulated wire, an insulated wire and/or along the insulating surface of an insulated wire. [000169] in an embodiment, a diameter of the arc coupler 704 is smaller than the diameter of the wire 702. for the millimeter-band wavelength being used, the arc coupler 704 supports a single waveguide mode that makes up wave 706. this single waveguide mode can change as it couples to the wire 702 as guided wave 708. if the arc coupler 704 were larger, more than one waveguide mode can be supported, but these additional waveguide modes may not couple to the wire 702 as efficiently, and higher coupling losses can result. however, in some alternative embodiments, the diameter of the arc coupler 704 can be equal to or larger than the diameter of the wire 702, for example, where higher coupling losses are desirable or when used in conjunction with other techniques to otherwise reduce coupling losses (e.g., impedance matching with tapering, etc.). [000170] in an embodiment, the wavelength of the waves 706 and 708 are comparable in size, or smaller than a circumference of the arc coupler 704 and the wire 702. in an example, if the wire 702 has a diameter of 0.5 cm, and a corresponding circumference of around 1.5 cm, the wavelength of the transmission is around 1.5 cm or less, corresponding to a frequency of 70 ghz or greater. in another embodiment, a suitable frequency of the transmission and the carrier-wave signal is in the range of 30 - 100 ghz, perhaps around 30-60 ghz, and around 38 ghz in one example. in an embodiment, when the circumference of the arc coupler 704 and wire 702 is comparable in size to, or greater, than a wavelength of the transmission, the waves 706 and 708 can exhibit multiple wave propagation modes including fundamental and/or non-fundamental (symmetric and/or asymmetric) modes that propagate over sufficient distances to support various communication systems described herein. the waves 706 and 708 can therefore comprise more than one type of electric and magnetic field configuration. in an embodiment, as the guided wave 708 propagates down the wire 702, the electrical and magnetic field configurations will remain the same from end to end of the wire 702. in other embodiments, as the guided wave 708 encounters interference (distortion or obstructions) or loses energy due to transmission losses or scattering, the electric and magnetic field configurations can change as the guided wave 708 propagates down wire 702. [000171] in an embodiment, the arc coupler 704 can be composed of nylon, teflon, polyethylene, a polyamide, or other plastics. in other embodiments, other dielectric materials are possible. the wire surface of wire 702 can be metallic with either a bare metallic surface, or can be insulated using plastic, dielectric, insulator or other coating, jacket or sheathing. in an embodiment, a dielectric or otherwise non-conducting/insulated waveguide can be paired with either a bare/metallic wire or insulated wire. in other embodiments, a metallic and/or conductive waveguide can be paired with a bare/metallic wire or insulated wire. in an embodiment, an oxidation layer on the bare metallic surface of the wire 702 (e.g., resulting from exposure of the bare metallic surface to oxygen/air) can also provide insulating or dielectric properties similar to those provided by some insulators or sheathings. [000172] it is noted that the graphical representations of waves 706, 708 and 710 are presented merely to illustrate the principles that wave 706 induces or otherwise launches a guided wave 708 on a wire 702 that operates, for example, as a single wire transmission line. wave 710 represents the portion of wave 706 that remains on the arc coupler 704 after the generation of guided wave 708. the actual electric and magnetic fields generated as a result of such wave propagation may vary depending on the frequencies employed, the particular wave propagation mode or modes, the design of the arc coupler 704, the dimensions and composition of the wire 702, as well as its surface characteristics, its optional insulation, the electromagnetic properties of the surrounding environment, etc. [000173] it is noted that arc coupler 704 can include a termination circuit or damper 714 at the end of the arc coupler 704 that can absorb leftover radiation or energy from wave 710. the termination circuit or damper 714 can prevent and/or minimize the leftover radiation or energy from wave 710 reflecting back toward transmitter circuit 712. in an embodiment, the termination circuit or damper 714 can include termination resistors, and/or other components that perform impedance matching to attenuate reflection. in some embodiments, if the coupling efficiencies are high enough, and/or wave 710 is sufficiently small, it may not be necessary to use a termination circuit or damper 714. for the sake of simplicity, these transmitter 712 and termination circuits or dampers 714 may not be depicted in the other figures, but in those embodiments, transmitter and termination circuits or dampers may possibly be used. [000174] further, while a single arc coupler 704 is presented that generates a single guided wave 708, multiple arc couplers 704 placed at different points along the wire 702 and/or at different azimuthal orientations about the wire can be employed to generate and receive multiple guided waves 708 at the same or different frequencies, at the same or different phases, at the same or different wave propagation modes. [000175] fig. 8, a block diagram 800 illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an arc coupler is shown. in the embodiment shown, at least a portion of the coupler 704 can be placed near a wire 702 or other transmission medium, (such as transmission medium 125), in order to facilitate coupling between the arc coupler 704 and the wire 702 or other transmission medium, to extract a portion of the guided wave 806 as a guided wave 808 as described herein. the arc coupler 704 can be placed such that a portion of the curved arc coupler 704 is tangential to, and parallel or substantially parallel to the wire 702. the portion of the arc coupler 704 that is parallel to the wire can be an apex of the curve, or any point where a tangent of the curve is parallel to the wire 702. when the arc coupler 704 is positioned or placed thusly, the wave 806 travelling along the wire 702 couples, at least in part, to the arc coupler 704, and propagates as guided wave 808 along the arc coupler 704 to a receiving device (not expressly shown). a portion of the wave 806 that does not couple to the arc coupler propagates as wave 810 along the wire 702 or other transmission medium. [000176] in an embodiment, the wave 806 can exhibit one or more wave propagation modes. the arc coupler modes can be dependent on the shape and/or design of the coupler 704. the one or more modes of guided wave 806 can generate, influence, or impact one or more guide- wave modes of the guided wave 808 propagating along the arc coupler 704. it should be particularly noted however that the guided wave modes present in the guided wave 806 may be the same or different from the guided wave modes of the guided wave 808. in this fashion, one or more guided wave modes of the guided wave 806 may not be transferred to the guided wave 808, and further one or more guided wave modes of guided wave 808 may not have been present in guided wave 806. [000177] referring now to fig. 9a, a block diagram 900 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a stub coupler is shown. in particular a coupling device that includes stub coupler 904 is presented for use in a transmission device, such as transmission device 101 or 102 presented in conjunction with fig. 1. the stub coupler 904 can be made of a dielectric material, or other low-loss insulator (e.g., teflon, polyethylene and etc.), or made of a conducting (e.g., metallic, non-metallic, etc.) material, or any combination of the foregoing materials. as shown, the stub coupler 904 operates as a waveguide and has a wave 906 propagating as a guided wave about a waveguide surface of the stub coupler 904. in the embodiment shown, at least a portion of the stub coupler 904 can be placed near a wire 702 or other transmission medium, (such as transmission medium 125), in order to facilitate coupling between the stub coupler 904 and the wire 702 or other transmission medium, as described herein to launch the guided wave 908 on the wire. [000178] in an embodiment, the stub coupler 904 is curved, and an end of the stub coupler 904 can be tied, fastened, or otherwise mechanically coupled to a wire 702. when the end of the stub coupler 904 is fastened to the wire 702, the end of the stub coupler 904 is parallel or substantially parallel to the wire 702. alternatively, another portion of the dielectric waveguide beyond an end can be fastened or coupled to wire 702 such that the fastened or coupled portion is parallel or substantially parallel to the wire 702. the fastener 910 can be a nylon cable tie or other type of non-conducting/dielectric material that is either separate from the stub coupler 904 or constructed as an integrated component of the stub coupler 904. the stub coupler 904 can be adjacent to the wire 702 without surrounding the wire 702. [000179] like the arc coupler 704 described in conjunction with fig. 7, when the stub coupler 904 is placed with the end parallel to the wire 702, the guided wave 906 travelling along the stub coupler 904 couples to the wire 702, and propagates as guided wave 908 about the wire surface of the wire 702. in an example embodiment, the guided wave 908 can be characterized as a surface wave or other electromagnetic wave. [000180] it is noted that the graphical representations of waves 906 and 908 are presented merely to illustrate the principles that wave 906 induces or otherwise launches a guided wave 908 on a wire 702 that operates, for example, as a single wire transmission line. the actual electric and magnetic fields generated as a result of such wave propagation may vary depending on one or more of the shape and/or design of the coupler, the relative position of the dielectric waveguide to the wire, the frequencies employed, the design of the stub coupler 904, the dimensions and composition of the wire 702, as well as its surface characteristics, its optional insulation, the electromagnetic properties of the surrounding environment, etc. [000181] in an embodiment, an end of stub coupler 904 can taper towards the wire 702 in order to increase coupling efficiencies. indeed, the tapering of the end of the stub coupler 904 can provide impedance matching to the wire 702 and reduce reflections, according to an example embodiment of the subject disclosure. for example, an end of the stub coupler 904 can be gradually tapered in order to obtain a desired level of coupling between waves 906 and 908 as illustrated in fig. 9a. [000182] in an embodiment, the fastener 910 can be placed such that there is a short length of the stub coupler 904 between the fastener 910 and an end of the stub coupler 904. maximum coupling efficiencies are realized in this embodiment when the length of the end of the stub coupler 904 that is beyond the fastener 910 is at least several wavelengths long for whatever frequency is being transmitted. [000183] turning now to fig. 9b, a diagram 950 illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an electromagnetic distribution in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. in particular, an electromagnetic distribution is presented in two dimensions for a transmission device that includes coupler 952, shown in an example stub coupler constructed of a dielectric material. the coupler 952 couples an electromagnetic wave for propagation as a guided wave along an outer surface of a wire 702 or other transmission medium. [000184] the coupler 952 guides the electromagnetic wave to a junction at xo via a symmetrical guided wave mode. while some of the energy of the electromagnetic wave that propagates along the coupler 952 is outside of the coupler 952, the majority of the energy of this electromagnetic wave is contained within the coupler 952. the junction at xo couples the electromagnetic wave to the wire 702 or other transmission medium at an azimuthal angle corresponding to the bottom of the transmission medium. this coupling induces an electromagnetic wave that is guided to propagate along the outer surface of the wire 702 or other transmission medium via at least one guided wave mode in direction 956. the majority of the energy of the guided electromagnetic wave is outside or, but in close proximity to the outer surface of the wire 702 or other transmission medium. in the example shown, the junction at xo forms an electromagnetic wave that propagates via both a symmetrical mode and at least one asymmetrical surface mode, such as the first order mode presented in conjunction with fig. 3, that skims the surface of the wire 702 or other transmission medium. [000185] it is noted that the graphical representations of guided waves are presented merely to illustrate an example of guided wave coupling and propagation. the actual electric and magnetic fields generated as a result of such wave propagation may vary depending on the frequencies employed, the design and/or configuration of the coupler 952, the dimensions and composition of the wire 702 or other transmission medium, as well as its surface characteristics, its insulation if present, the electromagnetic properties of the surrounding environment, etc. [000186] turning now to fig. 10a, illustrated is a block diagram 1000 of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a coupler and transceiver system in accordance with various aspects described herein. the system is an example of transmission device 101 or 102. in particular, the communication interface 1008 is an example of communications interface 205, the stub coupler 1002 is an example of coupler 220, and the transmitter/receiver device 1006, diplexer 1016, power amplifier 1014, low noise amplifier 1018, frequency mixers 1010 and 1020 and local oscillator 1012 collectively form an example of transceiver 210. [000187] in operation, the transmitter/receiver device 1006 launches and receives waves (e.g., guided wave 1004 onto stub coupler 1002). the guided waves 1004 can be used to transport signals received from and sent to a host device, base station, mobile devices, a building or other device by way of a communications interface 1008. the communications interface 1008 can be an integral part of system 1000. alternatively, the communications interface 1008 can be tethered to system 1000. the communications interface 1008 can comprise a wireless interface for interfacing to the host device, base station, mobile devices, a building or other device utilizing any of various wireless signaling protocols (e.g., lte, wifi, wimax, ieee 802. xx, etc.) including an infrared protocol such as an infrared data association (irda) protocol or other line of sight optical protocol. the communications interface 1008 can also comprise a wired interface such as a fiber optic line, coaxial cable, twisted pair, category 5 (cat-5) cable or other suitable wired or optical mediums for communicating with the host device, base station, mobile devices, a building or other device via a protocol such as an ethernet protocol, universal serial bus (usb) protocol, a data over cable service interface specification (docsis) protocol, a digital subscriber line (dsl) protocol, a firewire (ieee 1394) protocol, or other wired or optical protocol. for embodiments where system 1000 functions as a repeater, the communications interface 1008 may not be necessary. [000188] the output signals (e.g., tx) of the communications interface 1008 can be combined with a carrier wave (e.g., millimeter-wave carrier wave) generated by a local oscillator 1012 at frequency mixer 1010. frequency mixer 1010 can use heterodyning techniques or other frequency shifting techniques to frequency shift the output signals from communications interface 1008. for example, signals sent to and from the communications interface 1008 can be modulated signals such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (ofdm) signals formatted in accordance with a long-term evolution (lte) wireless protocol or other wireless 3g, 4g, 5g or higher voice and data protocol, a zigbee, wimax, ultra-wideband or ieee 802.11 wireless protocol; a wired protocol such as an ethernet protocol, universal serial bus (usb) protocol, a data over cable service interface specification (docsis) protocol, a digital subscriber line (dsl) protocol, a firewire (ieee 1394) protocol or other wired or wireless protocol. in an example embodiment, this frequency conversion can be done in the analog domain, and as a result, the frequency shifting can be done without regard to the type of communications protocol used by a base station, mobile devices, or in-building devices. as new communications technologies are developed, the communications interface 1008 can be upgraded (e.g., updated with software, firmware, and/or hardware) or replaced and the frequency shifting and transmission apparatus can remain, simplifying upgrades. the carrier wave can then be sent to a power amplifier ("pa") 1014 and can be transmitted via the transmitter receiver device 1006 via the diplexer 1016. [000189] signals received from the transmitter/receiver device 1006 that are directed towards the communications interface 1008 can be separated from other signals via diplexer 1016. the received signal can then be sent to low noise amplifier ("lna") 1018 for amplification. a frequency mixer 1020, with help from local oscillator 1012 can downshift the received signal (which is in the millimeter-wave band or around 38 ghz in some embodiments) to the native frequency. the communications interface 1008 can then receive the transmission at an input port (rx). [000190] in an embodiment, transmitter/receiver device 1006 can include a cylindrical or non-cylindrical metal (which, for example, can be hollow in an embodiment, but not necessarily drawn to scale) or other conducting or non-conducting waveguide and an end of the stub coupler 1002 can be placed in or in proximity to the waveguide or the transmitter/receiver device 1006 such that when the transmitter/receiver device 1006 generates a transmission, the guided wave couples to stub coupler 1002 and propagates as a guided wave 1004 about the waveguide surface of the stub coupler 1002. in some embodiments, the guided wave 1004 can propagate in part on the outer surface of the stub coupler 1002 and in part inside the stub coupler 1002. in other embodiments, the guided wave 1004 can propagate substantially or completely on the outer surface of the stub coupler 1002. in yet other embodiments, the guided wave 1004 can propagate substantially or completely inside the stub coupler 1002. in this latter embodiment, the guided wave 1004 can radiate at an end of the stub coupler 1002 (such as the tapered end shown in fig. 4) for coupling to a transmission medium such as a wire 702 of fig. 7. similarly, if guided wave 1004 is incoming (coupled to the stub coupler 1002 from a wire 702), guided wave 1004 then enters the transmitter / receiver device 1006 and couples to the cylindrical waveguide or conducting waveguide. while transmitter/receiver device 1006 is shown to include a separate waveguide — an antenna, cavity resonator, klystron, magnetron, travelling wave tube, or other radiating element can be employed to induce a guided wave on the coupler 1002, with or without the separate waveguide. [000191] in an embodiment, stub coupler 1002 can be wholly constructed of a dielectric material (or another suitable insulating material), without any metallic or otherwise conducting materials therein. stub coupler 1002 can be composed of nylon, teflon, polyethylene, a polyamide, other plastics, or other materials that are non-conducting and suitable for facilitating transmission of electromagnetic waves at least in part on an outer surface of such materials. in another embodiment, stub coupler 1002 can include a core that is conducting/metallic, and have an exterior dielectric surface. similarly, a transmission medium that couples to the stub coupler 1002 for propagating electromagnetic waves induced by the stub coupler 1002 or for supplying electromagnetic waves to the stub coupler 1002 can, in addition to being a bare or insulated wire, be wholly constructed of a dielectric material (or another suitable insulating material), without any metallic or otherwise conducting materials therein. [000192] it is noted that although fig. 10a shows that the opening of transmitter receiver device 1006 is much wider than the stub coupler 1002, this is not to scale, and that in other embodiments the width of the stub coupler 1002 is comparable or slightly smaller than the opening of the hollow waveguide. it is also not shown, but in an embodiment, an end of the coupler 1002 that is inserted into the transmitter/receiver device 1006 tapers down in order to reduce reflection and increase coupling efficiencies. [000193] before coupling to the stub coupler 1002, the one or more waveguide modes of the guided wave generated by the transmitter/receiver device 1006 can couple to the stub coupler 1002 to induce one or more wave propagation modes of the guided wave 1004. the wave propagation modes of the guided wave 1004 can be different than the hollow metal waveguide modes due to the different characteristics of the hollow metal waveguide and the dielectric waveguide. for instance, wave propagation modes of the guided wave 1004 can comprise the fundamental transverse electromagnetic mode (quasi-temoo), where only small electrical and/or magnetic fields extend in the direction of propagation, and the electric and magnetic fields extend radially outwards from the stub coupler 1002 while the guided waves propagate along the stub coupler 1002. the fundamental transverse electromagnetic mode wave propagation mode may or may not exist inside a waveguide that is hollow. therefore, the hollow metal waveguide modes that are used by transmitter/receiver device 1006 are waveguide modes that can couple effectively and efficiently to wave propagation modes of stub coupler 1002. [000194] it will be appreciated that other constructs or combinations of the transmitter/receiver device 1006 and stub coupler 1002 are possible. for example, a stub coupler 1002' can be placed tangentially or in parallel (with or without a gap) with respect to an outer surface of the hollow metal waveguide of the transmitter/receiver device 1006' (corresponding circuitry not shown) as depicted by reference 1000' of fig. 10b. in another embodiment, not shown by reference 1000', the stub coupler 1002' can be placed inside the hollow metal waveguide of the transmitter/receiver device 1006' without an axis of the stub coupler 1002' being coaxially aligned with an axis of the hollow metal waveguide of the transmitter/receiver device 1006'. in either of these embodiments, the guided wave generated by the transmitter/receiver device 1006' can couple to a surface of the stub coupler 1002' to induce one or more wave propagation modes of the guided wave 1004' on the stub coupler 1002' including a fundamental mode (e.g., a symmetric mode) and/or a non-fundamental mode (e.g., asymmetric mode). [000195] in one embodiment, the guided wave 1004' can propagate in part on the outer surface of the stub coupler 1002' and in part inside the stub coupler 1002'. in another embodiment, the guided wave 1004' can propagate substantially or completely on the outer surface of the stub coupler 1002'. in yet other embodiments, the guided wave 1004' can propagate substantially or completely inside the stub coupler 1002' . in this latter embodiment, the guided wave 1004' can radiate at an end of the stub coupler 1002' (such as the tapered end shown in fig. 9) for coupling to a transmission medium such as a wire 702 of fig. 9. [000196] it will be further appreciated that other constructs the transmitter/receiver device 1006 are possible. for example, a hollow metal waveguide of a transmitter/receiver device 1006" (corresponding circuitry not shown), depicted in fig. 10b as reference 1000", can be placed tangentially or in parallel (with or without a gap) with respect to an outer surface of a transmission medium such as the wire 702 of fig. 4 without the use of the stub coupler 1002. in this embodiment, the guided wave generated by the transmitter/receiver device 1006" can couple to a surface of the wire 702 to induce one or more wave propagation modes of a guided wave 908 on the wire 702 including a fundamental mode (e.g., a symmetric mode) and/or a non-fundamental mode (e.g., asymmetric mode). in another embodiment, the wire 702 can be positioned inside a hollow metal waveguide of a transmitter/receiver device 1006"' (corresponding circuitry not shown) so that an axis of the wire 702 is coaxially (or not coaxially) aligned with an axis of the hollow metal waveguide without the use of the stub coupler 1002— see figs. 10b reference 1000" ' . in this embodiment, the guided wave generated by the transmitter/receiver device 1006" ' can couple to a surface of the wire 702 to induce one or more wave propagation modes of a guided wave 908 on the wire including a fundamental mode (e.g., a symmetric mode) and/or a non-fundamental mode (e.g., asymmetric mode). [000197] in the embodiments of 1000" and 1000" ', for a wire 702 having an insulated outer surface, the guided wave 908 can propagate in part on the outer surface of the insulator and in part inside the insulator. in embodiments, the guided wave 908 can propagate substantially or completely on the outer surface of the insulator, or substantially or completely inside the insulator. in the embodiments of 1000" and 1000" ', for a wire 702 that is a bare conductor, the guided wave 908 can propagate in part on the outer surface of the conductor and in part inside the conductor. in another embodiment, the guided wave 908 can propagate substantially or completely on the outer surface of the conductor. [000198] referring now to fig. 11, a block diagram 1100 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a dual stub coupler is shown. in particular, a dual coupler design is presented for use in a transmission device, such as transmission device 101 or 102 presented in conjunction with fig. 1. in an embodiment, two or more couplers (such as the stub couplers 1104 and 1106) can be positioned around a wire 1102 in order to receive guided wave 1108. in an embodiment, one coupler is enough to receive the guided wave 1108. in that case, guided wave 1108 couples to coupler 1104 and propagates as guided wave 1110. if the field structure of the guided wave 1108 oscillates or undulates around the wire 1102 due to the particular guided wave mode(s) or various outside factors, then coupler 1106 can be placed such that guided wave 1108 couples to coupler 1106. in some embodiments, four or more couplers can be placed around a portion of the wire 1102, e.g., at 90 degrees or another spacing with respect to each other, in order to receive guided waves that may oscillate or rotate around the wire 1102, that have been induced at different azimuthal orientations or that have non-fundamental or higher order modes that, for example, have lobes and/or nulls or other asymmetries that are orientation dependent. however, it will be appreciated that there may be less than or more than four couplers placed around a portion of the wire 1102 without departing from example embodiments. [000199] it should be noted that while couplers 1106 and 1104 are illustrated as stub couplers, any other of the coupler designs described herein including arc couplers, antenna or horn couplers, magnetic couplers, etc., could likewise be used. it will also be appreciated that while some example embodiments have presented a plurality of couplers around at least a portion of a wire 1102, this plurality of couplers can also be considered as part of a single coupler system having multiple coupler subcomponents. for example, two or more couplers can be manufactured as single system that can be installed around a wire in a single installation such that the couplers are either pre -positioned or adjustable relative to each other (either manually or automatically with a controllable mechanism such as a motor or other actuator) in accordance with the single system. [000200] receivers coupled to couplers 1106 and 1104 can use diversity combining to combine signals received from both couplers 1106 and 1104 in order to maximize the signal quality. in other embodiments, if one or the other of the couplers 1104 and 1106 receive a transmission that is above a predetermined threshold, receivers can use selection diversity when deciding which signal to use. further, while reception by a plurality of couplers 1106 and 1104 is illustrated, transmission by couplers 1106 and 1104 in the same configuration can likewise take place. in particular, a wide range of multi-input multi- output (mimo) transmission and reception techniques can be employed for transmissions where a transmission device, such as transmission device 101 or 102 presented in conjunction with fig. 1 includes multiple transceivers and multiple couplers. [000201] it is noted that the graphical representations of waves 1108 and 1110 are presented merely to illustrate the principles that guided wave 1108 induces or otherwise launches a wave 1110 on a coupler 1104. the actual electric and magnetic fields generated as a result of such wave propagation may vary depending on the frequencies employed, the design of the coupler 1104, the dimensions and composition of the wire 1102, as well as its surface characteristics, its insulation if any, the electromagnetic properties of the surrounding environment, etc. [000202] referring now to fig. 12, a block diagram 1200 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a repeater system is shown. in particular, a repeater device 1210 is presented for use in a transmission device, such as transmission device 101 or 102 presented in conjunction with fig. 1. in this system, two couplers 1204 and 1214 can be placed near a wire 1202 or other transmission medium such that guided waves 1205 propagating along the wire 1202 are extracted by coupler 1204 as wave 1206 (e.g. as a guided wave), and then are boosted or repeated by repeater device 1210 and launched as a wave 1216 (e.g. as a guided wave) onto coupler 1214. the wave 1216 can then be launched on the wire 1202 and continue to propagate along the wire 1202 as a guided wave 1217. in an embodiment, the repeater device 1210 can receive at least a portion of the power utilized for boosting or repeating through magnetic coupling with the wire 1202, for example, when the wire 1202 is a power line or otherwise contains a power-carrying conductor. it should be noted that while couplers 1204 and 1214 are illustrated as stub couplers, any other of the coupler designs described herein including arc couplers, antenna or horn couplers, magnetic couplers, or the like, could likewise be used. [000203] in some embodiments, repeater device 1210 can repeat the transmission associated with wave 1206, and in other embodiments, repeater device 1210 can include a communications interface 205 that extracts data or other signals from the wave 1206 for supplying such data or signals to another network and/or one or more other devices as communication signals 110 or 112 and/or receiving communication signals 110 or 112 from another network and/or one or more other devices and launch guided wave 1216 having embedded therein the received communication signals 110 or 112. in a repeater configuration, receiver waveguide 1208 can receive the wave 1206 from the coupler 1204 and transmitter waveguide 1212 can launch guided wave 1216 onto coupler 1214 as guided wave 1217. between receiver waveguide 1208 and transmitter waveguide 1212, the signal embedded in guided wave 1206 and/or the guided wave 1216 itself can be amplified to correct for signal loss and other inefficiencies associated with guided wave communications or the signal can be received and processed to extract the data contained therein and regenerated for transmission. in an embodiment, the receiver waveguide 1208 can be configured to extract data from the signal, process the data to correct for data errors utilizing for example error correcting codes, and regenerate an updated signal with the corrected data. the transmitter waveguide 1212 can then transmit guided wave 1216 with the updated signal embedded therein. in an embodiment, a signal embedded in guided wave 1206 can be extracted from the transmission and processed for communication with another network and/or one or more other devices via communications interface 205 as communication signals 110 or 112. similarly, communication signals 110 or 112 received by the communications interface 205 can be inserted into a transmission of guided wave 1216 that is generated and launched onto coupler 1214 by transmitter waveguide 1212. [000204] it is noted that although fig. 12 shows guided wave transmissions 1206 and 1216 entering from the left and exiting to the right respectively, this is merely a simplification and is not intended to be limiting. in other embodiments, receiver waveguide 1208 and transmitter waveguide 1212 can also function as transmitters and receivers respectively, allowing the repeater device 1210 to be bi-directional. [000205] in an embodiment, repeater device 1210 can be placed at locations where there are discontinuities or obstacles on the wire 1202 or other transmission medium. in the case where the wire 1202 is a power line, these obstacles can include transformers, connections, utility poles, and other such power line devices. the repeater device 1210 can help the guided (e.g., surface) waves jump over these obstacles on the line and boost the transmission power at the same time. in other embodiments, a coupler can be used to jump over the obstacle without the use of a repeater device. in that embodiment, both ends of the coupler can be tied or fastened to the wire, thus providing a path for the guided wave to travel without being blocked by the obstacle. [000206] turning now to fig. 13, illustrated is a block diagram 1300 of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a bidirectional repeater in accordance with various aspects described herein. in particular, a bidirectional repeater device 1306 is presented for use in a transmission device, such as transmission device 101 or 102 presented in conjunction with fig. 1. it should be noted that while the couplers are illustrated as stub couplers, any other of the coupler designs described herein including arc couplers, antenna or horn couplers, magnetic couplers, or the like, could likewise be used. the bidirectional repeater 1306 can employ diversity paths in the case of when two or more wires or other transmission media are present. since guided wave transmissions have different transmission efficiencies and coupling efficiencies for transmission medium of different types such as insulated wires, un-insulated wires or other types of transmission media and further, if exposed to the elements, can be affected by weather, and other atmospheric conditions, it can be advantageous to selectively transmit on different transmission media at certain times. in various embodiments, the various transmission media can be designated as a primary, secondary, tertiary, etc. whether or not such designation indicates a preference of one transmission medium over another. [000207] in the embodiment shown, the transmission media include an insulated or uninsulated wire 1302 and an insulated or uninsulated wire 1304 (referred to herein as wires 1302 and 1304, respectively). the repeater device 1306 uses a receiver coupler 1308 to receive a guided wave traveling along wire 1302 and repeats the transmission using transmitter waveguide 1310 as a guided wave along wire 1304. in other embodiments, repeater device 1306 can switch from the wire 1304 to the wire 1302, or can repeat the transmissions along the same paths. repeater device 1306 can include sensors, or be in communication with sensors (or a network management system 1601 depicted in fig. 16a) that indicate conditions that can affect the transmission. based on the feedback received from the sensors, the repeater device 1306 can make the determination about whether to keep the transmission along the same wire, or transfer the transmission to the other wire. [000208] turning now to fig. 14, illustrated is a block diagram 1400 illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a bidirectional repeater system. in particular, a bidirectional repeater system is presented for use in a transmission device, such as transmission device 101 or 102 presented in conjunction with fig. 1. the bidirectional repeater system includes waveguide coupling devices 1402 and 1404 that receive and transmit transmissions from other coupling devices located in a distributed antenna system or backhaul system. [000209] in various embodiments, waveguide coupling device 1402 can receive a transmission from another waveguide coupling device, wherein the transmission has a plurality of subcarriers. diplexer 1406 can separate the transmission from other transmissions, and direct the transmission to low-noise amplifier ("lna") 1408. a frequency mixer 1428, with help from a local oscillator 1412, can downshift the transmission (which is in the millimeter-wave band or around 38 ghz in some embodiments) to a lower frequency, such as a cellular band (-1.9 ghz) for a distributed antenna system, a native frequency, or other frequency for a backhaul system. an extractor (or demultiplexer) 1432 can extract the signal on a subcarrier and direct the signal to an output component 1422 for optional amplification, buffering or isolation by power amplifier 1424 for coupling to communications interface 205. the communications interface 205 can further process the signals received from the power amplifier 1424 or otherwise transmit such signals over a wireless or wired interface to other devices such as a base station, mobile devices, a building, etc. for the signals that are not being extracted at this location, extractor 1432 can redirect them to another frequency mixer 1436, where the signals are used to modulate a carrier wave generated by local oscillator 1414. the carrier wave, with its subcarriers, is directed to a power amplifier ("pa") 1416 and is retransmitted by waveguide coupling device 1404 to another system, via diplexer 1420. [000210] an lna 1426 can be used to amplify, buffer or isolate signals that are received by the communication interface 205 and then send the signal to a multiplexer 1434 which merges the signal with signals that have been received from waveguide coupling device 1404. the signals received from coupling device 1404 have been split by diplexer 1420, and then passed through lna 1418, and downshifted in frequency by frequency mixer 1438. when the signals are combined by multiplexer 1434, they are upshifted in frequency by frequency mixer 1430, and then boosted by pa 1410, and transmitted to another system by waveguide coupling device 1402. in an embodiment bidirectional repeater system can be merely a repeater without the output device 1422. in this embodiment, the multiplexer 1434 would not be utilized and signals from lna 1418 would be directed to mixer 1430 as previously described. it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the bidirectional repeater system could also be implemented using two distinct and separate unidirectional repeaters. in an alternative embodiment, a bidirectional repeater system could also be a booster or otherwise perform retransmissions without downshifting and upshifting. indeed in example embodiment, the retransmissions can be based upon receiving a signal or guided wave and performing some signal or guided wave processing or reshaping, filtering, and/or amplification, prior to retransmission of the signal or guided wave. [000211] referring now to fig. 15, a block diagram 1500 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a guided wave communications system is shown. this diagram depicts an exemplary environment in which a guided wave communication system, such as the guided wave communication system presented in conjunction with fig. 1, can be used. [000212] to provide network connectivity to additional base station devices, a backhaul network that links the communication cells (e.g., microcells and macrocells) to network devices of a core network correspondingly expands. similarly, to provide network connectivity to a distributed antenna system, an extended communication system that links base station devices and their distributed antennas is desirable. a guided wave communication system 1500 such as shown in fig. 15 can be provided to enable alternative, increased or additional network connectivity and a waveguide coupling system can be provided to transmit and/or receive guided wave (e.g., surface wave) communications on a transmission medium such as a wire that operates as a single-wire transmission line (e.g., a utility line), and that can be used as a waveguide and/or that otherwise operates to guide the transmission of an electromagnetic wave. [000213] the guided wave communication system 1500 can comprise a first instance of a distribution system 1550 that includes one or more base station devices (e.g., base station device 1504) that are communicably coupled to a central office 1501 and/or a macrocell site 1502. base station device 1504 can be connected by a wired (e.g., fiber and/or cable), or by a wireless (e.g., microwave wireless) connection to the macrocell site 1502 and the central office 1501. a second instance of the distribution system 1560 can be used to provide wireless voice and data services to mobile device 1522 and to residential and/or commercial establishments 1542 (herein referred to as establishments 1542). system 1500 can have additional instances of the distribution systems 1550 and 1560 for providing voice and/or data services to mobile devices 1522-1524 and establishments 1542 as shown in fig. 15. [000214] macrocells such as macrocell site 1502 can have dedicated connections to a mobile network and base station device 1504 or can share and/or otherwise use another connection. central office 1501 can be used to distribute media content and/or provide internet service provider (isp) services to mobile devices 1522-1524 and establishments 1542. the central office 1501 can receive media content from a constellation of satellites 1530 (one of which is shown in fig. 15) or other sources of content, and distribute such content to mobile devices 1522-1524 and establishments 1542 via the first and second instances of the distribution system 1550 and 1560. the central office 1501 can also be communicatively coupled to the internet 1503 for providing internet data services to mobile devices 1522-1524 and establishments 1542. [000215] base station device 1504 can be mounted on, or attached to, utility pole 1516. in other embodiments, base station device 1504 can be near transformers and/or other locations situated nearby a power line. base station device 1504 can facilitate connectivity to a mobile network for mobile devices 1522 and 1524. antennas 1512 and 1514, mounted on or near utility poles 1518 and 1520, respectively, can receive signals from base station device 1504 and transmit those signals to mobile devices 1522 and 1524 over a much wider area than if the antennas 1512 and 1514 were located at or near base station device 1504. [000216] it is noted that fig. 15 displays three utility poles, in each instance of the distribution systems 1550 and 1560, with one base station device, for purposes of simplicity. in other embodiments, utility pole 1516 can have more base station devices, and more utility poles with distributed antennas and/or tethered connections to establishments 1542. [000217] a transmission device 1506, such as transmission device 101 or 102 presented in conjunction with fig. 1, can transmit a signal from base station device 1504 to antennas 1512 and 1514 via utility or power line(s) that connect the utility poles 1516, 1518, and 1520. to transmit the signal, radio source and/or transmission device 1506 upconverts the signal (e.g., via frequency mixing) from base station device 1504 or otherwise converts the signal from the base station device 1504 to a microwave band signal and the transmission device 1506 launches a microwave band wave that propagates as a guided wave traveling along the utility line or other wire as described in previous embodiments. at utility pole 1518, another transmission device 1508 receives the guided wave (and optionally can amplify it as needed or desired or operate as a repeater to receive it and regenerate it) and sends it forward as a guided wave on the utility line or other wire. the transmission device 1508 can also extract a signal from the microwave band guided wave and shift it down in frequency or otherwise convert it to its original cellular band frequency (e.g., 1.9 ghz or other defined cellular frequency) or another cellular (or non-cellular) band frequency. an antenna 1512 can wireless transmit the downshifted signal to mobile device 1522. the process can be repeated by transmission device 1510, antenna 1514 and mobile device 1524, as necessary or desirable. [000218] transmissions from mobile devices 1522 and 1524 can also be received by antennas 1512 and 1514 respectively. the transmission devices 1508 and 1510 can upshift or otherwise convert the cellular band signals to microwave band and transmit the signals as guided wave (e.g., surface wave or other electromagnetic wave) transmissions over the power line(s) to base station device 1504. [000219] media content received by the central office 1501 can be supplied to the second instance of the distribution system 1560 via the base station device 1504 for distribution to mobile devices 1522 and establishments 1542. the transmission device 1510 can be tethered to the establishments 1542 by one or more wired connections or a wireless interface. the one or more wired connections may include without limitation, a power line, a coaxial cable, a fiber cable, a twisted pair cable, a guided wave transmission medium or other suitable wired mediums for distribution of media content and/or for providing internet services. in an example embodiment, the wired connections from the transmission device 1510 can be communicatively coupled to one or more very high bit rate digital subscriber line (vdsl) modems located at one or more corresponding service area interfaces (sais - not shown) or pedestals, each sai or pedestal providing services to a portion of the establishments 1542. the vdsl modems can be used to selectively distribute media content and/or provide internet services to gateways (not shown) located in the establishments 1542. the sais or pedestals can also be communicatively coupled to the establishments 1542 over a wired medium such as a power line, a coaxial cable, a fiber cable, a twisted pair cable, a guided wave transmission medium or other suitable wired mediums. in other example embodiments, the transmission device 1510 can be communicatively coupled directly to establishments 1542 without intermediate interfaces such as the sais or pedestals. [000220] in another example embodiment, system 1500 can employ diversity paths, where two or more utility lines or other wires are strung between the utility poles 1516, 1518, and 1520 (e.g., for example, two or more wires between poles 1516 and 1520) and redundant transmissions from base station/macrocell site 1502 are transmitted as guided waves down the surface of the utility lines or other wires. the utility lines or other wires can be either insulated or uninsulated, and depending on the environmental conditions that cause transmission losses, the coupling devices can selectively receive signals from the insulated or uninsulated utility lines or other wires. the selection can be based on measurements of the signal-to-noise ratio of the wires, or based on determined weather/environmental conditions (e.g., moisture detectors, weather forecasts, etc.). the use of diversity paths with system 1500 can enable alternate routing capabilities, load balancing, increased load handling, concurrent bi-directional or synchronous communications, spread spectrum communications, etc. [000221] it is noted that the use of the transmission devices 1506, 1508, and 1510 in fig. 15 are by way of example only, and that in other embodiments, other uses are possible. for instance, transmission devices can be used in a backhaul communication system, providing network connectivity to base station devices. transmission devices 1506, 1508, and 1510 can be used in many circumstances where it is desirable to transmit guided wave communications over a wire, whether insulated or not insulated. transmission devices 1506, 1508, and 1510 are improvements over other coupling devices due to no contact or limited physical and/or electrical contact with the wires that may carry high voltages. the transmission device can be located away from the wire (e.g., spaced apart from the wire) and/or located on the wire so long as it is not electrically in contact with the wire, as the dielectric acts as an insulator, allowing for cheap, easy, and/or less complex installation. however, as previously noted conducting or non-dielectric couplers can be employed, for example in configurations where the wires correspond to a telephone network, cable television network, broadband data service, fiber optic communications system or other network employing low voltages or having insulated transmission lines. [000222] it is further noted, that while base station device 1504 and macrocell site 1502 are illustrated in an embodiment, other network configurations are likewise possible. for example, devices such as access points or other wireless gateways can be employed in a similar fashion to extend the reach of other networks such as a wireless local area network, a wireless personal area network or other wireless network that operates in accordance with a communication protocol such as a 802.11 protocol, weviax protocol, ultra- wideband protocol, bluetooth protocol, zigbee protocol or other wireless protocol. [000223] referring now to figs. 16a & 16b, block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a system for managing a power grid communication system are shown. considering fig. 16a, a waveguide system 1602 is presented for use in a guided wave communications system, such as the system presented in conjunction with fig. 15. the waveguide system 1602 can comprise sensors 1604, a power management system 1605, a transmission device 101 or 102 that includes at least one communication interface 205, transceiver 210 and coupler 220. [000224] the waveguide system 1602 can be coupled to a power line 1610 for facilitating guided wave communications in accordance with embodiments described in the subject disclosure. in an example embodiment, the transmission device 101 or 102 includes coupler 220 for inducing electromagnetic waves on a surface of the power line 1610 that longitudinally propagate along the surface of the power line 1610 as described in the subject disclosure. the transmission device 101 or 102 can also serve as a repeater for retransmitting electromagnetic waves on the same power line 1610 or for routing electromagnetic waves between power lines 1610 as shown in figs. 12-13. [000225] the transmission device 101 or 102 includes transceiver 210 configured to, for example, up-convert a signal operating at an original frequency range to electromagnetic waves operating at, exhibiting, or associated with a carrier frequency that propagate along a coupler to induce corresponding guided electromagnetic waves that propagate along a surface of the power line 1610. a carrier frequency can be represented by a center frequency having upper and lower cutoff frequencies that define the bandwidth of the electromagnetic waves. the power line 1610 can be a wire (e.g., single stranded or multi- stranded) having a conducting surface or insulated surface. the transceiver 210 can also receive signals from the coupler 220 and down-convert the electromagnetic waves operating at a carrier frequency to signals at their original frequency. [000226] signals received by the communications interface 205 of transmission device 101 or 102 for up-conversion can include without limitation signals supplied by a central office 1611 over a wired or wireless interface of the communications interface 205, a base station 1614 over a wired or wireless interface of the communications interface 205, wireless signals transmitted by mobile devices 1620 to the base station 1614 for delivery over the wired or wireless interface of the communications interface 205, signals supplied by in-building communication devices 1618 over the wired or wireless interface of the communications interface 205, and/or wireless signals supplied to the communications interface 205 by mobile devices 1612 roaming in a wireless communication range of the communications interface 205. in embodiments where the waveguide system 1602 functions as a repeater, such as shown in figs. 12-13, the communications interface 205 may or may not be included in the waveguide system 1602. [000227] the electromagnetic waves propagating along the surface of the power line 1610 can be modulated and formatted to include packets or frames of data that include a data payload and further include networking information (such as header information for identifying one or more destination waveguide systems 1602). the networking information may be provided by the waveguide system 1602 or an originating device such as the central office 1611, the base station 1614, mobile devices 1620, or in-building devices 1618, or a combination thereof. additionally, the modulated electromagnetic waves can include error correction data for mitigating signal disturbances. the networking information and error correction data can be used by a destination waveguide system 1602 for detecting transmissions directed to it, and for down-converting and processing with error correction data transmissions that include voice and/or data signals directed to recipient communication devices communicatively coupled to the destination waveguide system 1602. [000228] referring now to the sensors 1604 of the waveguide system 1602, the sensors 1604 can comprise one or more of a temperature sensor 1604a, a disturbance detection sensor 1604b, a loss of energy sensor 1604c, a noise sensor 1604d, a vibration sensor 1604e, an environmental (e.g., weather) sensor 1604f, and/or an image sensor 1604g. the temperature sensor 1604a can be used to measure ambient temperature, a temperature of the transmission device 101 or 102, a temperature of the power line 1610, temperature differentials (e.g., compared to a setpoint or baseline, between transmission device 101 or 102 and 1610, etc.), or any combination thereof. in one embodiment, temperature metrics can be collected and reported periodically to a network management system 1601 by way of the base station 1614. [000229] the disturbance detection sensor 1604b can perform measurements on the power line 1610 to detect disturbances such as signal reflections, which may indicate a presence of a downstream disturbance that may impede the propagation of electromagnetic waves on the power line 1610. a signal reflection can represent a distortion resulting from, for example, an electromagnetic wave transmitted on the power line 1610 by the transmission device 101 or 102 that reflects in whole or in part back to the transmission device 101 or 102 from a disturbance in the power line 1610 located downstream from the transmission device 101 or 102. [000230] signal reflections can be caused by obstructions on the power line 1610. for example, a tree limb may cause electromagnetic wave reflections when the tree limb is lying on the power line 1610, or is in close proximity to the power line 1610 which may cause a corona discharge. other obstructions that can cause electromagnetic wave reflections can include without limitation an object that has been entangled on the power line 1610 (e.g., clothing, a shoe wrapped around a power line 1610 with a shoe string, etc.), a corroded build-up on the power line 1610 or an ice build-up. power grid components may also impede or obstruct with the propagation of electromagnetic waves on the surface of power lines 1610. illustrations of power grid components that may cause signal reflections include without limitation a transformer and a joint for connecting spliced power lines. a sharp angle on the power line 1610 may also cause electromagnetic wave reflections. [000231] the disturbance detection sensor 1604b can comprise a circuit to compare magnitudes of electromagnetic wave reflections to magnitudes of original electromagnetic waves transmitted by the transmission device 101 or 102 to determine how much a downstream disturbance in the power line 1610 attenuates transmissions. the disturbance detection sensor 1604b can further comprise a spectral analyzer circuit for performing spectral analysis on the reflected waves. the spectral data generated by the spectral analyzer circuit can be compared with spectral profiles via pattern recognition, an expert system, curve fitting, matched filtering or other artificial intelligence, classification or comparison technique to identify a type of disturbance based on, for example, the spectral profile that most closely matches the spectral data. the spectral profiles can be stored in a memory of the disturbance detection sensor 1604b or may be remotely accessible by the disturbance detection sensor 1604b. the profiles can comprise spectral data that models different disturbances that may be encountered on power lines 1610 to enable the disturbance detection sensor 1604b to identify disturbances locally. an identification of the disturbance if known can be reported to the network management system 1601 by way of the base station 1614. the disturbance detection sensor 1604b can also utilize the transmission device 101 or 102 to transmit electromagnetic waves as test signals to determine a roundtrip time for an electromagnetic wave reflection. the round trip time measured by the disturbance detection sensor 1604b can be used to calculate a distance traveled by the electromagnetic wave up to a point where the reflection takes place, which enables the disturbance detection sensor 1604b to calculate a distance from the transmission device 101 or 102 to the downstream disturbance on the power line 1610. [000232] the distance calculated can be reported to the network management system 1601 by way of the base station 1614. in one embodiment, the location of the waveguide system 1602 on the power line 1610 may be known to the network management system 1601, which the network management system 1601 can use to determine a location of the disturbance on the power line 1610 based on a known topology of the power grid. in another embodiment, the waveguide system 1602 can provide its location to the network management system 1601 to assist in the determination of the location of the disturbance on the power line 1610. the location of the waveguide system 1602 can be obtained by the waveguide system 1602 from a pre-programmed location of the waveguide system 1602 stored in a memory of the waveguide system 1602, or the waveguide system 1602 can determine its location using a gps receiver (not shown) included in the waveguide system 1602. [000233] the power management system 1605 provides energy to the aforementioned components of the waveguide system 1602. the power management system 1605 can receive energy from solar cells, or from a transformer (not shown) coupled to the power line 1610, or by inductive coupling to the power line 1610 or another nearby power line. the power management system 1605 can also include a backup battery and/or a super capacitor or other capacitor circuit for providing the waveguide system 1602 with temporary power. the loss of energy sensor 1604c can be used to detect when the waveguide system 1602 has a loss of power condition and/or the occurrence of some other malfunction. for example, the loss of energy sensor 1604c can detect when there is a loss of power due to defective solar cells, an obstruction on the solar cells that causes them to malfunction, loss of power on the power line 1610, and/or when the backup power system malfunctions due to expiration of a backup battery, or a detectable defect in a super capacitor. when a malfunction and/or loss of power occurs, the loss of energy sensor 1604c can notify the network management system 1601 by way of the base station 1614. [000234] the noise sensor 1604d can be used to measure noise on the power line 1610 that may adversely affect transmission of electromagnetic waves on the power line 1610. the noise sensor 1604d can sense unexpected electromagnetic interference, noise bursts, or other sources of disturbances that may interrupt reception of modulated electromagnetic waves on a surface of a power line 1610. a noise burst can be caused by, for example, a corona discharge, or other source of noise. the noise sensor 1604d can compare the measured noise to a noise profile obtained by the waveguide system 1602 from an internal database of noise profiles or from a remotely located database that stores noise profiles via pattern recognition, an expert system, curve fitting, matched filtering or other artificial intelligence, classification or comparison technique. from the comparison, the noise sensor 1604d may identify a noise source (e.g., corona discharge or otherwise) based on, for example, the noise profile that provides the closest match to the measured noise. the noise sensor 1604d can also detect how noise affects transmissions by measuring transmission metrics such as bit error rate, packet loss rate, jitter, packet retransmission requests, etc. the noise sensor 1604d can report to the network management system 1601 by way of the base station 1614 the identity of noise sources, their time of occurrence, and transmission metrics, among other things. [000235] the vibration sensor 1604e can include accelerometers and/or gyroscopes to detect 2d or 3d vibrations on the power line 1610. the vibrations can be compared to vibration profiles that can be stored locally in the waveguide system 1602, or obtained by the waveguide system 1602 from a remote database via pattern recognition, an expert system, curve fitting, matched filtering or other artificial intelligence, classification or comparison technique. vibration profiles can be used, for example, to distinguish fallen trees from wind gusts based on, for example, the vibration profile that provides the closest match to the measured vibrations. the results of this analysis can be reported by the vibration sensor 1604e to the network management system 1601 by way of the base station 1614. [000236] the environmental sensor 1604f can include a barometer for measuring atmospheric pressure, ambient temperature (which can be provided by the temperature sensor 1604a), wind speed, humidity, wind direction, and rainfall, among other things. the environmental sensor 1604f can collect raw information and process this information by comparing it to environmental profiles that can be obtained from a memory of the waveguide system 1602 or a remote database to predict weather conditions before they arise via pattern recognition, an expert system, knowledge-based system or other artificial intelligence, classification or other weather modeling and prediction technique. the environmental sensor 1604f can report raw data as well as its analysis to the network management system 1601. [000237] the image sensor 1604g can be a digital camera (e.g., a charged coupled device or ccd imager, infrared camera, etc.) for capturing images in a vicinity of the waveguide system 1602. the image sensor 1604g can include an electromechanical mechanism to control movement (e.g., actual position or focal points/zooms) of the camera for inspecting the power line 1610 from multiple perspectives (e.g., top surface, bottom surface, left surface, right surface and so on). alternatively, the image sensor 1604g can be designed such that no electromechanical mechanism is needed in order to obtain the multiple perspectives. the collection and retrieval of imaging data generated by the image sensor 1604g can be controlled by the network management system 1601, or can be autonomously collected and reported by the image sensor 1604g to the network management system 1601. [000238] other sensors that may be suitable for collecting telemetry information associated with the waveguide system 1602 and/or the power lines 1610 for purposes of detecting, predicting and/or mitigating disturbances that can impede the propagation of electromagnetic wave transmissions on power lines 1610 (or any other form of a transmission medium of electromagnetic waves) may be utilized by the waveguide system 1602. [000239] referring now to fig. 16b, block diagram 1650 illustrates an example, non- limiting embodiment of a system for managing a power grid 1653 and a communication system 1655 embedded therein or associated therewith in accordance with various aspects described herein. the communication system 1655 comprises a plurality of waveguide systems 1602 coupled to power lines 1610 of the power grid 1653. at least a portion of the waveguide systems 1602 used in the communication system 1655 can be in direct communication with a base station 1614 and/or the network management system 1601. waveguide systems 1602 not directly connected to a base station 1614 or the network management system 1601 can engage in communication sessions with either a base station 1614 or the network management system 1601 by way of other downstream waveguide systems 1602 connected to a base station 1614 or the network management system 1601. [000240] the network management system 1601 can be communicatively coupled to equipment of a utility company 1652 and equipment of a communications service provider 1654 for providing each entity, status information associated with the power grid 1653 and the communication system 1655, respectively. the network management system 1601, the equipment of the utility company 1652, and the communications service provider 1654 can access communication devices utilized by utility company personnel 1656 and/or communication devices utilized by communications service provider personnel 1658 for purposes of providing status information and/or for directing such personnel in the management of the power grid 1653 and/or communication system 1655. [000241] fig. 17a illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 1700 for detecting and mitigating disturbances occurring in a communication network of the systems of figs. 16a & 16b. method 1700 can begin with step 1702 where a waveguide system 1602 transmits and receives messages embedded in, or forming part of, modulated electromagnetic waves or another type of electromagnetic waves traveling along a surface of a power line 1610. the messages can be voice messages, streaming video, and/or other data/information exchanged between communication devices communicatively coupled to the communication system 1655. at step 1704 the sensors 1604 of the waveguide system 1602 can collect sensing data. in an embodiment, the sensing data can be collected in step 1704 prior to, during, or after the transmission and/or receipt of messages in step 1702. at step 1706 the waveguide system 1602 (or the sensors 1604 themselves) can determine from the sensing data an actual or predicted occurrence of a disturbance in the communication system 1655 that can affect communications originating from (e.g., transmitted by) or received by the waveguide system 1602. the waveguide system 1602 (or the sensors 1604) can process temperature data, signal reflection data, loss of energy data, noise data, vibration data, environmental data, or any combination thereof to make this determination. the waveguide system 1602 (or the sensors 1604) may also detect, identify, estimate, or predict the source of the disturbance and/or its location in the communication system 1655. if a disturbance is neither detected/identified nor predicted/estimated at step 1708, the waveguide system 1602 can proceed to step 1702 where it continues to transmit and receive messages embedded in, or forming part of, modulated electromagnetic waves traveling along a surface of the power line 1610. [000242] if at step 1708 a disturbance is detected/identified or predicted/estimated to occur, the waveguide system 1602 proceeds to step 1710 to determine if the disturbance adversely affects (or alternatively, is likely to adversely affect or the extent to which it may adversely affect) transmission or reception of messages in the communication system 1655. in one embodiment, a duration threshold and a frequency of occurrence threshold can be used at step 1710 to determine when a disturbance adversely affects communications in the communication system 1655. for illustration purposes only, assume a duration threshold is set to 500 ms, while a frequency of occurrence threshold is set to 5 disturbances occurring in an observation period of 10 sec. thus, a disturbance having a duration greater than 500ms will trigger the duration threshold. additionally, any disturbance occurring more than 5 times in a 10 sec time interval will trigger the frequency of occurrence threshold. [000243] in one embodiment, a disturbance may be considered to adversely affect signal integrity in the communication systems 1655 when the duration threshold alone is exceeded. in another embodiment, a disturbance may be considered as adversely affecting signal integrity in the communication systems 1655 when both the duration threshold and the frequency of occurrence threshold are exceeded. the latter embodiment is thus more conservative than the former embodiment for classifying disturbances that adversely affect signal integrity in the communication system 1655. it will be appreciated that many other algorithms and associated parameters and thresholds can be utilized for step 1710 in accordance with example embodiments. [000244] referring back to method 1700, if at step 1710 the disturbance detected at step 1708 does not meet the condition for adversely affected communications (e.g., neither exceeds the duration threshold nor the frequency of occurrence threshold), the waveguide system 1602 may proceed to step 1702 and continue processing messages. for instance, if the disturbance detected in step 1708 has a duration of 1 ms with a single occurrence in a 10 sec time period, then neither threshold will be exceeded. consequently, such a disturbance may be considered as having a nominal effect on signal integrity in the communication system 1655 and thus would not be flagged as a disturbance requiring mitigation. although not flagged, the occurrence of the disturbance, its time of occurrence, its frequency of occurrence, spectral data, and/or other useful information, may be reported to the network management system 1601 as telemetry data for monitoring purposes. [000245] referring back to step 1710, if on the other hand the disturbance satisfies the condition for adversely affected communications (e.g., exceeds either or both thresholds), the waveguide system 1602 can proceed to step 1712 and report the incident to the network management system 1601. the report can include raw sensing data collected by the sensors 1604, a description of the disturbance if known by the waveguide system 1602, a time of occurrence of the disturbance, a frequency of occurrence of the disturbance, a location associated with the disturbance, parameters readings such as bit error rate, packet loss rate, retransmission requests, jitter, latency and so on. if the disturbance is based on a prediction by one or more sensors of the waveguide system 1602, the report can include a type of disturbance expected, and if predictable, an expected time occurrence of the disturbance, and an expected frequency of occurrence of the predicted disturbance when the prediction is based on historical sensing data collected by the sensors 1604 of the waveguide system 1602. [000246] at step 1714, the network management system 1601 can determine a mitigation, circumvention, or correction technique, which may include directing the waveguide system 1602 to reroute traffic to circumvent the disturbance if the location of the disturbance can be determined. in one embodiment, the waveguide coupling device 1402 detecting the disturbance may direct a repeater such as the one shown in figs. 13-14 to connect the waveguide system 1602 from a primary power line affected by the disturbance to a secondary power line to enable the waveguide system 1602 to reroute traffic to a different transmission medium and avoid the disturbance. in an embodiment where the waveguide system 1602 is configured as a repeater the waveguide system 1602 can itself perform the rerouting of traffic from the primary power line to the secondary power line. it is further noted that for bidirectional communications (e.g., full or half-duplex communications), the repeater can be configured to reroute traffic from the secondary power line back to the primary power line for processing by the waveguide system 1602. [000247] in another embodiment, the waveguide system 1602 can redirect traffic by instructing a first repeater situated upstream of the disturbance and a second repeater situated downstream of the disturbance to redirect traffic from a primary power line temporarily to a secondary power line and back to the primary power line in a manner that avoids the disturbance. it is further noted that for bidirectional communications (e.g., full or half-duplex communications), repeaters can be configured to reroute traffic from the secondary power line back to the primary power line. [000248] to avoid interrupting existing communication sessions occurring on a secondary power line, the network management system 1601 may direct the waveguide system 1602 to instruct repeater(s) to utilize unused time slot(s) and/or frequency band(s) of the secondary power line for redirecting data and/or voice traffic away from the primary power line to circumvent the disturbance. [000249] at step 1716, while traffic is being rerouted to avoid the disturbance, the network management system 1601 can notify equipment of the utility company 1652 and/or equipment of the communications service provider 1654, which in turn may notify personnel of the utility company 1656 and/or personnel of the communications service provider 1658 of the detected disturbance and its location if known. field personnel from either party can attend to resolving the disturbance at a determined location of the disturbance. once the disturbance is removed or otherwise mitigated by personnel of the utility company and/or personnel of the communications service provider, such personnel can notify their respective companies and/or the network management system 1601 utilizing field equipment (e.g., a laptop computer, smartphone, etc.) communicatively coupled to network management system 1601, and/or equipment of the utility company and/or the communications service provider. the notification can include a description of how the disturbance was mitigated and any changes to the power lines 1610 that may change a topology of the communication system 1655. [000250] once the disturbance has been resolved (as determined in decision 1718), the network management system 1601 can direct the waveguide system 1602 at step 1720 to restore the previous routing configuration used by the waveguide system 1602 or route traffic according to a new routing configuration if the restoration strategy used to mitigate the disturbance resulted in a new network topology of the communication system 1655. in another embodiment, the waveguide system 1602 can be configured to monitor mitigation of the disturbance by transmitting test signals on the power line 1610 to determine when the disturbance has been removed. once the waveguide system 1602 detects an absence of the disturbance it can autonomously restore its routing configuration without assistance by the network management system 1601 if it determines the network topology of the communication system 1655 has not changed, or it can utilize a new routing configuration that adapts to a detected new network topology. [000251] fig. 17b illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 1750 for detecting and mitigating disturbances occurring in a communication network of the system of figs. 16a and 16b. in one embodiment, method 1750 can begin with step 1752 where a network management system 1601 receives from equipment of the utility company 1652 or equipment of the communications service provider 1654 maintenance information associated with a maintenance schedule. the network management system 1601 can at step 1754 identify from the maintenance information, maintenance activities to be performed during the maintenance schedule. from these activities, the network management system 1601 can detect a disturbance resulting from the maintenance (e.g., scheduled replacement of a power line 1610, scheduled replacement of a waveguide system 1602 on the power line 1610, scheduled reconfiguration of power lines 1610 in the power grid 1653, etc.). [000252] in another embodiment, the network management system 1601 can receive at step 1755 telemetry information from one or more waveguide systems 1602. the telemetry information can include among other things an identity of each waveguide system 1602 submitting the telemetry information, measurements taken by sensors 1604 of each waveguide system 1602, information relating to predicted, estimated, or actual disturbances detected by the sensors 1604 of each waveguide system 1602, location information associated with each waveguide system 1602, an estimated location of a detected disturbance, an identification of the disturbance, and so on. the network management system 1601 can determine from the telemetry information a type of disturbance that may be adverse to operations of the waveguide, transmission of the electromagnetic waves along the wire surface, or both. the network management system 1601 can also use telemetry information from multiple waveguide systems 1602 to isolate and identify the disturbance. additionally, the network management system 1601 can request telemetry information from waveguide systems 1602 in a vicinity of an affected waveguide system 1602 to triangulate a location of the disturbance and/or validate an identification of the disturbance by receiving similar telemetry information from other waveguide systems 1602. [000253] in yet another embodiment, the network management system 1601 can receive at step 1756 an unscheduled activity report from maintenance field personnel. unscheduled maintenance may occur as result of field calls that are unplanned or as a result of unexpected field issues discovered during field calls or scheduled maintenance activities. the activity report can identify changes to a topology configuration of the power grid 1653 resulting from field personnel addressing discovered issues in the communication system 1655 and/or power grid 1653, changes to one or more waveguide systems 1602 (such as replacement or repair thereof), mitigation of disturbances performed if any, and so on. [000254] at step 1758, the network management system 1601 can determine from reports received according to steps 1752 through 1756 if a disturbance will occur based on a maintenance schedule, or if a disturbance has occurred or is predicted to occur based on telemetry data, or if a disturbance has occurred due to an unplanned maintenance identified in a field activity report. from any of these reports, the network management system 1601 can determine whether a detected or predicted disturbance requires rerouting of traffic by the affected waveguide systems 1602 or other waveguide systems 1602 of the communication system 1655. [000255] when a disturbance is detected or predicted at step 1758, the network management system 1601 can proceed to step 1760 where it can direct one or more waveguide systems 1602 to reroute traffic to circumvent the disturbance. when the disturbance is permanent due to a permanent topology change of the power grid 1653, the network management system 1601 can proceed to step 1770 and skip steps 1762, 1764, 1766, and 1772. at step 1770, the network management system 1601 can direct one or more waveguide systems 1602 to use a new routing configuration that adapts to the new topology. however, when the disturbance has been detected from telemetry information supplied by one or more waveguide systems 1602, the network management system 1601 can notify maintenance personnel of the utility company 1656 or the communications service provider 1658 of a location of the disturbance, a type of disturbance if known, and related information that may be helpful to such personnel to mitigate the disturbance. when a disturbance is expected due to maintenance activities, the network management system 1601 can direct one or more waveguide systems 1602 to reconfigure traffic routes at a given schedule (consistent with the maintenance schedule) to avoid disturbances caused by the maintenance activities during the maintenance schedule. [000256] returning back to step 1760 and upon its completion, the process can continue with step 1762. at step 1762, the network management system 1601 can monitor when the disturbance(s) have been mitigated by field personnel. mitigation of a disturbance can be detected at step 1762 by analyzing field reports submitted to the network management system 1601 by field personnel over a communications network (e.g., cellular communication system) utilizing field equipment (e.g., a laptop computer or handheld computer/device). if field personnel have reported that a disturbance has been mitigated, the network management system 1601 can proceed to step 1764 to determine from the field report whether a topology change was required to mitigate the disturbance. a topology change can include rerouting a power line 1610, reconfiguring a waveguide system 1602 to utilize a different power line 1610, otherwise utilizing an alternative link to bypass the disturbance and so on. if a topology change has taken place, the network management system 1601 can direct at step 1770 one or more waveguide systems 1602 to use a new routing configuration that adapts to the new topology. [000257] if, however, a topology change has not been reported by field personnel, the network management system 1601 can proceed to step 1766 where it can direct one or more waveguide systems 1602 to send test signals to test a routing configuration that had been used prior to the detected disturbance(s). test signals can be sent to affected waveguide systems 1602 in a vicinity of the disturbance. the test signals can be used to determine if signal disturbances (e.g., electromagnetic wave reflections) are detected by any of the waveguide systems 1602. if the test signals confirm that a prior routing configuration is no longer subject to previously detected disturbance(s), then the network management system 1601 can at step 1772 direct the affected waveguide systems 1602 to restore a previous routing configuration. if, however, test signals analyzed by one or more waveguide coupling device 1402 and reported to the network management system 1601 indicate that the disturbance(s) or new disturbance(s) are present, then the network management system 1601 will proceed to step 1768 and report this information to field personnel to further address field issues. the network management system 1601 can in this situation continue to monitor mitigation of the disturbance(s) at step 1762. [000258] in the aforementioned embodiments, the waveguide systems 1602 can be configured to be self-adapting to changes in the power grid 1653 and/or to mitigation of disturbances. that is, one or more affected waveguide systems 1602 can be configured to self-monitor mitigation of disturbances and reconfigure traffic routes without requiring instructions to be sent to them by the network management system 1601. in this embodiment, the one or more waveguide systems 1602 that are self-configurable can inform the network management system 1601 of its routing choices so that the network management system 1601 can maintain a macro-level view of the communication topology of the communication system 1655. [000259] while for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the respective processes are shown and described as a series of blocks in figs. 17 a and 17b, respectively, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein. moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methods described herein. [000260] turning now to fig. 18a, a block diagram illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a transmission medium 1800 for propagating guided electromagnetic waves is shown. in particular, a further example of transmission medium 125 presented in conjunction with fig. 1 is presented. in an embodiment, the transmission medium 1800 can comprise a first dielectric material 1802 and a second dielectric material 1804 disposed thereon. in an embodiment, the first dielectric material 1802 can comprise a dielectric core (referred to herein as dielectric core 1802) and the second dielectric material 1804 can comprise a cladding or shell such as a dielectric foam that surrounds in whole or in part the dielectric core (referred to herein as dielectric foam 1804). in an embodiment, the dielectric core 1802 and dielectric foam 1804 can be coaxially aligned to each other (although not necessary). in an embodiment, the combination of the dielectric core 1802 and the dielectric foam 1804 can be flexed or bent at least by 45 degrees without damaging the materials of the dielectric core 1802 and the dielectric foam 1804. in an embodiment, an outer surface of the dielectric foam 1804 can be further surrounded in whole or in part by a third dielectric material 1806, which can serve as an outer jacket (referred to herein as jacket 1806). the jacket 1806 can prevent exposure of the dielectric core 1802 and the dielectric foam 1804 to an environment that can adversely affect the propagation of electromagnetic waves (e.g., water, soil, etc.). [000261] the dielectric core 1802 can comprise, for example, a high density polyethylene material, a high density polyurethane material, or other suitable dielectric material(s). the dielectric foam 1804 can comprise, for example, a cellular plastic material such an expanded polyethylene material, or other suitable dielectric material(s). the jacket 1806 can comprise, for example, a polyethylene material or equivalent. in an embodiment, the dielectric constant of the dielectric foam 1804 can be (or substantially) lower than the dielectric constant of the dielectric core 1802. for example, the dielectric constant of the dielectric core 1802 can be approximately 2.3 while the dielectric constant of the dielectric foam 1804 can be approximately 1.15 (slightly higher than the dielectric constant of air). [000262] the dielectric core 1802 can be used for receiving signals in the form of electromagnetic waves from a launcher or other coupling device described herein which can be configured to launch guided electromagnetic waves on the transmission medium 1800. in one embodiment, the transmission 1800 can be coupled to a hollow waveguide 1808 structured as, for example, a circular waveguide 1809, which can receive electromagnetic waves from a radiating device such as a stub antenna (not shown). the hollow waveguide 1808 can in turn induce guided electromagnetic waves in the dielectric core 1802. in this configuration, the guided electromagnetic waves are guided by or bound to the dielectric core 1802 and propagate longitudinally along the dielectric core 1802. by adjusting electronics of the launcher, an operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves can be chosen such that a field intensity profile 1810 of the guided electromagnetic waves extends nominally (or not at all) outside of the jacket 1806. [000263] by maintaining most (if not all) of the field strength of the guided electromagnetic waves within portions of the dielectric core 1802, the dielectric foam 1804 and/or the jacket 1806, the transmission medium 1800 can be used in hostile environments without adversely affecting the propagation of the electromagnetic waves propagating therein. for example, the transmission medium 1800 can be buried in soil with no (or nearly no) adverse effect to the guided electromagnetic waves propagating in the transmission medium 1800. similarly, the transmission medium 1800 can be exposed to water (e.g., rain or placed underwater) with no (or nearly no) adverse effect to the guided electromagnetic waves propagating in the transmission medium 1800. in an embodiment, the propagation loss of guided electromagnetic waves in the foregoing embodiments can be 1 to 2 db per meter or better at an operating frequency of 60 ghz. depending on the operating frequency of the guided electromagnetic waves and/or the materials used for the transmission medium 1800 other propagation losses may be possible. additionally, depending on the materials used to construct the transmission medium 1800, the transmission medium 1800 can in some embodiments be flexed laterally with no (or nearly no) adverse effect to the guided electromagnetic waves propagating through the dielectric core 1802 and the dielectric foam 1804. [000264] fig. 18b depicts a transmission medium 1820 that differs from the transmission medium 1800 of fig. 18 a, yet provides a further example of the transmission medium 125 presented in conjunction with fig 1. the transmission medium 1820 shows similar reference numerals for similar elements of the transmission medium 1800 of fig. 18a. in contrast to the transmission medium 1800, the transmission medium 1820 comprises a conductive core 1822 having an insulation layer 1823 surrounding the conductive core 1822 in whole or in part. the combination of the insulation layer 1823 and the conductive core 1822 will be referred to herein as an insulated conductor 1825. in the illustration of fig. 18b, the insulation layer 1823 is covered in whole or in part by a dielectric foam 1804 and jacket 1806, which can be constructed from the materials previously described. in an embodiment, the insulation layer 1823 can comprise a dielectric material, such as polyethylene, having a higher dielectric constant than the dielectric foam 1804 (e.g., 2.3 and 1.15, respectively). in an embodiment, the components of the transmission medium 1820 can be coaxially aligned (although not necessary). in an embodiment, a hollow waveguide 1808 having metal plates 1809, which can be separated from the insulation layer 1823 (although not necessary) can be used to launch guided electromagnetic waves that substantially propagate on an outer surface of the insulation layer 1823, however other coupling devices as described herein can likewise be employed. in an embodiment, the guided electromagnetic waves can be sufficiently guided by or bound by the insulation layer 1823 to guide the electromagnetic waves longitudinally along the insulation layer 1823. by adjusting operational parameters of the launcher, an operating frequency of the guided electromagnetic waves launched by the hollow waveguide 1808 can generate an electric field intensity profile 1824 that results in the guided electromagnetic waves being substantially confined within the dielectric foam 1804 thereby preventing the guided electromagnetic waves from being exposed to an environment (e.g., water, soil, etc.) that adversely affects propagation of the guided electromagnetic waves via the transmission medium 1820. [000265] fig. 18c depicts a transmission medium 1830 that differs from the transmission mediums 1800 and 1820 of figs. 18a and 18b, yet provides a further example of the transmission medium 125 presented in conjunction with fig 1. the transmission medium 1830 shows similar reference numerals for similar elements of the transmission mediums 1800 and 1820 of figs. 18a and 18b, respectively. in contrast to the transmission mediums 1800 and 1820, the transmission medium 1830 comprises a bare (or uninsulated) conductor 1832 surrounded in whole or in part by the dielectric foam 1804 and the jacket 1806, which can be constructed from the materials previously described. in an embodiment, the components of the transmission medium 1830 can be coaxially aligned (although not necessary). in an embodiment, a hollow waveguide 1808 having metal plates 1809 coupled to the bare conductor 1832 can be used to launch guided electromagnetic waves that substantially propagate on an outer surface of the bare conductor 1832, however other coupling devices described herein can likewise be employed. in an embodiment, the guided electromagnetic waves can be sufficiently guided by or bound by the bare conductor 1832 to guide the guided electromagnetic waves longitudinally along the bare conductor 1832. by adjusting operational parameters of the launcher, an operating frequency of the guided electromagnetic waves launched by the hollow waveguide 1808 can generate an electric field intensity profile 1834 that results in the guided electromagnetic waves being substantially confined within the dielectric foam 1804 thereby preventing the guided electromagnetic waves from being exposed to an environment (e.g., water, soil, etc.) that adversely affects propagation of the electromagnetic waves via the transmission medium 1830. [000266] it should be noted that the hollow launcher 1808 used with the transmission mediums 1800, 1820 and 1830 of figs. 18a, 18b and 18c, respectively, can be replaced with other launchers or coupling devices. additionally, the propagation mode(s) of the electromagnetic waves for any of the foregoing embodiments can be fundamental mode(s), a non-fundamental (or asymmetric) mode(s), or combinations thereof. [000267] fig. 18d is a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of bundled transmission media 1836 in accordance with various aspects described herein. the bundled transmission media 1836 can comprise a plurality of cables 1838 held in place by a flexible sleeve 1839. the plurality of cables 1838 can comprise multiple instances of cable 1800 of fig. 18a, multiple instances of cable 1820 of fig. 18b, multiple instances of cable 1830 of fig. 18c, or any combinations thereof. the sleeve 1839 can comprise a dielectric material that prevents soil, water or other external materials from making contact with the plurality of cables 1838. in an embodiment, a plurality of launchers, each utilizing a transceiver similar to the one depicted in fig. 10a or other coupling devices described herein, can be adapted to selectively induce a guided electromagnetic wave in each cable, each guided electromagnetic wave conveys different data (e.g., voice, video, messaging, content, etc.). in an embodiment, by adjusting operational parameters of each launcher or other coupling device, the electric field intensity profile of each guided electromagnetic wave can be fully or substantially confined within layers of a corresponding cable 1838 to reduce cross-talk between cables 1838. [000268] in situations where the electric field intensity profile of each guided electromagnetic wave is not fully or substantially confined within a corresponding cable 1838, cross-talk of electromagnetic signals can occur between cables 1838 as illustrated by signal plots associated with two cables depicted in fig. 18e. the plots in fig. 18e show that when a guided electromagnetic wave is induced on a first cable, the emitted electric and magnetic fields of the first cable can induce signals on the second cable, which results in cross-talk. several mitigation options can be used to reduce cross-talk between the cables 1838 of fig. 18d. in an embodiment, an absorption material 1840 that can absorb electromagnetic fields, such as carbon, can be applied to the cables 1838 as shown in fig. 18f to polarize each guided electromagnetic wave at various polarization states to reduce cross-talk between cables 1838. in another embodiment (not shown), carbon beads can be added to gaps between the cables 1838 to reduce cross-talk. [000269] in yet another embodiment (not shown), a diameter of cable 1838 can be configured differently to vary a speed of propagation of guided electromagnetic waves between the cables 1838 in order to reduce cross-talk between cables 1838. in an embodiment (not shown), a shape of each cable 1838 can be made asymmetric (e.g., elliptical) to direct the guided electromagnetic fields of each cable 1838 away from each other to reduce cross-talk. in an embodiment (not shown), a filler material such as dielectric foam can be added between cables 1838 to sufficiently separate the cables 1838 to reduce cross-talk therebetween. in an embodiment (not shown), longitudinal carbon strips or swirls can be applied to on an outer surface of the jacket 1806 of each cable 1838 to reduce radiation of guided electromagnetic waves outside of the jacket 1806 and thereby reduce cross-talk between cables 1838. in yet another embodiment, each launcher can be configured to launch a guided electromagnetic wave having a different frequency, modulation, wave propagation mode, such as an orthogonal frequency, modulation or mode, to reduce cross-talk between the cables 1838. [000270] in yet another embodiment (not shown), pairs of cables 1838 can be twisted in a helix to reduce cross-talk between the pairs and other cables 1838 in a vicinity of the pairs. in some embodiments, certain cables 1838 can be twisted while other cables 1838 are not twisted to reduce cross-talk between the cables 1838. additionally, each twisted pair cable 1838 can have different pitches (i.e., different twist rates, such as twists per meter) to further reduce cross-talk between the pairs and other cables 1838 in a vicinity of the pairs. in another embodiment (not shown), launchers or other coupling devices can be configured to induce guided electromagnetic waves in the cables 1838 having electromagnetic fields that extend beyond the jacket 1806 into gaps between the cables to reduce cross-talk between the cables 1838. it is submitted that any one of the foregoing embodiments for mitigating cross-talk between cables 1838 can be combined to further reduce cross -talk therebetween. [000271] figs. 18g and 18h are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a transmission medium with an inner waveguide in accordance with various aspects described herein. in an embodiment, a transmission medium 1841 can comprise a core 1842. in one embodiment, the core 1842 can be a dielectric core 1842 (e.g., polyethylene). in another embodiment, the core 1842 can be an insulated or uninsulated conductor. the core 1842 can be surrounded by a shell 1844 comprising a dielectric foam (e.g., expanded polyethylene material) having a lower dielectric constant than the dielectric constant of a dielectric core, or insulation layer of a conductive core. the difference in dielectric constants enables electromagnetic waves to be bound and guided by the core 1842. the shell 1844 can be covered by a shell jacket 1845. the shell jacket 1845 can be made of rigid material (e.g., high density plastic) or a high tensile strength material (e.g., synthetic fiber). in an embodiment, the shell jacket 1845 can be used to prevent exposure of the shell 1844 and core 1842 from an adverse environment (e.g., water, moisture, soil, etc.). in an embodiment, the shell jacket 1845 can be sufficiently rigid to separate an outer surface of the core 1842 from an inner surface of the shell jacket 1845 thereby resulting in a longitudinal gap between the shell jacket 1854 and the core 1842. the longitudinal gap can be filled with the dielectric foam of the shell 1844. [000272] the transmission medium 1841 can further include a plurality of outer ring conductors 1846. the outer ring conductors 1846 can be strands of conductive material that are woven around the shell jacket 1845, thereby covering the shell jacket 1845 in whole or in part. the outer ring conductors 1846 can serve the function of a power line having a return electrical path similar to the embodiments described in the subject disclosure for receiving power signals from a source (e.g., a transformer, a power generator, etc.). in one embodiment, the outer ring conductors 1846 can be covered by a cable jacket 1847 to prevent exposure of the outer ring conductors 1846 to water, soil, or other environmental factors. the cable jacket 1847 can be made of an insulating material such as polyethylene. the core 1842 can be used as a center waveguide for the propagation of electromagnetic waves. a hallow waveguide launcher 1808, such as the circular waveguide previously described, can be used to launch signals that induce electromagnetic waves guided by the core 1842 in ways similar to those described for the embodiments of figs. 18 a, 18b, and 18c. the electromagnetic waves can be guided by the core 1842 without utilizing the electrical return path of the outer ring conductors 1846 or any other electrical return path. by adjusting electronics of the launcher 1808, an operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves can be chosen such that a field intensity profile of the guided electromagnetic waves extends nominally (or not at all) outside of the shell jacket 1845. [000273] in another embodiment, a transmission medium 1843 can comprise a hollow core 1842' surrounded by a shell jacket 1845' . the shell jacket 1845' can have an inner conductive surface or other surface materials that enable the hollow core 1842' to be used as a conduit for electromagnetic waves. the shell jacket 1845' can be covered at least in part with the outer ring conductors 1846 described earlier for conducting a power signal. in an embodiment, a cable jacket 1847 can be disposed on an outer surface of the outer ring conductors 1846 to prevent exposure of the outer ring conductors 1846 to water, soil or other environmental factors. a waveguide launcher 1808 can be used to launch electromagnetic waves guided by the hollow core 1842' and the conductive inner surface of the shell jacket 1845'. in an embodiment (not shown) the hollow core 1842' can further include a dielectric foam such as described earlier. [000274] transmission medium 1841 can represent a multi-purpose cable that conducts power on the outer ring conductors 1846 utilizing an electrical return path and that provides communication services by way of an inner waveguide comprising a combination of the core 1842, the shell 1844 and the shell jacket 1845. the inner waveguide can be used for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves (without utilizing an electrical return path) guided by the core 1842. similarly, transmission medium 1843 can represent a multipurpose cable that conducts power on the outer ring conductors 1846 utilizing an electrical return path and that provides communication services by way of an inner waveguide comprising a combination of the hollow core 1842' and the shell jacket 1845'. the inner waveguide can be used for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves (without utilizing an electrical return path) guided the hollow core 1842' and the shell jacket 1845' . [000275] it is submitted that embodiments of figs. 18g-18h can be adapted to use multiple inner waveguides surrounded by outer ring conductors 1846. the inner waveguides can be adapted to use to cross-talk mitigation techniques described above (e.g., twisted pairs of waveguides, waveguides of different structural dimensions, use of polarizers within the shell, use of different wave modes, etc.). [000276] for illustration purposes only, the transmission mediums 1800, 1820, 1830 1836, 1841 and 1843 will be referred to herein as a cable 1850 with an understanding that cable 1850 can represent any one of the transmission mediums described in the subject disclosure, or a bundling of multiple instances thereof. for illustration purposes only, the dielectric core 1802, insulated conductor 1825, bare conductor 1832, core 1842, or hollow core 1842' of the transmission mediums 1800, 1820, 1830, 1836, 1841 and 1843, respectively, will be referred to herein as transmission core 1852 with an understanding that cable 1850 can utilize the dielectric core 1802, insulated conductor 1825, bare conductor 1832, core 1842, or hollow core 1842' of transmission mediums 1800, 1820, 1830, 1836, 1841 and/or 1843, respectively. [000277] turning now to figs. 181 and 18j, block diagrams illustrating example, non- limiting embodiments of connector configurations that can be used by cable 1850 are shown. in one embodiment, cable 1850 can be configured with a female connection arrangement or a male connection arrangement as depicted in fig. 181. the male configuration on the right of fig. 181 can be accomplished by stripping the dielectric foam 1804 (and jacket 1806 if there is one) to expose a portion of the transmission core 1852. the female configuration on the left of fig. 181 can be accomplished by removing a portion of the transmission core 1852, while maintaining the dielectric foam 1804 (and jacket 1806 if there is one). in an embodiment in which the transmission core 1852 is hollow as described in relation to fig. 18h, the male portion of the transmission core 1852 can represent a hollow core with a rigid outer surface that can slide into the female arrangement on the left side of fig. 181 to align the hollow cores together. it is further noted that in the embodiments of figs. 18g-18h, the outer ring of conductors 1846 can be modified to connect male and female portions of cable 1850. [000278] based on the aforementioned embodiments, the two cables 1850 having male and female connector arrangements can be mated together. a sleeve with an adhesive inner lining or a shrink wrap material (not shown) can be applied to an area of a joint between cables 1850 to maintain the joint in a fixed position and prevent exposure (e.g., to water, soil, etc.). when the cables 1850 are mated, the transmission core 1852 of one cable will be in close proximity to the transmission core 1852 of the other cable. guided electromagnetic waves propagating by way of either the transmission core 1852 of cables 1850 traveling from either direction can cross over between the disjoint the transmission cores 1852 whether or not the transmission cores 1852 touch, whether or not the transmission cores 1852 are coaxially aligned, and/or whether or not there is a gap between the transmission cores 1852. [000279] in another embodiment, a splicing device 1860 having female connector arrangements at both ends can be used to mate cables 1850 having male connector arrangements as shown in fig. 18j. in an alternative embodiment not shown in fig. 18j, the splicing device 1860 can be adapted to have male connector arrangements at both ends which can be mated to cables 1850 having female connector arrangements. in another embodiment not shown in fig. 18 j, the splicing device 1860 can be adapted to have a male connector arrangement and a female connector arrangement at opposite ends which can be mated to cables 1850 having female and male connector arrangements, respectively. it is further noted that for a transmission core 1852 having a hollow core, the male and female arrangements described in fig. 181 can be applied to the splicing device 1860 whether the ends of the splicing device 1860 are both male, both female, or a combination thereof. [000280] the foregoing embodiments for connecting cables illustrated in figs. 18i-18j can be applied to each single instance of cable 1838 of bundled transmission media 1836. similarly, the foregoing embodiments illustrated in figs. 18i-18j can be applied to each single instance of an inner waveguide for a cable 1841 or 1843 having multiple inner waveguides. [000281] turning now to fig. 18k, a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of transmission mediums 1800', 1800", 1800" ' and 1800" " for propagating guided electromagnetic waves is shown. in an embodiment, a transmission medium 1800' can include a core 1801, and a dielectric foam 1804' divided into sections and covered by a jacket 1806 as shown in fig. 18k. the core 1801 can be represented by the dielectric core 1802 of fig. 18 a, the insulated conductor 1825 of fig. 18b, or the bare conductor 1832 of fig. 18c. each section of dielectric foam 1804' can be separated by a gap (e.g., air, gas, vacuum, or a substance with a low dielectric constant). in an embodiment, the gap separations between the sections of dielectric foam 1804' can be quasi-random as shown in fig. 18k, which can be helpful in reducing reflections of electromagnetic waves occurring at each section of dielectric foam 1804' as they propagate longitudinally along the core 1801. the sections of the dielectric foam 1804' can be constructed, for example, as washers made of a dielectric foam having an inner opening for supporting the core 1801 in a fixed position. for illustration purposes only, the washers will be referred to herein as washers 1804'. in an embodiment, the inner opening of each washer 1804' can be coaxially aligned with an axis of the core 1801. in another embodiment, the inner opening of each washer 1804' can be offset from the axis of the core 1801. in another embodiment (not shown), each washer 1804' can have a variable longitudinal thickness as shown by differences in thickness of the washers 1804' . [000282] in an alternative embodiment, a transmission medium 1800' ' can include a core 1801, and a strip of dielectric foam 1804" wrapped around the core in a helix covered by a jacket 1806 as shown in fig. 18k. although it may not be apparent from the drawing shown in fig. 18k, in an embodiment the strip of dielectric foam 1804" can be twisted around the core 1801 with variable pitches (i.e., different twist rates) for different sections of the strip of dielectric foam 1804". utilizing variable pitches can help reduce reflections or other disturbances of the electromagnetic waves occurring between areas of the core 1801 not covered by the strip of dielectric foam 1804". it is further noted that the thickness (diameter) of the strip of dielectric foam 1804" can be substantially larger (e.g., 2 or more times larger) than diameter of the core 1801 shown in fig. 18k. [000283] in an alternative embodiment, a transmission medium 1800" ' (shown in a cross- sectional view) can include a non-circular core 1801 ' covered by a dielectric foam 1804 and jacket 1806. in an embodiment, the non-circular core 180 can have an elliptical structure as shown in fig. 18k, or other suitable non-circular structure. in another embodiment, the non-circular core 180 can have an asymmetric structure. a non-circular core 180 can be used to polarize the fields of electromagnetic waves induced on the non- circular core 180 . the structure of the non-circular core 180 can help preserve the polarization of the electromagnetic waves as they propagate along the non-circular core 1801'. [000284] in an alternative embodiment, a transmission medium 1800" " (shown in a cross-sectional view) can include multiple cores 1801" (only two cores are shown but more are possible). the multiple cores 1801" can be covered by a dielectric foam 1804 and jacket 1806. the multiple cores 1801" can be used to polarize the fields of electromagnetic waves induced on the multiple cores 1801" . the structure of the multiple cores 180 can preserve the polarization of the guided electromagnetic waves as they propagate along the multiple cores 1801" . [000285] it will be appreciated that the embodiments of fig. 18k can be used to modify the embodiments of figs. 18g-18h. for example, core 1842 or core 1842' can be adapted to utilized sectionalized shells 1804' with gaps therebetween, or one or more strips of dielectric foam 1804". similarly, core 1842 or core 1842' can be adapted to have a non- circular core 180 that may have symmetric or asymmetric cross-sectional structure. additionally, core 1842 or core 1842' can be adapted to use multiple cores 1801" in a single inner waveguide, or different numbers of cores when multiple inner waveguides are used. accordingly, any of the embodiments shown in fig. 18k can be applied singly or in combination to the embodiments of 18g-18h. [000286] turning now to fig. 18l is a block diagram illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of bundled transmission media to mitigate cross-talk in accordance with various aspects described herein. in an embodiment, a bundled transmission medium 1836' can include variable core structures 1803. by varying the structures of cores 1803, fields of guided electromagnetic waves induced in each of the cores of transmission medium 1836' may differ sufficiently to reduce cross-talk between cables 1838. in another embodiment, a bundled transmission media 1836" can include a variable number of cores 1803' per cable 1838. by varying the number of cores 1803' per cable 1838, fields of guided electromagnetic waves induced in the one or more cores of transmission medium 1836" may differ sufficiently to reduce cross-talk between cables 1838. in another embodiment, the cores 1803 or 1803' can be of different materials. for example, the cores 1803 or 1803' can be a dielectric core 1802, an insulated conductor core 1825, a bare conductor core 1832, or any combinations thereof. [000287] it is noted that the embodiments illustrated in figs . 18 a- 18d and 18f- 18h can be modified by and/or combined with some of the embodiments of figs. 18k-18l. it is further noted that one or more of the embodiments illustrated in figs. 18k-18l can be combined (e.g., using sectionalized dielectric foam 1804' or a helix strip of dielectric foam 1804" with cores 1801', 1801", 1803 or 1803'). in some embodiments guided electromagnetic waves propagating in the transmission mediums 1800', 1800", 1800" ', and/or 1800"" of fig. 18k may experience less propagation losses than guided electromagnetic waves propagating in the transmission mediums 1800, 1820 and 1830 of figs. 18a-18c. additionally, the embodiments illustrated in figs. 18k-18l can be adapted to use the connectivity embodiments illustrated in figs. 18i-18j. [000288] turning now to fig. 18m, a block diagram illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of exposed tapered stubs from the bundled transmission media 1836 for use as antennas 1855 is shown. each antenna 1855 can serve as a directional antenna for radiating wireless signals directed to wireless communication devices or for inducing electromagnetic wave propagation on a surface of a transmission medium (e.g., a power line). in an embodiment, the wireless signals radiated by the antennas 1855 can be beam steered by adapting the phase and/or other characteristics of the wireless signals generated by each antenna 1855. in an embodiment, the antennas 1855 can individually be placed in a pie-pan antenna assembly for directing wireless signals in various directions. [000289] it is further noted that the terms "core", "cladding", "shell", and "foam" as utilized in the subject disclosure can comprise any types of materials (or combinations of materials) that enable electromagnetic waves to remain bound to the core while propagating longitudinally along the core. for example, a strip of dielectric foam 1804" described earlier can be replaced with a strip of an ordinary dielectric material (e.g., polyethylene) for wrapping around the dielectric core 1802 (referred to herein for illustration purposes only as a "wrap"). in this configuration an average density of the wrap can be small as a result of air space between sections of the wrap. consequently, an effective dielectric constant of the wrap can be less than the dielectric constant of the dielectric core 1802, thereby enabling guided electromagnetic waves to remain bound to the core. accordingly, any of the embodiments of the subject disclosure relating to materials used for core(s) and wrappings about the core(s) can be structurally adapted and/or modified with other dielectric materials that achieve the result of maintaining electromagnetic waves bound to the core(s) while they propagate along the core(s). additionally, a core in whole or in part as described in any of the embodiments of the subject disclosure can comprise an opaque material (e.g., polyethylene) that is resistant to propagation of electromagnetic waves having an optical operating frequency. accordingly, electromagnetic waves guided and bound to the core will have a non-optical frequency range (e.g., less than the lowest frequency of visible light). [000290] figs. 18n, 180, 18p, 18q, 18r, 18s and 18t are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of a waveguide device for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves in accordance with various aspects described herein. in an embodiment, fig. 18n illustrates a front view of a waveguide device 1865 having a plurality of slots 1863 (e.g., openings or apertures) for emitting electromagnetic waves having radiated electric fields (e-fields) 1861. in an embodiment, the radiated e-fields 1861 of pairs of symmetrically positioned slots 1863 (e.g., north and south slots of the waveguide 1865) can be directed away from each other (i.e., polar opposite radial orientations about the cable 1862). while the slots 1863 are shown as having a rectangular shape, other shapes such as other polygons, sector and arc shapes, ellipsoid shapes and other shapes are likewise possible. for illustration purposes only, the term north will refer to a relative direction as shown in the figures. all references in the subject disclosure to other directions (e.g., south, east, west, northwest, and so forth) will be relative to northern illustration. in an embodiment, to achieve e-fields with opposing orientations at the north and south slots 1863, for example, the north and south slots 1863 can be arranged to have a circumferential distance between each other that is approximately one wavelength of electromagnetic waves signals supplied to these slots. the waveguide 1865 can have a cylindrical cavity in a center of the waveguide 1865 to enable placement of a cable 1862. in one embodiment, the cable 1862 can comprise an insulated conductor. in another embodiment, the cable 1862 can comprise an uninsulated conductor. in yet other embodiments, the cable 1862 can comprise any of the embodiments of a transmission core 1852 of cable 1850 previously described. [000291] in one embodiment, the cable 1862 can slide into the cylindrical cavity of the waveguide 1865. in another embodiment, the waveguide 1865 can utilize an assembly mechanism (not shown). the assembly mechanism (e.g., a hinge or other suitable mechanism that provides a way to open the waveguide 1865 at one or more locations) can be used to enable placement of the waveguide 1865 on an outer surface of the cable 1862 or otherwise to assemble separate pieces together to form the waveguide 1865 as shown. according to these and other suitable embodiments, the waveguide 1865 can be configured to wrap around the cable 1862 like a collar. [000292] fig. 180 illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the waveguide 1865. the waveguide 1865 can be adapted to have a hollow rectangular waveguide portion 1867 that receives electromagnetic waves 1866 generated by a transmitter circuit as previously described in the subject disclosure (e.g., see figs. 1 and 10a). the electromagnetic waves 1866 can be distributed by the hollow rectangular waveguide portion 1867 into in a hollow collar 1869 of the waveguide 1865. the rectangular waveguide portion 1867 and the hollow collar 1869 can be constructed of materials suitable for maintaining the electromagnetic waves within the hollow chambers of these assemblies (e.g., carbon fiber materials). it should be noted that while the waveguide portion 1867 is shown and described in a hollow rectangular configuration, other shapes and/or other non-hollow configurations can be employed. in particular, the waveguide portion 1867 can have a square or other polygonal cross section, an arc or sector cross section that is truncated to conform to the outer surface of the cable 1862, a circular or ellipsoid cross section or cross sectional shape. in addition, the waveguide portion 1867 can be configured as, or otherwise include, a solid dielectric material. [000293] as previously described, the hollow collar 1869 can be configured to emit electromagnetic waves from each slot 1863 with opposite e-fields 1861 at pairs of symmetrically positioned slots 1863 and 1863'. in an embodiment, the electromagnetic waves emitted by the combination of slots 1863 and 1863' can in turn induce electromagnetic waves 1868 on that are bound to the cable 1862 for propagation according to a fundamental wave mode without other wave modes present— such as non-fundamental wave modes. in this configuration, the electromagnetic waves 1868 can propagate longitudinally along the cable 1862 to other downstream waveguide systems coupled to the cable 1862. [000294] it should be noted that since the hollow rectangular waveguide portion 1867 of fig. 180 is closer to slot 1863 (at the northern position of the waveguide 1865), slot 1863 can emit electromagnetic waves having a stronger magnitude than electromagnetic waves emitted by slot 1863' (at the southern position). to reduce magnitude differences between these slots, slot 1863' can be made larger than slot 1863. the technique of utilizing different slot sizes to balance signal magnitudes between slots can be applied to any of the embodiments of the subject disclosure relating to figs. 18n, 180, 18q, 18s, 18u and 18v— some of which are described below. [000295] in another embodiment, fig. 18p depicts a waveguide 1865' that can be configured to utilize circuitry such as monolithic microwave integrated circuits (mmics) 1870 each coupled to a signal input 1872 (e.g., coaxial cable that provides a communication signal). the signal input 1872 can be generated by a transmitter circuit as previously described in the subject disclosure (e.g., see reference 101, 1000 of figs. 1 and 10a) adapted to provide electrical signals to the mmics 1870. each mmic 1870 can be configured to receive signal 1872 which the mmic 1870 can modulate and transmit with a radiating element (e.g., an antenna) to emit electromagnetic waves having radiated e- fields 1861. in one embodiment, the mmics 1870 can be configured to receive the same signal 1872, but transmit electromagnetic waves having e-fields 1861 of opposing orientation. this can be accomplished by configuring one of the mmics 1870 to transmit electromagnetic waves that are 180 degrees out of phase with the electromagnetic waves transmitted by the other mmic 1870. in an embodiment, the combination of the electromagnetic waves emitted by the mmics 1870 can together induce electromagnetic waves 1868 that are bound to the cable 1862 for propagation according to a fundamental wave mode without other wave modes present— such as non-fundamental wave modes. in this configuration, the electromagnetic waves 1868 can propagate longitudinally along the cable 1862 to other downstream waveguide systems coupled to the cable 1862. [000296] a tapered horn 1880 can be added to the embodiments of figs. 180 and 18p to assist in the inducement of the electromagnetic waves 1868 on cable 1862 as depicted in figs. 18q and 18r. in an embodiment where the cable 1862 is an uninsulated conductor, the electromagnetic waves induced on the cable 1862 can have a large radial dimension (e.g., 1 meter). to enable use of a smaller tapered horn 1880, an insulation layer 1879 can be applied on a portion of the cable 1862 at or near the cavity as depicted with hash lines in figs. 18q and 18r. the insulation layer 1879 can have a tapered end facing away from the waveguide 1865. the added insulation enables the electromagnetic waves 1868 initially launched by the waveguide 1865 (or 1865') to be tightly bound to the insulation, which in turn reduces the radial dimension of the electromagnetic fields 1868 (e.g., centimeters). as the electromagnetic waves 1868 propagate away from the waveguide 1865 (1865') and reach the tapered end of the insulation layer 1879, the radial dimension of the electromagnetic waves 1868 begin to increase eventually achieving the radial dimension they would have had had the electromagnetic waves 1868 been induced on the uninsulated conductor without an insulation layer. in the illustration of figs. 18q and 18r the tapered end begins at an end of the tapered horn 1880. in other embodiments, the tapered end of the insulation layer 1879 can begin before or after the end of the tapered horn 1880. the tapered horn can be metallic or constructed of other conductive material or constructed of a plastic or other non-conductive material that is coated or clad with a dielectric layer or doped with a conductive material to provide reflective properties similar to a metallic horn. [000297] in an embodiment, cable 1862 can comprise any of the embodiments of cable 1850 described earlier. in this embodiment, waveguides 1865 and 1865' can be coupled to a transmission core 1852 of cable 1850 as depicted in figs. 18s and 18t. the waveguides 1865 and 1865' can induce, as previously described, electromagnetic waves 1868 on the transmission core 1852 for propagation entirely or partially within inner layers of cable 1850. [000298] it is noted that for the foregoing embodiments of figs. 18q, 18r, 18s and 18t, electromagnetic waves 1868 can be bidirectional. for example, electromagnetic waves 1868 of a different operating frequency can be received by slots 1863 or mmics 1870 of the waveguides 1865 and 1865', respectively. once received, the electromagnetic waves can be converted by a receiver circuit (e.g., see reference 101, 1000 of figs. 1 and 10a) for generating a communication signal for processing. [000299] although not shown, it is further noted that the waveguides 1865 and 1865' can be adapted so that the waveguides 1865 and 1865' can direct electromagnetic waves 1868 upstream or downstream longitudinally. for example, a first tapered horn 1880 coupled to a first instance of a waveguide 1865 or 1865' can be directed westerly on cable 1862, while a second tapered horn 1880 coupled to a second instance of a waveguide 1865 or 1865' can be directed easterly on cable 1862. the first and second instances of the waveguides 1865 or 1865' can be coupled so that in a repeater configuration, signals received by the first waveguide 1865 or 1865' can be provided to the second waveguide 1865 or 1865' for retransmission in an easterly direction on cable 1862. the repeater configuration just described can also be applied from an easterly to westerly direction on cable 1862. [000300] the waveguide 1865 of figs. 18n, 180, 18q and 18s can also be configured to generate electromagnetic fields having only non-fundamental or asymmetric wave modes. fig. 18u depicts an embodiment of a waveguide 1865 that can be adapted to generate electromagnetic fields having only non-fundamental wave modes. a median line 1890 represents a separation between slots where electrical currents on a backside (not shown) of a frontal plate of the waveguide 1865 change polarity. for example, electrical currents on the backside of the frontal plate corresponding to e-fields that are radially outward (i.e., point away from a center point of cable 1862) can in some embodiments be associated with slots located outside of the median line 1890 (e.g., slots 1863a and 1863b). electrical currents on the backside of the frontal plate corresponding to e-fields that are radially inward (i.e., point towards a center point of cable 1862) can in some embodiments be associated with slots located inside of the median line 1890. the direction of the currents can depend on the operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves 1866 supplied to the hollow rectangular waveguide portion 1867 (see fig. 180) among other parameters. [000301] for illustration purposes, assume the electromagnetic waves 1866 supplied to the hollow rectangular waveguide portion 1867 have an operating frequency whereby a circumferential distance between slots 1863 a and 1863b is one full wavelength of the electromagnetic waves 1866. in this instance, the e-fields of the electromagnetic waves emitted by slots 1863 a and 1863b point radially outward (i.e., have opposing orientations). when the electromagnetic waves emitted by slots 1863 a and 1863b are combined, the resulting electromagnetic waves on cable 1862 will propagate according to the fundamental wave mode. in contrast, by repositioning one of the slots (e.g., slot 1863b) inside the media line 1890 (i.e., slot 1863c), slot 1863c will generate electromagnetic waves that have e-fields that are approximately 180 degrees out of phase with the e-fields of the electromagnetic waves generated by slot 1863 a. consequently, the e-field orientations of the electromagnetic waves generated by slot pairs 1863 a and 1863c will be substantially aligned. the combination of the electromagnetic waves emitted by slot pairs 1863 a and 1863c will thus generate electromagnetic waves that are bound to the cable 1862 for propagation according to a non-fundamental wave mode. [000302] to achieve a reconfigurable slot arrangement, waveguide 1865 can be adapted according to the embodiments depicted in fig. 18v. configuration (a) depicts a waveguide 1865 having a plurality of symmetrically positioned slots. each of the slots 1863 of configuration (a) can be selectively disabled by blocking the slot with a material (e.g., carbon fiber or metal) to prevent the emission of electromagnetic waves. a blocked (or disabled) slot 1863 is shown in black, while an enabled (or unblocked) slot 1863 is shown in white. although not shown, a blocking material can be placed behind (or in front) of the frontal plate of the waveguide 1865. a mechanism (not shown) can be coupled to the blocking material so that the blocking material can slide in or out of a particular slot 1863 much like closing or opening a window with a cover. the mechanism can be coupled to a linear motor controllable by circuitry of the waveguide 1865 to selectively enable or disable individual slots 1863. with such a mechanism at each slot 1863, the waveguide 1865 can be configured to select different configurations of enabled and disabled slots 1863 as depicted in the embodiments of fig. 18v. other methods or techniques for covering or opening slots (e.g., utilizing rotatable disks behind or in front of the waveguide 1865) can be applied to the embodiments of the subject disclosure. [000303] in one embodiment, the waveguide system 1865 can be configured to enable certain slots 1863 outside the median line 1890 and disable certain slots 1863 inside the median line 1890 as shown in configuration (b) to generate fundamental waves. assume, for example, that the circumferential distance between slots 1863 outside the median line 1890 (i.e., in the northern and southern locations of the waveguide system 1865) is one full wavelength. these slots will therefore have electric fields (e-fields) pointing at certain instances in time radially outward as previously described. in contrast, the slots inside the median line 1890 (i.e., in the western and eastern locations of the waveguide system 1865) will have a circumferential distance of one-half a wavelength relative to either of the slots 1863 outside the median line. since the slots inside the median line 1890 are half a wavelength apart, such slots will produce electromagnetic waves having e-fields pointing radially outward. if the western and eastern slots 1863 outside the median line 1890 had been enabled instead of the western and eastern slots inside the median line 1890, then the e-fields emitted by those slots would have pointed radially inward, which when combined with the electric fields of the northern and southern would produce non-fundamental wave mode propagation. accordingly, configuration (b) as depicted in fig. 18v can be used to generate electromagnetic waves at the northern and southern slots 1863 having e-fields that point radially outward and electromagnetic waves at the western and eastern slots 1863 with e-fields that also point radially outward, which when combined induce electromagnetic waves on cable 1862 having a fundamental wave mode. [000304] in another embodiment, the waveguide system 1865 can be configured to enable a northerly, southerly, westerly and easterly slots 1863 all outside the median line 1890, and disable all other slots 1863 as shown in configuration (c). assuming the circumferential distance between a pair of opposing slots (e.g., northerly and southerly, or westerly and easterly) is a full wavelength apart, then configuration (c) can be used to generate electromagnetic waves having a non-fundamental wave mode with some e-fields pointing radially outward and other fields pointing radially inward. in yet another embodiment, the waveguide system 1865 can be configured to enable a northwesterly slot 1863 outside the median line 1890, enable a southeasterly slot 1863 inside the median line 1890, and disable all other slots 1863 as shown in configuration (d). assuming the circumferential distance between such a pair of slots is a full wavelength apart, then such a configuration can be used to generate electromagnetic waves having a non-fundamental wave mode with e-fields aligned in a northwesterly direction. [000305] in another embodiment, the waveguide system 1865 can be configured to produce electromagnetic waves having a non-fundamental wave mode with e-fields aligned in a southwesterly direction. this can be accomplished by utilizing a different arrangement than used in configuration (d). configuration (e) can be accomplished by enabling a southwesterly slot 1863 outside the median line 1890, enabling a northeasterly slot 1863 inside the median line 1890, and disabling all other slots 1863 as shown in configuration (e). assuming the circumferential distance between such a pair of slots is a full wavelength apart, then such a configuration can be used to generate electromagnetic waves having a non-fundamental wave mode with e-fields aligned in a southwesterly direction. configuration (e) thus generates a non-fundamental wave mode that is orthogonal to the non-fundamental wave mode of configuration (d). [000306] in yet another embodiment, the waveguide system 1865 can be configured to generate electromagnetic waves having a fundamental wave mode with e-fields that point radially inward. this can be accomplished by enabling a northerly slot 1863 inside the median line 1890, enabling a southerly slot 1863 inside the median line 1890, enabling an easterly slot outside the median 1890, enabling a westerly slot 1863 outside the median 1890, and disabling all other slots 1863 as shown in configuration (f). assuming the circumferential distance between the northerly and southerly slots is a full wavelength apart, then such a configuration can be used to generate electromagnetic waves having a fundamental wave mode with radially inward e-fields. although the slots selected in configurations (b) and (f) are different, the fundamental wave modes generated by configurations (b) and (f) are the same. [000307] it yet another embodiment, e-fields can be manipulated between slots to generate fundamental or non-fundamental wave modes by varying the operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves 1866 supplied to the hollow rectangular waveguide portion 1867. for example, assume in the illustration of fig. 18u that for a particular operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves 1866 the circumferential distance between slot 1863 a and 1863b is one full wavelength of the electromagnetic waves 1866. in this instance, the e-fields of electromagnetic waves emitted by slots 1863 a and 1863b will point radially outward as shown, and can be used in combination to induce electromagnetic waves on cable 1862 having a fundamental wave mode. in contrast, the e-fields of electromagnetic waves emitted by slots 1863a and 1863c will be radially aligned (i.e., pointing northerly) as shown, and can be used in combination to induce electromagnetic waves on cable 1862 having a non-fundamental wave mode. [000308] now suppose that the operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves 1866 supplied to the hollow rectangular waveguide portion 1867 is changed so that the circumferential distance between slot 1863 a and 1863b is one-half a wavelength of the electromagnetic waves 1866. in this instance, the e-fields of electromagnetic waves emitted by slots 1863a and 1863b will be radially aligned (i.e., point in the same direction). that is, the e-fields of electromagnetic waves emitted by slot 1863b will point in the same direction as the e-fields of electromagnetic waves emitted by slot 1863 a. such electromagnetic waves can be used in combination to induce electromagnetic waves on cable 1862 having a non-fundamental wave mode. in contrast, the e-fields of electromagnetic waves emitted by slots 1863a and 1863c will be radially outward (i.e., away from cable 1862), and can be used in combination to induce electromagnetic waves on cable 1862 having a fundamental wave mode. [000309] in another embodiment, the waveguide 1865' of figs. 18p, 18r and 18t can also be configured to generate electromagnetic waves having only non-fundamental wave modes. this can be accomplished by adding more mmics 1870 as depicted in fig. 18w. each mmic 1870 can be configured to receive the same signal input 1872. however, mmics 1870 can selectively be configured to emit electromagnetic waves having differing phases using controllable phase- shifting circuitry in each mmic 1870. for example, the northerly and southerly mmics 1870 can be configured to emit electromagnetic waves having a 180 degree phase difference, thereby aligning the e-fields either in a northerly or southerly direction. any combination of pairs of mmics 1870 (e.g., westerly and easterly mmics 1870, northwesterly and southeasterly mmics 1870, northeasterly and southwesterly mmics 1870) can be configured with opposing or aligned e-fields. consequently, waveguide 1865' can be configured to generate electromagnetic waves with one or more non-fundamental wave modes, electromagnetic waves with one or more fundamental wave modes, or any combinations thereof. [000310] it is submitted that it is not necessary to select slots 1863 in pairs to generate electromagnetic waves having a non-fundamental wave mode. for example, electromagnetic waves having a non-fundamental wave mode can be generated by enabling a single slot from the plurality of slots shown in configuration (a) of fig. 18v and disabling all other slots. similarly, a single mmic 1870 of the mmics 1870 shown in fig. 18w can be configured to generate electromagnetic waves having a non-fundamental wave mode while all other mmics 1870 are not in use or disabled. likewise other wave modes and wave mode combinations can be induced by enabling other non-null proper subsets of waveguide slots 1863 or the mmics 1870. [000311] it is further submitted that the e-field arrows shown in figs. 18u-18v are illustrative only and represent a static depiction of e-fields. in practice, the electromagnetic waves may have oscillating e-fields, which at one instance in time point outwardly, and at another instance in time point inwardly. for example, in the case of non-fundamental wave modes having e-fields that are aligned in one direction (e.g., northerly), such waves may at another instance in time have e-fields that point in an opposite direction (e.g., southerly). similarly, fundamental wave modes having e-fields that are radial may at one instance have e-fields that point radially away from the cable 1862 and at another instance in time point radially towards the cable 1862. it is further noted that the embodiments of figs. 18u- 18w can be adapted to generate electromagnetic waves with one or more non-fundamental wave modes, electromagnetic waves with one or more fundamental wave modes (e.g., tm00 and he 11 modes), or any combinations thereof. it is further noted that such adaptions can be used in combination with any embodiments described in the subject disclosure. it is also noted that the embodiments of figs. 18u-18w can be combined (e.g., slots used in combination with mmics). [000312] it is further noted that in some embodiments, the waveguide systems 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n-18w may generate combinations of fundamental and non-fundamental wave modes where one wave mode is dominant over the other. for example, in one embodiment electromagnetic waves generated by the waveguide systems 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n-18w may have a weak signal component that has a non-fundamental wave mode, and a substantially strong signal component that has a fundamental wave mode. accordingly, in this embodiment, the electromagnetic waves have a substantially fundamental wave mode. in another embodiment electromagnetic waves generated by the waveguide systems 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n-18w may have a weak signal component that has a fundamental wave mode, and a substantially strong signal component that has a non-fundamental wave mode. accordingly, in this embodiment, the electromagnetic waves have a substantially non-fundamental wave mode. further, a non-dominant wave mode may be generated that propagates only trivial distances along the length of the transmission medium. [000313] it is also noted that the waveguide systems 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n-18w can be configured to generate instances of electromagnetic waves that have wave modes that can differ from a resulting wave mode or modes of the combined electromagnetic wave. it is further noted that each mmic 1870 of the waveguide system 1865' of fig. 18w can be configured to generate an instance of electromagnetic waves having wave characteristics that differ from the wave characteristics of another instance of electromagnetic waves generated by another mmic 1870. one mmic 1870, for example, can generate an instance of an electromagnetic wave having a spatial orientation and a phase, frequency, magnitude, electric field orientation, and/or magnetic field orientation that differs from the spatial orientation and phase, frequency, magnitude, electric field orientation, and/or magnetic field orientation of a different instance of another electromagnetic wave generated by another mmic 1870. the waveguide system 1865' can thus be configured to generate instances of electromagnetic waves having different wave and spatial characteristics, which when combined achieve resulting electromagnetic waves having one or more desirable wave modes. [000314] from these illustrations, it is submitted that the waveguide systems 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n-18w can be adapted to generate electromagnetic waves with one or more selectable wave modes. in one embodiment, for example, the waveguide systems 1865 and 1865' can be adapted to select one or more wave modes and generate electromagnetic waves having a single wave mode or multiple wave modes selected and produced from a process of combining instances of electromagnetic waves having one or more configurable wave and spatial characteristics. in an embodiment, for example, parametric information can be stored in a look-up table. each entry in the look-up table can represent a selectable wave mode. a selectable wave mode can represent a single wave mode, or a combination of wave modes. the combination of wave modes can have one or dominant wave modes. the parametric information can provide configuration information for generating instances of electromagnetic waves for producing resultant electromagnetic waves that have the desired wave mode. [000315] for example, once a wave mode or modes is selected, the parametric information obtained from the look-up table from the entry associated with the selected wave mode(s) can be used to identify which of one or more mmics 1870 to utilize, and/or their corresponding configurations to achieve electromagnetic waves having the desired wave mode(s). the parametric information may identify the selection of the one or more mmics 1870 based on the spatial orientations of the mmics 1870, which may be required for producing electromagnetic waves with the desired wave mode. the parametric information can also provide information to configure each of the one or more mmics 1870 with a particular phase, frequency, magnitude, electric field orientation, and/or magnetic field orientation which may or may not be the same for each of the selected mmics 1870. a look-up table with selectable wave modes and corresponding parametric information can be adapted for configuring the slotted waveguide system 1865. [000316] in some embodiments, a guided electromagnetic wave can be considered to have a desired wave mode if the corresponding wave mode propagates non-trivial distances on a transmission medium and has a field strength that is substantially greater in magnitude (e.g., 20 db higher in magnitude) than other wave modes that may or may not be desirable. such a desired wave mode or modes can be referred to as dominant wave mode(s) with the other wave modes being referred to as non-dominant wave modes. in a similar fashion, a guided electromagnetic wave that is said to be substantially without the fundamental wave mode has either no fundamental wave mode or a non-dominant fundamental wave mode. a guided electromagnetic wave that is said to be substantially without a non-fundamental wave mode has either no non-fundamental wave mode(s) or only non-dominant non- fundamental wave mode(s). in some embodiments, a guided electromagnetic wave that is said to have only a single wave mode or a selected wave mode may have only one corresponding dominant wave mode. [000317] it is further noted that the embodiments of figs. 18u-18w can be applied to other embodiments of the subject disclosure. for example, the embodiments of figs. 18u- 18w can be used as alternate embodiments to the embodiments depicted in figs. 18n-18t or can be combined with the embodiments depicted in figs. 18n-18t. [000318] turning now to figs. 19a and 19b, block diagrams illustrating example, non- limiting embodiments of a dielectric antenna and corresponding gain and field intensity plots in accordance with various aspects described herein are shown. fig. 19a depicts a dielectric horn antenna 1901 having a conical structure. the dielectric horn antenna 1901 is coupled to one end 1902' of a feedline 1902 having a feed point 1902" at an opposite end of the feedline 1902. the dielectric horn antenna 1901 and the feedline 1902 (as well as other embodiments of the dielectric antenna described below in the subject disclosure) can be constructed of dielectric materials such as a polyethylene material, a polyurethane material or other suitable dielectric material (e.g., a synthetic resin, other plastics, etc.). the dielectric horn antenna 1901 and the feedline 1902 (as well as other embodiments of the dielectric antenna described below in the subject disclosure) can be adapted to be substantially or entirely devoid of any conductive materials. [000319] for example, the external surfaces 1907 of the dielectric horn antenna 1901 and the feedline 1902 can be non-conductive or substantially non-conductive with at least 95% of the external surface area being non-conductive and the dielectric materials used to construct the dielectric horn antenna 1901 and the feedline 1902 can be such that they substantially do not contain impurities that may be conductive (e.g., such as less than 1 part per thousand) or result in imparting conductive properties. in other embodiments, however, a limited number of conductive components can be used such as a metallic connector component used for coupling to the feed point 1902" of the feedline 1902 with one or more screws, rivets or other coupling elements used to bind components to one another, and/or one or more structural elements that do not significantly alter the radiation pattern of the dielectric antenna. [000320] the feed point 1902" can be adapted to couple to a core 1852 such as previously described by way of illustration in figs. 181 and 18j. in one embodiment, the feed point 1902" can be coupled to the core 1852 utilizing a joint (not shown in fig. 19a) such as the splicing device 1860 of fig. 18j. other embodiments for coupling the feed point 1902" to the core 1852 can be used. in an embodiment, the joint can be configured to cause the feed point 1902" to touch an endpoint of the core 1852. in another embodiment, the joint can create a gap between the feed point 1902" and an end of the core 1852. in yet another embodiment, the joint can cause the feed point 1902" and the core 1852 to be coaxially aligned or partially misaligned. notwithstanding any combination of the foregoing embodiments, electromagnetic waves can in whole or at least in part propagate between the junction of the feed point 1902' ' and the core 1852. [000321] the cable 1850 can be coupled to the waveguide system 1865 depicted in fig. 18s or the waveguide system 1865' depicted in fig. 18t. for illustration purposes only, reference will be made to the waveguide system 1865' of fig. 18t. it is understood, however, that the waveguide system 1865 of fig. 18s or other waveguide systems can also be utilized in accordance with the discussions that follow. the waveguide system 1865' can be configured to select a wave mode (e.g., non-fundamental wave mode, fundamental wave mode, a hybrid wave mode, or combinations thereof as described earlier) and transmit instances of electromagnetic waves having a non-optical operating frequency (e.g., 60 ghz). the electromagnetic waves can be directed to an interface of the cable 1850 as shown in fig. 18t. [000322] the instances of electromagnetic waves generated by the waveguide system 1865' can induce a combined electromagnetic wave having the selected wave mode that propagates from the core 1852 to the feed point 1902". the combined electromagnetic wave can propagate partly inside the core 1852 and partly on an outer surface of the core 1852. once the combined electromagnetic wave has propagated through the junction between the core 1852 and the feed point 1902", the combined electromagnetic wave can continue to propagate partly inside the feedline 1902 and partly on an outer surface of the feedline 1902. in some embodiments, the portion of the combined electromagnetic wave that propagates on the outer surface of the core 1852 and the feedline 1902 is small. in these embodiments, the combined electromagnetic wave can be said to be guided by and tightly coupled to the core 1852 and the feedline 1902 while propagating longitudinally towards the dielectric antenna 1901. [000323] when the combined electromagnetic wave reaches a proximal portion of the dielectric antenna 1901 (at a junction 1902' between the feedline 1902 and the dielectric antenna 1901), the combined electromagnetic wave enters the proximal portion of the dielectric antenna 1901 and propagates longitudinally along an axis of the dielectric antenna 1901 (shown as a hashed line). by the time the combined electromagnetic wave reaches the aperture 1903, the combined electromagnetic wave has an intensity pattern similar to the one shown by the side view and front view depicted in fig. 19b. the electric field intensity pattern of fig. 19b shows that the electric fields of the combined electromagnetic waves are strongest in a center region of the aperture 1903 and weaker in the outer regions. in an embodiment, where the wave mode of the electromagnetic waves propagating in the dielectric antenna 1901 is a hybrid wave mode (e.g., he11), the leakage of the electromagnetic waves at the external surfaces 1907 is reduced or in some instances eliminated. it is further noted that while the dielectric antenna 1901 is constructed of a solid dielectric material having no physical opening, the front or operating face of the dielectric antenna 1901 from which free space wireless signals are radiated or received will be referred to as the aperture 1903 of the dielectric antenna 1901 even though in some prior art systems the term aperture may be used to describe an opening of an antenna that radiates or receives free space wireless signals. methods for launching a hybrid wave mode on cable 1850 is discussed below. [000324] in an embodiment, the far- field antenna gain pattern depicted in fig. 19b can be widened by decreasing the operating frequency of the combined electromagnetic wave from a nominal frequency. similarly, the gain pattern can be narrowed by increasing the operating frequency of the combined electromagnetic wave from the nominal frequency. accordingly, a width of a beam of wireless signals emitted by the aperture 1903 can be controlled by configuring the waveguide system 1865' to increase or decrease the operating frequency of the combined electromagnetic wave. [000325] the dielectric antenna 1901 of fig. 19a can also be used for receiving wireless signals, such as free space wireless signals transmitted by either a similar antenna or conventional antenna design. wireless signals received by the dielectric antenna 1901 at the aperture 1903 induce electromagnetic waves in the dielectric antenna 1901 that propagate towards the feedline 1902. the electromagnetic waves continue to propagate from the feedline 1902 to the junction between the feed point 1902" and an endpoint of the core 1852, and are thereby delivered to the waveguide system 1865' coupled to the cable 1850 as shown in fig. 18t. in this configuration, the waveguide system 1865' can perform bidirectional communications utilizing the dielectric antenna 1901. it is further noted that in some embodiments the core 1852 of the cable 1850 (shown with dashed lines) can be configured to be collinear with the feed point 1902" to avoid a bend shown in fig. 19a. in some embodiments, a collinear configuration can reduce an alteration in the propagation of the electromagnetic due to the bend in cable 1850. [000326] turning now to figs. 19c and 19d, block diagrams illustrating example, non- limiting embodiments of a dielectric antenna 1901 coupled to or integrally constructed with a lens 1912 and corresponding gain and field intensity plots in accordance with various aspects described herein are shown. in one embodiment, the lens 1912 can comprise a dielectric material having a first dielectric constant that is substantially similar or equal to a second dielectric constant of the dielectric antenna 1901. in other embodiments, the lens 1912 can comprise a dielectric material having a first dielectric constant that differs from a second dielectric constant of the dielectric antenna 1901. in either of these embodiments, the shape of the lens 1912 can be chosen or formed so as to equalize the delays of the various electromagnetic waves propagating at different points in the dielectric antenna 1901. in one embodiment, the lens 1912 can be an integral part of the dielectric antenna 1901 as depicted in the top diagram of fig. 19c and in particular, the lens and dielectric antenna 1901 can be molded, machined or otherwise formed from a single piece of dielectric material. alternatively, the lens 1912 can be an assembly component of the dielectric antenna 1901 as depicted in the bottom diagram of fig. 19c, which can be attached by way of an adhesive material, brackets on the outer edges, or other suitable attachment techniques. the lens 1912 can have a convex structure as shown in fig. 19c which is adapted to adjust a propagation of electromagnetic waves in the dielectric antenna 1901. while a round lens and conical dielectric antenna configuration is shown, other shapes include pyramidal shapes, elliptical shapes and other geometric shapes can likewise be implemented. [000327] in particular, the curvature of the lens 1912 can be chosen in manner that reduces phase differences between near-field wireless signals generated by the aperture 1903 of the dielectric antenna 1901. the lens 1912 accomplishes this by applying location- dependent delays to propagating electromagnetic waves. because of the curvature of the lens 1912, the delays differ depending on where the electromagnetic waves emanate from at the aperture 1903. for example, electromagnetic waves propagating by way of a center axis 1905 of the dielectric antenna 1901 will experience more delay through the lens 1912 than electromagnetic waves propagating radially away from the center axis 1905. electromagnetic waves propagating towards, for example, the outer edges of the aperture 1903 will experience minimal or no delay through the lens. propagation delay increases as the electromagnetic waves get close to the center axis 1905. accordingly, a curvature of the lens 1912 can be configured so that near-field wireless signals have substantially similar phases. by reducing differences between phases of the near-field wireless signals, a width of far-field signals generated by the dielectric antenna 1901 is reduced, which in turn increases the intensity of the far-field wireless signals within the width of the main lobe as shown by the far- field intensity plot shown in fig. 19d, producing a relatively narrow beam pattern with high gain. [000328] turning now to figs. 19e and 19f, block diagrams illustrating example, non- limiting embodiments of a dielectric antenna 1901 coupled to a lens 1912 with ridges (or steps) 1914 and corresponding gain and field intensity plots in accordance with various aspects described herein are shown. in these illustration, the lens 1912 can comprise concentric ridges 1914 shown in the side and perspective views of fig. 19e. each ridge 1914 can comprise a riser 1916 and a tread 1918. the size of the tread 1918 changes depending on the curvature of the aperture 1903. for example, the tread 1918 at the center of the aperture 1903 can be greater than the tread at the outer edges of the aperture 1903. to reduce reflections of electromagnetic waves that reach the aperture 1903, each riser 1916 can be configured to have a depth representative of a select wavelength factor. for example, a riser 1916 can be configured to have a depth of one-quarter a wavelength of the electromagnetic waves propagating in the dielectric antenna 1901. such a configuration causes the electromagnetic wave reflected from one riser 1916 to have a phase difference of 180 degrees relative to the electromagnetic wave reflected from an adjacent riser 1916. consequently, the out of phase electromagnetic waves reflected from the adjacent risers 1916 substantially cancel, thereby reducing reflection and distortion caused thereby. while a particular riser/tread configuration is shown, other configurations with a differing number of risers, differing riser shapes, etc. can likewise be implemented. in some embodiments, the lens 1912 with concentric ridges depicted in fig. 19e may experience less electromagnetic wave reflections than the lens 1912 having the smooth convex surface depicted in fig. 19c. fig. 19f depicts the resulting far-field gain plot of the dielectric antenna 1901 of fig. 19e. [000329] turning now to fig. 19g, a block diagram illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a dielectric antenna 1901 having an elliptical structure in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. fig. 19g depicts a side view, top view, and front view of the dielectric antenna 1901. the elliptical shape is achieved by reducing a height of the dielectric antenna 1901 as shown by reference 1922 and by elongating the dielectric antenna 1901 as shown by reference 1924. the resulting elliptical shape 1926 is shown in the front view depicted by fig. 19g. the elliptical shape can be formed, via machining, with a mold tool or other suitable construction technique. [000330] turning now to fig. 19h, a block diagram illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of near- field signals 1928 and far- field signals 1930 emitted by the dielectric antenna 1901 of fig. 19g in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. the cross section of the near-field beam pattern 1928 mimics the elliptical shape of the aperture 1903 of the dielectric antenna 1901. the cross section of the far-field beam pattern 1930 have a rotational offset (approximately 90 degrees) that results from the elliptical shape of the near- field signals 1928. the offset can be determined by applying a fourier transform to the near-field signals 1928. while the cross section of the near-field beam pattern 1928 and the cross section of the far-field beam pattern 1930 are shown as nearly the same size in order to demonstrate the rotational effect, the actual size of the far- field beam pattern 1930 may increase with the distance from the dielectric antenna 1901. [000331] the elongated shape of the far- field signals 1930 and its orientation can prove useful when aligning a dielectric antenna 1901 in relation to a remotely located receiver configured to receive the far- field signals 1930. the receiver can comprise one or more dielectric antennas coupled to a waveguide system such as described by the subject disclosure. the elongated far-field signals 1930 can increase the likelihood that the remotely located receiver will detect the far- field signals 1930. in addition, the elongated far- field signals 1930 can be useful in situations where a dielectric antenna 1901 coupled to a gimbal assembly such as shown in fig. 19m, or other actuated antenna mount including but not limited to the actuated gimbal mount described in the co-pending application entitled, communication device and antenna assembly with actuated gimbal mount, having attorney docket no. 2015-0603_7785- 1210, and u.s. patent application, serial no. 14/873,241, filed on october 2, 2015 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for any and all purposes. in particular, the elongated far- field signals 1930 can be useful in situations where such as gimbal mount only has two degrees of freedom for aligning the dielectric antenna 1901 in the direction of the receiver (e.g., yaw and pitch is adjustable but roll is fixed). [000332] although not shown, it will be appreciated that the dielectric antenna 1901 of figs. 19g and 19h can have an integrated or attachable lens 1912 such as shown in figs. 19c and 19e to increase an intensity of the far-fields signals 1930 by reducing phase differences in the near- field signals. [000333] turning now to fig. 191, block diagrams of example, non-limiting embodiments of a dielectric antenna 1901 for adjusting far- field wireless signals in accordance with various aspects described herein are shown. in some embodiments, a width of far-field wireless signals generated by the dielectric antenna 1901 can be said to be inversely proportional to a number of wavelengths of the electromagnetic waves propagating in the dielectric antenna 1901 that can fit in a surface area of the aperture 1903 of the dielectric antenna 1901. hence, as the wavelengths of the electromagnetic waves increases, the width of the far-field wireless signals increases (and its intensity decreases) proportionately. put another way, when the frequency of the electromagnetic waves decreases, the width of the far-field wireless signals increases proportionately. accordingly, to enhance a process of aligning a dielectric antenna 1901 using, for example, the gimbal assembly shown in fig. 19m or other actuated antenna mount, in a direction of a receiver, the frequency of the electromagnetic waves supplied to the dielectric antenna 1901 by way of the feedline 1902 can be decreased so that the far-field wireless signals are sufficiently wide to increase a likelihood that the receiver will detect a portion of the far- field wireless signals. [000334] in some embodiments, the receiver can be configured to perform measurements on the far- field wireless signals. from these measurements the receiver can direct a waveguide system coupled to the dielectric antenna 1901 generating the far- field wireless signals. the receiver can provide instructions to the waveguide system by way of an omnidirectional wireless signal or a tethered interface therebetween. the instructions provided by the receiver can result in the waveguide system controlling actuators in the gimbal assembly coupled to the dielectric antenna 1901 to adjust a direction of the dielectric antenna 1901 to improve its alignment to the receiver. as the quality of the far- field wireless signals improves, the receiver can also direct the waveguide system to increase a frequency of the electromagnetic waves, which in turn reduces a width of the far-field wireless signals and correspondingly increases its intensity. [000335] in an alternative embodiment, absorption sheets 1932 constructed from carbon or conductive materials and/or other absorbers can be embedded in the dielectric antenna 1901 as depicted by the perspective and front views shown in fig. 191. when the electric fields of the electromagnetic waves are parallel with the absorption sheets 1932, the electromagnetic waves are absorbed. a clearance region 1934 where absorption sheets 1932 are not present will, however, allow the electromagnetic waves to propagate to the aperture 1903 and thereby emit near-field wireless signals having approximately the width of the clearance region 1934. by reducing the number of wavelengths to a surface area of the clearance region 1932, the width of the near- field wireless signals is decreases, while the width of the far-field wireless signals is increased. this property can be useful during the alignment process previously described. [000336] for example, at the onset of an alignment process, the polarity of the electric fields emitted by the electromagnetic waves can be configured to be parallel with the absorption sheets 1932. as the remotely located receiver instructs a waveguide system coupled to the dielectric antenna 1901 to direct the dielectric antenna 1901 using the actuators of a gimbal assembly or other actuated mount, it can also instruct the waveguide system to incrementally adjust the alignment of the electric fields of the electromagnetic waves relative to the absorption sheets 1932 as signal measurements performed by the receiver improve. as the alignment improves, eventually waveguide system adjusts the electric fields so that they are orthogonal to the absorption sheets 1932. at this point, the electromagnetic waves near the absorption sheets 1932 will no longer be absorbed, and all or substantially all electromagnetic waves will propagate to the aperture 1903. since the near- field wireless signals now cover all or substantially all of the aperture 1903, the far- field signals will have a narrower width and higher intensity as they are directed to the receiver. [000337] it will be appreciated that the receiver configured to receive the far-field wireless signals (as described above) can also be configured to utilize a transmitter that can transmit wireless signals directed to the dielectric antenna 1901 utilized by the waveguide system. for illustration purposes, such a receiver will be referred to as a remote system that can receive far-field wireless signals and transmit wireless signals directed to the waveguide system. in this embodiment, the waveguide system can be configured to analyze the wireless signals it receives by way of the dielectric antenna 1901 and determine whether a quality of the wireless signals generated by the remote system justifies further adjustments to the far-field signal pattern to improve reception of the far-field wireless signals by the remote system, and/or whether further orientation alignment of the dielectric antenna by way of the gimbal (see fig. 19m) or other actuated mount is needed. as the quality of a reception of the wireless signals by the waveguide system improves, the waveguide system can increase the operating frequency of the electromagnetic waves, which in turn reduces a width of the far-field wireless signals and correspondingly increases its intensity. in other modes of operation, the gimbal or other actuated mount can be periodically adjusted to maintain an optimal alignment. [000338] the foregoing embodiments of figs. 191 can also be combined. for example, the waveguide system can perform adjustments to the far-field signal pattern and/or antenna orientation adjustments based on a combination of an analysis of wireless signals generated by the remote system and messages or instructions provided by the remote system that indicate a quality of the far-field signals received by the remote system. [000339] turning now to fig. 19j, block diagrams of example, non-limiting embodiments of a collar such as a flange 1942 that can be coupled to a dielectric antenna 1901 in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. the flange can be constructed with metal (e.g., aluminum) dielectric material (e.g., polyethylene and/or foam), or other suitable materials. the flange 1942 can be utilized to align the feed point 1902" (and in some embodiments also the feedline 1902) with a waveguide system 1948 (e.g., a circular waveguide) as shown in fig. 19k. to accomplish this, the flange 1942 can comprise a center hole 1946 for engaging with the feed point 1902". in one embodiment, the hole 1946 can be threaded and the feedline 1902 can have a smooth surface. in this embodiment, the flange 1942 can engage the feed point 1902' ' (constructed of a dielectric material such as polyethylene) by inserting a portion of the feed point 1902" into the hole 1946 and rotating the flange 1942 to act as a die to form complementary threads on the soft outer surface of the feedline 1902. [000340] once the feedline 1902 has been threaded by or into the flange 1942, the feed point 1902" and portion of the feedline 1902 extending from the flange 1942 can be shortened or lengthened by rotating the flange 1942 accordingly. in other embodiments the feedline 1902 can be pre-threaded with mating threads for engagement with the flange 1942 for improving the ease of engaging it with the flange 1942. in yet other embodiments, the feedline 1902 can have a smooth surface and the hole 1946 of the flange 1942 can be non-threaded. in this embodiment, the hole 1946 can have a diameter that is similar to diameter of the feedline 1902 such as to cause the engagement of the feedline 1902 to be held in place by frictional forces. [000341] for alignment purposes, the flange 1942 the can further include threaded holes 1944 accompanied by two or more alignment holes 1947, which can be used to align to complementary alignment pins 1949 of the waveguide system 1948, which in turn assist in aligning holes 1944' of the waveguide system 1948 to the threaded holes 1944 of the flange 1942 (see figs. 19k-19l). once the flange 1942 has been aligned to the waveguide system 1948, the flange 1942 and waveguide system 1948 can be secured to each other with threaded screws 1950 resulting in a completed assembly depicted in fig. 19l. in a threaded design, the feed point 1902" of the feedline 1902 can be adjusted inwards or outwards in relation to a port 1945 of the waveguide system 1948 from which electromagnetic waves are exchanged. the adjustment enables the gap 1943 between the feed point 1902" and the port 1945 to be increased or decreased. the adjustment can be used for tuning a coupling interface between the waveguide system 1948 and the feed point 1902" of the feedline 1902. fig. 19l also shows how the flange 1942 can be used to align the feedline 1902 with coaxially aligned dielectric foam sections 1951 held by a tubular outer jacket 1952. the illustration in fig. 19l is similar to the transmission medium 1800' illustrated in fig. 18k. to complete the assembly process, the flange 1942 can be coupled to a waveguide system 1948 as depicted in fig. 19l. [000342] turning now to fig. 19n, a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a dielectric antenna 190γ in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. fig. 19n depicts an array of pyramidal- shaped dielectric horn antennas 1901 ', each having a corresponding aperture 1903' . each antenna of the array of pyramidal- shaped dielectric horn antennas 190 can have a feedline 1902 with a corresponding feed point 1902' ' that couples to each corresponding core 1852 of a plurality of cables 1850. each cable 1850 can be coupled to a different (or a same) waveguide system 1865' such as shown in fig. 18t. the array of pyramidal-shaped dielectric horn antennas 1901 ' can be used to transmit wireless signals having a plurality of spatial orientations. an array of pyramidal-shaped dielectric horn antennas 1901 ' covering 360 degrees can enable a one or more waveguide systems 1865' coupled to the antennas to perform omnidirectional communications with other communication devices or antennas of similar type. [000343] the bidirectional propagation properties of electromagnetic waves previously described for the dielectric antenna 1901 of fig. 19a are also applicable for electromagnetic waves propagating from the core 1852 to the feed point 1902" guided by the feedline 1902 to the aperture 1903' of the pyramidal-shaped dielectric horn antennas 190 , and in the reverse direction. similarly, the array of pyramidal- shaped dielectric horn antennas 190 can be substantially or entirely devoid of conductive external surfaces and internal conductive materials as discussed above. for example, in some embodiments, the array of pyramidal- shaped dielectric horn antennas 190 and their corresponding feed points 1902' can be constructed of dielectric-only materials such as polyethylene or polyurethane materials or with only trivial amounts of conductive material that does not significantly alter the radiation pattern of the antenna. [000344] it is further noted that each antenna of the array of pyramidal- shaped dielectric horn antennas 1901 ' can have similar gain and electric field intensity maps as shown for the dielectric antenna 1901 in fig. 19b. each antenna of the array of pyramidal- shaped dielectric horn antennas 1901 ' can also be used for receiving wireless signals as previously described for the dielectric antenna 1901 of fig. 19a. in some embodiments, a single instance of a pyramidal- shaped dielectric horn antenna can be used. similarly, multiple instances of the dielectric antenna 1901 of fig. 19a can be used in an array configuration similar to the one shown in fig. 19n. [000345] turning now to fig. 190, block diagrams of example, non-limiting embodiments of an array 1976 of dielectric antennas 1901 configurable for steering wireless signals in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. the array 1976 of dielectric antennas 1901 can be conical shaped antennas 1901 or pyramidal- shaped dielectric antennas 1901 ' . to perform beam steering, a waveguide system coupled to the array 1976 of dielectric antennas 1901 can be adapted to utilize a circuit 1972 comprising amplifiers 1973 and phase shifters 1974, each pair coupled to one of the dielectric antennas 1901 in the array 1976. the waveguide system can steer far-field wireless signals from left to right (west to east) by incrementally increasing a phase delay of signals supplied to the dielectric antennas 1901. [000346] for example, the waveguide system can provide a first signal to the dielectric antennas of column 1 ("ci") having no phase delay. the waveguide system can further provide a second signal to column 2 ("c2"), the second signal comprising the first signal having a first phase delay. the waveguide system can further provide a third signal to the dielectric antennas of column 3 ("c3"), the third signal comprising the second signal having a second phase delay. lastly, the waveguide system can provide a fourth signal to the dielectric antennas of column 4 ("c4"), the fourth signal comprising the third signal having a third phase delay. these phase shifted signals will cause far-field wireless signals generated by the array to shift from left to right. similarly, far-field signals can be steered from right to left (east to west) ("c4" to "ci"), north to south ("rl" to "r4"), south to north ("r4" to "rl"), and southwest to northeast ("c1-r4" to "c4-r1"). [000347] utilizing similar techniques beam steering can also be performed in other directions such as southwest to northeast by configuring the waveguide system to incrementally increase the phase of signals transmitted by the following sequence of antennas: "c1-r4", "c1-r3/c2-r4", "c1-r2/c2-r3/c3-r4", "c1-r1/c2-r2/c3-r3/c4- r4", "c2-r1/c3-r2/c4-r3", "c3-r1/c4-r2", "c4-r1". in a similar way, beam steering can be performed northeast to southwest, northwest to southeast, southeast to northwest, as well in other directions in three-dimensional space. beam steering can be used, among other things, for aligning the array 1976 of dielectric antennas 1901 with a remote receiver and/or for directivity of signals to mobile communication devices. in some embodiments, a phased array 1976 of dielectric antennas 1901 can also be used to circumvent the use of the gimbal assembly of fig. 19m or other actuated mount. while the foregoing has described beam steering controlled by phase delays, gain and phase adjustment can likewise be applied to the dielectric antennas 1901 of the phased array 1976 in a similar fashion to provide additional control and versatility in the formation of a desired beam pattern. [000348] turning now to figs. 19p1-19p8, side-view block diagrams of example, non- limiting embodiments of a cable, a flange, and dielectric antenna assembly in accordance with various aspects described herein are shown. fig. 19p1 depicts a cable 1850 such as described earlier, which includes a transmission core 1852. the transmission core 1852 can comprise a dielectric core 1802, an insulated conductor 1825, a bare conductor 1832, a core 1842, or a hollow core 1842' as depicted in the transmission mediums 1800, 1820, 1830, 1836, 1841 and/or 1843 of figs. 18a-18d, and 18f-18h, respectively. the cable 1850 can further include a shell (such as a dielectric shell) covered by an outer jacket such as shown in figs. 18a-18c. in some embodiments, the outer jacket can be conductorless (e.g., polyethylene or equivalent). in other embodiments, the outer jacket can be a conductive shield which can reduce leakage of the electromagnetic waves propagating along the transmission core 1852. [000349] in some embodiments, one end of the transmission core 1852 can be coupled to a flange 1942 as previously described in relation to figs. 19j-19l. as noted above, the flange 1942 can enable the transmission core 1852 of the cable 1850 to be aligned with a feed point 1902 of the dielectric antenna 1901. in some embodiments, the feed point 1902 can be constructed of the same material as the transmission core 1852. for example, in one embodiment the transmission core 1852 can comprise a dielectric core, and the feed point 1902 can comprise a dielectric material also. in this embodiment, the dielectric constants of the transmission core 1852 and the feed point 1902 can be similar or can differ by a controlled amount. the difference in dielectric constants can be controlled to tune the interface between the transmission core 1852 and the feed point 1902 for the exchange of electromagnetic waves propagating therebetween. in other embodiments, the transmission core 1852 may have a different construction than the feed point 1902. for example, in one embodiment the transmission core 1852 can comprise an insulated conductor, while the feed point 1902 comprises a dielectric material devoid of conductive materials. [000350] as shown in figs. 19j, the transmission core 1852 can be coupled to the flange 1942 via a center hole 1946, although in other embodiments it will be appreciated that such a hole could be off-centered as well. in one embodiment, the hole 1946 can be threaded and the transmission core 1852 can have a smooth surface. in this embodiment, the flange 1942 can engage the transmission core 1852 by inserting a portion of the transmission core 1852 into the hole 1946 and rotating the flange 1942 to act as a die to form complementary threads on the outer surface of the transmission core 1852. once the transmission core 1852 has been threaded by or into the flange 1942, the portion of the transmission core 1852 extending from the flange 1942 can be shortened or lengthened by rotating the flange 1942 accordingly. [000351] in other embodiments the transmission core 1852 can be pre-threaded with mating threads for engagement with the hole 1946 of the flange 1942 for improving the ease of engaging the transmission core 1852 with the flange 1942. in yet other embodiments, the transmission core 1852 can have a smooth surface and the hole 1946 of the flange 1942 can be non-threaded. in this embodiment, the hole 1946 can have a diameter that is similar to the diameter of the transmission core 1852 such as to cause the engagement of the transmission core 1852 to be held in place by frictional forces. it will be appreciated that there can be several other ways of engaging the transmission core 1852 with the flange 1942, including various clips, fusion, compression fittings, and the like. the feed point 1902 of the dielectric antenna 1901 can be engaged with the other side of the hole 1946 of the flange 1942 in the same manner as described for transmission core 1852. [000352] a gap 1943 can exist between the transmission core 1852 and the feed point 1902. the gap 1943, however, can be adjusted in an embodiment by rotating the feed point 1902 while the transmission core 1852 is held in place or vice-versa. in some embodiments, the ends of the transmission core 1852 and the feed point 1902 engaged with the flange 1942 can be adjusted so that they touch, thereby removing the gap 1943. in other embodiments, the ends of the transmission core 1852 or the feed point 1902 engaged with the flange 1942 can intentionally be adjusted to create a specific gap size. the adjustability of the gap 1943 can provide another degree of freedom to tune the interface between the transmission core 1852 and the feed point 1902. [000353] although not shown in figs. 19p1-19p8, an opposite end of the transmission core 1852 of cable 1850 can be coupled to a waveguide device such as depicted in figs. 18s and 18t utilizing another flange 1942 and similar coupling techniques. the waveguide device can be used for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves along the transmission core 1852. depending on the operational parameters of the electromagnetic waves (e.g., operating frequency, wave mode, etc.), the electromagnetic waves can propagate within the transmission core 1852, on an outer surface of the transmission core 1852, or partly within the transmission core 1852 and the outer surface of the transmission core 1852. when the waveguide device is configured as a transmitter, the signals generated thereby induce electromagnetic waves that propagate along the transmission core 1852 and transition to the feed point 1902 at the junction therebetween. the electromagnetic waves then propagate from the feed point 1902 into the dielectric antenna 1901 becoming wireless signals at the aperture 1903 of the dielectric antenna 1901. [000354] a frame 1982 can be used to surround all or at least a substantial portion of the outer surfaces of the dielectric antenna 1901 (except the aperture 1903) to improve transmission or reception of and/or reduce leakage of the electromagnetic waves as they propagate towards the aperture 1903. in some embodiments, a portion 1984 of the frame 1982 can extend to the feed point 1902 as shown in fig. 19p2 to prevent leakage on the outer surface of the feed point 1902. the frame 1982, for example, can be constructed of materials (e.g., conductive or carbon materials) that reduce leakage of the electromagnetic waves. the shape of the frame 1982 can vary based on a shape of the dielectric antenna 1901. for example, the frame 1852 can have a flared straight- surface shape as shown in figs. 19p1-19p4. alternatively, the frame 1852 can have a flared parabolic- surface shape as shown in figs. 19p5-19p8. it will be appreciated that the frame 1852 can have other shapes. [000355] the aperture 1903 can be of different shapes and sizes. in one embodiment, for example, the aperture 1903 can utilize a lens having a convex structure 1983 of various dimensions as shown in figs. 19p1, 19p4, and 19p6-19p8. in other embodiments, the aperture 1903 can have a flat structure 1985 of various dimensions as shown in figs. 19p2 and 19p5. in yet other embodiments, the aperture 1903 can utilize a lens having a pyramidal structure 1986 as shown in fig. 19p3 and 19q1. the lens of the aperture 1903 can be an integral part of the dielectric antenna 1901 or can be a component that is coupled to the dielectric antenna 1901 as shown in fig. 19c. additionally, the lens of the aperture 1903 can be constructed with the same or a different material than the dielectric antenna 1901. also, in some embodiments, the aperture 1903 of the dielectric antenna 1901 can extend outside the frame 1982 as shown in figs. 19p7-19p8 or can be confined within the frame 1982 as shown in figs. 19p1-19p6. [000356] in one embodiment, the dielectric constant of the lens of the apertures 1903 shown in figs. 19p1-19p8 can be configured to be substantially similar or different from that of the dielectric antenna 1901. additionally, one or more internal portions of the dielectric antenna 1901, such as section 1986 of fig. 19p4, can have a dielectric constant that differs from that of the remaining portions of the dielectric antenna. the surface of the lens of the apertures 1903 shown in figs. 19p1-19p8 can have a smooth surface or can have ridges such as shown in fig. 19e to reduce surface reflections of the electromagnetic waves as previously described. [000357] depending on the shape of the dielectric antenna 1901, the frame 1982 can be of different shapes and sizes as shown in the front views depicted in figs. 19q1, 19q2 and 19q3. for example, the frame 1982 can have a pyramidal shape as shown in fig. 19q1. in other embodiments, the frame 1982 can have a circular shape as depicted in fig. 19q2. in yet other embodiments, the frame 1982 can have an elliptical shape as depicted in fig. 19q3. [000358] the embodiments of figs. 19p1-19p8 and 19q1-19q3 can be combined in whole or in part with each other to create other embodiments contemplated by the subject disclosure. additionally, the embodiments of figs. 19p1-19p8 and 19q1-19q3 can be combined with other embodiments of the subject disclosure. for example, the multi- antenna assembly of fig. 20f can be adapted to utilize any one of the embodiments of figs. 19p1-19p8 and 19q1-19q3. additionally, multiple instances of a multi-antenna assembly adapted to utilize one of the embodiments of figs. 19p1-19p8 19q1-19q3 can be stacked on top of each other to form a phased array that functions similar to the phased array of fig. 190. in other embodiments, absorption sheets 1932 can be added to the dielectric antenna 1901 as shown in fig. 191 to control the widths of near- field and far- field signals. other combinations of the embodiments of figs. 19p1-19p8 and 19q1-19q3 and the embodiments of the subject disclosure are contemplated. [000359] turning now to figs. 20a and 20b, block diagrams illustrating example, non- limiting embodiments of the cable 1850 of fig. 18a used for inducing guided electromagnetic waves on power lines supported by utility poles. in one embodiment, as depicted in fig. 20a, a cable 1850 can be coupled at one end to a microwave apparatus that launches guided electromagnetic waves within one or more inner layers of cable 1850 utilizing, for example, the hollow waveguide 1808 shown in figs. 18a-18c. the microwave apparatus can utilize a microwave transceiver such as shown in fig. 10a for transmitting or receiving signals from cable 1850. the guided electromagnetic waves induced in the one or more inner layers of cable 1850 can propagate to an exposed stub of the cable 1850 located inside a horn antenna (shown as a dotted line in fig. 20a) for radiating the electromagnetic waves via the horn antenna. the radiated signals from the horn antenna in turn can induce guided electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally on power line such as a medium voltage (mv) power line. in one embodiment, the microwave apparatus can receive ac power from a low voltage (e.g., 220v) power line. alternatively, the horn antenna can be replaced with a stub antenna as shown in fig. 20b to induce guided electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally on a power line such as the mv power line or to transmit wireless signals to other antenna system(s). [000360] in an alternative embodiment, the hollow horn antenna shown in fig. 20a can be replaced with a solid dielectric antenna such as the dielectric antenna 1901 of fig. 19 a, or the pyramidal- shaped horn antenna 1901 ' of fig. 19n. in this embodiment the horn antenna can radiate wireless signals directed to another horn antenna such as the bidirectional horn antennas 2040 shown in fig. 20c. in this embodiment, each horn antenna 2040 can transmit wireless signals to another horn antenna 2040 or receive wireless signals from the other horn antenna 2040 as shown in fig. 20c. such an arrangement can be used for performing bidirectional wireless communications between antennas. although not shown, the horn antennas 2040 can be configured with an electromechanical device to steer a direction of the horn antennas 2040. [000361] in alternate embodiments, first and second cables 1850a' and 1850b' can be coupled to the microwave apparatus and to a transformer 2052, respectively, as shown in figs. 20a and 20b. the first and second cables 1850a' and 1850b' can be represented by, for example, cable 1820 or cable 1830 of figs. 18b and 18c, respectively, each having a conductive core. a first end of the conductive core of the first cable 1850a' can be coupled to the microwave apparatus for propagating guided electromagnetic waves launched therein. a second end of the conductive core of the first cable 1850a' can be coupled to a first end of a conductive coil of the transformer 2052 for receiving the guided electromagnetic waves propagating in the first cable 1850a' and for supplying signals associated therewith to a first end of a second cable 1850b' by way of a second end of the conductive coil of the transformer 2052. a second end of the second cable 1850b' can be coupled to the horn antenna of fig. 20a or can be exposed as a stub antenna of fig. 20b for inducing guided electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally on the mv power line. [000362] in an embodiment where cable 1850, 1850a' and 1850b' each comprise multiple instances of transmission mediums 1800, 1820, and/or 1830, a poly-rod structure of antennas 1855 can be formed such as shown in fig. 18k. each antenna 1855 can be coupled, for example, to a horn antenna assembly as shown in fig. 20a or a pie-pan antenna assembly (not shown) for radiating multiple wireless signals. alternatively, the antennas 1855 can be used as stub antennas in fig. 20b. the microwave apparatus of figs. 20a-20b can be configured to adjust the guided electromagnetic waves to beam steer the wireless signals emitted by the antennas 1855. one or more of the antennas 1855 can also be used for inducing guided electromagnetic waves on a power line. [000363] turning now to fig. 20c, a block diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a communication network 2000 in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. in one embodiment, for example, the waveguide system 1602 of fig. 16a can be incorporated into network interface devices (nids) such as nids 2010 and 2020 of fig. 20c. a nid having the functionality of waveguide system 1602 can be used to enhance transmission capabilities between customer premises 2002 (enterprise or residential) and a pedestal 2004 (sometimes referred to as a service area interface or sai). [000364] in one embodiment, a central office 2030 can supply one or more fiber cables 2026 to the pedestal 2004. the fiber cables 2026 can provide high-speed full-duplex data services (e.g., 1-100 gbps or higher) to mini-dslams 2024 located in the pedestal 2004. the data services can be used for transport of voice, internet traffic, media content services (e.g., streaming video services, broadcast tv), and so on. in prior art systems, mini- dslams 2024 typically connect to twisted pair phone lines (e.g., twisted pairs included in category 5e or cat. 5e unshielded twisted-pair (utp) cables that include an unshielded bundle of twisted pair cables, such as 24 gauge insulated solid wires, surrounded by an outer insulating sheath), which in turn connect to the customer premises 2002 directly. in such systems, dsl data rates taper off at 100 mbps or less due in part to the length of legacy twisted pair cables to the customer premises 2002 among other factors. [000365] the embodiments of fig. 20c, however, are distinct from prior art dsl systems. in the illustration of fig. 20c, a mini-dslam 2024, for example, can be configured to connect to nid 2020 via cable 1850 (which can represent in whole or in part any of the cable embodiments described in relation to figs. l8a-18d and 18f-18l singly or in combination). utilizing cable 1850 between customer premises 2002 and a pedestal 2004, enables nids 2010 and 2020 to transmit and receive guide electromagnetic waves for uplink and downlink communications. based on embodiments previously described, cable 1850 can be exposed to rain, or can be buried without adversely affecting electromagnetic wave propagation either in a downlink path or an uplink path so long as the electric field profile of such waves in either direction is confined at least in part or entirely within inner layers of cable 1850. in the present illustration, downlink communications represents a communication path from the pedestal 2004 to customer premises 2002, while uplink communications represents a communication path from customer premises 2002 to the pedestal 2004. in an embodiment where cable 1850 comprises one of the embodiments of figs. 18g-18h, cable 1850 can also serve the purpose of supplying power to the nid 2010 and 2020 and other equipment of the customer premises 2002 and the pedestal 2004. [000366] in customer premises 2002, dsl signals can originate from a dsl modem 2006 (which may have a built-in router and which may provide wireless services such as wifi to user equipment shown in the customer premises 2002). the dsl signals can be supplied to nid 2010 by a twisted pair phone 2008. the nid 2010 can utilize the integrated waveguide 1602 to launch within cable 1850 guided electromagnetic waves 2014 directed to the pedestal 2004 on an uplink path. in the downlink path, dsl signals generated by the mini-dslam 2024 can flow through a twisted pair phone line 2022 to nid 2020. the waveguide system 1602 integrated in the nid 2020 can convert the dsl signals, or a portion thereof, from electrical signals to guided electromagnetic waves 2014 that propagate within cable 1850 on the downlink path. to provide full duplex communications, the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 on the uplink can be configured to operate at a different carrier frequency and/or a different modulation approach than the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 on the downlink to reduce or avoid interference. additionally, on the uplink and downlink paths, the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 are guided by a core section of cable 1850, as previously described, and such waves can be configured to have a field intensity profile that confines the guide electromagnetic waves in whole or in part in the inner layers of cable 1850. although the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 are shown outside of cable 1850, the depiction of these waves is for illustration purposes only. for this reason, the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 are drawn with "hash marks" to indicate that they are guided by the inner layers of cable 1850. [000367] on the downlink path, the integrated waveguide system 1602 of nid 2010 receives the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 generated by nid 2020 and converts them back to dsl signals conforming to the requirements of the dsl modem 2006. the dsl signals are then supplied to the dsl modem 2006 via a set of twisted pair wires of phone line 2008 for processing. similarly, on the uplink path, the integrated waveguide system 1602 of nid 2020 receives the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 generated by nid 2010 and converts them back to dsl signals conforming to the requirements of the mini- dslam 2024. the dsl signals are then supplied to the mini-dslam 2024 via a set of twisted pair wires of phone line 2022 for processing. because of the short length of phone lines 2008 and 2022, the dsl modem 2006 and the mini-dslam 2024 can send and receive dsl signals between themselves on the uplink and downlink at very high speeds (e.g., 1 gbps to 60 gbps or more). consequently, the uplink and downlink paths can in most circumstances exceed the data rate limits of traditional dsl communications over twisted pair phone lines. [000368] typically, dsl devices are configured for asymmetric data rates because the downlink path usually supports a higher data rate than the uplink path. however, cable 1850 can provide much higher speeds both on the downlink and uplink paths. with a firmware update, a legacy dsl modem 2006 such as shown in fig. 20c can be configured with higher speeds on both the uplink and downlink paths. similar firmware updates can be made to the mini-dslam 2024 to take advantage of the higher speeds on the uplink and downlink paths. since the interfaces to the dsl modem 2006 and mini-dslam 2024 remain as traditional twisted pair phone lines, no hardware change is necessary for a legacy dsl modem or legacy mini-dslam other than firmware changes and the addition of the nids 2010 and 2020 to perform the conversion from dsl signals to guided electromagnetic waves 2014 and vice-versa. the use of nids enables a reuse of legacy modems 2006 and mini-dslams 2024, which in turn can substantially reduce installation costs and system upgrades. for new construction, updated versions of mini-dslams and dsl modems can be configured with integrated waveguide systems to perform the functions described above, thereby eliminating the need for nids 2010 and 2020 with integrated waveguide systems. in this embodiment, an updated version of modem 2006 and updated version of mini-dslam 2024 would connect directly to cable 1850 and communicate via bidirectional guided electromagnetic wave transmissions, thereby averting a need for transmission or reception of dsl signals using twisted pair phone lines 2008 and 2022. [000369] in an embodiment where use of cable 1850 between the pedestal 2004 and customer premises 2002 is logistically impractical or costly, nid 2010 can be configured instead to couple to a cable 1850' (similar to cable 1850 of the subject disclosure) that originates from a waveguide 108 on a utility pole 118, and which may be buried in soil before it reaches nid 2010 of the customer premises 2002. cable 1850' can be used to receive and transmit guided electromagnetic waves 2014' between the nid 2010 and the waveguide 108. waveguide 108 can connect via waveguide 106, which can be coupled to base station 104. base station 104 can provide data communication services to customer premises 2002 by way of its connection to central office 2030 over fiber 2026'. similarly, in situations where access from the central office 2030 to pedestal 2004 is not practical over a fiber link, but connectivity to base station 104 is possible via fiber link 2026', an alternate path can be used to connect to ntd 2020 of the pedestal 2004 via cable 1850" (similar to cable 1850 of the subject disclosure) originating from pole 116. cable 1850" can also be buried before it reaches nid 2020. [000370] turning now to figs. 20d-20f, block diagrams of example, non-limiting embodiments of antenna mounts that can be used in the communication network 2000 of fig. 20c (or other suitable communication networks) in accordance with various aspects described herein are shown. in some embodiments, an antenna mount 2053 can be coupled to a medium voltage power line by way of an inductive power supply that supplies energy to one or more waveguide systems (not shown) integrated in the antenna mount 2053 as depicted in fig. 20d. the antenna mount 2053 can include an array of dielectric antennas 1901 (e.g., 16 antennas) such as shown by the top and side views depicted in fig. 20f. the dielectric antennas 1901 shown in fig. 20f can be small in dimension as illustrated by a picture comparison between groups of dielectric antennas 1901 and a conventional ballpoint pen. in other embodiments, a pole mounted antenna 2054 can be used as depicted in fig. 20d. in yet other embodiments, an antenna mount 2056 can be attached to a pole with an arm assembly as shown in fig. 20e. in other embodiments, an antenna mount 2058, depicted in fig. 20e, can be placed on a top portion of a pole coupled to a cable 1850 such as the cables as described in the subject disclosure. [000371] the array of dielectric antennas 1901 in any of the antenna mounts of figs. 20d-20e can include one or more waveguide systems as described in the subject disclosure by way of figs. 1-20. the waveguide systems can be configured to perform beam steering with the array of dielectric antennas 1901 (for transmission or reception of wireless signals). alternatively, each dielectric antenna 1901 can be utilized as a separate sector for receiving and transmitting wireless signals. in other embodiments, the one or more waveguide systems integrated in the antenna mounts of figs. 20d-20e can be configured to utilize combinations of the dielectric antennas 1901 in a wide range of multi-input multi- output (mevio) transmission and reception techniques. the one or more waveguide systems integrated in the antenna mounts of figs. 20d-20e can also be configured to apply communication techniques such as siso, simo, miso, siso, signal diversity (e.g., frequency, time, space, polarization, or other forms of signal diversity techniques), and so on, with any combination of the dielectric antennas 1901 in any of the antenna mounts of figs. 20d-20e. in yet other embodiments, the antenna mounts of figs. 20d-20e can be adapted with two or more stacks of the antenna arrays shown in fig. 20f. [000372] figs. 21a and 21b describe embodiments for downlink and uplink communications. method 2100 of fig. 21a can begin with step 2102 where electrical signals (e.g., dsl signals) are generated by a dslam (e.g., mini-dslam 2024 of pedestal 2004 or from central office 2030), which are converted to guided electromagnetic waves 2014 at step 2104 by nid 2020 and which propagate on a transmission medium such as cable 1850 for providing downlink services to the customer premises 2002. at step 2108, the nid 2010 of the customer premises 2002 converts the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 back to electrical signals (e.g., dsl signals) which are supplied at step 2110 to customer premises equipment (cpe) such as dsl modem 2006 over phone line 2008. alternatively, or in combination, power and/or guided electromagnetic waves 2014' can be supplied from a power line 1850' of a utility grid (having an inner waveguide as illustrated in figs. 18g or 18h) to nid 2010 as an alternate or additional downlink (and/or uplink) path. [000373] at step 2122 of method 2120 of fig. 21b, the dsl modem 2006 can supply electrical signals (e.g., dsl signals) via phone line 2008 to nid 2010, which in turn at step 2124, converts the dsl signals to guided electromagnetic waves directed to nid 2020 by way of cable 1850. at step 2128, the nid 2020 of the pedestal 2004 (or central office 2030) converts the guided electromagnetic waves 2014 back to electrical signals (e.g., dsl signals) which are supplied at step 2129 to a dslam (e.g., mini-dslam 2024). alternatively, or in combination, power and guided electromagnetic waves 2014' can be supplied from a power line 1850' of a utility grid (having an inner waveguide as illustrated in figs. 18g or 18h) to nid 2020 as an alternate or additional uplink (and/or downlink) path. [000374] turning now to fig. 21c, a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 2130 for inducing and receiving electromagnetic waves on a transmission medium is shown. at step 2132, the waveguides 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n - 18t can be configured to generate first electromagnetic waves from a first communication signal (supplied, for example, by a communication device such as a base station), and induce at step 2134 the first electromagnetic waves with "only" a fundamental wave mode at an interface of the transmission medium. in an embodiment, the interface can be an outer surface of the transmission medium as depicted in figs. 18q and 18r. in another embodiment, the interface can be an inner layer of the transmission medium as depicted in figs. 18s and 18t. at step 2136, the waveguides 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n - 18t can be configured to receive second electromagnetic waves at an interface of a same or different transmission medium described in fig. 21c. in an embodiment, the second electromagnetic waves can have "only" a fundamental wave mode. in other embodiments, the second electromagnetic waves may have a combination of wave modes such as a fundamental and non-fundamental wave modes. at step 2138, a second communication signal can be generated from the second electromagnetic waves for processing by, for example, a same or different communication device. the embodiments of figs. 21c and 21d can be applied to any embodiments described in the subject disclosure. [000375] turning now to fig. 21d, a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 2140 for inducing and receiving electromagnetic waves on a transmission medium is shown. at step 2142, the waveguides 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n - 18w can be configured to generate first electromagnetic waves from a first communication signal (supplied, for example, by a communication device), and induce at step 2144 second electromagnetic waves with "only" a non-fundamental wave mode at an interface of the transmission medium. in an embodiment, the interface can be an outer surface of the transmission medium as depicted in figs. 18q and 18r. in another embodiment, the interface can be an inner layer of the transmission medium as depicted in figs. 18s and 18t. at step 2146, the waveguides 1865 and 1865' of figs. 18n - 18w can be configured to receive electromagnetic waves at an interface of a same or different transmission medium described in fig. 21e. in an embodiment, the electromagnetic waves can have "only" a non-fundamental wave mode. in other embodiments, the electromagnetic waves may have a combination of wave modes such as a fundamental and non-fundamental wave modes. at step 2148, a second communication signal can be generated from the electromagnetic waves for processing by, for example, a same or different communication device. the embodiments of figs. 21e and 21f can be applied to any embodiments described in the subject disclosure. [000376] fig. 21e illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 2150 for radiating signals from a dielectric antenna such as those shown in figs. 19a and 19n. method 2150 can begin with step 2152 where a transmitter such as waveguide system 1865' of fig. 18t generates first electromagnetic waves including a first communication signal. the first electromagnetic waves in turn induce at step 2153 second electromagnetic waves on a core 1852 of a cable 1850 coupled to a feed point of any of the dielectric antenna described in the subject disclosure. the second electromagnetic waves are received at the feed point at step 2154 and propagate at step 2155 to a proximal portion of the dielectric antenna. at step 2156, the second electromagnetic waves continue to propagate from the proximal portion of the dielectric antenna to an aperture of the antenna and thereby cause at step 2157 wireless signals to be radiated as previously described in relation to figs. 19a-19n. [000377] fig. 21f illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 2160 for receiving wireless signals at a dielectric antenna such as the dielectric antennas of figs. 19a or 19n. method 2160 can begin with step 2161 where the aperture of the dielectric antenna receives wireless signals. at step 2162, the wireless signals induce electromagnetic waves that propagate from the aperture to the feed point of the dielectric antenna. the electromagnetic waves once received at the feed point at step 2163, propagate at step 2164 to the core of the cable coupled to the feed point. at step 2165, a receiver such as the waveguide system 1865' of fig. 18t receives the electromagnetic waves and generates therefrom at step 2166 a second communication signal. [000378] methods 2150 and 2160 can be used to adapt the dielectric antennas of figs. 19a, 19c, 19e, 19g-19i, and 19l-190 for bidirectional wireless communications with other dielectric antennas such as the dielectric antennas 2040 shown in fig. 20c, and/or for performing bidirectional wireless communications with other communication devices such as a portable communication devices (e.g., cell phones, tablets, laptops), wireless communication devices situated in a building (e.g., a residence), and so on. a microwave apparatus such as shown in fig. 20a can be configured with one or more cables 1850 that couple to a plurality of dielectric antennas 2040 as shown in fig. 20c. in some embodiments, the dielectric antennas 2040 shown in fig. 20c can be configured with yet more dielectric antennas (e.g., 19c, 19e, 19g-19i, and 19l-190) to further expand the region of wireless communications by such antennas. [000379] methods 2150 and 2160 can be further adapted for use with the phased array 1976 of dielectric antennas 1901 of fig. 190 by applying incremental phase delays to portions of the antennas to steer far-field wireless signals emitted. methods 2150 and 2160 can also be adapted for adjusting the far-field wireless signals generated by the dielectric antenna 1901 and/or an orientation of the dielectric antenna 1901 utilizing the gimbal depicted in fig. 19m (which may have controllable actuators) to improve reception of the far-field wireless signals by a remote system (such as another dielectric antenna 1901 coupled to a waveguide system). additionally, the methods 2150 and 2160 can be adapted to receive instructions, messages or wireless signals from the remote system to enable the waveguide system receiving such signals by way of its dielectric antenna 1901 to perform adjustments of the far- field signals. [000380] while for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the respective processes are shown and described as a series of blocks in figs. 21a - 21f, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein. moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methods described herein. [000381] fig. 21g illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 2170 for detecting and mitigating disturbances occurring in a communication network, such as, for example, the system of figs. 16a and 16b. method 2170 can begin with step 2172 where a network element, such as the waveguide system 1602 of figs. 16a-16b, can be configured to monitor degradation of guided electromagnetic waves on an outer surface of a transmission medium, such as power line 1610. a signal degradation can be detected according to any number of factors including without limitation, a signal magnitude of the guided electromagnetic waves dropping below a certain magnitude threshold, a signal to noise ratio (snr) dropping below a certain snr threshold, a quality of service (qos) dropping below one or more thresholds, a bit error rate (ber) exceeding a certain ber threshold, a packet loss rate (plr) exceeding a certain plr threshold, a ratio of reflected electromagnetic waves to forward electromagnetic waves exceeding a certain threshold, an unexpected change or alteration to a wave mode, a spectral change in the guided electromagnetic waves indicating an object or objects are causing a propagation loss or scattering of the guided electromagnetic waves (e.g., water accumulation on an outer surface of the transmission medium, a splice in the transmission medium, a broken tree limb, etc.), or any combinations thereof. a sensing device such as, the disturbance sensor 1604b of fig. 16a, can be adapted to perform one or more of the above signal measurements and determine thereby whether the electromagnetic waves are experiencing signal degradation. other sensing devices suitable for performing the above measurements are contemplated by the subject disclosure. [000382] if signal degradation is detected at step 2174, the network element can proceed to step 2176 where it can determine which object or objects may be causing the degradation, and once detected, report the detected object(s) to the network management system 1601 of figs. 16a-16b. object detection can be accomplished by spectral analysis or other forms of signal analysis, environmental analysis (e.g., barometric readings, rain detection, etc.), or other suitable techniques for detecting foreign objects that may adversely affect propagation of electromagnetic waves guided by the transmission medium. for example, the network element can be configured to generate spectral data derived from an electromagnetic wave received by the network element. the network element can then compare the spectral data to a plurality of spectral profiles stored in its memory. the plurality of spectral profiles can be pre-stored in a memory of the network element, and can be used to characterize or identify obstructions that may cause a propagation loss or signal degradation when such obstructions are present on an outer surface of the transmission medium. [000383] for example, an accumulation of water on an outer surface of a transmission medium, such as a thin layer of water and/or water droplets, may cause a signal degradation in electromagnetic waves guided by the transmission medium that may be identifiable by a spectral profile comprising spectral data that models such an obstruction. the spectral profile can be generated in a controlled environment (such as a laboratory or other suitable testing environment) by collecting and analyzing spectral data generated by test equipment (e.g., a waveguide system with spectrum analysis capabilities) when receiving electromagnetic waves over an outer surface of a transmission medium that has been subjected to water (e.g., simulated rain water). an obstruction such as water can generate a different spectral signature than other obstructions (e.g., a splice between transmission mediums). a unique spectral signature can be used to identify certain obstructions over others. with this technique, spectral profiles can be generated for characterizing other obstructions such as a fallen tree limb on the transmission medium, a splice, and so on. in addition to spectral profiles, thresholds can be generated for different metrics such as snr, ber, plr, and so on. these thresholds can be chosen by a service provider according to desired performance measures for a communication network that utilizing guided electromagnetic waves for transport of data. some obstructions may also be detected by other methods. for example, rain water may be detected by a rain detector coupled to a network element, fallen tree limbs may be detected by a vibration detector coupled to the network element, and so on. [000384] if a network element does not have access to equipment to detect objects that may be causing a degradation of electromagnetic waves, then the network element can skip step 2176 and proceed to step 2178 where it notifies one or more neighboring network elements (e.g., other waveguide system(s) 1602 in a vicinity of the network element) of the detected signal degradation. if signal degradation is significant, the network element can resort to a different medium for communicating with neighboring network element(s), such as, for example, wireless communications. alternatively, the network element can substantially reduce the operating frequency of the guided electromagnetic waves (e.g., from 40 ghz to 1 ghz), or communicate with neighboring network elements utilizing other guided electromagnetic waves operating at a low frequency, such as a control channel (e.g., 1 mhz). a low frequency control channel may be much less susceptible to interference by the object(s) causing the signal degradation at much higher operating frequencies. [000385] once an alternate means of communication is established between network elements, at step 2180 the network element and neighboring network elements can coordinate a process to adjust the guided electromagnetic waves to mitigate the detected signal degradation. the process can include, for example, a protocol for choosing which of the network elements will perform the adjustments to the electromagnetic waves, the frequency and magnitude of adjustments, and goals to achieve a desired signal quality (e.g., qos, ber, plr, snr, etc.). if, for example, the object causing the signal degradation is water accumulation on the outer surface of the transmission medium, the network elements can be configured to adjust a polarization of the electrical fields (e-fields) and/or magnetic fields (h-fields) of the electromagnetic waves to attain a radial alignment of the e-fields as shown in fig. 21h. in particular, fig. 21h presents a block diagram 2101 illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of an alignment of e-fields of an electromagnetic wave to mitigate propagation losses due to water accumulation on a transmission medium in accordance with various aspects described herein. in this example, the longitudinal section of a cable, such as an insulated metal cable implementation of transmission medium 125, is presented along with field vectors that illustrate the e-fields associated with guided electromagnetic waves that propagate at 40 ghz. stronger e-fields are presented by darker field vectors relative to weaker e-fields. [000386] in one embodiment, an adjustment in polarization can be accomplished by generating a specific wave mode of the electromagnetic waves (e.g., transverse magnetic (tm) mode, transverse electric (te) mode, transverse electromagnetic (tem) mode, or a hybrid of a tm mode and te mode also known as an he mode). assuming, for example, that the network element comprises the waveguide system 1865' of fig. 18w, an adjustment in a polarization of e-fields can be accomplished by configuring two or more mmics 1870 to alter a phase, frequency, amplitude or combinations thereof of the electromagnetic waves generated by each mmic 1870. certain adjustments may cause, for example, the e-fields in the region of the water film shown in fig. 21h to align perpendicularly to the surface of the water. electric fields that are perpendicular (or approximately perpendicular) to the surface of water will induce weaker currents in the water film than e-fields parallel to the water film. by inducing weaker currents, the electromagnetic waves propagating longitudinally will experience less propagation loss. additionally, it is also desirable for the concentration of the e-fields to extend above the water film into the air. if the concentration of e-fields in the air remains high and the majority of the total field strength is in the air instead of being concentrated in the region of the water and the insulator, then propagation losses will also be reduced. for example, e-fields of electromagnetic waves that are tightly bound to an insulation layer such as, goubau waves (or tm00 waves— see block diagram 2131 of fig. 21k), will experience higher propagation losses even though the e-fields may be perpendicular (or radially aligned) to the water film because more of the field strength is concentrated in the region of the water. [000387] accordingly, electromagnetic waves with e-fields perpendicular (or approximately perpendicular) to a water film having a higher proportion of the field strength in a region of air (i.e., above the water film) will experience less propagation loss than tightly bound electromagnetic waves having more field strength in the insulating or water layers or electromagnetic waves having e-fields in the direction of propagation within the region of the water film that generate greater losses. [000388] fig. 21h depicts, in a longitudinal view of an insulated conductor, e-field for tm01 electromagnetic waves operating at 40 ghz. figs. 211 and 21 j, in contrast, depict cross- sectional views 2111 and 2121, respectively, of the insulated conductor of fig. 21h illustrating the field strength of e-fields in the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic waves (i.e., e-fields directed out of the page of figs. 211 and 21j). the electromagnetic waves shown in figs. 211 and 21 j have a tm01 wave mode at 45 ghz and 40 ghz, respectively. fig. 211 shows that the intensity of the e-fields in the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic waves is high in a region between the outer surface of the insulation and the outer surface of the water film (i.e., the region of the water film). the high intensity is depicted by a light color (the lighter the color the higher the intensity of the e-fields directed out of the page). fig. 211 illustrates that there is a high concentration of e-fields polarized longitudinally in the region of the water film, which causes high currents in the water film and consequently high propagation losses. thus, under certain circumstances, electromagnetic waves at 45 ghz (having a tm01 wave mode) are less suitable to mitigate rain water or other obstructions located on the outer surface of the insulated conductor. [000389] in contrast, fig. 21j shows that the intensity of the e-fields in the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic waves is weaker in the region of the water film. the lower intensity is depicted by the darker color in the region of the water film. the lower intensity is a result of the e-fields being polarized mostly perpendicular or radial to the water film. the radially aligned e-fields also are highly concentrated in the region of air as shown in fig. 21h. thus, electromagnetic waves at 40 ghz (having a tm01 wave mode) produce e-fields that induce less current in the water film than 45 ghz waves with the same wave mode. accordingly, the electromagnetic waves of fig. 21j exhibit properties more suitable for reducing propagation losses due to a water film or droplets accumulating on an outer surface of an insulated conductor. [000390] since the physical characteristics of a transmission medium can vary, and the effects of water or other obstructions on the outer surface of the transmission medium may cause non-linear effects, it may not always be possible to precisely model all circumstances so as to achieve the e-field polarization and e-field concentration in air depicted in fig. 21h on a first iteration of step 2182. to increase a speed of the mitigation process, a network element can be configured to choose from a look-up table at step 2186 a starting point for adjusting electromagnetic waves. in one embodiment, entries of the look-up table can be searched for matches to a type of object detected at step 2176 (e.g., rain water). in another embodiment, the look-up table can be searched for matches to spectral data derived from the affected electromagnetic wave received by the network elements. table entries can provide specific parameters for adjusting electromagnetic waves (e.g., frequency, phase, amplitude, wave mode, etc.) to achieve at least a coarse adjustment that achieves similar e-field properties as shown in fig. 21h. a coarse adjustment can serve to improve the likelihood of converging on a solution that achieves the desirable propagation properties previously discussed in relation to figs. 21h and 21j. [000391] once a coarse adjustment is made at step 2186, the network element can determine at step 2184 whether the adjustment has improved signal quality to a desirable target. step 2184 can be implemented by a cooperative exchange between network elements. for example, suppose the network element at step 2186 generates an adjusted electromagnetic wave according to parameters obtained from the look-up table and transmits the adjusted electromagnetic wave to a neighboring network element. at step 2184 the network element can determine whether the adjustment has improved signal quality by receiving feedback from a neighboring network element receiving the adjusted electromagnetic waves, analyzing the quality of the received waves according to agreed target goals, and providing the results to the network element. similarly, the network element can test adjusted electromagnetic waves received from neighboring network elements and can provide feedback to the neighboring network elements including the results of the analysis. while a particular search algorithm is discussed above, other search algorithms such as a gradient search, genetic algorithm, global search or other optimization techniques can likewise be employed. accordingly, steps 2182, 2186 and 2184 represent an adjustment and testing process performed by the network element and its neighbor(s). [000392] with this in mind, if at step 2184 a network element (or its neighbors) determine that signal quality has not achieved one or more desired parametric targets (e.g., snr, ber, plr, etc.), then incremental adjustments can begin at step 2182 for each of the network element and its neighbors. at step 2182, the network element (and/or its neighbors) can be configured to adjust a magnitude, phase, frequency, wave mode and/or other tunable features of the electromagnetic waves incrementally until a target goal is achieved. to perform these adjustments, a network element (and its neighbors) can be configured with the waveguide system 1865' of fig. 18w. the network element (and its neighbors) can utilize two or more mmics 1870 to incrementally adjust one or more operational parameters of the electromagnetic waves to achieve e-fields polarized in a particular direction (e.g., away from the direction of propagation in the region of the water film). the two or more mmics 1870 can also be configured to incrementally adjust one or more operational parameters of the electromagnetic waves that achieve e-fields having a high concentration in a region of air (outside the obstruction). [000393] the iteration process can be a trial-and-error process coordinated between network elements to reduce a time for converging on a solution that improves upstream and downstream communications. as part of the coordination process, for example, one network element can be configured to adjust a magnitude but not a wave mode of the electromagnetic waves, while another network element can be configured to adjust the wave mode and not the magnitude. the number of iterations and combination of adjustments to achieve desirable properties in the electromagnetic waves to mitigate obstructions on an outer surface of a transmission medium can be established by a service provider according to experimentation and/or simulations and programmed into the network elements. [000394] once the network element(s) detect at step 2184 that signal quality of upstream and downstream electromagnetic waves has improved to a desirable level that achieves one or more parametric targets (e.g. snr, ber, plr, etc.), the network elements can proceed to step 2188 and resume communications according to the adjusted upstream and downstream electromagnetic waves. while communications take place at step 2188, the network elements can be configured to transmit upstream and downstream test signals based on the original electromagnetic waves to determine if the signal quality of such waves has improved. these test signals can be transmitted at periodic intervals (e.g., once every 30 seconds or other suitable periods). each network element can, for example, analyze spectral data of the received test signals to determine if they achieve a desirable spectral profile and/or other parametric target (e.g. snr, ber, plr, etc.). if the signal quality has not improved or has improved nominally, the network elements can be configured to continue communications at step 2188 utilizing the adjusted upstream and downstream electromagnetic waves. [000395] if, however, signal quality has improved enough to revert back to utilizing the original electromagnetic waves, then the network element(s) can proceed to step 2192 to restore settings (e.g., original wave mode, original magnitude, original frequency, original phase, original spatial orientation, etc.) that produce the original electromagnetic waves. signal quality may improve as a result of a removal of the obstruction (e.g., rain water evaporates, field personnel remove a fallen tree limb, etc.). at step 2194, the network elements can initiate communications utilizing the original electromagnetic waves and perform upstream and downstream tests. if the network elements determine at step 2196 from tests performed at step 2194 that signal quality of the original electromagnetic waves is satisfactory, then the network elements can resume communications with the original electromagnetic waves and proceed to step 2172 and subsequent steps as previously described. [000396] a successful test can be determined at step 2196 by analyzing test signals according to parametric targets associated with the original electromagnetic waves (e.g., ber, snr, plr, etc.). if the tests performed at step 2194 are determined to be unsuccessful at step 2196, the network element(s) can proceed to steps 2182, 2186 and 2184 as previously described. since a prior adjustment to the upstream and downstream electromagnetic waves may have already been determined successfully, the network element(s) can restore the settings used for the previously adjusted electromagnetic waves. accordingly, a single iteration of any one of steps 2182, 2186 and 2184 may be sufficient to return to step 2188. [000397] it should be noted that in some embodiments restoring the original electromagnetic waves may be desirable if, for example, data throughput when using the original electromagnetic waves is better than data throughput when using the adjusted electromagnetic waves. however, when data throughput of the adjusted electromagnetic waves is better or substantially close to the data throughput of the original electromagnetic waves, the network element(s) may instead be configured to continue from step 2188. [000398] it is also noted that although figs. 21h and 21k describe a tm01 wave mode, other wave modes (e.g., he waves, te waves, tem waves, etc.) or combination of wave modes may achieve the desired effects shown in fig. 21h. accordingly, a wave mode singly or in combination with one or more other wave modes may generate electromagnetic waves with e-field properties that reduce propagation losses as described in relation to figs. 21h and 21j. such wave modes are therefore contemplated as possible wave modes the network elements can be configured to produce. [000399] it is further noted that method 2170 can be adapted to generate at steps 2182 or 2186 other wave modes that may not be subject to a cutoff frequency. for example, fig. 21l depicts a block diagram 2141 of an example, non-limiting embodiment of electric fields of a hybrid wave in accordance with various aspects described herein. waves having an he mode have linearly polarized e-fields which point away from a direction of propagation of electromagnetic waves and can be perpendicular (or approximately perpendicular) to a region of obstruction (e.g., water film shown in figs. 21h-21 j). waves with an he mode can be configured to generate e-fields that extend substantially outside of an outer surface of an insulated conductor so that more of the total accumulated field strength is in air. accordingly, some electromagnetic waves having an he mode can exhibit properties of a large wave mode with e-fields orthogonal or approximately orthogonal to a region of obstruction. as described earlier, such properties can reduce propagation losses. electromagnetic waves having an he mode also have the unique property that they do not have a cutoff frequency (i.e., they can operate near dc) unlike other wave modes which have non-zero cutoff frequencies. [000400] turning now to fig. 21m, a block diagram 2151 illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of electric field characteristics of a hybrid wave versus a goubau wave in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. diagram 2158 shows a distribution of energy between he 11 mode waves and goubau waves for an insulated conductor. the energy plots of diagram 2158 assume that the amount of power used to generate the goubau waves is the same as the he11 waves (i.e., the area under the energy curves is the same). in the illustration of diagram 2158, goubau waves have a steep drop in power when goubau waves extend beyond the outer surface of an insulated conductor, while he 11 waves have a substantially lower drop in power beyond the insulation layer. consequently, goubau waves have a higher concentration of energy near the insulation layer than he 11 waves. diagram 2167 depicts similar goubau and he 11 energy curves when a water film is present on the outer surface of the insulator. the difference between the energy curves of diagrams 2158 and 2167 is that the drop in power for the goubau and the he11 energy curves begins on an outer edge of the insulator for diagram 2158 and on an outer edge of the water film for diagram 2167. the energy curves diagrams 2158 and 2167, however, depict the same behavior. that is, the electric fields of goubau waves are tightly bound to the insulation layer, which when exposed to water results in greater propagation losses than electric fields of he 11 waves having a higher concentration outside the insulation layer and the water film. these properties are depicted in the he11 and goubau diagrams 2168 and 2159, respectively. [000401] by adjusting an operating frequency of he11 waves, e-fields of he11 waves can be configured to extend substantially above a thin water film as shown in block diagram 2169 of fig. 21n having a greater accumulated field strength in areas in the air when compared to fields in the insulator and a water layer surrounding the outside of the insulator. fig. 21n depicts a wire having a radius of 1 cm and an insulation radius of 1.5cm with a dielectric constant of 2.25. as the operating frequency of he11 waves is reduced, the e-fields extend outwardly expanding the size of the wave mode. at certain operating frequencies (e.g., 3 ghz) the wave mode expansion can be substantially greater than the diameter of the insulated wire and any obstructions that may be present on the insulated wire. [000402] by having e-fields that are perpendicular to a water film and by placing most of its energy outside the water film, he11 waves have less propagation loss than goubau waves when a transmission medium is subjected to water or other obstructions. although goubau waves have radial e-fields which are desirable, the waves are tightly coupled to the insulation layer, which results in the e-fields being highly concentrated in the region of an obstruction. consequently, goubau waves are still subject to high propagation losses when an obstruction such as a water film is present on the outer surface of an insulated conductor. [000403] turning now to figs. 22a and 22b, block diagrams illustrating example, non- limiting embodiments of a waveguide system 2200 for launching hybrid waves in accordance with various aspects described herein is shown. the waveguide system 2200 can comprise probes 2202 coupled to a slideable or rotatable mechanism 2204 that enables the probes 2202 to be placed at different positions or orientations relative to an outer surface of an insulated conductor 2208. the mechanism 2204 can comprise a coaxial feed 2206 or other coupling that enables transmission of electromagnetic waves by the probes 2202. the coaxial feed 2206 can be placed at a position on the mechanism 2204 so that the path difference between the probes 2202 is one-half a wavelength or some odd integer multiple thereof. when the probes 2202 generate electromagnetic signals of opposite phase, electromagnetic waves can be induced on the outer surface of the insulated conductor 2208 having a hybrid mode (such as an he11 mode). [000404] the mechanism 2204 can also be coupled to a motor or other actuator (not shown) for moving the probes 2202 to a desirable position. in one embodiment, for example, the waveguide system 2200 can comprise a controller that directs the motor to rotate the probes 2202 (assuming they are rotatable) to a different position (e.g., east and west) to generate electromagnetic waves that have a horizontally polarized he11 mode as shown in a block diagram 2300 of fig. 23. to guide the electromagnetic waves onto the outer surface of the insulated conductor 2208, the waveguide system 2200 can further comprise a tapered horn 2210 shown in fig. 22b. the tapered horn 2210 can be coaxially aligned with the insulated conductor 2208. to reduce the cross- sectional dimension of the tapered horn 2210, an additional insulation layer (not shown) can placed on the insulated conductor 2208. the additional insulation layer can be similar to the tapered insulation layer 1879 shown in figs. 18q and 18r. the additional insulation layer can have a tapered end that points away from the tapered horn 2210. the tapered insulation layer 1879 can reduce a size of an initial electromagnetic wave launched according to an he11 mode. as the electromagnetic waves propagate towards the tapered end of the insulation layer, the he 11 mode expands until it reaches its full size as shown in fig. 23. in other embodiments, the waveguide system 2200 may not need to use the tapered insulation layer 1879. [000405] fig. 23 illustrates that he11 mode waves can be used to mitigate obstructions such as rain water. for example, suppose that rain water has caused a water film to surround an outer surface of the insulated conductor 2208 as shown in fig. 23. further assume that water droplets have collected at the bottom of the insulated conductor 2208. as illustrated in fig. 23, the water film occupies a small fraction of the total he11 wave. also, by having horizontally polarized he11 waves, the water droplets are in a least- intense area of the he11 waves reducing losses caused by the droplets. consequently, the he11 waves experience much lower propagation losses than goubau waves or waves having a mode that is tightly coupled to the insulated conductor 2208 and thus greater energy in the areas occupied by the water. [000406] it is submitted that the waveguide system 2200 of figs. 22a-22b can be replaced with other waveguide systems of the subject disclosure capable of generating electromagnetic waves having an he mode. for example, the waveguide system 1865' of fig. 18w can be configured to generate electromagnetic waves having an he mode. in an embodiment, two or more mmics 1870 of the waveguide system 1865' can be configured to generate electromagnetic waves of opposite phase to generate polarized e- fields such as those present in an he mode. in another embodiment, different pairs of mmics 1870 can be selected to generate he waves that are polarized at different spatial positions (e.g., north and south, west and east, northwest and southeast, northeast and southeast, or other sub-fractional coordinates). additionally, the waveguide systems of figs. 18n-18w can be configured to launch electromagnetic waves having an he mode onto the core 1852 of one or more embodiments of cable 1850 suitable for propagating he mode waves. [000407] although he waves can have desirable characteristics for mitigating obstructions on a transmission medium, it is submitted that certain wave modes having a cutoff frequency (e.g., te modes, tm modes, tem modes or combinations thereof) may also exhibit waves that are sufficiently large and have polarized e-fields that are orthogonal (or approximately orthogonal) to a region of an obstruction enabling their use for mitigating propagation losses caused by the obstruction. method 2070 can be adapted, for example, to generate such wave modes from a look-up table at step 2086. wave modes having a cutoff frequency that exhibit, for example, a wave mode larger than the obstruction and polarized e-fields perpendicular (or approximately perpendicular) to the obstruction can be determined by experimentation and/or simulation. once a combination of parameters (e.g., magnitude, phase, frequency, wave mode(s), spatial positioning, etc.) for generating one or more waves with cutoff frequencies having low propagation loss properties is determined, the parametric results for each wave can be stored in a look-up table in a memory of a waveguide system. similarly, wave modes with cutoff frequencies exhibiting properties that reduce propagation losses can also be generated iteratively by any of the search algorithms previously described in the process of steps 2082-2084. [000408] while for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the respective processes are shown and described as a series of blocks in fig. 21g, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein. moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methods described herein. [000409] fig. 24 illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 2400 for sending and receiving electromagnetic waves. method 2400 can be adapted for the waveguides 2522 shown in figs. 25a through 25c. method 2400 can begin at step 2402 where a generator generates a first electromagnetic wave. at step 2404 a waveguide guides the first electromagnetic wave to an interface of a transmission medium, which in turn induces at step 2406 a second electromagnetic wave at the interface of the transmission medium. steps 2402-2406 can be applied to the waveguides 2522 of figs. 25a, 25b and 25c. the generator can be an mmic 1870 or slot 1863 as shown in figs. 18n through 18w. for illustration purposes only, the generator is assumed to be an mmic 2524 positioned within the waveguide 2522 as shown in figs. 25a through 25c. although figs. 25a through 25c illustrate in a longitudinal view of cylindrical waveguides 2522, the waveguides 2522 can be adapted to other structural shapes (e.g., square, rectangular, etc.). [000410] turning to the illustration of fig. 25a, the waveguide 2522 covers a first region 2506 of a core 2528. within the first region 2506, waveguide 2522 has an outer surface 2522a and an inner surface 2523. the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522 can be constructed from a metallic material, carbon, or other material that reflects electromagnetic waves and thereby enables the waveguide 2522 to be configured at step 2404 to guide the first electromagnetic wave 2502 towards the core 2528. the core 2528 can comprise a dielectric core (as described in the subject disclosure) that extends to the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522. in other embodiments, the dielectric core can be surrounded by cladding (such as shown in fig. 18 a), whereby the cladding extends to the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522. in yet other embodiments, the core 2528 can comprise an insulated conductor, where the insulation extends to the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522. in this embodiment, the insulated conductor can be a power line, a coaxial cable, or other types of insulated conductors. [000411] in the first region 2506, the core 2528 comprises an interface 2526 for receiving the first electromagnetic wave 2502. in one embodiment, the interface 2526 of the core 2528 can be configured to reduce reflections of the first electromagnetic wave 2502. in one embodiment, the interface 2526 can be a tapered structure to reduce reflections of the first electromagnetic wave 2502 from a surface of the core 2528. other structures can be used for the interface 2526. for example, the interface 2526 can be partially tapered with a rounded point. accordingly, any structure, configuration, or adaptation of the interface 2526 that can reduced reflections of the first electromagnetic wave 2502 is contemplated by the subject disclosure. at step 2406, the first electromagnetic wave 2502 induces (or otherwise generates) a second electromagnetic wave 2504 that propagates within the core 2528 in the first region 2506 covered by the waveguide 2522. the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522 confines the second electromagnetic wave 2504 within the core 2528. [000412] a second region 2508 of the core 2528 is not covered by the waveguide 2522, and is thereby exposed to the environment (e.g., air). in the second region 2508, the second electromagnetic wave 2504 expands outwardly beginning from the discontinuity between the edge of the waveguide 2522 and the exposed core 2528. to reduce the radiation into the environment from the second electromagnetic wave 2504, the core 2528 can be configured to have a tapered structure 2520. as the second electromagnetic wave 2504 propagates along the tapered structure 2520, the second electromagnetic wave 2504 remains substantially bound to the tapered structure 2520 thereby reducing radiation losses. the tapered structure 2520 ends at a transition from the second region 2508 to a third region 2510. in the third region, the core has a cylindrical structure 2529 having a diameter equal to the endpoint of the tapered structure 2520 at the juncture between the second region 2508 and the third region 2510. in the third region 2510 of the core 2528, the second electromagnetic wave 2504 experiences a low propagation loss. in one embodiment, this can be accomplished by selecting a diameter of the core 2528 that enables the second electromagnetic wave 2504 to be loosely bound to the outer surface of the core 2528 in the third region 2510. alternatively, or in combination, propagation losses of the second electromagnetic wave 2504 can be reduced by configuring the mmics 2524 to adjust a wave mode, wave length, operating frequency, or other operational parameter of the first electromagnetic wave 2502. [000413] fig. 25d illustrates a portion of the waveguide 2522 of fig. 25a depicted as a cylindrical ring (that does not show the mmics 2524 or the tapered structure 2526 of fig. 25a). in the simulations, a first electromagnetic wave is injected at the endpoint of the core 2528 shown in fig. 25d. the simulation assumes no reflections of the first electromagnetic wave based on an assumption that a tapered structure 2526 (or other suitable structure) is used to reduce such reflections. the simulations are shown as two longitudinal cross-sectional views of the core 2528 covered in part by waveguide section 2523a, and an orthogonal cross-sectional view of the core 2528. in the case of the longitudinal cross-sectional views, one of the illustrations is a blown up view of a portion of the first illustration. [000414] as can be seen from the simulations, electromagnetic wave fields 2532 of the second electromagnetic wave 2504 are confined within the core 2528 by the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide section 2523a. as the second electromagnetic wave 2504 enters the second region 2508 (no longer covered by the waveguide section 2523a), the tapered structure 2520 reduces radiation losses of the electromagnetic wave fields 2532 as it expands over the outer tapered surface of the core 2528. as the second electromagnetic wave 2504 enters the third region 2510, the electromagnetic wave fields 2532 stabilize and thereafter remain loosely coupled to the core 2528 (depicted in the longitudinal and orthogonal cross-sectional views), which reduces propagation losses. [000415] fig. 25b provides an alternative embodiment to the tapered structure 2520 in the second region 2508. the tapered structure 2520 can be avoided by extending the waveguide 2522 into the second region 2508 with a tapered structure 2522b and maintaining the diameter of the core 2528 throughout the first, second and third regions 2506, 2508 and 2510 of the core 2528 as depicted in fig. 25b. the horn structure 2522b can be used to reduce radiation losses of the second electromagnetic wave 2504 as the second electromagnetic wave 2504 transitions from the first region 2506 to the second region 2508. in the third region 2510, the core 2528 is exposed to the environment. as noted earlier, the core 2528 is configured in the third region 2510 to reduce propagation losses by the second electromagnetic wave 2504. in one embodiment, this can be accomplished by selecting a diameter of the core 2528 that enables the second electromagnetic wave 2504 to be loosely bound to the outer surface of the core 2528 in the third region 2510. alternatively, or in combination, propagation losses of the second electromagnetic wave 2504 can be reduced by adjusting a wave mode, wave length, operating frequency, or other performance parameter of the first electromagnetic wave 2502. [000416] the waveguides 2522 of figs. 25 a and 25b can also be adapted for receiving electromagnetic waves. for example, the waveguide 2522 of fig. 25 a can be adapted to receive an electromagnetic wave at step 2412. this can be represented by an electromagnetic wave 2504 propagating in the third region 2510 from east to west (orientation shown at bottom right of figs. 25a-25b) towards the second region 2508. upon reaching the second region 2508, the electromagnetic wave 2504 gradually becomes more tightly coupled to the tapered structure 2520. when it reaches the boundary between the second region 2508 and the first region 2506 (i.e., the edge of the waveguide 2522), the electromagnetic wave 2504 propagates within the core 2528 confined by the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522. eventually the electromagnetic wave 2504 reaches an endpoint of the tapered interface 2526 of the core 2528 and radiates as a new electromagnetic wave 2502 which is guided by the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522. [000417] one or more antennas of the mmics 2524 can be configured to receive the electromagnetic wave 2502 thereby converting the electromagnetic wave 2502 to an electrical signal at step 2414 which can be processed by a processing device (e.g., a receiver circuit and microprocessor). to prevent interference between electromagnetic waves transmitted by the mmics 2524, a remote waveguide system that transmitted the electromagnetic wave 2504 that is received by the waveguide 2522 of fig. 25a can be adapted to transmit the electromagnetic wave 2504 at a different operating frequency, different wave mode, different phase, or other adjustable operational parameter to avoid interference. electromagnetic waves can be received by the waveguide 2522 of fig. 25b in a similar manner as described above. [000418] turning now to fig. 25c, the waveguide 2522 of fig. 25b can be adapted to support transmission mediums 2528 that have no endpoints such as shown in fig. 25c. in this illustration, the waveguide 2522 comprises a chamber 2525 in a first region 2506 of the core 2528. the chamber 2525 creates a gap 2527 between an outer surface 2521 of the core 2528 and the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522. the gap 2527 provides sufficient room for placement of the mmics 2524 on the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522. to enable the waveguide 2522 to receive electromagnetic waves from either direction, the waveguide 2522 can be configured with symmetrical regions: 2508 and 2508', 2510 and 2510', and 2512, and 2512' . in the first region 2506, the chamber 2525 of the waveguide 2522 has two tapered structures 2522b' and 2522b" . these tapered structures 2522b' and 2522b" enable an electromagnetic wave to gradually enter or exit the chamber 2525 from either direction of the core 2528. the mmics 2524 can be configured with directional antennas to launch a first electromagnetic wave 2502 directed from east-to-west or from west-to-east in relation to the longitudinal view of the core 2528. similarly, the directional antennas of the mmics 2524 can be configured to receive an electromagnetic waves propagating longitudinally on the core 2528 from east-to-west or from west-to-east. the process for transmitting electromagnetic waves is similar to that described for fig. 25b depending on whether the directional antennas of the mmics 2524 are transmitting from east-to-west or from west-to-east. [000419] although not shown, the waveguide 2522 of fig. 25c can be configured with a mechanism such as one or more hinges that enable splitting the waveguide 2522 into two parts that can be separated. the mechanism can be used to enable installation of the waveguide 2522 onto a core 2528 without endpoints. other mechanisms for installation of the waveguide 2522 of fig. 25c on a core 2528 are contemplated by the subject disclosure. for example, the waveguide 2522 can be configured with a slot opening that spans the entire waveguide structure longitudinally. in a slotted design of the waveguide 2522, the regions 2522c and 2522c of the waveguide 2522 can be configured so that the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522 is tightly coupled to the outer surface of the core 2528. the tight coupling between the inner surface 2523 of the waveguide 2522 the outer surface of the core 2528 prevents sliding or movement of the waveguide 2522 relative to the core 2528. a tight coupling in the regions 2522c and 2522c can also be applied to a hinged design of the waveguide 2522. [000420] the waveguides 2522 shown in figs. 25 a, 25b and 25c can be adapted to perform one or more embodiments described in other figures of the subject disclosure. accordingly, it is contemplated that such embodiments can be applied to the waveguide 2522 of figs. 25a, 25b and 25c. additionally, any adaptations in the subject disclosure of a core can be applied to the waveguide 2522 of figs. 25 a, 25b and 25c. [000421] while for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the respective processes are shown and described as a series of blocks in fig. 24, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein. moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methods described herein. [000422] it is further noted that the waveguide launchers 2522 of figs. 25a-25d and/or other waveguide launchers described and shown in the figures of the subject disclosure (e.g., figs. 7-14, 18n-18w, 22a-22b and other drawings) and any methods thereof can be adapted to generate on a transmission medium having an outer surface composed of, for example, a dielectric material (e.g., insulation, oxidation, or other material with dielectric properties) a single wave mode or combination of wave modes that reduce propagation losses when propagating through a substance, such as a liquid (e.g., water produced by humidity, snow, dew, sleet and/or rain), disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium. [000423] figs. 25e, 25f, 25g, 25h, 251, 25j, 25k, 25l, 25m, 25n, 250, 25p, 25q, 25r, 25s and 25t are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of wave modes (and electric field plots associated therewith) that can be generated on an outer surface of a transmission medium by one or more of the waveguides of the subject disclosure and adaptations thereof. turning first to fig. 25e, an illustration is provided that depicts a longitudinal cross-section of a transmission medium 2542. the transmission medium 2542 can comprise a conductor 2543, a dielectric material 2544 (e.g., insulation, oxidation, etc.) disposed on the conductor 2543, and a substance / water film 2545 (or other accumulation of water, liquid, or other substance) disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544. the transmission medium 2542 can be exposed to a gaseous substance such as atmosphere or air 2546 (or can be located in a vacuum). the respective thicknesses of the conductor 2543, dielectric material 2544, and water film 2545 are not drawn to scale and are therefore meant only to be illustrative. although not shown in fig. 25e, the conductor 2543 can be a cylindrical conductor e.g., single conductor, braided multi-strand conductor, etc.) surrounded by the dielectric material 2544, and air 2546. to simplify the illustration of the subject disclosure, only a portion of the conductor 2543 near the upper (or first) surface is shown. furthermore, a symmetrical portion of the dielectric material 2544, water film 2545, and air 2546, which would be located under (or on an opposite/bottom side of) the conductor 2543, in the longitudinal cross section of fig. 25e, is not shown. [000424] in certain embodiments, gravitational forces can cause the water film 2545 to be concentrated predominantly on a limited portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium 2542 (e.g., on a bottom side of the transmission medium 2542). it is therefore not necessary in the present illustration for the outer surface of the dielectric material to be completely surrounded by the water film 2545. it is further noted that the water film 2545 can be droplets or beads of water rather than a contiguous water film. although fig. 25e illustrates an insulated conductor (i.e., conductor 2543 surrounded by the dielectric material 2544), other configurations of the transmission medium 2542 are possible and applicable to the subject disclosure, such as, for example, a transmission medium 2542 composed of a bare wire or other uninsulated conductor or solely of a dielectric material of various structural shapes (e.g., cylindrical structure, rectangular structure, square structure, etc.). [000425] fig. 25e further depicts electric fields of a fundamental transverse magnetic wave mode in the form of tm00 wave mode, sometimes referred to as the goubau wave mode, launched onto the outer surface of the transmission medium 2542 by one of the waveguide launchers described in the subject disclosure or an adaptation thereof and that travels in a longitudinal direction along the transmission medium 2542 corresponding to the direction of wave propagation shown. electromagnetic waves that propagate along a transmission medium via a transverse magnetic (tm) mode have electric fields with both radial rho-field components that extend radially outward from the transmission medium and are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and longitudinal z-field components that vary as a function of time and distance of propagation that are parallel to the longitudinal direction but no azimuthal phi-field components that are perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the radial direction. [000426] the tm00 goubau wave mode produces electric fields with predominant radial rho-field components extending away from the conductor at a high field strength throughout the dielectric in the region 2550. the tm00 goubau wave mode also produces electric fields with predominant radial rho-field components extending into the conductor at a high field strength throughout the dielectric in the region 2550". furthermore, in the region 2550' between regions 2550 and 2550", electric fields with smaller magnitudes and with predominant longitudinal z-field components are produced. the presence of these electric fields inside the dielectric produces some attenuation, but losses in these regions are insignificant compared with the effects of a thin water film as will be discussed below. [000427] an expanded view 2548 of a small region of the transmission medium 2542 (depicted by a dashed oval) is shown at the bottom right of fig. 25e. the expanded view 2548 depicts a higher resolution of the electric fields present in the small region of the transmission medium 2542. the expanded view shows electric fields in the dielectric material 2544, the water film 2545 and the air 2546. a substantial portion of the electric fields depicted in region 2547 of the expanded view 2548 has a significant longitudinal component, particularly in the region near the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 in an area of the water film 2545. as an electromagnetic wave exhibiting a tm00 (goubau) wave mode propagates longitudinally (left- to-right or right- to-left), the areas of strong longitudinal component of the electric fields shown in region 2547 cause the electric field to traverse a greater portion of the water film 2545 thereby causing substantial propagation losses, which can be in the order of 200 db/m of attenuation for frequencies in the range of 24-40 ghz, for example. [000428] fig. 25f depicts a cross-sectional longitudinal view of simulated electromagnetic waves having a tm00 (goubau) wave mode, and the effects when such waves propagate on a dry versus wet transmission medium 2542 implemented as a 1 -meter (in length) insulated conductor. for illustration purposes only, the simulation assumes a lossless insulator to focus the analysis on a degree of attenuation caused by a 0.1 mm water film. as shown in the illustration, when electromagnetic waves having the tm00 (goubau) wave mode propagate on the dry transmission medium 2452, the waves experience minimal propagation losses. in contrast, when the same electromagnetic waves having the tm00 (goubau) wave mode propagate in the wet transmission medium 2542, they experience significant propagation losses greater than 200 db in attenuation over the 1 meter length of the insulated conductor for frequencies in the range of 24-40 ghz, for example. [000429] fig. 25g illustrates a simulation depicting the magnitude and frequency properties of electromagnetic waves having a tm00 goubau wave mode that propagate on a dry insulated conductor 2542 versus a wet insulated conductor 2542. for illustration purposes only, the simulation assumes a lossless insulator to focus the analysis on the degree of attenuation caused by a 0.1 mm water film. the plots show that when the transmission medium 2542 is wet, electromagnetic waves having a tm00 goubau wave mode experience attenuations of approximately 200 db/m for a range of frequencies of 24- 40 ghz. in contrast, the plot for the dry insulated conductor 2542 experiences nearly no attenuation in the same range of frequencies. [000430] figs. 25h and 251 illustrate electric field plots of an electromagnetic wave having tm00 goubau wave mode with an operating frequency of 3.5 ghz and 10 ghz, respectively. although the vertical axis represents field intensity and not distance, hash lines have been superimposed on the plots of figs. 25h and 251 (as well as the plots of figs. 25m-25s) to depict the respective portions of the conductor, insulator and water film relative to their position indicated by the x-axis. while the field strengths were calculated in figs. 25h and 251 (as well as the plots of figs. 25m-25s) based on a condition where no water is present, the plot shown in fig. 25h nevertheless helps explain why a tm00 goubau wave mode at lower frequencies has low propagation losses when water is present on the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 in the position shown. [000431] to understand the plots of figs. 25h and 251, it is important to understand the difference between radial rho-fields and longitudinal z-fields. when viewing a longitudinal cross-section of a transmission medium 2542 such as shown in fig. 25e, rho- fields represent electric fields that extend radially outward from or inward to (perpendicular to the longitudinal axis) the conductor 2543 through the dielectric material 2544, a water film 2545 that may be present, and the air 2546. in contrast, z-fields are electric fields that are aligned with the dielectric material 2544, the water film 2545, or the air 2546 in a manner that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium 2542. a propagating electromagnetic wave having solely electric field components that are radial or perpendicular to a water film 2545 does not experience a significant loss in field strength as the electromagnetic wave propagates longitudinally (from left-to-right or right-to-left) along the outer surface of the transmission medium 2542. in contrast, a propagating electromagnetic wave having electric field components that are parallel (or longitudinal), i.e., z-fields aligned with the water film 2545, having a field strength substantially greater than 0 will experience a substantial loss in field strength (i.e., propagation loss) as the electromagnetic wave propagates longitudinally (from left-to-right or right-to-left) along the outer surface of the transmission medium 2542. [000432] in the case of a tm00 goubau wave mode at 3.5 ghz as shown in the plot of fig. 25h, the z-field component of the electric fields has a field strength that is small relative to the rho-field (radial) component beginning from the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 and through the position where a water film 2545 could be present as shown in fig. 25h. in particular, the plot 25h indicates the magnitude of the field strength of the rho-field and z-field components, at a point in time when they are at their peak, as a function of radial distance away from the center of a transmission medium. while the field strengths were calculated based on a condition where no water is present, the plot shown in fig. 25g nevertheless helps explain why a tm00 goubau wave mode at lower frequencies has low propagation losses when water is present on the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 in the position shown. indeed, according to an embodiment, where the electric fields have large radial components (e.g., radial rho fields) that are perpendicular to the propagation direction, and conversely relatively small longitudinal components (e.g., z-fields) at the region of the substance / water film, then there can be relatively low propagation losses. consequently, an electromagnetic wave having a tm00 goubau wave mode at 3.5 ghz will not experience a substantial attenuation when the water film 2545 is disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 (due to rain, snow, dew, sleet and/or excess humidity). this is not true for all frequencies however, particularly as frequencies approach the millimeter wave range. [000433] for instance, fig. 251 depicts a plot of a tm00 wave mode at 10 ghz. in this plot, the field strength of the z-field component in the region of the water film is relatively large when compared to the rho-field (radial) component. consequently, propagation losses are very high. fig. 25j shows that when a water film having a thickness of 0.1mm is present on the external surface of the insulated conductor, a tm00 wave mode at 4 ghz experiences an attenuation of 0.62 db/m which is significantly lower than a tm00 wave mode at 10 ghz, which experiences an attenuation of 45 db/m. accordingly, a tm00 wave mode operating at high frequencies reaching millimeter wave frequencies can experience a substantial propagation loss when a water film is present on the outer surface of a transmission medium. [000434] turning now to fig. 25k, an illustration is provided that depicts an electromagnetic wave having a tm01 wave mode(e.g., a non-fundamental wave mode) that propagates on the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544. in the expanded view 2548, region 2547 illustrates that the electric fields of the electromagnetic wave having a tm01 wave mode have a significant radial rho-field component, and insignificant longitudinal z-field component in the region near the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 in an area of the water film 2545. tm01 wave modes have a cutoff frequency greater than zero hertz. when the electromagnetic wave having a tm01 wave mode is configured by a waveguide launcher of the subject disclosure (an adaptation thereof or other launcher) to operate in a frequency range near its cutoff frequency, a small fraction of power is carried by the dielectric material 2544, while most of the power is concentrated in the air 2546. [000435] the tm01 wave mode produces electric fields in the region 2551 with predominant radial rho-field components extending away from the conductor that reverse in the dielectric 2544 and point inward from the air into the dielectric 2544 at the surface of the dielectric. the tm01 wave mode also produces electric fields in the region 2551" with predominant radial rho-field components extending into the conductor that reverse in the dielectric 2544 and point outward into the air from the dielectric 2544 at the surface of the dielectric. furthermore, in the region 255 between regions 2551 and 2551", electric fields with predominant longitudinal z-field components are produced within the dielectric layer 2544. as in the case of the tm00 mode, the presence of these electric fields inside the dielectric 2544 produces some attenuation, but losses in these regions may not be significant enough to prevent propagation of a tm01 wave over significant distances. [000436] additionally, the electric fields of the tm01 wave mode in region 2547 of the water film 2545 are predominantly radial and have relatively insignificant longitudinal components. consequently, the propagating wave does not experience large propagation losses as the electromagnetic wave with this field structure propagates longitudinally (from left-to-right or right-to-left) along the outer surface of the transmission medium 2542. [000437] fig. 25l depicts a cross-sectional longitudinal view of electromagnetic waves having a tm01 wave mode, and the effects when such waves propagate on a dry versus wet transmission medium 2542 at a millimeter wave frequency or slightly below. as shown in the illustration, when electromagnetic waves having the tm01 wave mode propagate on the dry transmission medium 2452, the waves experience minimal propagation losses. in contrast to the electromagnetic wave having a tm00 goubau wave mode at similar frequencies, when the electromagnetic waves having tm01 wave mode propagate in the wet transmission medium 2542, they experience only a modest additional attenuation. electromagnetic waves having a tm01 wave mode in a millimeter frequency range, for example, are therefore much less susceptible to increased propagation losses due to the presence of the water film 2545 than electromagnetic waves having a tm00 goubau wave mode in this same frequency range. [000438] fig. 25m provides an illustration of an electric field plot of a radial rho-field component and longitudinal z-field component of the electric fields of a tm01 wave mode having an operating frequency at 30.437 ghz, which is 50 mhz above its cutoff frequency. the cutoff frequency is at 30.387 ghz based on a 4mm radius of the conductor 2543 and 4mm thickness of the dielectric material 2544. a higher or lower cutoff frequency for a tm01 wave mode is possible when the dimensions of the conductor 2543 and dielectric material 2544 differ from the present illustration. in particular, the plot indicates the magnitude of the field strength of the rho-field and z-field components, at a point in time when they are at their peak, as a function of radial distance away from the center of a transmission medium. while the field strengths were calculated based on a condition where no water is present, the plot shown in fig. 25m nevertheless helps explain why a tm01 wave mode has low propagation losses when water is present on the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 in the position shown. as noted earlier, electric fields that are substantially perpendicular to the water film 2545 do not experience a significant loss in field strength, while electric fields that are parallel/longitudinal to the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 within the area of the water film 2545 will experience a substantial loss in field strength as the electromagnetic wave having this field structure propagates along the transmission medium 2542. [000439] in the case of a tm01 wave mode, the longitudinal z-field component of the electric fields can have a field strength that is extremely small relative to the magnitude of the radial field beginning from the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 and through the water film 2545 as shown in fig. 25m. consequently, an electromagnetic wave having a tm01 wave mode at 30.437 ghz will experience much less attenuation than a tm00 goubau wave mode at a frequency greater than 6 ghz (e.g., at 10 ghz— see fig. 25j) when a water film 2545 is disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 (due to rain, dew, snow, sleet and/or excess humidity). [000440] fig. 25n illustrates a plot depicting the magnitude and frequency properties of electromagnetic waves having a tm01 wave mode that propagate on a dry transmission medium 2542 versus a wet transmission medium 2542. the plots show that when the transmission medium 2542 is wet, electromagnetic waves having a tm01 wave mode experience a modest attenuation when the tm01 wave mode is operating in a frequency range (e.g., 28 ghz - 31 ghz) near its cutoff frequency. in contrast, the tm00 goubau wave mode experiences a significant attenuation of 200 db/m as shown in the plot of fig. 25g over this same frequency range. the plot of fig. 25n thus confirms the results of the dry versus wet simulations shown in fig. 25l. [000441] figs. 250, 25p, 25q, 25r and 25s depict other wave modes that can exhibit similar properties like those shown for a tm01 wave mode. for example, fig. 250 provides an illustration of an electric field plot of a radial rho-field component and a longitudinal z-field component of the electric fields of a tm02 wave mode having an operating frequency at 61.121 ghz, which is 50 mhz above its cutoff frequency. as noted above, the cutoff frequency can be higher or lower when the dimensions of the conductor 2543 and dielectric material 2544 differ from the present illustration. in particular, the plot indicates the magnitude of the field strength of the rho-field and z-field components, at a point in time when they are at their peak, as a function of radial distance away from the center of a transmission medium. while the field strengths were calculated based on a condition where no water is present, the z-field component of the electric fields can have a field strength that is extremely small relative to the magnitude of the radial rho-field beginning from the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 and through the position that would be occupied by the water film 2545 as shown in fig. 250. consequently, an electromagnetic wave exhibiting a tm02 wave mode will experience much less attenuation due to an accumulation of water on an outer surface of a dielectric layer than wave modes with more significant longitudinal z-field components in a position corresponding to the water film. [000442] fig. 25p provides an illustration of an electric field plot of a radial rho-field component, a longitudinal z-field component, and an azimuthal phi-field component of the electric fields of a hybrid wave mode; specifically, an eh 11 wave mode having an operating frequency at 31.153 ghz, which is 50 mhz above its cutoff frequency. as before, the cutoff frequency in the illustration of fig. 25p can be higher or lower depending on the dimensions of the conductor 2543 and dielectric material 2544. [000443] non-tm wave modes such as hybrid eh wave modes can have azimuthal field components that are perpendicular to the radial rho-field and longitudinal z-field components and that tangentially encircle the circumference of the transmission medium 2542 in a clockwise and/or counterclockwise direction. like the z-field components, phi- field (azimuthal) components at the outer surface of the dielectric 2544 can cause significant propagation losses in the presence of a thin film of water 2545. the plot of fig. 25p indicates the magnitudes of the field strength of the rho-field, phi-field and z- field components, at a point in time when they are at their peak, as a function of radial distance away from the center of a transmission medium 2542. while the field strengths were calculated based on a condition where no water is present, the z-field and phi-field components of the electric field each have a field strength that is very small relative to the magnitude of the radial field beginning from the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 and through the position that would be occupied by the water film 2545. consequently, an electromagnetic wave having an eh11 wave mode will experience much less attenuation due to an accumulation of water on an outer surface of a dielectric layer than wave modes with more significant longitudinal z-field and phi-field components in a position corresponding to the water film. [000444] fig. 25q provides an illustration of an electric field plot of a radial rho-field component, a longitudinal z-field component, and an azimuthal phi-field component of the electric fields of a higher order hybrid wave mode; specifically, an eh12 wave mode having an operating frequency at 61.5 ghz, which is 50 mhz above its cutoff frequency. as before, the cutoff frequency can be higher or lower depending on the dimensions of the conductor 2543 and dielectric material 2544. in particular, the plot indicates the magnitudes of the field strength of the rho-field, phi-field and z-field components, at a point in time when they are at their peak, as a function of radial distance away from the center of a transmission medium. while the field strengths were calculated based on a condition where no water is present, the z-field and phi-field components of the electric field each have a field strength that is very small relative to the magnitude of the radial field beginning from the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 and through the position that would be occupied by the water film 2545. consequently, an electromagnetic wave exhibiting an eh 12 wave mode will experience much less attenuation due to an accumulation of water on an outer surface of a dielectric layer than wave modes with more significant longitudinal z-field and phi-field components in a position corresponding to the water film. [000445] fig. 25r provides an illustration of an electric field plot of a radial rho-field component, a longitudinal z-field component, and an azimuthal phi-field component of the electric fields of a hybrid wave mode; specifically, an he22 wave mode having an operating frequency at 36.281 ghz, which is 50 mhz above its cutoff frequency. as before, the cutoff frequency can be higher or lower depending on the dimensions of the conductor 2543 and dielectric material 2544. in particular, the plot indicates the magnitudes of the field strength of the rho-field, phi-field and z-field components, at a point in time when they are at their peak, as a function of radial distance away from the center of a transmission medium. while the field strengths were calculated based on a condition where no water is present, the z-field and phi-field components of the electric field each have a field strength that is small relative to the magnitude of the radial field beginning from the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 and through the position that would be occupied by the water film 2545. consequently, an electromagnetic wave exhibiting an eh22 wave mode will experience much less attenuation due to an accumulation of water on an outer surface of a dielectric layer than wave modes with more significant longitudinal z-field and phi-field components in a position corresponding to the water film. [000446] fig. 25s provides an illustration of an electric field plot of a radial rho-field component, a longitudinal z-field component, and an azimuthal phi-field component of the electric fields of a higher order hybrid wave mode; specifically, an he23 wave mode having an operating frequency at 64.425 ghz, which is 50 mhz above its cutoff frequency. as before, the cutoff frequency can be higher or lower depending on the dimensions of the conductor 2543 and dielectric material 2544. in particular, the plot indicates the magnitudes of the field strength of the rho-field, phi- field and z-field components, at a point in time when they are at their peak, as a function of radial distance away from the center of a transmission medium. while the field strengths were calculated based on a condition where no water is present, the z-field and phi-field components of the electric field each have a field strength that is small relative to the magnitude of the radial field beginning from the outer surface of the dielectric material 2544 and through the position that would be occupied by the water film 2545. consequently, an electromagnetic wave exhibiting an he23 wave mode will experience much less attenuation due to an accumulation of water on an outer surface of a dielectric layer than wave modes with more significant longitudinal z-field and phi-field components in a position corresponding to the water film. [000447] based on the observations of the electric field plots of figs. 25m and 250, it can be said that electromagnetic waves having a tmom wave mode, where m > 0, will experience less propagation losses than wave modes with more significant longitudinal z- field and/or phi-field components in a position corresponding to the water film. similarly, based on the observations of the electric field plots of figs. 25p-25q, it can be said that electromagnetic waves having an ehlm wave mode, where m > 0, will experience less propagation losses than wave modes with more significant longitudinal z-field and/or phi- field components in a position corresponding to the water film. additionally, based on the observations of the electric field plots of figs. 25r-25s, it can be said that electromagnetic waves having an he2m wave mode, where m > 1, will experience less propagation losses than wave modes with more significant longitudinal z-field and/or phi-field components in a position corresponding to the water film. [000448] it is further noted that the waveguide launchers 2522 of figs. 25a-25d and/or other waveguide launchers described and shown in the figures of the subject disclosure (e.g., figs. 7-14, 18n-18w, 22a-22b and other drawings) can be adapted to generate or induce on a transmission medium having an outer surface composed of, for example, a dielectric material (e.g., insulation, oxidation, or other material with dielectric properties) an electromagnetic wave having a tmom wave mode or an ehlm wave mode (where m > 0), an he2m wave mode (where m > 1), or any other type of wave mode that exhibits a low field strength for a z-field component (and azimuthal field component if present) in a proximal region above the outer surface of the transmission medium where a water film may be present. since certain wave modes have electric field structures near an out surface of a transmission medium that are less susceptible to propagation losses, the waveguide launchers of the subject disclosure can be adapted to generate singly, or when suitable, in combination, an electromagnetic wave(s) having the aforementioned wave mode properties to reduce propagation losses when propagating through a substance, such as a liquid (e.g., water produced by humidity and/or rain), disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium. it is further noted that in certain embodiments the transmission medium used to propagate one or more of the aforementioned wave modes can be composed solely of a dielectric material. [000449] referring back to the tm01 wave mode of fig. 25k, it is also noted that the region 2549 in the expanded view 2548 shows electric field vectors exhibiting the behavior of an eddy (e.g., a circular or whirlpool-like pattern). although it would appear that certain electric field vectors in region 2549 have longitudinal field components located within the water film 2545, such vectors have a very low field strength and are also substantially less in quantity when compared to the higher strength radial field components located within region 2547 (without including region 2549). nevertheless, the few electric field vectors with non-zero longitudinal components in region 2549 can be a contributing factor to the modest attenuation described earlier in relation to the wet transmission medium 2542 of fig. 25l. the adverse effects of the electric field vectors in the small eddy region 2549 of fig. 25k are substantially less than the adverse effects caused by the substantial number of electric field vectors with significant longitudinal components in region 2547 of the tm00 goubau wave mode of fig. 25e, which have a much higher field strength and are within the water film 2545. as noted earlier, the electric field vectors in region 2547 of the tm00 goubau wave mode cause a much higher propagation loss (as much as 200 db/m attenuation) at frequencies above 6 ghz as depicted by the wet transmission medium 2542 of figs. 25f-25g, 251 and 25j, which is not the case for a tm01 wave mode. [000450] it is also noted that the electric field depictions in figs. 25e and 25k are not static in time and space. that is, as an electromagnetic wave propagates in space longitudinally along a transmission medium, the electric fields associated with the electromagnetic wave change when viewed at a static location of the transmission medium as time progresses. consequently, the electric field plots shown in figs. 25h, 251, 25m and 250-25s, are non-static and can expand and contract, as well as, reverse in polarity. even though the electric field plots are not static, the average field strength of the z-field component (and azimuthal field component when present) for a tmom wave mode and ehlm wave mode (where m > 0), and he2m wave mode (where m > 1) is substantially lower than that exhibited by z-field component of a tm00 goubau wave mode above 6 ghz. consequently, a tmom wave mode and ehlm wave mode (where m > 0), and he2m wave mode (where m > 1) experience a much lower propagation loss than a tm00 goubau wave mode in the range of frequencies above 6 ghz in the presence of a water film 2545. [000451] it is further noted that the electric fields of a tm00 goubau wave mode differ substantially from a tmom wave mode and ehlm wave mode (where m > 0), and a he2m wave mode (where m > 1). take for instance the electric fields of a tm00 goubau wave mode and a tm01 wave mode depicted in an orthogonal cross-sectional view of the transmission medium 2542 shown in fig. 25t. the tm00 goubau wave mode depicts radial electric fields extending away from the conductor at a high field strength throughout the dielectric. this behavior is depicted in the region 2550 of fig. 25e at an instance in time and space of the transmission medium 2542. in contrast, the tm01 wave mode depicts electric fields that extend away from the conductor, decrease substantially in field strength at a midpoint of the dielectric, and reverse in polarity and increase in field strength towards the outer surface of the dielectric. this behavior is depicted in the region 2551 of fig. 25k at an instance in time and space of the transmission medium 2542. [000452] if the cross-sectional slice shown in fig. 25t remains the same as time progresses, in the tm00 goubau wave mode, the electric fields in region 2550' (of fig. 25e) will in time reach the cross-sectional slice decreasing in field strength, and suddenly reversing polarity as the electric fields in region 2550" reach the cross-sectional slice. in contrast, in the tm01 wave mode, the electric fields in region 255 (of fig. 25k) will in time reach the cross-sectional slice becoming longitudinal (i.e., pointing out of the drawing of fig. 25t), thereby causing the electric fields shown in fig. 25t for the tm01 wave mode to appear to disappear, and then returning with the polarities reversed from what is shown in fig. 25t as the electric fields in region 2551" reach the cross-sectional slice. [000453] it will be appreciated that the electromagnetic wave modes described in figs. 25e-25t and in other sections of the subject disclosure can be launched singly or in combination as multiple wave modes in whole or in part on an outer surface, or embedded within any one of the transmission media described in the subject disclosure (e.g., figs. 18a-18l). it is further noted that these electromagnetic wave modes can be converted into wireless signals by any of the antennas described in the subject disclosure (e.g., figs. 18m, 19a-19f, 20a-20f) or converted from wireless signals received by an antenna back to one or more electromagnetic wave modes that propagate along one of the aforementioned transmission media. the methods and systems described in the subject disclosure can also be applied to these electromagnetic wave modes for purposes of transmission, reception or processing of these electromagnetic wave modes, or adaptation or modification of these electromagnetic wave modes. it is further noted that any of the waveguide launchers (or adaptions thereof) can be configured to induce or generate on a transmission medium one or more electromagnetic waves having a target field structure or target wave mode that exhibits a spatial alignment of electric fields for purposes of reducing propagation losses and/or signal interference. the waveguide device of fig. 25u provides a non-limiting illustration of an adaptation of the waveguide launchers of the subject disclosure. [000454] referring now to fig. 25u, there is illustrated a diagram of an example, non- limiting embodiment of a waveguide device 2522 in accordance with various aspects described herein. the waveguide device 2522 is similar to the waveguide device 2522 shown in fig. 25c with a few adaptations. in the illustration of fig. 25u, the waveguide device 2522 is coupled to a transmission medium 2542 comprising a conductor 2543 and insulation layer 2543, which together form an insulated conductor such as the one shown in drawings of figs. 25e and 25k. although not shown, the waveguide device 2522 can be constructed in two halves, which can be connected together at one longitudinal end with one or more mechanical hinges to enable opening a longitudinal edge at an opposite end of the one or more hinges for placement of the waveguide device 2522 over the transmission medium 2542. once placed, one or more latches at the longitudinal edge opposite the one or more hinges can be used to secure the waveguide device 2522 to the transmission medium 2542. other embodiments for coupling the waveguide device 2522 to the transmission medium 2542 can be used and are therefore contemplated by the subject disclosure. [000455] the chamber 2525 of the waveguide device 2522 of fig. 25u includes a dielectric material 2544' . the dielectric material 2544' in the chamber 2525 can have a dielectric constant similar to the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer 2544 of the insulated conductor. additionally, a disk 2525' having a center-hole 2525 "can be used to divide the chamber 2525 in two halves for transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves. the disk 2525' can be constructed of a material (e.g., carbon, metal or other reflective material) that does not allow electromagnetic waves to progress between the halves of the chamber 2525. the mmics 2524' can be located inside the dielectric material 2544' of the chamber 2525 as shown in fig. 25u. additionally, the mmics 2524' can be located near an outer surface of the dielectric layer 2543 of the transmission medium 2542. fig. 25u shows an expanded view 2524a'of an mmic 2524' that includes an antenna 2524b' (such as a monopole antenna, dipole antenna or other antenna) that can be configured to be longitudinally aligned with the outer surface of the dielectric layer 2543 of the transmission medium 2542. the antenna 2524b' can be configured to radiate signals that have a longitudinal electric field directed east or west as will be discussed shortly. it will be appreciated that other antenna structures that can radiate signals that have a longitudinal electric field can be used in place of the dipole antenna 2524b' of fig. 25u. [000456] it will be appreciated that although two mmics 2524' are shown in each half of the chambers 2525 of the waveguide device 2522, more mmics can be used. for example, fig. 18w shows a transverse cross-sectional view of a cable (such as the transmission medium 2542) surrounded by a waveguide device with 8 mmics located in positions: north, south, east, west, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest. the two mmics 2524' shown in fig. 25u can be viewed, for illustration purposes, as mmics 2524' located in the north and south positions shown in fig. 18w. the waveguide device 2522 of fig. 25u can be further configured with mmics 2524' at western and eastern positions as shown in fig. 18w. additionally, the waveguide device 2522 of fig. 25u can be further configured with mmics at northwestern, northeastern, southwestern and southeastern positions as shown in fig. 18w. accordingly, the waveguide device 2522 can be configured with more than the 2 mmics shown in fig. 25u. [000457] with this in mind, attention is now directed to figs. 25v, 25w, 25x, which illustrate diagrams of example, non-limiting embodiments of wave modes and electric field plots in accordance with various aspects described herein. fig. 25v illustrates the electric fields of a tm01 wave mode. the electric fields are illustrated in a transverse cross- sectional view (top) and a longitudinal cross-sectional view (below) of a coaxial cable having a center conductor with an external conductive shield separated by insulation. fig. 25w illustrates the electric fields of a tm11 wave mode. the electric fields are also illustrated in a transverse cross-sectional view and a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a coaxial cable having a center conductor with an external conductive shield separated by an insulation. fig. 25x further illustrates the electric fields of a tm21 wave mode. the electric fields are illustrated in a transverse cross-sectional view and a longitudinal cross- sectional view of a coaxial cable having a center conductor with an external conductive shield separated by an insulation. [000458] as shown in the transverse cross-sectional view, the tm01 wave mode has circularly symmetric electric fields (i.e., electric fields that have the same orientation and intensity at different azimuthal angles), while the transverse cross-sectional views of the tm11 and tm21 wave modes shown in figs. 25w-25x, respectively, have non-circularly symmetric electric fields (i.e., electric fields that have different orientations and intensities at different azimuthal angles). although the transverse cross-sectional views of the tm11 and tm21 wave modes have non-circularly symmetric electric fields, the electric fields in the longitudinal cross-sectional views of the tm01, tm11 and tm21 wave modes are substantially similar with the exception that that the electric field structure of the tm11 wave mode has longitudinal electric fields above the conductor and below the conductor that point in opposite longitudinal directions, while the longitudinal electric fields above the conductor and below the conductor for the tm01 and tm21 wave modes point in the same longitudinal direction. [000459] the longitudinal cross-sectional views of the coaxial cable of figs. 25v, 25w and 25x can be said to have a similar structural arrangement to the longitudinal cross- section of the waveguide device 2522 in region 2506' shown in fig. 25u. specifically, in figs. 25v, 25 w and 25x the coaxial cable has a center conductor and a shield separated by insulation, while region 2506' of the waveguide device 2522 has a center conductor 2543, a dielectric layer 2544, covered by the dielectric material 2544' of the chamber 2525, and shielded by the reflective inner surface 2523 of the waveguide device 2522. the coaxial configuration in region 2506' of the waveguide device 2522 continues in the tapered region 2506" of the waveguide device 2522. similarly, the coaxial configuration continues in regions 2508 and 2510 of the waveguide device 2522 with the exception that no dielectric material 2544' is present in these regions other than the dielectric layer 2544 of the transmission medium 2542. at the outer region 2512, the transmission medium 2542 is exposed to the environment (e.g., air) and thus the coaxial configuration is no longer present. [000460] as noted earlier, the electric field structure of a tm01 wave mode is circularly symmetric in a transverse cross- sectional view of the coaxial cable shown in fig. 25v. for illustration purposes, it will be assumed that the waveguide device 2522 of fig. 25u has 4 mmics located in northern, southern, western and eastern locations as depicted in fig. 18w. in this configuration, and with an understanding of the longitudinal and transverse electric field structures of the tm01 wave mode shown in fig. 25v, the 4 mmics 2524' of the waveguide device 2522 in fig 25u can be configured to launch from a common signal source a tm01 wave mode on the transmission medium 2542. this can be accomplished by configuring the north, south, east and west mmics 2524' to launch wireless signals with the same phase (polarity). the wireless signals generated by the 4 mmics 2524'combine via superposition of their respective electric fields in the dielectric material 2544' of the chamber 2525 and the dielectric layer 2544 (since both dielectric materials have similar dielectric constants) to form a tm01 electromagnetic wave 2502' bound to these dielectric materials with the electric field structure shown in longitudinal and transverse views of fig. 25v. [000461] the electromagnetic wave 2502' having the tm01 wave mode in turn propagates toward the tapered structure 2522b of the waveguide device 2522 and thereby becomes an electromagnetic wave 2504' embedded within the dielectric layer 2544 of the transmission medium 2542' in region 2508. in the tapered horn section 2522d the electromagnetic wave 2504' having the tm01 wave mode expands in region 2510 and eventually exits the waveguide device 2522 without change to the tm01 wave mode. [000462] in another embodiment, the waveguide device 2522 can be configured to launch a tm11 wave mode having a vertical polarity in region 2506'. this can be accomplished by configuring the mmic 2524' in the northern position to radiate from a signal source a first wireless signal having a phase (polarity) opposite to the phase (polarity) of a second wireless signal radiated from the same signal source by the southern mmic 2524' . these wireless signals combine via superposition of their respective electric fields to form an electromagnetic wave having a tm11 wave mode (vertically polarized) bound to the dielectric materials 2544' and 2544 with the electric field structures shown in the longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views shown in fig. 25w. similarly, the waveguide device 2522 can be configured to launch a tm11 wave mode having a horizontal polarity in region 2506' . this can be accomplished by configuring the mmic 2524' in the eastern position to radiate a first wireless signal having a phase (polarity) opposite to the phase (polarity) of a second wireless signal radiated by the western mmic 2524'. [000463] these wireless signals combine via superposition of their respective electric fields to form an electromagnetic wave having a tm11 wave mode (horizontally polarized) bound to the dielectric materials 2544' and 2544 with the electric field structures shown in the longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views shown in fig. 25w (but with a horizontal polarization). since the tm11 wave mode with horizontal and vertical polarizations are orthogonal (i.e., a dot product of corresponding electric field vectors between any pair of these wave modes at each point of space and time produces a summation of zero), the waveguide device 2522 can be configured to launch these wave modes simultaneously without interference, thereby enabling wave mode division multiplexing. it is further noted that the tm01 wave mode is also orthogonal to the tm11 and tm21 wave modes. [000464] while the electromagnetic wave 2502' or 2504' having the tm11 wave mode propagates within the confines of the inner surfaces 2523 of the waveguide device 2522 in regions 2506' , 2506' ' , 2508 and 2510, the tm 11 wave mode remains unaltered. however, when the electromagnetic wave 2504' having the tm11 wave mode exits the waveguide device 2522 in region 2512 the inner wall 2523 is no longer present and the tm11 wave mode becomes a hybrid wave mode, specifically, an eh11 wave mode (vertically polarized, horizontally polarized, or both if two electromagnetic waves are launched in region 2506'). [000465] in yet other embodiments, the waveguide device 2522 can also be configured to launch a tm21 wave mode in region 2506' . this can be accomplished by configuring the mmic 2524' in the northern position to radiate from a signal source a first wireless signal having a phase (polarity) that is in phase (polarity) to a second wireless signal generated from the same signal source by the southern mmic 2524' . at the same time, the mmic 2524' in the western position is configured to radiate from the same signal source a third wireless signal that is in phase with a fourth wireless signal radiated from the same signal source by the mmic 2524' located in the eastern position. the north and south mmics 2524', however, generate first and second wireless signals of opposite polarity to the polarity of the third and fourth wireless signals generated by the western and eastern mmics 2524' . the four wireless signals of alternating polarity combine via superposition of their respective electric fields to form an electromagnetic wave having a tm21 wave mode bound to the dielectric materials 2544' and 2544 with the electric field structures shown in the longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views shown in fig. 25x. when the electromagnetic wave 2504' exits the waveguide device 2522 it may be transformed to a hybrid wave mode such as, for example, an he21 wave mode, an eh21 wave mode, or a hybrid wave mode with a different radial mode (e.g., he2m or eh2m, where m > 1). [000466] figs. 25u-25x illustrate several embodiments for launching tm01, eh11, and other hybrid wave modes utilizing the waveguide device 2522 of fig. 25u. with an understanding of the electric field structures of other wave modes that propagate on a coaxial cable (e.g., tm12, tm22, and so on), the mmics 2524' can be further configured in other ways to launch other wave modes (e.g., eh12, he22, etc.) that have a low intensity z-field component and phi-field component in the electric field structures near the outer surface of a transmission medium 2542, which is useful for mitigating propagation losses due to a substance such as water, droplets or other substances that can cause an attenuation of the electric fields of an electromagnetic wave propagating along the outer surface of the transmission medium 2542. [000467] fig. 25y illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 2560 for sending and receiving electromagnetic waves. method 2560 can be applied to waveguides 2522 of figs. 25a-25d and/or other waveguide systems or launchers described and shown in the figures of the subject disclosure (e.g., figs. 7-14, 18n-18w, 22a-22b and other drawings) for purposes of launching or receiving substantially orthogonal wave modes such as those shown in fig. 25z. fig. 25z depicts three cross-sectional views of an insulated conductor where a tm00 fundamental wave mode, an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, propagates respectively. the electric field structure shown in fig. 25z can vary over time and is therefore an illustrative representation at a certain instance or snapshot in time. the wave modes shown in fig. 25z are orthogonal to each other. that is, a dot product of corresponding electric field vectors between any pair of the wave modes at each point of space and time produces a summation of zero. this property enables the tm00 wave mode, the he11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and the he11 wave mode with vertical polarization to propagate simultaneously along a surface of the same transmission medium in the same frequency band without signal interference. [000468] with this in mind, method 2560 can begin at step 2562 where a waveguide system of the subject disclosure can be adapted to receive communication signals from a source (e.g., a base station, a wireless signal transmitted by a mobile or stationary device to an antenna of the waveguide system as described in the subject disclosure, or by way of another communication source.). the communication signals can be, for example, communication signals modulated according to a specific signaling protocol (e.g., lte, 5g, docsis, dsl, etc.) operating in a native frequency band (e.g., 900 mhz, 1.9 ghz, 2.4 ghz, 5 ghz, etc.), baseband signals, analog signals, other signals, or any combinations thereof. at step 2564, the waveguide system can be adapted to generate or launch on a transmission medium a plurality of electromagnetic waves according to the communication signals by up-converting (or in some instances down-converting) such communication signals to one or more operating frequencies of the plurality of electromagnetic waves. the transmission medium can be an insulated conductor as shown in fig. 25aa, or an uninsulated conductor that is subject to environmental exposure to oxidation (or other chemical reaction based on environmental exposure) as shown in figs. 25ab and 25ac. in other embodiments, the transmission medium can be a dielectric material such as a dielectric core described in fig. 18 a. [000469] to avoid interference, the waveguide system can be adapted to simultaneously launch at step 2564 a first electromagnetic wave using a tm00 wave mode, a second electromagnetic wave using an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and a third electromagnetic wave using an he11 wave mode with vertical polarization— see fig. 25z. since the first, second and third electromagnetic waves are orthogonal (i.e., non- interfering) they can be launched in the same frequency band without interference or with a small amount of acceptable interference. the combined transmission of three orthogonal electromagnetic wave modes in the same frequency band constitutes a form of wave mode division multiplexing, which provides a means for increasing the information bandwidth by a factor of three. by combining the principles of frequency division multiplexing with wave mode division multiplexing, bandwidth can be further increased by configuring the waveguide system to launch a fourth electromagnetic wave using a tmoo wave mode, a fifth electromagnetic wave using an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and a sixth electromagnetic wave using an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization in a second frequency band that does not overlap with the first frequency band of the first, second and third orthogonal electromagnetic waves. it will be appreciated that other types of multiplexing could be additionally or alternatively used with wave mode division multiplexing without departing from example embodiments. [000470] to illustrate this point, suppose each of three orthogonal electromagnetic waves in a first frequency band supports 1 ghz of transmission bandwidth. and further suppose each of three orthogonal electromagnetic waves in a second frequency band also supports 1 ghz of transmission bandwidth. with three wave modes operating in two frequency bands, 6 ghz of information bandwidth is possible for conveying communication signals by way of electromagnetic surface waves utilizing these wave modes. with more frequency bands, the bandwidth can be increased further. [000471] now suppose a transmission medium in the form of an insulated conductor (see fig. 25aa) is used for surface wave transmissions. further suppose the transmission medium has a dielectric layer with thickness proportional to the conductor radius (e.g., a conductor having a 4mm radius and an insulation layer with a 4mm thickness). with this type of transmission medium, the waveguide system can be configured to select from several options for transmitting electromagnetic waves. for example, the waveguide system can be configured at step 2564 to transmit first through third electromagnetic waves using wave mode division multiplexing at a first frequency band (e.g., at 1 ghz), third through fourth electromagnetic waves using wave mode division multiplexing at a second frequency band (e.g., at 2.1 ghz), seventh through ninth electromagnetic waves using wave mode division multiplexing at a third frequency band (e.g., at 3.2 ghz), and so on. assuming each electromagnetic wave supports 1 ghz of bandwidth, collectively the first through ninth electromagnetic waves can support 9 ghz of bandwidth. [000472] alternatively, or contemporaneous with transmitting electromagnetic waves with orthogonal wave modes at step 2564, the waveguide system can be configured at step 2564 to transmit on the insulated conductor one or more high frequency electromagnetic waves (e.g., millimeter waves). in one embodiment, the one or more high frequency electromagnetic waves can be configured in non-overlapping frequencies bands according to one or more corresponding wave modes that are less susceptible to a water film such as a tmom wave mode and ehlm wave mode (where m > 0), or an he2m wave mode (where m > 1) as previously described. in other embodiments, the waveguide system can instead be configured to transmit one or more high frequency electromagnetic waves in non- overlapping frequency bands according to one or more corresponding wave modes that have longitudinal and/or azimuthal fields near the surface of the transmission medium that may be susceptible to water, but nonetheless exhibit low propagation losses when the transmission medium is dry. a waveguide system can thus be configured to transmit several combinations of wave modes on an insulated conductor (as well as a dielectric-only transmission medium such as a dielectric core) when the insulated conductor is dry. [000473] now suppose a transmission medium in the form of an uninsulated conductor (see figs. 25ab-25ac) is used for surface wave transmissions. further consider that the uninsulated conductor or bare conductor is exposed to an environment subject to various levels of moisture and/or rain (as well as air and atmospheric gases like oxygen). uninsulated conductors, such as overhead power lines and other uninsulated wires, are often made of aluminum which is sometimes reinforced with steel. aluminum can react spontaneously with water and/or air to form aluminum oxide. an aluminum oxide layer can be thin (e.g., nano to micrometers in thickness). an aluminum oxide layer has dielectric properties and can therefore serve as a dielectric layer. accordingly, uninsulated conductors can propagate not only tm00 wave modes, but also other wave modes such as an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization at high frequencies based at least in part on the thickness of the oxide layer. accordingly, uninsulated conductors having an environmentally formed dielectric layer such as an oxide layer can be used for transmitting electromagnetic waves using wave mode division multiplexing and frequency division multiplexing. other electromagnetic waves having a wave mode (with or without a cutoff frequency) that can propagate on an oxide layer are contemplated by the subject disclosure and can be applied to the embodiments described in the subject disclosure. [000474] in one embodiment, the term "environmentally formed dielectric layer" can represent an uninsulated conductor that is exposed to an environment that is not artificially created in a laboratory or other controlled setting (e.g., bare conductor exposed to air, humidity, rain, etc. on a utility pole or other exposed environment). in other embodiments, an environmentally formed dielectric layer can be formed in a controlled setting such as a manufacturing facility that exposes uninsulated conductors to a controlled environment (e.g., controlled humidity, or other gaseous substance) that forms a dielectric layer on the outer surface of the uninsulated conductor. in yet another alternative embodiment, the uninsulated conductor can also be "doped" with particular substances/compounds (e.g., a reactant) that facilitate chemical reactions with other substances/compounds that are either available in a natural environment or in an artificially created laboratory or controlled setting, thereby resulting in the creation of the environmentally formed dielectric layer. [000475] wave mode division multiplexing and frequency division multiplexing can prove useful in mitigating obstructions such as water accumulating on an outer surface of a transmission medium. to determine if mitigating an obstruction is necessary, a waveguide system can be configured at step 2566 to determine if an obstruction is present on the transmission medium. a film of water (or water droplets) collected on an outer surface of the transmission medium due to rain, condensation, and/or excess humidity can be one form of an obstruction that can cause propagation losses in electromagnetic waves if not mitigated. a splicing of a transmission medium or other object coupled to the outer surface of the transmission medium can also serve as an obstruction. [000476] obstructions can be detected by a source waveguide system that transmits electromagnetic waves on a transmission medium and measures reflected electromagnetic waves based on these transmissions. alternatively, or in combination, the source waveguide system can detect obstructions by receiving communication signals (wireless or electromagnetic waves) from a recipient waveguide system that receives and performs quality metrics on electromagnetic waves transmitted by the source waveguide system. when an obstruction is detected at step 2566, the waveguide system can be configured to identify options to update, modify, or otherwise change the electromagnetic waves being transmitted. [000477] suppose, for example, that in the case of an insulated conductor, the waveguide system had launched at step 2564 a high order wave mode such as tm01 wave mode with a frequency band that starts at 30 ghz having a large bandwidth (e.g., 10 ghz) when the insulated conductor is dry such as shown in fig. 25n. the illustration in fig. 25n is based on simulations which may not take into account all possible environmental conditions or properties of a specific insulated conductor. accordingly, a tm01 wave mode may have a lower bandwidth than shown. for illustration purposes, however, a 10 ghz bandwidth will be assumed for an electromagnetic wave having a tm01 wave mode. [000478] although it was noted earlier in the subject disclosure that a tm01 wave mode has a desirable electric field alignment that is not longitudinal and not azimuthal near the outer surface, it can nonetheless be subject to some signal attenuation which in turn reduces its operating bandwidth when a water film (or droplets) accumulates on the insulated conductor. this attenuation is illustrated in fig. 25n which shows that an electromagnetic wave having a tm01 wave mode with a bandwidth of approximately 10 ghz (30 to 40 ghz) on a dry insulated conductor drops to a bandwidth of approximately 1 ghz (30 to 31 ghz) when the insulated conductor is wet. to mitigate the loss in bandwidth, the waveguide system can be configured to launch electromagnetic waves at much lower frequencies (e.g., less than 6 ghz) using wave mode division multiplexing and frequency division multiplexing. [000479] for example, the waveguide system can be configured to transmit a first set of electromagnetic waves; specifically, a first electromagnetic wave having a tm00 wave mode, a second electromagnetic wave having an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and a third electromagnetic wave having an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, each electromagnetic wave having a center frequency at 1 ghz. assuming a useable frequency band from 500 mhz to 1.5 ghz to convey communication signals, each electromagnetic wave can provide 1 ghz of bandwidth, and collectively 3 ghz of system bandwidth. [000480] suppose also the waveguide system is configured to transmit a second set of electromagnetic waves; specifically, a fourth electromagnetic wave having a tm00 wave mode, a fifth electromagnetic wave having an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and a sixth electromagnetic wave having an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, each electromagnetic wave having a center frequency at 2.1 ghz. assuming a frequency band from 1.6 ghz to 2.6 ghz, with a guard band of 100 mhz between the first and second sets of electromagnetic waves, each electromagnetic wave can provide 1 ghz of bandwidth, and collectively 3 ghz of additional bandwidth, thereby now providing up to 6 ghz of system bandwidth. [000481] further suppose the waveguide system is also configured to transmit a third set of electromagnetic waves; specifically, a seventh electromagnetic wave having a tm00 wave mode, an eighth electromagnetic wave having an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and a ninth electromagnetic wave having an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, each electromagnetic wave having a center frequency at 3.2 ghz. assuming a frequency band from 2.7 ghz to 3.7 ghz, with a guard band of 100 mhz between the second and third sets of electromagnetic waves, each electromagnetic wave can provide 1 ghz of bandwidth, and collectively 3 ghz of additional bandwidth, thereby now providing up to 9 ghz of system bandwidth. [000482] the combination of the tm01 wave mode, and the three sets of electromagnetic waves configured for wave mode division multiplexing and frequency division multiplexing, provide a total system bandwidth of 10 ghz, thereby restoring a bandwidth of 10 ghz previously available when the high frequency electromagnetic wave having the tm01 wave mode was propagating on a dry insulated conductor. fig. 25ad illustrates a process for performing mitigation of a tm01 wave mode subject to an obstruction such as a water film detected at step 2566. fig. 25 ad illustrates a transition from a dry insulated conductor that supports a high bandwidth tm01 wave mode to a wet insulated conductor that supports a lower bandwidth tm01 wave mode that is combined with low frequency tm00 and he 11 wave modes configured according to wave mode division multiplexing (wmdm) and frequency division multiplexing (fdm) schemes to restore losses in system bandwidth. [000483] consider now an uninsulated conductor where the waveguide system had launched at step 2564 a tm00 wave mode with a frequency band that starts at 10 ghz having a large bandwidth (e.g., 10 ghz). suppose now that transmission medium propagating the 10 ghz tm00 wave mode is exposed to an obstruction such as water. as noted earlier, a high frequency tm00 wave mode on an insulated conductor is subject to a substantial amount of signal attenuation (e.g., 45 db/m at 10 ghz— see fig. 25j) when a water film (or droplets) accumulates on the outer surface of the insulated conductor. similar attenuations will be present for a 10 ghz (or greater) tm00 wave mode propagating on an "uninsulated" conductor. an environmentally exposed uninsulated conductor (e.g., aluminum), however, can have an oxide layer formed on the outer surface which can serve as a dielectric layer that supports wave modes other than tm00 (e.g., he 11 wave modes). it is further noted that at lower frequencies a tm00 wave mode propagating on an insulated conductor exhibits a much lower attenuation (e.g., 0.62 db/m at 4 ghz— see fig. 25j). a tm00 wave mode operating at less than 6 ghz would similarly exhibit low propagation losses on an uninsulated conductor. accordingly, to mitigate the loss in bandwidth, the waveguide system can be configured to launch electromagnetic waves having a tm00 wave mode at lower frequencies (e.g., 6 ghz or less) and electromagnetic waves having an he11 wave mode configured for wmdm and fdm at higher frequencies. [000484] referring back to fig. 25y, suppose then that the waveguide system detects an obstruction such as water at step 2566 on an environmentally exposed uninsulated conductor. a waveguide system can be configured to mitigate the obstruction by transmitting a first electromagnetic wave configured with a tm00 wave mode having a center frequency at 2.75 ghz. assuming a useable frequency band from 500 mhz to 5.5 ghz to convey communication signals, the electromagnetic waves can provide 5 ghz of system bandwidth. [000485] fig. 25 af provides an illustration of an electric field plot of an he 11 wave mode at 200 ghz on a bare conductor with a thin aluminum oxide layer (4 um). the plot indicates the magnitude of the field strength of the rho-field, z-field, and phi-field components, at a point in time when they are at their peak, as a function of radial distance away from the center of a bare conductor. while the field strengths were calculated based on a condition where no water is present, the z-field and phi-field components of the electric fields can have a field strength that is extremely small relative to the magnitude of the radial rho-field beginning from the outer surface of the oxide layer and through the position that would be occupied by the water film as shown in fig. 25 af. [000486] assuming an oxide layer or other dielectric layer comparable to the size in the plot of fig. 25af, the waveguide system can be configured to transmit a second electromagnetic wave having an he11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, and a third electromagnetic wave having an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, each electromagnetic wave having a center frequency at 200 ghz (other lower or higher center frequencies can be used). further assuming each electromagnetic wave is configured according to an he vertically polarized wave mode and he horizontally polarized wave mode, respectively, having a 2.5 ghz bandwidth, these waves collectively provide 5 ghz of additional bandwidth. by combining the low frequency tm00 wave mode with the high frequency he wave modes, system bandwidth can be restored to 10 ghz. it will be appreciated that he wave modes at other center frequencies and bandwidth may be possible depending on the thickness of the oxide layer, the characteristics of the uninsulated conductor, and/or other environmental factors. [000487] fig. 25ae illustrates a process for performing mitigation of a high frequency tm00 wave mode subject to an obstruction such as a water film detected at step 2566. fig. 25ad illustrates a transition from a dry uninsulated conductor that supports a high bandwidth tm00 wave mode to a wet uninsulated conductor that combines a low frequency tm00 wave mode and high frequency he11 wave modes configured according to wmdm and fdm schemes to restore losses in system bandwidth. [000488] it will be appreciated that the aforementioned mitigation techniques are non- limiting. for example, the center frequencies described above can differ between systems. additionally, the original wave mode used before an obstruction is detected can differ from the illustrations above. for example, in the case of an insulated conductor an eh11 wave mode can be used singly or in combination with a tm01 wave mode. it is also appreciated that wmdm and fdm techniques can be used to transmit electromagnetic waves at all times and not just when an obstruction is detected at step 2566. it is further appreciated that other wave modes that can support wmdm and/or fdm techniques can be applied to and/or combined with the embodiments described in the subject disclosure, and are therefore contemplated by the subject disclosure. [000489] referring back to fig. 25y, once a mitigation scheme using wmdm and/or fdm has been determined in accordance with the above illustrations, the waveguide system can be configured at step 2568 to notify one or more other waveguide systems of the mitigation scheme intended to be used for updating one or more electromagnetic waves prior to executing the update at step 2570. the notification can be sent wirelessly to one or more other waveguide systems utilizing antennas if signal degradation in the electromagnetic waves is too severe. if signal attenuation is tolerable, then the notification can be sent via the affected electromagnetic waves. in other embodiments, the waveguide system can be configured to skip step 2568 and perform the mitigation scheme using wmdm and/or fdm at step 2570 without notification. this embodiment can be applied in cases where, for example, other recipient waveguide system(s) know beforehand what kind of mitigation scheme would be used, or the recipient waveguide system(s) are configured to use signal detection techniques to discover the mitigation scheme. once the mitigation scheme using wmdm and/or fdm has been initiated at step 2570, the waveguide system can continue to process received communication signals at steps 2562 and 2564 as described earlier using the updated configuration of the electromagnetic waves. [000490] at step 2566, the waveguide system can monitor if the obstruction is still present. this determination can be performed by sending test signals (e.g., electromagnetic surface waves in the original wave mode) to other waveguide system(s) and awaiting test results back from the waveguide systems if the situation has improved, and/or by using other obstruction detection techniques such as signal reflection testing based on the sent test signals. once the obstruction is determined to have been removed (e.g., the transmission medium becomes dry), the waveguide system can proceed to step 2572 and determine that a signal update was performed at step 2568 using wmdm and/or fdm as a mitigation technique. the waveguide system can then be configured to notify recipient waveguide system(s) at step 2568 of the intent to restore transmissions to the original wave mode, or bypass this step and proceed to step 2570 where it restores transmissions to an original wave mode and assumes the recipient waveguide system(s) know the original wave modes and corresponding transmission parameters, or can otherwise detect this change. [000491] a waveguide system can also be adapted to receive electromagnetic waves configured for wmdm and/or fdm. for example, suppose that an electromagnetic wave having a high bandwidth (e.g., 10 ghz) tmol wave mode is propagating on an insulated conductor as shown in fig. 25 ad and that the electromagnetic wave is generated by a source waveguide system. at step 2582, a recipient waveguide system can be configured to process the single electromagnetic wave with the tmol wave mode under normal condition. suppose, however, that the source waveguide system transitions to transmitting electromagnetic waves using wmdm and fdm along with a tmol wave mode with a lower bandwidth on the insulated conductor, as previously described in fig. 25 ad. in this instance, the recipient waveguide system would have to process multiple electromagnetic waves of different wave modes. specifically, the recipient waveguide system would be configured at step 2582 to selectively process each of the first through ninth electromagnetic waves using wmdm and fdm and the electromagnetic wave using the tmol wave mode as shown in fig. 25 ad. [000492] once the one or more electromagnetic waves have been received at step 2582, the recipient waveguide can be configured to use signal processing techniques to obtain the communication signals that were conveyed by the electromagnetic wave(s) generated by the source waveguide system at step 2564 (and/or step 2570 if an update has occurred). at step 2586, the recipient waveguide system can also determine if the source waveguide system has updated the transmission scheme. the update can be detected from data provided in the electromagnetic waves transmitted by the source waveguide system, or from wireless signals transmitted by the source waveguide system. if there are no updates, the recipient waveguide system can continue to receive and process electromagnetic waves at steps 2582 and 2584 as described before. if, however, an update is detected at step 2586, the recipient waveguide system can proceed to step 2588 to coordinate the update with the source waveguide system and thereafter receive and process updated electromagnetic waves at steps 2582 and 2584 as described before. [000493] it will be appreciated that method 2560 can be used in any communication scheme including simplex and duplex communications between waveguide systems. accordingly, a source waveguide system that performs an update for transmitting electromagnetic waves according to other wave modes will in turn cause a recipient waveguide system to perform similar steps for return electromagnetic wave transmissions. it will also be appreciated that the aforementioned embodiments associated with method 2560 of fig. 25y and the embodiments shown in figs. 25z through 25ae can be combined in whole or in part with other embodiments of the subject disclosure for purposes of mitigating propagation losses caused by an obstruction at or in a vicinity of an outer surface of a transmission medium (e.g., insulated conductor, uninsulated conductor, or any transmission medium having an external dielectric layer). the obstruction can be a liquid (e.g., water), a solid object disposed on the outer surface of the transmission medium (e.g., ice, snow, a splice, a tree limb, etc.), or any other objects located at or near the outer surface of the transmission medium. [000494] while for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the respective processes are shown and described as a series of blocks in fig. 25y, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein. moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methods described herein. [000495] referring now to figs. 25ag and 25ah, block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments for transmitting orthogonal wave modes according to the method 2560 of fig. 25y are shown. fig. 25ag depicts an embodiment for simultaneously transmitting a tm00 wave mode, an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, and an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization as depicted in an instance in time in fig. 25z. in one embodiment, these orthogonal wave modes can be transmitted with a waveguide launcher having eight (8) mmics as shown in fig. 18 located at symmetrical locations (e.g., north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, and northwest). the waveguide launcher of fig. 18r (or fig. 18t) can be configured with these 8 mmics. additionally, the waveguide launcher can be configured with a cylindrical sleeve 2523a and tapered dielectric that wraps around the transmission medium (e.g., insulated conductor, uninsulated conductor, or other cable with a dielectric layer such as dielectric core). the housing assembly of the waveguide launcher (not shown) can be configured to include a mechanism (e.g., a hinge) to enable a longitudinal opening of the waveguide launcher for placement and latching around a circumference of a transmission medium. [000496] with these configurations in mind, the waveguide launcher can include three transmitters (tx1, tx2, and tx3) coupled to mmics having various coordinate positions (see fig. 25 ag and fig. 18w). the interconnectivity between the transmitters (tx1, tx2, and tx3) and the mmics can be implemented with a common printed circuit board or other suitable interconnecting technology. the first transmitter (tx1) can be configured to launch a tm00 wave mode, the second transmitter (tx2) can be configured to launch an he 11 vertical polarization wave mode, and the third transmitter (tx3) can be configured to launch an he11 horizontal polarization wave mode. [000497] a first signal port (shown as "sp1") of the first transmitter (tx1) can be coupled in parallel to each of the 8 mmics. a second signal port (shown as "sp2") of the first transmitter (tx1) can be coupled to a conductive sleeve 2523 a that is placed on the transmission medium by the waveguide launcher as noted above. the first transmitter (tx1) can be configured to receive a first group of the communication signals described in step 2562 of fig. 25y. the first group of communication signals can be frequency- shifted by the first transmitter (tx1) from their native frequencies (if necessary) for an orderly placement of the communication signals in channels of a first electromagnetic wave configured according to the tm00 wave mode. the 8 mmics coupled to the first transmitter (tx1) can be configured to up-convert (or down-convert) the first group of the communication signals to the same center frequency (e.g., 1 ghz for the first electromagnetic wave as described in relation to fig. 25 ad). all 8 mmics would have synchronized reference oscillators that can be phase locked using various synchronization techniques. [000498] since the 8 mmics receive signals from the first signal port of the first transmitter (tx1) based on the reference provided by the second signal port, the 8 mmics thereby receive signals with the same polarity. consequently, once these signals have been up-converted (or down-converted) and processed for transmission by the 8 mmics, one or more antennas of each of the 8 mmics simultaneously radiates signals with electric fields of the same polarity. collectively, mmics that are opposite in location to each other (e.g., mmic north and mmic south) will have an electric field structure aligned towards or away from the transmission medium, thereby creating at a certain instance in time an outward field structure like the tm00 wave mode shown in fig. 25z. due to the constant oscillatory nature of the signals radiated by the 8 mmics, it will be appreciated that at other instances in time, the field structure shown in fig. 25z will radiate inward. by symmetrically radiating electric fields with the same polarity the collection of opposing mmics contribute to the inducement of a first electromagnetic wave having a tm00 wave mode that propagates on a transmission medium with a dielectric layer and can convey the first group of the communication signals to a receiving waveguide system. [000499] turning now to the second transmitter (tx2) in fig. 25 ag, this transmitter has a first signal port (sp1) coupled to mmics located in north, northeast and northwest positions, while a second signal port (sp2) of the second transmitter (tx2) is coupled to the mmics located in south, southeast and southwest positions (see fig. 18w). the second transmitter (tx2) can be configured to receive a second group of the communication signals described in step 2562 of fig. 25y, which differs from the first group of the communication signals received by the first transmitter (tx1). the second group of communication signals can be frequency- shifted by the second transmitter (tx2) from their native frequencies (if necessary) for an orderly placement of the communication signals in channels of a second electromagnetic wave configured according to an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization. the 6 mmics coupled to the second transmitter (tx2) can be configured to up-convert (or down-conversion) the second group of the communication signals to the same center frequency as used for the tm00 wave mode (i.e., 1 ghz as described in relation to fig. 25 ad). since a tm00 wave mode is orthogonal to an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, they can share the same center frequency in an overlapping frequency band without interference. [000500] referring back to fig. 25 ag, the first signal port (sp1) of the second transmitter (tx2) generates signals of opposite polarity to the signals of the second signal port (sp2). as a result, the electric field alignment of signals generated by one or more antennas of the northern mmic will be of opposite polarity to the electric field alignment of signals generated by one or more antennas of the southern mmic. consequently, the electric fields of the north and south mmics will have an electric field structure that is vertically aligned in the same direction, thereby creating at a certain instance in time a northern field structure like the he11 wave mode with vertical polarization shown in fig. 25z. due to the constant oscillatory nature of the signals radiated by the north and south mmics, it will be appreciated that at other instances in time, the he 11 wave mode will have a southern field structure. similarly, based on the opposite polarity of signals supplied to the northeast and southeast mmics by the first and second signal ports, respectively, these mmics will generate at a certain instance in time the curved electric field structure shown on the east side of the he11 wave mode with vertical polarization depicted in fig. 25z. also, based on the opposite polarity of signals supplied to the northwest and southwest mmics, these mmics will generate at a certain instance in time the curved electric field structure shown on the west side of the he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization depicted in fig. 25z. [000501] by radiating electric fields with opposite polarity by opposing mmics (north, northeast and northwest versus south, southeast and southwest), the collection of signals with a directionally aligned field structure contribute to the inducement of a second electromagnetic wave having the he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization shown in fig. 25z. the second electromagnetic wave propagates along the "same" transmission medium as previously described for the first transmitter (txl). given the orthogonality of a tm00 wave mode and an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, there will be ideally no interference between the first electromagnetic wave and the second electromagnetic wave. consequently, the first and second electromagnetic waves having overlapping frequency bands propagating along the same transmission medium can successfully convey the first and second groups of the communication signals to the same (or other) receiving waveguide system. [000502] turning now to the third transmitter (tx3) in fig. 25 ag, this transmitter has a first signal port (sp1) coupled to mmics located in east, northeast and southeast positions, while a second signal port (sp2) of the third transmitter (tx3) is coupled to the mmics located in west, northwest and southwest positions (see fig. 18w). the third transmitter (tx3) can be configured to receive a third group of the communication signals described in step 2562 of fig. 25y, which differs from the first and second groups of the communication signals received by the first transmitter (txl) and the second transmitter (tx2), respectively. the third group of communication signals can be frequency- shifted by the third transmitter (tx3) from their native frequencies (if necessary) for an orderly placement of the communication signals in channels of a second electromagnetic wave configured according to an he11 wave mode with horizontal polarization. the 6 mmics coupled to the third transmitter (tx3) can be configured to up-convert (or down- conversion) the third group of the communication signals to the same center frequency as used for the tm00 wave mode and he11 wave mode with vertical polarization (i.e., 1 ghz as described in relation to fig. 25 ad). since a tm00 wave mode, an he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization, and an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization are orthogonal, they can share the same center frequency in an overlapping frequency band without interference. [000503] referring back to fig. 25ag, the first signal port (sp1) of the third transmitter (tx3) generates signals of opposite polarity to the signals of the second signal port (sp2). as a result, the electric field alignment of signals generated by one or more antennas of the eastern mmic will be of opposite polarity to the electric field alignment of signals generated by one or more antennas of the western mmic. consequently, the electric fields of the east and west mmics will have an electric field structure that is horizontally aligned in the same direction, thereby creating at a certain instance in time a western field structure like the he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization shown in fig. 25z. due to the constant oscillatory nature of the signals radiated by the east and west mmics, it will be appreciated that at other instances in time, the he 11 wave mode will have an eastern field structure. similarly, based on the opposite polarity of signals supplied to the northeast and northwest mmics by the first and second signal ports, respectively, these mmics will generate at a certain instance in time the curved electric field structure shown on the north side of the he11 wave mode with horizontal polarization depicted in fig. 25z. also, based on the opposite polarity of signals supplied to the southeast and southwest mmics, these mmics will generate at a certain instance in time the curved electric field structure shown on the south side of the he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization depicted in fig. 25z. [000504] by radiating electric fields with opposite polarity by opposing mmics (east, northeast and southeast versus west, northwest and southwest), the collection of signals with a directionally aligned field structure contribute to the inducement of a third electromagnetic wave having the he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization shown in fig. 25z. the third electromagnetic wave propagates along the "same" transmission medium as previously described for the first transmitter (txl) and the second transmitter (tx2). given the orthogonality of a tm00 wave mode, an hel 1 wave mode with vertical polarization, and an he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization, there will be, ideally, no interference between the first electromagnetic wave, the second electromagnetic wave, and the third electromagnetic wave. consequently, the first, second and third electromagnetic waves having overlapping frequency bands propagating along the same transmission medium can successfully convey the first, second and third groups of the communication signal to the same (or other) receiving waveguide system. [000505] because of the orthogonality of the electromagnetic waves described above, a recipient waveguide system can be configured to selectively retrieve the first electromagnetic wave having the tm00 wave mode, the second electromagnetic wave having the hel 1 wave mode with vertical polarization, and the third electromagnetic wave having the he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization. after processing each of these electromagnetic waves, the recipient waveguide system can be further configured to obtain the first, second and third group of the communication signals conveyed by these waves. fig. 25ah illustrates a block diagram for selectively receiving each of the first, second and third electromagnetic waves. [000506] specifically, the first electromagnetic wave having the tm00 wave mode can be selectively received by a first receiver (rx1) shown in fig. 25 ah by taking the difference between the signals received by all 8 mmics and the signal reference provided by the metal sleeve 2523 a as depicted in the block diagram in fig. 25ai. the second electromagnetic wave having the he 11 wave mode with vertical polarization can be selectively received by a second receiver (rx2) shown in fig. 25ah by taking the difference between the signals received by the mmics located in north, northeast and northwest positions and the signals received by the mmics located in south, southeast and southwest positions as depicted in the block diagram in fig. 25aj. the third electromagnetic wave having the he 11 wave mode with horizontal polarization can be selectively received by a third receiver (rx3) shown in fig. 25 ah by taking the difference between the signals received by the mmics located in east, northeast and southeast positions and the signals received by the mmics located in west, northwest and southwest positions as depicted in the block diagram in fig. 25ak. [000507] fig. 25al illustrates a simplified functional block diagram of an mmic. the mmic can, for example, utilize a mixer coupled to a reference (tx) oscillator that shifts one of the communication signals supplied by one of the signal ports (spl or sp2) of one of the transmitters (txl, tx2 or tx3) to a desired center frequency in accordance with the configurations shown in fig. 25 ag. for example, in the case of tx 1, the communication signal from spl is supplied to a transmit path of each of the mmics (i.e., ne, nw, se, sw, n, s, e, and w). in the case of tx2, the communication signal from spl is supplied to another transmit path of three mmics (i.e., n, e, and nw). note the transmit paths used by mmics n, e and w for the communication signal supplied by spl of tx2 are different from the transmit paths used by the mmics for the communication signal supplied by spl of txl. similarly, the communication signal from sp2 of tx2 is supplied to another transmit path of three other mmics (i.e., s, se, and sw). again, the transmit paths used by mmics s, se and sw for the communication signal supplied by sp2 of tx2 are different from the transmit paths used by the mmics for the communication signals from spl of txl, and spl of tx2. lastly, in the case of tx3, the communication signal from spl is supplied to yet another transmit path of three mmics (i.e., e, ne, and se). note the transmit paths used for mmics e, ne, and se for the communication signal from spl of tx3 are different from the transmit paths used by the mmics for the communication signals supplied by spl of txl, spl of tx2, and sp2 of tx2. similarly, the communication signal from sp2 of tx3 is supplied to another transmit path of three other mmics (i.e., w, nw, and sw). again, the transmit paths used by mmics w, nw, and sw for the communication signal supplied by sp2 of tx3 are different from the transmit paths used by the mmics for the communication signals from spl of txl, spl of tx2, and sp2 of tx2, and spl of tx3. [000508] once the communication signals have been frequency- shifted by the mixer shown in the transmit path, he frequency- shifted signal generated by the mixer can then be filtered by a bandpass filter that removes spurious signals. the output of the bandpass filter in turn can be provided to a power amplifier that couples to an antenna by way of a duplexer for radiating signals in the manner previously described. the duplexer can be used to isolate a transmit path from a receive path. the illustration of fig. 25al is intentionally oversimplified to enable ease of illustration. [000509] it will be appreciated that other components (not shown) such as an impedance matching circuit, phase lock loop, or other suitable components for improving the accuracy and efficiency of the transmission path (and receive path) is contemplated by the subject disclosure. furthermore, while a single antenna can be implemented by each mmic, other designs with multiple antennas can likewise be employed. it is further appreciated that to achieve more than one orthogonal wave mode with overlapping frequency bands (e.g., tm00, he11 vertical, and he11 horizontal wave modes described above), the transmit path can be repeated n times using the same reference oscillator. n can represent an integer associated with the number of instances the mmic is used to generate each of the wave modes. for example, in fig. 25ag, mmic ne is used three times; hence, mmic ne has three transmit paths (n=3), mmic nw is used three times; hence, mmic nw has three transmit paths (n=3), mmic n is used twice; hence, mmic n has two transmit paths (n=2), and so on. if frequency division multiplexing is employed to generate the same wave modes in other frequency band(s) (see figs. 25 ad and 25 ae), the transmit path can be further repeated using different reference oscillator(s) that are centered at the other frequency band(s). [000510] in the receive path shown in fig. 25 al, n signals supplied by n antennas via the duplexer of each transmit path in the mmic can be filtered by a corresponding n bandpass filters, which supply their output to n low-noise amplifiers. the n low-noise amplifiers in turn supply their signals to n mixers to generate n intermediate-frequency received signals. as before, n is representative of the number of instances the mmic is used for receiving wireless signals for different wave modes. for example, in fig. 25 ah, mmic ne is used in three instances; hence, mmic ne has three receive paths (n=3), mmic n is used in two instances; hence, mmic n has two receive paths (n=2), and so on. [000511] referring back to fig. 25al, to reconstruct a wave mode signal, y received signals supplied by receiver paths of certain mmics (or a reference from the metal sleeve 2523 a of fig. 25d) is subtracted from x received signals supplied by other mmics based on the configurations shown in figs. 25ai-25ak. for example, a tm00 signal is reconstructed by supplying the received signals of all mmics (ne, nw, se, sw, n, s, e, w) to the plus port of the summer (i.e., x signals), while the reference signal from the metal sleeve 2523a of fig. 25d is supplied to the negative port of the summer (i.e., y signal)— see fig. 25 ai. the difference between the x and y signals results in the tm00 signal. to reconstruct the he11 vertical signal, the received signals of mmics n, ne, and nw are supplied to the plus port of the summer (i.e., x signals), while the received signals of mmics s, se, and sw are supplied to the negative port of the summer (i.e., y signals)— see fig. 25 aj. the difference between the x and y signals results in the he11 vertical signal. lastly, to reconstruct the he 11 horizontal signal, the received signals of mmics e, ne, and se are supplied to the plus port of the summer (i.e., x signals), while the received signals of mmics w, nw, and sw are supplied to the negative port of the summer (i.e., y signals)— see fig. 25ak. the difference between the x and y signals results in the he 11 horizontal signal. since there are three wave mode signals being reconstructed, the block diagram of the summer with the x and y signals is repeated three times. [000512] each of these reconstructed signals is at intermediate frequencies. these intermediate-frequency signals are provided to receivers (rx1, rx2 and rx3) which include circuitry (e.g., a dsp, a/d converter, etc.) for processing and to selectively obtain communication signals therefrom. similar to the transmit paths, the reference oscillators of the three receiver paths can be configured to be synchronized with phase lock loop technology or other suitable synchronization technique. if frequency division multiplexing is employed for the same wave modes in other frequency band(s) (see figs. 25 ad and 25 ae), the receiver paths can be further repeated using a different reference oscillator that is centered at the other frequency band(s). [000513] it will be appreciated that other suitable designs that can serve as alternative embodiments to those shown in figs. 25ag-25al can be used for transmitting and receiving orthogonal wave modes. for example, there can be fewer or more mmics than described above. in place of the mmics, or in combination, slotted launchers as shown in figs. 18n-180, 18q, 18s, 18u and 18v can be used. it is further appreciated that more or fewer sophisticated functional components can be used for transmitting or receiving orthogonal wave modes. accordingly, other suitable designs and/or functional components are contemplated by the subject disclosure for transmitting and receiving orthogonal wave modes. [000514] referring now to fig. 26, a block diagram illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a polyrod antenna 2600 for transmitting wireless signals is shown. the polyrod antenna 2600 can be one of a number of polyrod antennas that are utilized in an antenna array, such as array 1976 of fig. 190. the antenna array can facilitate or otherwise enable beam steering which can include beam forming. [000515] in one or more embodiments, the polyrod antenna 2600 can include a core 2628 having a number of different regions or portions. the core 2628 can be connected with a waveguide 2622 configured to confine an electromagnetic wave at least in part within the core (e.g., in a first region of the core covered by the waveguide). in one embodiment (not shown), the waveguide 2622 can have an opening for accepting a transmission medium (e.g., a dielectric cable) or other coupling device. in another embodiment, the waveguide 2622 can have a generator, radiating element or other component therein that generates an electromagnetic waves for propagating along the core 2628. [000516] in one embodiment, another region 2606 of the core 2628 (e.g., outside of the waveguide 2622) is configured to reduce a propagation loss of an electromagnetic wave as the electromagnetic wave propagates into that region, such as by having a non-tapered or otherwise uniform diameter of the core. the particular length and/or diameter of the region 2606 of the core 2628 can be selected to facilitate the reduction of propagation loss of the electromagnetic wave. [000517] in one embodiment, another region 2612 of the core 2628 (e.g., the distal portion or end of the core that is outside of the waveguide 2622) can be tapered and can facilitate transmitting a wireless signal, such as based on the electromagnetic wave propagating along the core 2628. the particular length, diameter, and/or angle of taper of the region 2612 of the core 2628 can be selected to facilitate transmitting of the wireless signals. in one embodiment, the tip or end 2675 of the region 2612 can be truncated (as shown in fig. 26) or pointed. [000518] in one embodiment, the length and/or diameter of the core 2628 can be selected based on a wavelength of the electromagnetic wave that will be propagating along the dielectric core. for example, a diameter of greater than ¼ λ can be used for the region 2606. [000519] in one embodiment, an inner surface of the waveguide 2622 can be constructed from a metallic material, carbon, or other material that reflects electromagnetic waves and thereby enables the waveguide 2622 to be configured to guide the electromagnetic wave towards the core 2628. in one embodiment, the core 2628 can comprise a dielectric core (e.g., as described herein) that extends to, or in proximity of, the inner surface of the waveguide 2622. in another embodiment, the dielectric core can be surrounded by cladding (such as shown in fig. 18 a), whereby the cladding extends to the inner surface of the waveguide 2622. in yet other embodiments, the core 2628 can comprise an insulated conductor, where the insulation extends to the inner surface of the waveguide 2622. in this embodiment, the insulated conductor can be a power line, a coaxial cable, or other types of insulated conductors. [000520] referring to fig. 27, an e-field distribution is illustrated for the polyrod antenna 2600. as shown, the electromagnetic wave is confined or substantially confined within the waveguide 2622 and then propagates along the core 2628 until it is transmitted as a wireless signal from the region 2612 of the core. referring to figs. 28a and 28b, an example gain pattern and the corresponding input impedance are illustrated for the example polyrod antenna 2600. it should be understood that other gain patterns can be achieved utilizing polyrod antennas having other characteristics. [000521] referring now to figs. 29a and 29b, block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a polyrod antenna array 2900 which utilizes four polyrod antennas 2600 for transmitting wireless signals are shown. in this example, the polyrod antenna array 2900 utilizes the same polyrod antennas 2600, which are uniformly spaced apart, such as 0.8 cm on center. the particular type of polyrod antenna, the number of polyrod antennas, and/or the spacing in the array can be selected according to various factors, such as based on parameters of the wireless signals and/or electromagnetic waves that are being utilized. referring to fig. 30, an example gain pattern is illustrated for the example four polyrod antenna array 2900. it should be understood that other gain patterns can be achieved utilizing polyrod antenna arrays having other characteristics. referring to figs. 31a and 31b, e-field distributions are illustrated for the polyrod antenna 2600 and the polyrod antenna array 2900. as shown, the electromagnetic wave(s) is confined or substantially confined within the waveguide(s) 2622 and then propagate along the core(s) 2628 until transmitted as a wireless signal(s) from the region(s) 2612 of the core(s). [000522] referring now to figs. 32a and 32b, block diagrams illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a polyrod antenna array 3200, which utilizes sixteen polyrod antennas 2600 for transmitting wireless signals, is shown. in this example, the polyrod antenna array 3200 is made from the same polyrod antennas 2600, which are uniformly spaced apart, such as 0.8 cm on center. the particular type of polyrod antenna, the number of polyrod antennas and/or the spacing in the array can be selected according to various factors, such as based on parameters of the wireless signals and/or electromagnetic waves that are being utilized. referring to fig. 33, an example gain pattern is illustrated for the example sixteen polyrod antenna array 3200. it should be understood that other gain patterns can be achieved utilizing polyrod antenna arrays having other characteristics. referring to fig. 34a, a vswr over a 10ghz operating frequency is illustrated for a polyrod antenna 2600. referring to fig. 34b, s-parameters over the 10ghz operating frequency is illustrated for the polyrod antenna array 3200. referring to fig. 35, e-field distributions are illustrated for the polyrod antenna array 3200. as shown, the electromagnetic waves are confined or substantially confined within the waveguides 2622 and then propagate along the cores 2628 until transmitted as a wireless signals from the regions 2612 of the cores. [000523] referring now to fig. 36a, a block diagram illustrating an example, non- limiting embodiment of a hollow horn antenna 3600 is shown. in one embodiment, the hollow horn antenna 3600 can be used in an array. as an example, hollow horn antenna 3600 can be made from teflon and/or can include a cylindrical v-band feed 3622 for generating a signal to be wirelessly transmitted. fig. 36b illustrates an e-field distribution for the hollow horn antenna 3600. as shown, the electromagnetic waves are confined or substantially confined within the cylinder 3622. fig. 37 illustrates gain as a function of the internal feed position. the port and feed position can influence the antenna gain. [000524] turning to fig. 38, a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a polyrod antenna 3800 is shown. polyrod antenna 3800 can be used in an antenna array to facilitate or otherwise provide for beam steering including beam forming. the polyrod antenna 3800 can have a number of regions, such as first region 3806, second region 3808, third region 3810 and fourth region 3812. in one embodiment, a waveguide 3822 can cover the first region 3806 of the core 3828. within the first region 3806, the waveguide 3822 can have an outer surface 3822 a and an inner surface 3823. the inner surface 3823 of the waveguide 3822 can be constructed from a metallic material, carbon, or other material that reflects electromagnetic waves and thereby enables the waveguide 3822 to be configured to guide first electromagnetic wave 3802 towards the core 3828. [000525] in one embodiment, the core 3828 can comprise a dielectric core (as described herein) that extends to or in proximity of the inner surface 3823 of the waveguide 3822. in other embodiments, the dielectric core 3828 can be surrounded by cladding (such as shown in fig. 18a), whereby the cladding extends to the inner surface 3823 of the waveguide 3822. in yet other embodiments, the core 3828 can comprise an insulated conductor, where the insulation extends to the inner surface 3823 of the waveguide 3822. in this embodiment, the insulated conductor can be a power line, a coaxial cable, or other types of insulated conductors. [000526] in the first region 3806, the core 3828 can include an interface 3826 for receiving the first electromagnetic wave 3802. in one embodiment, the interface 3826 of the core 3828 can be configured to reduce reflections of the first electromagnetic wave 3802. in one embodiment, the interface 3826 can be a tapered structure to reduce reflections of the first electromagnetic wave 3802 from a surface of the core 3828. other structures can be used for the interface 3826, such as partially tapered with a rounded point or with a truncated end. accordingly, other structure, configuration, or adaptation of the interface 3826 that can reduce reflections of the first electromagnetic wave 3802 can be used in this example. the first electromagnetic wave 3802 induces (or otherwise generates) a second electromagnetic wave 3804 that propagates within the core 3828 in the first region 3806 covered by the waveguide 3822. the inner surface 3823 of the waveguide 3822 can confine the second electromagnetic wave 3804 within the core 3828. [000527] in this example, the second region 3808 of the core 3828 is not covered by the waveguide 3822, and is thereby exposed to the environment (e.g., air). in the second region 3808, the second electromagnetic wave 3804 expands outwardly beginning from the discontinuity between the edge of the waveguide 3822 and the exposed portion of the core 3828. in one embodiment to reduce the radiation into the environment from the second electromagnetic wave 3804, the core 3828 can be configured to have a tapered structure 3820. as the second electromagnetic wave 3804 propagates along the tapered structure 3820, the second electromagnetic wave 3804 remains substantially bound to the tapered structure 3820 thereby reducing radiation losses. the tapered structure 3820 can end at a transition from the second region 3808 to the third region 3810. in the third region 3810, the core 3828 can have a cylindrical structure having a diameter equal to the endpoint of the tapered structure 3820 at the juncture between the second region 3808 and the third region (e.g., the third region can be non-tapered with a uniform diameter). [000528] in the third region 3810 of the core 3828, the second electromagnetic wave 3804 experiences a low propagation loss. in one embodiment, this can be accomplished by selecting a diameter of the core 3828 that enables the second electromagnetic wave 3804 to be loosely bound to the outer surface of the core 3828 in the third region 3810. alternatively, or in combination, propagation losses of the second electromagnetic wave 3804 can be reduced by configuring the mmics 3824 to adjust a wave mode, wave length, operating frequency, and/or other operational parameter of the first electromagnetic wave 3802. [000529] in one embodiment, one or more antennas of the mmics 3824 can be configured to receive the electromagnetic wave 3802 thereby converting the electromagnetic wave 3802 to an electrical signal which can be processed by a processing device (e.g., a receiver circuit and microprocessor). to prevent interference between electromagnetic waves transmitted by the mmics 3824, a remote waveguide system that transmitted the electromagnetic wave 3804 that is received by the waveguide 3822 can be adapted to transmit the electromagnetic wave 3804 at a different operating frequency, different wave mode, different phase, or other adjustable operational parameter to avoid interference. [000530] the fourth region 3812 of the core 3828 can be configured for transmitting wireless signals based on the second electromagnetic wave 3804. for example, the fourth region 3812 can be tapered causing the second electromagnetic wave 3804 to expand outwardly transitioning into a wireless signal 3899. an example e-field for the wireless signal of a polyrod antenna is illustrated in figs. 27 and 3 ib. in one embodiment, the fourth region 3812 of the core 3828 can have a truncated end. [000531] fig. 39 illustrates another polyrod antenna 3900 having features similar to the features of polyrod antenna 3800 which have the same reference numbers. polyrod antenna 3900 can provide an alternative embodiment to the tapered structure 3820 in the second region 3808 of fig. 38. for example, the tapered structure 3820 can be avoided by extending the waveguide 3822 into the second region 3808 (of the core 3828) with a tapered or outwardly flaring structure 3922b and maintaining uniformity or substantial uniformity of the diameter of the core 3828 throughout the first, second and third regions 3806, 3808 and 3810 of the core 3828. the horn structure 3922b can be used to reduce radiation losses of the second electromagnetic wave 3804 as the second electromagnetic wave 3804 transitions from the first region 3806 to the second region 3808. as described above, the fourth region 3812 of the core 3828 can be configured (e.g., tapered) for transmitting wireless signals based on the second electromagnetic wave 3804. [000532] fig. 40 illustrates another polyrod antenna 4000 having features similar to the features of polyrod antenna 3800 which have the same reference numbers. polyrod antenna 4000 can provide an alternative embodiment to the mmics 3824 for generating the electromagnetic wave 3802. for example, the mmics 3824 can be avoided by providing one or more radiating elements 4024 in the waveguide 3822. in one embodiment, the first region 3806 (of the core 3828) within the waveguide 3822 can be filled with a dielectric material 4026. in one embodiment, the dielectric material 4026 extends to the inner surface 3823 of the waveguide 3822. the first electromagnetic wave 3802 generated by the radiating element(s) 4024 can transition into a second electromagnetic wave 3804 that propagates within the core 3828 in the first region 3806 covered by the waveguide 3822. the inner surface 3823 of the waveguide 3822 can confine the second electromagnetic wave 3804 within the core 3828. as described above, the fourth region 3812 of the core 3828 can be configured (e.g., tapered) for transmitting wireless signals based on the second electromagnetic wave 3804. [000533] fig. 41a illustrates another polyrod antenna 4100 having features similar to the features of polyrod antenna 3800 which have the same reference numbers. polyrod antenna 4100 can provide an alternative embodiment to the mmics 3824 and radiating element(s) 4024 for generating the electromagnetic wave 3802. for example, the mmics 3824 and radiating element(s) 4024 can be avoided by providing an opening in the waveguide 3822 for insertion of a cable or other transmission medium 4124, which can guide the first electromagnetic wave 3802. in one embodiment, the first region 3806 (of the core 3828) within the waveguide 3822 can abut against or otherwise be in proximity to the cable 4124. the first electromagnetic wave 3802 can be generated by a generator at an opposing end of the cable 4124 and can propagate along the cable 4124 until it transitions into a second electromagnetic wave 3804 that propagates within the core 3828 in the first region 3806 covered by the waveguide 3822. the inner surface 3823 of the waveguide 3822 can confine the second electromagnetic wave 3804 within the core 3828. as described above, the fourth region 3812 of the core 3828 can be configured (e.g., tapered) for transmitting wireless signals based on the second electromagnetic wave 3804. [000534] fig. 41b illustrates another polyrod antenna 4100' having features similar to the features of polyrod antennas 4100 and 3800 which have the same reference numbers. polyrod antenna 4100' can provide an alternative embodiment to flat end surfaces for the cable 4124 and the first region 3806 of the core 3828. for example, cable 4124 can have an interface 4124 a and/or first region 3806 of core 3828 can have an interface 4122, which facilitates the first electromagnetic wave 3802 transitioning into the second electromagnetic wave 3804 that propagates within the core 3828 in the first region 3806 covered by the waveguide 3822. in one embodiment, the interface 4124a and/or the interface 4122 can have a tapered shape to reduce reflections of the first electromagnetic wave 3802 from a surface of the core 3828. other structures can be used for the interface 4124 a and/or the interface 4122, such as partially tapered with a rounded point or with a truncated end. accordingly, other structure, configuration, or adaptation of the interface 4124 a and/or the interface 4122 that can reduce reflections of the first electromagnetic wave 3802 can be used in this example. [000535] fig. 42a illustrates another polyrod antenna 4200 having features similar to the features of polyrod antenna 3800 which have the same reference numbers. polyrod antenna 4200 can provide an alternative embodiment to utilizing the waveguide 3822. for example, a cable 4224 can be integrally formed with the second region 3808 of core 3828, which facilitates the first electromagnetic wave 3802 transitioning into the second electromagnetic wave 3804. in one embodiment, the cable 4224 and the second region 3808 or all of core 3828 can be made from a same material(s). in another embodiment, the cable 4224 and the second region 3808 or all of core 3828 can be made from different material(s). as described above, the fourth region 3812 of the core 3828 can be configured (e.g., tapered) for transmitting wireless signals based on the second electromagnetic wave 3804. [000536] fig. 42b illustrates another polyrod antenna 4200' having features similar to the features of polyrod antenna 4200 which have the same reference numbers. polyrod antenna 4200' can provide an alternative embodiment to utilizing the waveguide 3822. for example, a cable 4224 can be integrally formed with the fourth region 3812 of core 3828 which facilitates the first electromagnetic wave 3802 transitioning into the second electromagnetic wave 3804. as described above, the fourth region 3812 of the core 3828 can be configured (e.g., tapered) for transmitting wireless signals based on the second electromagnetic wave 3804. [000537] turning to fig. 43, a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a polyrod antenna array 4300 is shown. polyrod antenna array 4300 can be used to facilitate or otherwise provide for beam steering including beam forming. the polyrod antenna array 4300 can include a plurality of polyrod antennas 4325 that are arranged in various patterns, which can include uniform spacing or non-uniform spacing. in one embodiment, the array 4300 includes a support structure 4350, such as a printed circuit board, where the polyrod antennas 4325 are connected with the support structure. for example, radiating elements can extend from the support structure 4350 into each of the polyrod antennas 4325. [000538] fig. 44 illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 4400 for sending and/or receiving electromagnetic waves representative of communications. at 4402, communications can be determined that are to be wirelessly transmitted. as an example, the communications can be based on received signals. in another embodiment, the communications can be based on information generated by a processor co-located at the communication device that is to transmit the signals. [000539] at 4404, a first group of transmitters can generate first electromagnetic waves representative of or otherwise associated with the communications and at 4406 a second group of transmitters can generate second electromagnetic waves representative of or otherwise associated with the communications. in one embodiment, the first and second electromagnetic waves can propagate and be guided by dielectric cores without requiring an electrical return path, where each of the dielectric cores is connected with one of the transmitters and is also connected with a corresponding antenna of an antenna array to enable beam steering. [000540] at 4408, the first and second electromagnetic waves can be guided to the antenna array and can transition into, or otherwise provide for transmitting of, wireless signals. in one embodiment, the wireless signals are transmitted, via an array of polyrod antennas, based on the electromagnetic waves, where each polyrod antenna of the array of polyrod antennas is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric cores, and wherein each polyrod antenna converts a corresponding one of the plurality of electromagnetic waves supplied by the corresponding one of the plurality of dielectric cores into a corresponding one of the plurality of wireless signals. the wireless signals can be representative of, or otherwise wirelessly convey, the communications to a receiver device. [000541] in one embodiment, beam steering is performed via the antenna array by providing a phase adjustment to one or more of the wireless signals. as an example, a row of polyrod antennas in the antenna array can have a first phase while another row (or the remaining polyrod antennas) of the array has a second phase that is different from the first array. any number of polyrod antennas can be provided with phase adjustments to perform the desired beam steering. [000542] turning to fig. 45, a block diagram illustrating an example, non-limiting embodiment of a system 4500 is shown. system 4500 can be used to facilitate or otherwise provide communications over a network, including communications between network elements and/or voice, video, data and/or messaging services for end user devices. system 4500 can include any number of communication devices (e.g., network devices); only two of which are shown as communication device 4510 connected with utility pole 4520 and communication device 4550 connected with utility pole 4560. the communication devices of system 4500 can be arranged in various configurations, including a mesh network, primary and secondary node patterns, and so forth, so as to facilitate communications over the network. [000543] in one or more embodiments, communication device 4510 can include an antenna array 4515 for transmitting wireless signals. in one or more embodiments, the antenna array 4515 can perform beam steering. for example, the antenna array 4515 can utilize a first subset of antennas of the antenna array to transmit first wireless signals 4525 directed (as shown by reference number 4527) via beam steering towards the communication device 4550. a second subset of antennas of the antenna array 4515 can transmit second wireless signals 4530 directed (as shown by reference number 4532) via the beam steering towards a transmission medium 4575 (e.g., a power line connected between the utility poles 4520, 4560). [000544] the first and second wireless signals 4525, 4530 can be associated with communication signals that are to be transmitted over the network. for instance, the first and second wireless signals 4525, 4530 can be the same signals. in another example, the first wireless signals 4525 can represent a first subset of the communication signals, while the second wireless signals 4530 represent a second subset of the communication signals. in one embodiment, the first and second wireless signals 4525, 4530 can be different and can be based on interleaving of a group of communication signals, such as video packets, and so forth. [000545] in one or more embodiments, the second wireless signals 4530 induce electromagnetic waves 4540. for example, the electromagnetic waves 4540 are induced at a physical interface of the transmission medium 4575 and propagate (as shown by reference number 4542) without requiring an electrical return path. the electromagnetic waves 4540 are guided by the transmission medium 4575 towards the communication device 4550, which is positioned in proximity to the transmission medium. the electromagnetic waves 4575 can be representative of the second wireless signals 4530 which are associated with the communication signals. [000546] in one or more embodiments, the communication device 4550 can include a receiver that is configured to receive the electromagnetic waves 4540 that are propagating along the transmission medium 4575. various types of receivers can be used for receiving the electromagnetic waves 4540, such as devices shown in figs. 7, 8 and 9a. system 4500 enables the communication device 4510 to transmit information which is received by the communication device 4550 (e.g., another antenna array 4555) via the wireless communication path 4527 and via being guided by the transmission medium 4575. [000547] in one or more embodiments, the antenna arrays 4515, 4555 can include polyrod antennas. for example, each of the polyrod antennas can include a core that is connected with a waveguide that is configured to confine an electromagnetic wave at least in part within the core in a particular region of the core. in one embodiment, each of the polyrod antennas can include a core having a first region, a second region, a third region, and a fourth region, where the core comprises an interface in the first region. one of the plurality of transmitters can generate a first electromagnetic wave that induces a second electromagnetic wave at the interface of the first region. the core can be connected with a waveguide that is configured to confine the second electromagnetic wave at least in part within the core in the first region, where the second region of the core is configured to reduce a radiation loss of the second electromagnetic wave as the second electromagnetic wave propagates into the second region. the third region of the core can be configured to reduce a propagation loss of the second electromagnetic wave as the second electromagnetic wave propagates into the third region. the fourth region of the core can be outside of the waveguide and can be tapered to facilitate transmitting one of the first or second wireless signals based on the second electromagnetic wave. [000548] in one or more embodiments, the communication device 4510 can provide a phase adjustment to the second wireless signals 4530 to accomplish beam steering towards the transmission medium 4575. fig. 45 illustrates the antenna array 4555 and the receiver 4565 being co-located at communication device 4550, however, in another embodiment the antenna array 4555 and the receiver 4565 can be separate devices that may or may not be in proximity to each other. for example, the first wireless signals 4525 can be received by the antenna array 4555 of the communication device 4550 while the electromagnetic waves 4540 can be received by a receiver of a different communication device (not shown) that is in proximity to the transmission medium 4575. [000549] fig. 46 illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 4600 for sending and/or receiving electromagnetic waves representative of communications. at 4602, a communication device can utilize an antenna array to transmit first wireless signals that are associated with communication signals. the first wireless signals can be directed via beam steering by the antenna array towards a wireless receiver of another communication device. the communication signals can represent various types of information, including control information, voice, video, data, messaging, and so forth. at 4604, the communication device can transmit second wireless signals associated with the communication signals. the second wireless signals can be directed via the beam steering by the antenna array towards a transmission medium, such as a power line. the first and second wireless signals can be transmitted at a same time or in temporal proximity to each other. [000550] in one embodiment, the first and second wireless signals can be the same signals and can represent or otherwise convey the communication signals, such as providing two different paths for communicating the same information. in another embodiment, the first wireless signals can represent a first subset of the communication signals, while the second wireless signals represent a second subset of the communication signals, such as splitting information (e.g., video packets) over two different communication paths. [000551] at 4606, the second wireless signals can induce electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of the transmission medium that propagate without requiring an electrical return path, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium towards a receiver. the electromagnetic waves can represent the second wireless signals which are associated with the communication signals. the electromagnetic waves can be received by a receiver that is in proximity to the transmission medium. [000552] in one embodiment, beam steering can be utilized by the antenna array of the transmitting communication device to provide for the different communication paths, such as by providing a phase adjustment to the first and/or second wireless signals. in one embodiment, the transmission medium can be a power line. in one embodiment, the first wireless signals can be transmitted to and received by a wireless receiver of another communication device that also has a receiver for receiving the electromagnetic waves being guided by the transmission medium. in one embodiment, method 4600 can adjust a transmit power associated with at least one of the first and second wireless signals resulting in different first and second transmit powers of the first and second wireless signals, respectively. [000553] figs. 47a, 47b, 47c, 47d, 47e, 47f, 47g, 47h, and 471 are block diagrams illustrating example, non-limiting embodiments of an antenna system 4700 in accordance with various aspects described herein. fig. 47a depicts an array of polyrod antennas (described above— see figs. 26-46) being used to perform beam steering as previously described in relation to fig. 190 and other figures of the subject disclosure. fig. 47a depicts that a beam pattern generated by an array of dielectric polyrod antennas will have a reasonably straight path when electromagnetic waves supplied to each dielectric polyrod antenna of the array are in phase. in contrast, when the electromagnetic waves supplied to the array of dielectric polyrod antennas are not in phase, the beam pattern generated by the array of dielectric polyrod antennas will bend in a certain direction in three-dimensional space. the direction the beam pattern bends can be controlled by adjusting the phase of each electromagnetic wave supplied to a corresponding dielectric polyrod of the array of dielectric polyrod antennas utilizing a circuit 1972 such as shown in fig. 190 and the methods described in the subject disclosure in relation to fig. 190. controlling phase enables beam steering of beam patterns. other operational parameters of the electromagnetic waves supplied to the array of dielectric polyrod antennas (e.g., frequency, wave mode, electric field structure, etc.) can be adjusted to adjust a shape of the beam pattern generated by the array of dielectric polyrod antennas, and/or also perform additional beam steering of the beam pattern. by adjusting different operational parameters of the electromagnetic waves supplied to the array of dielectric polyrod antennas, the beam pattern generated thereby can be widened, narrowed, can be shaped elliptically, can have a field strength that varies at different points in a near-field wireless signal, and so on. [000554] fig. 47b depicts different grid patterns of an antenna system 4700 comprising an array of dielectric polyrod antennas. for example, an antenna system 4700 can comprise a 16 x 16 grid of dielectric polyrod antennas, which can be constructed by combining sixteen 4 x 4 grids. fig. 47b further illustrates that a 16 x 16 grid array can be sectionalized in several ways. in one embodiment, for example, a 16 x 16 grid array can have 4 sections, each section comprising an 8 x 8 grid array of dielectric polyrod antennas. in another embodiment, a 16 x 16 grid array can have 9 sections, which are not all equal in size. for example, the four corners of the 16 x 16 grid array can have sections of 4 x 4 grid arrays, the middle section can have an 8 x 8 grid array, and the 4 middle outer sections can have a 4 x 8 grid array. also, shown is a cross and diagonal grid array constructed by combining 4 x 4 grids. additionally, shown in fig. 47b are circular arrays. based on these illustrations, the subject disclosure contemplates any number of other configurations of grid arrays of dielectric antennas. it is also noted that other types of dielectric antenna structures can be used in place of the array of dielectric polyrod antennas shown in figs. 47a-47i, such as, for example, an array of dielectric cone antennas, an array of dielectric pyramidal antennas, or other suitable arrays of dielectric antenna structures. accordingly, the embodiments that follow can be adapted to other dielectric antenna structures. [000555] fig. 47c illustrates an array of dielectric polyrod antennas arranged on a printed circuit board (pcb) 4702. in this arrangement, a plurality of transceivers such as shown in fig. 10a or fig. 14 can be used to supply (or receive) electromagnetic waves via dielectric cores coupled to the dielectric polyrod antennas. accordingly, each dielectric polyrod antenna held by the pcb 4702 can be independently controlled by a transmitter section of the transceiver to generate specific radiated signals from electromagnetic waves supplied to a corresponding dielectric core coupled to the dielectric polyrod antenna, which when combined with radiated signals of other dielectric polyrod antennas in the array can form desirable beam patterns. similarly, each dielectric polyrod antenna can be selectively enabled to receive wireless signals that are converted to electromagnetic waves and supplied to a receiver section of a transceiver by way of a corresponding dielectric core. [000556] although a linear grid of dielectric polyrod antennas can be useful, a hexagonal grid can have certain advantages as shown in fig. 47d. for instance, a linear grid is not rotationally symmetric, while a hexagonal grid is. rotational symmetry enables dielectric polyrod antennas to be equidistant from each other. consequently, radiated signals from each dielectric polyrod in a hexagonal configuration are also equidistant from each other and thereby combine symmetrically, which is not the case for a linear grid. [000557] fig. 47e illustrates the structural differences between a 4 x 4 linear grid versus a 4 x 4 hexagonal grid. fig. 47e further illustrates how a large hexagonal array of dielectric polyrod antennas can be constructed by combining 4 x 4 hexagonal grids. fig. 47f illustrates that a 1 x 7 hexagonal grid can be used to generate near-field beam patterns that can be rotated by 30 degrees by selectively choosing adjacent cells in a horizontal plane. fig. 47f further shows how 1 x 7 hexagonal grids can be combined (e.g., a 20 element array), and how with such combinations, various shapes of near-field beam patterns can be generated by selectively activating particular cells of a hexagonal dielectric polyrod array. fig. 47g further illustrates how a large hexagonal dielectric polyrod array can be used to generate different near-field beam pattern configurations by selective activation and synchronization of cells in the hexagonal dielectric polyrod array, while other cells are inactive for transmission purposes, but may be active for reception of wireless signals. [000558] fig. 47h also illustrates a hexagonal dielectric polyrod array can be configured on a pcb 4702. in certain embodiments, the pcb 4702 can be a flexible pcb that can be folded into a cylinder that enables a dielectric polyrod array to be omnidirectional as shown in fig. 471. in one embodiment, the dielectric polyrod array can be configured as a substantially omnidirectional sector array that provides an infinitely selectable horizontal sector, with a range of vertical beam sectoring and steering. in other embodiments, the dielectric polyrod array can be configured in a fixed number of sectors (e.g., 12 sectors) covering a 360 degree area. with beam steering techniques, sections of the dielectric polyrod array shown in fig. 471 can be configured to generate beam patterns that have a vertical and/or horizontal deflection with omnidirectional capabilities by selective activating different dielectric polyrod antennas in the array. the cylindrical phased array of polyrods of fig. 471 can have individually addressable polyrods (under the control of a tracking controller or other computing system) able to project one or many beams simultaneously from its clusters of tessellated polyrod cells, each cell being steered independently by phased array means so as to be able to track one or more moving targets such as one or more passing cars and or pedestrians . thus each beam directed to the moving target (having its own wireless receiver) would be provided a higher gain and signal-to- noise ratio (snr) and thus associated improvement in data rate. [000559] in some embodiments, a mobile communication device can be adapted to have a similar but modified (smaller array) capable of steering a return beam back to a section of the cylindrical array of polyrods shown in fig. 471. in a communication network configuration of a plurality of cylindrical phased array of polyrods, each cylinder located at different locations (herein referred to as communication nodes). while a communication node is utilizing one or more sections of polyrods to communicate with the mobile communication device, other sections of polyrods of the same communication node can be directed to communicate with another communication node in a vicinity of a trajectory of the mobile communication device to provide information associated with handing off the mobile communication device to the other communication node. the information provided can be used by the communication node taking control of communications with the mobile communication device to direct beam patterns from its own polyrods directed to the mobile communication device being tracked. once the handoff is complete, the communication node can direct polyrods to send wireless signals to the previous communication node to inform it that the handoff has completed, and thereby free the previous communication node to handle other communication devices. [000560] fig. 47j illustrates a flow diagram of an example, non-limiting embodiment of a method 2750 for utilizing any one of the embodiments of the antenna system 4700 of figs. 47a-47i. the antenna system 4700 can comprise a plurality of waveguides coupled to corresponding dielectric polyrod antennas as shown in the illustrations of figs. 38 - 42b. each waveguide can comprise a transceiver that can be independently controlled to transmit electromagnetic waves to a corresponding dielectric antenna to radiate a specific pattern, or can receive and process electromagnetic waves generated by the dielectric antenna upon receiving a wireless signal. the electromagnetic waves can be configured according to modulated signals that convey data such as voice, streaming data, or other suitable information. in some embodiments, each waveguide can be coupled to a dielectric core that couples to a feed point of the dielectric antenna. in other embodiments, the waveguide device can couple directly to the feed point of the dielectric antenna. for illustration purposes only, the waveguide device will be assumed to be coupled to a dielectric core that couples to a feed point of the dielectric antenna (e.g., fig. 19l which can be adapted with a dielectric polyrod antenna in place of the dielectric cone antenna). it will be appreciated that the dielectric antenna can be a dielectric polyrod antenna, dielectric cone antenna, dielectric pyramidal antenna, or any other suitable type of dielectric antenna structure. [000561] with this in mind, method 4750 can begin at step 4752 where an array of dielectric antennas (such as dielectric polyrod antennas or other dielectric antenna structures described by the subject disclosure) can be organized in sections such as shown in fig. 47b. it will be appreciated that step 4752 can be performed multiple times as needed. for example, in one instant, an array of dielectric antennas can be organized in 8 sections, and in another instant the same array of dielectric antennas can be organized in 4 sections. it is further appreciated that the shape and size of the sections can vary each time the organizational step 4752 is invoked. for example, a section can have a circular shape, a square shape, and oval shape, a rectangular shape, and so on. it is further appreciated, that the dielectric antennas assigned to each section can vary. for example, an array of dielectric antennas with 4 sections may have two sections with a certain grid size (e.g., 1 x 7) and another grid size for the other two sections (e.g., 4 x 4). the number of dielectric antenna chosen for each section, the size and shape of each section, and the number of sections identified in a grid array can vary based on a communication application the antenna system 4700 is undertaking. [000562] once the array has been configured in selectable sections at step 4752, the antenna system 4700 can be configured to select at step 4754 first and second sections of the array to communicate with first and second communication devices independently. step 4754 can be performed by the antenna system 4700 responsive to detecting a first location of the first communication device and a second location of a second communication device, and determining a section of the array to direct beam patterns to the first and second communication devices at their respective locations. in other embodiments, step 4754 can be performed by the antenna system 4700 responsive to detecting that the first or second communication devices are in transit, determining trajectories based on their respective movements, and selecting sections of the array suitable to direct beam patterns using beam steering techniques during transit. the location and/or movement of the first and second communication devices can be determined by triangulation techniques determined from several communication nodes (base stations) or by receiving gps data from each communication device. it will be appreciated that other location or tracking algorithms and techniques can be used without departing from example embodiments. [000563] at step 4756, the antenna system 4700 can be configured to launch electromagnetic waves across multiple dielectric cores to cause corresponding dielectric antennas of the first and second sections to generate first and second beam patterns directed to the first and second communication devices at their respective locations. the beam patterns generated by each section can be fixed in position or dynamically changing with beam steering techniques to track the movement of each communication device. at step 4758 the antenna system 4700 can be further configured to add more or less beam patterns to enable communications with other communication devices, and/or combine one or more beam patterns of other sections to adjust the shape of existing beam patterns (e.g., expand or contract a shape of a beam pattern in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal planes). the adjustments in step 4758 can be performed to dynamically adjust to changing circumstances of each communication device. [000564] the antenna system 4700 can also be adapted to contemporaneously receive at step 4762 wireless signals at one or more sections of the array of dielectric antennas. the wireless signals can come from communication devices engaged in a communication session, or other antenna systems 4700 of a distributed antenna system for purposes of conveying information between communication nodes of a communication network. at step 4764 wireless signals received by each dielectric antenna are converted to electromagnetic waves that propagate along corresponding dielectric cores to a waveguide that has a receiver circuit of a transceiver as described in the subject disclosure. the receiver circuit in turn can be configured to obtain data from the electromagnetic wave for processing. [000565] it will be appreciated that method 4700 can be adapted to use a single section of an array of dielectric antennas to communicate with more than one communication device at a time. for example, at step 4754, the first section can be selected to communicate with also a third communication device. at step 4756, the launcher can be configured to launch additional electromagnetic waves along a portion of the multiple cores corresponding to the dielectric antennas of the first section to cause a third beam to be generated from the first section of dielectric antennas. the third beam can be directed to the third communication device. the third beam can be configured to not interfere with the first beam of the first section of the array (or the second beam of the second section of the array) by configuring the additional electromagnetic waves supplied to the portion of the multiple cores corresponding to the dielectric antennas of the first section to generate the third beam with a phase and/or frequency that differs from the phase and/or frequency of the first beam (and the second beam). this technique can also be used for generating additional beams at the second section of the array of dielectric antennas for communicating with more than one communication device. this technique can also be used to generate multiple beams directed to multiple communication device from each section of an array of dielectric antennas, such as the sectional configurations shown in fig. 47b. it will be further appreciated that launcher(s) launching electromagnetic waves directed to each section of the array of dielectric antennas via multiple cores can be configured to adjust the electromagnetic waves to perform beam steering and/or beam forming for each beam generated in each section. beam steering can be used to track movements of each communication device. [000566] it will be appreciated that each section of an array of dielectric antennas can be configured to exchange wireless message with more than one communication device at a time utilizing suitable communication protocols (e.g., lte, 5g or future generation protocols). [000567] while for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the respective processes are shown and described as a series of blocks in fig. 47 j, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein. moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methods described herein. [000568] referring now to fig. 48, there is illustrated a block diagram of a computing environment in accordance with various aspects described herein. in order to provide additional context for various embodiments of the embodiments described herein, fig. 48 and the following discussion are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment 4800 in which the various embodiments of the subject disclosure can be implemented. while the embodiments have been described above in the general context of computer-executable instructions that can run on one or more computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments can be also implemented in combination with other program modules and/or as a combination of hardware and software. [000569] generally, program modules comprise routines, programs, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive methods can be practiced with other computer system configurations, comprising single-processor or multiprocessor computer systems, minicomputers, mainframe computers, as well as personal computers, hand-held computing devices, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, and the like, each of which can be operatively coupled to one or more associated devices. [000570] as used herein, a processing circuit includes processor as well as other application specific circuits such as an application specific integrated circuit, digital logic circuit, state machine, programmable gate array or other circuit that processes input signals or data and that produces output signals or data in response thereto. it should be noted that while any functions and features described herein in association with the operation of a processor could likewise be performed by a processing circuit. [000571] the terms "first," "second," "third," and so forth, as used in the claims, unless otherwise clear by context, is for clarity only and doesn't otherwise indicate or imply any order in time. for instance, "a first determination," "a second determination," and "a third determination," does not indicate or imply that the first determination is to be made before the second determination, or vice versa, etc. [000572] the illustrated embodiments of the embodiments herein can be also practiced in distributed computing environments where certain tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. in a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. [000573] computing devices typically comprise a variety of media, which can comprise computer-readable storage media and/or communications media, which two terms are used herein differently from one another as follows. computer-readable storage media can be any available storage media that can be accessed by the computer and comprises both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. by way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable storage media can be implemented in connection with any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, program modules, structured data or unstructured data. [000574] computer-readable storage media can comprise, but are not limited to, random access memory (ram), read only memory (rom), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (eeprom), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disk read only memory (cd-rom), digital versatile disk (dvd) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices or other tangible and/or non-transitory media which can be used to store desired information. in this regard, the terms "tangible" or "non-transitory" herein as applied to storage, memory or computer-readable media, are to be understood to exclude only propagating transitory signals per se as modifiers and do not relinquish rights to all standard storage, memory or computer-readable media that are not only propagating transitory signals per se. [000575] computer-readable storage media can be accessed by one or more local or remote computing devices, e.g., via access requests, queries or other data retrieval protocols, for a variety of operations with respect to the information stored by the medium. [000576] communications media typically embody computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other structured or unstructured data in a data signal such as a modulated data signal, e.g., a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and comprises any information delivery or transport media. the term "modulated data signal" or signals refers to a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in one or more signals. by way of example, and not limitation, communication media comprise wired media, such as a wired network or direct- wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, rf, infrared and other wireless media. [000577] with reference again to fig. 48, the example environment 4800 for transmitting and receiving signals via or forming at least part of a base station (e.g., base station devices 1504, macrocell site 1502, or base stations 1614) or central office (e.g., central office 1501 or 1611). at least a portion of the example environment 4800 can also be used for transmission devices 101 or 102. the example environment can comprise a computer 4802, the computer 4802 comprising a processing unit 4804, a system memory 4806 and a system bus 4808. the system bus 4808 couple's system components including, but not limited to, the system memory 4806 to the processing unit 4804. the processing unit 4804 can be any of various commercially available processors. dual microprocessors and other multiprocessor architectures can also be employed as the processing unit 4804. [000578] the system bus 4808 can be any of several types of bus structure that can further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures. the system memory 4806 comprises rom 4810 and ram 4812. a basic input/output system (bios) can be stored in a non-volatile memory such as rom, erasable programmable read only memory (eprom), eeprom, which bios contains the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer 4802, such as during startup. the ram 4812 can also comprise a high-speed ram such as static ram for caching data. [000579] the computer 4802 further comprises an internal hard disk drive (hdd) 4814 (e.g., eide, sata), which internal hard disk drive 4814 can also be configured for external use in a suitable chassis (not shown), a magnetic floppy disk drive (fdd) 4816, (e.g., to read from or write to a removable diskette 4818) and an optical disk drive 4820, (e.g., reading a cd-rom disk 4822 or, to read from or write to other high capacity optical media such as the dvd). the hard disk drive 4814, magnetic disk drive 4816 and optical disk drive 4820 can be connected to the system bus 4808 by a hard disk drive interface 4824, a magnetic disk drive interface 4826 and an optical drive interface 4828, respectively. the interface 4824 for external drive implementations comprises at least one or both of universal serial bus (usb) and institute of electrical and electronics engineers (ieee) 1394 interface technologies. other external drive connection technologies are within contemplation of the embodiments described herein. [000580] the drives and their associated computer-readable storage media provide nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executable instructions, and so forth. for the computer 4802, the drives and storage media accommodate the storage of any data in a suitable digital format. although the description of computer-readable storage media above refers to a hard disk drive (hdd), a removable magnetic diskette, and a removable optical media such as a cd or dvd, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types of storage media which are readable by a computer, such as zip drives, magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, cartridges, and the like, can also be used in the example operating environment, and further, that any such storage media can contain computer- executable instructions for performing the methods described herein. [000581] a number of program modules can be stored in the drives and ram 4812, comprising an operating system 4830, one or more application programs 4832, other program modules 4834 and program data 4836. all or portions of the operating system, applications, modules, and/or data can also be cached in the ram 4812. the systems and methods described herein can be implemented utilizing various commercially available operating systems or combinations of operating systems. examples of application programs 4832 that can be implemented and otherwise executed by processing unit 4804 include the diversity selection determining performed by transmission device 101 or 102. [000582] a user can enter commands and information into the computer 4802 through one or more wired/wireless input devices, e.g., a keyboard 4838 and a pointing device, such as a mouse 4840. other input devices (not shown) can comprise a microphone, an infrared (ir) remote control, a joystick, a game pad, a stylus pen, touch screen or the like. these and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 4804 through an input device interface 4842 that can be coupled to the system bus 4808, but can be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, an ieee 1394 serial port, a game port, a universal serial bus (usb) port, an ir interface, etc. [000583] a monitor 4844 or other type of display device can be also connected to the system bus 4808 via an interface, such as a video adapter 4846. it will also be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, a monitor 4844 can also be any display device (e.g., another computer having a display, a smart phone, a tablet computer, etc.) for receiving display information associated with computer 4802 via any communication means, including via the internet and cloud-based networks. in addition to the monitor 4844, a computer typically comprises other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers, printers, etc. [000584] the computer 4802 can operate in a networked environment using logical connections via wired and/or wireless communications to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer(s) 4848. the remote computer(s) 4848 can be a workstation, a server computer, a router, a personal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainment appliance, a peer device or other common network node, and typically comprises many or all of the elements described relative to the computer 4802, although, for purposes of brevity, only a memory/storage device 4850 is illustrated. the logical connections depicted comprise wired/wireless connectivity to a local area network (lan) 4852 and/or larger networks, e.g., a wide area network (wan) 4854. such lan and wan networking environments are commonplace in offices and companies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such as intranets, all of which can connect to a global communications network, e.g., the internet. [000585] when used in a lan networking environment, the computer 4802 can be connected to the local network 4852 through a wired and/or wireless communication network interface or adapter 4856. the adapter 4856 can facilitate wired or wireless communication to the lan 4852, which can also comprise a wireless ap disposed thereon for communicating with the wireless adapter 4856. [000586] when used in a wan networking environment, the computer 4802 can comprise a modem 4858 or can be connected to a communications server on the wan 4854 or has other means for establishing communications over the wan 4854, such as by way of the internet. the modem 4858, which can be internal or external and a wired or wireless device, can be connected to the system bus 4808 via the input device interface 4842. in a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer 4802 or portions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory/storage device 4850. it will be appreciated that the network connections shown are example and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used. [000587] the computer 4802 can be operable to communicate with any wireless devices or entities operatively disposed in wireless communication, e.g., a printer, scanner, desktop and/or portable computer, portable data assistant, communications satellite, any piece of equipment or location associated with a wirelessly detectable tag (e.g., a kiosk, news stand, restroom), and telephone. this can comprise wireless fidelity (wi-fi) and bluetooth® wireless technologies. thus, the communication can be a predefined structure as with a conventional network or simply an ad hoc communication between at least two devices. [000588] wi-fi can allow connection to the internet from a couch at home, a bed in a hotel room or a conference room at work, without wires. wi-fi is a wireless technology similar to that used in a cell phone that enables such devices, e.g., computers, to send and receive data indoors and out; anywhere within the range of a base station. wi-fi networks use radio technologies called ieee 802.11 (a, b, g, n, ac, ag etc.) to provide secure, reliable, fast wireless connectivity. a wi-fi network can be used to connect computers to each other, to the internet, and to wired networks (which can use ieee 802.3 or ethernet). wi- fi networks operate in the unlicensed 2.4 and 5 ghz radio bands for example or with products that contain both bands (dual band), so the networks can provide real-world performance similar to the basic lobaset wired ethernet networks used in many offices. [000589] fig. 49 presents an example embodiment 4900 of a mobile network platform 4910 that can implement and exploit one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter described herein. in one or more embodiments, the mobile network platform 4910 can generate and receive signals transmitted and received by base stations (e.g., base station devices 1504, macrocell site 1502, or base stations 1614), central office (e.g., central office 1501 or 1611), or transmission device 101 or 102 associated with the disclosed subject matter. generally, wireless network platform 4910 can comprise components, e.g., nodes, gateways, interfaces, servers, or disparate platforms, that facilitate both packet-switched (ps) (e.g., internet protocol (ip), frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (atm)) and circuit- switched (cs) traffic (e.g., voice and data), as well as control generation for networked wireless telecommunication. as a non-limiting example, wireless network platform 4910 can be included in telecommunications carrier networks, and can be considered carrier-side components as discussed elsewhere herein. mobile network platform 4910 comprises cs gateway node(s) 4922 which can interface cs traffic received from legacy networks like telephony network(s) 4940 (e.g., public switched telephone network (pstn), or public land mobile network (plmn)) or a signaling system #7 (ss7) network 4970. circuit switched gateway node(s) 4922 can authorize and authenticate traffic (e.g., voice) arising from such networks. additionally, cs gateway node(s) 4922 can access mobility, or roaming, data generated through ss7 network 4970; for instance, mobility data stored in a visited location register (vlr), which can reside in memory 4930. moreover, cs gateway node(s) 4922 interfaces cs-based traffic and signaling and ps gateway node(s) 4918. as an example, in a 3gpp umts network, cs gateway node(s) 4922 can be realized at least in part in gateway gprs support node(s) (ggsn). it should be appreciated that functionality and specific operation of cs gateway node(s) 4922, ps gateway node(s) 4918, and serving node(s) 4916, is provided and dictated by radio technology(ies) utilized by mobile network platform 4910 for telecommunication. [000590] in addition to receiving and processing cs-switched traffic and signaling, ps gateway node(s) 4918 can authorize and authenticate ps-based data sessions with served mobile devices. data sessions can comprise traffic, or content(s), exchanged with networks external to the wireless network platform 4910, like wide area network(s) (wans) 4950, enterprise network(s) 4970, and service network(s) 4980, which can be embodied in local area network(s) (lans), can also be interfaced with mobile network platform 4910 through ps gateway node(s) 4918. it is to be noted that wans 4950 and enterprise network(s) 4960 can embody, at least in part, a service network(s) like ip multimedia subsystem (ims). based on radio technology layer(s) available in technology resource(s) 4917, packet-switched gateway node(s) 4918 can generate packet data protocol contexts when a data session is established; other data structures that facilitate routing of packetized data also can be generated. to that end, in an aspect, ps gateway node(s) 4918 can comprise a tunnel interface (e.g., tunnel termination gateway (ttg) in 3gpp umts network(s) (not shown)) which can facilitate packetized communication with disparate wireless network(s), such as wi-fi networks. [000591] in embodiment 4900, wireless network platform 4910 also comprises serving node(s) 4916 that, based upon available radio technology layer(s) within technology resource(s) 4917, convey the various packetized flows of data streams received through ps gateway node(s) 4918. it is to be noted that for technology resource(s) 4917 that rely primarily on cs communication, server node(s) can deliver traffic without reliance on ps gateway node(s) 4918; for example, server node(s) can embody at least in part a mobile switching center. as an example, in a 3gpp umts network, serving node(s) 4916 can be embodied in serving gprs support node(s) (sgsn). [000592] for radio technologies that exploit packetized communication, server(s) 4914 in wireless network platform 4910 can execute numerous applications that can generate multiple disparate packetized data streams or flows, and manage (e.g., schedule, queue, format ...) such flows. such application(s) can comprise add-on features to standard services (for example, provisioning, billing, customer support ...) provided by wireless network platform 4910. data streams (e.g., content(s) that are part of a voice call or data session) can be conveyed to ps gateway node(s) 4918 for authorization/authentication and initiation of a data session, and to serving node(s) 4916 for communication thereafter. in addition to application server, server(s) 4914 can comprise utility server(s), a utility server can comprise a provisioning server, an operations and maintenance server, a security server that can implement at least in part a certificate authority and firewalls as well as other security mechanisms, and the like. in an aspect, security server(s) secure communication served through wireless network platform 4910 to ensure network's operation and data integrity in addition to authorization and authentication procedures that cs gateway node(s) 4922 and ps gateway node(s) 4918 can enact. moreover, provisioning server(s) can provision services from external network(s) like networks operated by a disparate service provider; for instance, wan 4950 or global positioning system (gps) network(s) (not shown). provisioning server(s) can also provision coverage through networks associated to wireless network platform 4910 (e.g., deployed and operated by the same service provider), such as the distributed antennas networks shown in fig. 1 that enhance wireless service coverage by providing more network coverage. repeater devices such as those shown in figs. 7, 8, and 9 also improve network coverage in order to enhance subscriber service experience by way of ue 4975. [000593] it is to be noted that server(s) 4914 can comprise one or more processors configured to confer at least in part the functionality of macro network platform 4910. to that end, the one or more processor can execute code instructions stored in memory 4930, for example. it is should be appreciated that server(s) 4914 can comprise a content manager 4915, which operates in substantially the same manner as described hereinbefore. [000594] in example embodiment 4900, memory 4930 can store information related to operation of wireless network platform 4910. other operational information can comprise provisioning information of mobile devices served through wireless platform network 4910, subscriber databases; application intelligence, pricing schemes, e.g., promotional rates, flat-rate programs, couponing campaigns; technical specification(s) consistent with telecommunication protocols for operation of disparate radio, or wireless, technology layers; and so forth. memory 4930 can also store information from at least one of telephony network(s) 4940, wan 4950, enterprise network(s) 4970, or ss7 network 4960. in an aspect, memory 4930 can be, for example, accessed as part of a data store component or as a remotely connected memory store. [000595] in order to provide a context for the various aspects of the disclosed subject matter, fig. 49, and the following discussion, are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable environment in which the various aspects of the disclosed subject matter can be implemented. while the subject matter has been described above in the general context of computer-executable instructions of a computer program that runs on a computer and/or computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosed subject matter also can be implemented in combination with other program modules. generally, program modules comprise routines, programs, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks and/or implement particular abstract data types. [000596] fig. 50 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device 5000. the communication device 5000 can serve as an illustrative embodiment of devices such as mobile devices and in-building devices referred to by the subject disclosure (e.g., in figs. 15, 16a and 16b). [000597] the communication device 5000 can comprise a wireline and/or wireless transceiver 5002 (herein transceiver 5002), a user interface (ui) 5004, a power supply 5014, a location receiver 5016, a motion sensor 5018, an orientation sensor 5020, and a controller 5006 for managing operations thereof. the transceiver 5002 can support short- range or long-range wireless access technologies such as bluetooth ® , zigbee ® , wifi, dect, or cellular communication technologies, just to mention a few (bluetooth ® and zigbee ® are trademarks registered by the bluetooth ® special interest group and the zigbee ® alliance, respectively). cellular technologies can include, for example, cdma- ix, umts/hsdpa, gsm/gprs, tdma/edge, ev/do, wimax, sdr, lte, as well as other next generation wireless communication technologies as they arise. the transceiver 5002 can also be adapted to support circuit- switched wireline access technologies (such as pstn), packet-switched wireline access technologies (such as tcp/ip, voip, etc.), and combinations thereof. [000598] the ui 5004 can include a depressible or touch- sensitive keypad 5008 with a navigation mechanism such as a roller ball, a joystick, a mouse, or a navigation disk for manipulating operations of the communication device 5000. the keypad 5008 can be an integral part of a housing assembly of the communication device 5000 or an independent device operably coupled thereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a usb cable) or a wireless interface supporting for example bluetooth ® . the keypad 5008 can represent a numeric keypad commonly used by phones, and/or a qwerty keypad with alphanumeric keys. the ui 5004 can further include a display 5010 such as monochrome or color lcd (liquid crystal display), oled (organic light emitting diode) or other suitable display technology for conveying images to an end user of the communication device 5000. in an embodiment where the display 5010 is touch-sensitive, a portion or all of the keypad 5008 can be presented by way of the display 5010 with navigation features. [000599] the display 5010 can use touch screen technology to also serve as a user interface for detecting user input. as a touch screen display, the communication device 5000 can be adapted to present a user interface having graphical user interface (gui) elements that can be selected by a user with a touch of a finger. the touch screen display 5010 can be equipped with capacitive, resistive or other forms of sensing technology to detect how much surface area of a user's finger has been placed on a portion of the touch screen display. this sensing information can be used to control the manipulation of the gui elements or other functions of the user interface. the display 5010 can be an integral part of the housing assembly of the communication device 5000 or an independent device communicatively coupled thereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a cable) or a wireless interface. [000600] the ui 5004 can also include an audio system 5012 that utilizes audio technology for conveying low volume audio (such as audio heard in proximity of a human ear) and high volume audio (such as speakerphone for hands free operation). the audio system 5012 can further include a microphone for receiving audible signals of an end user. the audio system 5012 can also be used for voice recognition applications. the ui 5004 can further include an image sensor 5013 such as a charged coupled device (ccd) camera for capturing still or moving images. [000601] the power supply 5014 can utilize common power management technologies such as replaceable and rechargeable batteries, supply regulation technologies, and/or charging system technologies for supplying energy to the components of the communication device 5000 to facilitate long-range or short-range portable communications. alternatively, or in combination, the charging system can utilize external power sources such as dc power supplied over a physical interface such as a usb port or other suitable tethering technologies. [000602] the location receiver 5016 can utilize location technology such as a global positioning system (gps) receiver capable of assisted gps for identifying a location of the communication device 5000 based on signals generated by a constellation of gps satellites, which can be used for facilitating location services such as navigation. the motion sensor 5018 can utilize motion sensing technology such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or other suitable motion sensing technology to detect motion of the communication device 5000 in three-dimensional space. the orientation sensor 5020 can utilize orientation sensing technology such as a magnetometer to detect the orientation of the communication device 5000 (north, south, west, and east, as well as combined orientations in degrees, minutes, or other suitable orientation metrics). [000603] the communication device 5000 can use the transceiver 5002 to also determine a proximity to a cellular, wifi, bluetooth ® , or other wireless access points by sensing techniques such as utilizing a received signal strength indicator (rssi) and/or signal time of arrival (to a) or time of flight (tof) measurements. the controller 5006 can utilize computing technologies such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (dsp), programmable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits, and/or a video processor with associated storage memory such as flash, rom, ram, sram, dram or other storage technologies for executing computer instructions, controlling, and processing data supplied by the aforementioned components of the communication device 5000. [000604] other components not shown in fig. 50 can be used in one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure. for instance, the communication device 5000 can include a slot for adding or removing an identity module such as a subscriber identity module (sim) card or universal integrated circuit card (uicc). sim or uicc cards can be used for identifying subscriber services, executing programs, storing subscriber data, and so on. [000605] in the subject specification, terms such as "store," "storage," "data store," data storage," "database," and substantially any other information storage component relevant to operation and functionality of a component, refer to "memory components," or entities embodied in a "memory" or components comprising the memory. it will be appreciated that the memory components described herein can be either volatile memory or nonvolatile memory, or can comprise both volatile and nonvolatile memory, by way of illustration, and not limitation, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, disk storage, and memory storage. further, nonvolatile memory can be included in read only memory (rom), programmable rom (prom), electrically programmable rom (eprom), electrically erasable rom (eeprom), or flash memory. volatile memory can comprise random access memory (ram), which acts as external cache memory. by way of illustration and not limitation, ram is available in many forms such as synchronous ram (sram), dynamic ram (dram), synchronous dram (sdram), double data rate sdram (ddr sdram), enhanced sdram (esdram), synchlink dram (sldram), and direct rambus ram (drram). additionally, the disclosed memory components of systems or methods herein are intended to comprise, without being limited to comprising, these and any other suitable types of memory. [000606] moreover, it will be noted that the disclosed subject matter can be practiced with other computer system configurations, comprising single-processor or multiprocessor computer systems, mini-computing devices, mainframe computers, as well as personal computers, hand-held computing devices (e.g., pda, phone, smartphone, watch, tablet computers, netbook computers, etc.), microprocessor-based or programmable consumer or industrial electronics, and the like. the illustrated aspects can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network; however, some if not all aspects of the subject disclosure can be practiced on stand-alone computers. in a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in both local and remote memory storage devices. [000607] some of the embodiments described herein can also employ artificial intelligence (ai) to facilitate automating one or more features described herein. for example, artificial intelligence can be used in optional training controller 230 evaluate and select candidate frequencies, modulation schemes, mevio modes, and/or guided wave modes in order to maximize transfer efficiency. the embodiments (e.g., in connection with automatically identifying acquired cell sites that provide a maximum value/benefit after addition to an existing communication network) can employ various ai-based schemes for carrying out various embodiments thereof. moreover, the classifier can be employed to determine a ranking or priority of the each cell site of the acquired network. a classifier is a function that maps an input attribute vector, x = (xl, x2, x3, x4, ..., xn), to a confidence that the input belongs to a class, that is, f(x) = confidence (class). such classification can employ a probabilistic and/or statistical-based analysis (e.g., factoring into the analysis utilities and costs) to prognose or infer an action that a user desires to be automatically performed. a support vector machine (svm) is an example of a classifier that can be employed. the svm operates by finding a hypersurface in the space of possible inputs, which the hypersurface attempts to split the triggering criteria from the non-triggering events. intuitively, this makes the classification correct for testing data that is near, but not identical to training data. other directed and undirected model classification approaches comprise, e.g., naive bayes, bayesian networks, decision trees, neural networks, fuzzy logic models, and probabilistic classification models providing different patterns of independence can be employed. classification as used herein also is inclusive of statistical regression that is utilized to develop models of priority. [000608] as will be readily appreciated, one or more of the embodiments can employ classifiers that are explicitly trained (e.g., via a generic training data) as well as implicitly trained (e.g., via observing ue behavior, operator preferences, historical information, receiving extrinsic information). for example, svms can be configured via a learning or training phase within a classifier constructor and feature selection module. thus, the classifier(s) can be used to automatically learn and perform a number of functions, including but not limited to determining according to a predetermined criteria which of the acquired cell sites will benefit a maximum number of subscribers and/or which of the acquired cell sites will add minimum value to the existing communication network coverage, etc. [000609] as used in some contexts in this application, in some embodiments, the terms "component," "system" and the like are intended to refer to, or comprise, a computer- related entity or an entity related to an operational apparatus with one or more specific functionalities, wherein the entity can be either hardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. as an example, a component may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution, computer-executable instructions, a program, and/or a computer. by way of illustration and not limitation, both an application running on a server and the server can be a component. one or more components may reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component may be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or more computers. in addition, these components can execute from various computer readable media having various data structures stored thereon. the components may communicate via local and/or remote processes such as in accordance with a signal having one or more data packets (e.g., data from one component interacting with another component in a local system, distributed system, and/or across a network such as the internet with other systems via the signal). as another example, a component can be an apparatus with specific functionality provided by mechanical parts operated by electric or electronic circuitry, which is operated by a software or firmware application executed by a processor, wherein the processor can be internal or external to the apparatus and executes at least a part of the software or firmware application. as yet another example, a component can be an apparatus that provides specific functionality through electronic components without mechanical parts, the electronic components can comprise a processor therein to execute software or firmware that confers at least in part the functionality of the electronic components. while various components have been illustrated as separate components, it will be appreciated that multiple components can be implemented as a single component, or a single component can be implemented as multiple components, without departing from example embodiments. [000610] further, the various embodiments can be implemented as a method, apparatus or article of manufacture using standard programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware or any combination thereof to control a computer to implement the disclosed subject matter. the term "article of manufacture" as used herein is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device or computer-readable storage/communications media. for example, computer readable storage media can include, but are not limited to, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic strips), optical disks (e.g., compact disk (cd), digital versatile disk (dvd)), smart cards, and flash memory devices (e.g., card, stick, key drive). of course, those skilled in the art will recognize many modifications can be made to this configuration without departing from the scope or spirit of the various embodiments. [000611] in addition, the words "example" and "exemplary" are used herein to mean serving as an instance or illustration. any embodiment or design described herein as "example" or "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. rather, use of the word example or exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. as used in this application, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". that is, unless specified otherwise or clear from context, "x employs a or b" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. that is, if x employs a; x employs b; or x employs both a and b, then "x employs a or b" is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances. in addition, the articles "a" and "an" as used in this application and the appended claims should generally be construed to mean "one or more" unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form. [000612] moreover, terms such as "user equipment," "mobile station," "mobile," subscriber station," "access terminal," "terminal," "handset," "mobile device" (and/or terms representing similar terminology) can refer to a wireless device utilized by a subscriber or user of a wireless communication service to receive or convey data, control, voice, video, sound, gaming or substantially any data-stream or signaling- stream. the foregoing terms are utilized interchangeably herein and with reference to the related drawings. [000613] furthermore, the terms "user," "subscriber," "customer," "consumer" and the like are employed interchangeably throughout, unless context warrants particular distinctions among the terms. it should be appreciated that such terms can refer to human entities or automated components supported through artificial intelligence (e.g., a capacity to make inference based, at least, on complex mathematical formalisms), which can provide simulated vision, sound recognition and so forth. [000614] as employed herein, the term "processor" can refer to substantially any computing processing unit or device comprising, but not limited to comprising, single-core processors; single-processors with software multithread execution capability; multi-core processors; multi-core processors with software multithread execution capability; multi- core processors with hardware multithread technology; parallel platforms; and parallel platforms with distributed shared memory. additionally, a processor can refer to an integrated circuit, an application specific integrated circuit (asic), a digital signal processor (dsp), a field programmable gate array (fpga), a programmable logic controller (plc), a complex programmable logic device (cpld), a discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. processors can exploit nano-scale architectures such as, but not limited to, molecular and quantum-dot based transistors, switches and gates, in order to optimize space usage or enhance performance of user equipment. a processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing processing units. [000615] as used herein, terms such as "data storage," data storage," "database," and substantially any other information storage component relevant to operation and functionality of a component, refer to "memory components," or entities embodied in a "memory" or components comprising the memory. it will be appreciated that the memory components or computer-readable storage media, described herein can be either volatile memory or nonvolatile memory or can include both volatile and nonvolatile memory. [000616] what has been described above includes mere examples of various embodiments. it is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing these examples, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present embodiments are possible. accordingly, the embodiments disclosed and/or claimed herein are intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. furthermore, to the extent that the term "includes" is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising" as "comprising" is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. [000617] in addition, a flow diagram may include a "start" and/or "continue" indication. the "start" and "continue" indications reflect that the steps presented can optionally be incorporated in or otherwise used in conjunction with other routines. in this context, "start" indicates the beginning of the first step presented and may be preceded by other activities not specifically shown. further, the "continue" indication reflects that the steps presented may be performed multiple times and/or may be succeeded by other activities not specifically shown. further, while a flow diagram indicates a particular ordering of steps, other orderings are likewise possible provided that the principles of causality are maintained. [000618] as may also be used herein, the term(s) "operably coupled to", "coupled to", and/or "coupling" includes direct coupling between items and/or indirect coupling between items via one or more intervening items. such items and intervening items include, but are not limited to, junctions, communication paths, components, circuit elements, circuits, functional blocks, and/or devices. as an example of indirect coupling, a signal conveyed from a first item to a second item may be modified by one or more intervening items by modifying the form, nature or format of information in a signal, while one or more elements of the information in the signal are nevertheless conveyed in a manner than can be recognized by the second item. in a further example of indirect coupling, an action in a first item can cause a reaction on the second item, as a result of actions and/or reactions in one or more intervening items. [000619] although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement which achieves the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the embodiments described or shown by the subject disclosure. the subject disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments. combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, can be used in the subject disclosure. for instance, one or more features from one or more embodiments can be combined with one or more features of one or more other embodiments. in one or more embodiments, features that are positively recited can also be negatively recited and excluded from the embodiment with or without replacement by another structural and/or functional feature. the steps or functions described with respect to the embodiments of the subject disclosure can be performed in any order. the steps or functions described with respect to the embodiments of the subject disclosure can be performed alone or in combination with other steps or functions of the subject disclosure, as well as from other embodiments or from other steps that have not been described in the subject disclosure. further, more than or less than all of the features described with respect to an embodiment can also be utilized.
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175-403-430-158-434
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US
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[
"US"
] |
H04N5/44,H04N21/422,H04N21/41,H04N21/436,G06F15/16,H04N21/4363,H04N21/61,H04N21/643
| 2007-07-19T00:00:00 |
2007
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[
"H04",
"G06"
] |
system and method to control media display functions
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a system and method to control media display functions is disclosed. a system includes a processing logic and memory accessible to the processing logic. the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to perform a method including receiving input associated with a media display function. the instructions are also executable by the processing logic to determine one or more media devices to be controlled. the instructions are also executable by the processing logic to send first control data adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled. the instructions are also executable by the processing logic to send second control data when the first media device and a second media device are to be controlled concurrently. the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the first media device and at the second media device.
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1 . a system comprising: processing logic; and memory accessible to the processing logic; wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to perform a method comprising: receiving input associated with a media display function; determining one or more media devices to be controlled; sending first control data adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled; and sending second control data when the first media device and a second media device are be controlled concurrently, wherein the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the first media device and at the second media device. 2 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the input is received at a remote control device. 3 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more devices to be controlled are determined based on a position of a selectable switch at a remote control device. 4 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the input is received at a residential gateway device, and wherein the one or more media devices to be controlled are determined based on the input. 5 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the input comprises a control code received from a remote control device, wherein the control code includes address data associated with the one or more devices to be controlled. 6 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the first control data comprises address data associated with the first media device, and wherein the second control data comprises address data associated with the first media device and the second media device. 7 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second media devices comprise set-top box devices. 8 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second media devices comprise display devices. 9 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the first media device includes a first media access interface to access media content, wherein the second media device includes a second media access interface to access the media content, and wherein the first media access interface and the second media access interface are independent. 10 . the system of claim 9 , wherein the first media device implements the media display function via the first media access interface, and wherein the second media device implements the media display function via the second media access interface. 11 . the system of claim 10 , wherein the first media access interface includes a first memory at the first media device, and wherein the second media access interface includes a second memory at the second media device. 12 . the system of claim 10 , wherein the first media access interface includes a first network interface at the first media device, and wherein the second media access interface includes a second network interface at the second media device. 13 . a system comprising: processing logic; and memory accessible to the processing logic wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to perform a method comprising: receiving first control data associated with a media display function; determining one or more media devices to be controlled based on the first control data; implementing the media display function at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled; and implementing the media display function at the first media device and sending second control data to a second media device when the first media device and the second media device are to be controlled concurrently, wherein the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the second media device. 14 . the system of claim 13 , wherein the second media device is coupled to the first media device via a local area network connection. 15 . the system of claim 13 , wherein first media device comprises a master device and wherein the second media device comprises a slave device. 16 . the system of claim 13 , wherein the first control data is received at the first media device via a remote control device interface. 17 . the system of claim 13 , wherein the second control data is sent to the second media device via a network connection. 18 . the system of claim 13 , wherein the first media device and the second media device are of a same device type. 19 . a method, comprising: receiving input associated with a media display function; determining one or more media devices to be controlled; sending first control data adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled; and sending second control data when the first media device and a second media device are be controlled concurrently, wherein the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the first media device and at the second media device. 20 . the method of claim 19 , wherein the one or more media devices to be controlled are determined based on a user selectable setting at a remote control device. 21 . the method of claim 19 , wherein the first media device and the second media device are located in separate rooms. 22 . a computer-readable medium comprising: processor-executable instructions to receive first control data associated with a media display function; processor-executable instructions to determine one or more media devices to be controlled based on the first control data; processor-executable instructions to implement the media display function at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled; and processor-executable instructions to implement the media display function at the first media device and send second control data to a second media device when the first media device and the second media device are to be controlled concurrently, wherein the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the second media device. 23 . the computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the one or more media devices to be controlled are determined based on which of the one or more media devices are associated with an address data bit of the first control data. 24 . the computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the first media device receives the first control data from a remote control device. 25 . the computer-readable medium of claim 22 , further comprising processor-executable instructions to send the second control data to one or more third media devices when the first media device, the second media device, and the one or more third media devices are to be controlled concurrently, wherein the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the one or more third media devices.
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field of the disclosure the present disclosure is generally related to control of media display functions. background media devices, such as set-top boxes, televisions, personal video recorders, home theater components, and so forth, are used by many households and businesses to provide media content, such as movies, broadcast television, broadcast radio, recorded media content, and so forth. remote control devices may be used to control such media devices. as media devices become more common, so do the remote control devices that interact with them. universal remote control devices are available to control some media devices. universal remote control devices control media devices may be able to control several media devices of different device types to simplify control of media display functions at a particular entertainment center. for example, a user may push a single button at a universal remote control device to turn on both a television and a set-top box device. however, such universal remote control devices are not useful to control media display functions at multiple entertainment centers at the same time, such as to turn on or change channels at two or more televisions in separate rooms. hence, there is a need for an improved system and method to control media display functions. brief description of the drawings fig. 1a is a first diagram of a first particular embodiment of a system to control media display functions; fig. 1b is a second diagram of a first particular embodiment of a system to control media display functions; fig. 2 is a diagram of a second particular embodiment of a system to control media display functions; fig. 3 is a diagram of a third particular embodiment of a system to control media display functions; fig. 4 is a block diagram of a fourth particular embodiment of a system to control media display functions; fig. 5 is a flow chart of a first particular embodiment of a method of controlling media display functions; fig. 6 is a flow chart of a second particular embodiment of a method of controlling media display functions; and fig. 7 is a block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of a computer system. detailed description of the drawings a system to control media display functions is disclosed. in a particular embodiment, the system includes processing logic and memory accessible to the processing logic. the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to perform a method including receiving input associated with a media display function. the instructions are also executable by the processing logic to determine one or more media devices to be controlled. the instructions are also executable by the processing logic to send first control data adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled. the instructions are also executable by the processing logic to send second control data when the first media device and a second media device are to be controlled concurrently. the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the first media device and at the second media device. in another particular embodiment, a system to control media display functions is disclosed and includes processing logic and memory accessible to the processing logic. the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to perform a method including receiving first control data associated with a media display function. the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to determine one or more media devices to be controlled based on the first control data. the memory also includes instructions executable by the processing logic to implement the media display function at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled. the memory includes instructions executable by the processing logic to implement the media display function at the first media device and sending second control data to a second media device when the first media device and the second media device are to be controlled concurrently. the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the second media device. in a particular embodiment, a method of controlling media display functions is disclosed and includes receiving input associated with a media display function. the method includes determining one or more media devices to be controlled. the method also includes sending first control data adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled. the method further includes sending second control data when the first media device and a second media device are to be controlled concurrently. the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the first media device and at the second media device. in another particular embodiment, a computer-readable medium is disclosed and includes processor-executable instructions to receive first control data associated with a media display function. the computer-readable medium also includes processor-executable instructions to determine one or more media devices to be controlled based on the first control data. the computer-readable medium includes processor-executable instructions to implement the media display function at a first media device when the first media device is to be controlled. the computer-readable medium further includes processor-executable instructions to implement the media display function at the first media device and send second control data to a second media device when the first media device and the second media device are to be controlled concurrently. the second control data is adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the second media device. figs. 1a and 1b depict a first embodiment of a system to control media display functions. the system includes a plurality of media devices, including set-top box devices 102 , 104 , 106 , residential gateway device 114 , and display devices 108 , 110 , 112 . the system may include other or additional media display devices, such as personal video recorders, home theater components, other media communication, tuning or playback devices, or any combination thereof. in a particular embodiment, the media devices may be located relatively near one another, such as within a single premises (e.g., at a subscriber residence 100 , or within another building). in another particular embodiment, the media devices may be relatively remote from one another, such as at two or more subscriber residences (not shown), one or more other remote locations, or any combination thereof. a user 116 can interact with the media devices using a remote control device 118 . the remote control device 118 can be adapted to send control data to one or more of the media devices to control various media display functions. for example, the media display functions may include channel change functions, volume control functions, time shifting or “trick play” functions (e.g., pause, rewind, fast forward, stop, play, record, and so forth), any other function associated with the media device being controlled, the media, the media source, or any combination thereof. the remote control device 118 may send the control data using radio frequency data transmissions, infrared data transmissions, other wireless data transmissions, or any combination thereof. in a particular embodiment, the remote control device 118 may be adapted to control a plurality of the media devices individually or substantially simultaneously. in an illustrative embodiment, the remote control device 118 may include a media device selector adapted to receive input indicating which of the one or more media devices is to be controlled. the media device selector may include one or more user selectable element, such as a switch, button, touch sensitive screen, any other user selectable element, or any combination thereof. in an illustrative embodiment, the media device selector may be used to indicate whether one of the media control devices is to be controlled, or whether a group of the media control devices is to be controlled. to illustrate, by placing the media device selector in a first position, the subscriber 116 may be able to control only a first media device, such as set-top box device 106 , using the remote control device 118 . by placing the media device selector in a second position, the subscriber 116 may be able to control a plurality of the media devices simultaneously, such as set-top box devices 102 , 104 , and 106 , substantially simultaneously using the remote control device 118 . in a particular embodiment, when the remote control device 118 is set to control a plurality of the media devices, such as set-top box devices 102 , 104 , and 106 , the remote control device 118 may transmit a signal including control data and address data indicating that the control data is intended for each of the media devices 102 , 104 and 106 . as illustrated in fig. 1a , the set-top box device 106 may receive control codes from the remote control device 118 and may implement the media display function associated with control codes at the display device 112 . in a particular illustrative embodiment, the set-top box device 106 may determine whether the control data is also intended to control the set-top box devices 102 and 104 . if the control data is intended to control the set-top box devices 102 and 104 , the set-top box device 106 may send control data to the set-top box devices 102 and 104 to implement the media display function. for example, the set-top box devices 102 , 104 and 106 may each be linked to the residential gateway device 114 . control data sent from one of the set-top box devices, such as set-top box device 106 , may be sent to one or more of the other set-top box devices, such as set-top box device 102 or set-top box device 104 via the residential gateway device 114 . in a particular embodiment, the particular media device that sends control data to the other media devices after receiving control data from the remote control device 118 depends on which media device receives the control data directly from the remote control device 118 . for example, as illustrated in fig. 1a , the user 116 is in a room with the first set-top box device 106 . thus, the first set-top box device 106 may receive the wireless transmission directly from the remote control device 118 . however, referring to fig. 1b , the user 116 has changed locations and is in another room with the second set-top box 104 . when the user 116 selects input associated with a media display function at the remote control device 118 , the second set-top box device 104 receives the control data directly from the remote control device 118 . if the control data indicates that more than one media device is to implement the media display function, the second set-top box device 104 transmits second control data to the one or more other media devices to be controlled, such as a third set-top box device 102 , the first top box device 106 , or a combination thereof. referring to fig. 2 , a second embodiment of a system to control media display functions is illustrated. the system includes a plurality of media devices, such as set-top box devices 202 , 204 , 206 ; display devices 208 , 210 , 212 ; and a media controller 214 . in a particular embodiment, the media controller 214 may be a residential gateway device. in a particular embodiment, the media controller 214 may be another media device, such as a home theatre control device. the plurality of media devices may be co-located, for example, at a subscriber residence 200 , or they may be remote from one another. in a particular embodiment, the media controller 214 is adapted to receive control data from a remote control device 218 and to transmit control data to one or more of the other media devices. to illustrate, the remote control device 218 may be adapted to transmit control codes and address data indicating which of the one or more media devices are to be controlled. the control data may be associated with a media display function such as, a channel change function, volume control function, a trick play function, any other media display function or any combination thereof. the media controller 214 receives the control codes and address data, and determines which media device or media devices to control. the media controller 214 sends control data to the media device(s) to be controlled via a local area network, such as a wired or wireless network. in a particular embodiment, the remote control device 218 may include a media device selector to indicate which of the one or more media devices is to be controlled. for example, the remote control device 218 may include a switch, slide, toggle, button, touch screen or any other user selectable element, or any combination thereof adapted to receive input from a user 216 indicating which of the one or more media devices is to be controlled. based on input received via the media device selector, the remote control device 218 may transmit control codes and address data indicating the media device(s) to be controlled and a media display function to be implemented. the input received via the media device selector may indicate that only a first media device, such as set-top box device 204 , is to be controlled. alternatively, the input received via the media device selector may indicate that all of the media devices in a particular group are to be controlled, such as set-top box devices 202 , 204 and 206 . for example, in a first position, the media device selector may indicate that a media device in the same room with the user 216 is to be controlled (e.g., a media device that receives control data directly from the remote control device 218 ). in a second position, the media device selector may indicate that all of a group of media devices are to be controlled substantially simultaneously. the group of media devices may include all of the media devices of a particular type. for example, the group of media devices may include two or more of the set-top box devices 202 , 204 , 206 . in another example, the group of media devices may include two or more of the display devices 208 , 210 , 212 . the media control device 214 may be adapted to determine a location of the remote control device 218 . for example, the media control device 214 may include or be associated with a plurality of remote control sensors or receivers. the media control device 218 may determine the remote control sensor or receiver that received control data from the remote control device 218 . thus, based on the location of the remote control sensor that received the control data, the media controller 214 may determine which media device is to be controlled. the media controller 214 sends control data to one or more media devices to implement the media display function based on the media device selector, and, in some instances, based on the location of the remote control device 218 . when the media device selector at the remote control device 218 is set to control only a first media device, the media controller 214 may identify the first media device based on pre-defined settings, the location of their remote control device 218 , or both. for example, as illustrated in fig. 2 , the user 216 is in the same room with a first set-top box device 204 . when the user 216 provides input associated with a media display function, such as a mute sound function, the remote control device 218 may transmit control data indicating the media display function to be implemented. the remote control device 218 may also transmit address data indicating that only the first set-top box device 204 is to be controlled. in a particular embodiment, the address data may indicate that only the first media device 204 is to be controlled based on a single bit of the address data. for example, a zero at that bit may indicate that only a first media device is to be controlled, and a one at that bit may indicate that a group of media devices are to be controlled. the bit may be set based on input received via the media device selector. when the input received via that media device selector indicates that only the first set-top box device 204 is to be controlled, the media controller 214 may receive the control data and address data from the remote control device 218 and may send second control data to the first set-top box device 204 to implement the media display function at the first set-top box device 204 and correspondingly at the display device 210 . when the input received via the media device selector indicates that all of a group of media devices are to be controlled substantially simultaneously or concurrently, the user 216 may select an input associated with a particular media display function, for example, a pause function. the remote control device 218 may determine which of the media devices are to be controlled, e.g., the set-top box devices 202 , 204 and 206 , and may transmit control codes and address data indicating the media display function to be performed and the devices to be controlled. the media controller 214 may receive the control data from the remote control device 218 and may send second control data to the devices to be controlled, e.g., the display devices 208 . 210 , 212 indicating the media display function to be performed. the media devices to be controlled may implement the media display function concurrently or substantially simultaneously. thus, for example, the user 216 is able to pause display of media at each of the display devices substantially simultaneously. referring to fig. 3 , a third embodiment of a system to control media display functions is illustrated. the system includes a plurality of media devices, such as set-top box devices 302 , 304 , and 306 , and display devices 308 , 310 , and 312 . the system also includes a remote control device 318 adapted to control one or more of the media devices. in a particular embodiment, the remote control device 318 may be adapted to control each media device in a particular group of media devices. for example, the media devices in a particular group may be the same type of device, such as set-top box devices or display devices. in another embodiment, the group of media devices may include dissimilar types of media devices, such as one or more set-top box devices and one or more display devices. to illustrate, a subscriber may indicate, via the media device selector, that only the first set-top box device 306 , is to be controlled. the subscriber 316 can select a media control function input key, such as a channel change key, at the remote control device 318 . the remote control device 318 determines which of the one or more media devices are to be controlled and selects control codes and address data associated with the media device to be controlled, in this case, set-top box device 306 . the first set-top box device 306 may modify display of media content at the display device 312 based on the received control codes and address data. to further illustrate, the subscriber 316 may indicate, via the media device selector, that a group of the media devices, including the set-top box devices 302 , 304 and 306 , are to be controlled. the subscriber 316 can select a media control function input key, such as a channel change key, at the remote control device 318 . the remote control device 318 determines which of the media devices are to be controlled and selects control codes and address data associated with the group of media devices to be controlled, in this case, set-top box devices 302 , 304 and 306 . in a particular embodiment, the control codes are sent substantially simultaneously or concurrently and the address data is selected such that the media devices recognize the control data as intended for them. the set-top box devices 302 , 304 and 306 may modify display of media content at the display devices 308 , 310 and 312 based on the received control codes and address data. in a particular embodiment, the display of media content at display devices 308 , 310 , and 312 may be modified substantially simultaneously. in an illustrative embodiment, each media device may respond to at least two addresses, a first address that is unique to the media device and a second address that is associated with a group of media devices to be control together. the remote control device 318 may transmit an address bit associated with the group of media devices to control each media device of the group substantially simultaneously. referring to fig. 4 , a fourth particular embodiment of a system to control media display functions is depicted. the system includes a network 402 , such as an internet protocol television (iptv) network, communicating media data to one or more media devices 404 , 406 . as illustrated in fig. 4 , the media devices 404 , 406 may include set-top box devices, residential gateways and so forth. in another particular embodiment, the media devices may include display devices, such as the display devices 410 , 412 , and 414 . the network 402 may communicate with the media devices 404 , 406 via an interface device 408 . the interface device 408 may include an edge network device such as a digital subscriber line modem (dslam), a residential gateway, or any other device adapted to communicate data from the network 402 to the media devices 404 , 406 . in a particular embodiment, the interface device 408 may be associated with a particular subscriber or residence. in another particular embodiment, the interface device 408 may be associated with a plurality of media devices, such as set-top box devices. the system also includes a remote control device 416 . the remote control device 416 is adapted to communicate with one or more of the media devices 404 , 406 . the remote control device 416 is adapted to receive input from a user via a user interface 428 . the user interface 428 may include user selectable elements, such as buttons, a touch sensitive screen, a voice interface, any other user interface device, or any combination thereof. in a particular embodiment, the user interface 428 includes a device selector 430 . the device selector 430 may be adapted to receive user input indicating one or more media devices to be controlled. the remote control device 416 may include logic 420 . the logic 420 may be adapted to determine that one or more media devices to be controlled based on input received via the device selector 430 . the logic 420 may be adapted to implement a control module 426 to determine control codes 424 associated with user input received via the user interface 428 . in a particular embodiment, the control codes 424 and the control module 426 may be stored in a memory 422 accessible to the logic 420 . in a particular embodiment, when the control module 426 has selected control codes 424 from the memory 422 , the logic 420 may associate address data based on user input received via the device selector 420 and transmit the control codes and address data via a transmitter 418 to one or more of the media devices 404 , 406 . the first media device 404 may include a wide area network (wan) interface 434 , a local area network (lan) interface 442 and a remote interface 438 . the first media device 404 may also include logic 436 and a memory 440 accessible to the logic 436 . the memory 440 may include a control module 446 executable by the logic 436 to control the first media device 404 . the control module 446 may also be executable by the logic 436 to send control data to the second media device 406 . in a particular embodiment, the second media device 406 may include a wide area network (wan) interface 454 , a local area network (lan) interface 458 and a remote interface 462 . the second media device 406 may also include logic 456 and a memory 460 accessible to the logic 456 . the memory 460 may include a control module 468 executable by the logic 456 to control the second media device 406 . the control module 468 may also be executable by the logic 456 to send control data to the first media device 404 . in a particular embodiment, when the first media device 404 receives control data via the remote interface 438 , the logic 436 may implement the control module 446 to determine whether the control data is addressed to the first media device 404 . if the control data is addressed to the first media device 404 , the control module 446 may also determine whether the control data is intended for one or more other media devices, such as the second media device 406 . the control module 446 may determine a media display function to be implemented based on the control data. the logic 436 may implement the media display function at the first media device 404 . for example, one or more display devices such as, a first display device 410 and a second display device 412 may be coupled to the first media device 404 . the control module 446 may determine at which of the display devices 410 , 412 the media display function is to be implemented. the logic 436 may implement the media display function at the appropriate one or more display devices 410 , 412 . in a particular embodiment, when the control data indicates that the second media device 406 is also to be controlled, the logic 436 sends second control data to the second media device 406 via the lan interface 442 of the first media device 404 and the lan interface 458 of the second media device 406 . in a, non-limiting, illustrative embodiment, the second media device 406 may be a slave device to the first media device 404 . in this embodiment, the second media device 406 may not include the remote interface 462 . rather, control data for the second media device 406 may be routed via the first media device 404 . in a second illustrative, non-limiting, embodiment, the second media device 406 may not include the wide area network interface 454 . rather, media data may be routed to the second media device 406 via the first media device 404 . in a particular embodiment, when control data is received at the second media device 406 from the first media device 404 , the second media device 406 determines whether the control data is addressed to the second media device, and the media display function to be implemented. in the particular embodiment illustrated in fig. 4 , a third display device 414 is associated with the second media device 406 . if the control data is addressed to the second media device 406 , the second media device implements the media display function at the second media device 406 . for example, the second media device 406 may modify a display at the third display device 414 . in a particular embodiment, each of the media devices 404 , 406 may include an independent interface to media data. for example, each of the media devices may include a wan interface 434 , 454 coupled to a network 402 . the network 402 may send media data to each of the media devices via the media device's independent wan interface 434 , 454 . in a particular embodiment, the media content may include media data 444 , 464 stored in the memory 440 , 460 . for example, the first media device 404 may include a personal video recorder, such as a digital video recorder that records received media data to an internal memory, such as a hard drive. in a particular embodiment, the second media device 406 may include a personal video recorder such as a digital video recorder that stores received media data 464 in the memory 460 . to illustrate, the first media data 444 at the first media device 404 may include first media content. the second media data 464 at the second media device 406 may also include the first media content. a user may indicate, via the device selector 430 , that both the first and the second media devices 404 , 406 are to be controlled. the user may also select a media display function, such as a play function to play the first media content from the media data 444 , 464 . both the first media device 404 and the second media device 406 may implement the media display function substantially simultaneously. thus, the first display device 410 , the second display device 412 , and the third display device 414 may each display the media content substantially simultaneously. the first media content may be substantially synchronized between the three display devices 410 , 412 , 414 . similarly, if the user provides input associated with a pause function, the first media content displayed at the three display devices 410 , 412 , 414 may be paused substantially simultaneously. fig. 5 depicts a first particular embodiment of a method of controlling media display functions, generally designated 500 . the method 500 includes at 502 receiving input associated with a media display function. for example, the input may be received via a user interface at a remote control device. in another example, the input may be received at a residential gateway, or media controller associated with the one or more media devices. the method 500 also includes determining which devices are to be controlled, at 504 . if only one device is to be controlled, the method may include, at 508 , sending first control data to a first media device. the first control data may be adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the first media device. the first media device may be a media device that receives the input, a media device pre-defined as the first media device, or a media device selected based on the location of the remote control device. for example, when the input is received at a media controller or a residential gateway, the first media device may be selected based on that location of the remote control device. returning to 504 , if more than one media device is to be controlled, the method 500 may include, at 510 , sending second control data. the second control data may be adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the first media device and at a second media device. in a particular embodiment, the second control data may be adapted to cause the media display function to be implement substantially simultaneously at the first media device and the second media device. fig. 6 depicts a second particular embodiment of a method of controlling media display functions, generally designated 600 . the method 600 includes, at 602 , receiving first control data associated with a media display function. the method 600 also includes, at 604 , determining which media device or media devices are to be controlled. in a particular embodiment, when a first media device is to be controlled, the method 600 includes, at 608 , implementing the media display function at the first media device. the first media device may be selected based on which media device received the first control data, address data associated with the first control data, a location of a remote control device that sent the first control data, a pre-defined list, or any combination thereof. returning to 604 , if more than one media device is to be controlled, the method 600 may include, at 610 , sending second control data adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at a second media device. when more than one device is to be controlled, the method 600 may also include, at 608 , implementing the media display function at the first media device. in a particular embodiment, the second control data may be adapted to cause the media display function to be implemented at the second control device substantially simultaneously with or concurrent to the implementation of the media display function at the first media device. referring to fig. 7 , an illustrative embodiment of a general computer system is shown and is designated 700 . the computer system 700 can include a set of instructions that can be executed to cause the computer system 700 to perform any one or more of the methods or computer based functions disclosed herein. the computer system 700 may operate as a standalone device or may be connected, e.g., using a network, to other computer systems or peripheral devices. for example, the computer system 700 may include or be included in one or more of the media devices, or remote control devices depicted in figs. 1a-4 . in a networked deployment, the computer system may operate in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer computer system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. the computer system 700 can also be implemented as or incorporated into various devices, such as a personal computer (pc), a tablet pc, a set-top box (stb), a personal digital assistant (pda), a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a land-line telephone, a control system, a camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a printer, a pager, a personal trusted device, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any other machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. in a particular embodiment, the computer system 700 can be implemented using electronic devices that provide voice, video or data communication. further, while a single computer system 700 is illustrated, the term “system” shall also be taken to include any collection of systems or sub-systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer functions. as illustrated in fig. 7 , the computer system 700 may include a processor 702 , e.g., a central processing unit (cpu), a graphics processing unit (gpu), or both. moreover, the computer system 700 can include a main memory 704 and a static memory 706 , that can communicate with each other via a bus 708 . as shown, the computer system 700 may further include a video display unit 710 , such as a liquid crystal display (lcd), an organic light emitting diode (oled), a flat panel display, a solid state display, or a cathode ray tube (crt). additionally, the computer system 700 may include an input device 712 , such as a keyboard, and a cursor control device 714 , such as a mouse. the computer system 700 can also include a disk drive unit 716 , a signal generation device 718 , such as a speaker or remote control, and a network interface device 720 . in a particular embodiment, as depicted in fig. 7 , the disk drive unit 716 may include a computer-readable medium 722 in which one or more sets of instructions 724 , e.g. software, can be embedded. further, the instructions 724 may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described herein. in a particular embodiment, the instructions 724 may reside completely, or at least partially, within the main memory 704 , the static memory 706 , and/or within the processor 702 during execution by the computer system 700 . the main memory 704 and the processor 702 also may include computer-readable media. in an alternative embodiment, dedicated hardware implementations, such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices, can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods described herein. applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments can broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. one or more embodiments described herein may implement functions using two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals that can be communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. accordingly, the present system encompasses software, firmware, and hardware implementations. in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein may be implemented by software programs executable by a computer system. further, in an exemplary, non-limited embodiment, implementations can include distributed processing, component/object distributed processing, and parallel processing. alternatively, virtual computer system processing can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods or functionality as described herein. the present disclosure contemplates a computer-readable medium that includes instructions 724 or receives and executes instructions 724 responsive to a propagated signal, so that a device connected to a network 726 can communicate voice, video or data over the network 726 . further, the instructions 724 may be transmitted or received over the network 726 via the network interface device 720 . while the computer-readable medium is shown to be a single medium, the term “computer-readable medium” includes a single medium or multiple media, such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. the term “computer-readable medium” shall also include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein. in a particular non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, the computer-readable medium can include a solid-state memory such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more non-volatile read-only memories. further, the computer-readable medium can be a random access memory or other volatile re-writable memory. additionally, the computer-readable medium can include a magneto-optical or optical medium, such as a disk or tapes or other storage device to capture carrier wave signals such as a signal communicated over a transmission medium. a digital file attachment to an e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives may be considered a distribution medium that is equivalent to a tangible storage medium. accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a computer-readable medium or a distribution medium and other equivalents and successor media, in which data or instructions may be stored. although the present specification describes components and functions that may be implemented in particular embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to such standards and protocols. for example, standards for internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., tcp/ip, udp/ip, html, http) represent examples of the state of the art. such standards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions. accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same or similar functions as those disclosed herein are considered equivalents thereof. the illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. the illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. many other embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. certain proportions within the illustrations may be exaggerated, while other proportions may be reduced. accordingly, the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. one or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. this disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description. the abstract of the disclosure is provided to comply with 37 c.f.r. §1.72(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. in addition, in the foregoing detailed description, various features may be grouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. this disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed to less than all of the features of any of the disclosed embodiments. thus, the following claims are incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimed subject matter. the above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.
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176-331-861-450-644
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US
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C12N15/10,C12Q1/6806,C12Q1/6869,C12Q1/6874,C12Q1/68,C40B40/06,C40B50/06,C40B50/00,C12M1/00,C40B40/02
| 2016-07-22T00:00:00 |
2016
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[
"C12",
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single cell whole genome libraries and combinatorial indexing methods of making thereof
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provided herein are methods for preparing a sequencing library that includes nucleic acids from a plurality of single cells. in one embodiment, the sequencing library includes whole genome nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells. in one embodiment, the method includes generating nucleosome-depleted nuclei by chemical treatment while maintaining integrity of the nuclei. also provided herein are compositions, such as compositions that include chemically treated nucleosome-depleted isolated nuclei.
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a method of preparing a sequencing library comprising nucleic acids from a plurality of single cells, the method comprising: (a) providing isolated nuclei from a plurality of cells; (b) treating the isolated nuclei with a cross-linking agent; (c) subjecting the isolated nuclei to a chemical treatment to generate nucleosome-depleted nuclei, while maintaining integrity of the isolated nuclei; (d) digesting dna within the isolated nuclei; (e) treating the isolated nuclei with a ligase; (f) distributing subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a first plurality of compartments and contacting each subset with a transposome complex, wherein the transposome complex in each compartment comprises a transposase and a first index sequence that is different from first index sequences in the other compartments; (g) fragmenting nucleic acids in the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a plurality of nucleic acid fragments and incorporating the first index sequences into at least one strand of the nucleic acid fragments to generate indexed nuclei comprising indexed nucleic acid fragments, wherein the indexed nucleic acid fragments remain attached to the transposases; (h) combining the indexed nuclei to generate pooled indexed nuclei; (i) distributing subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei into a second plurality of compartments; (j) reversing the cross-linking; (k) incorporating into the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment a second index sequence to generate dual-index fragments, wherein the second index sequence in each compartment is different from second index sequences in the other compartments; (l) combining the dual-index fragments, thereby producing a sequencing library comprising whole genome nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells. the method of claim 1, wherein the chemical treatment comprises a treatment with a chaotropic agent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions. the method of claim 2, wherein the chaotropic agent comprises lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylic acid. the method of claim 1, wherein the chemical treatment comprises a treatment with a detergent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions. the method of claim 4, wherein the detergent comprises sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). the method of claim 1, wherein the cross-linking agent is formaldehyde. the method of claim 6, wherein the concentration of formaldehyde ranges from about 0.2% to about 2%. the method of claim 6, wherein the concentration of formaldehyde is no greater than about 1.5%. the method of claim 6, wherein the reversal of the cross-linking comprises incubation at about 55°c to about 72°c. the method of claim 9, wherein the transposases are disassociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments prior to the reversal of the cross-linking. the method of claim 10, wherein the transposases are disassociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments using sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). the method of claim 1, wherein the digesting comprises treating with a restriction enzyme. the method of claim 1, wherein i) the distributing in steps (f) and (i) is performed by fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting, or ii) the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei comprise approximately equal numbers of nuclei, optionally wherein the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei comprise from 1 to about 2000 nuclei, or iii) the first plurality of compartments is a multi-well plate, optionally wherein the multi-well plate is a 96-well plate or a 384-well plate, or iv) the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei comprise approximately equal numbers of nuclei, optionally wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei comprise from 1 to about 25 nuclei, or v) the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include at least 10 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei, or vi) the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include at least 100 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei, or vii) wherein the second plurality of compartments is a multi-well plate, optionally wherein the multi-well plate is a 96-well plate or a 384-well plate, or viii) step (f) comprises adding the transposome complex to the compartments after the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei are distributed, or ix) each of the transposome complexes comprises a transposon, each of the transposons comprising a transferred strand, optionally wherein the transferred strand comprises the first index sequence and a first universal sequence, optionally wherein the incorporation of the second index sequence in step (k) comprises contacting the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment with a first universal primer and a second universal primer, each comprising an index sequence and each comprising a sequence identical to or complementary to a portion of the first universal sequence, and performing an exponential amplification reaction, optionally a) wherein the index sequence of the first universal primer is the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer, b) wherein the index sequence of the first universal primer is different from the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer, c) wherein the first universal primer further comprises a first capture sequence and a first anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 3' end of the dual-index fragments. the method of, claim 13 wherein the first capture sequence comprises the p5 primer sequence, optionally wherein the second universal primer further comprises a second capture sequence and a second anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 5' end of the dual-index fragments, optionally wherein the second capture sequence comprises the reverse complement of the p7 primer sequence. the method of claim 13, wherein the exponential amplification reaction comprises a polymerase chain reaction (pcr), optionally wherein the pcr comprises 15 to 30 cycles. the method of claim 1, further comprising an enrichment of dual-index fragments using a plurality of capture oligonucleotides having specificity for the dual-index fragments, optionally wherein the capture oligonucleotides are immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate, optionally wherein the capture oligonucleotides comprise a first member of a universal binding pair, and wherein a second member of the binding pair is immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate. the method of claim 1, further comprising sequencing of the dual-index fragments to determine the nucleotide sequence of nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells, optionally further comprising: providing a surface comprising a plurality of amplification sites, wherein the amplification sites comprise at least two populations of attached single stranded capture oligonucleotides having a free 3' end, and contacting the surface comprising amplification sites with the dual-index fragments under conditions suitable to produce a plurality of amplification sites that each comprise a clonal population of amplicons from an individual dual-index fragment, optionally wherein the number of the dual-index fragments exceeds the number of amplification sites, wherein the dual-index fragments have fluidic access to the amplification sites, and wherein each of the amplification sites comprises a capacity for several dual-index fragments in the sequencing library, optionally wherein the contacting comprises simultaneously (i) transporting the dual-index fragments to the amplification sites at an average transport rate, and (ii) amplifying the dual-index fragments that are at the amplification sites at an average amplification rate, wherein the average amplification rate exceeds the average transport rate. a composition comprising chemically treated nucleosome-depleted isolated nuclei, wherein the isolated nuclei comprise indexed nucleic acid fragments that terminate in a cleaved restriction site comprising an overhang. the composition of claim 18, wherein the isolated nuclei comprise rearranged genomic dna. a multi-well plate, wherein a well of the multi-well plate comprises the composition of any one of claims 18-19.
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cross-reference to related applications this application claims the benefit of u.s. provisional application serial no. 62/365,916, filed july 22, 2016 , and u.s. provisional application serial no. 62/451,305, filed january 27, 2017 , each of which are incorporated by reference herein. sequence listing this application contains a sequence listing electronically submitted via efs-web to the united states patent and trademark office as an ascii text file entitled "1592seqlisting_st25.txt" having a size of 27 kilobytes and created on july 18, 2017. the information contained in the sequence listing is incorporated by reference herein. field embodiments of the present disclosure relate to sequencing nucleic acids. in particular, embodiments of the methods and compositions provided herein relate to producing indexed single-cell sequencing libraries and obtaining sequence data therefrom. background single cell sequencing has uncovered the breadth of genomic heterogeneity between cells in a variety of contexts, including somatic aneuploidy in the mammalian brain ( mcconnell, m. j. et al. science (80.). 342, 632-637 (2013 ), cai, x. et al. cell rep. 8, 1280-1289 (2014 ), knouse, k. a. et al., proc natl acad sci u s a 111, 13409-13414 (2014 ), rehen, s. k. et al. proc. natl. acad. sci. u. s. a. 98, 13361-6 (2001 )) and intra-tumor heterogeneity ( navin, n. et al. nature 472, 90-94 (2011 ), eirew, p. et al. nature 518, 422-6 (2014 ), gawad, c. et al. proc. natl. acad. sci. u. s. a. 111, 17947-52 (2014 ), gao, r. et al. nat. genet. 1-15 (2016). doi:10.1038/ng.3641 ). studies have taken one of two approaches: high depth of sequencing per cell for single nucleotide variant detection ( cai, x. et al. cell rep. 8, 1280-1289 (2014 ), zong, c. et al. science (80-.). 338, 1622-1626 (2012 )), or low-pass sequencing to identify copy number variants (cnvs) and aneuploidy ( mcconnell, m. j. et al. science (80.). 342, 632-637 (2013 ), baslan, t. et al. genome res. 125, 714-724 (2015 ), knouse, k. a. et al. genome res. gr.198937.115- (2016).doi:10.1101/gr. 198937.115 ). in the latter approach, the lack of an efficient, cost-effective method to produce large numbers of single cell libraries has made it difficult to quantify the frequency of cnv-harboring cells at population scale, or to provide a robust analysis of heterogeneity in the context of cancer ( gawad, c. et al. nat. rev. genet. 17, 175-88 (2016 )). recently, contiguity-preserving transposition (cpt-seq) was established, a method to produce thousands of individually barcoded libraries of linked sequence reads using a transposase-based combinatorial indexing strategy ( adey, a. et al. genome biol. 11, r119 (2010 ), amini, s. et al. nat. genet. 46, 1343-9 (2014 ), adey, a. et al. genome res. 24, 2041-2049 (2014 )). we applied cpt-seq to the problem of genomic haplotype resolution ( amini, s. et al. nat. genet. 46, 1343-9 (2014 )) and de novo genome assembly ( adey, a. et al. genome res. 24, 2041-2049 (2014 )). this concept was then integrated into the chromatin accessibility assay, atac-seq ( buenrostro, j. d. et al. nat. methods 10, 1213-8 (2013 )), to produce profiles of active regulatory elements in thousands of single cells ( cusanovich, d. a et al. science 348, 910-4 (2015 )) (sciatac-seq, fig. 4a ). in combinatorial indexing, nuclei are first barcoded by the incorporation of one of 96 indexed sequencing adaptors via transposase. the 96 reactions are then combined and 15-25 of these randomly indexed nuclei are deposited into each well of a pcr plate by fluorescence activated nuclei sorting (fans, fig. 5 ). the probability of any two nuclei having the same transposase barcode is therefore low (6-1 1%)( cusanovich, d. a et al. science 348, 910-4 (2015 )). each pcr well is then uniquely barcoded using indexed primers. at the end of this process, each sequence read contains two indexes: index 1 from the transposase plate, and index 2 from the pcr plate, which facilitate single cell discrimination. as proof of principle, cusanovich and colleagues produced over 15,000 sciatac-seq profiles and used them to separate a mix of two cell types by their accessible chromatin landscapes ( cusanovich, d. a et al. science 348, 910-4 (2015 )). although high cell count single-cell sequencing has shown its efficacy in separation of populations within complex tissues via transcriptomes, chromatin-accessibility, and mutational differences, it has not been possible until now to obtain sequence information that includes the whole genome of single cells. summary of the application provided herein are methods for preparing a sequencing library that includes nucleic acids from a plurality of single cells. in one embodiment, the method includes providing isolated nuclei from a plurality of cells; subjecting the isolated nuclei to a chemical treatment to generate nucleosome-depleted nuclei while maintaining integrity of the isolated nuclei; distributing subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a first plurality of compartments and contacting each subset with a transposome complex, where the transposome complex in each compartment includes a transposase and a first index sequence that is different from first index sequences in the other compartments; fragmenting nucleic acids in the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a plurality of nucleic acid fragments and incorporating the first index sequences into at least one strand of the nucleic acid fragments to generate indexed nuclei that include indexed nucleic acid fragments, where the indexed nucleic acid fragments remain attached to the transposases; combining the indexed nuclei to generate pooled indexed nuclei; distributing subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei into a second plurality of compartments; incorporating into the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment a second index sequence to generate dual-index fragments, where the second index sequence in each compartment is different from second index sequences in the other compartments; and combining the dual-index fragments, thereby producing a sequencing library that includes whole genome nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells. in one embodiment, the chemical treatment includes a treatment with a chaotropic agent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions, such as lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylic acid. in one embodiment, the chemical treatment includes a treatment with a detergent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). in one embodiment, the nuclei are treated with a cross-linking agent before subjecting the isolated nuclei to the chemical treatment, such as formaldehyde. the cross-linking agent can be at a concentration from about 0.2% to about 2%, and in one embodiment is about 1.5%. in one embodiment, the cross-linking by formaldehyde is reversed after distributing subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei and before incorporating into the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment a second index sequence. in one embodiment, the reversal of the cross-linking includes incubation at about 55°c to about 72°c. in one embodiment, the transposases are disassociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments prior to the reversal of the cross-linking. in one embodiment, the transposases are disassociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments using sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). in one embodiment, the nuclei are treated with a restriction enzyme prior to fragmenting nucleic acids in the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a plurality of nucleic acid fragments and incorporating the first index sequences. in one embodiment, the nuclei are treated with a ligase after treatment with the restriction enzyme. in one embodiment, the distributing subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei, the distributing subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei, or the combination thereof, is performed by fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting. in one embodiment, the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei include approximately equal numbers of nuclei, and in one embodiment, the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei include from 1 to about 2000 nuclei. in one embodiment, the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include approximately equal numbers of nuclei, and in one embodiment, the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include from 1 to about 25 nuclei. in one embodiment, the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include at least 10 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei, or at least 100 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei. in one embodiment, the first plurality of compartments, the second plurality of compartments, or the combination thereof, is a multi-well plate, such as a 96-well plate or a 384-well plate. in one embodiment, the transposome complex is added to the compartments after the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei are distributed into the compartments. in one embodiment, each of the transposome complexes includes a transposon, and each of the transposons includes a transferred strand. in one embodiment, the transferred strand includes the first index sequence and a first universal sequence. in one embodiment, the incorporation of the second index sequence into the indexed nucleic acid fragments includes contacting the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment with a first universal primer and a second universal primer, each including an index sequence and each including a sequence identical to or complementary to a portion of the first universal sequence, and performing an exponential amplification reaction. in one embodiment, the exponential amplification reaction can be a polymerase chain reaction (pcr), and in one embodiment, the pcr can include 15 to 30 cycles. in one embodiment, the index sequence of the first universal primer is the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer, and in another embodiment, the index sequence of the first universal primer is different from the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer. in one embodiment, the first universal primer further includes a first capture sequence and a first anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 3' end of the dual-index fragments, and in one embodiment, the first capture sequence includes the p5 primer sequence. in one embodiment, the second universal primer further includes a second capture sequence and a second anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 5' end of the dual-index fragments, and in one embodiment, the second capture sequence includes the reverse complement of the p7 primer sequence. the method can also include an enrichment of dual-index fragments using a plurality of capture oligonucleotides having specificity for the dual-index fragments. in one embodiment, the capture oligonucleotides are immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate, and in one embodiment, the capture oligonucleotides include a first member of a universal binding pair and a second member of the binding pair is immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate. the method can also include sequencing of the dual-index fragments to determine the nucleotide sequence of nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells. in one embodiment, the method can include providing a surface that includes a plurality of amplification sites, where the amplification sites include at least two populations of attached single stranded capture oligonucleotides having a free 3' end, and contacting the surface that includes amplification sites with the dual-index fragments under conditions suitable to produce a plurality of amplification sites that each include a clonal population of amplicons from an individual dual-index fragment. in one embodiment, the number of the dual-index fragments exceeds the number of amplification sites, where the dual-index fragments have fluidic access to the amplification sites, and where each of the amplification sites includes a capacity for several dual-index fragments in the sequencing library. in one embodiment, the contacting includes simultaneously (i) transporting the dual-index fragments to the amplification sites at an average transport rate, and (ii) amplifying the dual-index fragments that are at the amplification sites at an average amplification rate, where the average amplification rate exceeds the average transport rate. also provided herein are compositions. in one embodiment, a composition includes chemically treated nucleosome-depleted isolated nuclei, where the isolated nuclei include indexed nucleic acid fragments. in one embodiment, the isolated nuclei include non-natural cross-links. in one embodiment, the composition includes indexed nucleic acid fragments that terminate in a cleaved restriction site including an overhang. in one embodiment, the isolated nuclei include rearranged genomic dna. in another embodiment, a composition includes a multi-well plate, where a well of the multi-well plate includes chemically treated nucleosome-depleted isolated nuclei, where the isolated nuclei include indexed nucleic acid fragments. brief description of the figures the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure may be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings. fig. 1 shows a general block diagram of a general illustrative method for single-cell combinatorial indexing according to the present disclosure. fig. 2 shows a schematic drawing of an illustrative embodiment of an indexed nucleic acid fragment. fig. 3 shows a schematic drawing of an illustrative embodiment of a dual-index fragment. fig. 4 shows single cell combinatorial indexing with nucleosome depletion. ( fig. 4a ) single cell combinatorial indexing workflow. ( fig. 4b ) phase contrast images of intact nuclei generated by standard isolation followed by nucleosome depletion using lithium assisted nucleosome depletion (land) or crosslinking and sds treatment (xsds). scale bar: 100 µm. ( fig. 4c ) nucleosome depletion produces genome-wide uniform coverage that is not restricted to sites of chromatin accessibility. fig. 5 shows fluorescence activated nuclei sorting (fans). representative plots from fans sorting of single nuclei. all plots are from sorting the second (pcr) plate unless noted otherwise. ( fig. 5a ) atac-seq nuclei ( fig. 5b ) land ( fig. 5c ) hela s3 and 3t3 ( fig. 5d ) xsds ( fig. 5e ) pdac sort 1 transposase plate ( fig. 5f ) pdac sort 2 pcr plate. fig. 6 shows sci-seq single cell determination using a mixed model. hela.land3 shown. normalmixem of the r package mixtools was used to identify each distribution: noise index combinations (left peak) and single cell libraries (right peak). the read count threshold to consider an index combination as a single cell library is the greater of either one standard deviation (in log10 space) below the mean of the single cell distribution, or 2 greater (in log10 space, thus 100 fold greater) than the mean of the noise distribution and at a minimum of 1,000. for the library shown, one standard deviation below the mean of the single cell component is greater and therefore used as the read count threshold. fig. 7 shows comparison of land and xsds nucleosome depletion methods with sci-seq. ( fig. 7a ) complexity for one of six land sci-seq preparations on gm12878. right, histogram showing distribution of read counts. dashed line represents single-cell read cutoff. ( fig. 7b ) as in fig. 7a but for xsds nucleosome depletion for one of three pcr plates. ( fig. 7c ) left, model built on down-sampled reads for the gm12878 xsds preparation and used to predict the full depth of coverage. right, projections for one of the land preparations and the full xsds preparation. shading represents s.d. over multiple models. points represent actual depth of sequencing. ( fig. 7d ) coverage uniformity scores for sci-seq using land or xsds and for quasi-random priming (qrp) and degenerate oligonucleotide pcr (dop). ( fig. 7e ) summary of the percentage of cells showing aneuploidy at the chromosome-arm level across all preparations with and without the imposition of a variance filter. ( fig. 7f ) karyotyping results of 50 gm12878 cells. ( fig. 7g, fig. 7h ) summary of windowed copy-number calls and clustering of single gm12878 cells produced using land ( fig. 7g ) or xsds ( fig. 7h ). in each panel top represents a chromosome-arm-scale summary of gain or loss frequency for all cells; bottom is the clustered profile for cells that contain at least one cnv call. fig. 8 shows sci-seq library complexity and index read count distributions for all preparations. for each preparation two plots are shown. left: each point represents a unique index combination, x-axis is the fraction of unique reads assigned to that index combination, y-axis is the log10 unique read count for the index combination. contour lines represent point density. right: a histogram of the log10 unique read counts for each of the index combinations. we expect the majority of potential index combinations not to represent a single cell library and therefore containing very few unique reads (leftmost distribution), with the single cell libraries having far greater read counts (right distribution, or tail in lower performance libraries). since the plot is on a log10 scale, the noise distribution actually only takes up a minority of the total read counts. fig. 9 shows sci-seq on a mix of human and mouse cells. for all panels the number of reads for each index component are plotted based on the count aligning to the human reference genome, or the mouse reference genome. ( fig. 9a,b ) land nucleosome depletion on human (gm12878) and mouse (3t3), ( fig. 9c,d ) land nucleosome depletion on human (hela s3) and mouse (3t3), ( fig. 9e ) xsds nucleosome depletion on human (hela s3) and mouse (3t3). fig. 10 shows sci-seq library complexity and index read count distributions after deeper sequencing. for each preparation two plots are shown as in s2 the left plot shows fraction of unique reads versus unique read count for each index combination. while the right plot shows a histogram of read counts for each index combination. cells from wells sequenced more deeply are shown along with the rest of the plate that those wells belong to. the population of cells with lower complexity (more to the left) is the population that has been sequenced more deeply. fig. 11 shows 9bp read overlaps observed from sequencing adjacent transposition events in the same single cell. ( fig. 11a ) diagram of how the 9bp copying occurs from the transposition event. ( fig. 11b ) representative single cells showing the size of all amplicon overlaps with a dashed line at 9bp. fig. 12 shows copy number calling computational workflow for hmm and cbs. after calling, call sets for cbs and hmm were intersected together with ginkgo and only calls present in all three sets were retained as the final call set. fig. 13 shows cnv assessment using standard methods of single cell sequencing on gm12878. top: summary of chromosome arm amplifications and deletions, bottom: hierarchical clustering of cells. fig. 14 shows variance by window size and read count cutoff across all methods. plots showing the change in mad or mapd score as a function of window size and read counts per cell. fig. 15 shows gm12878 aneuploidy rates across variance score cutoffs. each point is the aneuploidy rate for the population of cells (y-axis), scaled by the number of cells included at a given score cutoff (x-axis). fig. 16 shows cnv profiles for rhesus frontal cortex, individual 1 using quasi-random priming (qrp). ( fig. 16a ) ginkgo calls, ( fig. 16b ) cbs calls, ( fig. 16c ) hmm calls, ( fig. 16d ) intersection of all three, and ( fig. 16e ) intersection of just cbs and hmm. fig. 17 shows cnv profiles for rhesus frontal cortex, individual 1 using degenerate oligonucleotide primed pcr (dop). ( fig. 17a ) ginkgo calls, ( fig. 17b ) cbs calls, ( fig. 17c ) hmm calls, ( fig. 17d ) intersection of all three, and ( fig. 17e ) intersection of just cb s and hmm. fig. 18 shows cnv profiles for rhesus frontal cortex, individual 1 using sci-seq with land nucleosome depletion. ( fig. 18a ) ginkgo calls, ( fig. 18b ) cbs calls, ( fig. 18c ) hmm calls, ( fig. 18d ) intersection of all three, and ( fig. 18e ) intersection of just cbs and hmm. fig. 19 shows cnv profiles for rhesus frontal cortex, individual 1 using sci-seq with xsds nucleosome depletion. ( fig. 19a ) ginkgo calls, ( fig. 19b ) cbs calls, ( fig. 19c ) hmm calls, ( fig. 19d ) intersection of all three, and ( fig. 19e ) intersection of just cbs and hmm. fig. 20 shows somatic cnvs in the rhesus brain. ( fig. 20a ) three single-cell examples showing copy number variants, and one representative euploid cell for the sci-seq preparation (hmm). ( fig. 20b ) frequency of aneuploidy as determined by each of the methods with and without filtering. fig. 21 shows comparison of coverage uniformity for rhesus frontal cortex individual 1. uniformity measures are very similar to those of gm12878 preparations ( fig. 7b ). fig. 22 shows rhesus aneuploidy rates across variance score cutoffs. each point is the aneuploidy rate for the population of cells (y-axis), scaled by the number of cells included at a given score cutoff (x-axis). fig. 23 shows cnv profiles for rhesus frontal cortex, individual 2 using sci-seq with xsds nucleosome depletion. ( fig. 23a ) ginkgo calls, ( fig. 23b ) cbs calls, ( fig. 23c ) hmm calls, ( fig. 23d ) intersection of all three, and ( fig. 23e ) intersection of just cbs and hmm. fig. 24 shows sci-seq analysis of a stage iii human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (pdac). ( fig. 24a ) sci-seq library complexity. right panel, histogram showing distribution of read counts. dashed line represents single cell read cutoff. ( fig. 24b ) breakpoint calls (top) and breakpoint window matrix of log2 sequence depth ratio. ( fig. 24c ) principle component analysis and k-means clustering on breakpoint matrix. ( fig. 24d ) 100 kbp resolution cnv calling on aggregated cells from each cluster. ( fig. 24e ) cluster specific cnvs and cebpa amplification present in all clusters (k4 shown). fig. 25 shows sci-seq using xsds-based nucleosome depletion on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. copy number call summary for 2.5 mbp windows for the three methods of copy number calling used in the analysis: ( fig. 25a ) ginkgo, ( fig. 25b ) cbs, and ( fig. 25c ) hmm. fig. 26 shows single cell cnv calls on primary pdac using xsds sci-seq. representative single cell signal plots. fig. 27 shows schematic of breakpoint analysis workflow. first, individual cells are analyzed for breakpoints. breakpoints from all cells are merged and locally summed when above threshold. intervals are defined between local shared breakpoints and average ratio scores are found within each interval. fig. 28 shows sci-seq using land-based nucleosome depletion on helavs3 using the hidden markov model method for copy number variant calling. summary of windowed (2.5 mbp) calls and hierarchical clustering of cells. cbc copy number calling resulted in a heavy bias against sub-chromosomal calls and ginkgo failed to properly identify the ploidy in a number of cells resulting in a majority of cells called as entirely amplified. fig. 29 shows sci-seq using land-based nucleosome depletion on hela s3 copy number variant calling in single cells using the hidden markov model method. representative single cell signal plots. a signal of 1 corresponds to the mean ploidy of 2.98. fig. 30 shows breakpoint analysis of hela. ( fig. 30a ) breakpoints identified in the hela cell line from an hmm analysis using 2.5 mbp windows. ( fig. 30b ) log2 matrix of hela breakpoint windows for cells normalized to gm12878. fig. 31 shows pca on hela breakpoint windows. hela produces a single population as expected based on the stability of the cell line. red and blue points indicate different preparations. fig. 32 shows sci-seq using xsds-based nucleosome depletion on a banked stage ii rectal cancer sample. intersected copy number call summary for 2.5 mbp windows. fig. 33 shows the gating scheme used to isolate single nuclei after treatment with transposase using forward scatter, side scatter, and dapi intensity parameters. fig. 34 shows a general block diagram of one embodiment of a general illustrative method for single-cell combinatorial indexing and genome and chromosome conformation according to the present disclosure. fig. 35 shows the library complexity and unique read counts obtained from the method using various formaldehyde concentrations and time of crosslink reversal. fig. 36 shows an example of a single cell library using sci-gcc on hela. signal produced from chimeric ligation junction reads is shown between distal regions of the genome over 10 mbp windows with the first window on the x-axis and linked window on the y-axis. highlighted is a known translocation present in hela where the trans-chromosomal 3c signal is elevated. the schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale. like numbers used in the figures refer to like components, steps and the like. however, it will be understood that the use of a number to refer to a component in a given figure is not intended to limit the component in another figure labeled with the same number. in addition, the use of different numbers to refer to components is not intended to indicate that the different numbered components cannot be the same or similar to other numbered components. detailed description of illustrative embodiments as used herein, the terms "organism," "subject," are used interchangeably and refer to animals and plants. an example of an animal is a mammal, such as a human. as used herein, the term "cell type" is intended to identify cells based on morphology, phenotype, developmental origin or other known or recognizable distinguishing cellular characteristic. a variety of different cell types can be obtained from a single organism (or from the same species of organism). exemplary cell types include, but are not limited to, urinary bladder, pancreatic epithelial, pancreatic alpha, pancreatic beta, pancreatic endothelial, bone marrow lymphoblast, bone marrow b lymphoblast, bone marrow macrophage, bone marrow erythroblast, bone marrow dendritic, bone marrow adipocyte, bone marrow osteocyte, bone marrow chondrocyte, promyeloblast, bone marrow megakaryoblast, bladder, brain b lymphocyte, brain glial, neuron, brain astrocyte, neuroectoderm, brain macrophage, brain microglia, brain epithelial, cortical neuron, brain fibroblast, breast epithelial, colon epithelial, colon b lymphocyte, mammary epithelial, mammary myoepithelial, mammary fibroblast, colon enterocyte, cervix epithelial, ovary epithelial, ovary fibroblast, breast duct epithelial, tongue epithelial, tonsil dendritic, tonsil b lymphocyte, peripheral blood lymphoblast, peripheral blood t lymphoblast, peripheral blood cutaneous t lymphocyte, peripheral blood natural killer, peripheral blood b lymphoblast, peripheral blood monocyte, peripheral blood myeloblast, peripheral blood monoblast, peripheral blood promyeloblast, peripheral blood macrophage, peripheral blood basophil, liver endothelial, liver mast, liver epithelial, liver b lymphocyte, spleen endothelial, spleen epithelial, spleen b lymphocyte, liver hepatocyte, liver fibroblast, lung epithelial, bronchus epithelial, lung fibroblast, lung b lymphocyte, lung schwann, lung squamous, lung macrophage, lung osteoblast, neuroendocrine, lung alveolar, stomach epithelial, and stomach fibroblast. as used herein, the term "tissue" is intended to mean a collection or aggregation of cells that act together to perform one or more specific functions in an organism. the cells can optionally be morphologically similar. exemplary tissues include, but are not limited to, eye, muscle, skin, tendon, vein, artery, blood, heart, spleen, lymph node, bone, bone marrow, lung, bronchi, trachea, gut, small intestine, large intestine, colon, rectum, salivary gland, tongue, gall bladder, appendix, liver, pancreas, brain, stomach, skin, kidney, ureter, bladder, urethra, gonad, testicle, ovary, uterus, fallopian tube, thymus, pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, or parathyroid. tissue can be derived from any of a variety of organs of a human or other organism. a tissue can be a healthy tissue or an unhealthy tissue. examples of unhealthy tissues include, but are not limited to, malignancies in lung, breast, colorectum, prostate, nasopharynx, stomach, testes, skin, nervous system, bone, ovary, liver, hematologic tissues, pancreas, uterus, kidney, lymphoid tissues, etc. the malignancies may be of a variety of histological subtypes, for example, carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, sarcoma, fibroadenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine, or undifferentiated. as used herein, the term "nucleosome" refers to the basic repeating unit of chromatin. the human genome consists of several meters of dna compacted within the nucleus of a cell having an average diameter of ∼10 µm. in the eukaryote nucleus, dna is packaged into a nucleoprotein complex known as chromatin. the nucleosome (the basic repeating unit of chromatin) typically includes -146 base pairs of dna wrapped approximately 1.7 times around a core histone octamer. the histone octamer consists of two copies of each of the histones h2a, h2b, h3 and h4. nucleosomes are regularly spaced along the dna in the manner of beads on a string. as used herein, the term "compartment" is intended to mean an area or volume that separates or isolates something from other things. exemplary compartments include, but are not limited to, vials, tubes, wells, droplets, boluses, beads, vessels, surface features, or areas or volumes separated by physical forces such as fluid flow, magnetism, electrical current or the like. in one embodiment, a compartment is a well of a multi-well plate, such as a 96- or 384-well plate. as used herein, a "transposome complex" refers to an integration enzyme and a nucleic acid including an integration recognition site. a "transposome complex" is a functional complex formed by a transposase and a transposase recognition site that is capable of catalyzing a transposition reaction (see, for instance, gunderson et al., wo 2016/130704 ). examples of integration enzymes include, but are not limited to, an integrase or a transposase. examples of integration recognition sites include, but are not limited to, a transposase recognition site. as used herein, the term "nucleic acid" is intended to be consistent with its use in the art and includes naturally occurring nucleic acids or functional analogs thereof. particularly useful functional analogs are capable of hybridizing to a nucleic acid in a sequence specific fashion or capable of being used as a template for replication of a particular nucleotide sequence. naturally occurring nucleic acids generally have a backbone containing phosphodiester bonds. an analog structure can have an alternate backbone linkage including any of a variety of those known in the art. naturally occurring nucleic acids generally have a deoxyribose sugar (e.g. found in deoxyribonucleic acid (dna)) or a ribose sugar (e.g. found in ribonucleic acid (rna)). a nucleic acid can contain any of a variety of analogs of these sugar moieties that are known in the art. a nucleic acid can include native or non-native bases. in this regard, a native deoxyribonucleic acid can have one or more bases selected from the group consisting of adenine, thymine, cytosine or guanine and a ribonucleic acid can have one or more bases selected from the group consisting of adenine, uracil, cytosine or guanine. useful non-native bases that can be included in a nucleic acid are known in the art. examples of non-native bases include a locked nucleic acid (lna) and a bridged nucleic acid (bna). lna and bna bases can be incorporated into a dna oligonucleotide and increase oligonucleotide hybridization strength and specificity. lna and bna bases and the uses of such bases are known to the person skilled in the art and are routine. as used herein, "nuclease" refers to any enzyme that cleaves nucleic acids. nucleases belong to a class of enzymes called hydrolases and are usually specific in action, ribonucleases acting preferentially upon ribonucleic acids (rna) and deoxyribonucleases acting preferentially upon deoxyribonucleic acids (dna). as used herein, the term "target," when used in reference to a nucleic acid, is intended as a semantic identifier for the nucleic acid in the context of a method or composition set forth herein and does not necessarily limit the structure or function of the nucleic acid beyond what is otherwise explicitly indicated. a target nucleic acid may be essentially any nucleic acid of known or unknown sequence. it may be, for example, a fragment of genomic dna or cdna. sequencing may result in determination of the sequence of the whole, or a part of the target molecule. the targets can be derived from a primary nucleic acid sample, such as a nucleus. the targets can also be obtained from a primary rna sample by reverse transcription into cdna. in one embodiment, the targets can be processed into templates suitable for amplification by the placement of universal sequences at the ends of each target fragment. as used herein, the term "universal," when used to describe a nucleotide sequence, refers to a region of sequence that is common to two or more nucleic acid molecules where the molecules also have regions of sequence that differ from each other. a universal sequence that is present in different members of a collection of molecules can allow capture of multiple different nucleic acids using a population of universal capture nucleic acids, e.g., capture oligonucleotides that are complementary to a portion of the universal sequence, e.g., a universal capture sequence. non-limiting examples of universal capture sequences include sequences that are identical to or complementary to p5 and p7 primers. similarly, a universal sequence present in different members of a collection of molecules can allow the amplification or replication (e.g., sequencing) of multiple different nucleic acids using a population of universal primers that are complementary to a portion of the universal sequence, e.g., a universal anchor sequence. a capture oligonucleotide or a universal primer therefore includes a sequence that can hybridize specifically to a universal sequence. two universal sequences that hybridize are referred to as a universal binding pair. for instance, a capture oligonucleotide and a universal capture sequence that hybridize are a universal binding pair. the terms "p5" and "p7" may be used when referring to a universal capture sequence or a capture oligonucleotide. the terms "p5' " (p5 prime) and "p7' " (p7 prime) refer to the complement of p5 and p7, respectively. it will be understood that any suitable universal capture sequence or a capture oligonucleotide can be used in the methods presented herein, and that the use of p5 and p7 are exemplary embodiments only. uses of capture oligonucleotides such as p5 and p7 or their complements on flowcells are known in the art, as exemplified by the disclosures of wo 2007/010251 , wo 2006/064199 , wo 2005/065814 , wo 2015/106941 , wo 1998/044151 , and wo 2000/018957 . for example, any suitable forward amplification primer, whether immobilized or in solution, can be useful in the methods presented herein for hybridization to a complementary sequence and amplification of a sequence. similarly, any suitable reverse amplification primer, whether immobilized or in solution, can be useful in the methods presented herein for hybridization to a complementary sequence and amplification of a sequence. one of skill in the art will understand how to design and use primer sequences that are suitable for capture and/or amplification of nucleic acids as presented herein. as used herein, the term "primer" and its derivatives refer generally to any nucleic acid that can hybridize to a target sequence of interest. typically, the primer functions as a substrate onto which nucleotides can be polymerized by a polymerase; in some embodiments, however, the primer can become incorporated into the synthesized nucleic acid strand and provide a site to which another primer can hybridize to prime synthesis of a new strand that is complementary to the synthesized nucleic acid molecule. the primer can include any combination of nucleotides or analogs thereof. in some embodiments, the primer is a single-stranded oligonucleotide or polynucleotide. the terms "polynucleotide" and "oligonucleotide" are used interchangeably herein to refer to a polymeric form of nucleotides of any length, and may include ribonucleotides, deoxyribonucleotides, analogs thereof, or mixtures thereof. the terms should be understood to include, as equivalents, analogs of either dna or rna made from nucleotide analogs and to be applicable to single stranded (such as sense or antisense) and double stranded polynucleotides. the term as used herein also encompasses cdna, that is complementary or copy dna produced from an rna template, for example by the action of reverse transcriptase. this term refers only to the primary structure of the molecule. thus, the term includes triple-, double- and single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid ("dna"), as well as triple-, double- and single-stranded ribonucleic acid ("rna"). as used herein, the term "adapter" and its derivatives, e.g., universal adapter, refers generally to any linear oligonucleotide which can be ligated to a nucleic acid molecule of the disclosure. in some embodiments, the adapter is substantially non-complementary to the 3' end or the 5' end of any target sequence present in the sample. in some embodiments, suitable adapter lengths are in the range of about 10-100 nucleotides, about 12-60 nucleotides, or about 15-50 nucleotides in length. generally, the adapter can include any combination of nucleotides and/or nucleic acids. in some aspects, the adapter can include one or more cleavable groups at one or more locations. in another aspect, the adapter can include a sequence that is substantially identical, or substantially complementary, to at least a portion of a primer, for example a universal primer. in some embodiments, the adapter can include a barcode (also referred to herein as a tag or index) to assist with downstream error correction, identification, or sequencing. the terms "adaptor" and "adapter" are used interchangeably. as used herein, the term "each," when used in reference to a collection of items, is intended to identify an individual item in the collection but does not necessarily refer to every item in the collection unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. as used herein, the term "transport" refers to movement of a molecule through a fluid. the term can include passive transport such as movement of molecules along their concentration gradient (e.g. passive diffusion). the term can also include active transport whereby molecules can move along their concentration gradient or against their concentration gradient. thus, transport can include applying energy to move one or more molecule in a desired direction or to a desired location such as an amplification site. as used herein, "amplify", "amplifying" or "amplification reaction" and their derivatives, refer generally to any action or process whereby at least a portion of a nucleic acid molecule is replicated or copied into at least one additional nucleic acid molecule. the additional nucleic acid molecule optionally includes sequence that is substantially identical or substantially complementary to at least some portion of the template nucleic acid molecule. the template nucleic acid molecule can be single-stranded or double-stranded and the additional nucleic acid molecule can independently be single-stranded or double-stranded. amplification optionally includes linear or exponential replication of a nucleic acid molecule. in some embodiments, such amplification can be performed using isothermal conditions; in other embodiments, such amplification can include thermocycling. in some embodiments, the amplification is a multiplex amplification that includes the simultaneous amplification of a plurality of target sequences in a single amplification reaction. in some embodiments, "amplification" includes amplification of at least some portion of dna and rna based nucleic acids alone, or in combination. the amplification reaction can include any of the amplification processes known to one of ordinary skill in the art. in some embodiments, the amplification reaction includes polymerase chain reaction (pcr). as used herein, "amplification conditions" and its derivatives, generally refers to conditions suitable for amplifying one or more nucleic acid sequences. such amplification can be linear or exponential. in some embodiments, the amplification conditions can include isothermal conditions or alternatively can include thermocycling conditions, or a combination of isothermal and thermocycling conditions. in some embodiments, the conditions suitable for amplifying one or more nucleic acid sequences include polymerase chain reaction (pcr) conditions. typically, the amplification conditions refer to a reaction mixture that is sufficient to amplify nucleic acids such as one or more target sequences flanked by a universal sequence, or to amplify an amplified target sequence ligated to one or more adapters. generally, the amplification conditions include a catalyst for amplification or for nucleic acid synthesis, for example a polymerase; a primer that possesses some degree of complementarity to the nucleic acid to be amplified; and nucleotides, such as deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dntps) to promote extension of the primer once hybridized to the nucleic acid. the amplification conditions can require hybridization or annealing of a primer to a nucleic acid, extension of the primer and a denaturing step in which the extended primer is separated from the nucleic acid sequence undergoing amplification. typically, but not necessarily, amplification conditions can include thermocycling; in some embodiments, amplification conditions include a plurality of cycles where the steps of annealing, extending and separating are repeated. typically, the amplification conditions include cations such as mg 2+ or mn 2+ and can also include various modifiers of ionic strength. as used herein, "re-amplification" and their derivatives refer generally to any process whereby at least a portion of an amplified nucleic acid molecule is further amplified via any suitable amplification process (referred to in some embodiments as a "secondary" amplification), thereby producing a reamplified nucleic acid molecule. the secondary amplification need not be identical to the original amplification process whereby the amplified nucleic acid molecule was produced; nor need the reamplified nucleic acid molecule be completely identical or completely complementary to the amplified nucleic acid molecule; all that is required is that the reamplified nucleic acid molecule include at least a portion of the amplified nucleic acid molecule or its complement. for example, the re-amplification can involve the use of different amplification conditions and/or different primers, including different target-specific primers than the primary amplification. as used herein, the term "polymerase chain reaction" ("pcr") refers to the method of mullis u.s. pat. nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202 , which describe a method for increasing the concentration of a segment of a polynucleotide of interest in a mixture of genomic dna without cloning or purification. this process for amplifying the polynucleotide of interest consists of introducing a large excess of two oligonucleotide primers to the dna mixture containing the desired polynucleotide of interest, followed by a series of thermal cycling in the presence of a dna polymerase. the two primers are complementary to their respective strands of the double stranded polynucleotide of interest. the mixture is denatured at a higher temperature first and the primers are then annealed to complementary sequences within the polynucleotide of interest molecule. following annealing, the primers are extended with a polymerase to form a new pair of complementary strands. the steps of denaturation, primer annealing and polymerase extension can be repeated many times (referred to as thermocycling) to obtain a high concentration of an amplified segment of the desired polynucleotide of interest. the length of the amplified segment of the desired polynucleotide of interest (amplicon) is determined by the relative positions of the primers with respect to each other, and therefore, this length is a controllable parameter. by virtue of repeating the process, the method is referred to as the "polymerase chain reaction" (hereinafter "pcr"). because the desired amplified segments of the polynucleotide of interest become the predominant nucleic acid sequences (in terms of concentration) in the mixture, they are said to be "pcr amplified". in a modification to the method discussed above, the target nucleic acid molecules can be pcr amplified using a plurality of different primer pairs, in some cases, one or more primer pairs per target nucleic acid molecule of interest, thereby forming a multiplex pcr reaction. as defined herein "multiplex amplification" refers to selective and non-random amplification of two or more target sequences within a sample using at least one target-specific primer. in some embodiments, multiplex amplification is performed such that some or all of the target sequences are amplified within a single reaction vessel. the "plexy" or "plex" of a given multiplex amplification refers generally to the number of different target-specific sequences that are amplified during that single multiplex amplification. in some embodiments, the plexy can be about 12-plex, 24-plex, 48-plex, 96-plex, 192-plex, 384-plex, 768-plex, 1536-plex, 3072-plex, 6144-plex or higher. it is also possible to detect the amplified target sequences by several different methodologies (e.g., gel electrophoresis followed by densitometry, quantitation with a bioanalyzer or quantitative pcr, hybridization with a labeled probe; incorporation of biotinylated primers followed by avidin-enzyme conjugate detection; incorporation of 32 p-labeled deoxynucleotide triphosphates into the amplified target sequence). as used herein, "amplified target sequences" and its derivatives, refers generally to a nucleic acid sequence produced by the amplifying the target sequences using target-specific primers and the methods provided herein. the amplified target sequences may be either of the same sense (i.e. the positive strand) or antisense (i.e., the negative strand) with respect to the target sequences. as used herein, the terms "ligating", "ligation" and their derivatives refer generally to the process for covalently linking two or more molecules together, for example covalently linking two or more nucleic acid molecules to each other. in some embodiments, ligation includes joining nicks between adjacent nucleotides of nucleic acids. in some embodiments, ligation includes forming a covalent bond between an end of a first and an end of a second nucleic acid molecule. in some embodiments, the ligation can include forming a covalent bond between a 5' phosphate group of one nucleic acid and a 3' hydroxyl group of a second nucleic acid thereby forming a ligated nucleic acid molecule. generally for the purposes of this disclosure, an amplified target sequence can be ligated to an adapter to generate an adapter-ligated amplified target sequence. as used herein, "ligase" and its derivatives, refers generally to any agent capable of catalyzing the ligation of two substrate molecules. in some embodiments, the ligase includes an enzyme capable of catalyzing the joining of nicks between adjacent nucleotides of a nucleic acid. in some embodiments, the ligase includes an enzyme capable of catalyzing the formation of a covalent bond between a 5' phosphate of one nucleic acid molecule to a 3' hydroxyl of another nucleic acid molecule thereby forming a ligated nucleic acid molecule. suitable ligases may include, but are not limited to, t4 dna ligase, t4 rna ligase, and e. coli dna ligase. as used herein, "ligation conditions" and its derivatives, generally refers to conditions suitable for ligating two molecules to each other. in some embodiments, the ligation conditions are suitable for sealing nicks or gaps between nucleic acids. as used herein, the term nick or gap is consistent with the use of the term in the art. typically, a nick or gap can be ligated in the presence of an enzyme, such as ligase at an appropriate temperature and ph. in some embodiments, t4 dna ligase can join a nick between nucleic acids at a temperature of about 70-72° c. the term "flowcell" as used herein refers to a chamber comprising a solid surface across which one or more fluid reagents can be flowed. examples of flowcells and related fluidic systems and detection platforms that can be readily used in the methods of the present disclosure are described, for example, in bentley et al., nature 456:53-59 (2008 ), wo 04/018497 ; us 7,057,026 ; wo 91/06678 ; wo 07/123744 ; us 7,329,492 ; us 7,211,414 ; us 7,315,019 ; us 7,405,281 , and us 2008/0108082 . as used herein, the term "amplicon," when used in reference to a nucleic acid, means the product of copying the nucleic acid, wherein the product has a nucleotide sequence that is the same as or complementary to at least a portion of the nucleotide sequence of the nucleic acid. an amplicon can be produced by any of a variety of amplification methods that use the nucleic acid, or an amplicon thereof, as a template including, for example, polymerase extension, polymerase chain reaction (pcr), rolling circle amplification (rca), ligation extension, or ligation chain reaction. an amplicon can be a nucleic acid molecule having a single copy of a particular nucleotide sequence (e.g. a pcr product) or multiple copies of the nucleotide sequence (e.g. a concatameric product of rca). a first amplicon of a target nucleic acid is typically a complementary copy. subsequent amplicons are copies that are created, after generation of the first amplicon, from the target nucleic acid or from the first amplicon. a subsequent amplicon can have a sequence that is substantially complementary to the target nucleic acid or substantially identical to the target nucleic acid. as used herein, the term "amplification site" refers to a site in or on an array where one or more amplicons can be generated. an amplification site can be further configured to contain, hold or attach at least one amplicon that is generated at the site. as used herein, the term "array" refers to a population of sites that can be differentiated from each other according to relative location. different molecules that are at different sites of an array can be differentiated from each other according to the locations of the sites in the array. an individual site of an array can include one or more molecules of a particular type. for example, a site can include a single target nucleic acid molecule having a particular sequence or a site can include several nucleic acid molecules having the same sequence (and/or complementary sequence, thereof). the sites of an array can be different features located on the same substrate. exemplary features include without limitation, wells in a substrate, beads (or other particles) in or on a substrate, projections from a substrate, ridges on a substrate or channels in a substrate. the sites of an array can be separate substrates each bearing a different molecule. different molecules attached to separate substrates can be identified according to the locations of the substrates on a surface to which the substrates are associated or according to the locations of the substrates in a liquid or gel. exemplary arrays in which separate substrates are located on a surface include, without limitation, those having beads in wells. as used herein, the term "capacity," when used in reference to a site and nucleic acid material, means the maximum amount of nucleic acid material that can occupy the site. for example, the term can refer to the total number of nucleic acid molecules that can occupy the site in a particular condition. other measures can be used as well including, for example, the total mass of nucleic acid material or the total number of copies of a particular nucleotide sequence that can occupy the site in a particular condition. typically, the capacity of a site for a target nucleic acid will be substantially equivalent to the capacity of the site for amplicons of the target nucleic acid. as used herein, the term "capture agent" refers to a material, chemical, molecule or moiety thereof that is capable of attaching, retaining or binding to a target molecule (e.g. a target nucleic acid). exemplary capture agents include, without limitation, a capture nucleic acid (also referred to herein as a capture oligonucleotide) that is complementary to at least a portion of a target nucleic acid, a member of a receptor-ligand binding pair (e.g. avidin, streptavidin, biotin, lectin, carbohydrate, nucleic acid binding protein, epitope, antibody, etc.) capable of binding to a target nucleic acid (or linking moiety attached thereto), or a chemical reagent capable of forming a covalent bond with a target nucleic acid (or linking moiety attached thereto). as used herein, the term "clonal population" refers to a population of nucleic acids that is homogeneous with respect to a particular nucleotide sequence. the homogenous sequence is typically at least 10 nucleotides long, but can be even longer including for example, at least 50, 100, 250, 500 or 1000 nucleotides long. a clonal population can be derived from a single target nucleic acid or template nucleic acid. typically, all of the nucleic acids in a clonal population will have the same nucleotide sequence. it will be understood that a small number of mutations (e.g. due to amplification artifacts) can occur in a clonal population without departing from clonality. as used herein, "providing" in the context of a composition, an article, a nucleic acid, or a nucleus means making the composition, article, nucleic acid, or nucleus, purchasing the composition, article, nucleic acid, or nucleus, or otherwise obtaining the compound, composition, article, or nucleus. the term "and/or" means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of any two or more of the listed elements. the words "preferred" and "preferably" refer to embodiments of the disclosure that may afford certain benefits, under certain circumstances. however, other embodiments may also be preferred, under the same or other circumstances. furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure. the terms "comprises" and variations thereof do not have a limiting meaning where these terms appear in the description and claims. it is understood that wherever embodiments are described herein with the language "include," "includes," or "including," and the like, otherwise analogous embodiments described in terms of "consisting of' and/or "consisting essentially of' are also provided. unless otherwise specified, "a," "an," "the," and "at least one" are used interchangeably and mean one or more than one. also herein, the recitations of numerical ranges by endpoints include all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc.). for any method disclosed herein that includes discrete steps, the steps may be conducted in any feasible order. and, as appropriate, any combination of two or more steps may be conducted simultaneously. reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "certain embodiments," or "some embodiments," etc., means that a particular feature, configuration, composition, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. thus, the appearances of such phrases in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment of the disclosure. furthermore, the particular features, configurations, compositions, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. the method provided herein can be used to produce sequencing libraries that include the whole genomes of a plurality of single cells. in one embodiment, the method can be used to detect copy number variants (cnv, e.g., the number of copies of a particular sequence, such as a gene, in the genotype of a cell). for instance, the method can be used to quantify the frequency of cnv-harboring nuclei in a sample of somatic cells from an organism, or provide information on heterogeneity in the context of certain conditions, such as cancer. the method provided herein includes providing isolated nuclei from a plurality of cells ( fig. 1 , block 12; fig. 34 block 12). the cells can be from any organism(s), and from any cell type or any tissue of the organism(s). the method can further include dissociating cells, and/or isolating the nuclei. methods for isolating nuclei from cells are known to the person skilled in the art and are routine. the number of nuclei can be at least two. the upper limit is dependent on the practical limitations of equipment (e.g., multi-well plates) used in other steps of the method as described herein. for instance, in one embodiment the number of nuclei can be no greater than 1,000,000,000, no greater than 100,000,000, no greater than 10,000,000, no greater than 1,000,000, no greater than 100,000, no greater than 10,000, or no greater than 1,000. the skilled person will recognize that the nucleic acid molecules in each nucleus represent the entire genetic complement of an organism (also referred to as the whole genome of an organism), and are genomic dna molecules which include both intron and exon sequences, as well as noncoding regulatory sequences such as promoter and enhancer sequences. the isolated nuclei can be nucleosome-free, or can be subjected to conditions that deplete the nuclei of nucleosomes, generating nucleosome-depleted nuclei ( fig. 1 , block 13; fig. 34 block 13). nucleosome-depleted nuclei are useful in methods for determining the dna sequence of the whole genome of a cell. in one embodiment, the conditions used for nucleosome-depletion maintain the integrity of the isolated nuclei. typically, nucleosome-depletion methods are used on a pellet or suspension of single cells, thus in those embodiments where an adherent cell culture or tissue is used as a source of the cells, the source is treated to obtain a pellet or suspension of single cells. in one embodiment, the conditions for nucleosome-depletion include a chemical treatment with a chaotropic agent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions. an example of a useful chaotropic agent includes, but is not limited to, 3,5-lithium diiodosalicylic acid. conditions for using 3,5-lithium diiodosalicylic acid include adding it to a pellet of cells and incubating on ice. in another embodiment, the conditions include a chemical treatment with a detergent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions. an example of a useful detergent includes, but is not limited to, sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). conditions for using sds include adding it to a pellet of cells and incubating at an elevated temperature such as 42°c, and then adding a nonionic detergent such as triton™ x-100 and incubating at an elevated temperature such as 42°c. in some embodiments, when a detergent such as sds is used, the nuclei are exposed to a cross-linking agent prior to the depletion of nucleosomes. in one embodiment, the nuclei are exposed to the cross-linking agent while inside cells ( fig. 34 , block 11), and in another embodiment, isolated nuclei are exposed to the cross-linking agent. a useful example of a cross-linking agent includes, but is not limited to, formaldehyde ( hoffman et al., 2015, j. biol. chem., 290:26404-26411 ). treatment of cells with formaldehyde can include adding formaldehyde to a suspension of cells and incubating at room temperature. in one embodiment, the concentration of formaldehyde can be from 0.2% to 2%, such as greater than 0.2% and no greater than 1.5%. after the formaldehyde treatment, the nuclei can be exposed to glycine and a nonionic, non-denaturing detergent nonionic, non-denaturing detergent such as igepal®. if cells are cross-linked before isolating the nuclei, the cross-linking can be, and typically is, reversed by incubation at 55°c to 72°c, such as 68°c, for 30 minutes to 16 hours, such as 1 hour ( fig. 34 , block 19). reversal typically occurs later, after distributing subsets of pooled indexed nuclei into a second plurality of compartments ( fig. 34 , block 18) and before generating dual-index fragments ( fig. 34 , block 20). the distributing subsets and generating dual-index fragments is described herein. in some embodiments where a cross-linking agent is used, the method can also include manipulations that provide information on chromosome structure within a nucleus, such as chromatin folding analysis and detection of genomic rearrangements such as, but not limited to, translocations. such types of analyses are known in art as chromosome conformation capture (3c) and related methods (4c, 5c, and hi-c). the manipulations typically include digestion of genomic dna within a nucleus ( fig. 34 , block 14) followed by ligation of the ends of genomic fragments that are in close proximity ( fig. 34 , block 15). these steps result in chimeric fragments, where the chimeric fragments are likely nearby in physical proximity within the nucleus which are also typically near in sequence space ( nagano et al., 2013, nature, 502:59-64 ). typically, after nuclei are exposed to a cross-linking agent and before fragmenting nucleic acids, the genomic dna present in the nuclei is digested with a nuclease, such as a restriction endonuclease ( fig. 34 , block 14). any restriction endonuclease can be used, and in one embodiment, the restriction endonuclease cleaves a nucleic acid to result in two overhangs, also known to the skilled person as sticky ends. after digestion of the genomic dna with a restriction endonuclease, the nuclei are exposed to a ligase to join fragments of genomic dna ( fig. 34 , block 15). during the process of depleting nucleosomes in the isolated nuclei ( fig. 1 , block 13; fig. 34 block 13), the integrity of the isolated nuclei is maintained. whether nuclei remain intact after exposure to conditions for depleting nucleosomes can be determined by visualizing the status of the nuclei by routine methods such as phase-contrast imaging. in one embodiment, at least 100,000 nuclei are intact after nucleosome-depletion. the method provided herein includes distributing subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a first plurality of compartments ( fig. 1 , block 14; fig. 34 , block 16). the number of nuclei present in a subset, and therefore in each compartment, can be at least 1. in one embodiment, the number of nuclei present in a subset is no greater than 1,000,000, no greater than 100,000, no greater than 10,000, no greater than 4,000, no greater than 3,000, no greater than 2,000, or no greater than 1,000. in one embodiment, the number of nuclei present in a subset can be 1 to 1,000, 1,000 to 10,000, 10,000 to 100,000, or 100,000 to 1,000,000. in one embodiment, the number of nuclei present each subset is approximately equal. methods for distributing nuclei into subsets are known to the person skilled in the art and are routine. examples include, but are not limited to, fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting (fans). each compartment includes a transposome complex. the transposome complex can be added to each compartment before, after, or at the same time a subset of the nuclei is added to the compartment. the transposome complex, a transposase bound to a transposase recognition site, can insert the transposase recognition site into a target nucleic acid within a nucleus in a process sometimes termed "tagmentation." in some such insertion events, one strand of the transposase recognition site may be transferred into the target nucleic acid. such a strand is referred to as a "transferred strand." in one embodiment, a transposome complex includes a dimeric transposase having two subunits, and two non-contiguous transposon sequences. in another embodiment, a transposase includes a dimeric transposase having two subunits, and a contiguous transposon sequence. some embodiments can include the use of a hyperactive tn5 transposase and a tn5-type transposase recognition site ( goryshin and reznikoff, j. biol. chem., 273:7367 (1998 )), or mua transposase and a mu transposase recognition site comprising r1 and r2 end sequences ( mizuuchi, k., cell, 35: 785, 1983 ; savilahti, h, et al., embo j., 14: 4893, 1995 ). tn5 mosaic end (me) sequences can also be used as optimized by a skilled artisan. more examples of transposition systems that can be used with certain embodiments of the compositions and methods provided herein include staphylococcus aureus tn552 ( colegio et al., j. bacteriol., 183: 2384-8, 2001 ; kirby c et al., mol. microbiol., 43: 173-86, 2002 ), ty1 ( devine & boeke, nucleic acids res., 22: 3765-72, 1994 and international publication wo 95/23875 ), transposon tn7 ( craig, n l, science. 271: 1512, 1996 ; craig, n l, review in: curr top microbiol immunol., 204:27-48, 1996 ), tn/o and is10 ( klecknern, et al., curr top microbiol immunol., 204:49-82, 1996 ), mariner transposase ( lampe d j, et al., embo j., 15: 5470-9, 1996 ), tc1 ( plasterk r h, curr. topics microbiol. immunol., 204: 125-43, 1996 ), p element ( gloor, g b, methods mol. biol., 260: 97-114, 2004 ), tn3 ( ichikawa & ohtsubo, j biol. chem. 265:18829-32, 1990 ), bacterial insertion sequences ( ohtsubo & sekine, curr. top. microbiol. immunol. 204: 1-26, 1996 ), retroviruses ( brown, et al., proc natl acad sci usa, 86:2525-9, 1989 ), and retrotransposon of yeast ( boeke & corces, annu rev microbiol. 43:403-34, 1989 ). more examples include is5, tn10, tn903, is911, and engineered versions of transposase family enzymes ( zhang et al., (2009) plos genet. 5:e1000689 . epub 2009 oct 16; wilson c. et al (2007) j. microbiol. methods 71:332-5 ). other examples of integrases that may be used with the methods and compositions provided herein include retroviral integrases and integrase recognition sequences for such retroviral integrases, such as integrases from hiv-1, hiv-2, siv, pfv-1, rsv. transposon sequences useful with the methods and compositions described herein are provided in u.s. patent application pub. no. 2012/0208705 , u.s. patent application pub. no. 2012/0208724 and int. patent application pub. no. wo 2012/061832 . in some embodiments, a transposon sequence includes a first transposase recognition site, a second transposase recognition site, and an index sequence present between the two transposase recognition sites. some transposome complexes useful herein include a transposase having two transposon sequences. in some such embodiments, the two transposon sequences are not linked to one another, in other words, the transposon sequences are non-contiguous with one another. examples of such transposomes are known in the art (see, for instance, u.s. patent application pub. no. 2010/0120098 ). in some embodiments, a transposome complex includes a transposon sequence nucleic acid that binds two transposase subunits to form a "looped complex" or a "looped transposome." in one example, a transposome includes a dimeric transposase and a transposon sequence. looped complexes can ensure that transposons are inserted into target dna while maintaining ordering information of the original target dna and without fragmenting the target dna. as will be appreciated, looped structures may insert desired nucleic acid sequences, such as indexes, into a target nucleic acid, while maintaining physical connectivity of the target nucleic acid. in some embodiments, the transposon sequence of a looped transposome complex can include a fragmentation site such that the transposon sequence can be fragmented to create a transposome complex comprising two transposon sequences. such transposome complexes are useful to ensuring that neighboring target dna fragments, in which the transposons insert, receive code combinations that can be unambiguously assembled at a later stage of the assay. a transposome complex also includes at least one index sequence, also referred to as a transposase index. the index sequence is present as part of the transposon sequence. in one embodiment, the index sequence can be present on a transferred strand, the strand of the transposase recognition site that is transferred into the target nucleic acid. an index sequence, also referred to as a tag or barcode, is useful as a marker characteristic of the compartment in which a particular target nucleic acid was present. the index sequence of a transposome complex is different for each compartment. accordingly, in this embodiment, an index is a nucleic acid sequence tag which is attached to each of the target nucleic acids present in a particular compartment, the presence of which is indicative of, or is used to identify, the compartment in which a population of nuclei were present at this stage of the method. an index sequence can be up to 20 nucleotides in length, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. a four nucleotide tag gives a possibility of multiplexing 256 samples on the same array, and a six base tag enables 4096 samples to be processed on the same array. in one embodiment, the transferred strand can also include a universal sequence. universal sequences are described herein. thus, in some embodiments where the transferred strand is transferred to target nucleic acids, the target nucleic acids include a transposase index a universal sequence, or a combination thereof. the method also includes generating indexed nuclei ( fig. 1 , block 15; fig. 34 block 17). in one embodiment, generating indexed nuclei includes fragmenting nucleic acids present in the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei (e.g., the nuclei acids present in each compartment) into a plurality of nucleic acid fragments. after nucleic acids are fragmented, the transposase remains attached to the nucleic acid fragments, such that nucleic acid fragments derived from the same genomic dna molecule remain physically linked ( adey et al., 2014, genome res., 24:2041-2049 ). in one embodiment, fragmenting nucleic acids is accomplished by using a fragmentation site present in the nucleic acids. typically, fragmentation sites are introduced into target nucleic acids by using a transposome complex. for instance, a looped transposome complex can include a fragmentation site. a fragmentation site can be used to cleave the physical, but not the informational association between index sequences that have been inserted into a target nucleic acid. cleavage may be by biochemical, chemical or other means. in some embodiments, a fragmentation site can include a nucleotide or nucleotide sequence that may be fragmented by various means. examples of fragmentation sites include, but are not limited to, a restriction endonuclease site, at least one ribonucleotide cleavable with an rnase, nucleotide analogues cleavable in the presence of a certain chemical agent, a diol linkage cleavable by treatment with periodate, a disulfide group cleavable with a chemical reducing agent, a cleavable moiety that may be subject to photochemical cleavage, and a peptide cleavable by a peptidase enzyme or other suitable means (see, for instance, u.s. patent application pub. no. 2012/0208705 , u.s. patent application pub. no. 2012/0208724 and wo 2012/061832 . the result of the fragmenting is a population of indexed nuclei, where each nucleus contains indexed nucleic acid fragments. the indexed nucleic acid fragments can, and typically do, include on at least one strand the index sequence indicative of the particular compartment. an example of an indexed nucleic acid fragment is shown in fig. 2 . the single strand of the indexed nucleic acid fragment 20 includes nucleotides 21 and 22 originating from the transferred strand of the transposome complex, which includes a transposase index and a universal sequence that can be used for amplification and/or sequencing. the indexed nucleic acid fragment also includes the nucleotides originating from the genomic dna of a nucleus 23. the indexed nuclei from multiple compartments can be combined ( fig. 1 , block 16; fig. 34 block 18). for instance, the indexed nuclei from 2 to 96 compartments (when a 96-well plate is used), or from 2 to 384 compartments (when a 384-well plate is used) are combined. subsets of these combined indexed nuclei, referred to herein as pooled indexed nuclei, are then distributed into a second plurality of compartments. the number of nuclei present in a subset, and therefor in each compartment, is based in part on the desire to reduce index collisions, which is the presence of two nuclei having the same transposase index ending up in the same compartment in this step of the method. the number of nuclei present in a subset in this embodiment can be from 2 to 30, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30. in one embodiment, the number of nuclei present in a subset is from 20 to 24, such as 22. in one embodiment, the number of nuclei present each subset is approximately equal. in one embodiment, the number of nuclei present each subset is at least 10 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei ( fig. 1 , block 14; fig. 34 block 16). in one embodiment, the number of nuclei present each subset is at least 100 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei ( fig. 1 , block 14; fig. 34 block 16). methods for distributing nuclei into subsets are known to the person skilled in the art and are routine. examples include, but are not limited to, fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting (fans). distribution of nuclei into subsets is followed by incorporating into the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment a second index sequence to generate dual-index fragments, where the second index sequence in each compartment is different from second index sequences in the other compartments. this results in the further indexing of the indexed nucleic acid fragments ( fig. 1 , block 17; fig. 34 block 20) prior to immobilizing and sequencing. in those embodiments where cells are cross-linked by a cross-linking agent, the transposases attached to the indexed nucleic acid fragments are dissociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments. in one embodiment, the attached transposases are dissociated before the cross-linking is reversed ( fig. 34 , block 19). a detergent can be used to dissociate the transposases, and in one embodiment the detergent is sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). in one embodiment, the incorporation is typically by an exponential amplification reaction, such as a pcr. the universal sequences present at ends of the indexed nucleic acid fragment can be used for the binding of universal anchor sequences which can serve as primers and be extended in an amplification reaction. typically, two different universal primers are used. one primer hybridizes with universal sequences at the 3' end of one strand of the indexed nucleic acid fragments, and a second primer hybridizes with universal sequences at the 3' end of the other strand of the indexed nucleic acid fragments. thus, the anchor sequence of each primer can be different. suitable primers can each include additional universal sequences, such as a universal capture sequence, and another index sequence. because each primer can include an index, this step results in the addition of one or two index sequences, e.g., a second and an optional third index. indexed nucleic acid fragments having the second and the optional third indexes are referred to as dual-index fragments. the second and third indexes can be the reverse complements of each other, or the second and third indexes can have sequences that are not the reverse complements of each other. this second index sequence and optional third index is unique for each compartment in which the distributed indexed nuclei were placed ( fig. 1 , block 16; fig. 34 block 18). in one embodiment, the incorporation of the second index sequence includes contacting the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment with a first universal primer and a second universal primer. the first universal primer includes a sequence identical to a portion of the first universal sequence, and the second universal primer includes a sequence complementary to a portion of the first universal sequence. each primer includes an index sequence. in one embodiment, the index sequence of the first universal primer is the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer. in another embodiment, the index sequence of the first universal primer is different from the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer. in one embodiment, the first universal primer also includes a first capture sequence and a first anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 3' end of the dual-index fragments. in one embodiment, the first capture sequence includes the p5 primer sequence. in one embodiment, the second universal primer also includes a second capture sequence and a second anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 5' end of the dual-index fragments. in one embodiment, the second capture sequence includes the reverse complement of the p7 primer sequence. in another embodiment, the incorporation includes subjecting the indexed nucleic acid fragments to conditions that result in the ligation of additional sequences to both ends of the fragments. in one embodiment, blunt-ended ligation can be used. in another embodiment, the fragments are prepared with single overhanging nucleotides by, for example, activity of certain types of dna polymerase such as taq polymerase or klenow exo minus polymerase which has a non-template-dependent terminal transferase activity that adds a single deoxynucleotide, for example, deoxyadenosine (a) to the 3' ends of the indexed nucleic acid fragments. such enzymes can be used to add a single nucleotide 'a' to the blunt ended 3' terminus of each strand of the fragments. thus, an 'a' could be added to the 3' terminus of each strand of the double-stranded target fragments by reaction with taq or klenow exo minus polymerase, while the additional sequences to be added to each end of the fragment can include a compatible 't' overhang present on the 3' terminus of each region of double stranded nucleic acid to be added. this end modification also prevents self-ligation of the nucleic acids such that there is a bias towards formation of the indexed nucleic acid fragments flanked by the sequences that are added in this embodiment. fragmentation of nucleic acid molecules by the methods described herein can result in fragments with a heterogeneous mix of blunt and 3'- and 5'-overhanging ends. in some embodiments, it is therefore desirable to repair the fragment ends using methods or kits (such as the lucigen dna terminator end repair kit) known in the art to generate ends that are optimal for insertion, for example, into blunt sites of cloning vectors. in a particular embodiment, the fragment ends of the population of nucleic acids are blunt ended. more particularly, the fragment ends are blunt ended and phosphorylated. the phosphate moiety can be introduced via enzymatic treatment, for example, using polynucleotide kinase. in one embodiment, the indexed nucleic acid fragments are treated by first ligating identical universal adapters (also referred to as 'mismatched adaptors,' the general features of which are described in gormley et al., us 7,741,463 , and bignell et al., us 8,053,192 ,) to the 5' and 3' ends of the indexed nucleic acid fragments to form dual-index fragments. in one embodiment, the universal adaptor includes all sequences necessary for sequencing, including one or two index sequences and sequences for immobilizing the dual-index fragments on an array. because the nucleic acids to be sequenced are from single cells, further amplification of the dual-index fragments is helpful to achieve a sufficient number of dual-index fragments for sequencing. in one embodiment, the incorporation of the second index sequence includes ligating a universal adapter to the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment. the universal adapter includes two nucleic acid strands, wherein each strand includes the second index sequence. in one embodiment, the second index sequence of one strand of the universal adapter is the reverse complement of the second index sequence of the second strand of the universal adapter. in other embodiment, the second index sequence of one strand of the universal adapter is different from the reverse complement of the second index sequence of the second strand of the universal adapter. in one embodiment, the universal adapter also includes a first capture sequence and a first anchor sequence. in one embodiment, the first capture sequence includes the p5 primer sequence. in one embodiment, the universal adapter also includes a second capture sequence and a second anchor sequence. in one embodiment, the second capture sequence includes the reverse complement of the p7 primer sequence. in another embodiment, when the universal adapter ligated to the indexed nucleic acid fragments does not include all sequences necessary for sequencing, then an exponential amplification step, such as pcr, can be used to further modify the universal adapters present in each indexed nucleic acid fragment prior to immobilizing and sequencing. for instance, an initial primer extension reaction is carried out using a universal anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence present in the indexed nucleic acid fragment, in which extension products complementary to both strands of each individual indexed nucleic acid fragment are formed. typically, the pcr adds additional universal sequences, such as a universal capture sequence, and another index sequence. because each primer can include an index, this step results in the addition of one or two index sequences, e.g., a second and an optional third index, and indexing of the indexed nucleic acid fragment by adapter ligation ( fig. 1 , block 17; fig. 34 block 20). after the universal adapters are added, either by a single step method of ligating a universal adaptor including all sequences necessary for sequencing, or by a two-step method of ligating a universal adapter and then an exponential amplification to further modify the universal adapter, the final dual-index fragments will include a universal capture sequence, a second index sequence, and an optional third index sequence. the second and third indexes can be the reverse complements of each other, or the second and third indexes can have sequences that are not the reverse complements of each other. these second and optional third index sequences are unique for each compartment in which the distributed indexed nuclei were placed ( fig. 1 , block 17; fig. 34 block 20) after the first index was added by tagmentation. the result of adding universal adapters to each end is a plurality or library of dual-index fragments having a structure similar or identical to the dual-index fragment 30 shown in fig. 3 . a single strand of the dual-index fragment 30 includes a capture sequence 31 and 38, also referred to as a 3' flowcell adapter (e.g., p5) and 5' flowcell adapter (e.g., p7'), respectively, and an index 32 and 37, such as i5 and i7. the dual-index fragment 30 also includes nucleotides originating from the transferred strand of the transposome complex 33, which includes a transposase index 34 and a universal sequence 35 that can be used for amplification and/or sequencing. the dual-index fragment also includes the nucleotides originating from the genomic dna of a nucleus 36. the resulting dual-index fragments collectively provide a library of nucleic acids that can be immobilized and then sequenced. the term library, also referred to herein as a sequencing library, refers to the collection of nucleic acid fragments from single cells containing known universal sequences at their 3' and 5' ends. the library includes whole genome nucleic acids from one or more of the isolated nuclei. the dual-index fragments can be subjected to conditions that select for a predetermined size range, such as from 150 to 400 nucleotides in length, such as from 150 to 300 nucleotides. the resulting dual-index fragments are pooled, and optionally can be subjected to a clean-up process to enhance the purity to the dna molecules by removing at least a portion of unincorporated universal adapters or primers. any suitable clean-up process may be used, such as electrophoresis, size exclusion chromatography, or the like. in some embodiments, solid phase reversible immobilization paramagnetic beads may be employed to separate the desired dna molecules from unattached universal adapters or primers, and to select nucleic acids based on size. solid phase reversible immobilization paramagnetic beads are commercially available from beckman coulter (agencourt ampure xp), thermofisher (magjet), omega biotek (mag-bind), promega beads (promega), and kapa biosystems (kapa pure beads). the plurality of dual-indexed fragments can be prepared for sequencing. after the dual-indexed fragments are pooled they are enriched, typically by immobilization and/or amplification, prior to sequencing ( fig. 1 , block 18; fig. 34 block 21). methods for attaching dual-indexed fragments from one or more sources to a substrate are known in the art. in one embodiment, dual-index fragments are enriched using a plurality of capture oligonucleotides having specificity for the dual-index fragments, and the capture oligonucleotides can be immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate. for instance, capture oligonucleotides can include a first member of a universal binding pair, and wherein a second member of the binding pair is immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate. likewise, methods for amplifying immobilized dual-indexed fragments include, but are not limited to, bridge amplification and kinetic exclusion. methods for immobilizing and amplifying prior to sequencing are described in, for instance, bignell et al. (us 8,053,192 ), gunderson et al. (wo2016/130704 ), shen et al. (us 8,895,249 ), and pipenburg et al. (us 9,309,502 ). a pooled sample can be immobilized in preparation for sequencing. sequencing can be performed as an array of single molecules, or can be amplified prior to sequencing. the amplification can be carried out using one or more immobilized primers. the immobilized primer(s) can be, for instance, a lawn on a planar surface, or on a pool of beads. the pool of beads can be isolated into an emulsion with a single bead in each "compartment" of the emulsion. at a concentration of only one template per "compartment," only a single template is amplified on each bead. the term "solid-phase amplification" as used herein refers to any nucleic acid amplification reaction carried out on or in association with a solid support such that all or a portion of the amplified products are immobilized on the solid support as they are formed. in particular, the term encompasses solid-phase polymerase chain reaction (solid-phase pcr) and solid phase isothermal amplification which are reactions analogous to standard solution phase amplification, except that one or both of the forward and reverse amplification primers is/are immobilized on the solid support. solid phase pcr covers systems such as emulsions, wherein one primer is anchored to a bead and the other is in free solution, and colony formation in solid phase gel matrices wherein one primer is anchored to the surface, and one is in free solution. in some embodiments, the solid support comprises a patterned surface. a "patterned surface" refers to an arrangement of different regions in or on an exposed layer of a solid support. for example, one or more of the regions can be features where one or more amplification primers are present. the features can be separated by interstitial regions where amplification primers are not present. in some embodiments, the pattern can be an x-y format of features that are in rows and columns. in some embodiments, the pattern can be a repeating arrangement of features and/or interstitial regions. in some embodiments, the pattern can be a random arrangement of features and/or interstitial regions. exemplary patterned surfaces that can be used in the methods and compositions set forth herein are described in us pat. nos. 8,778,848 , 8,778,849 and 9,079,148 , and us pub. no. 2014/0243224 . in some embodiments, the solid support includes an array of wells or depressions in a surface. this may be fabricated as is generally known in the art using a variety of techniques, including, but not limited to, photolithography, stamping techniques, molding techniques and microetching techniques. as will be appreciated by those in the art, the technique used will depend on the composition and shape of the array substrate. the features in a patterned surface can be wells in an array of wells (e.g. microwells or nanowells) on glass, silicon, plastic or other suitable solid supports with patterned, covalently-linked gel such as poly(n-(5-azidoacetamidylpentyl)acrylamide-co-acrylamide) (pazam, see, for example, us pub. no. 2013/184796 , wo 2016/066586 , and wo 2015/002813 ). the process creates gel pads used for sequencing that can be stable over sequencing runs with a large number of cycles. the covalent linking of the polymer to the wells is helpful for maintaining the gel in the structured features throughout the lifetime of the structured substrate during a variety of uses. however, in many embodiments the gel need not be covalently linked to the wells. for example, in some conditions silane free acrylamide (sfa, see, for example, us pat. no. 8,563,477 ) which is not covalently attached to any part of the structured substrate, can be used as the gel material. in particular embodiments, a structured substrate can be made by patterning a solid support material with wells (e.g. microwells or nanowells), coating the patterned support with a gel material (e.g. pazam, sfa or chemically modified variants thereof, such as the azidolyzed version of sfa (azido-sfa)) and polishing the gel coated support, for example via chemical or mechanical polishing, thereby retaining gel in the wells but removing or inactivating substantially all of the gel from the interstitial regions on the surface of the structured substrate between the wells. primer nucleic acids can be attached to gel material. a solution of dual-index fragments can then be contacted with the polished substrate such that individual dual-index fragments will seed individual wells via interactions with primers attached to the gel material; however, the target nucleic acids will not occupy the interstitial regions due to absence or inactivity of the gel material. amplification of the dual-index fragments will be confined to the wells since absence or inactivity of gel in the interstitial regions prevents outward migration of the growing nucleic acid colony. the process can be conveniently manufactured, being scalable and utilizing conventional micro- or nanofabrication methods. although the disclosure encompasses "solid-phase" amplification methods in which only one amplification primer is immobilized (the other primer usually being present in free solution), in one embodiment it is preferred for the solid support to be provided with both the forward and the reverse primers immobilized. in practice, there will be a 'plurality' of identical forward primers and/or a 'plurality' of identical reverse primers immobilized on the solid support, since the amplification process requires an excess of primers to sustain amplification. references herein to forward and reverse primers are to be interpreted accordingly as encompassing a 'plurality' of such primers unless the context indicates otherwise. as will be appreciated by the skilled reader, any given amplification reaction requires at least one type of forward primer and at least one type of reverse primer specific for the template to be amplified. however, in certain embodiments the forward and reverse primers may include template-specific portions of identical sequence, and may have entirely identical nucleotide sequence and structure (including any non-nucleotide modifications). in other words, it is possible to carry out solid-phase amplification using only one type of primer, and such single-primer methods are encompassed within the scope of the disclosure. other embodiments may use forward and reverse primers which contain identical template-specific sequences but which differ in some other structural features. for example, one type of primer may contain a non-nucleotide modification which is not present in the other. in all embodiments of the disclosure, primers for solid-phase amplification are preferably immobilized by single point covalent attachment to the solid support at or near the 5' end of the primer, leaving the template-specific portion of the primer free to anneal to its cognate template and the 3' hydroxyl group free for primer extension. any suitable covalent attachment means known in the art may be used for this purpose. the chosen attachment chemistry will depend on the nature of the solid support, and any derivatization or functionalization applied to it. the primer itself may include a moiety, which may be a non-nucleotide chemical modification, to facilitate attachment. in a particular embodiment, the primer may include a sulphur-containing nucleophile, such as phosphorothioate or thiophosphate, at the 5' end. in the case of solid-supported polyacrylamide hydrogels, this nucleophile will bind to a bromoacetamide group present in the hydrogel. a more particular means of attaching primers and templates to a solid support is via 5' phosphorothioate attachment to a hydrogel comprised of polymerized acrylamide and n-(5-bromoacetamidylpentyl) acrylamide (brapa), as described in wo 05/065814 . certain embodiments of the disclosure may make use of solid supports that include an inert substrate or matrix (e.g. glass slides, polymer beads, etc.) which has been "functionalized," for example by application of a layer or coating of an intermediate material including reactive groups which permit covalent attachment to biomolecules, such as polynucleotides. examples of such supports include, but are not limited to, polyacrylamide hydrogels supported on an inert substrate such as glass. in such embodiments, the biomolecules (e.g. polynucleotides) may be directly covalently attached to the intermediate material (e.g. the hydrogel), but the intermediate material may itself be non-covalently attached to the substrate or matrix (e.g. the glass substrate). the term "covalent attachment to a solid support" is to be interpreted accordingly as encompassing this type of arrangement. the pooled samples may be amplified on beads wherein each bead contains a forward and reverse amplification primer. in a particular embodiment, the library of dual-index fragments is used to prepare clustered arrays of nucleic acid colonies, analogous to those described in u.s. pub. no. 2005/0100900 , u.s. pat. no. 7,115,400 , wo 00/18957 and wo 98/44151 by solid-phase amplification and more particularly solid phase isothermal amplification. the terms 'cluster' and 'colony' are used interchangeably herein to refer to a discrete site on a solid support including a plurality of identical immobilized nucleic acid strands and a plurality of identical immobilized complementary nucleic acid strands. the term "clustered array" refers to an array formed from such clusters or colonies. in this context, the term "array" is not to be understood as requiring an ordered arrangement of clusters. the term "solid phase" or "surface" is used to mean either a planar array wherein primers are attached to a flat surface, for example, glass, silica or plastic microscope slides or similar flow cell devices; beads, wherein either one or two primers are attached to the beads and the beads are amplified; or an array of beads on a surface after the beads have been amplified. clustered arrays can be prepared using either a process of thermocycling, as described in wo 98/44151 , or a process whereby the temperature is maintained as a constant, and the cycles of extension and denaturing are performed using changes of reagents. such isothermal amplification methods are described in patent application numbers wo 02/46456 and u.s. pub. no. 2008/0009420 . due to the lower temperatures useful in the isothermal process, this is particularly preferred in some embodiments. it will be appreciated that any of the amplification methodologies described herein or generally known in the art may be used with universal or target-specific primers to amplify immobilized dna fragments. suitable methods for amplification include, but are not limited to, the polymerase chain reaction (pcr), strand displacement amplification (sda), transcription mediated amplification (tma) and nucleic acid sequence based amplification (nasba), as described in u.s. pat. no. 8,003,354 . the above amplification methods may be employed to amplify one or more nucleic acids of interest. for example, pcr, including multiplex pcr, sda, tma, nasba and the like may be utilized to amplify immobilized dna fragments. in some embodiments, primers directed specifically to the polynucleotide of interest are included in the amplification reaction. other suitable methods for amplification of polynucleotides may include oligonucleotide extension and ligation, rolling circle amplification (rca) ( lizardi et al., nat. genet. 19:225-232 (1998 )) and oligonucleotide ligation assay (ola) (see generally u.s. pat. nos. 7,582,420 , 5,185,243 , 5,679,524 and 5,573,907 ; ep 0 320 308 b1 ; ep 0 336 731 b1 ; ep 0 439 182 b1 ; wo 90/01069 ; wo 89/12696 ; and wo 89/09835 ) technologies. it will be appreciated that these amplification methodologies may be designed to amplify immobilized dna fragments. for example, in some embodiments, the amplification method may include ligation probe amplification or oligonucleotide ligation assay (ola) reactions that contain primers directed specifically to the nucleic acid of interest. in some embodiments, the amplification method may include a primer extension-ligation reaction that contains primers directed specifically to the nucleic acid of interest. as a non-limiting example of primer extension and ligation primers that may be specifically designed to amplify a nucleic acid of interest, the amplification may include primers used for the goldengate assay (illumina, inc., san diego, ca) as exemplified by u.s. pat. no. 7,582,420 and 7,611,869 . exemplary isothermal amplification methods that may be used in a method of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, multiple displacement amplification (mda) as exemplified by, for example dean et al., proc. natl. acad. sci. usa 99:5261-66 (2002 ) or isothermal strand displacement nucleic acid amplification exemplified by, for example u.s. pat. no. 6,214,587 . other non-pcr-based methods that may be used in the present disclosure include, for example, strand displacement amplification (sda) which is described in, for example walker et al., molecular methods for virus detection, academic press, inc., 1995 ; u.s. pat. nos. 5,455,166 , and 5,130,238 , and walker et al., nucl. acids res. 20:1691-96 (1992 ) or hyper-branched strand displacement amplification which is described in, for example lage et al., genome res. 13:294-307 (2003 ). isothermal amplification methods may be used with, for instance, the strand-displacing phi 29 polymerase or bst dna polymerase large fragment, 5'->3' exo- for random primer amplification of genomic dna. the use of these polymerases takes advantage of their high processivity and strand displacing activity. high processivity allows the polymerases to produce fragments that are 10-20 kb in length. as set forth above, smaller fragments may be produced under isothermal conditions using polymerases having low processivity and strand-displacing activity such as klenow polymerase. additional description of amplification reactions, conditions and components are set forth in detail in the disclosure of u.s. patent no. 7,670,810 . another polynucleotide amplification method that is useful in the present disclosure is tagged pcr which uses a population of two-domain primers having a constant 5' region followed by a random 3' region as described, for example, in grothues et al. nucleic acids res. 21(5): 1321-2 (1993 ). the first rounds of amplification are carried out to allow a multitude of initiations on heat denatured dna based on individual hybridization from the randomly-synthesized 3' region. due to the nature of the 3' region, the sites of initiation are contemplated to be random throughout the genome. thereafter, the unbound primers may be removed and further replication may take place using primers complementary to the constant 5' region. in some embodiments, isothermal amplification can be performed using kinetic exclusion amplification (kea), also referred to as exclusion amplification (examp). a nucleic acid library of the present disclosure can be made using a method that includes a step of reacting an amplification reagent to produce a plurality of amplification sites that each includes a substantially clonal population of amplicons from an individual target nucleic acid that has seeded the site. in some embodiments, the amplification reaction proceeds until a sufficient number of amplicons are generated to fill the capacity of the respective amplification site. filling an already seeded site to capacity in this way inhibits target nucleic acids from landing and amplifying at the site thereby producing a clonal population of amplicons at the site. in some embodiments, apparent clonality can be achieved even if an amplification site is not filled to capacity prior to a second target nucleic acid arriving at the site. under some conditions, amplification of a first target nucleic acid can proceed to a point that a sufficient number of copies are made to effectively outcompete or overwhelm production of copies from a second target nucleic acid that is transported to the site. for example, in an embodiment that uses a bridge amplification process on a circular feature that is smaller than 500 nm in diameter, it has been determined that after 14 cycles of exponential amplification for a first target nucleic acid, contamination from a second target nucleic acid at the same site will produce an insufficient number of contaminating amplicons to adversely impact sequencing-by-synthesis analysis on an illumina sequencing platform. in some embodiments, amplification sites in an array can be, but need not be, entirely clonal. rather, for some applications, an individual amplification site can be predominantly populated with amplicons from a first dual-indexed fragment and can also have a low level of contaminating amplicons from a second target nucleic acid. an array can have one or more amplification sites that have a low level of contaminating amplicons so long as the level of contamination does not have an unacceptable impact on a subsequent use of the array. for example, when the array is to be used in a detection application, an acceptable level of contamination would be a level that does not impact signal to noise or resolution of the detection technique in an unacceptable way. accordingly, apparent clonality will generally be relevant to a particular use or application of an array made by the methods set forth herein. exemplary levels of contamination that can be acceptable at an individual amplification site for particular applications include, but are not limited to, at most 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 5%, 10% or 25% contaminating amplicons. an array can include one or more amplification sites having these exemplary levels of contaminating amplicons. for example, up to 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or even 100% of the amplification sites in an array can have some contaminating amplicons. it will be understood that in an array or other collection of sites, at least 50%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% or 99% or more of the sites can be clonal or apparently clonal. in some embodiments, kinetic exclusion can occur when a process occurs at a sufficiently rapid rate to effectively exclude another event or process from occurring. take for example the making of a nucleic acid array where sites of the array are randomly seeded with dual-indexed fragments from a solution and copies of the dual-indexed fragments are generated in an amplification process to fill each of the seeded sites to capacity. in accordance with the kinetic exclusion methods of the present disclosure, the seeding and amplification processes can proceed simultaneously under conditions where the amplification rate exceeds the seeding rate. as such, the relatively rapid rate at which copies are made at a site that has been seeded by a first target nucleic acid will effectively exclude a second nucleic acid from seeding the site for amplification. kinetic exclusion amplification methods can be performed as described in detail in the disclosure of us application pub. no. 2013/0338042 . kinetic exclusion can exploit a relatively slow rate for initiating amplification (e.g. a slow rate of making a first copy of a dual-index fragment) vs. a relatively rapid rate for making subsequent copies of the dual-indexed fragment (or of the first copy of the dual-indexed fragment). in the example of the previous paragraph, kinetic exclusion occurs due to the relatively slow rate of dual-indexed fragment seeding (e.g. relatively slow diffusion or transport) vs. the relatively rapid rate at which amplification occurs to fill the site with copies of the dual-indexed fragment seed. in another exemplary embodiment, kinetic exclusion can occur due to a delay in the formation of a first copy of a dual-indexed fragment that has seeded a site (e.g. delayed or slow activation) vs. the relatively rapid rate at which subsequent copies are made to fill the site. in this example, an individual site may have been seeded with several different dual-indexed fragments (e.g. several dual-indexed fragments can be present at each site prior to amplification). however, first copy formation for any given dual-indexed fragment can be activated randomly such that the average rate of first copy formation is relatively slow compared to the rate at which subsequent copies are generated. in this case, although an individual site may have been seeded with several different dual-indexed fragments, kinetic exclusion will allow only one of those dual-indexed fragments to be amplified. more specifically, once a first dual-indexed fragment has been activated for amplification, the site will rapidly fill to capacity with its copies, thereby preventing copies of a second dual-indexed fragment from being made at the site. in one embodiment, the method is carried out to simultaneously (i) dual-index fragments to amplification sites at an average transport rate, and (ii) amplify the dual-index fragments that are at the amplification sites at an average amplification rate, wherein the average amplification rate exceeds the average transport rate ( u.s. pat. no. 9,169,513 ). accordingly, kinetic exclusion can be achieved in such embodiments by using a relatively slow rate of transport. for example, a sufficiently low concentration of dual-index fragments can be selected to achieve a desired average transport rate, lower concentrations resulting in slower average rates of transport. alternatively or additionally, a high viscosity solution and/or presence of molecular crowding reagents in the solution can be used to reduce transport rates. examples of useful molecular crowding reagents include, but are not limited to, polyethylene glycol (peg), ficoll, dextran, or polyvinyl alcohol. exemplary molecular crowding reagents and formulations are set forth in u.s. pat. no. 7,399,590 , which is incorporated herein by reference. another factor that can be adjusted to achieve a desired transport rate is the average size of the target nucleic acids. an amplification reagent can include further components that facilitate amplicon formation and in some cases increase the rate of amplicon formation. an example is a recombinase. recombinase can facilitate amplicon formation by allowing repeated invasion/extension. more specifically, recombinase can facilitate invasion of a dual-index fragment by the polymerase and extension of a primer by the polymerase using the dual-indexed fragment as a template for amplicon formation. this process can be repeated as a chain reaction where amplicons produced from each round of invasion/extension serve as templates in a subsequent round. the process can occur more rapidly than standard pcr since a denaturation cycle (e.g. via heating or chemical denaturation) is not required. as such, recombinase-facilitated amplification can be carried out isothermally. it is generally desirable to include atp, or other nucleotides (or in some cases non-hydrolyzable analogs thereof) in a recombinase-facilitated amplification reagent to facilitate amplification. a mixture of recombinase and single stranded binding (ssb) protein is particularly useful as ssb can further facilitate amplification. exemplary formulations for recombinase-facilitated amplification include those sold commercially as twistamp kits by twistdx (cambridge, uk). useful components of recombinase-facilitated amplification reagent and reaction conditions are set forth in us 5,223,414 and us 7,399,590 . another example of a component that can be included in an amplification reagent to facilitate amplicon formation and in some cases to increase the rate of amplicon formation is a helicase. helicase can facilitate amplicon formation by allowing a chain reaction of amplicon formation. the process can occur more rapidly than standard pcr since a denaturation cycle (e.g. via heating or chemical denaturation) is not required. as such, helicase-facilitated amplification can be carried out isothermally. a mixture of helicase and single stranded binding (ssb) protein is particularly useful as ssb can further facilitate amplification. exemplary formulations for helicase-facilitated amplification include those sold commercially as isoamp kits from biohelix (beverly, ma). further, examples of useful formulations that include a helicase protein are described in us 7,399,590 and us 7,829,284 . yet another example of a component that can be included in an amplification reagent to facilitate amplicon formation and in some cases increase the rate of amplicon formation is an origin binding protein. following attachment of dual-indexed fragments to a surface, the sequence of the immobilized and amplified dual-indexed fragments is determined. sequencing can be carried out using any suitable sequencing technique, and methods for determining the sequence of immobilized and amplified dual-indexed fragments, including strand re-synthesis, are known in the art and are described in, for instance, bignell et al. (us 8,053,192 ), gunderson et al. (wo2016/130704 ), shen et al. (us 8,895,249 ), and pipenburg et al. (us 9,309,502 ). the methods described herein can be used in conjunction with a variety of nucleic acid sequencing techniques. particularly applicable techniques are those wherein nucleic acids are attached at fixed locations in an array such that their relative positions do not change and wherein the array is repeatedly imaged. embodiments in which images are obtained in different color channels, for example, coinciding with different labels used to distinguish one nucleotide base type from another are particularly applicable. in some embodiments, the process to determine the nucleotide sequence of a dual-index fragment can be an automated process. preferred embodiments include sequencing-by-synthesis ("sbs") techniques. sbs techniques generally involve the enzymatic extension of a nascent nucleic acid strand through the iterative addition of nucleotides against a template strand. in traditional methods of sbs, a single nucleotide monomer may be provided to a target nucleotide in the presence of a polymerase in each delivery. however, in the methods described herein, more than one type of nucleotide monomer can be provided to a target nucleic acid in the presence of a polymerase in a delivery. in one embodiment, a nucleotide monomer includes locked nucleic acids (lnas) or bridged nucleic acids (bnas). the use of lnas or bnas in a nucleotide monomer increases hybridization strength between a nucleotide monomer and a sequencing primer sequence present on an immobilized dual-index fragment. sbs can use nucleotide monomers that have a terminator moiety or those that lack any terminator moieties. methods using nucleotide monomers lacking terminators include, for example, pyrosequencing and sequencing using γ-phosphate-labeled nucleotides, as set forth in further detail herein. in methods using nucleotide monomers lacking terminators, the number of nucleotides added in each cycle is generally variable and dependent upon the template sequence and the mode of nucleotide delivery. for sbs techniques that utilize nucleotide monomers having a terminator moiety, the terminator can be effectively irreversible under the sequencing conditions used as is the case for traditional sanger sequencing which utilizes dideoxynucleotides, or the terminator can be reversible as is the case for sequencing methods developed by solexa (now illumina, inc.). sbs techniques can use nucleotide monomers that have a label moiety or those that lack a label moiety. accordingly, incorporation events can be detected based on a characteristic of the label, such as fluorescence of the label; a characteristic of the nucleotide monomer such as molecular weight or charge; a byproduct of incorporation of the nucleotide, such as release of pyrophosphate; or the like. in embodiments where two or more different nucleotides are present in a sequencing reagent, the different nucleotides can be distinguishable from each other, or alternatively the two or more different labels can be the indistinguishable under the detection techniques being used. for example, the different nucleotides present in a sequencing reagent can have different labels and they can be distinguished using appropriate optics as exemplified by the sequencing methods developed by solexa (now illumina, inc.). preferred embodiments include pyrosequencing techniques. pyrosequencing detects the release of inorganic pyrophosphate (ppi) as particular nucleotides are incorporated into the nascent strand ( ronaghi, m., karamohamed, s., pettersson, b., uhlen, m. and nyren, p. (1996) "real-time dna sequencing using detection of pyrophosphate release." analytical biochemistry 242(1), 84-9 ; ronaghi, m. (2001) "pyrosequencing sheds light on dna sequencing." genome res. 11(1), 3-11 ; ronaghi, m., uhlen, m. and nyren, p. (1998) "a sequencing method based on real-time pyrophosphate." science 281(5375), 363 ; u.s. pat. nos. 6,210,891 ; 6,258,568 and 6,274,320 ). in pyrosequencing, released ppi can be detected by being immediately converted to adenosine triphosphate (atp) by atp sulfurase, and the level of atp generated is detected via luciferase-produced photons. the nucleic acids to be sequenced can be attached to features in an array and the array can be imaged to capture the chemiluminescent signals that are produced due to incorporation of a nucleotides at the features of the array. an image can be obtained after the array is treated with a particular nucleotide type (e.g. a, t, c or g). images obtained after addition of each nucleotide type will differ with regard to which features in the array are detected. these differences in the image reflect the different sequence content of the features on the array. however, the relative locations of each feature will remain unchanged in the images. the images can be stored, processed and analyzed using the methods set forth herein. for example, images obtained after treatment of the array with each different nucleotide type can be handled in the same way as exemplified herein for images obtained from different detection channels for reversible terminator-based sequencing methods. in another exemplary type of sbs, cycle sequencing is accomplished by stepwise addition of reversible terminator nucleotides containing, for example, a cleavable or photobleachable dye label as described, for example, in wo 04/018497 and u.s. pat. no. 7,057,026 . this approach is being commercialized by solexa (now illumina inc.), and is also described in wo 91/06678 and wo 07/123,744 . the availability of fluorescently-labeled terminators in which both the termination can be reversed and the fluorescent label cleaved facilitates efficient cyclic reversible termination (crt) sequencing. polymerases can also be co-engineered to efficiently incorporate and extend from these modified nucleotides. in some reversible terminator-based sequencing embodiments, the labels do not substantially inhibit extension under sbs reaction conditions. however, the detection labels can be removable, for example, by cleavage or degradation. images can be captured following incorporation of labels into arrayed nucleic acid features. in particular embodiments, each cycle involves simultaneous delivery of four different nucleotide types to the array and each nucleotide type has a spectrally distinct label. four images can then be obtained, each using a detection channel that is selective for one of the four different labels. alternatively, different nucleotide types can be added sequentially and an image of the array can be obtained between each addition step. in such embodiments, each image will show nucleic acid features that have incorporated nucleotides of a particular type. different features will be present or absent in the different images due the different sequence content of each feature. however, the relative position of the features will remain unchanged in the images. images obtained from such reversible terminator-sbs methods can be stored, processed and analyzed as set forth herein. following the image capture step, labels can be removed and reversible terminator moieties can be removed for subsequent cycles of nucleotide addition and detection. removal of the labels after they have been detected in a particular cycle and prior to a subsequent cycle can provide the advantage of reducing background signal and crosstalk between cycles. examples of useful labels and removal methods are set forth herein. in particular embodiments some or all of the nucleotide monomers can include reversible terminators. in such embodiments, reversible terminators/cleavable fluorophores can include fluorophores linked to the ribose moiety via a 3' ester linkage ( metzker, genome res. 15:1767-1776 (2005 )). other approaches have separated the terminator chemistry from the cleavage of the fluorescence label ( ruparel et al., proc natl acad sci usa 102: 5932-7 (2005 )). ruparel et al. described the development of reversible terminators that used a small 3' allyl group to block extension, but could easily be deblocked by a short treatment with a palladium catalyst. the fluorophore was attached to the base via a photocleavable linker that could easily be cleaved by a 30 second exposure to long wavelength uv light. thus, either disulfide reduction or photocleavage can be used as a cleavable linker. another approach to reversible termination is the use of natural termination that ensues after placement of a bulky dye on a dntp. the presence of a charged bulky dye on the dntp can act as an effective terminator through steric and/or electrostatic hindrance. the presence of one incorporation event prevents further incorporations unless the dye is removed. cleavage of the dye removes the fluorophore and effectively reverses the termination. examples of modified nucleotides are also described in u.s. pat. nos. 7,427,673 , and 7,057,026 . additional exemplary sbs systems and methods which can be utilized with the methods and systems described herein are described in u.s. pub. nos. 2007/0166705 , 2006/0188901 , 2006/0240439 , 2006/0281109 , 2012/0270305 , and 2013/0260372 , u.s. pat. no. 7,057,026 , pct publication no. wo 05/065814 , u.s. patent application publication no. 2005/0100900 , and pct publication nos. wo 06/064199 and wo 07/010,251 . some embodiments can use detection of four different nucleotides using fewer than four different labels. for example, sbs can be performed using methods and systems described in the incorporated materials of u.s. pub. no. 2013/0079232 . as a first example, a pair of nucleotide types can be detected at the same wavelength, but distinguished based on a difference in intensity for one member of the pair compared to the other, or based on a change to one member of the pair (e.g. via chemical modification, photochemical modification or physical modification) that causes apparent signal to appear or disappear compared to the signal detected for the other member of the pair. as a second example, three of four different nucleotide types can be detected under particular conditions while a fourth nucleotide type lacks a label that is detectable under those conditions, or is minimally detected under those conditions (e.g., minimal detection due to background fluorescence, etc.). incorporation of the first three nucleotide types into a nucleic acid can be determined based on presence of their respective signals and incorporation of the fourth nucleotide type into the nucleic acid can be determined based on absence or minimal detection of any signal. as a third example, one nucleotide type can include label(s) that are detected in two different channels, whereas other nucleotide types are detected in no more than one of the channels. the aforementioned three exemplary configurations are not considered mutually exclusive and can be used in various combinations. an exemplary embodiment that combines all three examples, is a fluorescent-based sbs method that uses a first nucleotide type that is detected in a first channel (e.g. datp having a label that is detected in the first channel when excited by a first excitation wavelength), a second nucleotide type that is detected in a second channel (e.g. dctp having a label that is detected in the second channel when excited by a second excitation wavelength), a third nucleotide type that is detected in both the first and the second channel (e.g. dttp having at least one label that is detected in both channels when excited by the first and/or second excitation wavelength) and a fourth nucleotide type that lacks a label that is not, or minimally, detected in either channel (e.g. dgtp having no label). further, as described in the incorporated materials of u.s. pub. no. 2013/0079232 , sequencing data can be obtained using a single channel. in such so-called one-dye sequencing approaches, the first nucleotide type is labeled but the label is removed after the first image is generated, and the second nucleotide type is labeled only after a first image is generated. the third nucleotide type retains its label in both the first and second images, and the fourth nucleotide type remains unlabeled in both images. some embodiments can use sequencing by ligation techniques. such techniques use dna ligase to incorporate oligonucleotides and identify the incorporation of such oligonucleotides. the oligonucleotides typically have different labels that are correlated with the identity of a particular nucleotide in a sequence to which the oligonucleotides hybridize. as with other sbs methods, images can be obtained following treatment of an array of nucleic acid features with the labeled sequencing reagents. each image will show nucleic acid features that have incorporated labels of a particular type. different features will be present or absent in the different images due the different sequence content of each feature, but the relative position of the features will remain unchanged in the images. images obtained from ligation-based sequencing methods can be stored, processed and analyzed as set forth herein. exemplary sbs systems and methods which can be utilized with the methods and systems described herein are described in u.s. pat. nos. 6,969,488 , 6,172,218 , and 6,306,597 . some embodiments can use nanopore sequencing ( deamer, d. w. & akeson, m. "nanopores and nucleic acids: prospects for ultrarapid sequencing." trends biotechnol. 18, 147-151 (2000 ); deamer, d. and d. branton, "characterization of nucleic acids by nanopore analysis", acc. chem. res. 35:817-825 (2002 ); li, j., m. gershow, d. stein, e. brandin, and j. a. golovchenko, "dna molecules and configurations in a solid-state nanopore microscope" nat. mater. 2:611-615 (2003 )). in such embodiments, the dual-index fragment passes through a nanopore. the nanopore can be a synthetic pore or biological membrane protein, such as α-hemolysin. as the dual-index fragment passes through the nanopore, each base-pair can be identified by measuring fluctuations in the electrical conductance of the pore. ( u.s. pat. no. 7,001,792 ; soni, g. v. & meller, "a. progress toward ultrafast dna sequencing using solid-state nanopores." clin. chem. 53, 1996-2001 (2007 ); healy, k. "nanopore-based single-molecule dna analysis." nanomed. 2, 459-481 (2007 ); cockroft, s. l., chu, j., amorin, m. & ghadiri, m. r. "a single-molecule nanopore device detects dna polymerase activity with single-nucleotide resolution." j. am. chem. soc. 130, 818-820 (2008 )). data obtained from nanopore sequencing can be stored, processed and analyzed as set forth herein. in particular, the data can be treated as an image in accordance with the exemplary treatment of optical images and other images that is set forth herein. some embodiments can use methods involving the real-time monitoring of dna polymerase activity. nucleotide incorporations can be detected through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (fret) interactions between a fluorophore-bearing polymerase and γ-phosphate-labeled nucleotides as described, for example, in u.s. pat. nos. 7,329,492 and 7,211,414 , or nucleotide incorporations can be detected with zero-mode waveguides as described, for example, in u.s. pat. no. 7,315,019 , and using fluorescent nucleotide analogs and engineered polymerases as described, for example, in u.s. pat. no. 7,405,281 and u.s. pub. no. 2008/0108082 . the illumination can be restricted to a zeptoliter-scale volume around a surface-tethered polymerase such that incorporation of fluorescently labeled nucleotides can be observed with low background ( levene, m. j. et al. "zero-mode waveguides for single-molecule analysis at high concentrations." science 299, 682-686 (2003 ); lundquist, p. m. et al. "parallel confocal detection of single molecules in real time." opt. lett. 33, 1026-1028 (2008 ); korlach, j. et al. "selective aluminum passivation for targeted immobilization of single dna polymerase molecules in zero-mode waveguide nano structures." proc. natl. acad. sci. usa 105, 1176-1181 (2008 )). images obtained from such methods can be stored, processed and analyzed as set forth herein. some sbs embodiments include detection of a proton released upon incorporation of a nucleotide into an extension product. for example, sequencing based on detection of released protons can use an electrical detector and associated techniques that are commercially available from ion torrent (guilford, ct, a life technologies subsidiary) or sequencing methods and systems described in u.s. pub. nos. 2009/0026082 ; 2009/0127589 ; 2010/0137143 ; and 2010/0282617 . methods set forth herein for amplifying target nucleic acids using kinetic exclusion can be readily applied to substrates used for detecting protons. more specifically, methods set forth herein can be used to produce clonal populations of amplicons that are used to detect protons. the above sbs methods can be advantageously carried out in multiplex formats such that multiple different dual-index fragments are manipulated simultaneously. in particular embodiments, different dual-index fragments can be treated in a common reaction vessel or on a surface of a particular substrate. this allows convenient delivery of sequencing reagents, removal of unreacted reagents and detection of incorporation events in a multiplex manner. in embodiments using surface-bound target nucleic acids, the dual-index fragments can be in an array format. in an array format, the dual-index fragments can be typically bound to a surface in a spatially distinguishable manner. the dual-index fragments can be bound by direct covalent attachment, attachment to a bead or other particle or binding to a polymerase or other molecule that is attached to the surface. the array can include a single copy of a dual-index fragment at each site (also referred to as a feature) or multiple copies having the same sequence can be present at each site or feature. multiple copies can be produced by amplification methods such as, bridge amplification or emulsion pcr as described in further detail herein. the methods set forth herein can use arrays having features at any of a variety of densities including, for example, at least about 10 features/cm 2 , 100 features/ cm 2 , 500 features/ cm 2 , 1,000 features/ cm 2 , 5,000 features/ cm 2 , 10,000 features/ cm 2 , 50,000 features/ cm 2 , 100,000 features/ cm 2 , 1,000,000 features/ cm 2 , 5,000,000 features/ cm 2 , or higher. an advantage of the methods set forth herein is that they provide for rapid and efficient detection of a plurality of cm 2 , in parallel. accordingly, the present disclosure provides integrated systems capable of preparing and detecting nucleic acids using techniques known in the art such as those exemplified herein. thus, an integrated system of the present disclosure can include fluidic components capable of delivering amplification reagents and/or sequencing reagents to one or more immobilized dual-index fragments, the system including components such as pumps, valves, reservoirs, fluidic lines and the like. a flow cell can be configured and/or used in an integrated system for detection of target nucleic acids. exemplary flow cells are described, for example, in u.s. pub. no. 2010/0111768 and us ser. no. 13/273,666 . as exemplified for flow cells, one or more of the fluidic components of an integrated system can be used for an amplification method and for a detection method. taking a nucleic acid sequencing embodiment as an example, one or more of the fluidic components of an integrated system can be used for an amplification method set forth herein and for the delivery of sequencing reagents in a sequencing method such as those exemplified above. alternatively, an integrated system can include separate fluidic systems to carry out amplification methods and to carry out detection methods. examples of integrated sequencing systems that are capable of creating amplified nucleic acids and also determining the sequence of the nucleic acids include, without limitation, the miseqtm platform (illumina, inc., san diego, ca) and devices described in us ser. no. 13/273,666 . also provided herein are compositions. during the practice of the methods described herein various compositions can result. for example, a composition including chemically treated nucleosome-depleted isolated nuclei, where isolated nuclei include indexed nucleic acid fragments, can result. also provided is a multi-well plate, wherein a well of the multi-well plate includes isolated nuclei having indexed nucleic acid fragments. in one embodiment, isolated nuclei can include non-natural cross-links, such as the type of cross-links formed by a cross-linking agent, e.g., formaldehyde. in one embodiment, indexed nucleic acid fragments terminate in a cleaved restriction site having an overhang. in one embodiment, the isolated nuclei comprise rearranged genomic dna. embodiments embodiment 1. a method of preparing a sequencing library comprising nucleic acids from a plurality of single cells, the method comprising: (a) providing isolated nuclei from a plurality of cells; (b) subjecting the isolated nuclei to a chemical treatment to generate nucleosome-depleted nuclei, while maintaining integrity of the isolated nuclei; (c) distributing subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a first plurality of compartments and contacting each subset with a transposome complex, wherein the transposome complex in each compartment comprises a transposase and a first index sequence that is different from first index sequences in the other compartments; (d) fragmenting nucleic acids in the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a plurality of nucleic acid fragments and incorporating the first index sequences into at least one strand of the nucleic acid fragments to generate indexed nuclei comprising indexed nucleic acid fragments, wherein the indexed nucleic acid fragments remain attached to the transposases; (e) combining the indexed nuclei to generate pooled indexed nuclei; (f) distributing subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei into a second plurality of compartments; (g) incorporating into the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment a second index sequence to generate dual-index fragments, wherein the second index sequence in each compartment is different from second index sequences in the other compartments; (h) combining the dual-index fragments, thereby producing a sequencing library comprising whole genome nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells. embodiment 2. the method of embodiment 1, wherein the chemical treatment comprises a treatment with a chaotropic agent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions. embodiment 3. the method of embodiment 2 or 3, wherein the chaotropic agent comprises lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylic acid. embodiment 4. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the chemical treatment comprises a treatment with a detergent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions. embodiment 5. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the detergent comprises sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). embodiment 6. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the nuclei are treated with a cross-linking agent prior to step (b). embodiment 7. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the cross-linking agent is formaldehyde. embodiment 8. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the concentration of formaldehyde ranges from about 0.2% to about 2%. embodiment 9. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the concentration of formaldehyde is no greater than about 1.5%. embodiment 10. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the cross-linking by formaldehyde is reversed after step (f) and prior to step (g). embodiment 11. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the reversal of the cross-linking comprises incubation at about 55°c to about 72°c. embodiment 12. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the transposases are disassociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments prior to the reversal of the cross-linking. embodiment 13. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the transposases are disassociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments using sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). embodiment 14. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the nuclei are treated with a restriction enzyme prior to step (d). embodiment 15. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the nuclei are treated with a ligase after treatment with the restriction enzyme. embodiment 16. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the distributing in steps (c) and (f) is performed by fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting. embodiment 17. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei comprise approximately equal numbers of nuclei. embodiment 18. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 17, wherein the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei comprise from 1 to about 2000 nuclei. embodiment 19. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the first plurality of compartments is a multi-well plate. embodiment 20. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 19, wherein the multi-well plate is a 96-well plate or a 384-well plate. embodiment 21. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 20, wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei comprise approximately equal numbers of nuclei. embodiment 22. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 21, wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei comprise from 1 to about 25 nuclei. embodiment 23. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 22, wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include at least 10 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei. embodiment 24. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 23, wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include at least 100 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei. embodiment 25. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 24, wherein the second plurality of compartments is a multi-well plate. embodiment 26. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 25, wherein the multi-well plate is a 96-well plate or a 384-well plate. embodiment 27. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 26, wherein step (c) comprises adding the transposome complex to the compartments after the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei are distributed. embodiment 28. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 27, wherein each of the transposome complexes comprises a transposon, each of the transposons comprising a transferred strand. embodiment 29. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 28, wherein the transferred strand comprises the first index sequence and a first universal sequence. embodiment 30. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 29, wherein the incorporation of the second index sequence in step (g) comprises contacting the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment with a first universal primer and a second universal primer, each comprising an index sequence and each comprising a sequence identical to or complementary to a portion of the first universal sequence, and performing an exponential amplification reaction. embodiment 31. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 30, wherein the index sequence of the first universal primer is the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer. embodiment 32. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 31, wherein the index sequence of the first universal primer is different from the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer. embodiment 33. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 32, wherein the first universal primer further comprises a first capture sequence and a first anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 3' end of the dual-index fragments. embodiment 34. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 33, wherein the first capture sequence comprises the p5 primer sequence. embodiment 35. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 34, wherein the second universal primer further comprises a second capture sequence and a second anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 5' end of the dual-index fragments. embodiment 36. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 35, wherein the second capture sequence comprises the reverse complement of the p7 primer sequence. embodiment 37. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 36, wherein the exponential amplification reaction comprises a polymerase chain reaction (pcr). embodiment 38. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 37, wherein the pcr comprises 15 to 30 cycles. embodiment 39. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 38, further comprising an enrichment of dual-index fragments using a plurality of capture oligonucleotides having specificity for the dual-index fragments. embodiment 40. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 39, wherein the capture oligonucleotides are immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate. embodiment 41. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 40, wherein the capture oligonucleotides comprise a first member of a universal binding pair, and wherein a second member of the binding pair is immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate. embodiment 42. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 42, further comprising sequencing of the dual-index fragments to determine the nucleotide sequence of nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells. embodiment 43. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 42, further comprising: providing a surface comprising a plurality of amplification sites, wherein the amplification sites comprise at least two populations of attached single stranded capture oligonucleotides having a free 3' end, and contacting the surface comprising amplification sites with the dual-index fragments under conditions suitable to produce a plurality of amplification sites that each comprise a clonal population of amplicons from an individual dual-index fragment. embodiment 44. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 43, wherein the number of the dual-index fragments exceeds the number of amplification sites, wherein the dual-index fragments have fluidic access to the amplification sites, and wherein each of the amplification sites comprises a capacity for several dual-index fragments in the sequencing library. embodiment 45. the method of any of embodiments 1 to 44, wherein the contacting comprises simultaneously (i) transporting the dual-index fragments to the amplification sites at an average transport rate, and (ii) amplifying the dual-index fragments that are at the amplification sites at an average amplification rate, wherein the average amplification rate exceeds the average transport rate. embodiment 46. a composition comprising chemically treated nucleosome-depleted isolated nuclei, wherein the isolated nuclei comprise indexed nucleic acid fragments. embodiment 47. the composition of embodiment 46, wherein the isolated nuclei comprise non-natural cross-links. embodiment 48. the composition of any of embodiments 46 or 47, wherein the composition comprises indexed nucleic acid fragments that terminate in a cleaved restriction site comprising an overhang. embodiment 49. the composition of any of embodiments 46 to 48, wherein the isolated nuclei comprise rearranged genomic dna. embodiment 50. a multi-well plate, wherein a well of the multi-well plate comprises the composition of any of embodiments 46-49. the present disclosure is illustrated by the following examples. it is to be understood that the particular examples, materials, amounts, and procedures are to be interpreted broadly in accordance with the scope and spirit of the disclosure as set forth herein. example 1 generating and sequencing thousands of single-cell genomes with combinatorial indexing single-cell genome sequencing has proven valuable for the detection of somatic variation, particularly in the context of tumor evolution. current technologies suffer from high library construction costs which restrict the number of cells that can be assessed and thus impose limitations on the ability to measure heterogeneity within a tissue. here, single cell combinatorial indexed sequencing (sci-seq) is presented as a way of simultaneously generating thousands of low-pass single cell libraries for somatic copy number variant detection. libraries for 16,698 single cells were constructed from a combination of cultured cell lines, primate frontal cortex tissue, and two human adenocarcinomas, including a detailed assessment of subclonal variation within a pancreatic tumor. this example is also available as vitak et al. (2017, nature methods, 14, 302-308, doi:10.1038/nmeth.4154 ) methods sample preparation and nuclei isolation. tissue culture cell lines were trypsinized then pelleted if adherent (hela s3, atcc ccl-2.2; nih/3t3, atcc crl-1658) or pelleted if grown in suspension (gm12878, coriell; karyotyped at the ohsu research cytogenetics laboratory), followed by one wash with ice cold pbs. they were then carried through crosslinking (for the xsds method) or directly into nuclei preparation using nuclei isolation buffer (nib, 10 mm trishcl ph7.4, 10 mm nacl, 3 mm mgcl 2 , 0.1% igepal®, 1x protease inhibitors (roche, cat. 11873580001)) with or without nucleosome depletion. tissue samples (rhesusfcx1, rhesusfcx2, pdac, crc) were dounce homogenized in nib then passed through a 35µm cell strainer prior to nucleosome depletion. the frozen rhesus frontal cortex samples, rhesusfcx1 (4 yr. female) and rhesusfcx2 (9 yr. female), were obtained from the oregon national primate research center as a part of their aging nonhuman primate resource. standard single cell library construction single cell libraries constructed using quasi-random priming (qrp) and degenerate oligonucleotide primed pcr (dop) were prepared from isolated nuclei without nucleosome depletion and brought up to 1 ml of nib, stained with 5 µl of 5 mg/ml dapi (thermo fisher, cat. d1306) then fans sorted on a sony sh800 in single cell mode. one nucleus was deposited into each single well containing the respective sample buffers. qrp libraries were prepared using the picoplex dna-seq kit (rubicon genomics, cat. r300381) according to the manufacturer's protocol and using the indexed pcr primers provided in the kit. dop libraries were prepared using the seqplex dna amplification kit (sigma, cat. seqxe-50rxn) according to the manufacturer's protocol, but with the use of custom pcr indexing primers that contain 10 bp index sequences. to avoid over-amplification, all qrp and dop libraries were amplified with the addition of 0.5 µl of 100x sybr green (fmc bioproducts, cat. 50513) on a biorad cfx thermocycler in order to monitor the amplification and pull reactions that have reached mid-exponential amplification. nucleosome depletion lithium assisted nucleosome depletion (land) : prepared nuclei were pelleted and resuspended in nib supplemented with 200 µl of 12.5 mm lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylic acid (referred to as lithium diiodosalicylate in main text, sigma, cat. d3635) for 5 minutes on ice prior to the addition of 800 µl nib and then taken directly into flow sorting. crosslinking and sds nucleosome depletion (xsds) : crosslinking was achieved by incubating cells in 10 ml of media (cell culture) or nuclei in 10 ml of hepes nib (20 mm hepes, 10 mm nacl, 3mm mgcl2, 0.1% igepal, 1x protease inhibitors (roche, cat. 11873580001)) (tissue samples) containing 1.5% formaldehyde at room for 10 minutes. the crosslinking reaction was neutralized by bringing the reaction to 200 mm glycine (sigma, cat. g8898-500g) and incubating on ice for 5 minutes. cell culture samples were crosslinked and then washed once with 10 ml ice cold 1x pbs and had nuclei isolated by incubating in nib buffer on ice for 20 minutes and pelleted once again. nuclei were then resuspended in 800 ul 1x nebuffer 2.1 (neb, cat. b7202s) with 0.3% sds (sigma, cat. l3771) and incubated at 42°c with vigorous shaking for 30 minutes in a thermomixer (eppendorf). sds was then quenched by the addition of 200 µl of 10% triton-x100 (sigma, cat. 9002-93-1) and incubated at 42°c with vigorous shaking for 30 minutes. combinatorial indexing via tagmentation and pcr nuclei were stained with 5 µl of 5mg/ml dapi (thermo fisher, cat. d1306) and passed through a 35 µm cell strainer. a 96 well plate was prepared with 10 µl of 1x nextera® tagment dna (td) buffer from the nextera® dna sample preparation kit (illumina, cat. fc-121-1031) diluted with nib in each well. a sony sh800 flow sorter was used to sort 2,000 single nuclei into each well of the 96 well tagmentation plate in fast sort mode. next, 1 µl of a uniquely indexed 2.5 µm transposase-adaptor complex (transposome) was added to each well. these complexes and associated sequences are described in amini et. al. ( amini, s. et al. nat. genet. 46, 1343-9, 2014 ). reactions were incubated at 55°c for 15 minutes. after cooling to room temperature, all wells were pooled and stained with dapi as previously described. a second 96 well plate, or set of 96 well plates, were prepared with each well containing 8.5 µl of a 0.058% sds, 8.9 nm bsa solution and 2.5 µl of 2 uniquely barcoded primers at 10 µm. 22 post-tagmentation nuclei from the pool of 96 reactions were then flow sorted on the same instrument but in single cell sort mode into each well of the second plate and then incubated in the sds solution at 55°c for 5 minutes to disrupt the nuclear scaffold and disassociate the transposase enzyme. crosslinks were reversed by incubating at 68°c for an hour (xsds). sds was then diluted by the addition of 7.5 µl of nextera® pcr master mix (illumina, cat. fc-121-1031) as well as 0.5 µl of 100x sybr green (fmc bioproducts, cat. 50513) and 4 µl of water. real time pcr was then performed on a biorad cfx thermocycler by first incubating reactions at 72°c for 5 minutes, prior to 3 minutes at 98°c and 15-20 cycles of [20 sec. at 98°c, 15 sec. at 63°c, and 25 sec. at 72°c]. reactions were monitored and stopped once exponential amplification was observed in a majority of wells. 5 µl of each well was then pooled and purified using a qiaquick pcr purification column (qiagen, cat. 28104) and eluted in 30 µl of eb. library quantification and sequencing libraries were quantified between the range of 200bp and 1 kbp on a high sensitivity bioanalyzer kit (agilent, cat. 5067-4626). libraries were sequenced on an illumina nextseq® 500 loaded at 0.8 pm with a custom sequencing chemistry protocol (read 1: 50 imaged cycles; index read 1: 8 imaged cycles, 27 dark cycles, 10 imaged cycles; index read 2: 8 imaged cycles, 21 dark cycles, 10 imaged cycles; read 2: 50 imaged cycles) using custom sequencing primers described in amini et. al. ( amini, s. et al. nat. genet. 46, 1343-9, 2014 ). qrp and dop libraries were sequenced using standard primers on the nextseq® 500 using high-capacity 75 cycle kits with dual-indexing. for qrp there is an additional challenge that the first 15 bp of the read are highly enriched for "g" bases, which are non-fluorescent with the nextseq® 2-color chemistry and therefore cluster identification on the instrument fails. the libraries were therefore sequenced using a custom sequencing protocol that skips this region (read 1: 15 dark cycles, 50 imaged cycles; index read 1: 10 imaged cycles; index read 2: 10 imaged cycles). sequence read processing software for processing sci-seq raw reads is available on the world wide web at sci-seq.sourceforge.net. sequence runs were processed using bcl2fastq (illumina inc., version 2.15.0) with the --create-fastq-for-index-reads and --with-failed-reads options to produce fastq files. index reads were concatenated (36 bp total) and used as the read name with a unique read number appended to the end. these indexes were then matched to the corresponding index reference sets allowing for a hamming distance of two for each of the four index components (i7-transposase (8 bp), i7-pcr (10 bp), i5-transposase (8 bp), and i5-pcr (10 bp)), reads matching a quad-index combination were then renamed to the exact index (and retained the unique read number) which was subsequently used as the cell identifier. reads were then adaptor trimmed, then paired and unpaired reads were aligned to reference genomes by bowtie2 and merged. human preparations were aligned to grch37, rhesus preparations were aligned to rhemac8, and human/mouse mix preparations were aligned to a combined human (grch37) and mouse (mm10) reference. aligned bam files were subjected to pcr duplicate removal using a custom script that removes reads with identical alignment coordinates on a per-barcode basis along with reads with an alignment score less than 10 as reported by bowtie2. single cell discrimination for each pcr plate, a total of 9,216 unique index combinations are possible (12 i7-transposase indexes × 8 i5-transposase indexes × 12 i7-pcr indexes × 8 i5-pcr indexes), for which only a minority should have a substantial read count, as the majority of index combinations should be absent - i.e. transposase index combinations of nuclei that were not sorted into a given pcr well. these "empty" indexes typically contain very few reads (1-3% of a run) with the majority of reads falling into bona fide single cell index combinations (97-99% of a run). the resulting histogram of log 10 unique read counts for index combinations ( fig. 6 ) produces a mix of two normal distributions: a noise component and a single cell component. the r package "mixtools" was then used to fit a mixed model (normalmixem) to identify the proportion (λ) mean (µ) and standard deviation (σ) of each component. the read count threshold to qualify as a single cell library was taken to be the greater of either one standard deviation below the mean of the single cell component in log 10 space, or 100 fold greater than the mean of the noise component (+2 in log 10 space), and had to be a minimum of 1,000 unique reads. human-mouse mix experiments one of two approaches was taken to mix human (gm12878 or hela s3) and mouse (3t3) cells: i) mixing at the cell stage (hummus.land1 and hummus.land2) or ii) mixing at the nuclei stage (hummus.land3, hummus.land4, and hummus.xsds). the latter was employed to control for nuclei crosslinking or agglomerating together that could result in doublets. libraries were constructed as described herein, for instances where two distinct dapi-positive populations were observed during flow sorting, included both populations in the same gate so as not to skew proportions. reads were processed as in other experiments, except reads were instead aligned to a reference comprised of grch37 (hg19) and mm10. the mapping quality 10 filter effectively removed reads that aligned to conserved regions in both genomes and then for each identified single cell, reads to each species were tallied and used to estimate collision frequency. for early land preparations 25 indexed nuclei were sorted per pcr well and produced total collision rates ( i.e. twice the human-mouse collision rate) of 28.1% and 10.4%. for the second two land preparations we sorted 22 nuclei per pcr well, which produced a total collision rate of 4.3% for one preparation and no detectable collisions in another. we also tested two fans sorting conditions for our xsds preparation, one was permissive and allowed a broader range of dapi fluorescence, and the other more restrictive, and carried out both preparations on separate sides of the same pcr plate. for the permissive gating we observed a total collision rate of 23.6% with a substantial reduction for the more restrictive gating at 8.1%. based on these results we decided to continue sorting 22 nuclei per pcr well using the more restrictive fans library depth projections to estimate the performance of a library pool if, or when, it was sequenced to a greater depth, random reads were incrementally sampled from each sci-seq preparation across all index combinations including unaligned and low quality reads without replacement at every one percent of the total raw reads. for each point we identified the total number reads that are aligned with high quality (mq ≥ 10) assigned to each single cell index and the fraction of those reads that are unique, non-pcr duplicates, as well as the corresponding fraction of total reads sampled that were assigned to that index. using these points we fit both a nonlinear model and a hanes-woolfe transformed model to predict additional sequencing for each individual single cell library within the pool and projected out to a median unique read percentage across cells of 5%. to determine the accuracy of the models, we determined the number of downsampled raw reads of each library that would reach the point in which the median unique read percentage per cell was 90%, which is somewhat less than what was achieved for libraries that were sequenced at low coverage. we then subsampled the pre-determined number of reads for 30 iterations and built a new model for each cell at each iteration and then predicted the unique read counts for each cell out to the true sequencing depth that was achieved. the standard deviation of the true read count across all iterations for all cells was then calculated. genome windowing genomic windows were determined on a per-library basis using custom tools. for each chromosome the size of the entire chromosome was divided by the target window size to produce the number of windows per chromosome. the total read count for the chromosome summarized over the pool of all single cells (gm12878 for all human samples where absolute copy number was determined, as well as for each pooled sample where amplifications or deletions relative to the mean copy number were determined) was then divided by the window count to determine the mean read count per window. the chromosome was then walked and aligned reads from the pool tallied and a window break was made once the target read count per window was reached. windows at chromosome boundaries were only included if they contained more than 75% of the average reads per window limit for that chromosome. by using dynamic windows we accounted for biases, such as highly repetitive regions, centromeres and other complex regions that can lead to read dropout in the case of fixed size bins 22 . gc bias correction reads were placed into the variable sized bins and gc corrected based on individual read gc content instead of the gc content of the dynamic windows. we posit that the large bin sizes needed for single cell analysis average out smaller scale gc content changes. furthermore, sci-seq does not involve pre-amplification where large regions of the genome are amplified, therefore gc bias originates solely from the pcr and is amplicon-specific. to calculate correction weights for the reads we compared the fraction of all reads with a given gc to the fraction of total simulated reads with the average insert size at the same gc fraction. this weight was then used in lieu of read counts and summed across all reads in a given window. all regions present in dac blacklisted regions were excluded from analysis for the human sample analyses (http://genome.ucsc.edu/cgi-bin/hgfileui?db=hg19&g=wgencodemapability) 19 . following gc correction, all reads were normalized by the average number of reads per bin across the genome. finally, for each window we took the normalized read count of each cell and divided it by the pooled sample baseline to produce a ratio score. measures of data variation to measure data quality, we calculated two different measures of coverage dispersion: the median absolute deviation (mad), the median absolute pairwise difference (mapd). for each score we calculated the median of the absolute values of all pairwise differences between neighboring bins that have been normalized by the mean bin count within the cell (log 2 -normalized ratios for the mapd scores). these scores measure the dispersion of normalized binned reads due to technical noise, rather than due copy number state changes, which are less frequent 2,22 . copy number variant calling cnv calling was performed on the windowed, gc corrected and bulk sample normalized reads with two available r packages that employ two different segmentation strategies: a hidden markov model approach (hmmcopy, version 3.3.0, ha, g. et al., genome res. 22, 1995-2007, 2012 ) and circular binary segmentation (dnacopy, version 1.44.0, olshen et al. biostatistics 5, 557-572, 2004 ). values were log 2 transformed for input (2 ∗ log 2 for cbs) and copy number calls were made based on the optimized parameters from knouse et al. 2016, knouse et al., genome res. gr.198937.115, 2016, doi:10.1101/gr.198937.115 ). for optimal sensitivity and specificity to detect copy number calls with sizes ≥5mb we set the probability of segment extension (e) to 0.995 for hmm and for cbs we chose the significance level to accept a copy number change (α) to be 0.0001. the log 2 cutoffs for calling losses or gains were 0.4 and -0.35 for hmm and 1.32 and 0.6 for cbs. as an additional tool for cnv calling we used ginkgo 22 , which uses an alternative method for data normalization. we uploaded bed files for each cell and a bulk down sampled bed file, which we created with picard tools (we used a down sample probability of 0.1). for the analysis we chose to segment single cells with the down sampled bulk bed file and when ploidy was known for the samples we created facs files to force ginkgo to normalize to that ploidy. calls for the three methods were intersected either on a per-window basis or were filtered to only include calls that span ≥ 80% of a chromosome arm and then intersected for aneuploidy analysis. tumor breakpoint analysis unlike the assessment of sporadic aneuploidy, tumor structural variation is much more complex with a large portion of breakpoints within chromosomes. further, sporadic aneuploidy within any given subclone of a tumor is less pertinent than an accurate profile of the subpopulations that are present. we therefore used the hmm and cbs segmented ratio score matrixes to identify breakpoints by tallying up the boundaries of segmented regions across cells. we then used the resulting distribution of shared chromosomal breakpoints across the genome to identify local maxima to account for variability in which specific window the call was made, and then retained those that are present in at least 5% of cells. we then merged all windows within each breakpoint span and calculated the new log 2 ratio of each aneuploid cell over the mean values of the euploid population. we then carried out principle components analysis prior to k-means clustering with a k value determined by silhouette analysis. to minimize the effect of doublets which can account for -10% of putative single cells and also to exclude low-performance cells, we retained only those in the close proximity to their respective centroids. we then merged sequence reads for all cells within each cluster and then carried out a higher resolution cnv analysis (target window size of 100 kbp) using an hmm strategy followed by absolute copy number state identification and the identification of focal amplifications and deletions using a sliding window outlier strategy 20 . intra-tumoral clonal relationships are most accurately captured by shared breakpoints as opposed to the drift in copy number of a segment based on the assumption that structural changes involving breaks in the dna as being more impactful on the cell. we therefore compared cells by assessing the proportion of segments between breakpoints that were identified using the high resolution (100 kbp) cnv analysis that overlapped by at least 90% (to account for noise in the exact window that was called as the copy number change) out of the total number of segments. results nucleosome depletion for uniform genome coverage a hurdle to adapt combinatorial indexing to produce uniformly distributed sequence reads is the removal of nucleosomes bound to genomic dna without compromising nuclear integrity. the sciatac-seq method is carried out on native chromatin, which permits the conversion of dna into library molecules only within regions of open chromatin (1-4% of the genome) 18 . this restriction is desirable for epigenetic characterization; however, for cnv detection, it results in biological bias and severely limited read counts (-3,000 per cell) 17 . we therefore developed two strategies to unbind nucleosomes from genomic dna while retaining nuclear integrity for sci-seq library construction. the first, lithium assisted nucleosome depletion (land), utilizes the chaotropic agent, lithium diiodosalycylate, to disrupt dna-protein interactions in the cell, therefore releasing dna from histones. the second, crosslinking with sds (xsds), uses the detergent sds to denature histone proteins and render them unable to bind dna. however, sds has a disruptive effect on nuclear integrity, thus necessitating a crosslinking step prior to denaturation in order to maintain intact nuclei. to test the viability of these strategies, we performed bulk (30,000 nuclei) preparations on the hela s3 cell line, for which chromatin accessibility and genome structure has been extensively profiled 19,20 , and carried out land or xsds treatments along with a standard control. in all three cases, nuclei remained intact - a key requirement for the sci-seq workflow ( fig. 4b ). prepared nuclei were then carried through standard atac-seq library construction 16 . the library prepared from untreated nuclei produced the expected atac-seq signal with a 10.8 fold enrichment of sequence reads aligning to annotated hela s3 accessibility sites. both the land and xsds preparations had substantially lower enrichments of 2.8 and 2.2 fold respectively, close to the 1.4 fold observed for shotgun sequencing ( fig. 4c , table 1). furthermore, the projected number of unique sequence reads present in the land and xsds preparations were 1.7 billion and 798 million respectively, much greater than for the standard library at 170 million, suggesting a larger proportion of the genome was converted into viable sequencing molecules. sci-seq with nucleosome depletion to assess the performance of nucleosome depletion with our single cell combinatorial indexing workflow, we first focused on the deeply profiled, euploid lymphoblastoid cell line gm12878 14,15,19 . we produced a total of six sci-seq libraries with a variety of land conditions, each using a single 96-well plate at the pcr indexing stage, and a single xsds library with 3×96-well pcr plates. to serve as a comparison to existing methods, we prepared 42 single cell libraries using quasi-random priming (qrp, 40 passing qc) and 51 using degenerate oligonucleotide primed pcr (dop, 45 passing qc). finally, we karyotyped 50 cells to serve as a non-sequencing means of aneuploidy measurement (table 2). table 2. sci-seq library summary. information on library construction and statistics on the actual depth obtained for each sci-seq library preparation, (a) details of library construction and the mixed model used to determine the read count threshold for single cell libraries, (b) details on libraries for the actual sequence depth obtained in this study. for each sci-seq preparation, the number of potential index combinations is 96 (transposase indexing) × n (pcr indexing, 96 per plate); however, not all index combinations represent a single cell library, as each pcr well contains only 15-25 transposase-indexed nuclei. to identify non-empty index combinations, we generated a log 10 transformed histogram of unique ( i.e . non-pcr duplicate), high-quality (mq ≥ 10) aligned reads for each potential index combination. this resulted in a bimodal distribution comprised of a low-read-count, noise component centered between 50 and 200 reads, and a high-read-count, single cell component centered between 10,000 and 100,000 reads ( fig 7a,b , fig. 8 ). we then used a mixed model to identify indexes that fall in this high-read-count component ( fig. 6 ), which resulted in 4,643 single cell libraries across the six sci-seq preparations that used land for nucleosome depletion and 3,123 for the xsds preparation. to confirm that the majority of putative single cell libraries contain true single cells, we carried out four sci-seq library preparations on a mix of human and mouse cells using land (2,369 total cells) with either 22 or 25 nuclei per pcr well, and one preparation using xsds split between two fans conditions (1,367 total cells; fig. 9 ). for each experiment we analyzed the proportion of putative single cells with ≥ 90% of their reads that aligned exclusively to the human or mouse genome. the remaining cells represent human-mouse collisions ( i.e. doublets) and make up approximately half of the total collision rate (the remaining half being human-human or mouse-mouse). the total collision rates varied between 0-23.6%, and were used to decide upon 22 nuclei per well with restrictive sorting conditions for a target doublet frequency of <10%, comparable to sciatac-seq 17 or high throughout single cell rna-seq technologies 21 . the unique read count produced for each library in a sci-seq preparation is a function of library complexity and sequencing depth. due to the inhibitive cost of deeply sequencing every preparation during development, we implemented a model to project the anticipated read count and pcr duplicate percentage that would be achieved with increased sequencing depth ( fig. 7c , methods). as a means of quality assessment, we identified the depth at which a median of 50% of reads across cells are pcr duplicates (m50), representing the point at which additional sequencing becomes excessive ( i.e. greater than 50% of additional reads provide no new information), along with several other metrics (table 3). model projections from a subset of the sequenced reads accurately predicted the actual median unique read count within a median of 0.02% (maximum 2.25%, mean 0.41%) across all libraries. as further confirmation, additional sequencing of a subset of pcr wells from several preparations produced unique reads counts for each cell that were within a median of 0.13% (maximum 3.56%, mean 0.72%) of what was predicted by our model ( fig. 10 ). table 3. sci-seq library projection statistics. information on projected statistics of each sci-seq library if increased sequencing depth were obtained. projections use the model described in the methods section. libraries that either failed (gm12878.land2 and hela.land2), or were sequenced to saturation for which the projections do not apply (rhesus.ind1.xsds and rhesus.ind2.xsds) are not included. (a) projections out to a given median complexity including the raw read count to reach that point. (b) the number of single cells meeting various read count thresholds are listed if libraries were sequenced to saturation (median complexity of 5%). coverage uniformity was assessed using mean absolute deviation (mad) 22 and mean absolute pairwise deviation (mapd) 2 , which indicated substantially better uniformity using xsds over land (mad: mean 1.57-fold improvement, p = <1x10 -15 ; mapd: 1.70-fold improvement, p = <1x10 -15 , welch's t-test). the deviation using xsds is similar to multiple displacement amplification methods, though still greater than for qrp and dop ( fig. 7d ) 22 . while land preparations had higher coverage bias, they also produced higher unique read counts per cell ( e.g. m50 of 763,813 for one of three hela land preparations) when compared to xsds ( e.g. m50 of 63,223 for the gm12878 preparation). for all libraries, we observed the characteristic 9 basepair overlap of adjacent read pairs due to the mechanism of transposition 13,23 , indicating we are able to sequence molecules on either side of a transposase insertion event ( fig. 11 ). copy number variant calling using sci-seq for any single cell genome sequencing study, determining how to filter out failed libraries without removing true aneuploid cells is a significant challenge. we initially proceeded with cnv calling on our sci-seq preparations without any filtering in order to directly compare with other methods. for all preparations, we used cells with a minimum of 50,000 unique, high quality aligned reads (868 across all land libraries, 1,056 for the xsds library), applied ginkgo 22 , circular binary segmentation (cbs) 24 , and a hidden markov model (hmm) 25 , with variable-sized genomic windows (target median of 2.5 million bp) for cnv calling ( fig. 12 ) and conservatively retained the intersection of all three methods. to compare our sequencing-based calls with karyotyped cells, we focused on chromosome-arm level events ( fig. 7e,f ). consistent with the coverage uniformity differences, our land sci-seq preparations produced a high aneuploidy rate (61.9%), suggesting an abundance of false positives due to lack of coverage uniformity ( fig. 7e,g ). however, the xsds nucleosome depletion strategy with sci-seq resulted in an aneuploidy frequency of 22.6%, much closer to the karyotyping results ( fig. 7e,h ) as well as dop and qrp (15.0% and 13.5%, respectively) ( fig. 13 ). we next determined filtering criteria based on mad and mapd scores across a variety of resolutions and read count thresholds ( fig. 14 ). this analysis revealed a greater range of variability in the resolution of our sci-seq preparations, which is largely driven by the wider range of unique reads per cell when compared to standard methods. by applying a mad variance filter of 0.2 across all methods, aneuploidy rates for xsds, dop and qrp dropped to 12.2%, 9.7% and 10.5% respectively, all below the rate determined by karyotyping, yet closer to one another than prior to filtering ( fig. 15 ). copy number variation in the rhesus brain estimates of aneuploidy and large-scale cnv frequencies in the mammalian brain vary widely, from <5% to 33% 1-4 . this uncertainty largely stems from the inability to profile sufficient numbers of single cells to produce quantitative measurements. the rhesus macaque is an ideal model for quantifying the abundance of aneuploidy in the brain, as human samples are challenging to acquire and are confounded by high variability in lifetime environmental exposures. furthermore, the rhesus brain is phylogenetically, structurally and physiologically more similar to humans than rodents 26 . to demonstrate the versatility of our platform, we applied land and xsds sci-seq to archived frontal cortex tissue (individual 1), along with 38 cells using qrp (35 passing qc), and 35 cells using dop (30 passing qc). our low-capacity land preparation (16 pcr indexes) produced 340 single cell libraries with a median unique read count of 141,449 (248 cells ≥ 50,000 unique reads), and our xsds preparation generated 171 single cell libraries with a median unique read count of 55,142 (92 cells ≥ 50,000 unique reads). the number of cells produced in our xsds preparation was lower than expected, largely due to nuclei aggregates during sorting that may be remedied by additional cell dis-aggregation steps. across all methods of library construction we observed greater discrepancies between the three cnv calling approaches than in the human analyses ( fig. 16-19 ), likely due to the lower quality of the rhesus reference genome (284,705 contigs < 1 mbp), emphasizing the need for "platinum" quality reference genomes 27 . we therefore focused on the hmm results for subchromosomal calls ( fig. 20a ) and performed aneuploidy analysis using the intersection of cbs and hmm calls. consistent with our cell line results, the land preparation produced a much higher aneuploidy rate (95.1%), suggestive of false positives stemming from coverage nonuniformity ( fig. 21-22 ). the xsds sci-seq unfiltered aneuploidy rate (25.0%) was close to the dop preparation (18.5%), with qrp producing a much lower rate (3.1%; fig. 20b ). after imposing a variance filter for cells with a mad score of 0.2 or lower, the aneuploidy rates dropped to 12.0% for the xsds preparation, 8.7% for the dop, and stayed the same for the qrp preparation at 3.1%. these rates were similar to those produced by xsds sci-seq on a 200 mm 3 section of frontal cortex from a second individual (381 single cells, median read count of 62,731, 213 cells ≥ 50,000 unique reads) which produced unfiltered and filtered aneuploidy rates of 12.1% and 10.3% respectively ( fig. 23 ). sci-seq on primary tumor samples reveals clonal populations one of the primary applications of single cell genome sequencing is in the profiling of tumor heterogeneity and understanding clonal evolution in cancer as it relates to treatment resistance 5-8 . we carried out a single xsds sci-seq preparation on a freshly acquired stage iii pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (pdac) sample measuring approximately 250 mm 3 which resulted in 1,715 single cell libraries sequenced to a median unique read count of 49,272 per cell (m50 of 71,378; 846 cells ≥ 50,000 unique reads at the depth the library was sequenced; fig. 24a ). we first performed cnv calling using our gm12878 library as a euploid baseline for comparison to identify a set of high-confidence euploid cells (298, 35.2%) which were then used as a new baseline specific to the individual and preparation ( fig. 23 , 25 , 26 ). assuming that subchromosomal copy number alterations (caused by genome instability) are more informative for identifying subclonal populations than whole chromosome aneuploidy (due to errors during cell division), we developed a strategy to identify putative copy number breakpoints at low resolution to be used as new window boundaries (methods, fig. 27 ) followed by stratification via principle components analysis (pca) and k-means clustering. we initially applied this method to our hela libraries (2,361 single cells in total), revealing no distinct heterogeneity and further supporting the stability of the hela cell line 20 ( fig. 28-31 ), and then on our primary pdac sample, which revealed an optimum cluster count of 4 by silhouette analysis ( fig. 24b,c ). the first of these clusters (k3) is a population of euploid cells that were not considered high confidence euploid in the initial analysis, and thus not removed. when including these, the euploid population rises to 389 for a final tumor cell purity of 46.0%, within the expected range for pdac 28 . for the remaining clusters k1 (199 cells), k2 (115 cells) and k4 (91 cells), we aggregated all reads from cells proximal to each centroid (methods) and carried out cnv calling using 100 kbp windows, a 25-fold greater resolution than the initial analysis, and then determined absolute copy number states 20 ( fig. 24d ). across the three tumor clusters, a substantial portion of copy number segments were shared (44.8%), suggesting that they arose from a common progenitor population. this includes a highly rearranged chromosome 19 which harbors a focal amplification of cebpa, which encodes an enhancer binding protein, at copy number 7 which is frequently mutated in aml 29 , and has recently been shown to have altered epigenetic regulation in pancreatic tumors 30 ( fig. 24e ). an all-by-all pairwise comparison revealed clusters k2 and k4 as the most similar, sharing 65.9% of copy number segments, followed by k1 and k4 at 58.3%, and k1 and k2 at 55.0%. several cluster-specific cnvs contain genes of potential functional relevance ( fig. 24e ). these include a focal amplification to copy number 6 of ikbkb in cluster k1, which encodes a serine kinase important in the nf-κb signaling pathway 31 ; another focal amplification to copy number 5 in cluster k1 containing genes dsc1,2,3 and dsg1,2,3,4 all of which encode proteins involved in cell-cell adhesion and cell positioning and are often mis-regulated in cancer 32 ; and the deletion of a region containing pdgrfb specific to cluster k2, which encodes a tyrosine kinase cell surface receptor involved in cell proliferation signaling, and is frequently mutated in cancer 33 . lastly, we applied xsds sci-seq to a frozen stage ii rectal adenocarcinoma measuring 500 mm 3 . during preparation we noticed a high abundance of nuclear debris and ruptured nuclei which likely attributed to the decreased yield of the preparation (16 pcr indexes) of 146 single cell libraries (median unique read count of 71,378; m50 of 352,168; 111 cells ≥ 50,000 unique reads). we carried out the same cnv calling approach as with the pdac sample; however high frequency breakpoints were not observed and subclonal populations could not be identified ( fig. 32 ). this may be a result of nuclear deterioration due to irradiation, a common treatment for rectal cancers, underscoring the challenge of producing high-quality single cell or nuclei suspensions shared by all single cell methods 12 . discussion we developed sci-seq, a method which utilizes nucleosome depletion in a combinatorial indexing workflow to produce thousands of single cell genome sequencing libraries. using sci-seq, we produced 16,698 single cell libraries (of which 5,395 were sequenced to a depth sufficient for cnv calling) from myriad samples, including primary tissue isolates representative of the two major areas of single cell genome research: somatic aneuploidy and cancer. in addition to the advantages of throughput, the platform does not require specialized microfluidics equipment or droplet emulsification techniques. using our more uniform nucleosome depletion strategy, xsds, we were able to achieve resolution on the order of 250 kbp, though we suspect further optimization, such as alternative crosslinking agents, may provide sufficient depth for improved resolution. we also demonstrate the ability to identify clonal populations that can be aggregated to facilitate high resolution cnv calling by applying this strategy to a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma which revealed subclone-specific cnvs that may impact proliferation, migration, or possibly drive other molecular subtypes 34 . it may be possible to use this technology to include in situ pre-amplification within the nuclear scaffold prior to sci-seq or the incorporation of t4 in vitro transcription, such as in ths-seq 35 , an atac-seq variant, to boost the resulting coverage and facilitate single nucleotide variant detection. while optimization is possible, as with any new method, we believe that the throughput provided by sci-seq will open the door to deep quantification of mammalian somatic genome stability as well as serve as a platform to assess other properties of single cells including dna methylation and chromatin architecture. accession codes ncbi bioproject id: prjna326698 hela dbgap accession: phs000640 data availability gm12878 and rhesus sequence data are accessible through the ncbi sequence read archive (sra) under bioproject id: prjna326698 for unrestricted access. hela sequence data are accessible through the database of genotypes and phenotypes (dbgap), as a substudy under accession number phs000640. human tumor samples are undergoing submission to dbgap and are awaiting study accession assignment. software developed specifically for this project is available on the world wide web at sci-seq.sourceforge.net. references cited in example 1 1. mcconnell, m. j. et al. mosaic copy number variation in human neurons. science (80.). 342, 632-637 (2013 ). 2. cai, x. et al. single-cell, genome-wide sequencing identifies clonal somatic copy-number variation in the human brain. cell rep. 8, 1280-1289 (2014 ). 3. knouse, k. a., wu, j., whittaker, c. a. & amon, a. single cell sequencing reveals low levels of aneuploidy across mammalian tissues. proc natl acad sci usa 111, 13409-13414 (2014 ). 4. rehen, s. k. et al. chromosomal variation in neurons of the developing and adult mammalian nervous system. proc. natl. acad. sci. u. s. a. 98, 13361-6 (2001 ). 5. navin, n. et al. tumour evolution inferred by single-cell sequencing. nature 472, 90-94 (2011 ). 6. eirew, p. et al. dynamics of genomic clones in breast cancer patient xenografts at single-cell resolution. nature 518, 422-6 (2014 ). 7. gawad, c., koh, w. & quake, s. r. dissecting the clonal origins of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia by single-cell genomics. proc. natl. acad. sci. u. s. a. 111, 17947-52 (2014 ). 8. gao, r. et al. punctuated copy number evolution and clonal stasis in triple-negative breast cancer. nat. genet. 1-15 (2016). doi:10.1038/ng.3641 9. zong, c., lu, s., chapman, a. r. & xie, x. s. genome-wide detection of single nucleotide and copy number variations of a single human cell. science (80-.). 338, 1622-1626 (2012 ). 10. baslan, t. et al. optimizing sparse sequencing of single cells for highly multiplex copy number profiling. genome res. 125, 714-724 (2015 ). 11. knouse, k. a., wu, j. & amon, a. assessment of megabase-scale somatic copy number variation using single cell sequencing. genome res. gr.198937.115- (2016). doi:10.1101/gr.198937.115 12. gawad, c., koh, w. & quake, s. r. single-cell genome sequencing: current state of the science. nat. rev. genet. 17, 175-88 (2016 ). 13. adey, a. et al. rapid, low-input, low-bias construction of shotgun fragment libraries by high-density in vitro transposition. genome biol. 11, r119 (2010 ). 14. amini, s. et al. haplotype-resolved whole-genome sequencing by contiguity-preserving transposition and combinatorial indexing. nat. genet. 46, 1343-9 (2014 ). 15. adey, a. et al. in vitro, long-range sequence information for de novo genome assembly via transposase contiguity. genome res. 24, 2041-2049 (2014 ). 16. buenrostro, j. d., giresi, p. g., zaba, l. c., chang, h. y. & greenleaf, w. j. transposition of native chromatin for fast and sensitive epigenomic profiling of open chromatin, dna-binding proteins and nucleosome position. nat. methods 10, 1213-8 (2013 ). 17. cusanovich, d. a et al. epigenetics. multiplex single-cell profiling of chromatin accessibility by combinatorial cellular indexing. science 348, 910-4 (2015 ). 18. stergachis, a. b. et al. developmental fate and cellular maturity encoded in human regulatory dna landscapes. cell 154, 888-903 (2013 ). 19. the encode project consortium. an integrated encyclopedia of dna elements in the human genome. nature 489, 57-74 (2012 ). 20. adey, a. et al. the haplotype-resolved genome and epigenome of the aneuploid hela cancer cell line. nature 500, 207-211 (2013 ). 21. macosko, e. z. et al. highly parallel genome-wide expression profiling of individual cells using nanoliter droplets. cell 161, 1202-1214 (2015 ). 22. garvin, t. et al. interactive analysis and quality assessment of single-cell copy-number variations. biorxiv 11346 (2014). doi:10.1101/011346 23. goryshin, i. y., miller, j. a., kil, y. v., lanzov, v. a. & reznikoff, w. s. tn5/is50 target recognition. proc. natl. acad. sci. usa 95, 10716-10721 (1998 ). 24. olshen, a. b., venkatraman, e. s., lucito, r. & wigler, m. circular binary segmentation for the analysis of array-based dna copy number data. biostatistics 5, 557-572 (2004 ). 25. ha, g. et al. integrative analysis of genome-wide loss of heterozygosity and monoallelic expression at nucleotide resolution reveals disrupted pathways in triple-negative breast cancer. genome res. 22, 1995-2007 (2012 ). 26. rosenkrantz, j. & carbone, l. investigating somatic aneuploidy in the brain: why we need a new model. chromosoma (2016 ). 27. callaway, e. 'platinum' genome takes on disease. nat. news 515, 323 (2014 ). 28. waddell, n. et al. whole genomes redefine the mutational landscape of pancreatic cancer. nature 518, 495-501 (2015 ). 29. de kouchkovsky, i. & abdul-hay, m. 'acute myeloid leukemia: a comprehensive review and 2016 update'. blood cancer j. 6, e441 (2016 ). 30. kumagai, t. et al. epigenetic regulation and molecular characterization of c/ebpalpha in pancreatic cancer cells. int j cancer 124, 827-833 (2009 ). 31. perkins, n. d. integrating cell-signalling pathways with nf-kappab and ikk function. nat. rev. mol. cell biol. 8, 49-62 (2007 ). 32. stahley, s. n. & kowalczyk, a. p. desmosomes in acquired disease. cell tissue res. 360, 439-56 (2015 ). 33. forbes, s. a. et al. cosmic: exploring the world's knowledge of somatic mutations in human cancer. nucleic acids res. 43, d805-d811 (2015 ). 34. bailey, p. et al. genomic analyses identify molecular subtypes of pancreatic cancer. nature 531, 47-52 (2016 ). 35. sos, b. et al. characterization of chromatin accessibility with a transposome hypersensitive sites sequencing (ths-seq) assay. genome biol 17, 20 (2016 ). example 2 reagents used in example 2 phosphate buffer saline (pbs, thermo fisher, cat. 10010023) 0.25% trypsin (thermo fisher, cat. 15050057) tris (fisher, cat. t1503) hcl(fisher, cat. a144) nacl (fisher, cat. m-11624) mgcl2 (sigma, cat. m8226) igepal® ca-630 (sigma, 18896) protease inhibitors (roche, cat. 11873580001) lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylic acid (sigma, cat. d3635) - land only formaldehyde (sigma, cat. f8775) - xsds only glycine (sigma, cat. g8898) - xsds only hepes (fisher, cat. bp310) - xsds only nebuffer 2.1 (neb, cat. b7202) - xsds only sds (sigma, cat. l3771) - xsds only triton™ -x100 (sigma, cat. 9002-93-1) - xsds only dapi (thermo fisher, cat. d1306) td buffer and npm from nextera® kit (illumina, cat. fc-121-1031) 96 indexed transposomes (either assembled using published methods or obtained from illumina, oligos shown in table 4) indexed i5 and i7 pcr primers (table 5) sybr green (fmc bioproducts, cat. 50513) qiaquick® pcr purification kit (qiagen, cat. 28104) dsdna high sensitivity qubit (thermo fisher, cat. q32851) high sensitivity bioanalyzer kit (agilent, cat. 5067-4626) nextseq sequencing kit (high or mid 150-cycle) sequencing primers (table 6) equipment used in the examples dounce homogenizer 35µm cell strainer (bd biosciences, cat. 352235) sony sh800 cell sorter (sony biotechnology, cat. sh800) or other facs instrument capable of dapi-based single nuclei sorting cfx connect rt thermal cycler (bio-rad, cat. 1855200) or other real time thermocycler qubit® 2.0 flourometer (thermo fisher, cat. q32866) 2100 bioanalyzer (agilent, cat. g2939a) nextseq® 500 (illumina, cat. sy-415-1001) table-tabl0006 table 4: tagmentation oligos name sequence (5'->3') seq id no mosaic end sequence /5 ph os/ctgtctcttatacacatct 1 cpt_ts_i5_1 tcgtcggcagcgtctccacgctatagcctgcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 2 cpt_ts_i5_2 tcgtcggcagcgtctccacgcatagaggcgcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 3 cpt_ts_i5_3 tcgtcggcagcgtctccacgccctatcctgcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 4 cpt_ts_i5_4 tcgtcggcagcgtctccacgcggctctgagcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 5 cpt_ts_i5_5 tcgtcggcagcgtctccacgcaggcgaaggcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 6 cpt_ts_i5_6 tcgtcggcagcgtctccacgctaatcttagcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 7 cpt_ts_i5_7 tcgtcggcagcgtctccacgccaggacgtgcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 8 cpt_ts_i5_8 tcgtcggcagcgtctccacgcgtactgacgcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 9 cpt_ts_i7_1 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtcccgagtaatcaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 10 cpt_ts_i7_2 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtcctctccggacaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 11 cpt_ts_i7_3 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccaatgagcgcaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 12 cpt_ts_i7_4 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccggaatctccaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 13 cpt_ts_i7_5 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccttctgaatcaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 14 cpt_ts_i7_6 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccacgaattccaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 15 cpt_ts_i7_7 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccagcttcagcaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 16 cpt_ts_i7_8 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccgcgcattacaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 17 cpt_ts_i7_9 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtcccatagccgcaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 18 cpt_ts_i7_10 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccttcgcggacaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 19 cpt_ts_i7_11 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccgcgcgagacaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 20 cpt_ts_i7_12 gtctcgtgggctcggctgtccctgtccctatcgctcaccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 21 table-tabl0007 table 5: pcr primers name sequence (5'->3') seq id no i7-t119-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagataatgccgcttgtctcgtgggctcgg 22 i7-t120-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagattatagacgcagtctcgtgggctcgg 23 i7-t121-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagattcaatcgcatgtctcgtgggctcgg 24 i7-t122-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttcttaataagtctcgtgggctcgg 25 i7-t123-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgtcctagagggtctcgtgggctcgg 26 i7-t124-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagatatattgatacgtctcgtgggctcgg 27 i7-t125-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagatccgctgccaggtctcgtgggctcgg 28 i7-t126-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcctagtacgtgtctcgtgggctcgg 29 i7-t127-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcaattaccgtgtctcgtgggctcgg 30 i7-t128-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagatggccgtagtcgtctcgtgggctcgg 31 i7-t129-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcgattacggcgtctcgtgggctcgg 32 i7-t130-nex2cpt-a caagcagaagacggcatacgagattaatgaacgagtctcgtgggctcgg 33 i7-t131-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatccgttccttagtctcgtgggctcgg 34 i7-t132-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatggtaccatatgtctcgtgggctcgg 35 i7-t133-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatccgattcgcagtctcgtgggctcgg 36 i7-t134-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatatggctctgcgtctcgtgggctcgg 37 i7-t135-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgtataatacggtctcgtgggctcgg 38 i7-t136-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatatcagcaagtgtctcgtgggctcgg 39 i7-t137-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatggcgaactcggtctcgtgggctcgg 40 i7-t138-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttaattgaatgtctcgtgggctcgg 41 i7-t139-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttaggaccgggtctcgtgggctcgg 42 i7-t140-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagataagtaagagcgtctcgtgggctcgg 43 i7-t141-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatccttggtccagtctcgtgggctcgg 44 i7-t142-nex2cpt-b caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcatcagaatggtctcgtgggctcgg 45 i7-t143-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttatagcagagtctcgtgggctcgg 46 i7-t144-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttacttggaagtctcgtgggctcgg 47 i7-t145-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgctcagccgggtctcgtgggctcgg 48 i7-t146-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatacgtccgcaggtctcgtgggctcgg 49 i7-t147-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttgactgacggtctcgtgggctcgg 50 i7-t148-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttgcgaggcagtctcgtgggctcgg 51 i7-t149-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttccaaccgcgtctcgtgggctcgg 52 i7-t150-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagattaaccttcgggtctcgtgggctcgg 53 i7-t151-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagattcaaqccqatgtctcgtgggctcgg 54 i7-t152-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcttgcaacctgtctcgtgggctcgg 55 i7-t153-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagatccatcgcgaagtctcgtgggctcgg 56 i7-t154-nex2cpt-c caagcagaagacggcatacgagattagacttcttgtctcgtgggctcgg 57 i7-t231-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagattgcgcgatgcgtctcgtgggctcgg 58 i7-t232-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatattgagattggtctcgtgggctcgg 59 i7-t233-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttgatatattgtctcgtgggctcgg 60 i7-t234-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcggtaggaatgtctcgtgggctcgg 61 i7-t235-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagataccagcgcaggtctcgtgggctcgg 62 i7-t236-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcgaatgagctgtctcgtgggctcgg 63 i7-t237-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatagttcgagtagtctcgtgggctcgg 64 i7-t238-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatttggacgctggtctcgtgggctcgg 65 i7-t239-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatatagactagggtctcgtgggctcgg 66 i7-t240-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagattatagtaagcgtctcgtgggctcgg 67 i7-t241-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcggtcgttaagtctcgtgggctcgg 68 i7-t242-nex2cpt-d caagcagaagacggcatacgagatatggcggatcgtctcgtgggctcgg 69 i7-t243-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatctctgatcaggtctcgtgggctcgg 70 i7-t244-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatggccagtccggtctcgtgggctcgg 71 i7-t245-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcqqaaqatatgtctcgtgggctcgg 72 i7-t246-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagattggctgatgagtctcgtgggctcgg 73 i7-t247-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgaaggttgccgtctcgtgggctcgg 74 i7-t248-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgttgaaggatgtctcgtgggctcgg 75 i7-t249-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatccattcgtaagtctcgtgggctcgg 76 i7-t250-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagattgcgccagaagtctcgtgggctcgg 77 i7-t251-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcgaataattcgtctcgtgggctcgg 78 i7-t252-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgcgacgccttgtctcgtgggctcgg 79 i7-t253-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatatcaacgattgtctcgtgggctcgg 80 i7-t254-nex2cpt-e caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgttctgaattgtctcgtgggctcgg 81 i7-t255-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgctaacctcagtctcgtgggctcgg 82 i7-t256-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcaagcaactggtctcgtgggctcgg 83 i7-t257-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatggagcggccggtctcgtgggctcgg 84 i7-t258-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcgcgtacgacgtctcgtgggctcgg 85 i7-t259-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatcgatggcgccgtctcgtgggctcgg 86 i7-t260-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagattggtattcatgtctcgtgggctcgg 87 i7-t261-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgataaggcaagtctcgtgggctcgg 88 i7-t262-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgccggtcgaggtctcgtgggctcgg 89 i7-t263-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagattgcgccatctgtctcgtgggctcgg 90 i7-t264-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagataagtcttccggtctcgtgggctcgg 91 i7-t265-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatagactcaagcgtctcgtgggctcgg 92 i7-t266-nex2cpt-f caagcagaagacggcatacgagatgcaggcgacggtctcgtgggctcgg 93 i5-t155-nex1cpt-a aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacgtccttaagatcgtcggcagcgtc 94 i5-t156-nex1cpt-a aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacagtaacggtctcgtcggcagcgtc 95 i5-t157-nex1cpt-a aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacgttcgtcagatcgtcggcagcgtc 96 i5-t158-nex1cpt-a aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccgcctaatgctcgtcggcagcgtc 97 i5-t159-nex1cpt-a aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacaccggaattatcgtcggcagcgtc 98 i5-t160-nex1cpt-a aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactaggccatagtcgtcggcagcgtc 99 i5-t161-nex1cpt-a aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactaactcttagtcgtcggcagcgtc 100 i5-t162-nex1cpt-a aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactatgagttaatcgtcggcagcgtc 101 i5-t163-nex1cpt-b aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactatcatgatctcgtcggcagcgtc 102 i5-t164-nex1cpt-b aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacgagcatatggtcgtcggcagcgtc 103 i5-t165-nex1cpt-b aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactaacgatccatcgtcggcagcgtc 104 i5-t166-nex1cpt-b aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccggcgtaacttcgtcggcagcgtc 105 i5-t167-nex1cpt-b aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccgtcgcagcctcgtcggcagcgtc 106 i5-t168-nex1cpt-b aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacgtagctccattcgtcggcagcgtc 107 i5-t169-nex1cpt-b aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacttgccttggctcgtcggcagcgtc 108 i5-t170-nex1cpt-b aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactgctaattcttcgtcggcagcgtc 109 i5-t171-nex1cpt-c aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacgtcctacttgtcgtcggcagcgtc 110 i5-t172-nex1cpt-c aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacggtaggttagtcgtcggcagcgtc 111 i5-t173-nex1cpt-c aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacgagcatcatttcgtcggcagcgtc 112 i5-t174-nex1cpt-c aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacccgctccggctcgtcggcagcgtc 113 i5-t175-nex1cpt-c aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacttcttccggttcgtcggcagcgtc 114 i5-t176-nex1cpt-c aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacaggagagaactcgtcggcagcgtc 115 i5-t177-nex1cpt-c aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactaactcaatttcgtcggcagcgtc 116 i5-t178-nex1cpt-c aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacactataggtttcgtcggcagcgtc 117 i5-t207-nex1cpt-d aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactaacgaattgtcgtcggcagcgtc 118 i5-t208-nex1cpt-d aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactgagaaccaatcgtcggcagcgtc 119 i5-t209-nex1cpt-d aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacttattctgagtcgtcggcagcgtc 120 i5-t210-nex1cpt-d aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacttattatggttcgtcggcagcgtc 121 i5-t211-nex1cpt-d aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacatatgagccatcgtcggcagcgtc 122 i5-t212-nex1cpt-d aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccaaccagtactcgtcggcagcgtc 123 i5-t213-nex1cpt-d aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccatccgactatcgtcggcagcgtc 124 i5-t214-nex1cpt-d aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacatcatggctgtcgtcggcagcgtc 125 i5-t215-nex1cpt-e aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacccgcaagttctcgtcggcagcgtc 126 i5-t216-nex1cpt-e aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccttctcattgtcgtcggcagcgtc 127 i5-t217-nex1cpt-e aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccaggaggagatcgtcggcagcgtc 128 i5-t218-nex1cpt-e aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacgatatcggcgtcgtcggcagcgtc 129 i5-t219-nex1cpt-e aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacccagtcctcttcgtcggcagcgtc 130 i5-t220-nex1cpt-e aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccatagttcggtcgtcggcagcgtc 131 i5-t221-nex1cpt-e aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccgtaatgcagtcgtcggcagcgtc 132 i5-t222-nex1cpt-e aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacccgttcggattcgtcggcagcgtc 133 i5-t223-nex1cpt-f aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacccataagtcctcgtcggcagcgtc 134 i5-t224-nex1cpt-f aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacggcaatgagatcgtcggcagcgtc 135 i5-t225-nex1cpt-f aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacaccggttatgcctcgtcggcagcgtc 136 i5-t226-nex1cpt-f aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactggccggccttcgtcggcagcgtc 137 i5-t227-nex1cpt-f aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacagctgcaatatcgtcggcagcgtc 138 i5-t228-nex1cpt-f aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactggccatgcatcgtcggcagcgtc 139 i5-t229-nex1cpt-f aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacactgacgctccgtcgtcggcagcgtc 140 i5-t230-nex1cpt-f aatgatacggcgaccaccgagatctacacaactgctgcctcgtcggcagcgtc 141 table-tabl0008 table 6: sequencing primers name sequence (5'->3') seq id no read 1 sequencing primer gcgatcgaggacggcagatgtgtataagagacag 142 read 2 sequencing primer caccgtctccgcctcagatgtgtataagagacag 143 index 1 sequencing primer ctgtctcttatacacatctgaggcggagacggtg 144 index 2 sequencing primer ctgtctcttatacacatctgccgtcctcgatcgc 145 i. preparation of nuclei using lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylic acid (land) or sds (xsds) a. land method of nuclei preparation & nucleosome depletion if the cells were in a suspension cell culture, the culture was gently triturated to break up cell clumps, the cells were pelleted by spinning at 500xg for 5 minutes at 4°c, and washed with 500 µl ice cold pbs. if the cells were in an adherent cell culture, media was aspirated and the cells washed with 10 ml of pbs at 37°c, and then enough 0.25% trypsin at 37°c was added to cover the monolayer. after incubating at 37°c for 5 minutes or until 90% of cells were no longer adhering to the surface, 37°c media was added at 1:1 ratio to quench trypsin. the cells were pelleted by spinning at 500xg for 5 minutes at 4°c, and then washed with 500 µl ice cold pbs. if a tissue was used, the tissue sample was placed in a 2 ml dounce homoginzer on ice. two mls of nib buffer (10mm trishcl ph7.4, 10mm nacl, 3mm mgcl 2 , 0.1% igepal®, 1x protease inhibitors) were added to the sample and incubated on ice for 5 minutes. the sample was dounced 5 times with loose pestle followed by 15 strokes with tight pestle, and then put through a 35µm cell strainer, and additional strainers were used as necessary. the cells from either suspension cell culture, adherent cell culture, or tissue sample were pelleted by spinning at 500xg for 5 minutes, and then resuspended in 200 µl 12.5 mm lis in nib buffer (2.5 µl 1m lis + 197.5 µl nib buffer). after incubating on ice for 5 minutes, 800 µl nib buffer and 5 µl dapi (5 mg/ml) were added. the cells were gently passed through a 35µm cell strainer. b. xsds method of nuclei preparation & nucleosome depletion if the cells were in a suspension cell culture, the medium was gently triturated to break up cell clumps. to 10 ml of cells in media 406 µl of 37% formaldehyde were added and incubated at room temp for 10 minutes with gentle shaking. eight hundred microliters of 2.5 m glycine were added to the cells and incubated on ice for 5 minutes, and then centrifuged at 550xg for 8 minutes at 4°c. after washing with 10 ml of ice cold pbs, the cells were resuspended in 5 ml of ice cold nib (10mm trishcl ph7.4, 10mm nacl, 3mm mgcl 2 , 0.1% igepal®, 1x protease inhibitors), and incubated on ice for 20 minutes with gentle mixing. if the cells were in an adherent cell culture, media was aspirated and the cells washed with 10 ml of pbs at 37°c, and then enough 0.25% trypsin at 37°c was added to cover the monolayer. after incubating at 3 7°c for 5 minutes or until 90% of cells were no longer adhering to the surface, 37°c media was added at 1:1 ratio to quench trypsin, and the volume brought to 10ml with media. the cells were resuspended in 10 ml media, and 406 µl of 37%) formaldehyde added and incubated at room temp for 10 minutes with gentle shaking. eight hundred microliters of 2.5 m glycine were added to the cells and incubated on ice for 5 minutes. the cells were centrifuged at 550xg for 8 minutes at 4° and washed with 10 ml of ice cold pbs. after resuspending the cells in 5 ml of ice cold nib, they were incubated on ice for 20 minutes with gentle mixing. if a tissue was used, the tissue sample was placed in a 2 ml dounce homogenizer on ice. two mls of hepes nib (20mm hepes, 10mm nacl, 3mm mgcl2, 0.1% igepal, 1x protease inhibitors) buffer were added to the sample and incubated on ice for 5 minutes. the sample was dounced 5 times with loose pestle followed by 15 strokes with tight pestle, and then put through a 35µm cell strainer, and additional strainers were used as necessary. the volume was brought up to 10ml with hepes-nib, and 406 µl of 37% formaldehyde were added to the 10 ml volume. eight hundred microliters of 2.5 m glycine were added and incubated on ice 5 minutes. the cells or nuclei from either suspension cell culture or adherent cell culture were pelleted by spinning at 500xg for 5 minutes and washed with 900 µl of 1x nebuffer 2.1. after spinning at 500 x g for 5 minutes, the pellet was resuspended in 800 µl 1x nebuffer 2.1 with 12 µl of 20% sds and incubated at 42°c with vigorous shaking for 30 minutes, and then 200 µl of 10% triton™ x-100 was added and incubated at 42°c with vigorous shaking for 30 minutes. the cells were gently passed through a 35µm cell strainer, and 5 µl dapi (5 mg/ml) was added. ii. nuclei sorting and tagmentation a tagmentation plate was prepared with 10 µl 1x td buffer (for 1 plate: 500 µl nib buffer + 500 µl td buffer), and 2000 single nuclei were sorted into each well of the tagmentation plate. at this step the number of nuclei per well can be varied slightly as long as the number of nuclei per well is consistent for the whole plate. it is also possible to multiplex different samples into different wells of the plate as the transposase index will be preserved. the cells were gated according to figure 33 . after spinning down the plate, 1 µl 2.5 nm of uniquely indexed transposome were added to each well. after sealing, the plate was incubated at 55°c for 15 minutes with gentle shaking. the plate was then returned to room temperature and then placed on ice. all the wells were pooled, 5 µl dapi (5 mg/ml) were added and then the cells were passed through a 35µm cell strainer. iii. second sort of and pcr indexing a master mix was prepared for each well with 0.25 µl 20mg/ml bsa, 0.5 µl 1% sds, and 7.75 µl h 2 o. master mix (8.5 µl) and 2.5 µl of each (i5 and i7) 10 µm primer was added to each well of a 96 well plate. single nuclei (15-22) were sorted into each well using the most stringent sort settings. the plate was then spun down. those nuclei prepared using the land method were incubated for 5 minutes at 55° to denature transposase. those nuclei prepared using the xsds method were incubated at 68° for 45 minutes to denature transposase and reverse crosslinks. buffer was prepared (for 1 plate: 750 µl npm, 400 µl h 2 o, and 50 µl 100x sybr green), and 12µl of the buffer was added to each well of strip tube. the following pcr cycles were performed: 72°c for 5 minutes, 98°c for 30 seconds, then continual cycles of (98°c for 10 seconds, 63°c for 30 seconds, 72°c for one minute followed by a plate read and an additional 10 seconds at 72°c). these cycles were repeated until the majority of wells exhibited exponential amplification as determined by sybr green fluorescence. iv. library clean up and quantification libraries were pooled using 5 ul of each well of the pcr plate, then purified using a qiaquick® pcr purification column and eluted in 30 µl of 10 mm tris-cl, ph 8.5 (eb). two microliters were used to quantify the concentration of dna with dsdna high sensitivity qubit® 2.0 fluorometer, following the manufacturer's protocol. the qubit® readout was used to dilute library to ∼4 ng/ul, and 1 ul was run on a high sensitivity bioanalyser 2100, following the manufacturer's protocol. the library was then quantified for the 200bp - 1 kbp range to dilute the pool to 1 nm for illumina sequencing. v. sequencing a nextseq® 500 was set up for a run as per manufacturer's instructions for a 1 nm sample except for the following changes. the library pool was loaded at a concentration of 0.8 pm and a total volume of 1.5 ml and deposited into cartridge position 10; custom primers were setup by diluting 9 µl of 100 µm stock sequencing primer 1 into a total of 1.5 ml of ht1 buffer into cartridge position 7; sequencing primer was setup by diluting 9 µl of 100 µm stock sequencing primer 2 into a total of 1.5 ml of ht1 buffer into cartridge position 8; and custom index sequencing primers were setup by diluting 18 µl of each custom index sequencing primer at 100 µm stock concentrations into a total of 3 ml of ht1 buffer into cartridge position 9 (see table 7). the nextseq® 500 was operated in standalone mode; the sciseq custom chemistry recipe ( amini et al., 2014, nat. genet. 46, 143-1349 ) was selected; dual index was selected; the appropriate number of read cycles was entered (50 recommended) and 18 cycles for each index; the custom checkbox for all reads and indices was selected. table-tabl0009 table 7: cartridge position reagent concentration total volume (dilute in ht1) stock oligo (100 um) ht1 7 custom read 1 0.6 um 1.5 ml 9 µl 1491 µl 8 custom read 2 0.6 um 1.5 ml 9 µl 1491 µl 9 custom index 1 & 2 each 0.6 um 3 ml 18 µl each 2964 µl 10 library 0.8 pm (<800 bp) 1.5 ml example 3 single-cell combinatorial indexing and genome and chromosome conformation restriction endonuclease digestion of isolated nuclei followed by ligation can be used to acquire information on chromosome structure within a nucleus, such as chromatin folding analysis and detection of genomic rearrangements. such types of analyses are known in art as chromosome conformation capture (3c) and related methods (4c, 5c, and hi-c). the method of single-cell combinatorial indexing and genome and chromosome conformation (sci-gcc) that can be used in conjunction with the method described in examples 1 and 2 is described in figure 34 . specifically, the method of single-cell combinatorial indexing and genome and chromosome conformation includes blocks 12, 13, 14, and 19 as shown in figure 34 . unlike other methods of genome and chromosome conformation analysis of single cells ( nagano et al., 2013, nature, 502:59-64 ), the method described herein does not require biotin fill-in or biotin pull-down so as to obtain both genome and chromatin conformation sequence data. conditions for cross-linking cells were evaluated to determine the minimum concentration of formaldehyde needed to cross-link cells and maintain nuclei integrity. hela cells were cross-linked by exposing the cells to formaldehyde at 0.2%, 0.35%, 1.5%, or no formaldehyde, and an abbreviated version of the method described in figure 34 was done and the number of nuclei resulting was determined. no intact nuclei were isolated from cells not exposed to formaldehyde or exposed to 0.2% formaldehyde. cells exposed to 0.35% formaldehyde yielded 3.8 x 10 5 nuclei with normal morphology, and cells exposed to 1.5% formaldehyde yielded 6.4 x 10 5 nuclei with normal morphology. conditions for reversing cross-linking was also evaluated. hela cells were cross-linked by exposing the cells to formaldehyde at 0.35%, 0.75%, 1.5%, or no formaldehyde, and an abbreviated version of the method described in figure 34 was performed. cross-linking was revered by incubating isolated nuclei at 68°c for with 1 hour or 16 hours ( figure 35 ). the data indicate that the use of 0.35% formaldehyde with reversal conditions of 1 hour incubation at 68°c was best. from sequenced sci-gcc libraries comparable unique read counts genome wide were obtained as in methods described in examples 1 and 2 and figure 35 . in addition to the genomic sequence reads, between 5% and 15% of sequence reads contained chimeric ligation junctions that were characteristic of chromatin conformation signal as described in nagano et al., (2013, nature, 502:59-64 ). on average, we obtained an increased unique chimeric ligation junction read count when compared with existing single cell hic strategies (see, for instance, nagano et al., 2013, nature, 502:59-64 ) with a mean unique chimeric ligation junction read count of over 40,000 per cell in crosslinking-optimized preparations. on hela, these libraries produced sufficient chimeric ligation junction reads to clearly identify chromatin structure, including a known translocation in hela ( figure 36 ). the complete disclosure of all patents, patent applications, and publications, and electronically available material (including, for instance, nucleotide sequence submissions in, e.g., genbank and refseq, and amino acid sequence submissions in, e.g., swissprot, pir, prf, pdb, and translations from annotated coding regions in genbank and refseq) cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. supplementary materials referenced in publications (such as supplementary tables, supplementary figures, supplementary materials and methods, and/or supplementary experimental data) are likewise incorporated by reference in their entirety. in the event that any inconsistency exists between the disclosure of the present application and the disclosure(s) of any document incorporated herein by reference, the disclosure of the present application shall govern. the foregoing detailed description and examples have been given for clarity of understanding only. no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom. the invention is not limited to the exact details shown and described, for variations obvious to one skilled in the art will be included within the invention defined by the claims. unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of components, molecular weights, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about." accordingly, unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. at the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. all numerical values, however, inherently contain a range necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. all headings are for the convenience of the reader and should not be used to limit the meaning of the text that follows the heading, unless so specified. the present application is a divisional application based on an earlier european patent application no. 17755575.2 , which is derived from pct application no. pct/us2017/043381 . the following numbered clauses, which correspond to the clauses of that earlier pct application as filed, form part of the present disclosure and in particular form further aspects of the invention, whether or not they appear in the present clauses. 1. a method of preparing a sequencing library comprising nucleic acids from a plurality of single cells, the method comprising: (a) providing isolated nuclei from a plurality of cells; (b) subjecting the isolated nuclei to a chemical treatment to generate nucleosome-depleted nuclei, while maintaining integrity of the isolated nuclei; (c) distributing subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a first plurality of compartments and contacting each subset with a transposome complex, wherein the transposome complex in each compartment comprises a transposase and a first index sequence that is different from first index sequences in the other compartments; (d) fragmenting nucleic acids in the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei into a plurality of nucleic acid fragments and incorporating the first index sequences into at least one strand of the nucleic acid fragments to generate indexed nuclei comprising indexed nucleic acid fragments, wherein the indexed nucleic acid fragments remain attached to the transposases; (e) combining the indexed nuclei to generate pooled indexed nuclei; (f) distributing subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei into a second plurality of compartments; (g) incorporating into the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment a second index sequence to generate dual-index fragments, wherein the second index sequence in each compartment is different from second index sequences in the other compartments; (h) combining the dual-index fragments, thereby producing a sequencing library comprising whole genome nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells. 2. the method of clause 1, wherein the chemical treatment comprises a treatment with a chaotropic agent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions. 3. the method of clause 2, wherein the chaotropic agent comprises lithium 3,5-diiodosalicylic acid. 4. the method of clause 3, wherein the chemical treatment comprises a treatment with a detergent capable of disrupting nucleic acid-protein interactions. 5. the method of any one of clauses 2 to 4, wherein the detergent comprises sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). 6. the method of clause 5, wherein the nuclei are treated with the cross-linking agent prior to step (b). 7. the method of clause 6, wherein the cross-linking agent is formaldehyde. 8. the method of clause 7, wherein the concentration of formaldehyde ranges from about 0.2% to about 2%. 9. the method of clause 7, wherein the concentration of formaldehyde is no greater than about 1.5%. 10. the method of clause 7, wherein the cross-linking by formaldehyde is reversed after step (f) and prior to step (g). 11. the method of clause 10, wherein the reversal of the cross-linking comprises incubation at about 55°c to about 72°c. 12. the method of any one of clauses 10 or 11, wherein the transposases are disassociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments prior to the reversal of the cross-linking. 13. the method of clause 12, wherein the transposases are disassociated from the indexed nucleic acid fragments using sodium dodecyl sulfate (sds). 14. the method of clause 1, wherein the nuclei are treated with a restriction enzyme prior to step (d). 15. the method of clause 14, wherein the nuclei are treated with a ligase after treatment with the restriction enzyme. 16. the method of clause 1, wherein the distributing in steps (c) and (f) is performed by fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting. 17. the method of clause 1, wherein the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei comprise approximately equal numbers of nuclei. 18. the method of clause 17, wherein the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei comprise from 1 to about 2000 nuclei. 19. the method of clause 1, wherein the first plurality of compartments is a multi-well plate. 20. the method of clause 19, wherein the multi-well plate is a 96-well plate or a 384-well plate. 21. the method of clause 1, wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei comprise approximately equal numbers of nuclei. 22. the method of clause 21, wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei comprise from 1 to about 25 nuclei. 23. the method of clause 1, wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include at least 10 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei. 24. the method of clause 1, wherein the subsets of the pooled indexed nuclei include at least 100 times fewer nuclei than the subsets of the nucleosome-depleted nuclei. 25. the method of clause 1, wherein the second plurality of compartments is a multi-well plate. 26. the method of clause 25, wherein the multi-well plate is a 96-well plate or a 384-well plate. 27. the method of clause 1, wherein step (c) comprises adding the transposome complex to the compartments after the subsets of nucleosome-depleted nuclei are distributed. 28. the method of clause 1, wherein each of the transposome complexes comprises a transposon, each of the transposons comprising a transferred strand. 29. the method of clause 28, wherein the transferred strand comprises the first index sequence and a first universal sequence. 30. the method of clause 29, wherein the incorporation of the second index sequence in step (g) comprises contacting the indexed nucleic acid fragments in each compartment with a first universal primer and a second universal primer, each comprising an index sequence and each comprising a sequence identical to or complementary to a portion of the first universal sequence, and performing an exponential amplification reaction. 31. the method of clause 30, wherein the index sequence of the first universal primer is the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer. 32. the method of clause 30, wherein the index sequence of the first universal primer is different from the reverse complement of the index sequence of the second universal primer. 33. the method of clause 30, wherein the first universal primer further comprises a first capture sequence and a first anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 3' end of the dual-index fragments. 34. the method of any one of clauses 30 to 33, wherein the first capture sequence comprises the p5 primer sequence. 35. the method of clause 30, wherein the second universal primer further comprises a second capture sequence and a second anchor sequence complementary to a universal sequence at the 5' end of the dual-index fragments. 36. the method of clause 35, wherein the second capture sequence comprises the reverse complement of the p7 primer sequence. 37. the method of clause 30, wherein the exponential amplification reaction comprises a polymerase chain reaction (pcr). 38. the method of clause 37, wherein the pcr comprises 15 to 30 cycles. 39. the method of clause 1, further comprising an enrichment of dual-index fragments using a plurality of capture oligonucleotides having specificity for the dual-index fragments. 40. the method of clause 39, wherein the capture oligonucleotides are immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate. 41. the method of any one of clauses 39 to 40, wherein the capture oligonucleotides comprise a first member of a universal binding pair, and wherein a second member of the binding pair is immobilized on a surface of a solid substrate. 42. the method of clause 1, further comprising sequencing of the dual-index fragments to determine the nucleotide sequence of nucleic acids from the plurality of single cells. 43. the method of clause 42, further comprising: providing a surface comprising a plurality of amplification sites, wherein the amplification sites comprise at least two populations of attached single stranded capture oligonucleotides having a free 3' end, and contacting the surface comprising amplification sites with the dual-index fragments under conditions suitable to produce a plurality of amplification sites that each comprise a clonal population of amplicons from an individual dual-index fragment. 44. the method of any one of clauses 43 to 44, wherein the number of the dual-index fragments exceeds the number of amplification sites, wherein the dual-index fragments have fluidic access to the amplification sites, and wherein each of the amplification sites comprises a capacity for several dual-index fragments in the sequencing library. 45. the method of clause 43, wherein the contacting comprises simultaneously (i) transporting the dual-index fragments to the amplification sites at an average transport rate, and (ii) amplifying the dual-index fragments that are at the amplification sites at an average amplification rate, wherein the average amplification rate exceeds the average transport rate. 46. a composition comprising chemically treated nucleosome-depleted isolated nuclei, wherein the isolated nuclei comprise indexed nucleic acid fragments. 47. the composition of clause 46, wherein the isolated nuclei comprise non-natural cross-links. 48. the composition of clause 46, wherein the composition comprises indexed nucleic acid fragments that terminate in a cleaved restriction site comprising an overhang. 49. the composition of any one of clauses 46 to 48, wherein the isolated nuclei comprise rearranged genomic dna. 50. a multi-well plate, wherein a well of the multi-well plate comprises the composition of any one of clauses 46-49.
|
177-161-377-703-387
|
JP
|
[
"WO",
"EP",
"CN",
"JP",
"US"
] |
H01J49/42,G01N27/62,H01J49/00,H01J49/26,B01D59/44,H01J49/04
| 2009-02-05T00:00:00 |
2009
|
[
"H01",
"G01",
"B01"
] |
ms/ms mass spectrometer
|
a cid gas is introduced into a collision cell (14). an application voltage is set so that mass separation is not substantially effected by a third-stage quadrupole (17). while mass scanning in a predetermined range is effected by a first-stage quadrupole (13), mass spectrometry of a reference sample whose mass/charge ratio is known is effected. various species of product ions originated from precursor ions selected by the first-stage quadrupole (13) are not separated, reach a detector (18), and are detected. therefore, a data processing unit (25) acquires the relation between the voltage applied to the first-stage quadrupole (13) and the determined mass/charge ratio of the ions on the basis of the detected data. the relation reflects the time delay at the collision cell and is stored in a calibration data storage unit (26). by using the relation for neutral loss scanning measurement, the mass variation due to the time delay at the collision cell (14) is solved, and product ions over the whole mass range can be detected with high sensitivity. a mass spectrum having a high-accuracy mass axis can be created.
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an ms/ms mass spectrometer including a first mass separator (13) for selecting, as a precursor ion, an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio from various kinds of ions, a collision cell (14) for dissociating the precursor ion by making the precursor ion collide with a collision-induced dissociation gas, and a second mass separator (17) for selecting an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio from various kinds of product ions created by dissociation of the precursor ion, wherein the ms/ms mass spectrometer further includes: a) a calibrating analysis execution means for collecting mass analysis data by analyzing a sample providing ions having a known mass-to-charge ratio by performing a mass scan in the first mass separator (13) under a condition that a collision-induced dissociation gas is introduced into the collision cell (14) while no substantial mass separation is performed in the second mass separator (17); b) a calibration information memory means for creating mass calibration information for the first mass separator (13), based on a relationship between a voltage applied to the first mass separator (13) at a time when a peak corresponding to ions having the known mass-to-charge ratio is detected and the known mass-to-charge ratio in the mass analysis data collected by the calibrating analysis execution means, the mass calibration information reflecting a time delay of an ion in the collision cell (14), and for memorizing said mass calibration information; and c) an actual analysis execution means for collecting mass analysis data for a target sample by controlling a mass-scan operation of the first mass separator (13) by using said mass calibration information memorized in the calibration information memory means, at least when a neutral loss scan or a precursor ion scan is performed. the ms/ms mass spectrometer according to claim 1, wherein: the calibrating analysis execution means collects mass analysis data under various conditions in which at least one among a pressure of the collision-induced dissociation gas in the collision cell (14), a collision energy, and a mass-scan speed of the first mass separator (13) is varied in plural ways; and the calibration information memory means creates and memorizes mass calibration information for each different condition. an ms/ms mass spectrometer including a first mass separator (13) for selecting, as a precursor ion, an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio from various kinds of ions, a collision cell (14) for dissociating the precursor ion by making the precursor ion collide with a collision-induced dissociation gas, and a second mass separator (17) for selecting an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio from various kinds of product ions created by dissociation of the precursor ion, wherein the ms/ms mass spectrometer further includes: a) a memory means (28) in which information on an additional mass value corresponding to the amount by which the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio between the first mass separator (13) and the second mass separator (17) in a neutral loss scan measurement is changed from the expected value due to the time delay of the ions in the collision cell (14); said additional mass value being held for each of a variety of values in which at least one factor among a pressure of the collision-induced dissociation gas in the collision cell, a collision energy, and a mass-scan speed of the first mass separator is varied in plural ways; b) an input means (27) for allowing a user to input the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio between the first mass separator (13) and the second mass separator (17) in a neutral loss scan measurement, or to input information based on which the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio can be determined; c) a correction means for correcting the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio inputted through the input means (27) or the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio determined based on the information inputted through the input means, by using the information of the additional mass value held in the memory means; and d) a measurement execution means for controlling mass-scan operations of the first mass separator (13) and the second mass separator (17) so as to perform a neutral loss scan measurement based on the corrected value of the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio between the first mass separator (13) and the second mass separator (17). an ms/ms mass spectrometer including a first mass separator (13) for selecting, as a precursor ion, an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio from various kinds of ions, a collision cell (14) for dissociating the precursor ion by making the precursor ion collide with a collision-induced dissociation gas, and a second mass separator (17) for selecting an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio from various kinds of product ions created by dissociation of the precursor ion, wherein the ms/ms mass spectrometer further includes: a) a memory means (28) in which time information corresponding to a difference in the mass-to-charge ratio between the first mass separator (13) and the second mass separator (17) in a neutral loss scan measurement used for delaying a point of initiation of the mass-scan operation of the second mass separator is held for each of a variety of values in which at least one factor among a pressure of the collision-induced dissociation gas in the collision cell (14), a collision energy, and a mass-scan speed of the first mass separator (13) is varied in plural ways; and b) an input means (27) for allowing a user to input the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio between the first mass separator (13) and the second mass separator (17) in a neutral loss scan measurement, or to input information based on which the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio can be determined; and c) a measurement execution means for conducting mass-scan operations of the first mass separator (13) and the second mass separator (17) so as to perform a neutral loss scan measurement based on the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio inputted through the input means (27) or the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio determined based on the information inputted through the input means, wherein a point of initiation of the mass-scan operation of the second mass separator is delayed from a point of initiation of the mass-scan operation of the first mass separator by a period of time determined based on the time information held in the memory means (28).
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technical field the present invention relates to an ms/ms mass spectrometer for dissociating an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) by collision-induced dissociation (cid) and for performing a mass analysis of product ions (fragment ions) generated by the dissociation. background art an ms/ms analysis (which may also be referred to as a tandem analysis) is known as one of the mass spectrometric methods for identifying a substance with a large molecular weight and for analyzing its structure. a triple quadrupole (tq) mass spectrometer is a typical ms/ms mass spectrometer. fig. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a generally used triple quadrupole mass spectrometer disclosed in patent documents 1, 2 or other documents. this mass spectrometer has an analysis chamber 11 evacuated by a vacuum pump (not shown). in this chamber 11, an ion source 12 for ionizing a sample to be analyzed, three quadrupoles 13, 15 and 17, each of which is composed of four rod electrodes, and a detector 18 for detecting ions and producing detection signals corresponding to the amount of detected ions, are arranged on an approximately straight line. a voltage composed of a dc voltage and a radio-frequency (rf) voltage is applied to the first-stage quadrupole (q1) 13. due to the effect of the quadrupole electric field generated by this composite voltage, only a target ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio is selected as a precursor ion from various kinds of ions produced by the ion source 12. the mass-to-charge of the ion that is allowed to pass through the first-stage quadrupole 13 can be varied over a specific range by appropriately changing the dc voltage and the radio-frequency voltage applied to the first-stage quadrupole 13 while maintaining a specific relationship between them. the second-stage quadrupole (q2) 15 is contained in a highly airtight collision cell 14. a cid gas, such as argon (ar) gas, is introduced into this collision cell 14. after being sent from the first-stage quadrupole 13 to the second-stage quadrupole 15, the precursor ion collides with the cid gas in the collision cell 14, to be dissociated into product ions by a cid process. this dissociation can occur in various forms. normally, one kind of precursor ion produces plural kinds of product ions having different mass-to-charge ratios. these plural kinds of product ions are extracted from the collision cell 14 and introduced into the third-stage quadrupole (q3) 17. in most cases, a pure radio-frequency voltage or a voltage generated by adding a dc bias voltage to the radio-frequency voltage is applied to the second-stage quadrupole 15 to make this quadrupole function as an ion guide for transporting ions to the subsequent stages while converging these ions. similar to the first-stage quadrupole 13, a voltage composed of a dc voltage and a radio-frequency voltage is applied to the third-stage quadrupole 17. due to the effect of the quadrupole electric field generated by this voltage, only a product ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio is selected in the third-stage quadrupole 17, and the selected ion reaches the detector 18. the mass-to-charge ratio of the ion that is allowed to pass through the third-stage quadrupole 17 can be varied over a specific range by appropriately changing the dc voltage and the radio-frequency voltage applied to the third-stage quadrupole 17 while maintaining a predetermined relationship between them. based on the detection signals produced by the detector 18 during this operation, a data processor (not shown) creates a mass spectrum of the product ions resulting from the dissociation of the target ion. as described in patent document 2, the previously described mass spectrometer is capable of ms/ms analyses, such as a neutral loss scan measurement or precursor ion scan measurement. fig. 7 is a model diagram schematically showing how the mass-to-charge ratio of ions passing through the first-stage and third-stage quadrupoles 13 and 17 is changed in each of the aforementioned measurement modes: in the neutral loss scan measurement, as shown in fig. 7(a) , a mass scan is performed while maintaining the mass difference (neutral loss) δm, i.e. the difference between the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions passing through the first-stage quadrupole 13 and that of the ions passing through the third-stage quadrupole 17. in the precursor ion scan measurement, as shown in fig. 7(b) , the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions passing through the first-stage quadrupole 13 is changed while that of the ions passing through the third-stage quadrupole 17 is fixed at a certain value. another mode of the measurement that can be performed using a ms/ms mass spectrometer is a so-called auto ms/ms analysis, in which a specific kind of precursor ion that matches predetermined conditions is automatically detected and subjected to an ms/ms analysis. in this technique, a normal mode of mass analysis, which does not involve any dissociation process in the collision cell 14 or a mass-separation process by the third-stage quadrupole 17, is carried out to obtain a mass spectrum, immediately after which a data processing for automatically detecting a peak that matches predetermined conditions is performed on each of the peaks appearing on that mass spectrum. then, an ms/ms analysis is performed for the detected peak, with the mass-to-charge ratio of that peak as the precursor ion, to create a mass spectrum of product ions. the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer can perform the previously described various modes of ms/ms analyses including a dissociating operation. however, the following problem occurs since the dissociation of ions in the collision cell 14 occurs in the middle of their flight through a vacuum atmosphere: the gas pressure inside the collision cell 14 is maintained at around several hundred mpa due to the almost continuous supply of the cid gas into the collision cell 14. this pressure is considerably higher than the gas pressure inside the analysis chamber 11 and outside the collision cell 14. when ions travel through a radio-frequency electric field under such a relatively high gas pressure, they gradually lose their kinetic energy due to collision with the gas, which decreases their flight speed. therefore, a significant time delay occurs when the ions pass through the collision cell 14. in the neutral loss scan measurement, the mass-scan operations of the first-stage and third-stage quadrupoles 13 and 17 are linked with each other. if a significant time delay of the ions occurs in the collision cell 14, which is located between the two quadrupoles, the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions actually analyzed in the third-stage quadrupole 17 will be different from the desired mass-to-charge ratio for the mass analysis. this causes the mass-to-charge ratio of the neutral loss to be shifted from the intended value, with a possible deterioration in the analysis sensitivity. in the auto ms/ms analysis, a similar deterioration in sensitivity of the analysis can occur due to a shift of the mass-to-charge ratio of the precursor ion selected by the first cycle of the mass analysis. furthermore, in any of the aforementioned measurement modes, the time delay of the ions in the collision cell 14 is not reflected in the mass spectrum. this means that the mass axis of the mass spectrum may be significantly shifted, causing a problem in the quantitative or qualitative analysis based on the mass spectrum. to reduce the influence of the time delay of the ions in the collision cell 14, it is necessary to lower the scan speed in the mass-scan operation. however, this broadens the time interval of a repetitive measurement and thereby increases the possibility of missing a component in an lc/ms or gc/ms analysis. in recent years, the delay of the ions has been considerably reduced as a result of the development of high-speed collision cells, such as the products marketed as liniac™ or t-wave™ (see non-patent documents 1 and 2). however, even when such a high-speed collision cell is used, ions require several milliseconds to pass through the cell, so that the aforementioned sensitivity deterioration or mass shift will inevitably occur when the mass-scan speed is increased to a level around 1000 u/sec or higher. patent document 1: jp-a 07-201304 patent document 2: jp-b 3,404,849 patent document 3: us2005/098719 patent document 4: us 5,847,386 a non-patent document 1: api 4000™ lc/ms/ms system, [online], applied biosystems japan kabushiki kaisha, [searched on february 2, 2009], internet <url: http://www.appliedbiosystems.co.jp/website/jp/product/modelpage.jsp?modelcd=253& modelpgcd=22242> non-patent document 2: tandem quadrupole uplc/ms detector "acquity™ tqd", [online], nihon waters k.k., [searched on february 2, 2009], internet <url: http://www.waters.co.jp/company/information/> non- patent document 3: j throck watson et al: "introduction to mass spectrometry - 4th edition - chapter 3", in: "introduction to mass spectrometry : instrumentation, applications, and strategies for data interpretation", 1 january 2007, wiley, chichester [u.a], xp055229710, isbn: 978-0-470-51634-8, pages 173-228 . patent document 3 discloses a method and apparatus are provided for effecting multiple mass selection or analysis steps. fundamentally, the technique is based on moving ions in different directions through separate components of a mass spectrometer apparatus. non-patent document 3 is an extract from a book which provides a discussion of tandem mass spectrometry. patent document 4 discloses that interference in the parent scan and neutral loss scan mode, caused by the problem of ion delay in a collision cell, is eliminated when a sufficient axial field is used. disclosure of the invention problem to be solved by the invention the present invention has been developed to solve the aforementioned problem, and one objective thereof is to provide an ms/ms mass spectrometer capable of preventing a mass shift or sensitivity deterioration in various modes of measurements, such as a neutral loss scan measurement, precursor ion scan measurement or auto ms/ms analysis. means for solving the problems the first aspect of the present invention aimed at solving the aforementioned problem is an ms/ms mass spectrometer according to claim 1. in the case of a normal type of ms/ms mass spectrometer, mass calibration information is obtained by performing a mass analysis of a standard sample having a known mass-to-charge ratio without introducing any cid gas into the collision cell. by contrast, in the ms/ms mass spectrometer according to the present invention, the mass analysis of the standard sample is performed in a manner similar to the normal ms/ms analysis, i.e. under the condition that a cid gas is introduced into the collision cell. during this process, an ion having a specific mass-to-charge ratio selected by the first mass separator is dissociated into product ions in the collision cell. these product ions are allowed to reach the detector in the form of a packet, i.e. without undergoing mass separation. the period of time required for ions to pass through the first or second mass separator is sufficiently shorter than the period of time required for the ions to pass through the collision cell, which is maintained at a high pressure due to the introduction of the cid gas. therefore, it is possible to consider that the mass analysis data collected by the calibrating analysis execution means reflects a time delay caused by the cid gas in the collision cell. accordingly, based on this mass analysis data, the calibration information memory means creates and memorizes mass calibration information which reflects the time delay of the ions in the collision cell. as in the case of the neutral loss scan or precursor ion scan, when a measurement including the mass-scan operation of the first mass separator and the dissociating operation of the collision cell is carried out, the actual measurement performance means controls the mass-scan operation of the first mass separator, using the mass calibration information memorized in the calibration information memory means. by using this information, the mass-scan operation is appropriately controlled so that the influence of a mass shift due to the time delay of the ions in the collision cell will be corrected. therefore, for example, in a neutral loss scan measurement, neutral losses will be detected at correct mass-to-charge ratios as intended by the user, so that the target ions can be detected with high sensitivity. furthermore, the shift of the mass axis of the mass spectrum will be cancelled. the time delay of the ions passing through the collision cell depends on various factors, such as the pressure of the cid gas, the collision energy, and the mass-scan speed of the first mass separator. accordingly, in a preferable mode of the ms/ms mass spectrometer according to the present invention, the calibrating analysis execution means collects mass analysis data under various conditions in which at least one among (a) the pressure of the cid gas in the collision cell, (b) the collision energy, and (c) the mass-scan speed of the first mass separator is varied in plural ways, and the calibration information memory means creates and memorizes mass calibration information for each different condition. the second aspect of the present invention aimed at solving the aforementioned problem is an ms/ms mass spectrometer according to present claim 3. in the neutral loss scan measurement, if a significant time delay of ions occurs in the collision cell in the previously described manner, the arrival at the second mass separator of a target product ion originating from the precursor ion will be temporally delayed from the expected point in time. as a result, the actual difference between the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions selected in the first mass separator and that of the ions selected in the second mass separator decreases. given this problem, in the ms/ms mass spectrometer according to the second aspect of the present invention, the correction means corrects the mass-to-charge ratio of the neutral loss specified by the user, to a value that exceeds the user-specified value by an amount corresponding to the time delay of the ions in the collision cell. this additional amount of the mass-to-charge ratio can be determined, for example, based on a value experimentally determined beforehand by a manufacturer of the device. it is naturally possible to add a function for obtaining the additional amount of the mass-to-charge ratio by measuring a standard sample or the like on the user's part. to more accurately correct the mass shift, the ms/ms mass spectrometer according to the second aspect of the present invention includes a memory means in which information on the additional mass value for correcting the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio is held for each of a variety of values in which at least one factor among (a) the pressure of the cid gas in the collision cell, (b) the collision energy, and (c) the mass-scan speed of the first mass separator is varied, and the correction means corrects the difference in the mass-to-charge ratio by using the information memorized in the memory means. as just described, in the second aspect of the present invention, a mass-to-charge ratio value corresponding to the time delay of the ions in the collision cell is added to the mass-to-charge ratio of the neutral loss. alternatively, the point of initiation of the mass-scan operation of the second mass separator may be delayed by a period of time corresponding to the aforementioned time delay to obtain an effect similar to the effect of the second aspect of the present invention. accordingly, the third aspect of the present invention aimed at solving the aforementioned problem is an ms/ms mass spectrometer according to present claim 4. to correct the mass shift more accurately, the ms/ms mass spectrometer according to the third aspect of the present invention includes a memory means in which time information used for delaying the point of initiation of the mass-scan operation of the second mass separator is held for each of a variety of values in which at least one factor among (a) the pressure of the cid gas in the collision cell, (b) the collision energy, and (c) the mass-scan speed of the first mass separator is varied, and the measurement execution means uses the time information held in the memory means to delay the initiation of the mass-scan operation of the second mass separator from the point of initiation of the mass-scan operation of the first mass separator by the previously determined period of time. effect of the invention the ms/ms mass spectrometer according to any of the first through third aspects of the present invention can perform a neutral loss scan measurement or precursor ion scan measurement with a reduced influence from the time delay which occurs when the ions pass through the collision cell, whereby the detection sensitivity for product ions is improved over the entire mass-scan range, and the accuracy of the mass axis of a mass spectrum created in the measurement is also improved. in the case of an auto ms/ms measurement, the detection sensitivity for product ions originating from a target ion is improved, and the accuracy of the mass axis of a mass spectrum created in the measurement is also improved. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer according to one embodiment (first embodiment) of the present invention. fig. 2 is a model diagram for explaining an operation characteristic of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the first embodiment. fig. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer according to another embodiment (second embodiment) of the present invention. fig. 4 is a model diagram for explaining an operation characteristic of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer according to the second embodiment. fig. 5 is a model diagram showing an operation characteristic of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer according to another embodiment (third embodiment) of the present invention. fig. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional and common type of quadrupole mass spectrometer. fig. 7 is a model diagram showing a change in the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions selected by the first-stage and third-state quadrupoles in a neutral loss scan measurement and a precursor ion scan measurement. explanation of numerals 10... sample introduction unit 11... analysis chamber 12... ion source 13... first-stage quadrupole (q1) 14... collision cell 15... second-stage quadrupole (q2) 16... gas valve 17... third-stage quadrupole (q3) 18... detector 21... q1 power source 22... q2 power source 23... q3 power source 24... controller 25... data processor 26... calibration data memory 27... input unit 28... mass-scan correction data memory best mode for carrying out the invention [first embodiment] a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer as one embodiment (first embodiment) of the present invention is hereinafter described with reference to the attached drawings. fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the present embodiment, and fig. 2 is a model diagram for explaining an operation characteristic of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the present embodiment. similar to the conventional case, the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the present embodiment has a first-stage quadrupole 13 (which corresponds to the first mass separator of the present invention) and a third-stage quadrupole 17 (which corresponds to the second mass separator of the present invention), between which a collision cell 14 for dissociating a precursor ion to produce various kinds of product ions is located. a q1 power source 21 applies, to the first-stage quadrupole 13, either a composite voltage ±(u1+v1·cosωt) including a dc voltage u1 and a radio-frequency voltage v1·cosωt or a voltage ±(u1+v1·cosωt)+vbias1 including the aforementioned composite voltage with a predetermined dc bias voltage vbias1 added thereto. a q2 power source 22 applies, to the second-stage quadrupole 15, either a pure radio-frequency voltage ±v2·cosωt or a voltage ±v2·cosωt+vbias2 including the radio-frequency voltage with a predetermined dc bias voltage vbias2 added thereto. a q3 power source 23 applies, to the third-stage quadrupole 17, either a composite voltage ±(u3+v3·cosωt) including a dc voltage u3 and a radio-frequency voltage v3·cosωt or a voltage ±(u3+v3-cosωt)+vbias3 including the aforementioned composite voltage with a predetermined dc bias voltage vbias3 added thereto. the q1, q2 and q3 power sources 21, 22 and 23 operate under the control of a controller 24. the detection data obtained with a detector 18 is sent to a data processor 25, which creates a mass spectrum and performs a quantitative or qualitative analysis based on that mass spectrum. a calibration data memory 26 is connected to the data processor 25. the calibration data memory 26 is used to store mass calibration data computed by a measurement and data processing, which will be described later. the controller 24 uses the mass calibration data stored in the calibration data memory 26 to perform a control for the measurement. an operation characteristic of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the present embodiment is hereinafter described by means of fig. 2 . the present mass spectrometer requires collecting mass calibration data and saving the data in the calibration data memory 26 before the analysis of a target sample. for this purpose, the controller 24 conducts a measurement for mass calibration as follows: upon receiving a command for initiating the mass-calibration measurement, the controller 24 operates the sample introduction unit 10 to selectively introduce a standard sample having a known mass-to-charge ratio into the ion source 12, while opening a gas valve 16 to introduce a cid gas into the collision cell 14 at a predetermined flow rate so as to maintain the cid gas pressure in the collision cell 14 at a specific level. the controller 24 also operates the q3 power source 23 to apply only a radio-frequency voltage to the third-stage quadrupole 17 so that the third-stage quadrupole 17 will merely converge ions without substantially mass-separating them. alternatively, a composite voltage including a dc voltage u3 and a radio-frequency voltage with amplitude v3 may be applied to the third-stage quadrupole 17, with u3 and v3 being appropriately set so that the mass resolving power will be low enough to avoid mass separation of the product ions created by dissociation in the collision cell 14. in a normal type of triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, no cid gas is introduced into the collision cell during the process of collecting mass calibration data which shows the relationship between the voltage applied to the first-stage quadrupole 13 and the thereby selected mass-to-charge ratio. by contrast, in the mass-calibration measurement performed by the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the present embodiment, a cid gas is introduced into the collision cell 14 to dissociate ions in the collision cell 14 in a manner similar to a normal ms/ms analysis, such as a neutral loss scan measurement. since the various kinds of product ions having different mass-to-charge ratios generated by dissociation are not mass separated in the third-stage quadrupole 17, the largest portion of the product ions originating from the same precursor ion remain in the form of a mass when arriving at the detector 18. the ions that have entered the collision cell 14 are decelerated due to collision with the cid gas since the gas pressure in this cell is higher than in the surrounding space. accordingly, as shown in fig. 2(a) , the state of the flight path of the ions during the mass-calibration measurement can be represented by a model in which a time-delay element d due to the collision cell 14 is provided between the first-stage quadrupole 13 and the detector 18. in the spaces outside the collision cell 14, the degree of vacuum is so high that the time delay of the ions in those spaces is negligible as compared to that of the ions in the collision cell 14. therefore, when no cid gas is present in the collision cell 14 (and the gas pressure in the collision cell 14 is approximately equal to the gas pressure around the cell in the analysis chamber 11), it is possible to consider that the detector is located immediately after the exit of the first-stage quadrupole 13, as indicated by numeral 18' in fig. 2(a) . while the mass-scan operation is performed so that the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions passing through the first-stage quadrupole 13 changes over a predetermined mass range, when the temporal change of the signal obtained with the detector 18 is monitored, a peak formed by a group of product ions originating from the standard sample appears at around a certain point in time during the mass-scan period, as shown in fig. 2(b) . when the time-delay element d is not present, the peak appears at time t1. when the time-delay element d is present, the peak appears at time t2, which is delayed from time t1 by time difference δt since the time-delay element d makes the product ions slower to arrive at the detector 18. even during the period of this time difference δt, the mass-to-charge ratio of the ions passing through the first-stage quadrupole 13 continues changing. as a result, a mass shift occurs at the time-delay element d by an amount corresponding to the mass-to-charge ratio difference equivalent to the voltage difference v2-v1 in fig. 2(c) . given that the known mass-to-charge ratio of the standard sample is mr, if the time delay of the ions in the collision cell 14 is not taken into consideration, the voltage v1 should correspond to the mass-to-charge ratio mr. if the time delay of the ions in the collision cell 14 is taken into consideration, the voltage v2 should correspond to the mass-to-charge ratio mr. accordingly, based on the mass calibration data collected in the mass-calibration measurement, the data processor 25 creates mass calibration data based on the relationship between the mass-scan voltage used at the point in time where the peak was detected and the mass-to-charge ratios of the components included in the standard sample. in general, a standard sample contains a plurality of standard reference materials having different mass-to-charge ratios. therefore, it is possible to create accurate mass calibration data, with the influence of the time-delay element d reflected therein, by investigating the relationship between the voltage at which a peak appeared and the theoretical value of the mass-to-charge ratio for each standard reference material. the mass calibration data can be prepared in any form, such as a mathematical formula or a table. the delay time of the ions due to the time-delay element d depends on the cid gas pressure in the collision cell 14, the kinetic energy that the ions possess when they enter the collision cell 14 (collision energy), and other factors. the former can be rephrased as the flow rate of the cid gas introduced into the collision cell 14, while the latter can be rephrased as the potential difference between the dc bias voltage applied to the collision cell 14 and the dc bias voltage applied to the first-stage quadrupole 13 located in the previous stage. both the cid gas pressure and the collision energy are included in the dissociating conditions which affect the dissociation efficiency or other aspects of the measurement. when necessary, these conditions can be changed manually by a user or automatically by the system. therefore, it is preferable to prepare optimal mass calibration data for each of such different dissociating conditions. for this purpose, in the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, the controller 24 conducts a mass-calibration measurement of the standard sample while changing the cid gas pressure in stages by regulating the opening of the gas valve 16, or changing the collision energy in stages by varying the dc bias voltage. meanwhile, the data processor 25 collects mass calibration data under each of the different conditions. the collected mass calibration data, which show the relationship between the voltage applied to the first-stage quadrupole 13 and the mass-to-charge ratio to be measured, are stored in the calibration data memory 26, with the cid gas pressure, collision energy and other quantities as parameters. when a command is given through the input unit 27 to perform a measurement including a mass-scan operation of the first-stage quadrupole 13 and a dissociating operation of the collision cell 14, such as a neutral loss scan measurement or precursor ion scan measurement on a target sample, the controller 24 retrieves, from the calibration data memory 26, a set of mass calibration data corresponding to the cid gas pressure and the collision energy at that point in time. the controller 24 uses the retrieved mass calibration data to control the q1 power source 21 so that the voltage applied to the first-stage quadrupole 13 will vary over a specific range. the use of the mass calibration data reduces the influence of the time delay of the ions passing through the collision cell 14. therefore, for example, when a neutral loss scan measurement is carried out, a product ion from which a specified neutral loss has desorbed can be detected with high sensitivity. furthermore, a mass spectrum having an accurate mass axis can be created in the data processor 25. [second embodiment] as another embodiment (second embodiment) of the present invention, a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer is hereinafter described by means of figs. 3 and 4. fig. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the second embodiment, and fig. 4 is a model diagram for explaining an operation characteristic of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the second embodiment. in fig. 3 , the same components as used in the previously described triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the first embodiment are denoted by the same numerals. in the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the second embodiment, a mass-scan correction data memory 28, in which a set of predetermined correction data is previously stored, is connected to the controller 24. as already explained, when a cid gas is introduced into the collision cell 14 to dissociate ions, the ions undergo a significant time delay when passing through the collision cell 14. to address this problem, the mass spectrometer of the present embodiment is configured so that the point in time for initiating the mass-scan operation of the third-stage quadrupole 17 in a neutral loss scan measurement is delayed from the point in time for initiating the mass-scan operation of the first-stage quadrupole 13 by an amount corresponding to the time delay of the ions in the collision cell 14, rather than controlling the mass-scan operations of the first-stage and third-stage quadrupoles 13 and 17 so as to simply maintain a constant mass-to-charge ratio difference between them. fig. 4 graphically shows the idea underlying the present embodiment, where t denotes the amount of time by which the initiation of the mass-scan operation of the third-stage quadrupole 17 is delayed. as already noted, the time delay of the ions in the collision cell 14 depends on the cid gas pressure, collision energy and other dissociating conditions. accordingly, the time t should preferably be changed according to these dissociating conditions. the value of time t most suitable for an appropriate neutral loss scan measurement can be experimentally determined beforehand by the manufacturer of the present device. accordingly, on the manufacturer's side, an appropriate value of t is determined under various dissociating conditions and the obtained values are stored as correction data in the mass-scan correction data memory 28. when a neutral loss scan measurement is performed on the user's side, the controller 24 determines the mass-to-charge ratio difference δm according to the mass-to-charge ratio of the neutral loss specified through the input unit 27, and retrieves, from the mass-scan correction data memory 28, the value of time t corresponding to the dissociating condition at that point in time. then, the controller 24 determines a mass-scan pattern for the first-stage quadrupole 13 and the third-stage quadrupole 17 as shown in fig. 4 , and controls the q1 power source 21 and the q3 power source 23 according to that pattern. as a result, a product ion from which the specified neutral loss has been desorbed can be detected with high sensitivity in the neutral loss scan measurement. furthermore, a mass spectrum having an accurate mass axis can be created in the data processor 25. [third embodiment] as yet another embodiment (third embodiment) of the present invention, a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer is hereinafter described by means of fig. 5. fig. 5 is a model diagram showing an operation characteristic of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the third embodiment. the configuration of the present triple quadrupole mass spectrometer is basically identical to that of the second embodiment and hence will not be described. in the case of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the second embodiment, the delay time t for initiating the mass-scan operation of the third-stage quadrupole 17 under various dissociating conditions is stored as correction data in the mass-scan correction data memory 28. by contrast, in the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer of the third embodiment, a set of data for correcting the mass-to-charge ratio difference in the mass-scan operation is stored in the mass-scan correction data memory 28. that is to say, when a time delay of ions occurs in the collision cell 14, an ion having a predetermined mass-to-charge ratio and thereby allowed to pass through the first-stage quadrupole 13 will be introduced into the third-stage quadrupole 17 at a point in time delayed from the expected time. therefore, the observed difference between the mass-to-charge ratio of the ion passing through the first-stage quadrupole 13 and that of the ion passing through the second-stage quadrupole 17 will actually be a decreased value. this problem can be solved by widening the mass-to-charge difference from δm to δm+m, where the added value m corresponds to the amount by which the mass-to-charge ratio difference is decreased from the expected value. for example, the manufacturer of the present device determines an appropriate additional value m under various dissociating conditions and stores the obtained values as correction data in the mass-scan correction data memory 28. when a neutral loss scan measurement is performed on the user's side, the controller 24 determines the mass-to-charge ratio difference δm according to the mass-to-charge ratio of the neutral loss specified through the input unit 27, and retrieves, from the mass-scan correction data memory 28, the additional value m corresponding to the dissociating condition at that point in time. then, the controller 24 determines a mass-scan pattern for the first-stage and third-stage quadrupoles 13 and 17 as shown in fig. 5 , and controls the q1 power source 21 and the q3 power source 23 according to that pattern. as a result, a product ion from which the specified neutral loss has been desorbed can be detected with high sensitivity in the neutral loss scan measurement. furthermore, a mass spectrum having an accurate mass axis can be created in the data processor 25. it should be noted that any of the previous embodiments is a mere example of the present invention, and any change, addition or modification appropriately made within the scope of claims of the present application.
|
180-529-866-242-404
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
B65D83/08,B65H26/00,G01B3/00,G01B5/04
| 1999-03-25T00:00:00 |
1999
|
[
"B65",
"G01"
] |
roll volume indicator
|
a rolled web in combination with a dispenser having gauge indicia, the rolled web having roll volume indicia to aid a consumer in determining the relative amount of the product remaining on the roll. the web having indicia in a diagonal pattern along its length such that the lateral position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia on the dispenser indicates the relative portion of web remaining on the roll. also disclosed is a method of indicating the relative portion of web remaining on a rolled web product where the method includes the steps of applying indicia to the web in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web, winding the web into a roll, and inserting the roll into a dispenser having gauge indicia wherein the position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia indicates the relative portion of web remaining on the roll.
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1. a rolled web in combination with a dispenser having gauge indicia, the rolled web comprising a length of web having at least one surface and roll volume indicia applied to the surface in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web wherein the lateral position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia on the dispenser indicates the relative portion of rolled web remaining. 2. the rolled web and dispenser of claim 1 wherein the roll volume indicia further comprises a continuous pattern. 3. the rolled web and dispenser of claim 1 wherein the roll volume indicia further comprises an intermittent pattern. 4. the rolled web and dispenser and indicia of claim 1 wherein the roll volume indicia further comprises embossing on the web. 5. the rolled web and dispenser and indicia of claim 1 wherein the roll volume indicia further comprises at least one laser marking on the web. 6. the rolled web and dispenser of claim 1 wherein the roll volume indicia further comprises printing on the web. 7. a rolled web product comprising in combination a roll dispenser having an opening and a length of web wound into a roll, the web having roll indicia in a diagonal pattern along its length, the dispenser having gauge indicia on a surface adjacent the opening, whereby the relative length of web remaining on the roll is indicated by the position of the roll indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia on the dispenser. 8. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the roll indicia further comprises a continuous pattern. 9. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the roll indicia further comprises an intermittent pattern. 10. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the roll indicia further comprises embossing on the web. 11. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the roll indicia further comprises at least one laser marking on the web. 12. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the roll indicia further comprises printing on the web. 13. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the dispenser comprises a container having a lid. 14. the rolled web product of claim 13 wherein the lid comprises a trunk lid. 15. the rolled web product of claim 13 wherein the adjacent surface is a surface on the lid. 16. the rolled web product of claim 13 wherein the opening is in a surface of the lid. 17. the rolled web product of claim 13 wherein the lid has a closed position and the dispenser further comprises an opening through which the roll having roll indicia may be viewed while the dispenser lid is in the closed position. 18. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the dispenser has a front wall and the adjacent surface is a surface on the front wall. 19. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the dispenser is made at least in part of cardboard. 20. the rolled web product of claim 19 wherein the dispenser further comprises a serrated blade. 21. the rolled web product of claim 7 wherein the dispenser is made at least in part of plastic. 22. the rolled web product of claim 21 wherein the plastic dispenser further comprises an integral serrated blade. 23. the rolled web product of claim 21 wherein the plastic dispenser further comprises an integral trunk lid. 24. a method of indicating the relative length of web remaining on a rolled web product, the method comprising the steps of: (a) applying indicia to the web in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web; (b) winding the web into a roll; (c) inserting the roll into a dispenser having gauge indicia wherein the position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia indicates the relative length of web remaining on the roll. 25. the method of claim 24, wherein the indicia on the web is applied in a continuous pattern along the length of web. 26. the method of claim 24, wherein the indicia is on the web is applied in an intermittent pattern along the length of web. 27. the method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of advancing the web along an embossing path, engaging the web with an embosser, and moving the embosser laterally relative to the web as the web advances. 28. the method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of advancing the web along a laser marking path, energizing a laser, applying laser markings to the web, and moving the laser laterally relative to the web as the web advances. 29. the method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of advancing the web along a print path, engaging a printer, applying print markings to the web, and moving the printer laterally relative to the web as the web advances.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention generally relates to web products wound on rolls and more particularly to methods of indicating the relative volume of web remaining on consumer rolled web products. the consumer rolled web products of the present invention include indicia on the web arranged in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web and may include a dispensing container having corresponding gauge indicia whereby the position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia on the dispenser provides an indication of the amount of the web remaining on the roll. 2. discussion of the prior art manufacturers have developed several indicating means for use with wound web products, but they are most often suited to commercial applications or intended for use by maintenance personnel on a frequent and routine basis. some methods involve treating finished rolls to create a series of markings that would be machine readable or visible along one edge of the web and whose relative spacing apart would change as the roll is unwound. many of these methods tend to require additional handling and processing of previously wound rolls to create the markings. others may involve placing something, such as a marking strip or insert at some point within the roll to indicate that the roll is nearing depletion. some commercial products may attach markings to the web that are intended to indicate when a continuous reusable product must be serviced. moreover, the indicia used on commercial rolled web products often is applied in an invasive or destructive manner, and in a format that would not be conveniently interpreted by a common consumer using the product on an infrequent basis. in contrast to web products intended for commercial use, for regular monitoring by an attendant, or for reuse in a commercial setting, web products also are commonly provided in roll form for a variety of consumer uses. consumers are readily familiar with many rolled web products such as various types of foil, plastic film, paper and coated paper. such web products may be supplied in single or multi-ply sheet configuration, or in alternative forms such as bags or the like. these consumer rolled web products may be coreless, or wound on a hollow or solid core. the consumer products may be used with food or other perishable items, and are less likely to be used on a frequent and routine basis. consumer rolled products are typically dispensed from a container, which may be provided with a serrated cutting edge. alternatively, perforations may be provided laterally across the web. in either form, consumer rolled products are understood to permit a user to dispense and separate for use as much of the web as needed and available at any given time. they are also understood to be consumable, in the sense that the used portion of the web is not intended to be returned to a roll for repeated use. in light of shortcomings of roll volume indicators in prior art wound web products, it is desirable to have indicia that is relatively simple to apply to a web while being readily understood by a common consumer. it is desirable that such indicia be provided for convenient viewing along the lateral span of the wound web product. it also is advantageous to have the dispensing container embody corresponding gauge indicia to help the consumer interpret the significance of the position of the relative lateral position of the indicia on the web. it further is desirable to have the indicia applied in a manner that permits viewing from either side of the web as it is unwound. it also is advantageous to have the indicia applied to the web in a noninvasive manner. the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, while providing above-mentioned desirable features for roll volume indication on consumer rolled web products. summary of the invention the purpose and advantages of the invention will be set forth in and apparent from the description and drawings that follow, as well as will be learned by practice of the invention disclosed and claimed herein. the present invention is generally embodied in a rolled web having roll volume indicia to aid a consumer in determining the relative amount of the product remaining on the roll. the rolled web comprises a length of web having at least one surface and the indicia applied to the surface in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web whereby when unwinding the web from the roll, the lateral position of the indicia on the web indicates the relative portion of web remaining on the roll. in a further aspect of the invention, a method of applying roll volume indicia to a web is provided comprising the steps of providing a length of web to be marked with the indicia, applying indicia to the web in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web, and forming a roll of web from the marked length of web. in another aspect of the invention, a rolled web product has in combination a roll dispenser having an opening and a length of web wound into a roll. the web has roll indicia in a diagonal pattern along its length while the dispenser has gauge indicia on a surface adjacent the opening. the relative length of web remaining on the roll is indicated by the position of the roll indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia on the dispenser. in yet another aspect of the invention, a method of indicating the relative length of web remaining on a rolled web product is provided comprising the steps of applying indicia to the web in a diagonal pattern along the length of the web, winding the web into a roll, and inserting the roll into a dispenser having gauge indicia wherein the position of the indicia on the web relative to the gauge indicia indicates the relative length of web remaining on the roll. brief description of the drawings in describing the preferred embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein like parts have like reference numerals, and wherein: fig. 1 is a perspective view of a transparent rolled web product having continuous embossed roll indicia, in a dispenser bearing gauge indicia. fig. 2 is a perspective view of a transparent rolled web product having intermittent embossed roll indicia, in a dispenser having alternative gauge indicia. fig. 3 is a perspective view of an opaque rolled web product having printed roll indicia, in a dispenser bearing alternative gauge indicia. fig. 4 is a perspective view of an opaque rolled web product having printed roll indicia, in a dispenser having a viewing window and alternative gauge indicia. fig. 5 is a perspective schematic view of a method of applying indicia to a web during the process of forming a consumer roll. fig. 6 is a perspective schematic view of a method of applying indicia to a web by embossing the web during the process of forming a consumer roll. detailed description of the preferred embodiments referring now to fig. 1, the present invention is generally embodied in a rolled web product 10 that includes a rolled web 12 and a dispenser 14. the rolled web 12 may be formed of any of a variety of metal foil, plastic film, paper, coated paper, woven and non-woven web materials. the web also may be of single or multi-ply sheet configuration, or may be constructed for other purposes, such as in the form of bags or the like. as commonly understood and not shown, the web 12 may be wound on itself without a core, or may be wound on a hollow core such as a tube of plastic or cardboard (understood to be constructed of corrugated, chipboard, pressed fiber or the like), or on a solid core such as a plastic, cardboard or wooden mandrel. the dispenser 14 also may be of a variety of constructions. as an example of a dispenser construction, fig. 1 shows a cardboard box 16 with a metal serrated edge 18 affixed to the lower edge of a trunk lid 20. in an alternative embodiment, the web 112 in fig. 2 is a series of bags which contains lines of perforations 122 to permit tearing without need for a serrated edge on dispenser 114. fig. 2 shows a fully separable lid 120. in a further example, fig. 3 shows an alternative dispenser 214, constructed of a molded plastic box 216 which may be reusable and which has an integral serrated edge 218 formed at the lower edge of the trunk lid 220. fig. 4 shows a dispenser 314 of similar construction to that shown in fig. 1, but having a window 324 in the lid 320 to permit the user to quickly and conveniently view the rolled web without lifting the lid, and a metal serrated edge 318 at the bottom of a front panel 330. it will be appreciated that dispensers also may be provided with different lid configurations, such as those shown or others known in the art. similarly, if the dispenser is provided with a serrated edge, it may be located along a container edge other than as shown on the lid or at the bottom of the front wall of the container. also as known in the art, the dispenser may include an inserted panel with a serrated bar attached to one side (not shown). in addition, the viewing window of fig. 4 could be simply an opening in the dispenser or could include a transparent film or the like as is known in the industry for packaging of dry goods. the window could be located on any of the lateral surfaces of the dispenser to provide a view of the roll contained therein. the rolled webs of all of the embodiments have a top and bottom outer surface and are conventionally produced by winding the web product into a roll. as an example of such a process, fig. 6 shows a converting process that converts large industrial roll stock of web into a multitude of consumer-sized finished rolled webs. in the present invention, as seen in the example of fig. 6, roll indicia 26 is applied to the web during the web winding process. one skilled in the art will appreciate the advantage of applying the indicia during the normal winding process of the various types of webs and that the indicia may be applied in many ways to provide a diagonal pattern visible on at least one of the outer surfaces of the web. it will also be appreciated that reference herein to applying indicia to or on a web may include processes which do not include depositing foreign matter on the web, such as in embossing where no other material is added or attached to the web. among the variety of ways of applying roll indicia, the embodiments illustrated in figs. 1, 2 and 6 provide examples of indicia applied by embossing. fig. 1 shows a roll where the embossment 26 is applied as a continuous diagonal line along the entire length of a transparent rolled web 12. the line begins in one corner at a first end of the web and translates laterally across the web as the web advances to end in the opposite corner at the second end of the web. the embossment will appear to move laterally across the web 12 as the web is dispensed. fig. 2 shows a transparent rolled web 112 of bags with embossed indicia 126, however, the embossed indicia is applied in an intermittent pattern. various embossing methods, such as pinwheel, scribe and rotary may be used, and the embossing tool may range from blunt to sharp, with the understanding that it would not typically be desirable to perforate the web during embossing. alternatively, it will be appreciated that laser markings or etchings may be applied to webs using known techniques. one skilled in the art will appreciate that many methods of embossing or laser marking may be used and that, depending on the web material involved, some methods may be more appropriate than others. regardless of which method is used, embossing or laser marking the web are the preferred methods of applying roll indicia 26 because of their numerous advantages. for instance, they can be done in-line with the roll winding process, eliminating the need for additional handling and processing to mark finished rolls. embossing and laser marking are essentially nondestructive and noninvasive to the material of the web when considering the use for which the webs are intended. roll indicia applied by these methods avoids potential sanitary problems encountered with applying foreign matter to the rolled web product. whether continuous or intermittent, the indicia may embody a fanciful design, such as an identifier associated with the name brand of the product. moreover, depending on the web product and method used, an embossment or laser marking may be visible on both of the outer surfaces of the web. for at least the above-mentioned reasons, embossing or laser marking are the preferred methods of applying indicia to rolled webs. however, manufacturers may choose to apply roll indicia using various printing methods, such as applying an ink by spray or wet roller applicator. depending on the material of the web and its intended use, printing the indicia may achieve many of the same benefits. fig. 3 shows an example of an opaque rolled web 212 where the indicia is applied as a solid printed line 226 to one of the two outer surfaces of the web. as a further example, fig. 4 shows an opaque web 312 where fanciful indicia is applied intermittently in a pattern that also stretches diagonally across the web. one skilled in the art will appreciate that if the web will be in contact with food or perishable items and ink is chosen as the indicia, then the ink chosen should be food-grade acceptable. as seen in fig. 1, the dispenser 14 may bear gauge indicia 28 applied by one of many conventional means, such as by direct printing or by printed label. with the transparent web of fig. 1, the gauge indicia 28 may be applied in several locations on dispenser 14, one example of which is to the lower front portion of box 16. as an alternative, the transparent web of bags in fig. 2 is shown with gauge indicia 128 on the upper front portion of box 116, so as to be hidden by the trunk lid 120 when the box 116 is closed. with opaque or transparent webs, gauge indicia 228 also can be applied to many different locations of a plastic dispenser, most conveniently to the front of a lid as is shown in fig. 3. the gauge indicia 228 may be integrally formed into the dispenser, or may be applied such as by direct printing or printed label. also, in the embodiment of fig. 4, regardless of web transparency, the gauge indicia 328 may be applied in several locations typically adjacent the window 324, such as shown on lid 320 to permit immediate and convenient correspondence with the roll indicia 326. it will be appreciate that the gauge indicia may reflect the portion of the rolled web remaining in various ways. the preferred embodiments show several examples, such as the fraction of the roll seen in fig. 1, the quantity of pieces or bags seen in fig. 2, the percentage of the roll seen in fig. 3, or the length of the roll remaining seen in fig. 4. absent gauge indicia on the dispenser, the position of the roll indicia 26 on the rolled web 12 relative to the length of the dispenser 14 may be used to provide a rough estimate of the relative portion of the web remaining on the roll. now turning to fig. 5, a schematic of a roll indicia applicator is shown. the applicator 50 is arranged to be used in-line, to apply indicia 26 to the web 52 as the web passes by the applicator. the applicator 50 may be arranged to be above or below the web 52 and, as is shown in fig. 6, may include componentry both above and below the web. in any event, the applicator 50 will have a working head 54 adapted to utilize one or more of the accepted methods of marking the web with indicia, such as embossing, laser marking or printing. the working head 54 is controlled to cycle, laterally traversing the web 52 along axis a as the web advances, so as to apply the indicia 26 in a diagonal pattern to the web 52 which is formed into rolls. an example of a roll indicia applicator 50 which features a method of embossing is shown in the schematic diagram of fig. 6. in this example, the applicator 50 is arranged to be used in-line, to apply indicia 26 to the web 52 during the process of converting from the large industrial roll stock 56 to the finished roll 58. as shown, the applicator 50 may utilize an overhead tool bar 60 with an actuator 62, such as of the servo controlled ball and screw type, to move a working head 54 transversely with respect to the web 52. in this example, the working head 54 includes an air cylinder 64 to control the vertical position of a marking tool 66. the air cylinder 64 can be arranged for selective pressure control with respect to the type of web material being embossed. the air cylinder 64 also may be retracted, to permit the working head 54 to position the marking tool 66 at any position across the web 52, such as adjacent one edge. the marking tool 66 comprises a roller that may be separately driven, or may be simply a free-wheeling roller driven by the movement of the web 52, as shown in fig. 6. the marking tool 66 is positioned directly above the web 52 and preferably as close to the finished roll 58 as possible. an applicator idler roller 68 is positioned opposite the marking tool 66 to support the web and may similarly be driven by the movement of the web 52 passing over it or may be mechanically driven at an appropriate surface speed. the air cylinder 64 may be extended to force the marking tool 66 to engage the web 52 to begin embossing. once embossing of a length of web for a given roll is completed, the air cylinder 64 may be retracted to disengage the roller from the web. the marking tool 66 may then be moved transversely to return to an initial position relative to an edge of the web 52 for processing the next length of web. the air cylinder 64 may then be extended to repeat the cycle for embossing the next length of web 52. with other forms of roll indicia applicators, such as those which may use laser marking, it may be possible to position the working head at a single height, spaced appropriately from the surface of the web, engaging a marking tool to apply the indicia as the working head traverses the moving web and then disengaging the marking tool while the working head returns to its original position for the next length of web. fig. 6 provides a schematic diagram of but one example of the many structures and methods available to apply indicia to a rolled web consistent with the present invention. fig. 6 does not include depictions of additional mechanical details, such as the web separation means that would be employed between the indicia applicator 50 and the finished roll 58, or the fixturing, drive means, hoses, electrical wiring or other specific components, as such arrangements and details are believed to be readily developed for the particular user's purposes by those skilled in the art. it should be understood that any of a variety of suitable materials of construction and dimensions for the indicia applicator may be used to satisfy the particular needs and requirements of the end user. one skilled in the art will appreciate the many ways of utilizing embossing, laser or printing technologies to apply a continuous or intermittent diagonal pattern of indicia to a length of web. although the positions of the beginning and end of the diagonal pattern of indicia may vary, it is preferred to have the indicia run the entirety of each web length to be formed into a roll and to have it run from adjacent one side edge of the web to adjacent the other side edge of the web. it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the design and construction of the web, roll volume indicia, dispenser, gauge indicia, roll volume indicia applicator, and method of applying the indicia without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein.
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180-935-386-503-445
|
NL
|
[
"EP",
"NL",
"PL"
] |
E02D27/52,E02D27/42
| 2016-04-13T00:00:00 |
2016
|
[
"E02"
] |
suction pile pump device
|
assembly of a suction pile and a pump system temporary connected by convenient means to the suction space of the suction pile. means (22, 23) are present to move the pump system interface (9) towards and away from the suction pile interface (5) while the pump system (1) is operatively attached to the suction pile, such that in a first position the interfaces (5, 9) are fluidly connected and moved towards each other, ready for the pump system creating a fluid flow to or from the inside of the suction pile through the mutually connected interfaces (5, 9) and in a second position the interfaces are mutually spaced, mutually keeping a gap such that fluid flow exiting the suction pile through its interface (5) is not restricted to enter the pump system interface (9).
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assembly of a suction pile and a pump system temporary connected by convenient means to the suction space of the suction pile, preferably wherein the pump system bears onto the top of the upward extending suction pile. assembly according to claim 1, having means (22, 23) to move the pump system interface (9) towards and away from the suction pile interface (5) while the pump system (1) is operatively attached to the suction pile, such that in a first position the interfaces (5, 9) are fluidly connected and moved towards each other, ready for the pump system creating a fluid flow to or from the inside of the suction pile through the mutually connected interfaces (5, 9) and in a second position the interfaces are mutually spaced, preferably at least 10 or 20 millimeter, mutually keeping a gap such that fluid flow exiting the suction pile through its interface (5) is not restricted to enter the pump system interface (9). assembly according to claim 1 or 2, said lifting means (22, 23) are designed to move the complete pump system (1) by acting on the protective frame (24) and are designed such that if the pump system is attached to the suction pile and is lifted by a hoisting means attached (28) to the protective frame, the suction pile suspends from the lifting means (22, 23). assembly according to any of claims 1-3, having means (15, 16, 17) for rigid coupling of the pump system to the top bulkhead while the design is such that while the coupling means (15, 16, 17) are engaged simultaneously it is allowed that the suction pile interface and the pump system interface are selectively mutually spaced or mutually connected, preferably in that the coupling means are attached to movement means (22) for relative movement of the interfaces (5, 9). assembly according to any of claims 1-4, wherein a from the pump system separate connector means or frame (23) is provided with an element (16) of the pump system coupling system and is attached to the pump system, e.g. protective frame (24) by at least one movement means (22) and the element (16) of the pump system coupling system is in releasable engagement with an element (15) of the suction pile coupling system. assembly according to claim 5, the connector means (23) is pivoted to the pump system (1) such that the movement means (22) provide a tilting movement of the pump system interface (9). assembly according to any of claims 1-6, between suction pile and pump system a quick connector is operative comprising a pin (17) operated by actuator means (18) of the pump system to move between a releasing retracted and locking extended position. assembly according to any of claims 1-7, the pump system comprising a measurement probe designed for measurement through the top bulkhead tube stud (5). assembly according to any of claims 1-8, the pump system comprising a docking cone designed to penetrate the suction pile interface (5) and it projects downwards and below the pump system and is co axial with pump system interface (9). assembly according to any of claims 1-9, the pump system comprises two, 3way valves for changing or reversing the water flow direction inside a tube connected to a pump from suction to pressing without reversing the pump operation or its drive system. assembly according to any of claims 1-10, the pump system comprises a means, e.g. handle, for manual operation by a diver or for mechanical operation by an actuator, e.g. robot arm, of an underwater vehicle (e.g. rov), designed to act on a latching member (17), e.g. pin, by displacing the actuator (18) of the latching member such that the latching member (17) is retracted to the release position. assembly according to any of claims 1-11, the pump system comprises a vent valve arrangement being part of the pump system interface (9) and the pump piping to communicate the suction or pressure from the pump to the suction pile through the interface (5, 9) connects to the pump system interface (9) at a level below the vent valve arrangement and at a distance above the pump system interface (9) a protective plate like element, oriented perpendicular to the interface (9) longitudinal axis, is located to sideways divert the upstream flow from the interface (9) and protect pump system parts above it. assembly according to any of claims 1-12, the pump system comprises two pumps (3) located side by side at the same level and the pumps (3) are located at the one side, the pump drives at the opposite side of the pump system interface (9), seen in top view and the pumps (3) and their drives are located at a level above the level of the pump system interface (9). assembly according to any of claims 1-13, the pump system comprises piping (26) connecting the pump (3) to the pump system interface (9), the piping (26) comprising a manifold having four pipes connected to it, one from each two pumps, one from the riser pipe and one from the into the surrounding water terminating pipe and the manifold comprises one or two curved pipes merging into a common pipe. assembly according to any of claims 1-14, the pump system comprises piping (26) comprising two manifolds which are symmetric in top view and a valve is present at a level between the manifolds.
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the invention relates to a pump device for creating a suction pressure or over pressure inside a partly in the seafloor penetrated suction pile to further penetrate or press out, respectively, the suction pile. suction piles and their way of installing are a.o. known from gb-b-2300661 and ep-b-0011894 , which disclosures are enclosed in here by reference. briefly, a suction pile is a thin walled steel sleeve or pipe or cylinder, which cylinder is closed at its longitudinal top end by a bulkhead or different sealing means and which cylinder is sealingly located on the subsea bottom with the open end opposite the bulkhead since this open end penetrates the subsea bottom due to the weight of the suction pile. thus the cavity, also called suction space, delimited by the cylinder and the bulkhead is sealed by the subsea floor such that vacuum or suction can be generated by removing water from within the suction space such that a resulting force tends to force the suction pile deeper into the subsea floor. the creation of the suction can be with the aid of the pump device connected to the suction space. the applied level of the suction can be e.g. at least substantially constant, smoothly increase or decrease or else pulsate, for which there are convenient means. after use, the suction pile can easily be removed by creating an overpressure within the suction space, e.g. by pumping in (sea) water. the use of suction piles is widespread. by way of example, a self installing marine structure, e.g. platform having a suction piles foundation is known from e.g. wo99/51821 (sip1) or ep-a-1 101 872 (sip2). wo 02/088.475 (sip3) discloses a tower carrying a wind turbine at the top and suction piles as foundation. preferably a suction pile has one or more of: a diameter of at least 5 metres; a height of at least 5 metres; a wall thickness of at least 1 centimetre; the longitudinal axis of the suction pile and the relevant supporting leg (of the upper structure to be supported by the suction pile) are substantially in line or eccentric. the object of the invention is versatile. in an aspect installation and/or removal (decommissioning) of the suction pile penetrating the seafloor is facilitated. in an aspect simple design of the suction pile, in particular its top bulkhead is facilitated; in an aspect storage and/or transport of one or more pump systems is facilitated; in an aspect ease of handling is facilitated. one or more of these and other aspects can be combined. the object is obtained by a pump system designed to be temporary connected to the internal space (also called suction space) of the suction pile to generate an over pressure or under pressure within the suction space, preferably wherein the pressure difference generated relative to the surrounding water pressure (e.g. approximately 10 bar at 100 meter water depth or 100 bar at 1000 meter water depth) is at least 0.5 or 1 or 2 or 3 or 5 bar. preferably the pump system is designed to generate within the suction space an over or under pressure between 5 and 10 bar. it will be appreciated that for the under pressure (i.e. the suction), lowering of the pressure within the suction space is limited by the vacuum level (0 bar) such that at a pressure of e.g. 3 bar of the surrounding water (at a water depth of approximately 20 meter), a pump system rated for 5 bar pressure difference shall be unable to lower the pressure for more then 3 bar within the suction space (in practise the maximum attainable under pressure level will be a fraction of 1 bar above vacuum, e.g. 0.1 or 0.05 bar). one or more of the following preferably applies to the pump system: designed to stably bear onto the suction pile top bulkhead, e.g. by comprising at least three mutually spaced supporting feet; a space frame of beams as an external protecting shell, e.g. of rectangular and/or elongate shape; at least one or two pumps, e.g. of centrifugal type; at least two pumps of different or identical type; a pump of high flow low pressure type, e.g. centrifugal pump; a pump of low flow high pressure type, e.g. membrane pump or piston pump or positive displacement pump; a means, e.g. from the lower side of the pump system downward projecting tube stud, providing the pump system interface to connect the pump to the suction space, which means preferably is provided with a seat, e.g. a flange, at its end remote from the pump system, against which the corresponding interface means at the suction pile, e.g. upward directed pipe stud, becomes seated, e.g. a corresponding seat, e.g. a flange; the pump system interface provided with a member for releasable locking engagement with the corresponding member at the suction pile interface; a quick connector to top bulkhead tube stud (a means providing the suction pile interface to connect the pump to the suction space) with preferably padlock eye system and/or spring loaded seated connection; measurement probe, e.g. echo sounder probe, designed for measurement through top bulkhead tube stud; docking cone designed to penetrate top bulkhead tube stud to align pump system for sufficient sealing; piping provided with one or more, e.g. two, 3way valves for changing the water flow direction provided by a pump, e.g. centrifugal pump, from suction to pressing without the need to reverse the pump; pin override system on latching pins; valve arrangement for reversing pump flow; vent valve arrangement in pump system (e.g. straight above interface); compact pump system size dimensions for loading four identical pump systems into one standard sea freight container, e.g. of teu (20ft) type (shipping container of twenty foot equivalent unit, length twenty foot (6.1 meter), 8 feet (2.44 meter) wide, 9 foot 6 inch (2.90 meter) or 8 foot 6 inch (2.59 meter) or 4 foot 3 inch (1.30 meter) or a different height; convenient position of its centre of gravity, preferably approximately in the centre of the pump system, e.g. both lengthwise, widthwise and heightwise. to the lift system to enlarge the venting capacity, preferably one or more of the following applies: means to, preferably axially, move or lift the pump system interface towards and away from the suction pile interface while the pump system is attached to the suction pile, such that in a first postion the interfaces are fluidly connected and moved towards each other and in a second position the interfaces are mutually spaced, preferably axially, preferably at least 10 or 20 millimeter, mutually keeping a gap such that fluid flow exiting the suction pile through its interface is not restricted to enter the pump system interface; said lifting means are designed to lift or move the complete pump system, e.g. by acting on the protective frame; said lifting means are designed such that if the pump system is attached to the suction pile and is lifted by a hoisting means attached to the protective frame, the suction pile suspends from the lifting means; means for rigid coupling of the pump system to the top bulkhead while simultaneously it is allowed that the suction pile interface and the pump system interface selectively mutually spaced or mutually connected; a from the pump system separate connector means or frame is provided with an element of the pump system coupling system and is attached to the pump system, e.g. protective frame by at least one movement means, preferably linear actuator, e.g. hydraulic jack, preferably regularly spaced around the pump system interface; the element of the pump system coupling system is adapted for, preferably releasable, engagement with an element of the suction pile coupling system; while the elements of the pump system coupling system and the suction pile coupling system are mutually engaged, the distance between the pump system and the suction pile can be adapted by operating the linear actuator to extend or retract; this mutual movement of the pump system interface and the suction pile interface is a linear or a tilting movement, in which latter case the connector means is preferably pivoted to the pump system. in this manner de flow through area is e.g. enlarged from 20 inch to 28 inch diameter. to the quick connector to the top bulkhead tube stud, preferably one or more of the following applies: with means for releasable locking to the suction pile interface; with preferably a hole and/or pin, the pin preferably operated by actuator means of the pump system to move between a releasing retracted and locking extended position, preferably by lengthwise movement and/or movement perpendicular to the interface longitudinal axis; a padlock eye system; a spring loaded seated connection, e.g. a longitudinally resilient tube stud, preferably providing the tube free end (viz. e.g. fig. 13 ). the padlock eye system preferably comprises (viz. e.g. fig. 14-16 ) one or two spaced parallel plates each having a mutually registered hole, the plates preferably projecting from the pump system interface and the coupling with the suction pile is made by locating a hole in a plate of the suction pile interface in register with the pump system interface and inserting a tightly fitting pin into these two or three holes. the plates preferably extend parallel to the interface longitudinal axis. to the measurement probe preferably one or more of the following applies: echo sounder probe; designed for measurement through the top bulkhead tube stud; provided within the pump system interface, e.g. within the tube stud or the docking cone; provided in such a manner that it sends and/or receives its measurement waves, e.g. acoustic or electromagnetic, through the tube stud or docking cone; of acoustic and/or electromagnetic type. to the docking cone preferably one or more of the following applies: designed to penetrate the suction pile interface, e.g. top bulkhead tube stud to align the pump system, or part of it, for sufficient sealing coupling of both interfaces; projects downwards and/or below the pump system; is provided by a spatial arrangement of plate like members to provide maximum flow through passage, e.g. at right angle crossing plates oriented parallel to and the cross axis co axial with the interface longitudinal axis (viz. e.g. fig. 8 ); co axial with pump system interface. to the piping with 3 way valves (viz. fig. 12 ), preferably one or more of the following applies: provided with one or more, e.g. two, 3way valves; provided with valves for changing or reversing the water flow direction inside a tube connected to a pump from suction to pressing without reversing the pump operation or its drive system; the tube connected to the inlet and outlet of the relevant pump, preferably through separated connections at the tube; one or both of the inlet and outlet of the pump are connected to the common tube and possibly the environment via valves, e.g. a 3way valve, preferably each inlet and outlet its own 3way valve or valve set; a 3way valve or valve set provides selective connection and sealing, respectively, between the pump inlet or outlet, on the one hand, and the environment and common tube, on the other hand; the pump is, through piping and valves, connected with its inlet and outlet to the common tube and the environment such that by merely switching the valves, selectively the outlet is connected to the environment and sealed from the common tube and simultaneously the inlet is connected to the common tube and sealed from the environment (suction), or vice versa (pressing); the pipe connected to the outlet and the common tube is separate from the pipe connected to the inlet and the common tube; a 3way valve could be replaced by a valve set, e.g. two 2way valves, one of which is located in a branch and these are simultaneously operated to selectively seal the branch and open the mains, or vice versa, in which case the branch terminates in the environment and the mains into the common tube. to the pin override system (viz. fig. 17-18 ) preferably one or more of the following applies: comprises a means, e.g. handle, for manual operation by a diver or for mechanical operation by an actuator, e.g. robot arm, of an underwater vehicle (e.g. rov), preferably the handle is designed to provide the system a rotating action from an external source; designed to simultaneously act on two spaced latching members, e.g. pins, e.g. by operating a single means, e.g. handle; designed to be operated from two sides, preferably opposite sides, of the pump system, e.g. a handle at both sides, preferably the operation means mounted on a common axis; designed to move, e.g. displace, the actuator, preferably of linear type, e.g. a jack, preferably of hydraulic type, of the latching member or members, e.g. pins, preferably such that the member is retracted to the release position, e.g. to be away from the associated holes or eyes or different feature, e.g. edge, for locking together the interfaces of the pump system and the suction pile, such movement of the jack preferably while the jack is inoperative, e.g. due to malfunctioning; a transmission, e.g. crank type connection, to convert a rotating movement into a linear movement; a transmission between two mutually angled, e.g. perpendicular, rotating axes; at least two latching members, preferably each having an own actuator, e.g. jack; a common drive means, e.g. rotating axis, drivingly connected to two driven means, e.g. rotating axes, each associated with an own latching member. to the vent valve arrangement (viz. fig. 7 ) preferably one or more of the following applies: part of or on top of or above, preferably straight above and/or co axial with, the pump system interface; the pump piping to communicate the suction or pressure from the pump to the suction pile through the interface connects to the pump system interface at a level below the vent valve arrangement and/or to the side of the pump system interface; the pump piping connects to the pump system interface at an angle to the pump system interface longitudinal axis, preferably between 70 and 110 or between 80 and 100 degrees, such as 90 degreed; the pump piping has, e.g. its end connecting to the interface, a flow through area substantially smaller, e.g. at least 25% or 50% (e.g. 6 inch piping diameter compared to 20 inch interface diameter) compared to that of the interface; the interface extends upward, e.g. parallel to the suction pile longitudinal axis; releasably seals the pump system interface to the surrounding water; the pump piping connects to the pump system interface remote from, e.g. above, the interface part (the flange feature) designed to sealingly engage the corresponding part of the suction pump interface, e.g. the flange; the pump piping connects to the pump system interface at a location between the vent valve arrangement and the flange feature; at a distance above the pump system interface a protective plate like element, oriented preferably perpendicular to the interface longitudinal axis, is located to sideways divert the upstream flow from the interface and protect pump system parts above it. to the pump size dimensions (viz. fig. 9-11 ) preferably one or more of the following applies: external dimensions such that four identical pump systems can be stored into one standard sea freight container, e.g. of teu (20ft) type, preferably such that two pump systems are located side by side, longitudinally parallel, as a pair and two such pairs are located in mutual extension such that a package is obtained with twice the width, twice the length and the same height of a single pump system (or in the alternative two pump systems are mutually stacked and two such stacks are located side by side such that a package is obtained with twice the width, twice the height and the same length of a single pump system), which package fits lengthwise into a standard sea freight container; two pumps are located side by side at the same level; the pumps are located at the one side, the pump drives at the opposite side of the pump system interface, seen in top view; the pumps and their drives are located at a level above the level of the pump system interface; a compact piping, preferably containing at least one or two manifolds, to connect the one or two pumps to the interface and the surrounding water; piping and valving to apply suction or pressing to the interface without reversing the pump; two manifolds above each other relative to the interface longitudinal axis; a manifold associated with the pump inlet; a manifold associated with the pump outlet; a riser pipe connected to two manifolds, preferably spaced along its length; the riser pipe connects to the pump system interface, preferably at its lower end; piping at the one and opposite side of the riser pipe, seen in top view, connecting to the inlet or outlet of a relevant pump, preferably said piping connecting to a manifold; a or each manifold connecting to a pipe terminating into the surrounding water as water intake or outlet to the pump system; valving to selectively open and close a relevant pipe, e.g. to control fluid flow between a manifold and one or more of the riser pipe, a pipe terminating in the surrounding water or a pipe connecting to the pump inlet and/or outlet; a valve of open/close type or a rate control valve, the rate control valve preferably associated with the into the surrounding water terminating pipe; one or two or each manifold having four pipes connected to it, preferably one from each two pumps, one from the riser pipe and one from the into the surrounding water terminating pipe; a manifold, preferably the one associated with the pump outlet, comprises one or two curved pipes, preferably merging into a common pipe of preferably larger, e.g. at least 25%, flow through area, e.g. 4 inch diameter curved pipes merge into a 6 inch diameter common pipe; a manifold connects to a terminal of the riser pipe, e.g. the riser pipe terminates as a t-shaped pipe connecting to pipes from the pumps, preferably outlet, on the one hand and to the pipe terminating in the surrounding water, on the other hand; a manifold is symmetric, e.g. in top view; a valve is present at a level between the manifolds; a valve is present in the riser pipe at a location between the connection of the pump inlet and outlet; the piping connecting to the pump inlet and/or outlet increases in flow through area, preferably at least 20% at a location along its length between the pump inlet or outlet, respectively, and a piping branch or merger, e.g. from 3 or 4 inch diameter at the pump outlet or inlet to 4 or 6 inch diameter, respectively; a manifold, preferably associated with the pump inlet, comprises at least one or two t-pieces, e.g. mutually connected, preferably a t-piece connects to a pump inlet or outlet and to a termination into the surrounding water and/or a t-piece connects to the riser pipe and to a pump inlet or outlet; the piping and valving is designed such that two pumps are connected to a common inlet manifold, having an inlet termination into the surrounding water, and a common outlet manifold, having an outlet termination into the surrounding water, both manifolds are connected to a common riser pipe at spaced locations along its length, between which the riser pipe has a valve, the pumps selectively suck water from the riser pipe, having its valve closed, or the inlet termination, with the riser pipe valve opened, through the inlet manifold and supply it to the outlet termination or the riser pipe, respectively, through the outlet manifold; the piping comprises two sets of two valves each (preferably the sets have not a valve in common), wherein the valves of the one set is opened at the time the valves of the other set are closed, or vice versa, preferably each valve set has of both manifolds a valve, preferably a valve associated with the riser pipe of the one manifold and a valve associated with the inlet or outlet termination of the other manifold; a pump is associated with a valve to selectively seal it from the piping, e.g. in case the pump is made inoperative. the pump system interface and the suction pile interface have, in the operational position during suction or pressing, a longitudinal axis parallel to the one of the suction pile. the top bulkhead of the suction pile is provided with a means, e.g. upward projecting tube stud, providing the suction pile interface to connect the pump to the suction space. preferably this means is provided with one or more of: a valve to selectively seal the suction space; a seat, e.g. a flange, at its end remote from the top bulkhead, onto which the corresponding interface means at the pump system, e.g. downward directed pipe stud, becomes seated, e.g. a corresponding seat, e.g. a flange; a member for engagement with the corresponding member at the pump system interface, e.g. a padlock eye system, preferably oriented for penetration in a direction perpendicular to the suction pile longitudinal axis. the padlock eye system preferably comprises a plate having a hole. preferably the plate extends parallel to the interface longitudinal axis and/or the hole is oriented for inserting a pin perpendicular to the suction pile longitudinal axis. it is noted that the invention is directed to suction piles for foundations, in other words designed to carry the weight of an upper structure, e.g. wind turbine or platform, placed on top, to avoid that such upper structure sinks into the subsea bottom. thus a foundation suction pile bears loads from the associated upper structure which tend to force the suction pile further into the ground. a foundation suction pile is by the nature of its loading different from a suction pile for anchoring, which anchoring suction pile must withstand pulling forces from the anchored object which tries to leave its desired location by trying to pull the anchoring suction pile out of the subsea bottom. the invention is also directed to suction piles for anchoring. preferably one or more of the following applies: the diameter of the suction pile is constant over its height (the height is the direction from the top bulkhead towards the opposite open end, which is the direction parallel to the suction pile longitudinal axis); from the top bulkhead the cylinder walls of the suction pile extend parallel; the open end of the suction pile, designed to be located on the sea floor first is completely open, in other words, its aperture is merely bordered by the cylinder walls; the water depth is such that the suction pile is completely below the water surface when its lower end contacts the sea floor, in other words when its lower end has not penetrated the sea floor yet; with the penetration of the suction pile into the sea floor completed, the top bulkhead is spaced from the sea floor. the suction pile is also preferably provided with known as such valves and/or hatches adjacent or at its top bulkhead for selectively allowing water and air to enter or exit the suction space through the top side of the suction pile. the invention is directed, in an embodiment, to a pump system operatively connected temporary to a suction pile as a marine structure or part of it, the suction pile preferably provided by an open bottom and closed top, advantageously cylindrical, elongate shell providing a suction compartment or suction space, said closed top having an externally facing upper face and an opposite, toward the suction space facing lower face and preferably provided with one or more valves selectively allowing fluid communication between the suction space and the environment. the invention is further illustrated by way of non-limiting, presently preferred embodiments providing the best way of carrying out the invention and illustrated in the drawing, which shows in: fig. 1 a top view of a suction pile; fig. 2 a sectional side view according to the fig. 1 line a-a of the suction pile and a pump system on top of it; fig. 3 a pump system in perspective view; fig. 4-6 a front, top and side view of the pump system of fig. 3 ; fig. 7-8 a view according to line b-b in fig. 5 and d-d in fig. 6 ; fig. 9 of the fig. 3 pump system the piping and pumps in perspective exploded view; fig. 10 the fig. 9 piping from the opposite direction; fig. 11a-b a side and front view of the fig. 9 piping; fig. 12 a perspective view of an alternative piping; fig. 13 an exploded side view of a resilient flange coupling; fig. 14 an exploded side view of a pin locked flange coupling; fig. 15 an photographic image of a part of the fig. 14 coupling; fig. 16 a perspective view of a part of the fig. 14 coupling; fig. 17 a view according to line a-a in fig. 4 ; fig. 18 a perspective view of the fig. 17 mechanism; fig. 19 a perspective view of an alternative to the fig. 14 embodiment; and fig. 20 a side view of the fig. 19 embodiment. fig. 1-2 show the suction pile interface 5, the cylindrical wall 7, the pump system 1, the pump system interface 9, the seafloor 11, the soil plug 12 within the suction space, the top bulkhead 6, the longitudinal axis 14, the open lower side 8. fig. 3-18 show particulars of the pump system, particularly the above discussed features: a quick connector to mutually lock the pump system and suction pile interfaces releasably; measurement probe design; docking cone design; piping for changing the water flow direction without reversing the pump; pin override system on latching pins; vent valve arrangement in pump system; compact pump system size dimensions. fig. 3 illustrates the protective external space frame 24 and the four supporting feet 25. at the top, the frame 24 is provided with attachments 28 (e.g. eyes) for a hoisting device to hoist the pump system 1 and also the suction pile suspending from the pump system when the interfaces 5, 9 are mutually coupled. the pump 3 and its drive at opposite sides of the interface 5, 9 is most clearly illustrated in fig. 7 and 9 . the protective element at a distance above the pump system interface, as part of the vent valve arrangement, is most clearly illustrated in fig. 6 , 7 and 9 . the cone 27 is the lower part of fig. 8 , also illustrated in fig. 4 , 6 and 7 . the connection of the riser pipe to the side of the interface is best illustrated in fig. 7 . the fig. 9-11 piping has six valves. fig. 11a-b illustrate the valve associated with the riser pipe, the two manifolds above and below it. the arrows in fig. 10 illustrate flow directions. in fig. 12 two 3way valves 2, the centrifugal pump 3 and the two pipe terminals 4 connecting to the interface 9 (not shown) are illustrated, with the connecting piping. the 3way valves are simultaneously switched such that the one connects to associated piping to the surrounding water and the other connects the associated piping to the interface 9 such that in this manner the inlet or the outlet of the pump is connected to the interface 9 and thus the pump operates as suction or pressure source, respectively, to the interface 9. fig. 13 shows the suction pile interface 5 and the pump system interface, the terminate end 9 of which latter is floatingly suspended due to the bellows 10 and springs 13, such that a spring loaded coupling can be made such that the interfaces are merely mutually sealed by gravitational force (the weight of the pump system). fig. 14 shows to the right hand side the locked state. this embodiment can be designed such that the complete suction pile can suspend from the mutually locked interfaces 5, 9, in different words the suction pile can suspend from the protective frame. the arrow illustrates the displacement of the pump system interface 9 towards the suction pile interface 5. fig. 15-17 show of the padlock eye system the two parallel plates 16 associated with the pump system interface, fig. 15 also shows the retracted pin 17 and fig. 17 the extended pin 17 to mutually lock the registered holes of the three plates 15, 16. fig. 17 shows in phantom the location of the plate 15 associated with the suction pile interface, plate 15 being part of the padlock eye system and sandwiched between the plates of the pump system interface if the interfaces are mutually locked. also shown is the hydraulic jack 18 as the actuator to retract and extend the pin 17. the turn handle 19, transmission 20 between rotating axes, and crank 21 to convert rotation into translation are shown in fig. 18 . fig. 19 and 20 show an embodiment for rigid coupling of the pump system 1 to the top bulkhead 6 while simultaneously it is allowed that the pipes 5 and 9 are selectively mutually spaced (e.g. for purposes of venting fluid from inside the suction pile to the environment) or mutually connected. a connector frame 23 is provided with the plates 16 of the padlock eye system. the connector frame 23 is attached to the protective frame 24 by four hydraulic jacks 22 (three visible in fig. 19 ) regularly spaced around the interface 9. at the time the plates 15 and 16 are mutually fixed by the pins 17, the distance between the pipes 5 and 9 can be adapted by operating the hydraulic jacks to extend or retract. fig. 20 illustrates most to the left the phase during which the pump system 1 is lowered (illustrated by arrow a) onto the top bulkhead 6, hydraulic jacks 22 retracted, plates 15, 16 mutually registered and spaced. in the mid coupling of the pump system 1 with the top bulkhead 6 is completed since the pins 17 mutually fix the plates 15, 16. since the hydraulic jacks 22 are retracted, pipe 9 connects to pipe 5. most to the right the hydraulic jacks 22 are extended, lifting frame 24 and thus pipe 9 relative to connector frame 23, such that pipes 5, 9 mutually keep a gap such that fluid flow exiting the suction pile by pipe 5 is not restricted to enter pipe 9. the fig. 19 embodiment allows to suspend the suction pile from the protective frame 24. an alternative to fig. 19 is to provide the jacks 22 at a longitudinal end with the plates 16 and locate the jacks 22 such that the plates 16 can be registered with the plates 15. in this manner the connector frame 23 can be left out. in another alternative the frame 23 is pivoted to the pump system 1 at the one side of the interface 9, yielding a tilting movement of the pump system 1 relative to the suction pile. the invention is not limited to the above described and in the drawings illustrated embodiments. the drawing, the specification and claims contain many features in combination. the skilled person will consider these also individually and combine them to further embodiments. features of different in here disclosed embodiments can in different manners be combined and different aspects of some features are regarded mutually exchangeable. all described or in the drawing disclosed features provide as such or in arbitrary combination the subject matter of the invention, also independent from their arrangement in the claims or their referral. the invention relates to a pump system designed to be temporary connected to the suction space of a suction pile, present under water, to generate an over pressure or under pressure within the suction space; and/or to an assembly of a pump system temporary connected by convenient means to the suction space of a suction pile, wherein preferably the pump system bears onto the top of the upward extending suction pile. the invention also relates to a method of manipulating, e.g. installing, a suction pile, e.g. at an offshore location partly penetrating the sea bottom, comprising one or more of the following steps: connecting a pump system to the suction pile, preferably such that a rigid coupling between the coupling parts is obtained; operating the pump system to create inside the suction pile a pressure difference with the water around the suction pile.
|
183-635-009-443-656
|
US
|
[
"WO",
"US"
] |
D07B1/02,B63B21/20,D07B1/14
| 2020-01-10T00:00:00 |
2020
|
[
"D07",
"B63"
] |
rope structure and mooring system
|
a rope structure defining first and second ends and comprising first and second directional strands defining a first and second characteristics, respectively, and at least one additional strand. the second directional strand is distinguishable from the first directional strand and the at least one additional strand is distinguishable from the first and second directional strands based on the first and second characteristics. a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand are arranged within intermediate sections of the rope structure such that the first adjacent portion(s) of the first directional strand is(are) closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion(s) of the second directional strand and the second adjacent portion is(are) closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion.
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what is claimed: 1. a rope structure defining first and second ends, the rope structure comprising: a first directional strand defining a first characteristic; a second directional strand defining a second characteristic, where the second directional strand is distinguishable from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics; at least one additional strand that is distinguishable from the first and second directional strands based on the first and second characteristics; wherein the first and second directional strands are supported to define at least one intermediate section of the rope structure; and a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure such that the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand, and the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand. 2. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are visually distinguishable. 3. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics include at least one of color, size, and texture. 4. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are non-visible. 5. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are detectable. 6. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics include at least one of conductivity, magnetism, ultra-violet dyes, and rfid identifier. 7. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are detected by at least one of a camera, rfid sensor, and magnetic sensor. 8. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are detected using image processing data. 9. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of pairs of first and second directional strands. 10. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand comprises a plurality of additional strands. 11. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand provides at least one functional characteristic to the rope structure. 12. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand provides a plurality of functional characteristics to the rope structure. 13. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand comprises at least first and second types of additional strands. 14. a rope structure as recited in claim 5, in which: the first type of additional strand provides a first functional characteristic to the rope structure; and the second type of additional strand provides a second functional characteristic to the rope structure. 15. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the at least one additional strand comprises a plurality of the first type of additional strand; and a plurality of the second type of additional strand. 16. a mooring system for securing a vessel relative to a predetermined location comprising: vessel hardware supported by the vessel; predetermined location hardware supported at the predetermined location; and a rope structure defining first and second ends and comprising a plurality of types of strands, where at least one of the types of strands forms a first directional strand defining a first characteristic, at least one of the types of strands forms a second directional strand defining a second characteristic, where the second directional strand is distinguishable from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics, at least one of the types of strands is distinguishable from the first and second directional strands based on the first and second characteristics, the first and second directional strands are supported to define at least one intermediate section of the rope structure, and a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure such that the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand, and the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand; wherein the mooring system operates in a first configuration in which the first end is operatively connected to the vessel hardware and the second end is operatively connected to the predetermined location hardware, and a second configuration in which the second end is operatively connected to the vessel hardware and the first end is operatively connected to the predetermined location hardware. 17. a method of determining directionality of a rope structure comprising a plurality of strands and defining first and second ends, the method comprising the steps of: identifying a first directional strand from the plurality of strands, where the first directional strand defines a first characteristic; identifying a second directional strand from the plurality of strands, where the second directional strand defines a second characteristic; distinguishing the second directional strand from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics; supporting the first and second directional strands to define at least one intermediate section of the rope structure, a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand, and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand, where the first adjacent portion and the second adjacent portion are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure; and identifying the first and second ends of the rope structure based on a determination that the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand, and the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand. 18. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are visually distinguishable. 19. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are non-visible. 20. a rope structure as recited in claim 1 , in which the first and second characteristics are detectable.
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rope structure and mooring system related applications [0001] this application (attorney’s ref. no. p219988pct) claims benefit of u.s. provisional application serial no. 62/959,605 filed january 10, 2020, currently pending, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. technical field [0002] the present invention relates to rope systems, structures, and methods and, in particular, to rope systems, structures, and methods that allow a user to determine the relative arrangement of the ends of the rope. background [0003] rope is often wound onto devices, such as winches, for storage and handling. when stored, determining which end of the rope is the free end can be difficult. knowing which end of the rope is the free end can be helpful when tracking use history and determining health of the rope. when a rope is used as a mooring line, identifying the free end is important because the ends are often reversed during deployment. reversal of the ends of the rope is common to even out wear on the rope over the deployment of the rope. [0004] the present invention may be embodied as a rope system or method in which two different strands are arranged within the rope in a predetermined order. the strands are distinguishable by appearance or some other characteristic, and the order of strands can be used to determine which end of the rope is free. the rope structure of the present invention is of particular significance when used as part of a mooring system, and that example of the present invention will be described in detail below. summary [0005] the present invention may be embodied as a rope structure defining first and second ends, the rope structure comprising first and second directional strands and at least one additional strand. the first directional strand defines a first characteristic. the second directional strand defines a second characteristic. the second directional strand is distinguishable from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics. the at least one additional strand is distinguishable from the first and second directional strands based on the first and second characteristics. the first and second directional strands are supported to define at least one intermediate section of the rope structure. a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure such that the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand and the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand. [0006] the present invention may be embodied as a mooring system for securing a vessel relative to a predetermined location comprising vessel hardware supported by the vessel, predetermined location hardware supported at the predetermined location; and a rope structure. the rope structure defines first and second ends and comprises a plurality of types of strands. at least one of the types of strands forms a first directional strand defining a first characteristic. at least one of the types of strands forms a second directional strand defining a second characteristic, where the second directional strand is distinguishable from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics. at least one of the types of strands is distinguishable from the first and second directional strands based on the first and second characteristics. the first and second directional strands are supported to define at least one intermediate section of the rope structure. a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure such that the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand and the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand. the mooring system operates in a first configuration in which the first end is operatively connected to the vessel hardware and the second end is operatively connected to the predetermined location hardware and a second configuration in which the second end is operatively connected to the vessel hardware and the first end is operatively connected to the predetermined location hardware. [0007] the present invention may also be embodied as a method of determining directionality of a rope structure comprising a plurality of strands and defining first and second ends, the method comprising the following steps. a first directional strand is identified from the plurality of strands. the first directional strand defines a first characteristic. a second directional strand is identified from the plurality of strands. the second directional strand defines a second characteristic. the second directional strand is distinguished from the first directional strand based on the first and second characteristics. the first and second directional strands are supported to define at least one intermediate section of the rope structure, a first adjacent portion defined by the first directional strand, and a second adjacent portion defined by the second directional strand. the first adjacent portion and the second adjacent portion are arranged within each intermediate section of the rope structure. the first and second ends of the rope structure are identified based on a determination that the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand is closer to the first end of the rope than the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand and the second adjacent portion of the second directional strand is closer to the second end of the rope than the first adjacent portion of the first directional strand. brief description of the drawings [0008] figure 1 a is a perspective view of a first example rope structure of the present invention comprising directional strands that are visually distinguishable from each other; [0009] figure 1 b is a perspective view of a second example rope structure of the present invention comprising directional strands of different colors; [0010] figure 1 c is a perspective view of a third example rope structure of the present invention comprising directional strands of different shading; and [0011] figures 2a and 2b are top plan, somewhat schematic views of first and second configurations, respectively, of an example mooring system employing any of the rope structures of figures 1a-1c. detailed description [0012] figures 1a-1c illustrate example rope structures 20 containing a plurality of strands 22. the rope structures 20 of figures 1 a-1 c differ only in strand characteristics as will be described below, and the same reference characters will be used in figures 1a-1c to represent similar elements. [0013] the example rope structure 20 comprises a first type of strand 22a, a second type of strand 22b, a third type of strand 22c, and a fourth type of strand 22d. figure 1 a uses gray scale to illustrate different strands. in figure 1 b, the strands 22 are colored to facilitate differentiation of the different types of strands 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d. in particular, the first type of strands 22a is black, the second type of strand 22b is blue, the third type of strand 22c is orange, and the fourth type of strand 22d is green. in figure 1 c, characteristics such as color, texture, or sheen are depicted using cross-hatching. [0014] the example rope structure 20 comprises multiple strands of the first and second types of strands 22a and 22b. the types of strands 22a and 22b are primarily selected for the functional characteristics that they supply to the example rope structure 20. further, a different example rope structure of the present invention may include a single strand of either or both of the first and second types of strands 22a and 22b. the example strands 22a and 22b may be of different sizes and dimensions and to provide different functional characteristics to the rope structure 20 but may be the same size and dimension and selected to provide the same functional characteristics to the rope structure 20. if selected to provide the same functional characteristics to the rope structure 20, the first and second types of strands 22a and 22b may made of the same material and have the same size, dimensions, and functional characteristics. [0015] although represented using different colors in the example rope structure 20, the first and second types of strands 22a and 22b may be the same color. [0016] in the example rope structure 20, the third and fourth types of strands 22c and 22d are each formed by at least one first directional strand 30 and at least one second identifier 32, respectively. the first and second identified strands 30 and 32 are arranged such that the one of the directional strands 30 and 32 always “precedes” the other of the directional strands 30 and 32. determining which of the directional strands 30 and 32 comes “first” along the length of the rope structure 20 identifies the directionality of the rope structure 20. [0017] in particular, a first end 40 of the example rope structure 20 is to the lower left in figures 1 a-1 c, and a second end 42 of the example rope structure 20 is to the upper right in figures 1 a-1 c. first and second tags (not shown) are typically affixed to the first and second ends 40 and 42 to identify these ends. however, one or both of the first and second tags may not be visible (e.g., buried under a portion of the rope structure 20 stored on a winch) or may become detached. [0018] accordingly, the example first and second directional strands 30 and 32 are arranged relative to the first and second types of strands 22a and 22b such that the first directional strand 30 defines a first adjacent portion 50 and the second directional strand 32 defines a second adjacent portion 52. further, the first and second directional strands 30 and 32 are supported by the example rope structure 20 such that, in any intermediate section 60 defined by the rope structure 20, the first and second adjacent portions 50 and 52 are always arranged such that the adjacent portion 50 of the first directional strand 30 is closest to the first end 40 of the rope structure 20 and the adjacent portion 52 of the second directional strand 32 is closest to the second end 42 of the rope structure 20. [0019] in any given intermediate section 60 of the example rope structure 20, only one pair of first and second adjacent portions 50 and 52 is visible or detectable. each intermediate section 60 is arranged somewhere along the length of the rope structure 60 between the first and second ends 40 and 42. typically, a plurality of the intermediate sections 60 will be arranged at evenly spaced intervals along the length of the rope structure 20. each intermediate section 60 may extend around the entire circumference of the rope structure 20 within a predetermined length of the rope structure 20 or may extend around only a portion of the circumference of the rope structure 20 within a predetermined length of the rope structure 20. [0020] a user of the example rope structure 20 can determine where the first and second ends 40 and 42 of the example rope structure 20 are arranged simply by looking at any intermediate section 60 of the example rope structure 20 including a pair 70 of first and second adjacent portions 50 and 52 of the first and second directional strands 30 and 32 and by determining or detecting the relative positions of the first and second portions 50 and 52. the determination or detection of the relative positions of the first and second rope portions 50 and 52 in any intermediate section 60 is performed visually or by image recognition analysis in the example rope structure 20 in which the first and second directional strands 30 and 32 are different colors. the rope structure 20 will typically comprise a plurality (two or more) of the pairs 70 of first and second adjacent portions 50 and 52. if more than one of the pairs 70 is used, each pair will typically be spaced from any other pair 70 to facilitate recognition of each discrete pair 70. the spacing may be along a length of the rope structure 20 between the first and second ends 40 and 42 or may be around a diameter of the rope structure 20. [0021] while the first and second directional strands 30 and 32 forming the third and fourth types of strands 22c and 22d appear as different colored strands in figure 1 b, other discernable or detectable characteristics, such as size, texture, or the like, can be used in addition or instead to differentiate between two directional strands. and while color, size, texture, and the like are visible to the human eye, non-visible characteristics (e.g., conductivity, magnetism, ultra-violet dyes, and/or rfid identifier) may also be used to differentiate the first and second directional strands 30 and 32 forming the third and fourth types of strands 22c and 22d from each other. accordingly, the determination or detection of the relative positions of the first and second rope portions 50 and 52 in any intermediate section 60 may be performed by any sense (e.g., touch) or by a detector (e.g., camera, rfid sensor, and/or magnetic sensor). with colors, determination or detection may be either by unaided human eye and/or by detection (e.g., processing image data from a camera). [0022] further, while the example rope structure 20 employs a single pair 80 of the first and second directional strands 30 and 32, another example rope structure of the present invention may include two or more pairs of the first and second directional strands 30 and 32. in that case, each of the plurality of pairs 80 of directional strands will define its own set of intermediate sections 60 spaced along the length of the rope structure 20. further, each pair 80 of directional strands 30 and 32 may define intermediate sections 60 that extend around only a portion of the circumference of the rope structure 20 within a predetermined length of the rope structure 20. for example, one of the multiple pairs 80 of directional strands 30 and 32 may define intermediate sections 60 that extend around a first half of the circumference of the rope structure 20 and another of the multiple pairs 80 of directional strands 30 and 32 may define intermediate sections 60 that extend around a second half of the circumference of the rope structure 20. [0023] the third and fourth types of strands 22c and 22d may have the same or different size, dimensions, and/or functional characteristics as each other or as the first and/or second types of strands 22a and 22b. [0024] referring now to figures 2a and 2b, the example rope structure 20 is depicted therein as used as part of a mooring system 120 for securing an example ship 122 to an example dock 124. the example ship 122 comprises a deck 130 defining a deck perimeter 132. [0025] supported on the deck 130 of the example ship 122 is deck hardware such as winches 140 and bollards 142. formed in the example ship 122 at locations around the deck perimeter are chocks 144. the winches 140 typically define attachment points for rope structures, and the bollards 142 and chocks 144 typically define bearing surfaces that engages a rope structure to change direction of the rope. dock hardware 150 and 152 define at least one of an attachment point and a bearing surface on the example dock 124. the example dock hardware 150 defines an attachment point located at a predetermined location, while the example dock hardware defines a bearing surface. the predetermined location at which the dock hardware 150 is located may be fixed in space (e.g., a fixed dock) or may be non-fixed in space (e.g. a buoy or floating dock). the example dock hardware 150 and 152 will also be referred to herein as predetermined location hardware. [0026] the winches 140 may be the same or different from each other but perform the same basic function. the bollards 142 may be the same or different from each other but perform the same basic function. the chocks 144 may be the same or different from each other but perform the same basic function. the size, dimension, and locations of winches 140, bollards 142, and chocks 144 will be determined by a particular ship and rigging for that particular ship and will not be described herein beyond that extent helpful for a complete understanding of the present invention. in the following discussion, the reference characters 140, 142, and 144 will be used to refer to winches, bollards, and chocks, respectively, and a particular winch, bollard, or chock will be referred to by a letter appended to the appropriate reference character. any component identified by the combination of a reference character and appended letter does not differ, from the perspective of the principles of the present invention, from the components identified by a reference character without an appended letter. [0027] as will be described below, the winches 140, bollards 142, and chocks 144 are located relative to each other to define at least one rope route and typically a plurality of rope routes. the rope routes are typically discontinuous pathways in three dimensions between two predetermined locations and will be determined by a particular ship and rigging for that particular ship and will not be described herein beyond that extent helpful for a complete understanding of the present invention. in the example rope structure 20, one end 40 or 42 is operatively connected to one of the winches 140a and extends along an example rope route 160 from the winch 140a, around the bollard 142a, through the chock 144a, and around the dock hardware 152, with the other end 40 or 42 operatively connected to the dock hardware 150. the bollard 142a, chock 144a, and dock hardware 152 thus all define bearing surfaces that change a direction of the rope route 160. the example rope route 160 will extend in substantially straight lines between the hardware 140a, 142a, 144a, 152, and 150. when under tension, the rope structure 20 will change direction in any of three dimensions between the termination points defined by the winch 144a and the dock hardware 150. [0028] figures 2a and 2b further illustrate that the example mooring system 120 may be operated in first and second configurations, respectively. in the first configuration illustrated in figure 2a, the first end 40 of the example rope structure 20 is connected to the winch 140a and the second end 42 of the example rope structure 20 is connected to the dock hardware 150. in the second configuration illustrated in figure 2b, the second end 42 of the example rope structure 20 is connected to the winch 140a and the first end 42 of the example rope structure 20 is connected to the dock hardware 150. typically, the connection of the ends 40 and 42 of the rope structure 20 to the rope hardware 140a and the dock hardware 150 will be reversed at least once during deployment of the rope structure 20 such that the example mooring system 120 is in both the first and second configurations during deployment to more evenly distribute wear on the rope structure 20 during operation of the mooring system 120. [0029] a user standing on the deck 130 may determine whether the example rope 20 of the example mooring system 120 is arranged such that the example mooring system 120 is in the first configuration or in the second configuration by determining the relative orientation of the first and second directional strands 30 and 32 of the example strand pair 70 of the example rope structure 20. [0030] when used as part of a mooring system such as the example mooring system 120, the example rope structure 20 will typically be within the general parameters as set forth below. [0031] the types of strands 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are typically formed by a plurality of natural or synthetic fibers. the fibers forming the example strands 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d may be made of any one of the following materials: such as nylon, polyester, polyolefin, polyamid (pa), polyethylene terephthalate/polyethersulfone (pet/pes), polypropylene (pp), polyethylene (pe), high modulus polyethylene (hmpe), liquid crystal polymer (lcp), para- aramid, poly p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole (pbo) fibers, high modulus polypropylene (hmpp), pp/pe blends, high modulus polypropylene (hmpp) (e.g., innegra), olefin, high modulus polyethylene (hmpe) (e.g., dnyeema, spectra), polyacrylonitrile (e.g., orion), carbon, aramid (e.g., twaron, kevlar, technora, teijinconex), pbo (poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (e.g., zylon), lcp (e.g., vectran), pipd (poly[2, 6-diimidazo (4,5-b:4',5'-e) pyridinylene- 1,4(2, 5-dihydroxy) phenylen]) (e.g., m5), pbi (polybenziadazole), pen (polyethylene naphthalate) (e.g., pentex), glass, basalt, metal, pvc (polyvinyl chloride) (e.g., vinyon), pvdc (polyvinylidene chloride) (e.g., saran), polyurethane-polyurea (e.g., spandex, lycra), polyvinyl alcohol (e.g., vinalon), pps (polyphylene sulfide) (e.g. ryton), and the like. [0032] when the example rope structure 20 is used as part of a mooring system such as the example mooring system 120 described above, the strands 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are typically formed from one or more of the following: high modulus polyethylene (hmpe) fibers, aramid fibers (e.g., technora), and liquid crystal polymer (lcp) fibers (aromatic polyester fibers) (e.g., vectran). [0033] the example rope structure 20, when used as part of a mooring system such as the example mooring system 120, typically defines a nominal thickness dimension in a first range of between ¾” and 4” and in any event should be within a second range of greater than ½”. [0034] the example rope structure 20 typically includes at least 8 strands but should in any event contain between 8 and 72 strands. the example rope structure 20 may be jacketed or unjacketed. if jacketed, the directional strands such as the directional strands 30 and 32 should form a part of the jacket so that the directional strands are visible to the user of the rope during normal operation and use of the rope. [0035] when the example rope structure 20 is used as part of a mooring system such as the example mooring system 120 described above, the strands 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are typically formed from one or more of the following: high modulus polyethylene (hmpe) fibers, aramid fibers (e.g., technora), and liquid crystal polymer (lcp) fibers (aromatic polyester fibers) (e.g., vectran). when configured as part of a mooring system, the strands 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are typically are the same size and dimension and are made of the same material, except that at least one characteristics of the types of strands 22c and 22d allows the directional strands 30 and 32 to be distinguished from each other to determine rope directionality. the characteristic that is different between the example directional strands 30 and 32 of the example rope structure 20 configured for use as a mooring line is visible color. common examples of the nominal diameter of the example rope structure 20 when used as part of the example mooring system 120 are between 1” and 2 ½” in increments of 1/64 of an inch. when used as part of the example mooring system 120, the example rope structure 20 typically includes between 12 and 48 strands, at least a some of the strands are combined to form a hollow braid rope structure, and the rope structure 20 is typically but not necessarily unjacketed.
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184-567-643-266-866
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US
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[
"US"
] |
G06F1/26,G06F1/32
| 2008-01-31T00:00:00 |
2008
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[
"G06"
] |
method and system of multi-core microprocessor power management and control via per-chiplet, programmable power modes
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a computer-implemented method and a system for managing power in a multi-core microprocessor are provided. a power management control microarchitecture in a chiplet translates a first command comprising a power setting. a chiplet comprises a processor core and associated memory cache. the power management control microarchitecture comprises power mode registers, power mode adjusters, translators, and microarchitectural power management techniques. the power management control microarchitecture sets microarchitectural power management techniques according to the power setting. the global power management controller issues the first command. the global power management controller may reside either on or off of the microprocessor. the global power management controller issues commands either directly for a specific chiplet out of the plurality of chiplets or to the plurality of chiplets and the control slave bus translates the command into sub-commands dedicated to specific chiplets within the plurality of chiplets. each chiplet may be set to separate power levels.
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1 . a computer-implemented method for managing power in a multi-core microprocessor, the computer-implemented method comprising: translating a first command by a power management system for managing and controlling power on a microarchitectural level, wherein the first command comprises a power setting; and setting microarchitectural power management techniques by the power management system according to the power setting. 2 . the computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: sending the first command, by a global, system-level power management controller, to a command and assist unit in a selected chiplet of a plurality of chiplets of the multi-core microprocessor, wherein a chiplet comprises a core and cache memory and wherein each chiplet of the plurality of chiplets may be set to a different power setting; and sending the first command, by the command and assist unit, to the power management system. 3 . the computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein sending the first command, by a global, system-level power management controller, to the command and assist unit in a selected chiplet of the multi-core microprocessor comprises: sending the first command, by the global, system-level power management controller, to an interface; responsive to the interface receiving the first command, formatting the first command, by the interface; sending the first command, by the interface, to a master bus; sending the first command, by the master bus, to a selected slave bus, wherein the selected slave bus communicates with each chiplet of the plurality of chiplets in the multi-core processor; selecting a chiplet out of the plurality chiplets in the multi-core processor, by the selected slave bus, to which to send the first command; and sending the first command, by the selected slave bus, to the command and assist unit in the selected chiplet. 4 . the computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein sending the first command, by the command and assist unit, to the power management system comprises: sending the first command, by the command and assist unit, to an override control unit; determining, by the override control unit, whether a global, system-level power management controller firmware has set an override control bit; responsive to a determination that the global, system-level power management controller firmware has set the override control bit, overriding a command from the hypervisor firmware with the first command; and sending the first command to the power management system. 5 . the computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the global, system-level power management controller resides off of the multi-core microprocessor. 6 . the computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising: monitoring, by sensors, the selected chiplet for performance information; sending, by the sensors, the performance information to a sensor collection; sending, by the sensor collection, the performance information to the command and assist unit; and responsive to receiving the performance information by the command and assists unit, sending a second command to the power management control microarchitecture, wherein the second command comprises adjustments to the power setting. 7 . the computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising: sending, by the sensor collection, a selected portion of the performance information to the global, system-level power management controller; and responsive to receiving, by the global, system-level power management controller, the selected portion of the performance information, processing the selected portion of the performance information. 8 . the computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein setting microarchitectural power management techniques by the power management system according to the power setting comprises: passing the first command, by the power management system, to the first register; sending the first command, by a first register located within the selected chiplet, wherein the first register is dedicated to assigning power levels, to a functional unit of the selected chiplet to which the first register is connected; receiving the first command by a translator in the functional unit; responsive to receiving the first command, combining, by the translator, the first command with an input from a set of registers located in the functional unit of the selected chiplet, wherein the set of registers are dedicated to adjusting the power levels in the first register to form a combined input; sending, by the translator, the combined input to a microarchitectural power management technique in the functional unit; and responsive to receiving the combined input by the microarchitectural power management technique, processing the combined input. 9 . the computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the global, system-level power management controller sets the set of registers. 10 . the computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the global, system-level power management controller sends commands directed to the plurality of chiplets within the multi-core microprocessor; and wherein the selected slave bus converts the first command into sub-commands dedicated to each individual chiplet in the plurality of chiplets in the multi-core processor. 11 . a system for managing power in a multi-core microprocessor, the system comprising: a power management system for managing and controlling power on a microarchitectural level, wherein the power management system translates a first command and wherein the first command comprises a power setting; and a microarchitectural power management technique, wherein the power management system sets the microarchitectural power management technique according to the power setting. 12 . the system of claim 11 , further comprising: a plurality of chiplets in the multi-core microprocessor, wherein a selected chiplet of the plurality of chiplets comprises a processor core and cache memory and wherein each chiplet of the plurality of chiplets may be set to a different power setting; a command and assist unit in the selected chiplet, wherein the command and assist unit sends the first command to the power management system; and a global, system-level power management controller, wherein the global, system-level power management controller sends the first command to the command and assist unit. 13 . the system of claim 12 , further comprising: a selected slave bus connected to the plurality of chiplets, wherein the slave bus communicates with each chiplet of the plurality of chiplets in the multi-core processor; a master bus connected to the slave bus; an interface connected to the master bus and the global, system-level power management controller; and wherein the global, system-level power management controller sending the first command to the command and assist unit in a selected chiplet of the multi-core microprocessor comprises: the global, system-level power management controller sending the first command to the interface; responsive to the interface receiving the first command, the interface formats the first command; the interface sends the first command to the master bus; the master bus sends the first command to the selected slave bus; the selected slave bus selects a chiplet out of the plurality chiplets in the multi-core processor to which to send the first command; and the selected slave bus sends the first command to the command and assist unit in the selected chiplet. 14 . the system of claim 12 , further comprising: global, system-level power management controller firmware; hypervisor firmware; an override control unit; and wherein the command and assist unit sending the first command to the power management system comprises: the command and assist unit sending the first command, to the override control unit; the override control unit determining whether the global, system-level power management controller firmware has set an override control bit; responsive to a determination that the global, system-level power management controller firmware has set the override control bit, the override control unit overrides a command from the hypervisor firmware with the first command; and the override control unit sends the first command to the power management system. 15 . the system of claim 12 , wherein the global, system-level power management controller resides off of the multi-core microprocessor. 16 . the system of claim 12 , further comprising: sensors for monitoring the selected chiplet for performance information; a sensor collection, wherein the sensors send the performance information to the sensor collection, and wherein the sensor collection sends the performance information to the command and assist unit; and responsive to receiving the performance information by the command and assists unit, sending a second command to the power management control microarchitecture, wherein the second command comprises adjustments to the power setting. 17 . the system of claim 16 , further comprising: the sensor collection sending a selected portion of the performance information to the global, system-level power management controller; and responsive to receiving, the selected portion of the performance information, the global, system-level power management controller processes the selected portion of the performance information. 18 . the system of claim 11 , further comprising a first register, wherein the first register is located within the selected chiplet and wherein the first register is dedicated to assigning power levels; a functional unit connected to the first register, wherein the functional unit comprises: a translator; a set of registers, wherein the set of registers are dedicated to adjusting the power levels in the first register; and the microarchitectural power management technique; and wherein the power management system setting microarchitectural power management techniques according to the power setting comprises: the power management system passing the first command to the first register; the first register sending the first command to the functional unit; the translator in the functional unit receives the first command; responsive to receiving the first command, the translator combines the first command with an input from the set of registers to form a combined input; the translator sends the combined input to the microarchitectural power management technique; and responsive to receiving the combined input, the microarchitectural power management technique processes the combined input. 19 . the system of claim 18 , wherein the global, system-level power management controller sets the set of registers. 20 . the system of claim 13 , wherein the global, system-level power management controller sends commands directed to the plurality of chiplets within the multi-core microprocessor; and wherein the control slave bus converts the first command into sub-commands dedicated to each individual chiplet in the plurality of chiplets in the multi-core processor.
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this invention was made with united states government support under agreement no. hr0011-07-9-0002 awarded by darpa. the government has certain rights in the invention. background 1. field of the invention the present application relates generally to microprocessors. more specifically, the present application provides for a method and system of power management of multi-core microprocessors. 2. description of the related art as multi-core processors become more commonplace, power management issues become more important. in a design era in which “green computing” is of ever-increasing importance, system- or datacenter-level power management and control, requires effective, programmable power management accessibility across computing elements within each microprocessor chip. in addition to providing large, efficient power reduction capability via dynamic voltage and frequency control, there is a need to provide smaller degrees of power reduction (when needed) at minimal complexity and performance overhead. the current generation of multi-core microprocessor chips does not provide such fine-grain, global, multi-core power management accessibility. prior known approaches are limited to point solutions incorporating particular power-saving mechanisms for a given core or non-core component within a microprocessor chip. local conditions, such as temperature or region-specific workload variations, trigger individual power-saving mechanisms and are not amenable to effective global control and optimization via an on- or off-chip system power manager. hence, there is a need in the art for providing such an effective power management capability in future multi- and many-core microprocessor chips. summary exemplary embodiments provide a computer-implemented method and a system for managing power in a multi-core microprocessor. a power management system for managing and controlling power on a microarchitectural level translates a first command. the command comprises a power setting. the power management system sets microarchitectural power management techniques according to the power setting. brief description of the drawings the novel features believed characteristic of the illustrative embodiments are set forth in the appended claims. the illustrative embodiments themselves, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: fig. 1 is a block diagram of a data processing system in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention; fig. 2 is a block diagram of a system wherein power management control microarchitecture may be implemented in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; fig. 3 is a block diagram of a power save mode control for a processor core in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; fig. 4 is a block diagram of a power management control microarchitecture components in a processor core in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of instruction fetch throttling in accordance with an illustrative embodiment; fig. 6 is flowchart illustrating a single iteration of the operation of managing power in a multi-core processor in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; fig. 7 is flowchart expanding the step of a global power management controller sending a command to a command and assist unit in accordance with a preferred embodiment; fig. 8 is flowchart expanding the step of the command and assist unit issuing a command to a power management control microarchitecture in accordance with a preferred embodiment; fig. 9 is flowchart expanding the step of the sensors providing performance information to the command and assist unit in accordance with a preferred embodiment; and fig. 10 is flowchart expanding the step of the power management control microarchitecture setting microarchitectural power management techniques in accordance with a preferred embodiment detailed description of the preferred embodiment turning now to fig. 1 , a block diagram of a data processing system is depicted in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. in this illustrative example, data processing system 100 includes communications fabric 102 , which provides communications between processor unit 104 , memory 106 , persistent storage 108 , communications unit 110 , input/output (i/o) unit 112 , and display 114 . processor unit 104 serves to execute instructions for software that may be loaded into memory 106 . processor unit 104 may be a set of one or more processors or may be a multi-processor core, depending on the particular implementation. further, processor unit 104 may be implemented using one or more heterogeneous processor systems in which a main processor is present with secondary processors on a single chip. as another illustrative example, processor unit 104 may be a symmetric multi-processor system containing multiple processors of the same type. memory 106 , in these examples, may be, for example, a random access memory or any other suitable volatile or non-volatile storage device. persistent storage 108 may take various forms depending on the particular implementation. for example, persistent storage 108 may contain one or more components or devices. for example, persistent storage 108 may be a hard drive, a flash memory, a rewritable optical disk, a rewritable magnetic tape, or some combination of the above. the media used by persistent storage 108 also may be removable. for example, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage 108 . communications unit 110 , in these examples, provides for communications with other data processing systems or devices. in these examples, communications unit 110 is a network interface card. communications unit 110 may provide communications using either or both physical and wireless communications links. input/output unit 112 allows for input and output of data with other devices that may be connected to data processing system 100 . for example, input/output unit 112 may provide a connection for user input through a keyboard and mouse. further, input/output unit 112 may send output to a printer. display 114 provides a mechanism to display information to a user. instructions for the operating system and applications or programs are located on persistent storage 108 . these instructions may be loaded into memory 106 for execution by processor unit 104 . the processes of the different embodiments may be performed by processor unit 104 using computer-implemented instructions, which may be located in a memory, such as memory 106 . these instructions are referred to as program code, computer usable program code, or computer readable program code that may be read and executed by a processor in processor unit 104 . the program code in the different embodiments may be embodied on different physical or tangible computer readable media, such as memory 106 or persistent storage 108 . program code 116 is located in a functional form on computer readable media 118 that is selectively removable and may be loaded onto or transferred to data processing system 100 for execution by processor unit 104 . program code 116 and computer readable media 118 form computer program product 120 in these examples. in one example, computer readable media 118 may be in a tangible form, such as, for example, an optical or magnetic disc that is inserted or placed into a drive or other device that is part of persistent storage 108 for transfer onto a storage device, such as a hard drive that is part of persistent storage 108 . in a tangible form, computer readable media 118 also may take the form of a persistent storage, such as a hard drive, a thumb drive, or a flash memory that is connected to data processing system 100 . the tangible form of computer readable media 118 is also referred to as computer recordable storage media. in some instances, computer readable media 118 may not be removable. alternatively, program code 116 may be transferred to data processing system 100 from computer readable media 118 through a communications link to communications unit 110 and/or through a connection to input/output unit 112 . the communications link and/or the connection may be physical or wireless in the illustrative examples. the computer readable media also may take the form of non-tangible media, such as communications links or wireless transmissions containing the program code. the different components illustrated for data processing system 100 are not meant to provide architectural limitations to the manner in which different embodiments may be implemented. the different illustrative embodiments may be implemented in a data processing system including components in addition to or in place of those illustrated for data processing system 100 . other components shown in fig. 1 can be varied from the illustrative examples shown. as one example, a storage device in data processing system 100 is any hardware apparatus that may store data. memory 106 , persistent storage 108 , and computer readable media 118 are examples of storage devices in a tangible form. in another example, a bus system may be used to implement communications fabric 102 and may be comprised of one or more buses, such as a system bus or an input/output bus. of course, the bus system may be implemented using any suitable type of architecture that provides for a transfer of data between different components or devices attached to the bus system. additionally, a communications unit may include one or more devices used to transmit and receive data, such as a modem or a network adapter. further, a memory may be, for example, memory 106 or a cache such as found in an interface and memory controller hub that may be present in communications fabric 102 . exemplary embodiments provide for a method and system for managing power in a multi-core processor environment. multi-core processors refer to a central processing unit that includes multiple complete execution cores per physical processor. the central processing unit combines multiple processors and their caches and cache controllers onto a single integrated circuit (silicon chip). multi-core processors are well suited for multitasking environments because there are multiple complete execution cores instead of one, each with an independent interface to the front side bus. since each core has its own cache, the operating system has sufficient resources to handle most compute intensive tasks in parallel. exemplary embodiments enable placing each core within a multi-core microprocessor chip specific and possibly different operational modes, each mode with pre-defined power and performance characteristics, such that the overall chip power consumption falls within specified limits, as dictated by a chip-wide global controller, while not violating specified performance degradation limits. in particular, exemplary embodiments describe a systematic methodology with associated system embodiments for designing a discrete set of power modes for each chiplet, which is a processor core plus some memory cache, which a global controller may use to effect programmable power management and control functions. the global controller may reside either on or off the microprocessor chip. turning back to fig. 2 , a block diagram of a system wherein power management control microarchitecture may be implemented is shown in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. system 200 comprises microprocessor 202 and global power management controller 204 . microprocessor 202 may be implemented as processor unit 104 in fig. 1 . global power management controller 204 is a global, system-level power management controller. microprocessor 202 comprises interface 206 , control master bus 208 , control slave bus 230 , and chiplets 210 and 220 . a chiplet is a processor core plus some memory cache, a l1, l2, l3, or l4 memory cache or some combination thereof. a control slave bus is a slave bus that is part of a global power management system and facilitates communication between the control master bus and the command and assist unit in each core of a multi-core microprocessor. a slave bus is a bus that is controlled by another bus, referred to as the master bus. a control master bus is a master bus that is part of a global power management system and passes commands issued from a global power management controller and formatted through an interface to any of a number of control slave busses for forwarding onto individual chiplets. a master bus is a bus that controls other busses, called slave busses. chiplet 210 comprises power management control microarchitecture pmcm 212 , command and assist unit 214 , sensors 216 , and sensor collection 218 . chiplet 220 comprises power management control microarchitecture pmcm 222 , command and assist unit 224 , sensors 226 , and sensor collection 228 . in addition to providing large, efficient power reduction capability via dynamic voltage and frequency scaling; there is a need to provide smaller degrees of power and performance tradeoff capability. power management and control microarchitecture provides such fine-grain, global, multi-core power and performance tradeoff capability by exploiting microarchitectural power management techniques. power management and control microarchitecture is a power management system for managing and controlling power on a microarchitectural level. in computer engineering, microarchitecture (sometimes abbreviated to μarch or uarch) is a description of the electrical circuitry of a computer, central processing unit, or digital signal processor that is sufficient for completely describing the operation of the hardware. prior known techniques are limited to point solutions incorporating particular power saving mechanisms in a core or non-core component within a microprocessor chip. local conditions, such as temperature or region-specific workload variations, trigger individual power-saving mechanisms. on the other hand, power management and control microarchitecture is amenable to effective global control and optimization via an on- or off-chip system power manager. power management and control microarchitecture comprises the following components: power mode registers, translators, power adjusters, and microarchitectural power management techniques. power mode register refers to a set of registers in the core dedicated to assigning power levels. the power mode registers set, or determine, the power saving aggressiveness level. a power mode register operates in a number of modes equal to two to the power of the number of bits of the register. thus, a power mode register with two bits can operate in four power modes. for example, if the power mode register is two bits, the definition of power saving aggressiveness can be: none: max performance—no power savingslow: negligible performance loss across workloads—low power savingsmedium: some measurable performance loss—medium power savingshigh: large performance loss possible—high, large potential power savings power mode adjuster refers to a set of registers in the core dedicated to adjusting the power levels in the power mode registers. a power mode adjuster may be set to function in a per power mode. a per power mode means the power mode adjuster is applied to every power mode of the power mode register. in an alternate embodiment, the power mode adjuster applies itself only for particular power modes. translators are multiplexers. a multiplexer, or mux, is a device for combining several signals into a single composite signal. a translator acts to combine a signal from the power mode adjuster with a signal from a power mode register and provide a single input to the microarchitecture technique. the microarchitecture technique acts upon this received command. more specifically, a translator translates the power saving aggressiveness level (a signal from power mode register) into a definition at which specific microarchitectural power management technique will be functional. for example, in the case of a microarchitectural power management technique such as instruction fetch throttling with four distinct levels of power saving aggressiveness (none, low, medium, high), the aggressiveness level of “low” can be defined in multiple ways such as “block instruction fetch 10 percent of the execution time” or “block instruction fetch 20 percent of the execution time” and so forth. in this specific example, a power mode adjuster combined with a translator will define exactly what that low definition will be. in a typical operation, each power saving aggressiveness level has its own power mode adjuster. in other words, medium and high power aggressiveness level will have separate power mode adjuster that defines what medium and high definitions will be. microarchitectural power management techniques provide a user an opportunity to trade power for performance. the microarchitectural power management techniques also allow a user to control energy and power wasted speculatively at the expense of performance. in an exemplary embodiment, the microarchitectural power management techniques are not voltage or frequency scaling. some examples of these microarchitectural power management techniques are: instruction fetch throttling, choosing how deep to prefetch, disabling speculation, power-efficient thread prioritization in a simultaneous multi-threaded processor, disabling bypass paths between instruction dispatch and issue, disabling issue of certain type of instructions to certain type of functional units, reducing execution modes such as reducing number of instructions that can be dispatched or committed, in-order issuing versus out-of-order issuing, reducing load miss speculation, and so forth. in an alternate embodiment, the microarchitectural power management techniques encompass techniques that are frequency and voltage scaling. the present exemplary embodiment depicts global power management controller 204 as being located off microprocessor 202 . in an alternative exemplary embodiment, global power management controller 204 is located on microprocessor 202 . further, while fig. 2 shows microprocessor 202 as comprising two (2) chiplets, alternate exemplary embodiments contemplate microprocessor 202 comprising any number of chiplets, from one to several. interface 206 facilitates communication between global power management controller 204 and control master bus 208 . interface 206 provides data formatting and bus protocols for the communications between global power management controller 204 and control master bus 208 . system 200 shows control master bus 208 connected to a single control slave bus 230 . however, control master bus 208 connects to many different control slave busses, which are not shown in fig. 2 . global power management controller 204 passes commands through interface 206 to control master bus 208 , who passes the information on to control slave bus 230 , which then distributes the commands to the chiplets. control slave bus 230 passes commands to command and assist units 214 and 224 , which then instruct pmcms 212 and 222 , respectively, how to function. pmcms 212 and 222 set microarchitectural power management techniques according to the commands received from the command and assist unit. sensors 216 and 226 monitor pmcms 212 and 222 , respectively, and report to sensor collections 218 and 228 , respectively. sensors 216 and 226 comprise a set of one or more sensors that monitor pmcms 212 and 222 for various performance information, such as, but not limited to, instructions committed per cycle, temperature, power consumption, throughput, frequency, voltage, and so forth. sensors 216 and 226 pass this information to the sensor collections 218 and 228 , which then distribute the data to the command and assist units 214 and 224 and the control slave bus 230 , as appropriate. performance information fed to command and assist units 214 and 224 , by sensors collections 218 and 228 allow command and assist units 214 and 224 to override the settings pmcms 212 and 222 in special or emergency circumstances. sensor collections 218 and 228 send some performance data directly to control slave bus 230 for eventual transmission to global power management controller 204 . fig. 3 is a block diagram of a power save mode control for a processor core in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. system 300 comprises global power management controller 310 , interface 312 , control master bus 314 , control slave bus 316 , command and assist unit 318 , hypervisor firmware 308 , override control 320 , and core 302 . global power management controller 310 , interface 312 , control master bus 314 , control slave bus 316 , and command and assist unit 318 may be implemented as global power management controller 204 , interface 206 , control master bus 208 , control slave bus 230 of fig. 2 , respectively. a hypervisor manages and enforces the partitioning and/or sharing of all the processor cores in a logically partitioned system. for example, a hypervisor may dispatch a virtual partition to one or more physical processor cores. the logical partition includes a definition of the work that each physical processor core is to perform as well as various required settings and state information within each physical processor core in order for the physical processor core to execute the work. a hypervisor supervises and manages the sharing of each physical processor core among all of the logical partitions. particular configuration data needed by a physical processor core to process that logical partition defines each logical partition. the configuration data includes particular data, register values, states, settings, and information. the hypervisor stores all of the configuration data in the hypervisor's memory. firmware is code written onto read-only memory (rom) or programmable read-only memory (prom). core 302 comprises pmcm 304 . pmcm 304 comprises one or more power mode registers, translators, power mode adjuster, and microarchitecture power management techniques, such as power mode register 306 , translator 332 , power mode adjuster 330 , and microarchitecture power management techniques 334 , respectively. each power mode register with several power mode adjusters and translators connects to a microarchitectural power management in a functional unit in core 302 and provides a mode for the microarchitectural power management technique in that functional unit. there are two ways or paths for the power mode register to receive a command. the first way is for global power management controller 310 to issue a command, which passes through interface 312 to control master bus 314 to control slave bus 316 and then to command and assist unit 318 , which passes the command through override control 320 to power mode register 306 . the second way is for hypervisor firmware 308 to issue a command, which passes through override control 320 to power mode register 306 . override control 320 allows global power management controller 310 to override hypervisor firmware 308 in the case of conflicting instructions. fig. 4 is a block diagram of power management control microarchitecture components in a processor core in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. core 402 may be implemented as core 302 in fig. 3 and as part of chiplet 210 in fig. 2 . a core comprises any number of functional units, each of which connects to a power mode register. in the present example, core 402 comprises functional units load-store unit 418 , instruction-fetch unit 428 , instruction-dispatch unit 438 , power mode registers, power mode register for lsu (load-store unit) 410 , power mode register for ifu (instruction-fetch unit) 420 , and power mode register for idu (instruction-dispatch unit) 430 . load-store unit 418 comprises power mode adjuster 412 , translator 414 , and microarchitecture power management technique 416 . translator 414 connects to and receives input from power mode adjuster 412 and power mode register for lsu 410 . translator 414 also connects to and provides input to microarchitecture power management technique 416 . instruction-fetch unit 428 comprises power mode adjuster 422 , translator 424 , and microarchitecture power management technique 426 . translator 424 connects to and receives input from power mode adjuster 422 and power mode register for ifu 420 . translator 424 also connects to and provides input to microarchitecture power management technique 426 . instruction-dispatch unit 438 comprises power mode adjuster 432 , translator 434 , and microarchitecture power management technique 436 . translator 434 connects to and receives input from power mode adjuster 432 and power mode register for idu 430 . translator 434 also connects to and provides input to microarchitecture power management technique 436 . it should be noted that while each functional unit shown in fig. 4 comprises a single combination of a power mode register, power mode adjuster, translator, and microarchitecture power management technique, each functional unit may contain any number of microarchitecture power management technique, each of which is connected to a power mode adjuster and translator connected to their own power mode register. in an alternate embodiment, there is only a single power mode register for all the functional units in core 402 . a programmer can set the power adjuster at the time of design. in an alternate embodiment, either hypervisor firmware, such as hypervisor firmware 308 of fig. 3 , or a global power management controller, such as global power management controller 310 in fig. 3 can set the power mode adjuster. microarchitecture power management technique perform tasks such as, but not limited to, instruction fetch throttling, choosing how deep to prefetch, disabling speculation, power-efficient thread prioritization in a simultaneous multi-threaded processor, disabling bypass paths between instruction dispatch and issue, disabling issue of certain type of instructions to certain types of functional units, reducing execution modes such as reducing number of instructions that can be dispatched or committed, in-order issuing versus out-of-order issuing, reducing load miss speculation, and so forth. fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of instruction fetch throttling in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. the operation of fig. 5 may be performed by a power management control microarchitecture, such as pmcm 304 in fig. 3 , which is a power management system for managing and controlling power on a microarchitectural level. the flowchart assumes that the power mode register is a single two-bit register. the power mode adjuster comprises three three-bit registers. the translator is a simple multiplexer. further, as the power mode register has two bits, four distinct power saving levels exist for the power mode register. the four modes are (i) none, which equals max performance with no power savings; (ii) low, which equals negligible performance loss across workloads with low power savings; (iii) medium, which equals some measurable performance loss with medium power savings; and (iv) high, which equals possibly large performance losses with large potential power savings. in this specific example, for low, medium, and high power modes, there are three separate three-bit power mode adjusters that define what percent of the time to block instruction fetching. for a power saving level of none, there are no additional power adjustments. the three bits of the power adjuster are defined as follows: 000->never block instruction fetch 001->block instruction fetch 12 percent of the time 010->block instruction fetch 25 percent of the time 011->block instruction fetch 37 percent of the time 100->block instruction fetch 50 percent of the time 101->block instruction fetch 62 percent of the time 110->block instruction fetch 74 percent of the time 111->block instruction fetch 86 percent of the time the operation begins when a power mode register receives a command comprising a power saving mode (step 502 ). the translator determines whether the power saving mode for the power mode register is none (step 504 ). if the power savings mode for the power mode register is none (a “yes” output to step 504 ), the translator blocks instruction fetching according to the power mode adjuster setting for the none setting (step 506 ) and the operation ends. according to the present example, the translator makes no additional adjustments and the instruction fetch unit fetches the instruction as normal. if the power savings mode for the power mode register is not none (a “no” output to step 504 ), the translator determines whether the power saving mode for the power mode register is low (step 508 ). if the power savings mode for the power mode register is low (a “yes” output to step 508 ), the translator blocks instruction fetching according to the power mode adjuster setting for the low power saving level (step 510 ) and the operation ends. if the power savings mode for the power mode register is not low (a “no” output to step 508 ), the translator determines whether the power saving mode for the power mode register is medium (step 512 ). if the power savings mode for the power mode register is medium (a “yes” output to step 512 ), the translator blocks instruction fetching according to the power mode adjuster setting for the medium power saving level (step 514 ) and the operation ends. if the power savings mode for the power mode register is not medium (a “no” output to step 512 ), the translator blocks instruction fetching according to the power mode adjuster setting for the high power saving level (step 516 ) and the operation ends. thus, referring to the example above, assume that the power mode adjuster for low is to “010”, the power mode adjuster for medium is to “100”, and the power mode adjuster for high is to “111.” in such a case, the following situations occur. under the low power saving mode, the translator blocks instruction fetching 25 percent of the time. under the medium power saving mode, the translator blocks instruction fetching 50 percent of the time. under the high power saving aggressiveness, the translator blocks instruction fetching 86 percent of the time. fig. 6 is flowchart illustrating one iteration of the operation of managing power in a multi-core processor in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. the operation begins when a global power management controller, which is a global, system-level power management controller, sends a command to a command and assist unit, wherein the command comprises a power setting (step 602 ). the command and assist unit issues the command to a power management control microarchitecture, which is a power management system for managing and controlling power on a microarchitectural level (step 604 ). power management control microarchitecture sets microarchitectural power management techniques appropriately (step 606 ). sensors monitor the microprocessor for performance information (step 608 ). sensors provide performance information to command and assist unit (step 610 ). the command and assist unit sends commands to the power management control microarchitecture, which adjusts the microarchitectural power management techniques in special or emergency circumstances (step 612 ) and the process ends. fig. 7 is flowchart expanding the step of a global power management controller sending a command to a command and assist unit in accordance with a preferred embodiment. the operation begins when a global power management controller sends a command to an interface, wherein the command comprises a power setting (step 702 ). the interface formats the command and passes the command to a control master bus (step 704 ). the control master bus sends the command to a control slave bus (step 706 ). the control slave bus sends the command to a command and assist unit (step 708 ) and the operation ends. in an exemplary embodiment, the global power management controller sends commands to specific cores or chiplets within a multi-core microprocessor. furthermore, each chiplet may be set to a different power savings mode. in an alternate embodiment, the global power management controller sends a general command for all the cores or chiplets in a multi-core microprocessor and the control slave bus breaks the command into sub-commands that correspond to the specific individual core or chiplets. fig. 8 is flowchart expanding the step of the command and assist unit issuing a command to a power management control microarchitecture in accordance with a preferred embodiment. the operation begins when a command and assist unit issues a command to an override control (step 802 ). the override control determines whether the global power management controller firmware has set an override bit (step 804 ). responsive to a determination by the override control that the global power management controller firmware has set the override bit (a “yes” output to step 804 ), the override controls overrides the command sent by the hypervisor firmware to the power management control microarchitecture and issues the command from the command and assist unit to the power management control microarchitecture (step 806 ) and the operation ends. responsive to a determination by the override control that the global power management controller firmware has not set the override bit (a “no” output to step 804 ), the command from the hypervisor takes precedence and the override control does not issue the command from the command and assist unit to the power management control microarchitecture (step 808 ) and the operation ends. fig. 9 is flowchart expanding the step of the sensors providing performance information to the command and assist unit in accordance with a preferred embodiment. the operation begins by the sensors gathering performance information on the microprocessor (step 902 ). the sensors send the performance information to a sensor collection (step 904 ). the sensor collection determines whether to send any of the performance information to the global power management controller (step 906 ). responsive to a determination by the sensor collection to send some or all of the performance information to the global power management controller (a “yes” output to step 906 ), the sensor collection sends the selected performance information to a control slave bus (step 908 ). the control slave bus sends the selected performance information to a control master bus (step 910 ). the control master bus sends the selected performance information to an interface (step 912 ). the interface formats the selected performance information control and sends the selected performance information to a global power management controller (step 914 ). the sensor collection sends the unselected performance information to a command and assist unit (step 916 ) and the operation ends. responsive to a determination by the sensor collection not to send any of the performance information to the global power management controller (a “no” output to step 906 ), the sensor collection sends the performance information to a command and assist unit (step 918 ) and the operation ends. fig. 10 is flowchart expanding the step of the power management control microarchitecture setting microarchitectural power management techniques in accordance with a preferred embodiment. the operation begins by the power management control microarchitecture passes a command to a power mode register of the power management control microarchitecture (step 1002 ). the power mode register sends the command to a translator in a functional unit connected to the power mode register (step 1004 ). the translator combines the command from the power mode register with an input from power mode adjuster to form combined input (step 1006 ). the translator sends the combined input to a microarchitectural power management technique (step 1008 ). the microarchitectural power management technique acts according to the combined input (step 1010 ) and the operation ends. the flowcharts and block diagrams in the different depicted embodiments illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of some possible implementations of apparatus, methods, and computer program products. in this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of computer usable or readable program code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified function or functions. in some alternative implementations, the function or functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. for example, in some cases, two blocks shown in succession may be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. thus, exemplary embodiments provide for a method and system for managing power in a multi-core processor environment. exemplary embodiments enable placing each core within a multi-core microprocessor chip specific and possibly different operational modes, each mode with pre-defined power and performance characteristics, such that the overall chip power consumption falls within specified limits, as dictated by a chip-wide global controller, while not violating specified performance degradation limits. in particular, exemplary embodiments describe a systematic methodology with associated system embodiments for architecting a discrete set of power modes for each chiplet, which is a processor core plus some memory cache, which a global controller may use to effect programmable power management and control functions. the global controller may reside either on or off the microprocessor chip. the circuit as described above is part of the design for an integrated circuit chip. the chip design is created in a graphical computer programming language, and stored in a computer storage medium (such as a disk, tape, physical hard drive, or virtual hard drive such as in a storage access network). if the designer does not fabricate chips or the photolithographic masks used to fabricate chips, the designer transmits the resulting design by physical means (e.g., by providing a copy of the storage medium storing the design) or electronically (e.g., through the internet) to such entities, directly or indirectly. the stored design is then converted into the appropriate format (e.g., gdsii) for the fabrication of photolithographic masks, which typically include multiple copies of the chip design in question that are to be formed on a wafer. the photolithographic masks are utilized to define areas of the wafer (and/or the layers thereon) to be etched or otherwise processed. the description of the illustrative embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the illustrative embodiments in the form disclosed. many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. the embodiment was chosen and described in order to explain best the principles of the illustrative embodiments, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the illustrative embodiments for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
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186-690-933-722-838
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US
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| 2007-12-20T00:00:00 |
2007
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euv light source components and methods for producing, using and refurbishing same
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a method is disclosed for in-situ monitoring of an euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation. the method may comprise the steps/acts of irradiating at least a portion of the mirror with light having a wavelength outside the euv spectrum, measuring at least a portion of the light after the light has reflected from the mirror, and using the measurement and a pre-determined relationship between mirror degradation and light reflectivity to estimate a degree of multi-layer mirror degradation. also disclosed is a method for preparing a near-normal incidence, euv mirror which may comprise the steps/acts of providing a metallic substrate, diamond turning a surface of the substrate, depositing at least one intermediate material overlying the surface using a physical vapor deposition technique, and depositing a multi-layer mirror coating overlying the intermediate material.
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1. a method for in-situ monitoring of an euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation, the method comprising the acts of: irradiating at least a portion of the mirror with light having a wavelength outside the euv spectrum while the euv mirror is in an operational position in a photolithography apparatus; measuring at least a portion of the light after the light has reflected from the mirror; and using the measurement and a pre-determined relationship between mirror degradation and light reflectivity to estimate a degree of multi-layer mirror degradation. 2. a method as recited in claim 1 wherein the mirror is operationally positioned in an euv light source portion of the photolithography apparatus. 3. a method as recited in claim 1 wherein the mirror is a near-normal incidence multi-layer mirror. 4. a method as recited in claim 3 wherein the irradiating act is performed with a point source of visible light. 5. a method as recited in claim 4 wherein the point source is selected from the group of point sources consisting of a light emitting diode and a light source in combination with an aperture. 6. a method as recited in claim 3 wherein the mirror has an ellipsoidal shape defining a first focus and a second focus, and wherein the irradiating act is performed with a point source of visible light positioned at the first focus and the measuring act is performed with a detector positioned at a location closer to the second focus than the first focus. 7. a method as recited in claim 3 wherein the irradiating act is performed with a laser beam and the measuring act is performed with a detector positioned to detect diffuse reflected light. 8. a method as recited in claim 1 wherein the mirror has an ellipsoidal shape defining a first focus and a second focus, and wherein the irradiating act is performed with a point source positioned at the first focus generating a cone of reflected light having an apex at the second focus and diffuse reflected light and the measuring act is performed with a detector positioned at a distance from the second focus to detect diffuse reflected light. 9. a method for producing euv light, said method comprising the acts of: providing an euv mirror having a substrate, a first multi-layer coating stack, a stop layer overlying the first multi-layer coating stack and a second multi-layer coating stack overlying said stop layer; using the mirror to reflect euv light produced by an euv light emitting plasma, the plasma generating debris which degrades the second multi-layer coating stack; and thereafter; etching said mirror to expose at least a portion of said stop layer; and thereafter; using the mirror to reflect euv light produced by an euv light emitting plasma. 10. a method as recited in claim 9 wherein said stop layer comprises a material selected from the group of materials consisting of si 3 n 4 , sib 6 , sic, c, cr, b 4 c, mo 2 c, sio 2 , zrb 2 , yb 6 and mosi 2 , and said etching step employs an etchant selected from the group of materials consisting of cl 2 , hcl, cf 4 , and mixtures thereof. 11. a method as recited in claim 10 wherein said second multi-layer coating stack comprises a plurality of bi-layers, each bi-layer having a layer of mo and a layer of si. 12. a method as recited in claim 11 wherein said second multi-layer coating stack comprises a plurality of mo layers, a plurality of si layers and a plurality of diffusion barrier layers separating mo layers from si layers. 13. a method as recited in claim 9 wherein said second multi-layer coating stack comprises more than forty bi-layers. 14. a method as recited in claim 9 wherein said stop layer has a thickness selected to maintain the periodicity of the mirror from the second multi-layer coating stack to the first multi-layer coating stack. 15. a method as recited in claim 9 wherein said stop layer is a first stop layer and said mirror comprises a second stop layer overlying said second multi-layer coating stack and a third multi-layer coating stack overlying said second stop layer. 16. a system for in-situ monitoring of an euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation, the system comprising: a light source irradiating at least a portion of the mirror with light having a wavelength in the visible spectrum while the euv mirror is in an operational position in a photolithography apparatus; and a detector measuring an intensity of at least a portion of the light after the light has reflected from the mirror, the detector generating an output signal for use in estimating a degree of multi-layer mirror degradation.
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cross-reference to related applications the present application is related to co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/827,803 filed on jul. 13, 2007, entitled laser produced plasma euv light source having a droplet stream produced using a modulated disturbance wave, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/358,988 filed on feb. 21, 2006, entitled laser produced plasma euv light source with pre-pulse, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/067,124 filed on feb. 25, 2005, entitled method and apparatus for euv plasma source target delivery, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/174,443 filed on jun. 29, 2005, entitled lpp euv plasma source material target delivery system, co-pending u.s. source material dispenser for euv light source, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/358,992 filed on feb. 21, 2006, entitled laser produced plasma euv light source, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/174,299 filed on jun. 29, 2005, and entitled, lpp euv light source drive laser system, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/406,216 filed on apr. 17, 2006 entitled alternative fuels for euv light source, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/580,414 filed on oct. 13, 2006 entitled, drive laser delivery systems for euv light source, and co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/644,153 filed on dec. 22, 2006 entitled, laser produced plasma euv light source, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/505,177 filed on aug. 16, 2006, entitled euv optics, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/452,558 filed on jun. 14, 2006 entitled drive laser for euv light source, co-pending u.s. pat. no. 6,928,093, issued to webb, et al. on aug. 9, 2005, entitled long delay and high its pulse stretcher, u.s. application ser. no. 11/394,512, filed on mar. 31, 2006 and titled confocal pulse stretcher, u.s. application ser. no. 11/138,001 filed on may 26, 2005 and titled systems and methods for implementing an. interaction between a laser shaped as a line beam and a film deposited on a substrate, and u.s. application ser. no. 10/141,216, filed on may 7, 2002, now u.s. pat. no. 6,693,939, and titled, laser lithography light source with beam delivery, u.s. pat. no. 6,625,191 issued to knowles et al on sep. 23, 2003 entitled very narrow band, two chamber, high rep rate gas discharge laser system, u.s. application ser. no. 10/012,002, u.s. pat. no. 6,549,551 issued to ness et al on apr. 15, 2003 entitled injection seeded laser with precise timing control, u.s. application ser. no. 09/848,043, and u.s. pat. no. 6,567,450 issued to myers et al on may 20, 2003 entitled very narrow band, two chamber, high rep rate gas discharge laser system, u.s. application ser. no. 09/943,343, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/509,925 filed on aug. 25, 2006, entitled source material collection unit for a laser produced plasma euv light source, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. field the present application relates to extreme ultraviolet (“euv”) light sources providing euv light from a plasma created from a source material and collected and directed to a focus for utilization outside of the euv light source chamber, e.g., for semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing photolithography e.g., at wavelengths of around 50 nm and below. background euv light, e.g., electromagnetic radiation in the euv spectrum (i.e. having wavelengths of about 5-100 nm) may be useful in photolithography processes to produce extremely small features, e.g. sub-32 nm features, in semiconductor substrates such as silicon wafers. methods to produce euv light include, but are not necessarily limited to, converting a material into a plasma state that has one or more elements, e.g., xenon, lithium or tin, indium, antimony, tellurium, aluminum, etc., with one or more emission line(s) in the euv spectrum. in one such method, often termed laser produced plasma (“lpp”), a plasma can be produced by irradiating a target material, such as a droplet, stream or cluster of material having the line-emitting element, with a laser beam. another method involves disposing the line-emitting element between two electrodes. in this method, often termed discharge produced plasma (“dpp”), a plasma can be produced by creating an electrical discharge between the electrodes. heretofore, various systems in which a line-emitting element is presented for irradiation/electric discharge have been disclosed. many diverse forms and states have been attempted, to include, presenting the element in pure form, e.g., pure metal, presenting the element as a compound, e.g., a salt, or as an alloy, e.g. with some other metal, or in a solution, e.g., dissolved in a solvent such as water. moreover, systems have been disclosed in which the line-emitting substance is presented as a liquid, including relatively volatile liquids, a gas, a vapor and/or a solid, and can be in the form of a droplet, stream, moving tape, aerosol, particles in a liquid stream, particles in a droplet stream, gas jet, etc. for these processes, the plasma is typically produced in a sealed vessel, e.g., vacuum chamber, and monitored using various types of metrology equipment. a typical euv light source may also include one or more euv mirrors e.g., a substrate covered with a graded, multi-layer coating such as mo/si. one or more of these mirrors are then disposed in the sealed vessel, distanced from the irradiation site, and oriented to direct euv light emitted from the plasma to an euv light source output. in general, these euv mirrors may be either near-normal incidence type mirrors or grazing incidence type mirrors. by way of example, for an lpp setup, the mirror may be in the form of an ellipsoidal, e.g. a prolate spheroid having a circular cross section normal to a line passing through its loci near-normal incidence type, with an aperture to allow the laser light to pass through and reach the irradiation site. with this arrangement, the irradiation site may be positioned at or near a first focus of the ellipsoid and the light source output may be positioned at, near or downstream of the second ellipsoid focus. in addition to generating euv radiation, these plasma processes described above may also generate undesirable by-products in the plasma chamber which can include out-of-band radiation, high energy ions and debris, e.g., atoms and/or clumps/micro-droplets of the target material. these plasma formation by-products can potentially heat, damage or reduce the operational efficiency of the various plasma chamber optical elements including, but not limited to, collector mirrors including multi-layer mirror coatings (mlm's) capable of euv reflection at near-normal incidence and/or grazing incidence, the surfaces of metrology detectors, windows used to image the plasma formation process, and the laser input window. the heat, high energy ions and/or debris may be damaging to the optical elements in a number of ways, including coating them with materials which reduce light transmission, penetrating into them and, e.g., damaging structural integrity and/or optical properties, e.g., the ability of a mirror to reflect light at such short wavelengths, corroding, roughening or eroding them and/or diffusing into them. accessing contaminated or damaged optical elements in the plasma chamber for the purpose of cleaning or replacing the elements can be expensive, labor intensive and time-consuming. in particular, these systems typically require a rather complicated and time consuming purging and vacuum pump-down of the plasma chamber prior to a re-start after the plasma chamber has been opened. this lengthy process can adversely affect production schedules and decrease the overall efficiency of light sources for which it is typically desirable to operate with little or no downtime. for some target materials, e.g., tin, it may be desirable to introduce an etchant, e.g., hbr or some other halogen-containing compound, or h radicals, into the plasma chamber to etch material, e.g. debris that has deposited on the optical elements. this etchant may be present during light source operation, during periods of non-operation, or both. it is further contemplated that the affected surfaces of one or more elements may be heated to initiate reaction and/or increase the chemical reaction rate of the etchant and/or to maintain the etching rate at a certain level. for other target materials, e.g., lithium, it may be desirable to heat the affected surfaces where lithium debris has deposited to a temperature sufficient vaporize at least a portion of the deposited material, e.g. a temperature in the range of about 400 to 550 degrees c. to vaporize li from the shield surface, with or without the use of an etchant. one way to reduce the influence of debris is to move the collector mirror further away from the irradiation site. this, in turn, implies the use of a larger collector mirror to collect the same amount of light. the performance of a collector mirror, e.g., the ability to accurately direct as much in-band light as possible to, e.g., a focal point, depends of the figure and surface finish, e.g., roughness of the collector. as one might expect, it becomes more and more difficult/expensive to produce a suitable figure and surface finish as the size of the collector mirror grows. for this environment, euv mirror substrate considerations may include one or more of the following: vacuum compatibility, mechanical strength, e.g. high temperature strength, high thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion, dimensional stability, and ease of producing a suitable figure and finish. many factors may affect the in-band output intensity (and angular intensity distribution) from an euv light source and these factors may change over the lifetime of the light source. for example, in an lpp system, changes in collector reflectivity, target size, laser pulse energy and duration and/or coupling of laser pulse and target material, e.g. as a function of steering and focusing may affect in-band euv output intensity. thus, it may be desirable to determine which component/sub-systems are adversely affecting in-band euv output intensity so that the problem can be remedied. if possible, it may be desirable to diagnose the performance of each component/sub-system while they are in position in the light source (i.e. in-situ) and/or while the euv light source is operating. with the above in mind, applicants disclose euv light source components and methods for producing, using and refurbishing euv light source components. summary in a first aspect of an embodiment of the present patent application, a method for in-situ monitoring of an euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation may comprise the step/act of irradiating at least a portion of the mirror with light having a wavelength outside the euv spectrum while the euv mirror is in an operational position in a photolithography apparatus. the method may further comprise the steps/acts of measuring at least a portion of the light after the light has reflected from the mirror and using the measurement and a pre-determined relationship between mirror degradation and light reflectivity to estimate a degree of multi-layer mirror degradation. in one implementation of this method, the mirror may be operationaly positioned in an euv light source portion of the photolithography apparatus and in a particular implementation, the mirror may be a near-normal incidence multi-layer mirror. in one embodiment, the irradiating act may be performed with a point source of visible light, for example, the point source may be a light emitting diode or a light source in combination with an aperture, e.g. a relatively small aperture to define a small region of light emission. for this method, the mirror may have an ellipsoidal shape defining a first focus and a second focus, and the irradiating step/act may be performed with a point source of visible light positioned at the first focus and the measuring step/act may be performed with a detector positioned at a location closer to the second focus than the first focus. for example, the irradiating step/act may be performed with a point source positioned at the first focus generating a cone of reflected light having an apex at the second focus, and diffuse reflected light. for this arrangement, the measuring step/act may be performed with a detector positioned at a distance from the second focus to detect diffuse reflected light. in one aspect of a particular implementation, the irradiating step/act may be performed with a laser beam and the measuring step/act may be performed with a detector positioned to detect diffuse reflected light. in another aspect of an embodiment of the present patent application, a system for in-situ monitoring of an euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation may comprise a light source irradiating at least a portion of the mirror with light having a wavelength in the visible spectrum while the euv mirror is in an operational position in a photolithography apparatus, and a detector measuring an intensity of at least a portion of the light after the light has reflected from the mirror, the detector generating an output signal for use in estimating a degree of multi-layer mirror degradation. in still another aspect of an embodiment of the present patent application, a metrology device for measuring a characteristic of euv radiation may comprise a detecting element and a filter comprising silicon nitride. in one arrangement, the detecting element may be a fluorescent converter and the measured characteristic may be angular intensity distribution. in another arrangement, the detecting element may be a photodiode and the measured characteristic may be intensity. in one arrangement of this aspect, the filter may further comprise ru, e.g. a layer of ru, and in a particular arrangement of this aspect, the filter may further comprise ru and zr. in another arrangement of this aspect, the filter may further comprise a plurality of ru layers and a plurality of silicon nitride layers. in yet another arrangement of this aspect, the filter may further comprise pd, e.g., a layer of pd, and in a particular arrangement of this aspect, the filter may further comprise pd and zr. in another arrangement of this aspect, the filter may further comprise a plurality of pd layers and a plurality of silicon nitride layers. in still another aspect of an embodiment of the present patent application, a metrology device for measuring an angular intensity distribution of euv light may comprise a fluorescent converter and a filter comprising uranium. in one implementation of this aspect, the filter may further comprise ru. in another aspect of an embodiment of the present patent application, a metrology device, e.g. fluorescent converter or photodiode, for measuring a characteristic of euv radiation may comprise a detecting element and a filter comprising a transmissive multilayer coating having a plurality of bi-layers, each bi-layer having a relatively low refractive index material and a relatively high refractive index material. for example, the coating may be transmissive multilayer coating comprising a plurality of mo layers and a plurality of si layers or a transmissive multilayer coating comprising a plurality of zr layers and a plurality of si layers. in another aspect of an embodiment of the present patent application, a metrology device, e.g. fluorescent converter or photodiode, for measuring a characteristic of euv radiation may comprise a detecting element and a filter comprising uranium and ru. in another aspect, a device for removing debris from an euv light source collector mirror, the debris generated by plasma formation, the collector mirror having a first side covered with a multi-layer near-normal incidence reflective coating and an opposed side, may comprise: a conductive coating deposited to overlay at least a portion of the opposed side; and a system generating electrical currents in the coating to heat the collector mirror. the conductive coating may be, but is not necessarily limited to a vacuum deposited coating, a flame-sprayed coating, an electroplated coating or a combination thereof. in one embodiment, the coating may be configured to heat a first zone of the collector mirror to a first temperature, t 1 , to remove debris from the first zone and heat a second zone of the collector mirror to a second temperature, t 2 , to remove debris from the second zone, with t 1 ≠t 2 . in a particular embodiment, the first zone may have a different coating coverage by area than the second zone. in another particular embodiment, the first zone may have a different coating thickness than the second zone. in another particular embodiment, the first zone may have a different coating conductivity than the second zone. the above implies that there could be three or more zones at different temperatures, e.g., more than just two zones. in one implementation, the system may be configured to generate electro-magnetic radiation and the system may deliver an electromagnetic radiation power, p 1 , to the first zone of the collector mirror, and an electromagnetic radiation power, p 2 , to the second zone of the collector mirror, with p 1 ≠p 2 . in another aspect of the present patent application, an elw collector mirror device having a surface exposed to debris generated by plasma formation, may comprise a substrate covered with a multi-layer near-normal incidence reflective coating, the substrate made of a material doped with a conductive material; and a system generating electrical currents in the substrate to heat the collector mirror. in one embodiment of this aspect, the coating may be configured to heat a first zone of the collector mirror to a first temperature, t 1 , to remove debris from the first zone and heat a second zone of the collector mirror to a second temperature, t 2 , to remove debris from the second zone, with t 1 ≠t 2 . in a particular implementation, the first zone may have a different substrate conductivity than the second zone. in another implementation, the system may be configured to generate electromagnetic radiation and the system may deliver an electromagnetic radiation power, p 1 , to the first zone of the collector mirror, and an electromagnetic radiation power, p 2 , to the second zone of the collector mirror, with p 1 ≠p 2 . in another aspect of the present patent application, a method for preparing a near-normal incidence, euv mirror may comprise the steps/acts of providing a substrate; diamond turning a surface of the substrate; depositing at least one intermediate material overlying the surface using physical vapor deposition; and depositing a multi-layer mirror coating overlying the intermediate material. for example, the multilayer mirror coating may comprise alternating layers of mo and si. for this aspect, the substrate may be selected from the group of metallic materials consisting of invar, covar, monel, hastelloy, nickel, inconel, titanium, nickel-phosphite plated/coated aluminum, nickel-phosphite plated/coated invar, nickel-phosphite plated/coated covar or the substrate may be a semi-conductor material, e.g. single- or multi-crystalline silicon. in some arrangements, the mirror may be an ellipsoidal mirror having a diameter greater than 500 mm. in one embodiment, the intermediate material may comprises an etch stop material having a substantially different etch sensitivity than the multi-layer mirror coating for at least one etchant, and in particular embodiments, the etch stop material may be selected from the group of materials consisting of si, b 4 c, an oxide, sic and cr. in some cases, the etch stop layer may have a thickness in the range of 3 nm to 100 nm. in one embodiment, the intermediate material may comprise a barrier material substantially reducing diffusion of the metallic substrate into the multi-layer mirror coating, and in particular embodiments, the barrier material may be selected from the group of materials consisting of zrn, zr, mosi 2 , si 3 n 4 , b 4 c, sic and cr. in one embodiment, the intermediate material may comprise a smoothing material, and in particular embodiments, the smoothing material may be selected from the group of materials consisting of si, c, si 3 n 4 , b 4 c, sic, zrn, zr and cr. in some implementations, the smoothing material may be deposited using highly energetic deposition conditions, for example, the deposition conditions include substrate heating and/or the deposition conditions include increasing particle energy during deposition. in some cases, the smoothing layer may overlay and contact the metallic substrate. in one embodiment, the smoothing layer may have a thickness in the range of 3 nm to 100 nm. in a particular implementation, the smoothing layer may comprise an amorphous material. in one implementation, the depositing step/act may be performed using a physical vapor deposition technique selected from the group of techniques consisting of ion beam sputter deposition, electron beam physical vapor deposition magnetron sputtering and combinations thereof. in another aspect of the present patent application, a method for refurbishing a near-normal incidence, euv mirror may comprise the steps/acts of providing an euv mirror having a substrate, at least one intermediate material overlying the substrate and a multi-layer mirror coating overlying the intermediate material; removing the multi-layer mirror coating to produce an exposed surface; and thereafter chemically polishing the exposed surface; depositing a smoothing material; and depositing a multi-layer mirror coating overlying the smoothing material. in one implementation of this aspect, the intermediate layer may have a thickness in the range of 5 μm to 15 μm and the removing step/act may use diamond turning to remove the multi-layer mirror coating. in particular implementations, the smoothing material may be selected from the group of materials consisting of zrn, zr, mosi 2 , si 3 n 4 , b 4 c, sic and cr. in a particular implementation, the multi-layer mirror coating may overlay and contact the smoothing material. in a particular implementation a first intermediate layer, the etch stop layer, e.g. a cr layer or a tio 2 layer, may be covered by a second intermediate layer, a smoothing layer or diffusion barrier layer, e.g., zrn, zr, si, c, si 3 n 4 , b 4 c, sic, or mosi 2 in order to reduce a surface roughening effect that may be caused by the deposition of the etch stop layer. in one implementation, the removing step/act may use chemical etching to remove the multi-layer mirror coating and in a particular implementation, the intermediate layer may have a thickness in the range of 5 nm to 20 nm and the removing step/act may use chemical etching to remove the multi-layer mirror coating. in another aspect of the present patent application, a method for producing euv light may comprising the acts of providing an euv mirror having a substrate, a first multi-layer coating stack, a stop layer overlying the first multi-layer coating stack and a second multi-layer coating stack overlying the stop layer; using the mirror to reflect euv light produced by an euv light emitting plasma, the plasma generating debris which degrades the second multi-layer coating stack; and thereafter; etching the mirror to expose at least a portion of the stop layer; and thereafter; using the mirror to reflect euv light produced by an euv light emitting plasma. in one implementation of this aspect, the stop layer may comprise a material selected from the group of materials consisting of zrn, zr, si 3 n 4 , sib 6 , sic, c, cr, b 4 c, mo 2 c, sio 2 , zrb 2 , yb 6 and mosi 2 , and the etching step may employ an etchant selected from the group of materials consisting of cl 2 , hcl, cf 4 , and mixtures thereof. in one embodiment of this method, the second multi-layer coating stack may comprise a plurality of bi-layers, each bi-layer having a layer of mo and a layer of si, and in a particular embodiment, the second multi-layer coating stack may comprise a plurality of mo layers, a plurality of si layers and a plurality of diffusion barrier layers separating mo layers from si layers. in one arrangement, the second multi-layer coating stack may comprise more than forty bi-layers. in some cases, the stop layer may have a thickness selected to maintain the periodicity of the mirror from the second multi-layer coating stack to the first multi-layer coating stack. in a particular implementation of this aspect, the stop layer may be a first stop layer and the mirror may comprise a second stop layer overlying the second multi-layer coating stack and a third multi-layer coating stack overlying the second stop layer. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 shows a simplified schematic view of a laser-produced plasma euv light source according to an aspect of the present disclosure; fig. 2 shows a schematic view of portions of an lpp euv light source having an apparatus for in-situ monitoring of an ellipsoidal euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation; fig. 3 shows a schematic view of portions of an lpp euv light source having a different embodiment of an apparatus for in-situ monitoring of an ellipsoidal euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation; fig. 4 shows a schematic view of portions of an lpp euv light source having a different embodiment of an apparatus for in-situ monitoring of an ellipsoidal euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation; fig. 5 shows a schematic view of portions of an lpp euv light source having a different embodiment of an apparatus for in-situ monitoring of an ellipsoidal euv mirror to determine a degree of optical degradation; fig. 6 illustrates a portion of a metrology device for measuring a characteristic of euv radiation having a detecting element and a narrowband euv transmission filter; fig. 7a shows calculated plots of transmission intensity (normalized) versus wavelength in nanometers for various filter materials; figs. 7b , 7 c and 7 d show calculated plots of transmission intensity versus wavelength in nanometers for de-enriched uranium filters having various thicknesses; fig. 7e shows a calculated plot of transmission intensity versus wavelength in nanometers for a filter having about 0.2 μm thick uranium layer and about 50 nm thick ru layer; figs. 8a , 8 b and 8 c illustrate three embodiments of backside heaters for an euv reflective mirror; fig. 9a shows a sectional view of a near-normal incidence euv collector mirror having a substrate, intermediate layer, and multi-layer mirror coating; fig. 9b shows a sectional view of a mirror, e.g., a near-normal incidence euv collector mirror, having a substrate, first intermediate layer, second intermediate layer and multi-layer mirror coating; fig. 10 shows a sectional view of a mirror, e.g., a near-normal incidence euv collector mirror, having a substrate, five multi-layer coating stacks and four stop layers separating the multi-layer coating stacks; and fig. 11 shows a sectional view illustrating a mirror, e.g., a near-normal incidence euv collector mirror, having a substrate, a plurality of multi-layer coating stacks separated by respective stop layers, each multi-layer coating stack having a plurality of relatively high refractive index layers, a plurality of relatively low refractive index layers and a plurality of diffusion barrier layers separating high index layers from the low index layers. detailed description with initial reference to fig. 1 there is shown a schematic view of an euv light source, e.g., a laser-produced-plasma, euv light source 20 according to one aspect of an embodiment. as shown in fig. 1 , and described in further details below, the lpp light source 20 may include a system 22 for generating a train of light pulses and delivering the light pulses into a chamber 26 . as detailed below, each light pulse may travel along a beam path from the system 22 and into the chamber 26 to illuminate a respective target droplet at an irradiation region, e.g. at or near a focus 28 of an ellipsoidal mirror. suitable lasers for use as the device 22 shown in fig. 1 may include a pulsed laser device, e.g., a pulsed gas discharge co 2 laser device producing radiation at 9.3 μm or 10.6 μm, e.g., with dc or rf excitation, operating at relatively high power, e.g., 10 kw or higher and high pulse repetition rate, e.g., 50 khz or more. in one particular implementation, the laser may be an axial-flow rf-pumped co 2 having a mopa configuration with multiple stages of amplification and having a seed pulse that is initiated by a q-switched master oscillator (mo) with low energy and high repetition rate, e.g., capable of 100 khz operation. from the mo, the laser pulse may then be amplified, shaped, steered and/or focused before entering the lpp chamber. continuously pumped co 2 amplifiers may be used for the system 22 . for example, a suitable co 2 laser device having an oscillator and three amplifiers (o-pa1-pa2-pa3 configuration) is disclosed in co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/174,299 filed on jun. 29, 2005, and entitled, lpp euv light source drive laser system, the entire contents of which have been previously incorporated by reference herein. alternatively, the laser may be configured as a so-called “self-targeting” laser system in which the droplet serves as one mirror of the optical cavity. in some “self-targeting” arrangements, a master oscillator may not be required. self targeting laser systems are disclosed and claimed in co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/580,414 filed on oct. 13, 2006 entitled, drive laser delivery systems for euv light source, the entire contents of which have been previously incorporated by reference herein. depending on the application, other types of lasers may also be suitable, e.g., an excimer or molecular fluorine laser operating at high power and high pulse repetition rate. examples include, a solid state laser, e.g., having a rod, fiber or disk shaped active media, a mopa configured excimer laser system, e.g., as shown in u.s. pat. nos. 6,625,191, 6,549,551, and 6,567,450, an excimer laser having one or more chambers, e.g., an oscillator chamber and one or more amplifying chambers (with the amplifying chambers in parallel or in series), a master oscillator/power oscillator (mopo) arrangement, a power oscillator/power amplifier (popa) arrangement, or a solid state laser that seeds one or more excimer or molecular fluorine amplifier or oscillator chambers, may be suitable. other designs are possible. as further shown in fig. 1 , the euv light source 20 may also include a target material delivery system 24 , e.g., delivering droplets of a target material into the interior of a chamber 26 to the irradiation region where the droplets will interact with one or more light pulses, e.g., one or more pre-pulses and thereafter one or more main pulses, to ultimately produce a plasma and generate an euv emission. the target material may include, but is not necessarily limited to, a material that includes tin, lithium, xenon or combinations thereof. the euv emitting element, e.g., tin, lithium, xenon, etc., may be in the form of liquid droplets and/or solid particles contained within liquid droplets. for example, the element tin may be used as pure tin, as a tin compound, e.g., snbr 4 , snbr 2 , snh 4 as a tin alloy, e.g., tin-gallium alloys, tin-indium alloys, tin-indium-gallium alloys, or a combination thereof. depending on the material used, the target material may be presented to the irradiation region at various temperatures including room temperature or near room temperature (e.g., tin alloys, snbr 4 ) at an elevated temperature, (e.g., pure tin) or at temperatures below room temperature, (e.g., snh 4 ), and in some cases, can be relatively volatile, e.g., snbr 4 . more details concerning the use of these materials in an lpp euv source is provided in co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/406,216 filed on apr. 17, 2006 entitled alternative fuels for euv light source, the contents of which have been previously incorporated by reference herein. continuing with fig. 1 , the euv light source 20 may also include an optic 30 , e.g., a collector mirror in the form of a truncated ellipsoid having, e.g., a graded multi-layer coating with alternating layers of molybdenum and silicon. fig. 1 shows that the optic 30 may be formed with an aperture to allow the light pulses generated by the system 22 to pass through and reach the irradiation region. as shown, the optic 30 may be, e.g., an ellipsoidal mirror that has a first focus within or near the irradiation region and a second focus at a so-called intermediate region 40 where the euv light may be output from the euv light source 20 and input to a device utilizing euv light, e.g., an integrated circuit lithography tool (not shown). it is to be appreciated that other optics may be used in place of the ellipsoidal mirror for collecting and directing light to an intermediate location for subsequent delivery to a device utilizing euv light, for example the optic may be parabolic or may be configured to deliver a beam having a ring-shaped cross-section to an intermediate location, see e.g. co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/505,177 filed on aug. 16, 2006, entitled euv optics, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. continuing with reference to fig. 1 , the euv light source 20 may also include an euv controller 60 , which may also include a firing control system 65 for triggering one or more lamps and/or laser devices in the system 22 to thereby generate light pulses for delivery into the chamber 26 . the euv light source 20 may also include a droplet position detection system which may include one or more droplet imagers 70 that provide an output indicative of the position of one or more droplets, e.g., relative to the irradiation region. the imager(s) 70 may provide this output to a droplet position detection feedback system 62 , which can, e.g., compute a droplet position and/or trajectory, from which a droplet position error can be computed, e.g., on a droplet by droplet basis or on average. the droplet error may then be provided as an input to the controller 60 , which can, for example, provide a position, direction and/or timing correction signal to the system 22 to control a source timing circuit and/or to control a beam position and shaping system, e.g., to change the location and/or focal power of the light pulses being delivered to the irradiation region in the chamber 26 . the euv light source 20 may include one or more euv metrology instruments for measuring various properties of the euv light generated by the source 20 . these properties may include, for example, intensity (e.g., total intensity or intensity within a particular spectral band), spectral bandwidth, polarization, beam position, pointing, etc. for the euv light source 20 , the instrument(s) may be configured to operate while the downstream tool, e.g., photolithography scanner, is on-line, e.g., by sampling a portion of the euv output, e.g., using a pickoff mirror or sampling “uncollected” euv light, and/or may operate while the downstream tool, e.g., photolithography scanner, is off-line, for example, by measuring the entire euv output of the euv light source 20 . as further shown in fig. 1 , the euv light source 20 may include a droplet control system 90 , operable in response to a signal, which in some implementations may include the droplet error described above, or some quantity derived therefrom the controller 60 , to e.g., modify the release point of the target material from a droplet source 92 and/or modify droplet formation timing, to correct for errors in the droplets arriving at the desired irradiation region and/or synchronize the generation of droplets with the pulsed laser system 22 . more details regarding various droplet dispenser configurations and their relative advantages may be found in co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/827,803 filed on jul. 13, 2007, entitled laser produced plasma euv light source having a droplet stream produced using a modulated disturbance wave, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/358,988 filed on feb. 21, 2006, entitled laser produced plasma euv light source with pre-pulse, co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/067,124 filed on feb. 25, 2005, entitled method and apparatus for elv plasma source target delivery, and co-pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/174,443 filed on jun. 29, 2005, entitled lpp euv plasma source material target delivery system, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. referring now to fig. 2 , an apparatus for in-situ monitoring of an ellipsoidal euv mirror 30 to determine a degree of optical degradation is shown. as shown, the monitoring apparatus may include a light source 100 positioned to direct light toward the reflective surface of the mirror 30 to illuminate the mirror surface. typically, the light source provides light which is outside the euv spectrum (i.e. outside of the wavelength range 1 nm-100 nm. in one setup, the light source may provide visible light. in some cases, it may be favorable to use a point source of light, for example, the point source may be a light emitting diode (led), e.g., ˜1 mm diameter led with a relatively small emission area and a relatively large divergent light emission may be used. alternatively, a larger light source positioned behind an aperture for reducing the emission region, e.g., a relatively small aperture, may be used. for the ellipsoidal shaped mirror, the light source 100 may be positioned at one of the foci, such as the close (or primary) focus 28 shown in fig. 2 , thus, generating a cone of reflected light 102 having an apex at the (far or secondary) focus 40 , as shown. also shown, the monitoring apparatus may include a detector 104 which may include, for example, a screen, e.g. a white screen, for producing an image of the reflected light together with a ccd camera and optional lens for recording the reflected light distribution. alternatively, a ccd camera may be placed in the light cone after the intermediate focus 40 . although the screen is shown positioned downstream of the secondary focus 40 , it may, as an alternative, be positioned between the primary and secondary foci 28 , 40 . other suitable detectors may include, but are not necessarily limited to fluorescent screens, photodiode arrays and other optical cameras. in use, the euv source 20 shown in fig. 1 may be operated for a pre-determined number of pulses. the euv light source 20 may then be shut down and the vacuum chamber 26 opened. once opened, the light source 100 and detector 104 may be positioned at their respective locations. in an alternate arrangement, a positioning system (not shown), may be installed in the chamber 26 allowing the light source 100 and detector 104 to be positioned without breaking the high vacuum in the chamber 26 . in either case, the monitoring apparatus may be used to determine a degree of mirror optical degradation without requiring the mirror to be moved and without affecting the mirror's alignment. once the light source 100 and detector 104 have been properly positioned, an image of the reflected light may be obtained by the detector and compared to previously obtained data (i.e. a previously measured (i.e. empirically derived) or calculated relationship between mirror degradation and light reflectivity. for example, synchrotron radiation may be used to determine euv reflectivity to establish an empirical relationship between euv reflectivity and reflectivity of non-euv light. typically, an increase of mirror surface micro-roughness, e.g. caused by ion/particle impacts and/or material deposits, e.g. micro-droplets, etc., will result in a corresponding decrease in specularly reflected light. if desired, the optical degradation measurement may then be used to estimate euv reflectivity. alternatively, or in addition to using the monitoring apparatus after a predetermine number of euv light output pulses, the monitoring apparatus may be used to diagnose an out-of-spec (or near out-of-spec) euv light source, for example, an euv light source having non-spec euv output intensity, bandwidth, angular uniformity, etc. for a typical euv light source, a number of factors may affect euv light output such as mirror reflectivity, input laser energy and characteristics, droplet size, droplet-laser pulse interaction, etc. with this large number of variables, it may be difficult to isolate which factor(s) is causing an out-of-spec euv output simply by making adjustments to the various light source components. with this in mind, the mirror monitoring apparatus described herein allows an optical degradation measurement to be performed without removing the mirror from the light source and without the need to generate euv light to perform the measurement. fig. 3 shows an alternative arrangement in which a light source 100 (e.g., a source emitting light outside the euv spectrum as described above) may be positioned at one of the foci of an ellipsoidal mirror 30 , such as the (far or secondary) focus 40 shown in fig. 3 , and oriented to illuminate the reflective surface of the mirror 30 , thus, generating a cone of reflected light 102 having an apex at the close (or primary) focus 28 , as shown. also shown, the monitoring apparatus may include an optic, e.g. a ninety degree turning mirror, positioned at or near the primary focus 28 and oriented to direct light from the primary focus 28 to a detector 104 (as described above). similarly, the light source may be imaged to the secondary focus 40 by suitable optics and ninety degree turning mirror. monitoring of optical degradation can thus be made through windows of the source chamber without breaking the vacuum of the system. fig. 4 shows another arrangement in which diffuse reflections, e.g. scattered light, may be evaluated (alone or together with the specular reflections described above) to determine a degree of mirror optical degradation. typically, an increase of mirror surface microroughness, e.g. caused by ion/particle impacts and/or material deposits, e.g. microdroplets, etc., will result in a corresponding increase in the amount of diffuse reflected light. as shown, a light source 100 may be positioned or projected to illuminate a portion or all of the euv mirror 30 surface resulting in specular reflections related to the general figure of the mirror surface and diffuse reflections related to small-scale surface roughness, e.g. caused by ion/particle impacts and/or material deposits. for the particular example shown in fig. 3 , the light source 100 is shown positioned at the primary focus 28 of an ellipsoidal mirror 30 , thus, generating a cone of specularly reflected light 102 having an apex at the secondary focus 40 , as shown. also shown, the monitoring apparatus may include a detector 104 , e.g. ccd camera as described above, positioned at an oblique angle relative to the illuminating rays to measure the amount of a diffuse reflection. the measured data may then be compared to previously obtained data (i.e., a previously measured (i.e., empirically derived) or calculated relationship between mirror degradation and diffuse light reflectivity. fig. 5 shows another arrangement in which diffuse reflections, e.g. scattered light, may be evaluated (alone or together with the specular reflections described above) to determine a degree of mirror optical degradation. as shown, a laser source 150 may be positioned to direct an incident laser beam 152 to a relatively small surface location 153 of ellipsoidal euv mirror 30 surface (having foci 28 , 40 ). as shown, the beam is specularly reflected therefrom as reflected beam 154 . detector 156 is positioned to receive scattered light at a pre-selected angle relative to the angle of incidence, and in some cases, may be moveable, e.g. along arrow 158 , to measure scattered light at a plurality of angles, relative to the angle of incidence. scattered light from several places on the collector mirror 30 surface may be evaluated, or, if desired, the entire surface may be scanned, e.g. raster scan, with the laser beam. the measured data may then be compared to previously obtained data (i.e. a previously measured (i.e. empirically derived) or calculated relationship between mirror degradation and diffuse light reflectivity. the incident and the scattered light can be propagated through chamber windows. thus, such measurements of scattered light can be made without breaking the vacuum of the system. although the above description (i.e. description of figs. 2-5 ) has been made with reference to ellipsoidal collector mirrors, it is to be appreciated that the teachings described above extend beyond collector mirrors, and in particular, beyond near-normal incidence ellipsoidal mirrors, to include, but not necessarily limited to, flat mirrors, spherical mirrors, aspherics, parabolic mirrors, grazing angle incidence mirrors and so-called ring field optics/collector mirrors. fig. 6 illustrates a portion of a metrology device 200 for measuring a characteristic of euv radiation. as shown, the device 200 may include a detecting element 202 and a narrowband euv transmission filter 204 . for example, the detecting element 202 may be a fluorescence converter, e.g., having a ce:yag crystal, for measuring, for example, angular intensity distribution of euv exiting the euv light source, or the detecting element 202 may be a photodiode for measuring euv intensity. for the device 200 , the filter 204 may be a coating (having one or more layers) deposited to overlay, and in some cases contact, an operable surface of the detecting element 202 . alternatively, or in addition to the deposited coating, the filter 204 may consist of one or more non-deposited films/foils that are positioned along the euv light path and in front of the detector element 202 . in this regard, several filters are disclosed varying in material composition and thickness, with each filter having an euv transmission bandwidth and peak transmission. typically, the metrology device 200 may be used downstream of one or more multi-layer mirrors, e.g. mo/si mirrors, which reflect light having a relatively small euv bandwidth and an intensity peak at about 13.5 nm. however, in the absence of suitable filters, metrology detectors measuring the output of an euv light source may also exposed (undesirably) to light at other wavelengths, e.g. light in the visible, ir and uv spectrums as well as out-of-band euv radiation. moreover, as currently contemplated, light exiting an euv light source may be reflected from a number of mo/si mirrors, with each mirror filtering the euv light source output before the euv light interacts with a wafer. thus, it may be desirable to simulate, via filter(s), the euv light reaching the wafer when performing metrology on the euv light source output. heretofore, it has been suggested to use zr, which has a relatively wide bandwidth around 13.5 nm, or, si, which is peaked near 12.5 nm, due to location of si-absorption edge, or combinations thereof. referring now to fig. 7a , several calculated plots of transmission intensity (normalized) versus wavelength in nanometers are shown, with plot 300 corresponding to a silicon nitride (si 3 n 4 ) filter having a thickness of 200 nm. as shown, the si 3 n 4 filter has a peak transmission at a wavelength of about 12.5 nm. as compared to si which has been previously suggested for euv filtration, si 3 n 4 foils have higher tensile strength and are also more inert and resistant to chemically aggressive environments. also, silicon nitride may be combined with a transition metal to produce a bandwidth less than that obtained when only using silicon nitride. fig. 7a shows calculated plots of transmission intensity (normalized) versus wavelength for two silicon nitride/transition metal combinations. in particular, plot 302 corresponds to a filter having silicon nitride (si 3 n 4 ) having a thickness of 200 nm and palladium (pd) at a thickness of 50 nm, and plot 304 corresponds to a filter having silicon nitride (si 3 n 4 ) having a thickness of 200 nm and ruthenium (ru) at a thickness of 50 nm. for both plots 302 , 304 , the transmission peak is near 12.5 nm and the bandwidth is narrower than plot 300 corresponding to a filter having only silicon nitride. specifically, the full-width half-max (fwhm) bandwidth for si 3 n 4 /pd (plot 302 ) is <1 nm and the fwhm bandwidth for si 3 n 4 /ru (plot 304 ) is near 1.5 nm. referring now to figs. 7b , 7 c and 7 d, several calculated plots of transmission intensity versus wavelength in nanometers are shown, with plot 400 ( fig. 7b ) corresponding to a de-enriched uranium filter having a thickness of 0.1 μm, plot 402 ( fig. 7c ) corresponding to a de-enriched uranium filter having a thickness of 0.2 μm plot 404 ( fig. 7d ) corresponding to a de-enriched uranium filter having a thickness of 0.3 μm. as shown, the peak of euv transmission is near 13.3 nm and the fwhm bandwidth is between about ˜2 nm and ˜1 nm, depending on the thickness of the filter. note: the thicker the filter, the narrower the bandwidth and the lower the transmission. it can also be seen that the transmission to euv radiation near the peak is between 40% and 10%, depending on the thickness of the filter. fig. 7e shows a calculated plot (plot 406 ) of transmission intensity versus wavelength in nanometers for a filter having about 0.2 μm thick uranium layer and about 50 nm thick ru layer. it can be seen that the bandwidth is narrower than uranium filters ( figs. 7b-d ) and the peak transmission is near 10%. another suitable filter may be made of a mo/si or zr/si transmission multilayer consisting of 20 to 40 bilayers. the transmission is near 2% and the bandwidth is about 0.4 nm and the bilayer period is about 7.0 nm in the case of mo/si. in the case of a zr/si transmission multilayer, using 20 bilayers with e.g. a silicon layer thickness of 4.0 nm and a zr layer thickness of 1.75 nm, a transmission of almost 80% can be obtained. however, the bandwidth is more than 7 nm wide (full-width at half-maximum) in this case. fig. 8a illustrates an embodiment of a backside heater for an euv reflective mirror, i.e. a heater positioned on the side opposite the reflective surface of the mirror, for controlling the temperature of the reflective surface of a mirror, such as a collector mirror 30 . in one application, the heater may be employed to control the mirror's surface temperature, and thus, the etch rate for an euv light source which employs an etchant to react with plasma generated debris that has deposited on the mirror's surface. typically, the etch rate may be dependent on temperature. for example, the rate of removal of tin deposited using hbr and/or br 2 etchants has been found to be strongly dependent on temperature in the range of 150-400° c. as detailed further below, the backside heater may be configured to heat different zones of the surface to different temperatures to maintain a uniform temperature on the mirror's reflective surface, or, to provide higher surface temperatures at zone(s) where more debris is deposited, thus increasing the etch rate for these zone(s). for example, for an ellipsoidal collector mirror with plasma generation at the near focus, some zones of the mirror will be closer to the plasma, and thus, may be heated more due to the plasma than other zones. for this case, if desired, the backside heater may employ differential heating to establish a uniform temperature at the mirror's reflective surface. collector mirror lifetime may play a dominant role in the overall cost of an euv light source. thus, it may be desirable to employ collector mirror components such as heating systems having relatively long service lives. in this regard, in some arrangements, portions or all of the heating system may be exposed to etchants such as hbr/br 2 as well as elevated temperatures. moreover, for some arrangements, heating system components may be in fluid communication with the operable portion of the euv light source. for these arrangements, it may be desirable to use materials which do not create contaminants which may deposit on the operable surfaces of optics and/or absorb euv light. coating of mirror fixtures and mirror surfaces that are not used for reflection with a layer of one to several 100 nm thickness of a non-reactive compound like silicon nitride or silicon oxide can be applied to avoid reaction with the etchant and prevent surface erosion. fig. 8a shows an arrangement of a backside heater in which a conductive coating 500 such as molybdenum has been deposited onto the backside 502 of the collector substrate in a pre-selected pattern consisting of two circuits, with each circuit having a pair of terminals. although two circuits are shown in fig. 8a , it is to be appreciated that more than two and as few as one circuit may be used. for example, the coating may be applied directly onto the substrate using physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, flame-spraying electroplating or a combination thereof. direct application of the substrate provides a good heat contact of the conductive material and the substrate. the substrate may be composed of, for example, sic, polycrystalline silicon or single crystal silicon. in most cases, it may be desirable to match the thermal expansion coefficient of the conductive coating material and substrate, for example, to prevent cracking, peeling, etc., of the coating. in this regard, mo and sic have relatively close thermal expansion coefficients. the sic substrate has a fairly high surface resistivity of ˜1 kω/cm-1000 kω/cm, depending on surface purity. the resistance along the mo backside heater is less than 1 ω/cm, thus the heating current will flow almost entirely through the mo heating loops. fig. 8a also shows that the backside heater may include a system 504 , e.g. one or more regulatable current source(s), generating controllable electrical currents in the coating 500 to heat the collector mirror. for the deposit backside heater shown in fig. 8a , the amount of heat generated may be selectively varied from one zone to another on the collector surface in several ways. for example, the coating thickness and/or the coating width, “w” and/or surface coverage (e.g. the percentage of surface within a zone covered by conductor) and/or coating conductivity may be varied to establish differential heating. alternatively, or in addition to the variations described above, multiple circuits may be employed, each having a different patterns and/or each being connected to an independent current source. fig. 8b shows an arrangement of a backside heater in which a conductive coating 600 such as molybdenum has been deposited (e.g. as described above) onto the backside 602 of the collector substrate in a pre-selected pattern consisting of six loops, with each loop forming a closed electrical pathway. although six loops are shown in fig. 8b , it is to be appreciated that more than six and as few as one loop may be used. for the backside heater shown in fig. 8b , a system 604 may be provided selectively establishing eddy currents in each loop to heat the collector mirror surface. for example, the system 604 may consist of one or more inductors positioned behind the collector mirror. in another setup, microwave radiators may be used. if desired, the system 604 may be configured to establish eddy currents in each loop independently, thereby allowing different zones to be heated independently. for the deposited backside heater shown in fig. 8b , the amount of heat generated may be selectively varied from one zone to another on the collector surface in several ways. for example, the coating thickness and/or the coating width, “w” and/or surface coverage (e.g. the percentage of surface within a zone covered by conductor) and/or coating conductivity may be varied to establish differential heating. alternatively, or in addition to the variations described above, multiple loops may be employed, each having a different patterns and/or each being energized by an independent inductor. fig. 8c shows another embodiment in which a portion or all of the mirror substrate 700 may be doped with a conductive material 702 , for example, a sic substrate doped with graphite. with this structural arrangement, the substrate may be selectively heated by exposing the doped portions to rf or microwave radiation. the amount of heat generated may be selectively varied from one zone to another on the collector surface by varying the doping levels within the substrate and/or varying the strength of the radiation reaching a particular zone. fig. 9a shows a sectional view of a mirror, e.g., a near-normal incidence euv collector mirror, having a substrate 800 , intermediate layer 802 , and multi-layer mirror coating 804 . fig. 9a illustrates a method for manufacturing and/or refurbishing an euv mirror in which a metallic substrate, e.g. ni, al, ti or materials like invar, covar, monel, hastelloy, nickel, inconel, titanium, nickel-phosphite plated/coated aluminum or nickel-phosphite plated/coated invar, or a semi-conductor material like silicon, e.g., single- or multi-crystalline silicon is diamond turned to produce an exposed surface having the general figure of the final optic, e.g., ellipsoidal, spherical, parabolic, etc., and having a surface roughness of about 2-10 nm. next, an intermediate layer 802 is deposited which may be a so-called “smoothening” layer deposited using a physical vapor deposition technique to reduce surface roughness which can affect mlm performance. for example, the physical vapor deposition technique may be selected from the group of techniques consisting of ion beam sputter deposition, electron beam deposition, physical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering and combinations thereof. the smoothing material may be an amorphous material and/or may be selected from the group of materials consisting of si, c, si 3 n 4 , b 4 c, sic and cr. the smoothing material may be deposited using highly energetic deposition conditions, for example, the deposition conditions may include substrate heating and/or the deposition conditions may include increasing particle energy during deposition. in some cases, the smoothing layer may overlay and contact the metallic substrate and may have a thickness in the range of about 3 nm to 100 nm. fig. 9a shows that a multi-layer mirror coating 804 , e.g. a coating having about 30-90 mo/si bilayers may be deposited to overlay the intermediate layer 802 . fig. 9b shows a sectional view of a mirror, e.g., a near-normal incidence euv collector mirror, having a substrate 850 , first intermediate layer 852 , second intermediate layer 854 and multi-layer mirror coating 856 . fig. 9a illustrates a method for initial manufacture of an euv mirror in which a substrate, e.g. made of a material like sic, polycrystalline silicon, single-crystal silicon, ni, al, ti or materials like invar, covar, monel, hastelloy, nickel, inconel, titanium, nickel-phosphite plated/coated aluminum is processed by a technique suitable for the shaping the substrate material, e.g., diamond turning, grinding, lapping and polishing, etc., to produce an exposed surface having the general figure of the final optic, e.g., ellipsoidal, spherical, parabolic, etc. next, intermediate layers 852 , 854 are deposited with one of the layers being so-called “smoothening” layer and the other being a so-called “stop” layer. the “smoothening” layer may be deposited after the “stop” layer, or vice-versa. each of these layers may be deposited using a physical vapor deposition technique as described above. as described above, the smoothening material may be an amorphous material and/or may be selected from the group of materials consisting of si, c, si 3 n 4 , b 4 c, sic, zrn, zr and cr, and may be deposited using highly energetic deposition conditions to a thickness in the range of about 3 nm to 100 nm. two different types of stop layers are described herein. in one arrangement, a relatively thin “etch” stop layer, (e.g., 1-100 nm and in some cases 5-20 nm) may be used to allow the mlm coating to be removed via etching during a refurbishment procedure, while leaving the etch stop layer. for example, suitable etching techniques may include, but are not necessarily limited to chemical wet etching, dry plasma etching or reactive ion etching. typically, the etch stop layer material is selected to have a substantially different etch sensitivity than the multi-layer mirror coating for at least one etchant. suitable etch stop materials may include, but are not necessarily limited to, si, b 4 c, oxides such as tio 2 , nitrides such as zrn, sic, zr and cr. a second type of stop layer is disclosed herein in which a relatively thick stop layer (e.g. 3 μm -20 μm, and in some cases 5 μm to 15 μm) may be used to allow the mlm coating to be removed via diamond turning during a refurbishment procedure, while leaving the etch stop layer. suitable materials for this second type of stop layer may include, but are not necessarily limited to, si, b 4 c, oxides such as tio 2 , sic, zr, cr and nitrides such as zrn. fig. 9b also shows that a multi-layer mirror coating 856 , e.g. a coating having about 30-90 mo/si bilayers may be deposited to overlay the intermediate layers 852 , 854 . refurbishment of the mirror shown in fig. 9b may be performed by removing the mlm coating 856 , either by diamond turning or etching as described above to expose the stop layer and thereafter depositing a smoothening layer on the exposed stop layer followed by depositing a new mlm coating. for the refurbishment, the smoothening layer may be an amorphous material and/or may be selected from the group of materials consisting of si, c, si 3 n 4 , b 4 c, sic, zrn, zr and cr, and may be deposited using highly energetic deposition conditions to a thickness in the range of about 3 nm to 100 nm. in addition to the intermediate layers described above, one or more barrier layer to prevent diffusion of one layer into another may be provided, and in some cases a release layer such as chromium or zirconium may be provided overlaying the stop layer to facilitate mnlm coating removal. these additional layers may be deposited during initial fabrication and, in some cases during refurbishment. for example, the barrier material may be selected from the group of materials consisting of mosi 2 , si 3 n 4 , b 4 c, sic, zrn, zr and cr, and may be positioned somewhere between the substrate and mlm. in some cases, a barrier layer may be provided between the substrate and stop layer and/or between the stop layer and mlm coating. fig. 10 shows a sectional view of a mirror, e.g., a near-normal incidence euv collector mirror 930 , having a substrate 902 , multi-layer coating stacks 904 a - e and stop layers 906 a - d , with each stop layers 906 a - d interposed between a pair of multi-layer coating stacks 904 a - e . for example, each multi-layer coating stack 904 a - e may include about forty to two hundred bi-layers, and more typically eighty to one hundred twenty bi-layers, with each bi-layer having a layer of relatively high refractive index material and a layer of relatively low refractive index material. in one arrangement, each bi-layer may include a layer of mo and a layer of si. for the mirror 930 , each stop layer 906 a - d may be formed of a material selected from the group of materials consisting of si 3 n 4 , sib 6 , sic, c, cr, b 4 c, mo 2 c, sio 2 , zrb 2 , yb 6 and mosi 2 . for the mirror 930 , the stop layer may have a thickness selected to maintain the periodicity of the mirror from one adjacent multi-layer coating stack to the other adjacent multi-layer coating stack. for example, the stop layer can be made at a thickness so that it replaces one layer in the multilayer stack that would otherwise be a silicon layer. (e.g., about 4 nm thick for near-normal angle of incidence). in some cases, the stop layer material may be selecting in conjunction with a suitable etchant such that the etchant has a relatively high etch rate for the multi-layer coating stack materials, e.g. mo and si, and a relatively high etch rate for the stop layer. etchants may, for example, be selected from the group of materials consisting of cl 2 , hcl, cf 4 , and mixtures thereof. fig. 11 shows a sectional view illustrating a mirror 930 ′, e.g., a near-normal incidence euv collector mirror, having a substrate 952 and multi-layer coating stacks 954 a,b that are separated by a stop layer 956 (note: the series of dots indicates that the multilayer stack may repeat, as necessary, to establish the desired number of layers). as further shown, each multi-layer coating stack 954 a,b may have a plurality of relatively high refractive index layers, such as layer 958 , a plurality of relatively low refractive index layers, such as layer 960 , and a plurality of diffusion barrier layers, such as layers 962 a,b separating relatively high index layers from the relatively low index layers. in one arrangement, each “bi-layer” may include a layer of mo, a layer of si, and two diffusion barrier layers. for example, the diffusion barrier layers may be, for example, silicon nitride, carbon or b 4 c and each stop layer 956 may be formed of a material selected from the group of materials consisting of si 3 n 4 , sib 6 , sic, c, cr, b 4 c, mo 2 c, sio 2 , zrb 2 , yb 6 and mosi 2 . in use, the mirrors 930 , 930 ′ may be disposed in chamber, e.g. chamber 26 shown in fig. 1 , and used to reflect euv light produced by an euv light emitting plasma. as described earlier, the plasma may generate debris including energetic ions which may reach and degrade the exposed surface, and, more specifically, the multi-layer coating stack nearest the surface. in most cases, the degradation may not result in uniform wear/removal. instead, the multi-layer coating stack may be removed unevenly resulting in surface roughness which may decrease the in-band reflectivity of the mirror. in some cases, terraces and mesas may develop. once a predetermined amount of coating stack removal and/or a predetermined increase in mirror surface roughness and/or a predetermined decrease in euv in-band reflectivity has occurred, the remaining portion of the multi-layer coating stack nearest the surface may be etched away, e.g. using an etchant having a relatively high etch rate for the multi-layer coating stack materials, e.g., mo and si, and a relatively high etch rate for the stop layer. once the remaining portion of the multi-layer coating stack nearest the surface is removed, etching may be discontinued until needed again to etch the next multi-layer coating stack, and continued use of the mirror 930 , 930 ′ in the light source may occur, with the stop layer acting as a capping layer. in some cases, etching may be performed in-situ, e.g., with the mirror 930 , 930 ′ positioned in the chamber, and in some cases, an etchant may be introduced into the chamber during euv light production. alternatively, etching may be performed during periods of scheduled maintenance and/or after removing the mirror 930 , 930 ′ positioned in the chamber from the chamber. as indicated above, etchants may, for example, be selected from the group of materials consisting of cl 2 , hcl, cf 4 , and mixtures thereof. while the particular embodiment(s) described and illustrated in this patent application in the detail required to satisfy 35 u.s.c. §112 are fully capable of attaining one or more of the above-described purposes for, problems to be solved by, or any other reasons for or objects of the embodiment(s) above described, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the above-described embodiment(s) are merely exemplary, illustrative and representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present application. reference to an element in the following claims in the singular is not intended to mean nor shall it mean in interpreting such claim element “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more”. all structural and functional equivalents to any of the elements of the above-described embodiment(s) that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. any term used in the specification and/or in the claims and expressly given a meaning in the specification and/or claims in the present application shall have that meaning, regardless of any dictionary or other commonly used meaning for such a term. it is not intended or necessary for a device or method discussed in the specification as an embodiment to address or solve each and every problem discussed in this application, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. no claim element in the appended claims is to be construed under the provisions of 35 u.s.c. §112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited as a “step” instead of an “act”.
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187-056-371-663-829
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US
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[
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"US"
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G06F9/48,G06F9/445,H04L29/06,G06F9/455
| 2015-08-28T00:00:00 |
2015
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[
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virtual machine migration within a hybrid cloud system
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an example method of migrating a virtualized computing instance between source and destination virtualized computing systems includes executing a first migration workflow in the source virtualized computing system, where a host computer executing the virtualized computing instance is a source host in the first migration workflow and a first mobility agent simulates a destination host in the first migration workflow. the method further includes executing a second migration workflow in the destination virtualized computing system, where a second mobility agent in the destination virtualized computing system simulates a source host in the second migration workflow and a host computer in the destination virtualized computing system is a destination host in the second migration workflow. the method further includes transferring, during execution of the first and second migration workflows, migration data including the virtualized computing instance between the first mobility agent and the second mobility agent over a network.
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1. a method of migrating a virtualized computing instance between source and destination virtualized computing systems, comprising: executing a first migration workflow in the source virtualized computing system, where a host computer in the source virtualized computing system executing the virtualized computing instance is a source host in the first migration workflow and a first mobility agent in the source virtualized computing system simulates a destination host in the first migration workflow; executing a second migration workflow in the destination virtualized computing system, where a second mobility agent in the destination virtualized computing system simulates a source host in the second migration workflow and a host computer in the destination virtualized computing system is a destination host in the second migration workflow; and transferring, during execution of the first and second migration workflows, migration data including the virtualized computing instance between the first mobility agent and the second mobility agent over a network. 2. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: creating a secure channel through the network between a first gateway in the source virtualized computing system and a second gateway in the destination virtualized computing system; sending a configuration of the virtualized computing instance from the source virtualized computing system to the destination virtualized computing system over the secure channel. 3. the method of claim 2, further comprising: removing data from the configuration prior to sending the configuration to the destination virtualized computing system. 4. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: creating a shadow virtualized computing instance on the second mobility agent having a substantially same configuration as the virtualized computing instance. 5. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: creating a control channel through the network between a virtualization manager in the source virtualized computing system and the second mobility agent; and communicating over the control channel to synchronize the first migration workflow and the second migration workflow. 6. the method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring comprises: removing first data from a portion of the migration data at the first mobility agent; and inserting second data into the portion of the migration data at the second mobility agent. 7. the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a configuration of the virtualized computing instance; configuring each of the first mobility agent and the second mobility agent using an application programming interface (api) based on the configuration of the virtualized computing instance; and performing, during the first and second migration workflows, compatibility checks on the destination host simulated by the first mobility agent and the source host simulated by the second mobility agent. 8. the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a set of hardware features visible to the virtualized computing instance to generate migration compatibility data; adding the migration compatibility data to a configuration of the virtualized computing instance; and sending the configuration of the virtualized computing instance from the source virtualized computing system to the destination virtualized computing system; wherein the host computer in the destination virtualized computing system selected as the destination host in the second migration workflow includes a set of hardware features matching the set of hardware features in the migration compatibility data. 9. the method of claim 8, further comprising: masking at least one hardware feature in the set of hardware features of the destination host from being visible to the virtualized computing instance after migration based on the migration compatibility data. 10. the method of claim 1, wherein the source virtualized computing system comprises one of an on-premise datacenter or a cloud computing system, and wherein the destination virtualized computing system comprises the other of the on-premise datacenter or the cloud computing system. 11. a computer system, comprising: memory configured to store code; and one or more processors configured to execute the code to: execute a first migration workflow in the source virtualized computing system executing a virtualized computing instance, where a host computer in the source virtualized computing system executing the virtualized computing instance is a source host in the first migration workflow and a first mobility agent in the source virtualized computing system simulates a destination host in the first migration workflow; execute a second migration workflow in the destination virtualized computing system, where a second mobility agent in the destination virtualized computing system simulates a source host in the second migration workflow and a host computer in the destination virtualized computing system is a destination host in the second migration workflow; and transfer, during execution of the first and second migration workflows, migration data including the virtualized computing instance between the first mobility agent and the second mobility agent over a network. 12. the computer system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the code to: create a secure channel through the network between a first gateway in the source virtualized computing system and a second gateway in the destination virtualized computing system; send a configuration of the virtualized computing instance from the source virtualized computing system to the destination virtualized computing system over the secure channel. 13. the computer system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the code to: create a shadow virtualized computing instance on the second mobility agent having a substantially same configuration as the virtualized computing instance. 14. the computer system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the code to: create a control channel through the network between a virtualization manager in the source virtualized computing system and the second mobility agent; and communicate over the control channel to synchronize the first migration workflow and the second migration workflow. 15. the computer system of claim 11, wherein the source virtualized computing system comprises one of an on-premise datac enter or a cloud computing system, and wherein the destination virtualized computing system comprises the other of the on-premise datacenter or the cloud computing system. 16. a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed in a computer system, causes the computer system to carry out a method of migrating a virtualized computing instance between source and destination virtualized computing systems, comprising: executing a first migration workflow in the source virtualized computing system, where a host computer in the source virtualized computing system executing the virtualized computing instance is a source host in the first migration workflow and a first mobility agent in the source virtualized computing system simulates a destination host in the first migration workflow; executing a second migration workflow in the destination virtualized computing system, where a second mobility agent in the destination virtualized computing system simulates a source host in the second migration workflow and a host computer in the destination virtualized computing system is a destination host in the second migration workflow; and transferring, during execution of the first and second migration workflows, migration data including the virtualized computing instance between the first mobility agent and the second mobility agent over a network. 17. the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising: creating a secure channel through the network between a first gateway in the source virtualized computing system and a second gateway in the destination virtualized computing system; sending a configuration of the virtualized computing instance from the source virtualized computing system to the destination virtualized computing system over the secure channel. 18. the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising: creating a shadow virtualized computing instance on the second mobility agent having a substantially same configuration as the virtualized computing instance. 19. the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising: creating a control channel through the network between a virtualization manager in the source virtualized computing system and the second mobility agent; and communicating over the control channel to synchronize the first migration workflow and the second migration workflow. 20. the non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the source virtualized computing system comprises one of an on-prcmise datacenter or a cloud computing system, and wherein the destination virtualized computing system comprises the other of the on-premise datacenter or the cloud computing system.
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virtual machine migration within a hybrid cloud system gabriel tarasuk-levin, rohan pradip shah, nathan l. prziborowski, prachetaa raghavan, benjamin yun liang, haripriya rajagopal related applications [0001] this patent claims the benefit of u.s. non-provisional application serial no, 14/839,350, which was filed on august 28, 2015, entitled "virtual machine migration within a hybrid cloud system," and is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. background [0002] cloud architectures are used in cloud computing and cloud storage systems for offering infrastracture-as-a-service (iaas) cloud services. examples of cloud architectures include the vmware vcloud director© cloud architecture software, amazon ec2™ web service, and openstack™ open source cloud computing service. iaas cloud service is a type of cloud service that, provides access to physical and/or virtual resources in a cloud environment. these services provide a tenant application programming interface (api) that supports operations for manipulating iaas constructs, such as virtual machines (vms) and logical networks, [0003] a hybrid cloud system aggregates the resource capability from both private and public clouds. a private cloud can include one or more customer datacenters (referred to herein as "on-premise datacenters"). the public cloud can include a multi-tenant cloud architecture providing iaas cloud services, hi a hybrid cloud system, it is desirable to support vm migration between the datacenter and the public cloud. presently, to implement vm migration, a customer must first create a vm from scratch within the public cloud and then transfer data from a powered-off source vm in the on-premise datacenter to the newly created vm in the public cloud. this process has the disadvantage of significant downtime for the vm being migrated. summary [0004] one or more embodiments provide techniques for virtual machine (vm) migration within a hybrid cloud system. in an embodiment, a method of migrating a virtualized computing instance between source and destination virtualized computing systems includes executing a first migration workflow in the source virtualized computing system, where a host computer in the source virtualized computing system executing the virtualized computing instance is a source host in the first migration workflow and a first mobility agent in the source virtualized computing system simulates a destination host in the first migration workflow. the method further includes executing a second migration workflow in the destination virtualized computing system, where a second mobility agent in the destination virtualized computing system simulates a source host in the second migration workflow and a host computer in the destination virtualized computing system is a destination host in the second migration workflow. the method further includes transferring, during execution of the first and second migration workflows, migration data including the virtualized computing instance between the first mobility agent and the second mobility agent over a network. [0005] further embodiments include a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause a computer system to carry out the above method, as well as a computer system configured to carry out the above method. brief description of the drawings [0006] fig. 1 is a block diagram of a hybrid cloud computing system in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized. [0007] fig. 2 is a block diagram showing logical connections and dataflow among various components in hybrid cloud with respect to a cross-cloud vm migration according to an embodiment. [0008] fig. 3 is a flow diagram depicting an embodiment of a method of migrating a virtualized computing instance, such as a vm, between source and destination virtualized computing systems, such as between on-premise datacenter and cloud computing system. [0009] fig. 4 is a flow diagram depicting a method of preparing cross-cloud vm migration according to an embodiment [0010] fig. 5 is a block diagram depicting an example of a computer system in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized. [0011] to facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. it is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation. detailed description [0012] fig. 1 is a block diagram of a hybrid cloud computing system 100 in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized. hybrid cloud computing system 100 includes a virtualized computing system implementing an on-piemise datacenter 102 and a virtualized computing system implementing a cloud computing system iso. hybrid cloud computing system 100 is configured to provide a common platform for managing and executing virtual workloads seamlessly between on-premise datacenter 102 and cloud computing system iso. in one embodiment, on-premise datacenter 102 may be a data center controlled and administrated by a particular enterprise or business organization, while cloud computing system iso may be operated by a cloud computing service provider and exposed as a service available to account holders, such as the particular enterprise in addition to other enterprises. as such, on-premise datacenter 102 may sometimes be referred to as a "private" cloud, and cloud computing system iso may be referred to as a "public" cloud. [0013] as used herein, an internal cloud or "private" cloud is a cloud in which a tenant and a cloud service provider are part of the same organization, while an external or "public" cloud is a cloud that is provided by an organization that is separate from a tenant that accesses the external cloud. for example, the tenant may be part of an enterprise, and the external cloud may be part of a cloud service provider that is separate from the enterprise of the tenant and that provides cloud services to different enterprises and/or individuals. in embodiments disclosed herein, a hybrid cloud is a cloud architecture in which a tenant is provided with seamless access to both private cloud resources and public cloud resources. [0014] on-premise datacenter 102 includes one or more host computer systems ("hosts 104"). hosts 104 may be constructed on a server grade hardware platform 106, such as an x86 architecture platform. as shown, hardware platform 106 of each host 104 may include conventional components of a computing device, such as one or more processors (cpus) 108, system memory 110, a network interface 112, storage system 114, and other i/o devices such as, for example, a mouse and keyboard (not shown). cpu 108 is configured to execute instructions, for example, executable instructions that perform one or more operations described herein and may be stored in memory 110 and in local storage. memory 110 is a device allowing information, such as executable instructions, cryptographic keys, virtual disks, configurations, and other data, to be stored and retrieved. memory 110 may include, for example, one or more random access memory (ram) modules. network interface 112 enables host 104 to communicate with another device via a communication medium, such as a network 122 within on-premise datacenter 102. network interface 112 may be one or more network adapters, also referred to as a network interface card (nic). storage system 114 represents local storage devices (e.g., one or more hard disks, flash memory modules, solid state disks, and optical disks) and/or a storage interlace that enables host 104 to communicate with one or more network data storage systems. examples of a storage interface are a host bus adapter (hba) that couples host 104 to one or more storage arrays, such as a storage area network (san) or a network-attached storage (nas), as well as other network data storage systems. [0015] each host 104 is configured to provide a virtualization layer that abstracts processor, memory, storage, and networking resources of hardware platform 106 into multiple virtual machines 120i to 120n (collectively referred to as vms 120) that run concurrently on the same hosts. vms 120 run on top of a software interface layer, referred to herein as a hypervisor 116, that enables sharing of the hardware resources of host 104 by vms 120. one example of hypervisor 116 that may be used in an embodiment described herein is a vmware esxi™ hypervisor provided as part of the vmware vsphere® solution made commercially available from vmware, inc. of palo alto, california. hypervisor 116 may run on top of the operating system of host 104 or directly on hardware components of host 104. [0016] on-premise datacenter 102 includes a virtualization management component (depicted in fig. 1 as virtualization manager 130) that may communicate to the plurality of hosts 104 via a network, sometimes referred to as a management network 126. in one embodiment, virtualization manager 130 is a computer program that resides and executes in a central server, which may reside in on-premise datacenter 102, or alternatively, running as a vm in one of hosts 104. one example of a virtualization manager is the vcenter server™ product made available from vmware, inc. virtualization manager 130 is configured to carry out administrative tasks for computing system 102, including managing hosts 104, managing vms 120 running within each host 104, provisioning vms, migrating vms from one host to another host, and load balancing between hosts 104. [0017] in one embodiment, virtualization manager 130 includes a hybrid cloud management module (depicted as hybrid cloud manager 132) configured to manage and integrate virtualized computing resources provided by cloud computing system iso with virtualized computing resources of computing system 102 to form a unified "hybrid" computing platform. hybrid cloud manager 132 is configured to deploy vms in cloud computing system iso, transfer vms from virtualized computing system 102 to cloud computing system iso, and perform other "cross-cloud" administrative tasks, as described in greater detail later. in one implementation, hybrid cloud manager 132 is a module or plug-in complement to virtualization manager 130, although other implementations may be used, such as a separate computer program executing in a central server or running in a vm in one of hosts 104. one example of hybrid cloud manager 132 is the vmware vcloud connector® product made available from vmware, inc. [0018] in one embodiment, hybrid cloud manager 132 is configured to control network traffic into network 122 via a gateway component (depicted as a gateway 124). gateway 124 (e.g., executing as a virtual appliance) is configured to provide vms 120 and other components in on-premise datacenter 102 with connectivity to an external network 140 (e.g., internet). gateway 124 may manage external public ip addresses for vms 120 and route traffic incoming to and outgoing from on-premise datacenter 102 and provide networking services, such as firewalls, network address translation (nat), dynamic host configuration protocol (dhcp), load balancing, and virtual private network (vpn) connectivity over a network 140. [0019] in one or more embodiments, cloud computing system iso is configured to dynamically provide an enterprise (or users of an enterprise) with one or more virtual data centers 170 in which a user may provision vms 120, deploy multi-tier applications on vms 120, and/or execute workloads. cloud computing system iso includes an infrastructure platform 1s4 upon which a cloud computing environment 170 may be executed. in the particular embodiment of fig. 1, infrastructure platform 1s4 includes hardware resources 160 having computing resources (e.g., hosts 162i to 162n), storage resources (e.g., one or more storage array systems, such as san 164), and networking resources, which are configured in a manner to provide a virtualization environment 1s6 that supports the execution of a plurality of virtual machines 172 across hosts 162. it is recognized that hardware resources 160 of cloud computing system iso may in fact be distributed across multiple data centers in different locations. [0020] each cloud computing environment 170 is associated with a particular tenant of cloud computing system iso, such as the enterprise providing virtualized computing system 102. in one embodiment, cloud computing environment 170 may be configured as a dedicated cloud service for a single tenant comprised of dedicated hardware resources 160 (i.e., physically isolated from hardware resources used by other users of cloud computing system iso). in other embodiments, cloud computing environment 170 may be configured as part of a multi-tenant cloud service with logically isolated virtualized computing resources on a shared physical infrastructure. as shown in fig. 1, cloud computing system iso may support multiple cloud computing environments 170, available to multiple enterprises in single-tenant and multi-tenant configurations. [0021] in one embodiment, virtualization environment 1s6 includes an orchestration component 1s8 (e.g., implemented as a process running in a vm) that provides infrastructure resources to cloud computing environment 170 responsive to provisioning requests. for example, if an enterprise required a specified number of virtual machines to deploy a web applications or to modify (e.g., scale) a currently running web application to support peak demands, orchestration component 1s8 can initiate and manage the instantiation of virtual machines (e.g., vms 172) on hosts 162 to support such requests. in one embodiment, orchestration component 1s8 instantiates virtual machines according to a requested template that defines one or more virtual machines having specified virtual computing resources (e.g., compute, networking, storage resources). further, orchestration component 1s8 monitors the infrastructure resource consumption levels and requirements of cloud computing environment 170 and provides additional infrastructure resources to cloud computing environment 170 as needed or desired. in one example, similar to on-premise datacenter 102, virtualization environment 1s6 may be implemented by running on hosts 162 vmware esxi™-based hypervisor technologies provided by vmware, inc. (although it should be recognized that any other virtualization technologies, including xen® and microsoft hyper- v® virtualization technologies may be utilized consistent with the teachings herein). [0022] in one embodiment, cloud computing system iso may include a cloud director 1s2 (e.g., run in one or more virtual machines) that manages allocation of virtual computing resources to an enterprise for deploying applications. cloud director 1s2 may be accessible to users via a rest (representational state transfer) api (application programming interface) or any other client- server communication protocol. cloud director 152 may authenticate connection attempts from the enterprise using credentials issued by the cloud computing provider. cloud director 1s2 maintains and publishes a catalog 166 of available virtual machine templates and packaged virtual machine applications that represent virtual machines that may be provisioned in cloud computing environment 170. a virtual machine template is a virtual machine image that is loaded with a pre-installed guest operating system, applications, and data, and is typically used to repeatedly create a vm having the pre-defined configuration. a packaged virtual machine application is a logical container of pre- configured virtual machines having software components and parameters that define operational details of the packaged application. an example of a packaged vm application is vapp technology made available by vmware, inc., although other technologies may be utilized. cloud director 152 receives provisioning requests submitted (e.g., via rest api calls) and may propagates such requests to orchestration component 158 to instantiate the requested virtual machines (e.g., vms 172). one example of cloud director 152 is the vmware vcloud director® produced by vmware, inc. [0023] in the embodiment of fig. 1, cloud computing environment 170 supports the creation of a virtual data center 180 having a plurality of virtual machines 172 instantiated to, for example, host deployed multi-tier applications, as well as one or more virtualization managers 173 (abbreviated as "vman(s)"). a virtual data center 180 is a logical construct that provides compute, network, and storage resources to an organization. virtual data centers 180 provide an environment where vm 172 can be created, stored, and operated, enabling complete abstraction between the consumption of infrastructure service and underlying resources. vms 172 may be configured similarly to vms 120, as abstractions of processor, memory, storage, and networking resources of hardware resources 160. virtualization managers 173 can be configured similarly to virtualization manager 130. [0024] virtual data center 180 includes one or more virtual networks 182 used to communicate between vms 172 and managed by at least one networking gateway component (e.g., gateway 184), as well as one or more isolated internal networks 186 not connected to gateway 184. gateway 184 (e.g., executing as a virtual appliance) is configured to provide vms 172 and other components in cloud computing environment 170 with connectivity to external network 140 (e.g., internet). gateway 184 manages external public ip addresses for virtual data center 180 and one or more private internal networks interconnecting vms 172. gateway 184 is configured to route traffic incoming to and outgoing from virtual data center 180 and provide networking services, such as firewalls, network address translation (nat), dynamic host configuration protocol (dhcp), and load balancing. gateway 184 may be configured to provide virtual private network (vpn) connectivity over a network 140 with another vpn endpoint, such as a gateway 124 within on-premise datacenter 102. in other embodiments, gateway 184 may be configured to connect to communicate with on-premise datacenter 102 using a high-throughput, dedicated link (depicted as a direct connect 142) between on-premise datacenter 102 and cloud computing system 150. in one or more embodiments, gateways 124 and 184 are configured to provide a "stretched" layer-2 (l2) network that spans on-premise datacenter 102 and virtual data center 180, as shown in fig. 1. [0025] while fig. 1 depicts a single connection between on-premise gateway 124 and cloud-side gateway 184 for illustration purposes, it should be recognized that multiple connections between multiple on-premise gateways 124 and cloud-side gateways 184 may be used. furthermore, while fig. 1 depicts a single instance of a gateway 184, it is recognized that gateway 184 may represent multiple gateway components within cloud computing system iso. hi some embodiments, a separate gateway 184 may be deployed for each virtual data center, or alternatively, for each tenant. in some embodiments, a gateway instance may be deployed that manages traffic with a specific tenant, while a separate gateway instance manages public-feeing traffic to the internet. in yet other embodiments, one or more gateway instances that are shared among all the tenants of cloud computing system iso may be used to manage all public-facing traffic incoming and outgoing from cloud computing system iso. [0026] in one embodiment, each virtual data center 180 includes a "hybridity" director module (depicted as hybridity director 174) configured to communicate with the corresponding hybrid cloud manager 132 in on-premise datacenter 102 to enable a common virtualized computing platform between on-premise datacenter 102 and cloud computing system iso. hybridity director 174 (e.g., executing as a virtual appliance) may communicate with hybrid cloud manager 132 using internet-based traffic via a vpn tunnel established between gateways 124 and 184, or alternatively, using direct connection 142. in one embodiment, hybridity director 174 may control gateway 184 to control network traffic into virtual data center 180. in some embodiments, hybridity director 174 may control vms 172 and hosts 162 of cloud computing system iso via infrastructure platform 154. [0027] in an embodiment, hybrid cloud system 100 is configured for cross-system vm migration between virtualized computing systems, such as cross-cloud vm migration between on-premise datacenter 102 and cloud computing system iso. in one example, on- premise datacenter 102 is the migration source and cloud computing system iso is the migration destination. alternatively, cloud computing system iso can be the migration source and on-premise datacenter 102 can be the migration destination. for purposes of clarity by example, embodiments of cross-cloud vm migration are described below with respect to the on-premise datacenter 102 being the migration source and the cloud computing system iso being the migration destination. it is to be understood that the migration can be reversed using the same techniques. [0028] cross-cloud vm migration described herein enables users to seamlessly move vms between their on-premise datacenters and the public cloud. cross-cloud vm migration includes both "cold migration" in which the vm is powered off during migration, as well as "hot migration" in which the vm is powered on during migration. to facilitate cross-cloud vm migration, on-premise datacenter 102 is configured with a mobility agent 190 and cloud computing system iso is configured with a mobility agent 192. mobility agent 190 is used as a destination of an on-premise vm migration. from the perspective of the on-premise datacenter 102, a target vm is migrated locally to mobility agent 190. mobility agent 192 is used as a source of a cloud vm migration. from the perspective of cloud computing system iso, mobility agent 192 is a source vm to be migrated locally to a target host. mobility agent 190 forwards vm migration traffic to mobility agent 192 over a secure channel between gateway 124 and gateway 184. [0029] mobility agent 190 can be implemented using a vm in on-premise datacenter 102 (e.g., a vm 120) or implemented directly on a hardware computer system. likewise, mobility agent 192 can be implemented using a vm in cloud computing system iso (e.g., a vm 172) or implemented directly on a hardware computer system. each mobility agent 190, 192 includes a host simulator executing within an os. that is, mobility agent 190 can simulate a host 104 in on-premise data center 102, and mobility agent 192 can simulate a host 162 in cloud computing system iso. a host simulator can simulate a host computer in terms of receiving and transmitting the appropriate messages to a virtualization manager that make it appear as an actual host computer eligible for hosting vms. mobility agent 190 can be registered with virtualization manager 130 as an eligible host for vm migration within on- premise datacenter 102. mobility agent 192 can be registered with virtualization manager 173 as an eligible host for vm migration within cloud computing system iso. each mobility agent 190 and 192 functions as a proxy for vm migration traffic. mobility agent 190 can function as a proxy for inbound vm migration traffic within on-premise datacenter 102. mobility agent 190 can forward the vm migration traffic to mobility agent 192 through a secure channel established between gateways 124 and 184. mobility agent 192 functions as a proxy for outbound vm migration traffic within cloud computing system iso. mobility agent 192 forwards the vm migration traffic to a destination host 162 within cloud computing system iso. [0030] within the cross-cloud vm migration workflow, the virtualization manager 130 executes a local migration workflow between a source host and mobility agent 190, and a virtualization manager 173 executes a local migration workflow between mobility agent 192 and a destination host each mobility agent 190 and 192 performs blocking and synchronization between the concurrent local migration workflows. when a cross-cloud vm migration is started, mobility agent 190 blocks the local vm migration workflow at the point where mobility agent 190 is prepared to receive data from the source host. likewise, mobility agent 192 blocks the local vm migration workflow at the point where mobility agent 192 is prepared to send data to the destination host once both mobility agents 190 and 192 are synchronized, mobility agents 190 and 192 will unblock and proceed with the forwarding process. [0031] use of mobility agents 190 and 192 obviates the need to modify the virtualization managers. the virtualization managers can perform the standard local vm migration workflow, with the underlying logic for cross-cloud vm migration handled by mobility agents 190 and 192. vm migration directly between a host in on-premise datacenter 102 and a host in cloud computing system 102 would require implementation of vm migration independent of the virtualization managers and re-implementation at the host-level of many functions performed by the virtualization managers. [0032] a cross-cloud vm migration can be initiated by hybrid cloud manager 132. when a cross-cloud vm migration is initiated, hybrid cloud manager 132 can communicate with hybridity director 174 to create a shadow vm on mobility agent 192. the shadow vm includes the same or substantially similar configuration as the source vm being migrated so that the mobility agent 192 can mimic the source vm within the local vm migration workflow executing in the cloud computing system iso. [0033] hybrid cloud manager 132 can also create secure channels between gateways 124 and 184 on-demand in order to route traffic associated with the cross-cloud vm migration. the secure channels can be wide area network (wan) optimized and all traffic propagating therein can be encrypted. one feature of local vm migration dictates that the migrated vm can retain its same network configuration post-migration. to manage this feature in cross-cloud vm migration, hybrid cloud manager 132 can configure the secure channels to implement a stretched layer-2 network, which allows the vm being migrated to retain its networking configuration. [0034] fig. 2 is a block diagram showing logical connections and dataflow among various components in hybrid cloud 100 with respect to a cross-cloud vm migration according to an embodiment. elements in fig. 2 that are the same or similar to those of fig. 1 are designated with identical reference numerals. fig. 3 is a flow diagram depicting an embodiment of a method 300 of migrating a virtualized computing instance, such as a vm, between source and destination virtualized computing systems, such as between on-premise datacenter 102 and cloud computing system iso. fig. 4 is a flow diagram depicting a method 302 of preparing cross-cloud vm migration according to an embodiment. aspects of methods 300 and 302 can be understood with respect to fig. 2. [003s] referring to fig. 3, method 300 includes the following high-level steps performed within hybrid cloud system 100: at method 302, hybrid cloud system 100 prepares for cross-cloud vm migration. as shown in fig. 2, a vm 120 executing on a host 104 (the "source host") in on-premise datacenter 102 is to be migrated to cloud computing system 150. vm 120 and host 104 are managed by virtualization manager 130, vm 120 includes a configuration 210 (also referred to as a vm configuration). a vm configuration includes various information and settings for vm 120, such as the number of allocated virtual cpus, the amount of allocated virtual memory, the amount of allocated virtual storage, datastore location(s), network information, virtual hardware information, and the like. host 104 includes a hardware feature set 212. hardware feature set 212 includes the various hardware features of host 104, such as cpu features, chipset features, memory features, storage features, and the like. vm 120 can be configured to operate in a migration compatibility (mc) mode. in mc mode, an administrator establishes mc data specifying a limited hardware feature set for vm 120. virtualization software on host 104 (e.g., hypervisor 1 16) will mask any features in hardware feature set 212 that are not specified by the established mc data. enforcement of mc mode for vm 120 after migration to cloud computing system 150 is described below. [0036] referring to fig. 3, at step 304, hybrid cloud system 100 executes cross-cloud vm migration to migrate vm 120 from on-premise datacenter 102 to cloud computing system 150. at step 306, hybrid cloud system 100 completes cross-cloud vm migration. each of steps 302, 304, and 306 can be performed by one or more components within hybrid cloud system 100. thus, the hardware and software for performing method 300 is distributed across on-premise datacenter 102 and cloud computing system 150. example components and functions pertaining method 300 are described below. [0037] fig. 4 shows an example of method 302 for preparing for cross-cloud vm migration. at step 402, when a cross-cloud vm migration is triggered (e.g., by an administrator), hybrid cloud manager 132 creates one or more secure channels 220 (fig. 2) between on-premise gateway 124 and cloud gateway 184. each secure channel can be encrypted and wan-optimized. at step 404, hybrid cloud manager 132 retrieves vm configuration 210 from virtualization manager 130 and sends vm configuration 210 to hybridity director 174 over a secure channel. [0038] at step 406, hybridity director 174 requests and obtains a destination host (e.g., a host 162) in cloud computing system 150 to execute the migrated vm. in an embodiment, hybridity director 174 can communicate with cloud director 152 to request placement of the vm being migrated. in response, cloud director 152 can return a destination virtualization manager (e.g., a virtualization manager 173). hybridity director 174 can then cooperate with virtualization manager 173 to select a destination host (e.g., a host 162) for the migrated vm. [0039] at step 408, hybridity director 174 can initialize cloud mobility agent 192, and hybrid cloud manager 132 can initialize on-premise mobility agent 190. at step 410, hybrid cloud manager 132 can establish a control channel 218 with cloud mobility agent 192 through on-premise gateway 124 and cloud gateway 184. the control channel can be used to exchange status information and maintain synchronization between mobility agents, as described below. [0040] in an embodiment, step 404 includes sub-steps 412 and 414. at step 412, hybrid cloud manager 132 can sanitize vm configuration 210 before sending vm configuration 210 to hybridity director 174. hybrid cloud manager 132 can remove data related to vm state and/or on-premise datacenter state for purposes of security. such removed data can include, for example, datastore universal unique identifiers (uuids), storage paths, network paths, and the like. at step 414, hybrid cloud manager 132 can determine hardware features visible to vm 120 and add mc data to vm configuration 210. as discussed above, vm 120 can be configured in an mc mode that specifies a limited set of hardware features to be supported. hybrid cloud manager 132 can detect the limited set of hardware features specified by the mc mode and add mc data to vm configuration 210. hybrid cloud manager 132 can obtain mc data from host 104, from virtualization manager 130, or both. [0041] in an embodiment, step 406 includes sub-steps 416 and 418. at step 416, hybridity director 174 selects a destination host supporting hardware features specified in mc data of vm configuration 210. hosts 162 in cloud computing system iso that do not support the limited set of hardware features specified are removed from consideration. at step 418, hybridity director 174 cooperates with virtualization software on a selected host 162 and/or with virtualization manager 173 to mask any hardware features of the destination host that are not present in the mc data of vm configuration 210. notably, the destination host can include more hardware features than the source host. if the vm is migrated to a destination host having more hardware features, the vm can adopt the additional features. this can operate to prevent the vm from being migrated back to the original source host, which does not have these additional hardware features. an administrator can configure vm 120 in an mc mode so that vm can be readily migrated back to the original source host. hybrid cloud manager 132 can add mc data to vm configuration 210 sent to hybridity director 174, and hybridity director 174 can direct virtualization manager 173 and/or the destination host to mask any features not present in the specified limited set of hardware features. [0042] in an embodiment, step 408 includes sub-steps 420 and 422. at step 420, hybrid cloud manager 132 configures on-premise mobility agent 190 based on vm configuration 210. that is, on-premise mobility agent 190 is configured to simulate a host having the same or substantially similar features as the source host. [0043] as shown in fig. 2, on-premise mobility agent 190 can include a host simulator 202. host simulator 202 simulates a host and is configurable through an application programming interface (api) 203. hybrid cloud manager 132 can configure host simulator 202 through api 203 and add the simulated host to the inventory of virtualization manager 130. to virtualization manager 130, the simulated host appears as any other host within on-premise datacenter. this allows host simulator 202 to act as a destination during the on-premise migration workflow. [0044] at step 422, hybridity director 174 configures cloud mobility agent 192 to implement a shadow vm based on vm configuration 210. as shown in fig. 2, cloud mobility agent 192 can include a host simulator 204. host simulator 204 simulates a host and is configurable through an api 206. hybridity director 174 can configure host simulator 204 through api 206 and add the simulated host to the inventory of virtualization manager 173. to virtualization manager 173, the simulated host appears as any other host within cloud computing system iso. in addition, hybridity director 174 provides a shadow vm 208 to host simulator 204 (e.g., through api 206). shadow vm 208 includes a configuration the same as or substantially the same as vm configuration 210. hybridity director 174 can add shadow vm 208 to the inventory managed by virtualization manager 173. this allows shadow vm 208 to act as a source during the cloud migration workflow. note that shadow vm 208 is not an actual virtual machine. rather, shadow vm 208 comprises software that mimics an actual vm. [0045] returning to fig. 3, the cross-cloud vm migration is executed during step 304. in an embodiment, step 304 includes various sub-steps. at step 308, hybrid cloud manager 132 directs virtualization manager 130 to execute an on-premise migration workflow. for the on-premise migration workflow, the vm being migrated is vm 120, the source host is host 104, and the destination host is a host simulated by host simulator 202 in on-premise mobility agent 190. the on-premise migration workflow itself can include preparation, execution, and completion steps similar to the cross-cloud vm workflow. in an embodiment, during preparation, the on-premise migration workflow can include various compatibility checks (step 312). virtualization manager 130 executes the compatibility checks to ensure that vm 120 can be migrated to the specified destination host. as discussed above, hybrid cloud manager 132 configures host simulator 202 to simulate a host capable of executing vm 120 based on vm configuration 210. this allows the compatibility checks performed by virtualization manager 130 to be satisfied. [0046] at step 310, hybridity director 174 directs virtualization manager 173 to execute a cloud migration workflow. for the cloud migration workflow, the vm being migrated is shadow vm 208, the source host is a host simulated by host simulator 204 in cloud mobility agent 192, and the destination host is a host 162. the cloud migration workflow, similar to the on-premise migration workflow, includes preparation, execution, and completion steps. in an embodiment, during preparation, the cloud migration workflow can include various compatibility checks (step 314). virtualization manger 173 executes the compatibility checks to ensure that shadow vm 208 can be migrated to the specified destination host. as discussed above, hybridity director 174 configures host simulator 204 with shadow vm 208 that includes the same or substantially the same configuration as vm 120. this allows the compatibility checks performed by virtualization manager 130 to be satisfied. [0047] the on-premise and cloud migration workflows are executed concurrently. during execution of the two concurrent workflows, some steps of one workflow can depend on performance of other steps in the other workflow. for example, the on-premise migration workflow can proceed up until the point at which on-premise mobility agent 190 is ready to receive migration data from the source host. mobility agent 190 can block the on-premise migration workflow at that point until receiving confirmation mat mobility agent 192 is ready to receive the migration data. in another example, the cloud migration workflow can proceed up unit the point at which the cloud mobility agent 192 is ready to receive migration data over the network. mobility agent 192 can block the cloud migration workflow at that point unit receiving confirmation that mobility agent 190 is ready to send the migration data. these are example blocking points and the respective workflows can include other blocking points. the on-premise migration workflow and the cloud migration workflow can perform steps 316 and 318, respectively, in order to synchronize the on-premise migration workflow with the cloud migration workflow. [0048] at step 320, on-premise mobility agent 190 transfers migration traffic to cloud mobility agent 192 over one or more secure channel(s) established between gateways 124 and 184. step 320 can include sub-steps 324 and 326. at step 324, on-premise mobility agent 190 can filter one or more portions of the migration traffic from being sent to cloud mobility agent 192. for example, on-premise mobility agent 190 can filter various identifiers mat pertain only to on-premise datacenter 102. on-premise mobility agent 190 can insert dummy data in place of the filtered portions (e.g., dummy ids). at step 326, cloud mobility agent 192 can replace one or more portions of the migration traffic. for example, cloud mobility agent 192 can insert identifiers that pertain to cloud computing system iso in place of dummy identifiers inserted by on-premise mobility agent 190 in step 324. [0049] step 306 can include sub-steps 328 and 330. at step 328, after migration is complete, virtualization manager 130 can remove vm 120 from its inventory. at step 330, virtualization manager 173 can remove shadow vm 208 from its inventory. after migration is complete, host 162 can execute a vm 120m, which is a migration of vm 120. [0050] it is to be understood that at least a portion of the various steps and sub-steps shown in figs. 3 and 4 can be executed concurrently. that is, while some steps/sub-steps can be executed sequentially, other steps/sub-steps can be executed concurrently. the arrangement of steps/sub-steps in figs. 3 and 4 is not meant to convey any particular sequential/concurrent arrangement other than as required by the functional description above. [0051] the cross-cloud vm migration workflow described with respect to figs. 2-4 can be used to migrate a vm from one virtualized computing system to another. in the example above, a vm is migrated from on-premise datacenter 102 to cloud computing system iso. however, in other examples, a vm can be migrated from cloud computing system iso to on-premise datacenter 102 using a similar process. further, the cross-cloud vm migration workflow described herein encompasses both hot and cold migrations. [0052] fig. 5 is a block diagram depicting an example of a computer system 500 in which one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized. computer system 500 can be used as a host to implement hybrid cloud manager 132, hybridity director 174, or other component described above. computer system 500 includes one or more central processing units (cpus) 502, memory s04, input/output (io) circuits 506, and various support circuits 508. each of cpus 502 can include any microprocessor known in the art and can execute instructions stored on computer readable storage, such as memory 504. memory 504 can include various volatile and/or non-volatile memory devices, such as random access memory (ram), read only memory (rom), and the like. instructions and data 510 for performing the various methods and techniques described above can be stored in memory 504 for execution by cpus 502. that is, memory 504 can store instructions executable by cpus 502 to perform one or more steps/sub-steps described above in figs. 3 and 4. support circuits s08 include various circuits used to support operation of a computer system as known in the art. [0053] the various embodiments described herein may employ various computer- implemented operations involving data stored in computer systems. for example, these operations may require physical manipulation of physical quantities— usually, though not necessarily, these quantities may take the form of electrical or magnetic signals, where they or representations of them are capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, or otherwise manipulated. further, such manipulations are often referred to in terms, such as producing, identifying, determining, or comparing. any operations described herein that form part of one or more embodiments of the invention may be useful machine operations. in addition, one or more embodiments of the invention also relate to a device or an apparatus for performing these operations. the apparatus may be specially constructed for specific required purposes, or it may be a general purpose computer selectively activated or configured by a computer program stored in the computer. in particular, various general purpose machines may be used with computer programs written in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may be more convenient to construct a more specialized apparatus to perform the required operations. [0054] the various embodiments described herein may be practiced with other computer system configurations including hand-held devices, microprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. [0055] one or more embodiments of the present invention may be implemented as one or more computer programs or as one or more computer program modules embodied in one or more computer readable media. the term computer readable medium refers to any data storage device that can store data which can thereafter be input to a computer system— computer readable media may be based on any existing or subsequently developed technology for embodying computer programs in a manner that enables them to be read by a computer. examples of a computer readable medium include a hard drive, network attached storage (nas), read-only memory, random-access memory (e.g., a flash memory device), a cd (compact discs)—cd-rom, a cd-r, or a cd-rw, a dvd (digital versatile disc), a magnetic tape, and other optical and non-optical data storage devices. the computer readable medium can also be distributed over a network coupled computer system so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. [0056] although one or more embodiments of the present invention have been described in some detail for clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims. accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of the claims is not to be limited to details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the claims. in the claims, elements and/or steps do not imply any particular order of operation, unless explicitly stated in the claims. [0057] virtualization systems in accordance with the various embodiments may be implemented as hosted embodiments, non-hosted embodiments or as embodiments that tend to blur distinctions between the two, are all envisioned. furthermore, various virtualization operations may be wholly or partially implemented in hardware. for example, a hardware implementation may employ a look-up table for modification of storage access requests to secure non-disk data. [0058] certain embodiments as described above involve a hardware abstraction layer on top of a host computer. the hardware abstraction layer allows multiple contexts to share the hardware resource. in one embodiment, these contexts are isolated from each other, each having at least a user application running therein. the hardware abstraction layer thus provides benefits of resource isolation and allocation among the contexts. in the foregoing embodiments, virtual machines are used as an example for the contexts and hypervisors as an example for the hardware abstraction layer. as described above, each virtual machine includes a guest operating system in which at least one application runs. it should be noted that these embodiments may also apply to other examples of contexts, such as containers not including a guest operating system, referred to herein as "os-less containers" (see, e.g., www.docker.com). os-less containers implement operating system-level virtualization, wherein an abstraction layer is provided on top of the kernel of an operating system on a host computer. the abstraction layer supports multiple os-less containers each including an application and its dependencies. each os-less container runs as an isolated process in userspace on the host operating system and shares the kernel with other containers. the os- less container relies on the kernel's functionality to make use of resource isolation (cpu, memory, block i/o, network, etc.) and separate namespaces and to completely isolate the application's view of the operating environments. by using os-less containers, resources can be isolated, services restricted, and processes provisioned to have a private view of the operating system with their own process id space, file system structure, and network interfaces. multiple containers can share the same kernel, but each container can be constrained to only use a defined amount of resources such as cpu, memory and i/o. the term "virtualized computing instance" as used herein is meant to encompass both vms and os-less containers. [0059] many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible, regardless the degree of virtualization. the virtualization software can therefore include components of a host, console, or guest operating system that performs virtualization functions. plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. boundaries between various components, operations and data stores are somewhat arbitrary, and particular operations are illustrated in the context of specific illustrative configurations. other allocations of functionality are envisioned and may fall within the scope of the inventions). in general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. these and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may rail within the scope of the appended claim(s).
|
187-724-816-144-337
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
A01K5/00
| 2001-06-30T00:00:00 |
2001
|
[
"A01"
] |
combined chassis and mixer apparatus
|
a combined chassis and mixer apparatus is disclosed for mixing livestock feed. the apparatus includes a chassis having a front and a rearward end. the chassis includes an operator station, a motor and a gearbox driven by the motor. the chassis also includes at least one pair of drive wheels for moving the chassis. the drive wheels are connected to the gearbox for selectively moving the chassis in a first direction from the rearward end towards the front end and in a second direction from the front end towards the rearward end of the chassis. an extension framework has a first and a second end, the first end of the extension extending from the chassis in the second direction. a mixer container is supported by the extension such that the container is disposed between the chassis and the second end of the extension. additionally, at least one steerable wheel is rotatably connected to the second end of the extension so that the second end of the extension is disposed between the container and the steerable wheel such that location and positioning of the mixer container for dispensing the livestock feed is enhanced.
|
1 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus for mixing livestock feed, said apparatus comprising: a chassis having a front and a rearward end; said chassis including: an operator station; a motor; a gearbox driven by said motor; a pair of drive wheels for moving said chassis, said drive wheels being connected to said gearbox for selectively moving said chassis in a first direction from said rearward end towards said front end and in a second direction from said front end towards said rearward end of said chassis; an extension framework extending from said chassis, said extension framework having a first and a second end, said extension extending from said chassis in said second direction; a mixer container supported by said extension such that said container is disposed between said chassis and said second end of said extension; and at least one steerable wheel rotatably connected to said extension such that location and positioning of said mixer container for dispensing the livestock feed is enhanced. 2 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive wheels have a diameter which is greater than a diameter of said steerable wheel. 3 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said chassis is a tractor that has had a front steering axle removed therefrom; said first end of said extension being rigidly secured to said tractor. 4 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mixer container is secured to said extension. 5 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mixer container includes: a base which defines a peripheral edge; a wall extending away from said peripheral edge, said base and said wall defining therebetween an enclosure for the reception therein of the livestock feed; an auger rotatably disposed within said enclosure such that when the feed is disposed within said enclosure, rotation of said auger mixes the livestock feed. 6 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including: a power take off driveline extending between said gearbox and said auger for rotating said auger. 7 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said wall defines a discharge outlet for the discharge therethrough of mixed livestock feed. 8 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said steerable wheel is a multiple wheel. 9 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including: a power take off driveline extending between said gearbox and said auger for rotating said auger. 10 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus for mixing livestock feed, said apparatus comprising: a chassis having a front and a rearward end; said chassis including: an operator station; a motor; a gearbox driven by said motor; a pair of drive wheels for moving said chassis, said drive wheels being connected to said gearbox for selectively moving said chassis in a first direction from said rearward end towards said front end and in a second direction from said front end towards said rearward end of said chassis; an extension framework having a first and a second end, said extension extending from said chassis in said second direction; a mixer container supported by said extension such that said container is disposed between said chassis and said second end of said extension; at least one steerable wheel rotatably connected to said extension such that location and positioning of said mixer container for dispensing the livestock feed is enhanced; and said apparatus further including: a self loader arrangement for collecting and conveying material to said container. 11 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said self loader arrangement includes: a bucket; a first and a second auger disposed within said bucket for collecting the material; a conveyor having a first and a second end, said first end being disposed adjacent to said bucket, said second end of said conveyor being disposed above said container for conveying the material from said augers to said container. 12 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said conveyor is pivotally mounted about a pivotal axis disposed between said first and second ends of said conveyor for permitting an operator to alter the elevation of said bucket. 13 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said steerable wheel includes: a first and a second wheel. 14 . a combined chassis and mixer apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said steerable wheel includes: a single wheel; a tire mounted on said wheel, said tire having a narrow steer wheel tread.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to a combined chassis and mixer apparatus for mixing livestock feed. more specifically, the present invention relates to a combined chassis and mixer apparatus for mixing livestock feed in which location and positioning of the mixer container for dispensing the livestock feed is enhanced. 2. information disclosure statement mixers are primarily used for mixing various foods for subsequent distribution to animal feed troughs. however, prior art mixers include a drawbar and hitch for connection to a tractor the tractor includes a power take off (pto) and a driveline must be connected between the tractor and the mixer in order to rotate a mixing auger within the mixer container. when the feed has been mixed, the tractor tows the mixer to the animal trough where a portion of the feed is discharged through an outlet in the mixer container for feeding the cattle. although u.s. pat. no. 5,782,559 to neier et al teaches a self-propelled material mixer, the prior art arrangements suffer from the following drawbacks: in the neier et al arrangement described in the '559 patent, the operator is located at the back which is a disadvantage. the combined tractor and mixer according to the present invention has the following advantages over the more conventional mixers towed by a tractor. first, the combined tractor and mixer of the present invention is shorter. second, the combined tractor and mixer is easier to maneuver. third, the combined tractor and mixer according to the present invention is easier to backup. fourth, the combined tractor and mixer has better traction when compared with the mixers towed by a tractor. also, with the towed mixers, the mixer must be hitched and unhitched to the tractor when mixing is to be carried out. the combined chassis and mixer of the present invention overcomes all of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior art arrangements by the provision of a combined apparatus which enables an operator thereof to accurately locate the outlet of the mixer in close proximity to the animal feed trough. therefore, it is a primary feature of the present invention to provide a combined chassis and mixer which overcomes the problems associated with the prior art proposals and which makes a considerable contribution to the art of mixing and distributing animal feed. another feature of the present invention is the provision of a combined chassis and mixer apparatus in which the mixer is permanently connected in driven relationship with the chassis. other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention contained herein. summary of the invention the present invention relates to a combined chassis and mixer apparatus for mixing livestock feed. the apparatus includes a chassis having a front and a rearward end. the chassis includes an operator station, a motor and a gearbox driven by the motor. the chassis also includes at least one pair of drive wheels for moving the chassis. the drive wheels are connected to the gearbox for selectively moving the chassis in a first direction from the rearward end towards the front end and in a second direction from the front end towards the rearward end of the chassis. an extension framework has a first and a second end, the first end of the extension extending from the chassis in the second direction. a mixer container is supported by the extension such that the container is disposed between the chassis and the second end of the extension. additionally, a steerable wheel is rotatably connected to the second end of the extension so that the second end of the extension is disposed between the container and the steerable wheel such that location and positioning of the mixer container for dispensing the livestock feed is enhanced. in a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the drive wheels have a diameter which is greater than a diameter of the steerable wheel. also, the first end of the extension is rigidly secured to the rearward end of the chassis and the mixer container is secured to the extension. additionally, the mixer container includes a base which defines a peripheral edge. a wall extends away from the peripheral edge, the base and the wall defining therebetween an enclosure for the reception therein of the livestock feed. an auger is rotatably disposed within the enclosure such that when the feed is disposed within the enclosure, rotation of the auger mixes the livestock feed. also, a power take off extends between the gearbox and the auger for rotating the auger and the wall defines a discharge outlet for the discharge therethrough of mixed livestock feed. many modifications and variations of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention. however, such modifications and variations fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a combined chassis and mixer apparatus according to the present invention; and fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in fig. 1 . similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the views of the drawings. detailed description of the drawings fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a combined chassis and mixer apparatus generally designated 10 according to the present invention for mixing livestock feed 12 . the apparatus 10 includes a chassis 14 having a front and a rearward end 16 and 18 respectively. the chassis 14 includes an operator station 19 , a motor 20 and a gearbox 22 driven by the motor 20 . the chassis 14 also includes at least one pair of drive wheels 24 for moving the chassis 14 . the drive wheels 24 are connected to the gearbox 22 for selectively moving the chassis 14 in a first direction as indicated by the arrow 26 from the rearward end 18 towards the front end 16 and in a second direction as indicated by the arrow 28 from the front end 16 towards the rearward end 18 of the chassis 14 . an extension framework 30 has a first and a second end 32 and 34 respectively, the first end 32 of the extension 30 extending from the chassis 14 in the second direction 28 . a mixer container 36 is supported by the extension 30 such that the container 36 is disposed between the chassis 14 and the second end 34 of the extension 30 . additionally, a steerable wheel 38 is rotatably connected to the second end 34 of the extension 30 so that the second end 34 of the extension 30 is disposed between the container 36 and the steerable wheel 38 such that location and positioning of the mixer container 36 for dispensing the livestock feed 12 is enhanced. in a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the drive wheels 24 have a diameter d 1 which is greater than a diameter d 2 of the steerable wheel 38 . also, the first end 32 of the extension 30 is rigidly secured to the rearward end 18 of the chassis 14 and the mixer container 36 is secured to the extension 30 . additionally, the mixer container 36 includes a base 40 which defines a peripheral edge 42 . a wall 44 extends away from the peripheral edge 42 , the base 40 and the wall 44 defining therebetween an enclosure 46 for the reception therein of the livestock feed 12 . an auger 48 is rotatably disposed within the enclosure 46 such that when the feed 12 is disposed within the enclosure 46 , rotation of the auger 48 mixes the livestock feed 12 . also, a power take off (pto) and driveline 50 extends between the gearbox 22 and the auger 48 for rotating the auger 48 and the wall 44 defines a discharge outlet 52 for the discharge therethrough of mixed livestock feed 12 as indicated by the arrow 54 . also as shown in fig. 1 , the apparatus 10 includes a self loader arrangement generally designated 56 for collecting and conveying material to the container 36 for mixing thereof. fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus 10 shown in fig. 1 . as shown in fig. 2 , the self loader 56 includes a bucket 58 and a first and second auger 60 and 62 respectively. the augers are arranged so that the material is fed in the direction of the arrows 64 and 66 by the augers 60 and 62 respectively. the material is thereafter conveyed by a conveyor belt 68 in a direction as indicated by the arrow 70 so that the material is fed into the container 36 . the conveyor belt 68 has a first end 72 disposed adjacent to the bucket 58 and a second end 74 disposed above the container 36 . furthermore, the conveyor 68 is pivoted about an axis 76 disposed between the first and second ends 72 and 74 respectively of the conveyor 68 . as shown in fig. 1 , the axis 76 is a pivotal bearing supported by a column 78 . in operation of the apparatus according to the present invention, in order to position the outlet 52 adjacent to an animal feed trough, the gearbox 22 is positioned in reverse gear and the combined apparatus is reversed to the desired location. drivers towing a trailer know that reversing a towed trailer into a parking space requires considerably more driving skill than reversing an automobile without a trailer into the same parking space. also, parking an automobile forwardly with or without a trailer is relatively easy. similarly, in the present invention, the combined chassis and mixer is analogous to driving an automobile without trailer forwardly for parking thereof. therefore, the unique combined apparatus according to the present invention enhances the ease with which an outlet of the mixer may be located adjacent to an animal feeding trough. also, the operator is able alter the elevation of the bucket 56 as indicated by the arrow 80 shown in fig. 1 , so that material can be selectively fed into the container 36 by means of the augers 60 and 62 and by the conveyor 68 . the apparatus according to the present invention provides a compact and maneuverable machine for mixing feed and the like and conveying such mixed feed for distribution thereof.
|
187-984-612-190-906
|
KR
|
[
"US",
"CN",
"KR",
"DE"
] |
G11C16/04,G11C16/06,G11C16/10,G06F13/00,G11C16/02,G11C16/12,G11C16/34,G11C11/34
| 2008-07-24T00:00:00 |
2008
|
[
"G11",
"G06"
] |
non-volatile memory devices and programming methods for the same
|
the non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells. each of the memory cells is configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, and each of the states represents different multi-bit data. in one embodiment, the method of programming includes simultaneously programming (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state. the refined third selected state has a higher verify voltage than the third selected state.
|
1 . a method of programming a non-volatile memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, each of the states representing different multi-bit data, the method comprising: first simultaneously programming (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state, the refined third selected state having a higher verify voltage than the third selected state. 2 . the method of claim 1 , further comprising: programming the first memory cell from the second selected state to a refined second selected state, the refined second selected state having a higher verify voltage than the second selected state. 3 . the method of claim 2 , wherein the verify voltage of the refined second selected state is less than the verify voltage of the refined third selected state. 4 . the method of claim 2 , wherein the first simultaneously programming step applies a first sequence of incremental program voltages to the first and second memory cells; and the programming step applies a second sequence of incremental program voltages to the first memory cell, a start voltage of the second sequence being less than a start voltage of the first sequence. 5 . the method of claim 1 , further comprising: second simultaneously programming (1) the second memory cell from a provisional state to the third selected state and (2) a third memory cell from the provisional state to a fourth selected state, the provisional state representing less bits than the multi-bit data. 6 . the method of claim 5 , wherein the second simultaneously programming step applies a first sequence of incremental program voltages to the second and third memory cells; and the first simultaneously programming step applies a second sequence of incremental program voltages to the first and second memory cells, a start voltage of the second sequence being less than a start voltage of the first sequence. 7 . the method of claim 5 , further comprising: programming the first memory cell from the second selected state to a refined second selected state, the refined second selected state having a higher verify voltage than the second selected state. 8 . the method of claim 7 , wherein the second simultaneously programming step applies a first sequence of incremental program voltages to the second and third memory cells; and the first simultaneously programming step applies a second sequence of incremental program voltages to the first and second memory cells, a start voltage of the second sequence being less than a start voltage of the first sequence; and the programming step applies a third sequence of incremental program voltages to the first memory cell, a start voltage of the third sequence being less than the start voltage of the second sequence. 9 . the method of claim 7 , wherein the verify voltage of the refined second selected state is less than the verify voltage of the refined third selected state, and the verify voltage of the refined third selected state is less than the verify voltage of the fourth state. 10 . the method of claim 1 , further comprising: second simultaneously programming (1) the first memory cell from the second selected state to a refined second selected state, and (2) a third memory cell from a fourth selected state to a refined fourth selected state, the refined second selected state having a higher a verify voltage than the second selected state, and the refined fourth selected state having a higher verify voltage than the fourth selected state. 11 . the method of claim 10 , wherein the verify voltage of the refined second selected state is less the verify voltage of the refined fourth selected state, and the verify voltage of the refined fourth selected state is less than the verify voltage of the refined third selected state. 12 . the method of claim 10 , further comprising: third simultaneously programming (1) the second memory cell from a provisional state to the third selected state and (2) the third memory cell from the provisional state to the fourth selected state, the provisional state representing less bits than the multi-bit data. 13 . the method of claim 12 , wherein the third simultaneously programming step applies a first sequence of incremental program voltages to the second and third memory cells; and the first simultaneously programming step applies a second sequence of incremental program voltages to the first and second memory cells, a start voltage of the second sequence being less than a start voltage of the first sequence; and the second simultaneously programming step applies a third sequence of incremental program voltages to the first and third memory cells, a start voltage of the third sequence being less than the start voltage of the second sequence. 14 . the method of claim 1 , further comprising: second simultaneously programming (1) the second memory cell from a provisional state to the third selected state and (2) a third memory cell from the a fourth selected state to a refined fourth selected state, the provisional state representing less bits than the multi-bit data, and the refined fourth selected state having a higher verify voltage than the fourth selected state. 15 . the method of claim 14 , wherein the second simultaneously programming step applies a first sequence of incremental program voltages to the second and third memory cells; and the first simultaneously programming step applies a second sequence of incremental program voltages to the first and second memory cells, a start voltage of the second sequence being less than a start voltage of the first sequence. 16 . the method of claim 14 , wherein the verify voltage of the second selected state is less than the verify voltage of the refined third selected state, and the verify voltage of the refined third selected state is less than the verify voltage of the fourth selected state. 17 . the method of claim 14 , further comprising: first programming the third memory cell from the provisional state to the fourth selected state; and second programming the first memory cell from the second selected state to a refined second selected state, the refined second selected state having a higher verify voltage than the second selected state. 18 . the method of claim 17 , wherein the first programming step applies a first sequence of incremental program voltages to the third memory cell; the second simultaneously programming step applies a second sequence of incremental program voltages to the second and third memory cells, a start voltage of the second sequence being less than a start voltage of the first sequence; the first simultaneously programming step applies a third sequence of incremental program voltages to the first and second memory cells, a start voltage of the third sequence being less than the start voltage of the second sequence; and the second programming step applies a fourth sequence of incremental program voltages to the first memory cell, a start voltage of the fourth sequence being less than a start voltage of the third sequence. 19 . the method of claim 18 , wherein the verify voltage of the refined second selected state is less than the verify voltage of the refined third selected state, and the verify voltage of the refined third selected state is less than the verify voltage of the refined fourth selected state. 20 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of states is four and the multi-bit data is two bits. 21 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the first selected state is an erase state. 22 . a method of programming a non-volatile memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, each of the states representing different multi-bit data, the method comprising: first simultaneously programming (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell in a third selection state using a higher verify voltage than was used to program the second memory cell to the third selection state. 23 . a method of programming a non-volatile memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, each of the states representing different multi-bit data, the method comprising: simultaneously applying a same incremental program voltage sequence to a first and second memory cells such that (1) the first memory cell changes from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) the second memory cell changes from a third selected state to a refined third selected state, and the refined third selected state having a narrower threshold distribution than the second selected state. 24 . a method of programming a non-volatile memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, each of the states representing different multi-bit data, the method comprising: simultaneously programming (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a refined first selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a second selected state to a refined second selected state, the refined first selected state having a higher verify voltage than the first selected state, and the refined second selected state having a higher verify voltage than the second selected state. 25 . a method of programming a non-volatile memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, each of the states representing different multi-bit data, the method comprising: simultaneously programming (1) a first memory cell from a provisional state to a first selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a second selected state to a refined second selected state, the provisional state representing less bits than the multi-bit data, and the refined second selected state having a higher verify voltage than the second selected state. 26 . a semiconductor device, comprising: a non-volatile memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, each of the states representing different multi-bit data; a page buffer configured to store data being programmed into the non-volatile memory cell array; a voltage generator configured to generate voltages for application to the non-volatile memory cell array; a decoder configured to apply voltages to word lines of the non-volatile memory cell array; and a controller configured to control the voltage generator, the decoder and the page buffer to first simultaneously program (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state, the refined third selected state having a higher verify voltage than the third selected state. 27 . a card, comprising: a memory device, the memory device including, a non-volatile memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, each of the states representing different multi-bit data, a page buffer configured to store data being programmed into the non-volatile memory cell array, a voltage generator configured to generate voltages for application to the non-volatile memory cell array, a decoder configured to apply voltages to word lines of the non-volatile memory cell array, and a controller configured to control the voltage generator, the decoder and the page buffer to first simultaneously program (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state, the refined third selected state having a higher verify voltage than the third selected state; and a control unit configured to control the memory device. 28 . a system, comprising: a bus; a semiconductor device connected to the bus, the semiconductor device including, a non-volatile memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, each of the states representing different multi-bit data, a page buffer configured to store data being programmed into the non-volatile memory cell array, a voltage generator configured to generate voltages for application to the non-volatile memory cell array, a decoder configured to apply voltages to word lines of the non-volatile memory cell array, and a controller configured to control the voltage generator, the decoder and the page buffer to first simultaneously program (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state, the refined third selected state having a higher verify voltage than the third selected state; and an input/output device connected to the bus; and a processor connected to the bus, the processor configured to communicate with the input/output device and the semiconductor device via the bus.
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priority statement this non-provisional u.s. patent application claims priority under 35 u.s.c. §119 to korean patent application no. 10-2008-0072317, filed on jul. 24, 2008, in the korean intellectual property office (kipo), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. background volatile and nonvolatile memories are utilized more and more in mobile apparatuses such as mp3 players, personal multimedia players (pmp), mobile phones, notebook computers, personal digital assistants (pda), etc. these mobile apparatuses require storage units with greater storage capacity for providing various functions (e.g., playing motion pictures). one example of larger capacity storage units is a multi-bit memory device in which each memory cell stores multi-bit data (e.g., 2 or more bits of data). for the sake of clarity, a memory cell storing multi-bit data is hereinafter referred to as multi-level cell (mlc). when storing 1-bit data in a single memory cell, the memory cell is conditioned on a threshold voltage corresponding to one of two threshold voltage states. for example, at a given time the memory cell has one of two states representing data ‘1’ and data ‘0’. when a single memory cell stores 2-bit data, the memory cell is conditioned on a threshold voltage corresponding to one of four threshold voltage states. for example, the memory cell has one of four states representing data ‘11’, data ‘10’, data ‘00’, and data ‘01’. namely, for n-bits per cell, 2 n threshold voltage states are generally required. in order to keep threshold voltage distribution profiles within corresponding windows, the threshold voltages may be adjusted to be dense within each window. for this adjustment, a programming method such as incremental step pulse programming (ispp) may be used. in an example ispp method, a threshold voltage shifts up by incremental rates of a program voltage upon repetition of programming loops. the distribution of threshold voltages may be controlled by lowering the incremental rate of the program voltage. fig. 1 illustrates an example of an issp program cycle. throughout the description herein, as a unit of programming operation, a ‘program loop’ refers to a period during which a word line is supplied with a program voltage vpgm of a single pulse and a verify-read voltage vfy corresponding to the program voltage. a ‘program cycle’ refers to a period during which memory cells are programmed using a plurality of program loops, according to an example ispp method. thus, a program cycle may include several program loops by which the program voltage vpgm may increase. after each application of a program voltage, the programmed data is read using a verify-read voltage vfy corresponding to the threshold voltage for a threshold voltage state. if the read data indicates programmed data, the program cycle ends. if not, the program voltage vpgm is incremented and the next program loop takes place. by using such an ispp method, an mlc stores 2-bit data using lsb and msb page programming. the most significant bit (msb) refers to an upper bit of 2-bit data stored in the mlc and a least significant bit (lsb) refers to a lower bit of 2-bit data stored in the mlc. in a conventional nand flash memory device using page unit programming, one page may be programmed by writing corresponding lsbs and msbs in sequence. fig. 2 schematically shows a programming sequence for a conventional flash memory device including mlcs. referring to fig. 2 , in programming an mlc, an lsb and an msb may be programmed sequentially. in programming the lsb, the mlc selected for programming may be set to state ‘10’ from an erased state ‘11’, or may maintain the erased state ‘11’. subsequently, in programming the msb of the selected mlc, the msb may transition to ‘0’. for example, the mlc may be programmed into a state ‘01’ from the erased state ‘11.’ or an mlc, which has already been programmed into state ‘10’ in the lsb programming step, may maintain state ‘10’ or transition to state ‘00’. however, the lsb programming operation may involve a rising rate of cell threshold voltage relative to the msb programming operation. in other words, the lsb programming operation may include a greater number of program loops than the msb programming operation. as the number of program loops increases, coupling effects may be caused in adjacent memory cells. fig. 3a shows an lsb programming method for suppressing influence of rising threshold voltages due to coupling effects between adjacent cells and/or reducing coupling effects during lsb programming in an mlc flash memory device. referring to fig. 3a , during lsb programming, a selected mlc is programmed from erased state ‘11’ ( 10 ) into a provisional state ‘10*’ ( 20 ), but not into the state ‘10’ ( 30 ). in this example, a verifying read voltage vfy 2 _low may be lower than a verifying read voltage vfy 2 corresponding to state ‘10’ ( 30 ). as a result, during lsb operation, coupling effects to adjacent cells may be reduced because a lower threshold voltage (e.g., lower verifying read voltage vfy 2 _low) is used to transition the mlc from erased state ‘11’ to provisional state ‘10*’ ( 20 ). fig. 3b schematically shows a conventional msb programming method performed subsequent to the lsb programming. referring to fig. 3b , case 1 , case 2 , and case 3 represent state transition patterns for transitioning an msb from provisional state ‘10*’ or erased state ‘11’. an mlc may be programmed by transitioning an msb from erased state ‘11’ ( 10 ) to state ‘01’ ( 40 ). an mlc, which has already been programmed into provisional state ‘10*’ ( 20 ), may be programmed to state ‘10’ ( 30 ) or state ‘00’ ( 50 ). in this example, even though the distribution profile of provisional state ‘10*’ ( 20 ) has been preliminarily extended by coupling effects of adjacent memory cells, the msb programming operation may assist in making the distribution of threshold voltages result in a denser profile (‘10’ or ‘00’). however, according to conventional data programming methods, programming times for msbs may vary for case 1 , case 2 and case 3 . in programming one msb page, case 1 , case 2 and case 3 are performed sequentially in a number of program loops, and thus, programming time for one msb page may be relatively long. summary example embodiments provide non-volatile memory devices and/or methods for programming the same. the non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells. each of the memory cells is configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, and each of the states represents different multi-bit data. in one embodiment, the method of programming includes simultaneously programming (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state. the refined third selected state has a higher verify voltage than the third selected state. in another embodiment, the method of programming includes simultaneously applying a same incremental program voltage sequence to first and second memory cells such that (1) the first memory cell changes from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) the second memory cell changes from a third selected state to a refined third selected state. the refined third selected state has a narrower threshold distribution than the second selected state. in a further embodiment, the method of programming includes simultaneously programming (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a refined first selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a second selected state to a refined second selected state. the refined first selected state has a higher verify voltage than the first selected state, and the refined second selected state has a higher verify voltage than the second selected state. in yet another embodiment, the method includes simultaneously programming (1) a first memory cell from a provisional state to a first selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a second selected state to a refined second selected state. the provisional state represents less bits than the multi-bit data, and the refined second selected state has a higher verify voltage than the second selected state. an embodiment of the semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells. each of the memory cells is configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, and each of the states represents different multi-bit data. the semiconductor device further includes a page buffer configured to store data being programmed into the non-volatile memory cell array, a voltage generator configured to generate voltages for application to the non-volatile memory cell array, and a decoder configured to apply voltages to word lines of the non-volatile memory cell array. a controller is configured to control the voltage generator, the decoder and the page buffer to simultaneously program (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state. the refined third selected state has a higher verify voltage than the third selected state. the present invention also relates to implementations of the semiconductor device. for example, one example implementation is a card. in one embodiment, the card includes a memory and a control unit configured to control the memory. the memory includes a non-volatile memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells. each of the memory cells is configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, and each of the states represents different multi-bit data. the semiconductor device further includes a page buffer configured to store data being programmed into the non-volatile memory cell array, a voltage generator configured to generate voltages for application to the non-volatile memory cell array, and a decoder configured to apply voltages to word lines of the non-volatile memory cell array. a controller is configured to control the voltage generator, the decoder and the page buffer to simultaneously program (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state. the refined third selected state has a higher verify voltage than the third selected state. another example implementation is a system. in one embodiment, the system includes a bus, a semiconductor device connected to the bus, an input/output device connected to the bus, and a processor connected to the bus. the processor is configured to communicate with the input/output device and the semiconductor device via the bus. the semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells. each of the memory cells is configured to achieve one of a plurality of states, and each of the states represents different multi-bit data. the semiconductor device further includes a page buffer configured to store data being programmed into the non-volatile memory cell array, a voltage generator configured to generate voltages for application to the non-volatile memory cell array, and a decoder configured to apply voltages to word lines of the non-volatile memory cell array. a controller is configured to control the voltage generator, the decoder and the page buffer to simultaneously program (1) a first memory cell from a first selected state to a second selected state and (2) a second memory cell from a third selected state to a refined third selected state. the refined third selected state has a higher verify voltage than the third selected state. brief description of the drawings non-limiting and non-exhaustive example embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified. in the figures: fig. 1 illustrates a convention ispp program cycle. fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional method of programming in an mlc flash memory device; fig. 3a is a schematic diagram showing a conventional method of programming an mlc flash memory device; fig. 3b is a schematic diagram showing a conventional method of programming msb in an related art mlc flash memory device; fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a non-volatile memory device according to an example embodiment; fig. 5 illustrates a portion of the cell array in fig. 4 in greater detail. fig. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a mlc program method according to an example embodiment; figs. 7a-7d illustrate the state transitions according the method of fig. 6 . fig. 8 illustrates an ispp timing diagram for the method of fig. 6 . fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a mlc program method according to another example embodiment; figs. 10a-10d illustrate the state transitions according the method of fig. 9 . fig. 11 illustrates an ispp timing diagram for the method of fig. 9 . fig. 12 is a flow chart illustrating a mlc program method according to a further example embodiment; figs. 13a-13e illustrate the state transitions according the method of fig. 12 . fig. 14 illustrates an ispp timing diagram for the method of fig. 12 . figs. 15-22 illustrate example embodiments of applications of the semiconductor device. detailed description of example embodiments various example embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments of the invention are shown. in the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. detailed illustrative embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. however, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative for purposes of describing example embodiments of the present invention. this invention may, however, may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein. accordingly, while example embodiments of the invention are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. it should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments of the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments of the invention are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention. like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description of the figures. it will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. these terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. for example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments of the present invention. as used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. in contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between”, “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent”, etc.). the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments of the invention. as used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. it will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. it should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. for example, two figures shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a non-volatile memory device according to an example embodiment. the non-volatile memory device may be a flash memory device. as shown, the non-volatile memory device 100 may include a non-volatile cell array 110 configured to store multi-bit data, an x-decoder 120 , a page buffer 130 , a y-pass gate 140 , an input/output buffer 140 , a voltage generator 180 , and a controller 170 . fig. 5 illustrates the cell array 110 may include a plurality or pluralities of memory cells mc arranged at intersections of word lines wl and bit lines bl. the cell array 110 may be composed of memory blocks, each of which may provide a unit of erasure. each memory block may also be defined as a programming unit and may be segmented into a plurality of pages. each page may be a group of memory cells mc sharing a word line wl. as shown in fig. 5 , the memory cells mc are also grouped into strings 110 — i. each string 110 — i includes a ground selection transistor gst, a plurality of memory cell transistors mct forming memory cells mc, and a string selection transistor sst connected in series between an associated bit line bl and a common source line csl. the gates of the ground selection transistor gst and the string selection transistor sst are connected to a ground source line gsl and a string selection line ssl, respectively. the gates of the memory cell transistors mct are connected to respective word lines wls. the x-decoder 120 selectively applies voltages to the ground source line gsl, string selection line ssl and the word lines wls. returning to fig. 4 , the controller 170 receives command and address information. for example, the controller 170 may receive a mode register set instructing a program operation, a read operation, etc. the controller 170 may also receive address information associated with a command, and partially decode the address information. the controller 170 controls the voltage generator 180 , the x-decoder 120 , the page buffer 130 , the y-pass gate 140 and the input/output buffer 150 based on the control and address information. during a read operation, the controller 170 receives a read command and read address information. the controller 170 partially decodes the read address into row and column address information. the controller 170 controls the voltage generator 180 to generate voltages for reading data from the cell array 110 , and supplies the x-decoder 120 with the row address information. the x-decoder 120 selectively supplies word line voltages from the voltage generator 180 to word lines wls of the cell array 110 in response to the row address information. in at least this example embodiment, the x-decoder 120 may select a memory block in response to a block address in the row address information, and select a page thereof. in applying voltages, the x-decoder 120 applies a voltage high enough to turn on the string selection transistor sst, the ground source transistor gst, and the memory cell transistors mcts of unselected memory cells mcs. a low voltage, such as 0v may also be applied to the common source line csl. the x-decoder 120 also applies read voltages to the word line wl of the selection memory cell or cells. for example, the read voltages may be applied in a desired pattern to determine the threshold distribution state of a memory cell. as such read techniques are very well-known, a description thereof has been omitted for the sake of brevity. the controller 170 also controls the page buffer 130 . the page buffer 130 may include a plurality or pluralities of page buffer units and each page buffer unit may correspond to at least one bit line of the cell array 1 10 . the page buffer 130 may function as a sense amplifier during the read operation. each page buffer unit may be electrically coupled to a bit line or one bit line of a bit line pair, and may be configured to read data bits from the cell array 110 through the bit line. the program controller 170 further controls the y-pass gate 140 . the y-pass gate 140 selectively transfers data to the input/output buffer 150 from the page buffer 130 according to the column address information supplied by the controller 170 . during the read operation, the input/output buffer 150 may transfer read data to an external device. for a program operation, incremental step pulse programming (ispp) is performed. during a program operation, the controller 170 receives the program (or write) command and program address information. the controller 170 partially decodes the program address information into row and column address information. the controller 170 controls the voltage generator 180 to generates voltages for programming data in the cell array 110 , and supplies the x-decoder 120 with the row address information. the x-decoder 120 selectively supplies word line voltages from the voltage generator 180 to word lines wls of the cell array 110 in response to the row address information. in at least this example embodiment, the x-decoder 120 may select a memory block in response to a block address, and select a page thereof. in applying voltages, the x-decoder 120 applies a voltage high enough to turn on the string selection transistor sst, and applies a low voltage to the ground source transistor gst. the x-decoder 120 supplies a non-selection voltage to the memory cell transistors mcts of unselected memory cells mcs such that these unselected memory cells mcs are prevented from changing their threshold distribution states. the x-decoder 120 also applies a program voltage vpgm to the word line wl of the selected memory cell or cells. the program voltage vpgm starts at an initial voltage, and incrementally increases with each program loop until the data is programmed. for example, the program voltage may vary from 15-20v. this will be described in greater detail below. a low voltage, such as 0v may also be applied to the common source line csl. during an example programming operation, program data loaded in the page buffer 130 may be written into selected memory cells mcs in the unit of a page. in programming the cell array 110 formed of mlcs, data may be written (e.g., sequentially written) in the unit of two pages to reduce coupling effects between adjacent cells and/or enhance boosting efficiency. as discussed above, the page buffer 130 may include a plurality or pluralities of page buffer units and each page buffer unit may correspond to at least one bit line of the cell array 110 . under the control of the controller 170 , the page buffer 130 functions as a write driver during a program operation. each page buffer unit may be electrically coupled to a bit line or one bit line of a bit line pair, and may be configured to store data bits for program to the cell array 110 through the bit line. each page buffer unit may include a first latch and a second latch for handling multi-bit programming. because the structure and operation of page buffers for mlc programming is so well-known, this will not be described in detail for the sake of brevity. the program controller 170 controls the y-pass gate based on the column address information to transfer program data to the page buffer 130 from the input/output buffer 150 . during a programming operation, the input/output buffer 150 may store (e.g., temporarily store) externally input program data. after each program attempt during a program loop, the controller 170 controls the voltage generator 180 , the x-decoder 120 , the page buffer 130 and the y-pass gate 140 to perform a read operation on the programmed memory cells. the read operation is the same as described above. however, during this read operation, the controller 170 controls the input/output buffer 150 such that the input/output buffer 150 does not output the read data. instead, the controller 170 determines if the read data matches the program data. if not, the controller 170 proceeds to the next program loop with an incremented program voltage vpgm. fig. 6 is a flow chart explaining an mlc programming method according to an example embodiment, and figs. 7a-7d illustrate changes in threshold distribution states during the programming method of fig. 6 . as demonstrated by the four different threshold distribution states st 1 , st 2 , st 3 and st 4 in fig. 7d , the programming method of fig. 6 applies to programming two bits of data in selected memory cells mcs. accordingly, the selected memory cells may be programmed with the two-bit patterns of “00”, “01”, “10” or “11”. furthermore, each state st 1 , st 2 , st 3 and st 4 corresponds to a different one of these two-bit patterns. however, the present invention is not limited to a particular correspondence between the states and the two-bit patterns. therefore, for ease of explanation, the programming operation will be described with respect to achieving the different states, and not the different two-bit patterns. still further, the programming method of fig. 6 will be described assuming that the first state st 1 represents the erase state, the memory cells are being programmed from the erased state, the first and second states st 1 and st 2 have the same lsb, and the third and fourth states st 3 and st 4 have the same lsb, which is different from the lsb of the first and second states st 1 and st 2 . as shown in fig. 6 , in step s 10 , least significant bit programming (lsb) takes place. the lsb programming method is performed using the ispp method and suppresses the influence of rising threshold voltages due to coupling effects between adjacent cells and/or reducing coupling effects. the lsb of each memory cell may be either a “0” or “1”. those selected memory cells being programmed to two-bit patterns with a lsb matching the first state st 1 do not undergo programming. those selected memory cells being programmed to two-bit patterns having a lsb that does not match the lsb of the first state st 1 do undergo programming as shown in fig. 7a . referring to fig. 7a , during this lsb programming, a selected mlc is programmed from erased state st 1 into a provisional state st 3 ′, but not into the third state st 3 . in this example, a verifying read voltage vfy 3 ′ during the ispp is lower than a verifying read voltage vfy 3 corresponding to the third state st 3 . for example, the lsb of state st 1 may be “1” and the lsb of state st 3 may be “0”. next, the msb bit programming takes place according to steps s 20 -s 40 . in step s 20 , selected memory cells mcs in the provisional state st 3 ′ are simultaneously programmed using the ispp method to either the third or fourth states st 3 and st 4 . as will be appreciated, the memory cells selected for this msb programming step depend on the msb to be programmed into the memory cells and the msbs represented by the third and fourth states st 3 and st 4 . the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 1 , and the verify voltages for the third and fourth states are vfy 3 and vfy 4 , respectively. namely, one programming loop includes two verify read operations. as shown in fig. 7b , the verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 is less than the verify voltage vfy 4 for the fourth state st 4 . as discussed above, the program voltage is applied to the memory cells undergoing the program operation until the read voltage meets the verify voltage. as will be appreciated, memory cells mcs being programmed into the third state st 3 will usually reach the verified programmed state prior to memory cells mcs being programmed into the fourth state. when a memory cell mc reaches the desired programmed state, the word line wl for that memory cell mc is no longer selected for programming. in this manner memory cells mcs may be programmed simultaneously to the third and fourth states st 3 and st 4 . returning to fig. 6 , in step s 30 , memory cells mcs associated with the two bit patterns of the second state st 2 are programmed using the ispp method to the second state st 2 from the first state st 1 . simultaneous with this programming, memory cells mcs in the third state st 3 have their threshold distribution refined. here, the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 2 , which is less than voltage v 1 in step s 20 . the verify voltages for the second and refined third states are vfy 2 and r_vfy 3 , respectively. namely, one programming loop includes two verify read operations. as shown in fig. 7c , the refined verify voltage r_vfy 3 for the refined third state rst 3 is still less than the verify voltage vfy 4 for the fourth state st 4 , but the refined verify voltage r_vfy 3 is greater than the initial verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 . as further shown, the verify voltage vfy 2 for the second state st 2 is less than the initial verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 . as will be appreciated, in this and the other embodiments, refining a state narrows the threshold distribution of the state, but does not change the two bit pattern to which the state corresponds. namely, a state and the refined version of the state represent the same two bit patter. however, by refining a given state, a greater margin exists between states, and this improves performance of the non-volatile memory device. as discussed above, the program voltage is applied to the memory cells mcs undergoing the program operation until the read voltage meets the verify voltage. when a memory cell mc reaches the desired programmed state, the word line wl for that memory cell mc is no longer selected for programming. returning again to fig. 6 , in step s 40 , memory cells mcs in the second state st 2 are programmed using the ispp method to a refined second state rst 2 . namely, memory cells mcs in the second state st 2 have their threshold distribution refined. here, the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 3 , which is less than voltage v 2 in step s 30 . the verify voltage for the refined second state is r_vfy 2 . as shown in fig. 7d , the refined verify voltage r_vfy 2 for the second state st 2 is still less than the verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 , but the refined verify voltage r_vfy 2 is greater than the initial verify voltage vfy 2 for the second state st 2 . unlike steps s 20 and s 30 , step s 40 includes a single verify read operation in each program loop. fig. 8 illustrates a timing diagram of the mlc programming method of fig. 6 . in particular, fig. 8 shows that the initial program voltage v 1 , v 2 and v 3 in step s 20 , s 30 and s 40 , respectively, have a relationship where voltage v 1 is greater than voltages v 2 and v 3 , and voltage v 2 is greater than voltage v 3 . fig. 9 is a flow chart explaining a mlc programming method according to another example embodiment, and figs. 10a-10d illustrate changes in threshold distribution states during the programming method of fig. 9 . as demonstrated by the four different threshold distribution states st 1 , st 2 , st 3 and st 4 in fig. 10d , the programming method of fig. 9 applies to programming two bits of data in selected memory cells mcs. accordingly, the selected memory cells may be programmed with the two-bit patterns of “00”, “01”, “10” or “11”. furthermore, each state st 1 , st 2 , st 3 and st 4 corresponds to a different one of these two-bit patterns. however, the present invention is not limited to a particular correspondence between the states and the two-bit patterns. therefore, for ease of explanation, the programming operation will be described with respect to achieving the different states, and not the different two-bit patterns. still further, the programming method of fig. 9 will be described assuming that the first state st 1 represents the erase state, the memory cells are being programmed from the erased state, the first and second states st 1 and st 2 have the same lsb, and the third and fourth states st 3 and st 4 have the same lsb, which is different from the lsb of the first and second states st 1 and st 2 . as shown in fig. 9 , in step s 110 , least significant bit programming (lsb) takes place. the lsb programming method is performed using the ispp method and suppresses the influence of rising threshold voltages due to coupling effects between adjacent cells and/or reducing coupling effects. the lsb of each memory cell may be either a “0” or “1”. those selected memory cells being programmed to two-bit patterns with a lsb matching the first state st 1 do not undergo programming. those selected memory cells being programmed to two-bit patterns having a lsb that does not match the lsb of the first state st 1 do undergo programming as shown in fig. 10a . referring to fig. 10a , during this lsb programming, a selected mlc is programmed from erased state st 1 into a provisional state st 3 ′, but not into the third state st 3 . in this example, a verifying read voltage vfy 3 ′ during the ispp is lower than a verifying read voltage vfy 3 corresponding to the third state st 3 . for example, the lsb of state st 1 may be “1” and the lsb of state st 3 may be “0”. next, the msb bit programming takes place according to steps s 120 -s 140 . in step s 120 , memory cells mcs in the provisional state st 3 ′ are simultaneously programmed using the ispp method to either the third or fourth states st 3 and st 4 . as will be appreciated, the memory cells selected for this msb programming step depend on the msb to be programmed into the memory cells and the msbs represented by the third and fourth states st 3 and st 4 . the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 1 , and the verify voltages for the third and fourth states are vfy 3 and vfy 4 , respectively. namely, one programming loop includes two verify read operations. as shown in fig. 10b , the verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 is less than the verify voltage vfy 4 for the fourth state st 4 . as discussed above, the program voltage is applied to the memory cells undergoing the program operation until the read voltage meets the verify voltage. as will be appreciated, memory cells mcs being programmed into the third state st 3 will usually reach the verified programmed state prior to memory cells mcs being programmed into the fourth state. when a memory cell mc reaches the desired programmed state, the word line wl for that memory cell mc is no longer selected for programming. in this manner memory cells mcs may be programmed simultaneously to the third and fourth states st 3 and st 4 . returning to fig. 9 , in step s 130 , memory cells mcs associated with the two bit patterns of the second state st 2 (e.g., the page buffer units for these memory cells store the two bit pattern corresponding to the second state st 2 ) are programmed using the ispp method to the second state st 2 from the first state st 1 . simultaneous with this programming, memory cells mcs in the fourth state st 4 have their threshold distribution refined. here, the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 2 , which is less than voltage v 1 in step s 120 . the verify voltages for the second and refined fourth states are vfy 2 and r_vfy 4 , respectively. namely, one programming loop includes two verify read operations. as shown in fig. 10c , the refined verify voltage r_vfy 4 for the refined fourth state rst 4 is greater less than the verify voltage vfy 4 for the fourth state st 4 . as further shown, the verify voltage vfy 2 for the second state st 2 is less than the verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state. as discussed above, the program voltage is applied to the memory cells mcs undergoing the program operation until the read voltage meets the verify voltage. when a memory cell mc reaches the desired programmed state, the word line wl for that memory cell mc is no longer selected for programming. returning again to fig. 9 , in step s 140 , memory cells mcs in the second state st 2 and memory cells in the third state st 3 are programmed using the ispp method to a refined second state st 2 and a refined third state rst 3 . namely, memory cells mcs in the second and third states st 2 and st 3 have their threshold distribution refined. here, the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 3 , which is less than voltage v 2 in step s 130 . the verify voltage for the refined second state rst 2 is r_vfy 2 , and the verify voltage for the refined third state rst 3 is r_vfy 3 . as shown in fig. 10d , the refined verify voltage r_vfy 2 for the second state st 2 is still less than the verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 , but the refined verify voltage r_vfy 2 is greater than the initial verify voltage vfy 2 for the second state st 2 . also, the refined verify voltage r_vfy 3 for the third state is still less than the verify voltage vfy 4 for the fourth state st 4 , but the refined verify voltage r_vfy 3 is greater than the initial verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 . fig. 11 illustrates a timing diagram of the mlc programming method of fig. 9 . in particular, fig. 11 shows that the initial program voltage v 1 , v 2 and v 3 in step s 120 , s 130 and s 140 , respectively, have a relationship where voltage v 1 is greater than voltages v 2 and v 3 , and voltage v 2 is greater than voltage v 3 . the voltages v 1 , v 2 and v 3 may be the same, partially the same or different from those discussed with respect to fig. 6 . fig. 12 is a flow chart explaining an mlc programming method according to a further example embodiment, and figs. 13a-13e illustrate changes in threshold distribution states during the programming method of fig. 12 . as demonstrated by the four different threshold distribution states st 1 , st 2 , st 3 and st 4 in fig. 13e , the programming method of fig. 12 applies to programming two bits of data in selected memory cells mcs. accordingly, the selected memory cells may be programmed with the two-bit patterns of “00”, “01”, “10” or “11”. furthermore, each state st 1 , st 2 , st 3 and st 4 corresponds to a different one of these two-bit patterns. however, the present invention is not limited to a particular correspondence between the states and the two-bit patterns. therefore, for ease of explanation, the programming operation will be described with respect to achieving the different states, and not the different two-bit patterns. still further, the programming method of fig. 12 will be described assuming that the first state st 1 represents the erase state, the memory cells are being programmed from the erased state, the first and second states st 1 and st 2 have the same lsb, and the third and fourth states st 3 and st 4 have the same lsb, which is different from the lsb of the first and second states st 1 and st 2 . as shown in fig. 12 , in step s 210 , least significant bit programming (lsb) takes place. the lsb programming method is performed using the ispp method and suppresses the influence of rising threshold voltages due to coupling effects between adjacent cells and/or reducing coupling effects. the lsb of each memory cell may be either a “0” or “1”. those selected memory cells being programmed to two-bit patterns with a lsb matching the first state st 1 do not undergo programming. those selected memory cells being programmed to two-bit patterns having a lsb that does not match the lsb of the first state st 1 do undergo programming as shown in fig. 13a . referring to fig. 13a , during this lsb programming, a selected mlc is programmed from erased state st 1 into a provisional state st 3 ′, but not into the third state st 3 . in this example, a verifying read voltage vfy 3 ′ during the ispp is lower than a verifying read voltage vfy 3 corresponding to the third state st 3 . for example, the lsb of state st 1 may be “1” and the lsb of state st 3 may be “0”. next, the msb bit programming takes place according to steps s 220 -s 250 . in step s 220 , memory cells mcs in the provisional state st 3 ′ that are being programmed to the two bit pattern represented by the fourth state st 4 are programmed using the ispp method to the fourth state st 4 as shown in fig. 13b . the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 1 , and the verify voltage for the fourth state is vfy 4 . returning to fig. 12 , in step s 230 , memory cells mcs in the provisional state st 3 ′ that are being programmed to the two bit pattern of the third state st 3 are programmed using the ispp method to the third state st 3 , and simultaneously, memory cells mcs in the fourth state st 4 have their threshold distribution refined. here, the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 2 , which is less than voltage v 1 in step s 220 . the verify voltages for the third and refined fourth states are vfy 3 and r_vfy 4 , respectively. namely, one programming loop includes two verify read operations. as shown in fig. 13c , the refined verify voltage r_vfy 4 for the refined fourth state rst 4 is greater less than the verify voltage vfy 4 for the fourth state st 4 . as further shown, the verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 is less than the initial verify voltage vfy 4 for the fourth state st 4 . as discussed above, the program voltage is applied to the memory cells mcs undergoing the program operation until the read voltage meets the verify voltage. when a memory cell mc reaches the desired programmed state, the word line wl for that memory cell mc is no longer selected for programming. in step s 240 of fig. 12 , memory cells mcs in the first state st 1 that are being programmed to the two bit pattern represented by the second step st 2 are programmed using the ispp method to the second state st 2 , and simultaneously, memory cells mcs in the third state st 3 have their threshold distribution refined. here, the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 3 , which is less than voltage v 2 in step s 230 . the verify voltages for the second and refined third states are vfy 2 and r_vfy 3 , respectively. namely, one programming loop includes two verify read operations. as shown in fig. 13d , the refined verify voltage r_vfy 3 for the refined third state rst 3 is greater less than the verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 , but less than the verify voltage vfy 4 for the fourth state st 4 . as further shown, the verify voltage vfy 2 for the second state st 2 is less than the initial verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 . as discussed above, the program voltage is applied to the memory cells mcs undergoing the program operation until the read voltage meets the verify voltage. when a memory cell mc reaches the desired programmed state, the word line wl for that memory cell mc is no longer selected for programming. returning again to fig. 12 , in step s 250 , memory cells mcs in the second state st 2 are programmed using the ispp method to a refined second state rst 2 . namely, memory cells mcs in the second state st 2 have their threshold distribution refined. here, the initial program voltage vpgm is a voltage v 4 , which is less than voltage v 3 in step s 240 . the verify voltage for the refined second state is r_vfy 2 . as shown in fig. 13e , the refined verify voltage r_vfy 2 for the second state st 2 is still less than the verify voltage vfy 3 for the third state st 3 , but the refined verify voltage r_vfy 2 is greater than the initial verify voltage vfy 2 for the second state st 2 . unlike steps s 230 and s 240 , step s 250 includes a single verify read operation in each program loop. fig. 14 illustrates a timing diagram of the mlc programming method of fig. 12 . in particular, fig. 14 shows that the initial program voltage v 1 , v 2 , v 3 and v 4 in step s 220 , s 230 , s 240 and s 250 , respectively, have a relationship where voltage v 1 is greater than voltages v 2 , v 3 and v 4 ; the voltage v 2 is greater than voltages v 3 and v 4 , and the voltage v 3 is greater than the voltage v 4 . the voltages v 1 , v 2 and v 3 may be the same, partially the same or different from those discussed with respect to figs. 6 and 9 . figs. 15-22 illustrate implementation embodiments. fig. 15 illustrates an example embodiment of an application of the semiconductor device. as shown, this embodiment includes a memory 2210 connected to a memory controller 2220 . the memory 2210 may be any memory according to one of the above-described embodiments. the memory controller 2220 supplies the input signals for controlling operation of the memory 2210 . for example, the memory controller 2220 supplies the command and address information. fig. 16 illustrates yet another embodiment. this embodiment is the same as the embodiment of fig. 15 , except that the memory 2210 and memory controller 2220 have been embodied as a card 2330 . for example, the card 2330 may be a memory card such as a flash memory card. namely, the card 2330 may be a card meeting any industry standard for use with a consumer electronics device such as a digital camera, personal computer, etc. it will be appreciated that the memory controller 2220 may control the memory 2210 based on controls signals received by the card 2330 from another (e.g., external) device. fig. 17 illustrates a still further implementation embodiment. as shown, the memory 2210 may be connected with a host system 2410 . the host system 2410 may be a processing system such as a personal computer, digital camera, etc. the host system 2410 may use the memory 2210 as a removable storage medium. as will be appreciated, the host system 2410 supplies the input signals for controlling operation of the memory 2210 . for example, the host system 2410 supplies the command and address information. fig. 18 illustrates an embodiment in which the host system 2410 is connected to the card 2330 of fig. 16 . in this embodiment, the host system 2410 applies control signals to the card 2330 such that the memory controller 2220 controls operation of the memory 2210 . fig. 19 illustrates a further implementation embodiment. as shown, the memory 2210 may be connected to a central processing unit (cpu) 2620 within a computer system 2610 . for example, the computer system 2610 may be a personal computer, personal data assistant, etc. the memory 2210 may be directly connected with the cpu 2620 , connected via bus, etc. it will be appreciated, that fig. 19 does not illustrate the full complement of components that may be included within a computer system 2610 for the sake of clarity. fig. 20 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. fig. 20 may represent another portable application of the semiconductor device embodiments described above. as shown, this embodiment includes the memory 3010 , which may be any of the non-volatile memory device embodiments described above. in this and any of the previous embodiments, the memory 3010 may include one or more integrated circuit dies where each die has a memory array that operates according to the various embodiments. these ic dies may be separate, stand alone memory devices that are arranged in modules such as conventional dynamic random access memory (dram) modules, or they may be integrated with other on-chip functionalities. in the latter embodiments, the memory 3010 may be part of an i/o processor or a microcontroller as described above. this and the other portable application embodiments may be for instance a portable notebook computer, a digital still and/or video camera, a personal digital assistant, a mobile (cellular) hand-held telephone unit, navigation device, gps system, audio and/or video player, etc. of course, there are other non-portable applications for the memory 3010 . these include, for instance, large network servers or other computing devices which may benefit from a non-volatile memory device. as shown in fig. 20 , this embodiment includes a processor or cpu 3510 that uses the memory 3010 as program memory to store code and data for its execution. alternatively, the memory 3010 may be used as a mass storage device for non-volatile storage of code and data. the portable application embodiment may communicate with other devices, such as a personal computer or a network of computers via an i/o interface 3515 . this i/o interface 3515 may provide access to a computer peripheral bus, a high speed digital communication transmission line, or an antenna for unguided transmissions. communications between the processor and the memory 3010 and between the processor 3510 and the i/o interface 3515 may be accomplished using conventional computer bus architectures as represented by bus 3500 in fig. 20 . furthermore, the present invention is not limited to this architecture. for example, the memory 3010 may be replaced with the embodiment of fig. 16 , and communication with the processor 3510 may be via the memory controller 3020 . furthermore, the i/o interface 3515 may communicate with the memory 3010 via the memory controller 3020 , or directly with the memory 3010 if the memory controller 3020 is not present. in portable applications, the above-described components are powered by a battery 3520 via a power supply bus 3525 . fig. 21 is a block diagram showing an example apparatus (e.g., a mobile apparatus) employing a flash memory device, according to an example embodiment. the flash memory device including mlcs programmable using methods, according to an example embodiments, may be used for larger or relatively large capacity storage units. referring to fig. 21 , the flash memory device 4260 may be used in or adapted to be used in a hard disk 4250 of a mobile apparatus 4200 . the flash memory device 4260 may be usable as a larger or relatively large capacity storage unit of the hard disk 4250 . for example, the flash memory device 4260 may be provided for a solid state disk and/or the flash memory device 4260 may be usable as a flash memory component in a hybrid hard disk. in the mobile apparatus 4200 , data supplied from the hard disk 4250 may be transferred to a ram 4270 or a central processing unit (cpu) 4210 via a bus 4240 . data stored in the ram 4270 and internally generated by the cpu 4210 in response to an operation of an input/output unit 4230 may be stored in the hard disk 4250 via the bus 4240 . in storing data into the hard disk 4250 , one of the above-described embodiments may be used to program the msb page of the flash memory device 4260 . fig. 22 is a block diagram showing another example apparatus (e.g., mobile apparatus) employing a flash memory device, according to an example embodiment. referring to fig. 22 , the flash memory device 4260 may be used as a nonvolatile memory component in an apparatus 4300 . the apparatus 4300 may be a mobile apparatus; however, it is not restricted thereto. in this example, the mobile apparatus 4300 may include a memory controller 4280 configured to perform an interface operation for data exchange. the memory controller 4280 may perform a data input/output operation through the bus 4240 of the mobile apparatus 4300 . according to at least some example embodiments, non-volatile flash memory devices may enhance programming speed by performing simultaneous programming during a single programming loop. the non-volatile memory devices and programming methods, according to example embodiments, may therefore improve programming speed. example embodiments are to be considered illustrative, but not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. for example, while the embodiments have been described with respect to programming two bits, the features of the present invention may be applied to mlcs storing more than two bits. thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.
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191-468-107-021-865
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US
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[
"TW",
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"KR",
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H01L51/54,C07F1/00,C07F1/08,C07F1/12,C07F3/00,C07F5/02,C07F5/06,C07F7/08,C07F9/50,C07F13/00,C07F15/00,C09K11/06,H01L51/00,H01L51/50,H01L51/52,H01J1/63
| 2011-02-23T00:00:00 |
2011
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[
"H01",
"C07",
"C09"
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thioazole and oxazole carbene metal complexes as phosphorescent oled materials
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a method of forming compounds that comprise a heterocyclic carbene ligand is provided. in particular, an oxazole or a thioazole carbene are used in place of the traditional imidazole carbene. these compounds may be used in oleds to provide devices having improved properties, such as stability and color-tuning.
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1. a compound comprising a ligand l having the structure: wherein x 1 is s or o; wherein x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 are independently c or n; wherein at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n; wherein r 1 may represent mono-substitution up to the maximum possible substitutions; wherein each r 1 is independently hydrogen or a substituent selected from the group consisting of deuterium, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof; wherein at least one r 1 is selected from the group consisting of deuterium, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof; wherein r a may represent mono, di, tri, or tetra substitutions, or no substitutions; wherein r a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrite, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof; wherein two adjacent substituents of r a are optionally joined to form a fused ring; wherein a is a 5-membered or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; wherein the ligand l is coordinated to a metal m selected from ir and os; wherein ligand l may be linked with other moieties coordinated to the metal m to comprise a tridentate, tetradentate, or pentadentate ligand; and wherein the compound is heteroleptic. 2. the compound of claim 1 , wherein a is benzene. 3. the compound of claim 1 , wherein the ligand has the formula: wherein at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n; wherein r 2 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions; wherein each r 2 is independently hydrogen or a substituent selected from the group consisting of deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof; and wherein two adjacent substituents of r 2 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. 4. the compound of claim 1 , wherein the ligand has the formula: wherein at least two of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n; wherein r 2 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions; wherein each r 2 is independently hydrogen or a substituent selected from the group consisting of deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof; and wherein two adjacent substituents of r 2 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. 5. a first device comprising an organic light emitting device, comprising: an anode; a cathode; and an organic layer, disposed between the anode and the cathode, comprising a compound comprising a ligand l having the structure: wherein x 1 is s or o; wherein x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 are independently c or n; wherein at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n; wherein r 1 may represent mono-substitution up to the maximum possible substitutions; wherein each r 1 is independently hydrogen or a substituent selected from the group consisting of deuterium, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof; wherein at least one r 1 is selected from the group consisting of deuterium, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof; wherein r a may represent mono, di, tri, or tetra substitutions, or no substitutions; wherein r a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfanyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof; wherein two adjacent substituents of r a are optionally joined to form a fused ring; wherein a is a 5-membered or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; wherein the ligand l is coordinated to a metal m selected from ir and os; wherein ligand l may be linked with other moieties coordinated to the metal m to comprise a tridentate, tetradentate, or pentadentate ligand; and wherein the compound is heteroleptic. 6. the first device of claim 5 , wherein the organic layer is an emissive layer and the compound is an emissive dopant. 7. the first device of claim 5 , wherein the organic layer further comprises a host. 8. the first device of claim 7 , wherein the host is a metal complex. 9. the first device of claim 8 , wherein the metal complex is selected from the group consisting of: wherein (o—n) is a bidentate ligand having metal coordinated to atoms o and n; wherein l is an ancillary ligand; and wherein m is an integer value from 1 to the maximum number of ligands that may be attached to the metal. 10. the first device of claim 7 , wherein the host is a compound that comprises at least one of the chemical groups selected from the group consisting of: wherein each of r″′ 1 and r″′ 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof; wherein k is an integer from 0 to 20; and wherein each of x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , x 5 , x 6 , x 7 and x 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of ch and n. 11. a process for making a carbene metal complex, comprising: reacting a copper dichloride carbene dimer with a metal precursor to yield a carbene metal complex which is a compound according to claim 1 , wherein the metal precursor comprises ir or os. 12. the process of claim 11 , further comprising reacting a carbene salt with copper-t-butoxide to yield a copper dichloride carbene dimer, prior to reacting the copper dichloride carbene dimer with the metal precursor. 13. the process of claim 11 , wherein the metal precursor is selected from the group consisting of [ircl(1,5-cyclooctadiene)] 2 and oscl 2 (dimethylsulfoxide) 4 .
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cross-reference to related applications this application is a divisional application of u.s. patent application ser. no. 13/033,287, filed feb. 23, 2011, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. parties to a joint research agreement the claimed invention was made by, on behalf of, and/or in connection with one or more of the following parties to a joint university corporation research agreement: regents of the university of michigan, princeton university, university of southern california, and universal display corporation. the agreement was in effect on and before the date the claimed invention was made, and the claimed invention was made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of the agreement. field of the invention the present invention relates to organic light emitting devices (oleds). more specifically, the present invention is related to heterocyclic carbene metal complexes. these materials may be used in oleds to provide improved stability and color-tuning. background opto-electronic devices that make use of organic materials are becoming increasingly desirable for a number of reasons. many of the materials used to make such devices are relatively inexpensive, so organic opto-electronic devices have the potential for cost advantages over inorganic devices. in addition, the inherent properties of organic materials, such as their flexibility, may make them well suited for particular applications such as fabrication on a flexible substrate. examples of organic opto-electronic devices include organic light emitting devices (oleds), organic phototransistors, organic photovoltaic cells, and organic photodetectors. for oleds, the organic materials may have performance advantages over conventional materials. for example, the wavelength at which an organic emissive layer emits light may generally be readily tuned with appropriate dopants. oleds make use of thin organic films that emit light when voltage is applied across the device. oleds are becoming an increasingly interesting technology for use in applications such as flat panel displays, illumination, and backlighting. several oled materials and configurations are described in u.s. pat. nos. 5,844,363, 6,303,238, and 5,707,745, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. one application for phosphorescent emissive molecules is a full color display. industry standards for such a display call for pixels adapted to emit particular colors, referred to as “saturated” colors. in particular, these standards call for saturated red, green, and blue pixels. color may be measured using cie coordinates, which are well known to the art. one example of a green emissive molecule is tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium, denoted ir(ppy) 3 , which has the structure: in this, and later figures herein, we depict the dative bond from nitrogen to metal (here, ir) as a straight line. as used herein, the term “organic” includes polymeric materials as well as small molecule organic materials that may be used to fabricate organic opto-electronic devices. “small molecule” refers to any organic material that is not a polymer, and “small molecules” may actually be quite large. small molecules may include repeat units in some circumstances. for example, using a long chain alkyl group as a substituent does not remove a molecule from the “small molecule” class. small molecules may also be incorporated into polymers, for example as a pendent group on a polymer backbone or as a part of the backbone. small molecules may also serve as the core moiety of a dendrimer, which consists of a series of chemical shells built on the core moiety. the core moiety of a dendrimer may be a fluorescent or phosphorescent small molecule emitter. a dendrimer may be a “small molecule,” and it is believed that all dendrimers currently used in the field of oleds are small molecules. as used herein, “top” means furthest away from the substrate, while “bottom” means closest to the substrate. where a first layer is described as “disposed over” a second layer, the first layer is disposed further away from substrate. there may be other layers between the first and second layer, unless it is specified that the first layer is “in contact with” the second layer. for example, a cathode may be described as “disposed over” an anode, even though there are various organic layers in between. as used herein, “solution processible” means capable of being dissolved, dispersed, or transported in and/or deposited from a liquid medium, either in solution or suspension form. a ligand may be referred to as “photoactive” when it is believed that the ligand directly contributes to the photoactive properties of an emissive material. a ligand may be referred to as “ancillary” when it is believed that the ligand does not contribute to the photoactive properties of an emissive material, although an ancillary ligand may alter the properties of a photoactive ligand. as used herein, and as would be generally understood by one skilled in the art, a first “highest occupied molecular orbital” (homo) or “lowest unoccupied molecular orbital” (lumo) energy level is “greater than” or “higher than” a second homo or lumo energy level if the first energy level is closer to the vacuum energy level. since ionization potentials (ip) are measured as a negative energy relative to a vacuum level, a higher homo energy level corresponds to an ip having a smaller absolute value (an ip that is less negative). similarly, a higher lumo energy level corresponds to an electron affinity (ea) having a smaller absolute value (an ea that is less negative). on a conventional energy level diagram, with the vacuum level at the top, the lumo energy level of a material is higher than the homo energy level of the same material. a “higher” homo or lumo energy level appears closer to the top of such a diagram than a “lower” homo or lumo energy level. as used herein, and as would be generally understood by one skilled in the art, a first work function is “greater than” or “higher than” a second work function if the first work function has a higher absolute value. because work functions are generally measured as negative numbers relative to vacuum level, this means that a “higher” work function is more negative. on a conventional energy level diagram, with the vacuum level at the top, a “higher” work function is illustrated as further away from the vacuum level in the downward direction. thus, the definitions of homo and lumo energy levels follow a different convention than work functions. more details on oleds, and the definitions described above, can be found in u.s. pat. no. 7,279,704, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. summary of the invention heterocyclic carbene metal complexes are provided. the compounds comprise a ligand l having the structure: x 1 is s or o. x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 are independently c or n. at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 1 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 1 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. r a may represent mono, di, tri, or tetra substitutions. r a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r a are optionally joined to form a fused ring. a is a 5-membered or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring. preferably, a is benzene. the ligand l is coordinated to a transition metal m having an atomic number greater than 40. preferably, the metal m is ir or os. more preferably, the metal m is ir. additionally, the metal m is preferably os. the bidentate ligand l may be linked with other ligands to comprise a tridentate, tetradentate, pentadentate or hexadentate ligand. in one aspect, the ligand has the formula: at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 2 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 2 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. in another aspect, the ligand has the formula: at least two of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 2 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 2 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. in one aspect, the compound is heteroleptic. in another aspect, the compound is homoleptic. in yet another aspect, the compound has the formula: specific examples of the heterocyclic carbene compounds are provided. in one aspect, the compound is selected from the group consisting of: each x 1 is independently s or o. additional specific examples of heterocyclic carbene compounds are provided. in one aspect, the compound is selected from the group consisting of: additionally, a first device comprising an organic light emitting device is provided. the organic light emitting device further comprises an anode, a cathode, and an organic layer, disposed between the anode and the cathode. the organic layer comprises a compound comprising a ligand l having the structure: x 1 is s or o. x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 are independently c or n. at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 1 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 1 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. r a may represent mono, di, tri, or tetra substitutions. r a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r a are optionally joined to form a fused ring. a is a 5-membered or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring. preferably, a is benzene. the ligand l is coordinated to a transition metal m having an atomic number greater than 40. preferably, the metal m is ir or os. more preferably, the metal m is os. more preferably, the metal m is ir. the bidentate ligand may be linked with other ligands to comprise a tridentate, tetradentate, pentadentate or hexadentate ligand. the various specific aspects discussed above for compounds having formula i are also applicable to a compound having formula i when used in the first device. in particular, the various specific aspects of x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , x 5 , r 1 , r a , and a of the compound having formula i, as discussed above, are also applicable to the compound having formula i that is used in the first device. specific examples of compounds that may be used in the device are provided. in one aspect, the compound is selected from the group consisting of compound 1g-compound 28g. each x 1 is independently s or o. in another aspect, the compound is selected from the group consisting of compound 1-compound 20. in one aspect, the organic layer is an emissive layer and the compound is an emissive dopant. in another aspect, the organic layer further comprises a host. preferably, the host is a compound that comprises at least one of the chemical groups selected from the group consisting of: each of r′″ 1 , r′″ 2 , r′″ 3 , r′″ 4 , r′″ 5 , r′″ 6 and r′″ 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r′″ 1 , r′″ 2 , r′″ 3 , r′″ 4 , r′″ 5 , r′″ 6 and r′″ 7 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. k is an integer from 0 to 20. each of x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , x 5 , x 6 , x 7 and x 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of ch and n. in another aspect, the host is a metal complex. in yet another aspect, the metal complex is selected from the group consisting of: (o—n) is a bidentate ligand having metal coordinated to atoms o and n. l is an ancillary ligand. m is an integer value from 1 to the maximum number of ligands that may be attached to the metal. in one aspect, the first device is a consumer product. in another aspect, the first device is an organic light emitting device. a process for making a carbene metal complex is also provided. the process comprises reacting the copper dichloride carbene dimer with a metal precursor to yield the carbene metal complex. in one aspect, the process further comprises reacting a carbene salt with copper-t-butoxide to yield a copper dichloride carbene dimer, prior to reacting the copper dichloride carbene dimer with the metal precursor. in one aspect, the metal is ir, os, ru or pt. in another aspect, the metal precursor is selected from the group consisting of [ircl(cod)] 2 , oscl 2 (dmso) 4 , rucl 2 (dmso) 4 , and ptcl 2 (set 2 ) 2 . in one aspect, the carbene metal complex has the formula: x 1 is nr b , s or o. in one aspect, x 1 is nr b . in another aspect, x 1 is s. in yet another aspect, x 1 is o. x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 are independently c or n. r 1 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 1 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. r a may represent mono, di, tri, or tetra substitutions. r a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r a are optionally joined to form a fused ring. a is a 5-membered or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring. r b is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. the ligand l is coordinated to a transition metal m having an atomic number greater than 40. the bidentate ligand may be linked with other ligands to comprise a tridentate, tetradentate, pentadentate or hexadentate ligand. in one aspect, the carbene metal complex is heteroleptic. in another aspect, the carbene metal complex is homoleptic. preferably, the carbene metal complex is tris configuration. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 shows an organic light emitting device. fig. 2 shows an inverted organic light emitting device that does not have a separate electron transport layer. fig. 3 shows a carbene ligand as described herein. detailed description generally, an oled comprises at least one organic layer disposed between and electrically connected to an anode and a cathode. when a current is applied, the anode injects holes and the cathode injects electrons into the organic layer(s). the injected holes and electrons each migrate toward the oppositely charged electrode. when an electron and hole localize on the same molecule, an “exciton,” which is a localized electron-hole pair having an excited energy state, is formed. light is emitted when the exciton relaxes via a photoemissive mechanism. in some cases, the exciton may be localized on an excimer or an exciplex. non-radiative mechanisms, such as thermal relaxation, may also occur, but are generally considered undesirable. the initial oleds used emissive molecules that emitted light from their singlet states (“fluorescence”) as disclosed, for example, in u.s. pat. no. 4,769,292, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. fluorescent emission generally occurs in a time frame of less than 10 nanoseconds. more recently, oleds having emissive materials that emit light from triplet states (“phosphorescence”) have been demonstrated. baldo et al., “highly efficient phosphorescent emission from organic electroluminescent devices,” nature, vol. 395, 151-154, 1998; (“baldo-i”) and baldo et al., “very high-efficiency green organic light-emitting devices based on electrophosphorescence,” appl. phys. lett., vol. 75, no. 3, 4-6 (1999) (“baldo-ii”), which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. phosphorescence is described in more detail in u.s. pat. no. 7,279,704 at cols. 5-6, which are incorporated by reference. fig. 1 shows an organic light emitting device 100 . the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. device 100 may include a substrate 110 , an anode 115 , a hole injection layer 120 , a hole transport layer 125 , an electron blocking layer 130 , an emissive layer 135 , a hole blocking layer 140 , an electron transport layer 145 , an electron injection layer 150 , a protective layer 155 , and a cathode 160 . cathode 160 is a compound cathode having a first conductive layer 162 and a second conductive layer 164 . device 100 may be fabricated by depositing the layers described, in order. the properties and functions of these various layers, as well as example materials, are described in more detail in u.s. pat. no. 7,279,704 at cols. 6-10, which are incorporated by reference. more examples for each of these layers are available. for example, a flexible and transparent substrate-anode combination is disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 5,844,363, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. an example of a p-doped hole transport layer is m-mtdata doped with f.sub.4-tcnq at a molar ratio of 50:1, as disclosed in u.s. patent application publication no. 2003/0230980, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. examples of emissive and host materials are disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 6,303,238 to thompson et al., which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. an example of an n-doped electron transport layer is bphen doped with li at a molar ratio of 1:1, as disclosed in u.s. patent application publication no. 2003/0230980, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. u.s. pat. nos. 5,703,436 and 5,707,745, which are incorporated by reference in their entireties, disclose examples of cathodes including compound cathodes having a thin layer of metal such as mg:ag with an overlying transparent, electrically-conductive, sputter-deposited ito layer. the theory and use of blocking layers is described in more detail in u.s. pat. no. 6,097,147 and u.s. patent application publication no. 2003/0230980, which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. examples of injection layers are provided in u.s. patent application publication no. 2004/0174116, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. a description of protective layers may be found in u.s. patent application publication no. 2004/0174116, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. fig. 2 shows an inverted oled 200 . the device includes a substrate 210 , a cathode 215 , an emissive layer 220 , a hole transport layer 225 , and an anode 230 . device 200 may be fabricated by depositing the layers described, in order. because the most common oled configuration has a cathode disposed over the anode, and device 200 has cathode 215 disposed under anode 230 , device 200 may be referred to as an “inverted” oled. materials similar to those described with respect to device 100 may be used in the corresponding layers of device 200 . fig. 2 provides one example of how some layers may be omitted from the structure of device 100 . the simple layered structure illustrated in figs. 1 and 2 is provided by way of non-limiting example, and it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be used in connection with a wide variety of other structures. the specific materials and structures described are exemplary in nature, and other materials and structures may be used. functional oleds may be achieved by combining the various layers described in different ways, or layers may be omitted entirely, based on design, performance, and cost factors. other layers not specifically described may also be included. materials other than those specifically described may be used. although many of the examples provided herein describe various layers as comprising a single material, it is understood that combinations of materials, such as a mixture of host and dopant, or more generally a mixture, may be used. also, the layers may have various sublayers. the names given to the various layers herein are not intended to be strictly limiting. for example, in device 200 , hole transport layer 225 transports holes and injects holes into emissive layer 220 , and may be described as a hole transport layer or a hole injection layer. in one embodiment, an oled may be described as having an “organic layer” disposed between a cathode and an anode. this organic layer may comprise a single layer, or may further comprise multiple layers of different organic materials as described, for example, with respect to figs. 1 and 2 . structures and materials not specifically described may also be used, such as oleds comprised of polymeric materials (pleds) such as disclosed in u.s. pat. no. 5,247,190 to friend et al., which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. by way of further example, oleds having a single organic layer may be used. oleds may be stacked, for example as described in u.s. pat. no. 5,707,745 to forrest et al, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. the oled structure may deviate from the simple layered structure illustrated in figs. 1 and 2 . for example, the substrate may include an angled reflective surface to improve out-coupling, such as a mesa structure as described in u.s. pat. no. 6,091,195 to forrest et al., and/or a pit structure as described in u.s. pat. no. 5,834,893 to bulovic et al., which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. unless otherwise specified, any of the layers of the various embodiments may be deposited by any suitable method. for the organic layers, preferred methods include thermal evaporation, ink-jet, such as described in u.s. pat. nos. 6,013,982 and 6,087,196, which are incorporated by reference in their entireties, organic vapor phase deposition (ovpd), such as described in u.s. pat. no. 6,337,102 to forrest et al., which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, and deposition by organic vapor jet printing (ovjp), such as described in u.s. pat. no. 7,431,968, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. other suitable deposition methods include spin coating and other solution based processes. solution based processes are preferably carried out in nitrogen or an inert atmosphere. for the other layers, preferred methods include thermal evaporation. preferred patterning methods include deposition through a mask, cold welding such as described in u.s. pat. nos. 6,294,398 and 6,468,819, which are incorporated by reference in their entireties, and patterning associated with some of the deposition methods such as ink-jet and ovjd. other methods may also be used. the materials to be deposited may be modified to make them compatible with a particular deposition method. for example, substituents such as alkyl and aryl groups, branched or unbranched, and preferably containing at least 3 carbons, may be used in small molecules to enhance their ability to undergo solution processing. substituents having 20 carbons or more may be used, and 3-20 carbons is a preferred range. materials with asymmetric structures may have better solution processibility than those having symmetric structures, because asymmetric materials may have a lower tendency to recrystallize. dendrimer substituents may be used to enhance the ability of small molecules to undergo solution processing. devices fabricated in accordance with embodiments of the invention may be incorporated into a wide variety of consumer products, including flat panel displays, computer monitors, televisions, billboards, lights for interior or exterior illumination and/or signaling, heads up displays, fully transparent displays, flexible displays, laser printers, telephones, cell phones, personal digital assistants (pdas), laptop computers, digital cameras, camcorders, viewfinders, micro-displays, vehicles, a large area wall, theater or stadium screen, or a sign. various control mechanisms may be used to control devices fabricated in accordance with the present invention, including passive matrix and active matrix. many of the devices are intended for use in a temperature range comfortable to humans, such as 18 degrees c. to 30 degrees c., and more preferably at room temperature (20-25 degrees c.). the materials and structures described herein may have applications in devices other than oleds. for example, other optoelectronic devices such as organic solar cells and organic photodetectors may employ the materials and structures. more generally, organic devices, such as organic transistors, may employ the materials and structures. the terms halo, halogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, arylkyl, heterocyclic group, aryl, aromatic group, and heteroaryl are known to the art, and are defined in u.s. pat. no. 7,279,704 at cols. 31-32, which are incorporated herein by reference. carbene iridium complexes are new class of phosphorescent dopant materials, which can provide various colors when used as emissive dopants in an oled device. an overwhelming majority of n heterocyclic carbenes (nhc) ligands are derived from the imidazole (c 3 h 4 n 2 ) framework. as research in nhc carbene metal complexes in oleds continues to advance at a vigorous pace, there is a strong need to develop other heterocyclic systems that can be adapted to the demands of different oled materials. in particular, compounds in which one of the n atoms in an imidazole is replaced with an o atom to form an oxazole or with an s atom to form a thioazole are provided herein (as illustrated in fig. 3 ). additionally, a novel methodology to synthesize heterocyclic carbene metal complexes is provided. these compounds may lead to unique device properties in oleds, including improved stability and improved color-tuning. there are many beneficial features of the heterocyclic carbene metal complexes provided herein, including a reducible carbene moiety, i.e., reversible reduction, short excited state lifetime and a novel ligation method. first, imidazole-based carbene metal complexes generally do not have reversible reduction by cv measurement. in general, imidazole-based carbenes have a high lumo that is difficult to reduce. this can lead to extremely high lumo and electron instability. the oxazole and thioazole heterocyclic-based carbene metal complexes provided herein have reversible reduction and a shallow lumo. without being bound by theory, it is believed that the reversible reduction may improve the electron stability of these compounds when used as a dopant. by using the oxazole and thioazole heterocyclic carbenes configuration, the carbene moiety may become more reducible. with a n-containing aromatic ring fused into this heterocyclic carbene ring, the lumo level may be further reduced. in other words, it may be easier to lower the lumo of oxazole and thioazole heterocyclic carbenes compared to imidazole-based carbenes, which may allow for better device stability. second, iridium carbene complexes generally have a long excited state lifetime due to poor mlct mixing. the oxazole and thioazole heterocyclic carbene metal complexes provided herein, however, may have shorter excited state lifetimes. fusion of a n-containing aromatic ring to this heterocyclic carbene ring is not expected to alter the shortened excited state lifetime demonstrated by these compounds. third, the traditional ligation method via ag 2 o fails for these heterocyclic based carbene metal complexes. these heterocyclic carbenes are more difficult to attach to metals than their corresponding imidazole carbene counterparts. therefore, a new ligation method via copper carbene complexes has been developed. the free carbene stability for n, s-based carbenes is worse than conventional imidazole-based carbenes due to the lack of steric protection. without being bound by theory, it is believed that the conventional transmetallation via ag 2 o was not successful for the oxazole and thioazole heterocyclic carbenes because the oxazole and thioazole free carbene is less stable than imidazole carbene due to less steric protection for the carbene center in the oxazole and thioazole carbenes. the novel method developed for synthesis of these heterocyclic carbene complexes includes reacting a carbene precursor salt with copper-t-butoxide to yield a cooper dichloride carbene dimer, which is then transmetallated to a metal precursor to yield heterocyclic carbene metal complexes. in particular, the method may be used to make tris heterocyclic carbene metal complexes. heterocyclic carbene metal complexes are provided. the compounds comprise a ligand l having the structure: x 1 is s or o. x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 are independently c or n. at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 1 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 1 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. r a may represent mono, di, tri, or tetra substitutions. r a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r a are optionally joined to form a fused ring. a is a 5-membered or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring. preferably, a is benzene. the ligand l is coordinated to a transition metal m having an atomic number greater than 40. preferably, the metal m is ir or os. more preferably, the metal m is ir. additionally, the metal m is preferably os. the bidentate ligand l may be linked with other ligands to comprise a tridentate, tetradentate, pentadentate or hexadentate ligand. in one aspect, the ligand has the formula: at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 2 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 2 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. in another aspect, the ligand has the formula: at least two of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 2 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 2 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. in one aspect, the compound is heteroleptic. in another aspect, the compound is homoleptic. in yet another aspect, the compound has the formula: specific examples of the heterocyclic carbene compounds are provided. in one aspect, the compound is selected from the group consisting of: each x 1 is independently s or o. additional specific examples of heterocyclic carbene compounds are provided. in one aspect, the compound is selected from the group consisting of: additionally, a first device comprising an organic light emitting device is provided. the organic light emitting device further comprises an anode, a cathode, and an organic layer, disposed between the anode and the cathode. the organic layer comprises a compound comprising a ligand l having the structure: x 1 is s or o. x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 are independently c or n. at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 1 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 1 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. r a may represent mono, di, tri, or tetra substitutions. r a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r a are optionally joined to form a fused ring. a is a 5-membered or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring. preferably, a is benzene. the ligand l is coordinated to a transition metal m having an atomic number greater than 40. preferably, the metal m is ir or os. more preferably, the metal m is os. more preferably, the metal m is ir. the bidentate ligand may be linked with other ligands to comprise a tridentate, tetradentate, pentadentate or hexadentate ligand. in one aspect, the ligand has the formula: at least one of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 2 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 2 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. in another aspect, the ligand has the formula: at least two of x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 is n. r 2 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 2 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. in one aspect, the compound is heteroleptic. in another aspect, the compound is homoleptic. in yet another aspect, the homoleptic compound has the formula: specific examples of compounds that may be used in the device are provided. in one aspect, the compound is selected from the group consisting of compound 1g-compound 28g. each x 1 is independently s or o. in another aspect, the compound is selected from the group consisting of compound 1-compound 20. in one aspect, the organic layer is an emissive layer and the compound is an emissive dopant. in another aspect, the organic layer further comprises a host. preferably, the host is a compound that comprises at least one of the chemical groups selected from the group consisting of: each of r′″ 1 , r′″ 2 , r′″ 3 , r′″ 4 , r′″ 5 , r′″ 6 and r′″ 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, alkyl, alkoxy, amino, alkenyl, alkynyl, arylalkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl and heteroaryl. k is an integer from 0 to 20. each of x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , x 5 , x 6 , x 7 and x 8 are independently selected from the group consisting of ch and n. in another aspect, the host is a metal complex. in yet another aspect, the metal complex is selected from the group consisting of: (o—n) is a bidentate ligand having metal coordinated to atoms o and n. l is an ancillary ligand. m is an integer value from 1 to the maximum number of ligands that may be attached to the metal. in one aspect, the first device is a consumer product. in another aspect, the first device is an organic light emitting device. a process for making a carbene metal complex is also provided. the process comprises reacting the copper dichloride carbene dimer with a metal precursor to yield the carbene metal complex. in one aspect, the process further comprises reacting a carbene salt with copper-t-butoxide to yield a copper dichloride carbene dimer, prior to reacting the copper dichloride carbene dimer with the metal precursor. in one aspect, the metal is ir, os, ru or pt. in another aspect, the metal precursor is selected from the group consisting of [ircl(cod)] 2 , oscl 2 (dmso) 4 , rucl 2 (dmso) 4 , and ptcl 2 (set 2 ) 2 . in one aspect, the carbene metal complex has the formula: x 1 is nr b , s or o. in one aspect, x 1 is nr b . in another aspect, x 1 is s. in yet another aspect, x 1 is o. x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , and x 5 are independently c or n. r 1 may represent mono, di, tri or tetra substitutions. r 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r 1 are optionally joined to form a fused ring. r a may represent mono, di, tri, or tetra substitutions. r a is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents of r a are optionally joined to form a fused ring. a is a 5-membered or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring. r b is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. the ligand l is coordinated to a transition metal m having an atomic number greater than 40. the bidentate ligand may be linked with other ligands to comprise a tridentate, tetradentate, pentadentate or hexadentate ligand. in one aspect, the carbene metal complex is heteroleptic. in another aspect, the carbene metal complex is homoleptic. preferably, the carbene metal complex is tris. combination with other materials the materials described herein as useful for a particular layer in an organic light emitting device may be used in combination with a wide variety of other materials present in the device. for example, emissive dopants disclosed herein may be used in conjunction with a wide variety of hosts, transport layers, blocking layers, injection layers, electrodes and other layers that may be present. the materials described or referred to below are non-limiting examples of materials that may be useful in combination with the compounds disclosed herein, and one of skill in the art can readily consult the literature to identify other materials that may be useful in combination. hil/htl: a hole injecting/transporting material to be used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and any compound may be used as long as the compound is typically used as a hole injecting/transporting material. examples of the material include, but not limit to: a phthalocyanine or porphyrin derivative; an aromatic amine derivative; an indolocarbazole derivative; a polymer containing fluorohydrocarbon; a polymer with conductivity dopants; a conducting polymer, such as pedot/pss; a self-assembly monomer derived from compounds such as phosphonic acid and sliane derivatives; a metal oxide derivative, such as moo x ; a p-type semiconducting organic compound, such as 1,4,5,8,9,12-hexaazatriphenylenehexacarbonitrile; a metal complex, and a cross-linkable compounds. examples of aromatic amine derivatives used in hil or htl include, but not limit to the following general structures: each of ar 1 to ar 9 is selected from the group consisting aromatic hydrocarbon cyclic compounds such as benzene, biphenyl, triphenyl, triphenylene, naphthalene, anthracene, phenalene, phenanthrene, fluorene, pyrene, chrysene, perylene, azulene; group consisting aromatic heterocyclic compounds such as dibenzothiophene, dibenzofuran, dibenzoselenophene, furan, thiophene, benzofuran, benzothiophene, benzoselenophene, carbazole, indolocarbazole, pyridylindole, pyrrolodipyridine, pyrazole, imidazole, triazole, oxazole, thiazole, oxadiazole, oxatriazole, dioxazole, thiadiazole, pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, triazine, oxazine, oxathiazine, oxadiazine, indole, benzimidazole, indazole, indoxazine, benzoxazole, benzisoxazole, benzothiazole, quinoline, isoquinoline, cinnoline, quinazoline, quinoxaline, naphthyridine, phthalazine, pteridine, xanthene, acridine, phenazine, phenothiazine, phenoxazine, benzofuropyridine, furodipyridine, benzothienopyridine, thienodipyridine, benzoselenophenopyridine, and selenophenodipyridine; and group consisting 2 to 10 cyclic structural units which are groups of the same type or different types selected from the aromatic hydrocarbon cyclic group and the aromatic heterocyclic group and are bonded to each other directly or via at least one of oxygen atom, nitrogen atom, sulfur atom, silicon atom, phosphorus atom, boron atom, chain structural unit and the aliphatic cyclic group. wherein each ar is further substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents are optionally joined to form a fused ring. in one aspect, ar 1 to ar 9 is independently selected from the group consisting of: k is an integer from 1 to 20; x 1 to x 8 is ch or n; ar 1 has the same group defined above. examples of metal complexes used in hil or htl include, but not limit to the following general formula: m is a metal, having an atomic weight greater than 40; (y 1 —y 2 ) is a bidentate ligand, y1 and y 2 are independently selected from c, n, o, p, and s; l is an ancillary ligand; m is an integer value from 1 to the maximum number of ligands that may be attached to the metal; and m+n is the maximum number of ligands that may be attached to the metal. in one aspect, (y 1 —y 2 ) is a 2-phenylpyridine derivative. in another aspect, (y 1 —y 2 ) is a carbene ligand. in another aspect, m is selected from ir, pt, os, and zn. in a further aspect, the metal complex has a smallest oxidation potential in solution vs. fc + /fc couple less than about 0.6 v. host: the light emitting layer of the organic el device of the present invention preferably contains at least a metal complex as light emitting material, and may contain a host material using the metal complex as a dopant material. examples of the host material are not particularly limited, and any metal complexes or organic compounds may be used as long as the triplet energy of the host is larger than that of the dopant. examples of metal complexes used as host are preferred to have the following general formula: m is a metal; (y 3 —y 4 ) is a bidentate ligand, y 3 and y 4 are independently selected from c, n, o, p, and s; l is an ancillary ligand; m is an integer value from 1 to the maximum number of ligands that may be attached to the metal; and m+n is the maximum number of ligands that may be attached to the metal. in one aspect, the metal complexes are: (o—n) is a bidentate ligand, having metal coordinated to atoms o and n. in another aspect, m is selected from ir and pt. in a further aspect, (y 3 —y 4 ) is a carbene ligand. examples of organic compounds used as host are selected from the group consisting aromatic hydrocarbon cyclic compounds such as benzene, biphenyl, triphenyl, triphenylene, naphthalene, anthracene, phenalene, phenanthrene, fluorene, pyrene, chrysene, perylene, azulene; group consisting aromatic heterocyclic compounds such as dibenzothiophene, dibenzofuran, dibenzoselenophene, furan, thiophene, benzofuran, benzothiophene, benzoselenophene, carbazole, indolocarbazole, pyridylindole, pyrrolodipyridine, pyrazole, imidazole, triazole, oxazole, thiazole, oxadiazole, oxatriazole, dioxazole, thiadiazole, pyridine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, triazine, oxazine, oxathiazine, oxadiazine, indole, benzimidazole, indazole, indoxazine, benzoxazole, benzisoxazole, benzothiazole, quinoline, isoquinoline, cinnoline, quinazoline, quinoxaline, naphthyridine, phthalazine, pteridine, xanthene, acridine, phenazine, phenothiazine, phenoxazine, benzofuropyridine, furodipyridine, benzothienopyridine, thienodipyridine, benzoselenophenopyridine, and selenophenodipyridine; and group consisting 2 to 10 cyclic structural units which are groups of the same type or different types selected from the aromatic hydrocarbon cyclic group and the aromatic heterocyclic group and are bonded to each other directly or via at least one of oxygen atom, nitrogen atom, sulfur atom, silicon atom, phosphorus atom, boron atom, chain structural unit and the aliphatic cyclic group. wherein each group is further substituted by a substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents are optionally joined to form a fused ring. in one aspect, host compound contains at least one of the following groups in the molecule: r 1 to r 7 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents are optionally joined to form a fused ring. when it is aryl or heteroaryl, it has the similar definition as ar's mentioned above. k is an integer from 0 to 20. x 1 to x 8 is selected from ch or n. hbl: a hole blocking layer (hbl) may be used to reduce the number of holes and/or excitons that leave the emissive layer. the presence of such a blocking layer in a device may result in substantially higher efficiencies as compared to a similar device lacking a blocking layer. also, a blocking layer may be used to confine emission to a desired region of an oled. in one aspect, compound used in hbl contains the same molecule used as host described above. in another aspect, compound used in hbl contains at least one of the following groups in the molecule: k is an integer from 0 to 20; l is an ancillary ligand, m is an integer from 1 to 3. etl: electron transport layer (etl) may include a material capable of transporting electrons. electron transport layer may be intrinsic (undoped), or doped. doping may be used to enhance conductivity. examples of the etl material are not particularly limited, and any metal complexes or organic compounds may be used as long as they are typically used to transport electrons. in one aspect, compound used in etl contains at least one of the following groups in the molecule: r 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, halide, alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, amino, silyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, acyl, carbonyl, carboxylic acids, ester, nitrile, isonitrile, sulfanyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl, phosphino, and combinations thereof. two adjacent substituents are optionally joined to form a fused ring. when it is aryl or heteroaryl, it has the similar definition as ar's mentioned above. ar 1 to ar 3 has the similar definition as ar's mentioned above. k is an integer from 0 to 20. x 1 to x 8 is selected from ch or n. in another aspect, the metal complexes used in etl contains, but not limit to the following general formula: (o—n) or (n—n) is a bidentate ligand, having metal coordinated to atoms o, n or n, n; l is an ancillary ligand; m is an integer value from 1 to the maximum number of ligands that may be attached to the metal. in any above-mentioned compounds used in each layer of oled device, the hydrogen atoms can be partially or fully deuterated. in addition to and/or in combination with the materials disclosed herein, many hole injection materials, hole transporting materials, host materials, dopant materials, exiton/hole blocking layer materials, electron transporting and electron injecting materials may be used in an oled. non-limiting examples of the materials that may be used in an oled in combination with materials disclosed herein are listed in table 1 below. table 1 lists non-limiting classes of materials, non-limiting examples of compounds for each class, and references that disclose the materials. table 1materialexamples of materialpublicationshole injection materialsphthalocyanine and porphryin compoundsappl. phys. lett. 69, 2160 (1996)starburst triarylaminesj. lumin. 72-74, 985 (1997)cf x fluorohydrocarbon polymerappl. phys. lett. 78, 673 (2001)conducting polymers (e.g., pedot:pss, polyaniline, polypthiophene)synth. met. 87, 171 (1997) wo2007002683phosphonic acid and sliane samsus20030162053triarylamine or polythiophene polymers with conductivity dopantsea01725079a1andarylamines complexed with metal oxides such as molybdenum and tungsten oxidessid symposium digest, 37, 923 (2006) wo2009018009semiconducting organic complexesus20020158242metal organometallic complexesus20060240279cross-linkable compoundsus20080220265hole transporting materialstriarylamines (e.g., tpd, α-npd)appl. phys. lett. 51, 913 (1987)u.s. pat. no. 5,061,569ep650955j. mater. chem. 3, 319 (1993)appl. phys. lett. 90, 183503 (2007)appl. phys. lett. 90, 183503 (2007)triaylamine on spirofluorene coresynth. met. 91, 209 (1997)arylamine carbazole compoundsadv. mater. 6, 677 (1994), us20080124572triarylamine with (di)benzothiophene/ (di)benzofuranus20070278938, us20080106190indolocarbazolessynth. met. 111, 421 (2000)isoindole compoundschem. mater. 15, 3148 (2003)metal carbene complexesus20080018221phosphorescent oled host materialsred hostsarylcarbazolesappl. phys. lett. 78, 1622 (2001)metal 8-hydroxyquinolates (e.g., alq 3 , balq)nature 395, 151 (1998)us20060202194wo2005014551wo2006072002metal phenoxybenzothiazole compoundsappl. phys. lett. 90, 123509 (2007)conjugated oligomers and polymers (e.g., polyfluorene)org. electron. 1, 15 (2000)aromatic fused ringswo2009066779, wo2009066778, wo2009063833, us20090045731, us20090045730, wo2009008311, us20090008605, us20090009065zinc complexeswo2009062578green hostsarylcarbazolesappl. phys. lett. 78, 1622 (2001)us20030175553wo2001039234aryltriphenylene compoundsus20060280965us20060280965wo2009021126donor acceptor type moleculeswo2008056746aza- carbazole/dbt/dbfjp2008074939polymers (e.g., pvk)appl. phys. lett. 77, 2280 (2000)spirofluorene compoundswo2004093207metal phenoxybenzooxazole compoundswo2005089025wo2006132173jp200511610spirofluorene- carbazole compoundsjp2007254297jp2007254297indolocabazoleswo2007063796wo20070637545-member ring electron deficient heterocycles (e.g., triazole, oxadiazole)j. appl. phys. 90, 5048 (2001)wo2004107822tetraphenylene complexesus20050112407metal phenoxypyridine compoundswo2005030900metal coordination complexes (e.g., zn, al with n{circumflex over ( )}n ligands)us20040137268, us20040137267blue hostsarylcarbazolesappl. phys. lett, 82, 2422 (2003)us20070190359dibenzothiophene/ dibenzofuran-carbazole compoundswo2006114966, us20090167162us20090167162wo2009086028us20090030202, us20090017330silicon aryl compoundsus20050238919wo2009003898silicon/germanium aryl compoundsep2034538aaryl benzoyl esterwo2006100298high triplet metal organometallic complexu.s. pat. no. 7,154,114phosphorescent dopantsred dopantsheavy metal porphyrins (e.g., ptoep)nature 395, 151 (1998)iridium(iii) organometallic complexesappl. phys. lett. 78, 1622 (2001)us2006835469us2006835469us20060202194us20060202194us20070087321us20070087321adv. mater. 19, 739 (2007)wo2009100991wo2008101842platinum(ii) organometallic complexeswo2003040257osminum(iii) complexeschem. mater. 17, 3532 (2005)ruthenium(ii) complexesadv. mater. 17, 1059 (2005)rhenium (i), (ii), and (iii) complexesus20050244673green dopantsiridium(iii) organometallic complexesinorg. chem. 40, 1704 (2001)and its derivativesus20020034656u.s. pat. no. 7,332,232us20090108737us20090039776u.s. pat. no. 6,921,915u.s. pat. no. 6,687,266chem. mater. 16, 2480 (2004)us20070190359us20060008670 jp2007123392adv. mater. 16, 2003 (2004)angew. chem. int. ed. 2006, 45, 7800wo2009050290us20090165846us20080015355monomer for polymeric metal organometallic compoundsu.s. pat. no. 7,250,226, u.s. pat. no. 7,396,598pt(ii) organometallic complexes, including polydentated ligandsappl. phys. lett. 86, 153505 (2005)appl. phys. lett. 86, 153505 (2005)chem. lett. 34, 592 (2005)wo2002015645us20060263635cu complexeswo2009000673gold complexeschem. commun. 2906 (2005)rhenium(iii) complexesinorg. chem. 42, 1248 (2003)deuterated organometallic complexesus20030138657organometallic complexes with two or more metal centersus20030152802u.s. pat. no. 7,090,928blue dopantsiridium(iii) organometallic complexeswo2002002714wo2006009024us20060251923u.s. pat. no. 7,393,599, wo2006056418, us20050260441, wo2005019373u.s. pat. no. 7,534,505u.s. pat. no. 7,445,855us20070190359, us20080297033u.s. pat. no. 7,338,722us20020134984angew. chem. int. ed. 47, 1 (2008)chem. mater. 18, 5119 (2006)inorg. chem. 46, 4308 (2007)wo2005123873wo2005123873wo2007004380wo2006082742osmium(ii) complexesu.s. pat. no. 7,279,704organometallics 23, 3745 (2004)gold complexesappl. phys. lett. 74, 1361 (1999)platinum(ii) complexeswo2006098120, wo2006103874exciton/hole blocking layer materialsbathocuprine compounds (e.g., bcp, bphen)appl. phys. lett. 75, 4 (1999)appl. phys. lett. 79, 449 (2001)metal 8-hydroxyquinolates (e.g., balq)appl. phys. lett. 81, 162 (2002)5-member ring electron deficient heterocycles such as triazole, oxadiazole, imidazole, benzoimidazoleappl. phys. lett. 81, 162 (2002)triphenylene compoundsus20050025993fluorinated aromatic compoundsappl. phys. lett. 79, 156 (2001)phenothiazine-s-oxidewo2008132085electron transporting materialsanthracene- benzoimidazole compoundswo2003060956us20090179554aza triphenylene derivativesus20090115316anthracene- benzothiazole compoundsappl. phys. lett. 89, 063504 (2006)metal 8-hydroxyquinolates (e.g., alq 3 , zrq 4 )appl. phys. lett. 51, 913 (1987) u.s. pat. no. 7,230,107metal hydroxybenoquinolateschem. lett. 5, 905 (1993)bathocuprine compounds such as bcp, bphen, etcappl. phys. lett. 91, 263503 (2007)appl. phys. lett. 79, 449 (2001)5-member ring electron deficient heterocycles (e.g., triazole, oxadiazole, imidazole, benzoimidazole)appl. phys. lett. 74, 865 (1999)appl. phys. lett. 55, 1489 (1989)jpn. j. apply. phys. 32, l917 (1993)silole compoundsorg. electron. 4, 113 (2003)arylborane compoundsj. am. chem. soc. 120, 9714 (1998)fluorinated aromatic compoundsj. am. chem. soc. 122, 1832 (2000)fullerene (e.g., c60)us20090101870triazine complexesus20040036077zn (n{circumflex over ( )}n) complexesu.s. pat. no. 6,528,187 experimental compound examples example 1 synthesis of 2-(methylthio)-n-phenylpyridine-3amino. 3-bromo-2(methylthio)pyridine (25 g, 123 mmol), pd 2 dba 3 (6.75 g, 7.38 mmol), s-phos (6.06 g, 14.77 mmol) and sodium butan-1-olate (17.74 g, 185 mmol) are placed in dry 3-neck flask under n 2 . the reaction mixture is vacuumed and charged with n 2 a total of three times. aniline (22.93 g, 246 mmol) and 500 ml toluene are added to the reaction mixture. the reaction mixture is refluxed for 18 h. the crude reaction mixture is run through silica gel plug and eluted with toluene. the toluene portion is concentrated down and subjected to silica gel column using 3-5% dcm in hexane to yield the desired product. synthesis of 3-(phenylamino)pyridine-2-thiol. a 250 ml round bottom flask is charged with sodium methanethiolate (5.18 g, 73.8 mmol), 2-(methylthio)-n-phenylpyridine-3amino (13.25 g, 61.5 mmol) and hexamethyl phosphoramide (hmpa) (100 ml). the reaction mixture is heated up to 100° c. for 7 h. the reaction is cooled to room temperature, and 100 ml of 1n hcl is added. the reaction mixture is extracted with 3×100 ml ethyl acetate. the organic portion is washed with 3×50 ml brien, and then dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to yield the desired compound. synthesis of benzothioazole carbene ligand precursor a 250 ml round bottom flask was charged with zinc dust (2.339 g, 35.8 mmol), 3-(phenylamino)pyridine-2-thiol (12 g, 59.6 mmol) and formic acid (100 ml). the reaction mixture is refluxed under n 2 for 6 h. the reaction mixture is filtered off to get rid of insoluble material. hypochloric acid (35.9 ml, 59.9 mmol) is added to the filtrate and stirred for 20 minutes. 200 ml of water is added and the precipitation is collected. the precipitation is washed with h 2 o and ether to yield the desired product. synthesis of dichloro copper dimer a 500 ml round bottom flask is charged with cucl (3.9 g, 39.4 mmol), lithium tert-butoxide (3.15 g, 39.4 mmol) and anhydrous thf (400 ml). the reaction mixture is stirred inside the glove box overnight. perchloride salt (2.31 g, 7.41 mmol) is added into the reaction mixture and stirred overnight. the reaction mixture is removed from glove box and filtered. the filtrate is concentrated to dryness, and re-suspended in dichloromethane. the suspension is filtered, and the filtrate is concentrated to dryness to yield the desired compound. synthesis of benzothioazole iridium tris complex a 500 ml round bottom flask is charged with copper dichloride bridge dimer (1.68 g, 2.71 mmol), iridium cod dimer (0.568 g, 0.846 mmol) and chlorobenzene (300 ml) to give an orange suspension. the reaction mixture is vacuumed and back filled with n 2 a total of three times. then, the reaction mixture is heated to reflux overnight. the reaction mixture is filtered, and the filtrate is concentrated to dryness. the residue is subjected to column chromatography (sio 2 , 100% dcm) to yield the desired compound. example 2 synthesis of 3-methoxy-n-phenylpyridine-2amine a 1 l 3-neck flask is charged with 3-methoxypyridine-2-amine (17.65 g, 143 mmol), bromobenzene (15 g, 96 mmol), pd 2 dba 3 (1.75 g, 1.91 mmol), sodium tert-butoxide (18.36 g, 101 mmol), s-phos (1.56 g, 3.82 mmole) and 400 ml of xylene. the reaction mixture is refluxed for 4 h. the product is isolated by column chromatography (5% etoac in hexs) to yield the desired product. synthesis of 2-(phenylamino)pyridine-3-ol a 1 l 3-neck flask is charged with pyridinium chloride (52.2 g, 452 mmol) and 3-methoxy-n-phenylpyridine-2amine (9 g, 45.2 mmol). the reaction mixture is heated to 200° c. for 4 h. the reaction mixture is dumped into 5% hcl (200 ml), and extracted with 3×300 ml etoac. the organic portion is combined and purified by column chromatography (100% dcm) to yield the desired product. synthesis of benzooxoazole carbene ligand precursor hydrogen tetrafluoroborate (6.79 ml, 48% w/w) is added drop-wise to a solution of 2-(phenylamino)pyridine-3-ol (9 g, 48.6 mmol) in 30 ml methanol. after 30 minutes of stirring, the solvent is removed under vacuum and 30 ml (eto) 3 ch is added. the resulting solution is stirred at room temperature under n 2 overnight to give a white suspension. the solid is filtered, and then washed with diethyl ether to give the product. synthesis of benzooxazole iridium tris complex for synthesis of benzooxazole iridium tris complex, please refer to the benzothioazole example. example 3 synthesis of n 1 ,n 3 -bis(2-(methylthio)pyridine-3-yl)benzene-1,3-diamine 3-bromo-2(methylthio)pyridine (25 g, 123 mmol), pd 2 dba 3 (6.75 g, 7.38 mmol), s-phos (6.06 g, 14.77 mmole) and sodium butan-1-olate (17.74 g, 185 mmol) are placed in dry 3-neck flask under n 2 . the reaction mixture is vacuumed, and charged with n 2 for a total of three times. 1,3-diaminobenzene (6.64 g, 61.5 mmol) and 500 ml toluene are added to the reaction mixture. the reaction mixture is refluxed for 18 h. the crude reaction mixture is run through a silica gel plug and eluted with toluene. the toluene portion is concentrated down and subjected to a silica gel column using 3-5% dcm in hexane to yield the desired product. synthesis of 3,3(1,3-phenylenebis(azanediyl))bis(pyridine-2-thiol) a 250 ml, round bottom flask is charged with sodium methanethiolate (5.18 g, 73.8 mmol), n 1 ,n 3 -bis(2-(methylthio)pyridine-3-yl)benzene-1,3-diamine (13.25 g, 61.5 mmol) and hexamethyl phosphoramide(hmpa) (100 ml). the reaction mixture is heated up to100° c. for 7 h. the reaction is cooled to room temperature, and 100 ml of 1n hcl is added. the reaction mixture is extracted with 3×100 ml ethyl acetate. the organic portion is washed with 3×50 ml brien, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to yield the desired compound. synthesis of 1,1′-(1,3-phenylene)bis(thiazolo[5,4-b]pyridine-1-ium) perchlorate salt a 250 ml round bottom flask is charged with zinc dust (2.339 g, 35.8 mmol), 3,3′-(1,3-phenylenebis(azanediyl))bis(pyridine-2-thiol) and formic acid (100 ml). the reaction mixture is refluxed under n 2 for 6 h. the reaction mixture is filtered off to get rid of insoluble material. hypochloric acid (35.9 ml, 59.9 mmol) is added to the filtrate and stirred for 20 minutes. 200 ml of water is added and the precipitation is collected. the precipitation is washed with h 2 o and ether to yield the desired product. synthesis of copper carbene complex a 500 ml round bottom flask is charged with cucl (3.9 g, 39.4 mmol), lithium tert-butoxide (3.15 g, 39.4 mmol) and anhydrous thf (400 ml). the reaction mixture is stirred inside the glove box overnight. the perchloride salt (4.05 g, 7.41 mmol) is added into the reaction mixture and stirred overnight. the reaction mixture is removed from the glove box, and filtered. the filtrate is concentrated to dryness and re-suspended in dichloromethane. the suspension is filtered and filtrate is concentrated to dryness to yield the desired compound. synthesis of osmium carbene complex a 250 ml round-bottomed flask is charged with oscl 2 (dmso) 4 (250 mg, 0.436 mmol), copper carbene complex (584 mg, 1.3 mmol) in 2-ethoxyethanol (125 ml) to give a tan suspension. the reaction mixture is vacuumed and back filled with n 2 ; then the reaction mixture is heated to reflux for 1 h. the reaction mixture is filtered though celite, and the filtrate is subject to column chromatography (sio 2 , et 3 n pretreated, 60% etoac in hexanes) to yield the desired compound. it is understood that the various embodiments described herein are by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. for example, many of the materials and structures described herein may be substituted with other materials and structures without deviating from the spirit of the invention. the present invention as claimed may therefore includes variations from the particular examples and preferred embodiments described herein, as will be apparent to one of skill in the art. it is understood that various theories as to why the invention works are not intended to be limiting.
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191-989-552-930-980
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JP
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[
"EP",
"CN",
"JP",
"US"
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B41J2/14,B41J2/045,B41J2/055,B41J2/135,B41J2/145,B41J2/16,H01L41/09,H01L41/18,H01L41/187,H01L41/22,H01L41/318,H01L41/39,H01L41/083,H01L41/00,H02N2/00,H04R17/00
| 2010-03-12T00:00:00 |
2010
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[
"B41",
"H01",
"H02",
"H04"
] |
liquid ejecting head, liquid ejecting apparatus, and piezoelectric element
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a piezoelectric element comprises a piezoelectric layer and an electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer comprises a compound oxide which is a solid solution comprising bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate, wherein the molar ratio of the barium titanate to the total amount of the bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and the barium titanate is in the range 0.09 to 0.29.
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a piezoelectric element comprising: a piezoelectric layer; and an electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer comprises a compound oxide which is a solid solution comprising bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate, wherein the molar ratio of the barium titanate to the total amount of the bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and the barium titanate is in the range 0.09 to 0.29. the piezoelectric element according to claim 1, wherein the molar ratio la/bi of lanthanum to bismuth in the bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate is in the range 0.11 to 0.67. a piezoelectric element according to claim 1, wherein the compound oxide has the following formula: (1-x) {(bi 1-a , la a ) (fe 1-b , mn b )o 3 }x{batio 3 } (1) a liquid ejecting head comprising: a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle opening; and a piezoelectric element as defined in any of claims 1 to 3. a liquid ejecting apparatus comprising: the liquid ejecting head according to claim 4.
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background 1. technical field the present invention relates to (i) a piezoelectric element; (ii) a liquid ejecting head including a piezoelectric element that causes a change in the pressure in a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle opening and that includes a piezoelectric layer and electrodes configured to apply a voltage to the piezoelectric layer; and (iii) a liquid ejecting apparatus including the liquid ejecting head. 2. related art a known piezoelectric element has a structure in which a piezoelectric layer composed of a piezoelectric material having an electromechanical conversion function, for example, a crystallized dielectric material is sandwiched between two electrodes. such a piezoelectric element is mounted on a liquid ejecting head as an actuator device of a flexural oscillation mode, for example. a typical example of the liquid ejecting head is an ink jet recording head in which a part of a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle opening that ejects ink droplets is made up of a diaphragm which is deformed using a piezoelectric element to apply a pressure to ink in the pressure-generating chamber, thereby ejecting the ink as ink droplets from the nozzle opening. a high piezoelectricity is required for piezoelectric materials used as a piezoelectric layer (piezoelectric ceramic) constituting such a piezoelectric element. a typical example of the piezoelectric materials is lead zirconate titanate (pzt) (refer to jp-a-2001-223404 ). however, from the standpoint of environmental friendliness, there is a requirement for a piezoelectric material having a reduced content of lead. an example of a lead-free piezoelectric material is bifeo 3 , which has a perovskite structure represented by abo 3 . however, such bifeo 3 -based piezoelectric materials containing bismuth (bi) and iron (fe) have low relative dielectric constants εr, and thus have the problem that the piezoelectricity (amount of strain) is low. this problem occurs not only in an ink jet recording head that ejects ink but also in other liquid ejecting heads that discharge droplets of a liquid other than ink. summary one object of the invention is to provide a piezoelectric element which has a high relative dielectric constant and in which the burden on the environment is reduced, and to also provide a liquid ejecting head comprising said element and a liquid ejecting apparatus including the liquid ejecting head. according to a first aspect of the invention, we provide a piezoelectric element comprising: a piezoelectric layer; and an electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer comprises a compound oxide which is a solid solution comprising bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate, wherein the molar ratio of the barium titanate to the total amount of the bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and the barium titanate is in the range 0.09 to 0.29. according to the first aspect of the invention, a piezoelectric material composed of a compound oxide having the perovskite structure and containing bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate is used as a piezoelectric layer. consequently, the relative dielectric constant can be increased. furthermore, since the content of lead can be reduced, the burden on the environment can be reduced. the molar ratio la/bi of lanthanum to bismuth in the bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate is preferably in the range 0.11 to 0.67. in this range, the relative dielectric constant of the piezoelectric layer is particularly high. according to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a liquid ejecting head comprising a piezoelectric element according to the first aspect of the invention. according to the second aspect of the invention, since the liquid ejecting head includes a piezoelectric layer having a high relative dielectric constant, a liquid ejecting head having good ejection characteristics (displacement characteristics) can be provided. in addition, it is possible to provide a liquid ejecting head in which the content of lead is reduced, and thus the burden on the environment is reduced. according to a third aspect of the invention, we provide a liquid ejecting apparatus comprising the ejection head according to the second aspect of the invention. according to the third aspect of the invention, since a piezoelectric material composed of a compound oxide having the perovskite structure and containing bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate is used as the piezoelectric layer, the relative dielectric constant can be increased. furthermore, since the content of lead can be reduced, the burden on the environment can be reduced. brief description of the drawings the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic structure of a recording head according to a first embodiment. fig. 2 is a plan view of the recording head according to the first embodiment. fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the recording head according to the first embodiment. fig. 4 is a graph showing a p-v curve of sample 2. fig. 5 is a graph showing a p-v curve of sample 11. fig. 6 is a graph showing a p-v curve of sample 14. fig. 7 is a graph showing a p-v curve of sample 15. fig. 8 is a graph showing x-ray diffraction patterns. fig. 9 is an enlarged graph of the relevant part of the x-ray diffraction patterns. figs. 10a and 10b are cross-sectional views showing steps of producing the recording head according to the first embodiment. figs. 11a to 11c are cross-sectional views showing steps of producing the recording head according to the first embodiment. figs. 12a and 12b are cross-sectional views showing steps of producing the recording head according to the first embodiment. figs. 13a to 13c are cross-sectional views showing steps of producing the recording head according to the first embodiment. figs. 14a and 14b are cross-sectional views showing steps of producing the recording head according to the first embodiment. fig. 15 is a graph showing an x-ray diffraction pattern of example 1. figs. 16a to 16f are graphs showing p-e curves of comparative example 1 and examples 1 to 5, respectively. figs. 17a to 17e are graphs showing p-e curves of example 1 and examples 6 to 9. fig. 18 is a relative dielectric constant-composition plot of examples 1 to 4 and comparative example 1. fig. 19 is a relative dielectric constant-composition plot of example 1 and examples 6 to 8. fig. 20 is a view showing a schematic structure of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. description of exemplary embodiments fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic structure of an ink jet recording head which is an example of a liquid electing head according to a first embodiment of the invention. fig. 2 is a plan view of fig. 1 , and fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line iii-iii in fig. 2 . as shown in figs. 1 to 3 , a channel-forming substrate 10 of this embodiment is formed of a single-crystal silicon substrate, and an elastic film 50 composed of silicon dioxide is provided on one surface of the channel-forming substrate 10. a plurality of pressure-generating chambers 12 are arranged in the channel-forming substrate 10 in the width direction of the channel-forming substrate 10. a communication section 13 is provided in an outside area of the longitudinal direction of the pressure-generating chambers 12 of the channel-forming substrate 10. the communication section 13 communicates with each of the pressure-generating chambers 12 through an ink supply channel 14 and a communicating channel 15 which are provided for each pressure-generating chamber 12. the communication section 13 communicates with a reservoir section 31 of a protective substrate described below and forms a part of a reservoir functioning as an ink chamber common to the pressure-generating chambers 12. the ink supply channels 14 are formed so as to have a width smaller than the width of the pressure-generating chambers 12, and maintain a channel resistance of ink, which is supplied from the communication section 13 to the pressure-generating chambers 12, to be constant. in this embodiment, the ink supply channel 14 is formed by reducing the width of a channel at one side. alternatively, the ink supply channel 14 may be formed by reducing the width of a channel at both sides. alternatively, an ink supply channel may be formed not by reducing the width of a channel but by reducing a dimension in the thickness direction. in this embodiment, the channel-forming substrate 10 includes a liquid channel composed of the pressure-generating chambers 12, the communication section 13, the ink supply channels 14, and the communicating channels 15. a nozzle plate 20 is fixed on the opening surface side of the channel-forming substrate 10 with an adhesive, a heat-adhesive film, or the like therebetween. the nozzle plate 20 includes nozzle openings 21 each of which communicates with an end portion of the corresponding pressure-generating chamber 12, the end portion being located opposite the ink supply channel 14. the nozzle plate 20 is composed of, for example, a glass-ceramic material, a single-crystal silicon substrate, or a stainless steel. the elastic film 50 is provided on a side opposite the opening surface of the channel-forming substrate 10, as described above. an adhesion layer 56 for improving the adhesiveness between a first electrode 60 and an underlayer of the first electrode 60, e.g., the elastic film 50, the adhesion layer 56 being composed of, for example, titanium oxide and having a thickness of, for example, about 30 to 50 nm, is provided on the elastic film 50. an insulating film composed of, for example, zirconium oxide may be provided on the elastic film 50 according to need. furthermore, the first electrode 60, a piezoelectric layer 70 which is a thin film having a thickness of 2 µm or less, preferably in the range of 1 to 0.3 µm, and a second electrode 80 are stacked on the adhesion layer 56 to form a piezoelectric element 300. herein, the piezoelectric element 300 refers to a portion including the first electrode 60, the piezoelectric layer 70, and the second electrode 80. in general, the piezoelectric element 300 is constituted by forming one of the electrodes of the piezoelectric element 300 as a common electrode, and patterning the other electrode and the piezoelectric layer 70 for each of the pressure-generating chambers 12. in this embodiment, the first electrode 60 is used as the common electrode of the piezoelectric element 300, and the second electrode 80 is used as an individual electrode of the piezoelectric element 300. however, these electrodes may be reversed on the grounds of a driving circuit or wiring. furthermore, herein, a combination of the piezoelectric element 300 and a diaphragm in which a displacement is generated by the driving of the piezoelectric element 300 is referred to as "actuator device". in the example described above, the elastic film 50, the adhesion layer 56, the first electrode 60, and the insulating film which is provided according to need function as the diaphragm. however, the structure is not limited thereto. for example, the elastic film 50 and the adhesion layer 56 may not be provided. alternatively, the piezoelectric element 300 itself may also substantially function as the diaphragm. in the invention, the piezoelectric material constituting the piezoelectric layer 70 comprises a compound oxide having the perovskite structure which is a solid solution comprising bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate. preferably, the piezoelectric layer comprises at least 90 wt.% of the complex oxide, more preferably at least 95 wt.% or at least 99 wt.%. most preferably, the layer consists of the afore-mentioned complex oxide. preferably, bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate together make up at least 90 mol%, preferably at least 95 mol% and even more preferably at least 99 mol% of the compound oxide. most preferably, the complex oxide consists of bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate. in the a-site of the perovskite structure, i.e., the abo 3 structure, oxygen is 12-coordinated, and in the b-site thereof, oxygen is 6-coordinated to form an octahedron. bismuth (bi), lanthanum (la), and barium (ba) are located in the a-site, and iron (fe), manganese (mn), and titanium (ti) are located in the b-site. specifically, the compound oxide having the perovskite structure is a solid solution in which bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate are uniformly solid-soluted. furthermore, according to the invention, in the compound oxide having the perovskite structure and comprising bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate, the molar ratio of the barium titanate to the total amount of the bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and the barium titanate is in the range 0.09 to 0.29. in the bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate, the molar ratio la/bi of lanthanum to bismuth is preferably in the range 0.11 to 0.67. the compound oxide having the perovskite structure and comprising bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate preferably has a composition ratio represented by, for example, general formula (1) below. the expression of general formula (1) is a composition notation based on the stoichiometry, and an inevitable shift of the composition due to a lattice mismatch, oxygen deficiency, or the like is permitted. (1-x) {(bi 1-a , la a ) (fe 1-b , mn b )o 3 }x{batio 3 } (1) in formula 1, x is preferably in the range 0.09-0.23, more preferably in the range 0.13-0.20. the index a is preferably in the range 0.10-0.29 when the piezoelectric material constituting the piezoelectric layer 70 is a compound oxide having the perovskite structure and containing bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate, and the molar ratio of barium titanate to the total amount of bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate and barium titanate is in the range 0.09 to 0.29, as described in examples below, the relative dielectric constant can be increased, as compared with materials to which barium titanate is not added, that is, bifeo 3 -based piezoelectric materials which contain bi, la, fe and mn. here, bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate having the perovskite structure, which is a main component of the piezoelectric layer 70, will be described in detail. bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate having the perovskite structure is a compound oxide having the perovskite structure and containing bi, la, fe, and mn, in which bi and la are located in the a-site and fe and mn are located in the b-site described above. in addition, bismuth lanthanum ferrate manganate may have a composition ratio represented by general formula (2) below. note that compound oxides having the perovskite structure and containing bi, la, fe, and mn showed different characteristics of a ferroelectric material, an antiferroelectric material, and a paraelectric material depending on the composition ratio of the compound oxide. piezoelectric elements (samples 1 to 18) in which the composition ratio of general formula (2) below was varied were prepared, and the relationship between the amount of polarization (p) and the voltage (v) was determined by applying a triangular wave of 25 v or 30 v. as examples of the results, the result of sample 2 is shown in fig. 4 , the result of sample 11 is shown in fig. 5 , the result of sample 14 is shown in fig. 6 , and the result of sample 15 is shown in fig. 7 . the compositions are shown in table 1. in samples 16 to 18, the leak was too large to perform the measurement. thus, samples 16 to 18 could not be used as piezoelectric materials. (bi 1-m , la m ) (fe 1-n , mn n ) o 3 (2) as shown in figs. 4 and 5 , in each of samples 2 and 11, a hysteresis loop shape, which is characteristic to a ferroelectric material, was observed. a similar hysteresis was observed in each of sample 1 and samples 3 to 10. on the other hand, in sample 14, a double hysteresis having two hysteresis loop shapes in a positive electric field direction and a negative electric field direction, which is characteristic to an antiferroelectric material was observed as shown in fig. 6 . in samples 12 and 13, a similar double hysteresis was observed. sample 15 was a paraelectric material, as shown in fig. 7 . as shown in the x-ray diffraction patterns ( figs. 8 and 9 ) which are graphs showing the correlation between the diffraction intensity and the diffraction angle 2θ, when powder x-ray diffraction was measured, a diffraction peak attributable to a phase exhibiting ferroelectricity (ferroelectric phase) was observed in sample 4, and a diffraction peak attributable to a phase exhibiting antiferroelectricity (antiferroelectric phase) was observed in sample 14. in sample 11, both the peaks were observed. according to these results, it became clear that sample 11 is in a phase boundary between the ferroelectric phase and the antiferroelectric phase (morphotropic phase boundary (m.p.b.)). fig. 9 is an enlarged graph of fig. 8 . table-tabl0001 table 1 m n phase sample 1 0.10 0.03 ferroelectric sample 2 0.10 0.05 ferroelectric sample 3 0.10 0.09 ferroelectric sample 4 0.14 0.05 ferroelectric sample 5 0.17 0.03 ferroelectric sample 6 0.18 0.03 ferroelectric sample 7 0.20 0.01 ferroelectric sample 8 0.20 0.02 ferroelectric sample 9 0.19 0.03 ferroelectric sample 10 0.19 0.04 ferroelectric sample 11 0.19 0.05 ferroelectric sample 12 0.21 0.03 antiferroelectric sample 13 0.24 0.05 antiferroelectric sample 14 0.29 0.05 antiferroelectric sample 15 0.48 0.05 paraelectric sample 16 0.20 0.00 - sample 17 0.10 0.00 - sample 18 0.00 0.00 - a lead electrode 90 extending from an end portion of the ink supply channel 14 side onto the elastic film 50 or the insulating film which is provided according to need, and composed of, for example, gold (au) is connected to each second electrode 80 which is an individual electrode of the piezoelectric element 300. a protective substrate 30 having the reservoir section 31 that constitutes at least a part of a reservoir 100 is bonded on the channel-forming substrate 10 on which the piezoelectric element 300 is formed, that is, above the first electrode 60 and on the elastic film 50 or the insulating film which is provided according to need and the lead electrode 90 with an adhesive 35. in this embodiment, this reservoir section 31 is formed so as to penetrate through the protective substrate 30 in the thickness direction of the protective substrate 30 and to extend in the width direction of the pressure-generating chambers 12. as described above, the reservoir section 31 communicates with the communication section 13 of the channel-forming substrate 10 to form the reservoir 100 functioning as an ink chamber common to the pressure-generating chambers 12. alternatively, the communication section 13 of the channel-forming substrate 10 may be divided into a plurality of sections for each of the pressure-generating chambers 12 so that only the reservoir section 31 may constitute a reservoir. furthermore, for example, only the pressure-generating chambers 12 may be provided in the channel-forming substrate 10, and the ink supply channels 14 communicating the reservoir 100 and the respective pressure-generating chambers 12 may be provided in a component (e.g., the elastic film 50, the insulating film which is provided according to need, and the like) interposed between the channel-forming substrate 10 and the protective substrate 30. in addition, the protective substrate 30 has a piezoelectric element-holding section 32 that provides a space in which the movement of the piezoelectric elements 300 is not substantially disturbed, the piezoelectric element-holding section 32 being disposed in an area facing the piezoelectric elements 300. it is sufficient that the piezoelectric element-holding section 32 provides a space in which the movement of the piezoelectric elements 300 is not substantially disturbed. the space may be sealed or may not be sealed. the protective substrate 30 is preferably composed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially the same as that of the channel-forming substrate 10, for example, glass, a ceramic material, or the like. in this embodiment, the protective substrate 30 is formed of a single-crystal silicon substrate, which is the same material as the channel-forming substrate 10. furthermore, a through-hole 33 penetrating through the protective substrate 30 in the thickness direction is formed in the protective substrate 30. the end portion of the lead electrode 90 extending from each of the piezoelectric elements 300 is provided so as to be exposed in the through-hole 33. a driving circuit 120 for driving the piezoelectric elements 300 arranged in parallel is fixed on the protective substrate 30. for example, a circuit substrate or a semiconductor integrated circuit (ic) can be used as the driving circuit 120. the driving circuit 120 is electrically connected to the lead electrode 90 with a connecting wire 121 therebetween, the connecting wire 121 being composed of an electrically conductive wire such as a bonding wire. furthermore, a compliance substrate 40 including a sealing film 41 and a fixing plate 42 is bonded on the protective substrate 30. the sealing film 41 is composed of a material having flexibility and a low rigidity. this sealing film 41 seals one surface of the reservoir section 31. the fixing plate 42 is composed of a relatively hard material. an area of the fixing plate 42 facing the reservoir 100 forms an opening 43 in which the fixing plate 42 is completely removed in the thickness direction thereof. accordingly, the surface of the reservoir 100 is sealed by only the flexible sealing film 41. in an ink jet recording head i of this embodiment, ink is introduced from an ink inlet connected to an external ink supply unit (not shown), and the inside of a space ranging from the reservoir 100 to the nozzle openings 21 is filled with the ink. subsequently, a voltage is applied between the first electrode 60 and the second electrode 80 corresponding to each of the pressure-generating chambers 12 in accordance with a recording signal from the driving circuit 120 so that the elastic film 50, the adhesion layer 56, the first electrode 60, and the piezoelectric layer 70 are subjected to flexural deformation. as a result, the pressure in the respective pressure-generating chambers 12 increases to eject ink droplets from the nozzle openings 21. next, an example of a method for producing the ink jet recording head of this embodiment will be described with reference to figs. 10a to 14b. figs. 10a to 14b are each a cross-sectional view of a pressure-generating chamber in the longitudinal direction. first, as shown in fig. 10a , a silicon dioxide film composed of silicon dioxide (sio 2 ) constituting an elastic film 50 and the like is formed on a surface of a wafer 110 for a channel-forming substrate, which is a silicon wafer, by thermal oxidation or the like. next, as shown in fig. 10b , an adhesion layer 56 composed of, for example, titanium oxide is formed on the elastic film 50 (silicon dioxide film) by a reactive sputtering method, thermal oxidation, or the like. next, as shown in fig. 11a , a first electrode 60 composed of, for example, platinum, iridium, iridium oxide, or a stacked structure thereof is formed over the entire surface of the adhesion layer 56 by a sputtering method or the like. next, a piezoelectric layer 70 is stacked on the first electrode 60. the method for forming the piezoelectric layer 70 is not particularly limited. for example, the piezoelectric layer 70 can be formed by using a metal-organic decomposition (mod) method in which a piezoelectric layer 70 composed of a metal oxide is obtained by applying a solution prepared by dissolving or dispersing an organometallic compound in a solvent, drying the solution, and further performing baking at a high temperature, or a chemical solution method such as a sol-gel method. other liquid-phase methods and solid-phase methods such as a laser ablation method, a sputtering method, a pulse laser deposition (pld) method, a chemical vapor deposition (cvd) method, and an aerosol deposition method may also be employed. a specific example of a procedure for forming the piezoelectric layer 70 will be described. first, as shown in fig. 11b , a sol or an mod solution (precursor solution) containing organometallic compounds, specifically, organometallic compounds containing bi, fe, la, mn, ti, and ba in a ratio that achieves a desired composition ratio is applied onto the first electrode 60 by a spin-coating method or the like to form a piezoelectric precursor film 71 (coating step). the precursor solution applied is prepared by mixing organometallic compounds containing bi, fe, la, mn, ti, or ba so that respective metals satisfy a desired molar ratio, and dissolving or dispersing the resulting mixture in an organic solvent such as an alcohol. examples of the organometallic compounds containing bi, fe, la, mn, ti, or ba that can be used include metal alkoxides, organic acid salts, and β-diketone complexes. an example of the organometallic compound containing bi is bismuth 2-ethylhexanoate. an example of the organometallic compound containing fe is iron 2-ethylhexanoate. an example of the organometallic compound containing la is lanthanum 2-ethylhexanoate. an example of the organometallic compound containing mn is manganese 2-ethylhexanoate. examples of the organometallic compound containing ti include titanium isopropoxide, titanium 2-ethylhexanoate, and titanium (di-i-propoxide)bis(acetylacetonate). examples of the organometallic compound containing ba include barium isopropoxide, barium 2-ethylhexanoate, and barium acetylacetonate. next, this piezoelectric precursor film 71 is heated to a certain temperature, and dried for a certain period of time (drying step). next, the dried piezoelectric precursor film 71 is degreased by heating to a certain temperature and maintained for a certain period of time (degreasing step). herein, the term "degreasing" means that an organic component contained in the piezoelectric precursor film 71 is removed as, for example, no 2 , co 2 , and h 2 o. the atmospheres in the drying step and the degreasing step are not limited, and these steps may be performed in air or in an inert gas. next, as shown in fig. 11c , the piezoelectric precursor film 71 is crystallized by heating to a certain temperature, for example, about 600°c to 700°c and maintaining for a certain period of time to form a piezoelectric film 72 (baking step). the atmosphere in this baking step is also not limited, and the baking step may be performed in air or in an inert gas. examples of a heating device used in the drying step, the degreasing step, and the baking step include a rapid thermal annealing (rta) device with which heating is conducted by irradiation of an infrared lamp, and a hot plate. next, a resist (not shown) having a predetermined shape is formed on the piezoelectric film 72. as shown in fig. 12a , for example, the first electrode 60 and a first layer of the piezoelectric film 72 are pattered at the same time using the resist as a mask so that side faces of the first electrode 60 and the first layer of the piezoelectric film 72 are slanted. next, after the resist is removed, the above-described coating step, drying step, and degreasing step or the above-described coating step, drying step, degreasing step, and baking step are repeated a plurality of times in accordance with a desired thickness or the like to form a piezoelectric layer 70 including a plurality of piezoelectric films 72. thus, as shown in fig. 12b , the piezoelectric layer 70 including a plurality of piezoelectric films 72 and having a certain thickness is formed. for example, when the film thickness of a coating solution per application is about 0.1 µm, for example, the thickness of the whole piezoelectric layer 70 including ten piezoelectric films 72 is about 1.1 µm. in this embodiment, a plurality of piezoelectric films 72 are stacked. alternatively, only a single piezoelectric film 72 may be provided. after the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed in this manner, as shown in fig. 13a , a second electrode 80 composed of, for example, platinum is formed on the piezoelectric layer 70 by a sputtering method or the like. the piezoelectric layer 70 and the second electrode 80 are pattered at the same time in an area facing each pressure-generating chamber 12 to form a piezoelectric element 300 including the first electrode 60, the piezoelectric layer 70, and the second electrode 80. note that the patterning of the piezoelectric layer 70 and the second electrode 80 can be performed at one time by dry etching through a resist (not shown) formed so as to have a predetermined shape. post-annealing may then be performed in a temperature range of 600°c to 700°c as needed. as a result, satisfactory interfaces can be formed between the piezoelectric layer 70 and the first electrode 60 and between the piezoelectric layer 70 and the second electrode 80, and in addition, crystallinity of the piezoelectric layer 70 can be improved. next, as shown in fig. 13b , a lead electrode 90 composed of, for example, gold (au) is formed over the entire surface of the wafer 110 for a channel-forming substrate, and patterning is then performed for each piezoelectric element 300 through a mask pattern (not shown) composed of a resist or the like. next, as shown in fig. 13c , a wafer 130 for a protective substrate, the wafer 130 being a silicon wafer and being formed into a plurality of protective substrates 30, is bonded to a surface of the wafer 110, the surface having the piezoelectric elements 300 thereon, with an adhesive 35 therebetween. subsequently, the thickness of the wafer 110 is reduced to a certain value. next, as shown in fig. 14a , a mask film 52 is formed on the wafer 110 for a channel-forming substrate, and is patterned so as to have a predetermined shape. next, as shown in fig. 14b , anisotropic etching (wet etching) of the wafer 110 is performed using an alkaline solution such as a potassium hydroxide (koh) solution through the mask film 52, thereby forming a pressure-generating chamber 12, a communication section 13, an ink supply channel 14, a communicating channel 15, etc. corresponding to each piezoelectric element 300. next, unnecessary portions of the outer peripheries of the wafer 110 for a channel-forming substrate and the wafer 130 for a protective substrate are removed by, for example, cutting by dicing or the like. the mask film 52 provided on a surface of the wafer 110, the surface being located opposite the wafer 130, is removed. a nozzle plate 20 in which nozzle openings 21 are formed is then bonded to the surface, and a compliance substrate 40 is bonded to the wafer 130. the wafer 110 and other components are then divided into a channel-forming substrate 10 etc. having a size of one chip, as shown in fig. 1 . thus, the ink jet recording head i of this embodiment is produced. examples the invention will now be described more specifically by way of examples. it should be noted that the invention is not limited to examples below. example 1 first, a silicon dioxide film having a thickness of 400 nm was formed on a surface of a silicon substrate oriented in the (100) direction by thermal oxidation. next, a titanium film having a thickness of 40 nm was formed on the silicon dioxide film by an rf sputtering method. the titanium film was thermally oxidized to form a titanium oxide film. next, a platinum film having a thickness of 150 nm was formed on the titanium oxide film in two stages of ion sputtering and a vapor deposition method, thus forming a first electrode oriented in the (111) direction. subsequently, a piezoelectric layer was formed on the first electrode by a spin coating method. the method for forming the piezoelectric layer was as follows. first, xylene and octane solutions of bismuth 2-ethylhexanoate, lanthanum 2-ethylhexanoate, iron 2-ethylhexanoate, manganese 2-ethylhexanoate, barium 2-ethylhexanoate, and titanium 2-ethylhexanoate were mixed in a certain ratio to prepare a precursor solution. this precursor solution was dropped on the substrate having the titanium oxide film and the first electrode thereon, and the substrate was rotated at 1,500 rpm to form a piezoelectric precursor film (coating step). next, drying and degreasing were conducted at 350°c for three minutes (drying and degreasing steps). these coating step and drying and degreasing steps were repeated three times, and baking was then conducted at 650°c for three minutes by rapid thermal annealing (rta). this step in which the coating step and the drying and degreasing steps were repeated three times and the baking step was then conducted at one time was repeated three times. thus, a piezoelectric layer having a total thickness of 345 nm was formed by performing the coating total nine times. subsequently, a platinum film having a thickness of 100 nm was formed as a second electrode 80 on the piezoelectric layer 70 by a dc sputtering method, and baking was then conducted at 650°c for five minutes using rta, thus forming a piezoelectric element 300 including the piezoelectric layer 70 composed of a compound oxide having the perovskite structure represented by general formula (1) above in which x was 0.09, a was 0.19, and b was 0.03. examples 2 to 9 piezoelectric elements 300 were formed as in example 1 except that the mixing ratio of the xylene and octane solutions of bismuth 2-ethylhexanoate, lanthanum 2-ethylhexanoate, iron 2-ethylhexanoate, manganese 2-ethylhexanoate, barium 2-ethylhexanoate, and titanium 2-ethylhexanoate was changed, and compound oxides represented by general formula (1) above in which x, a, and b were those shown in table 2 were used as the piezoelectric layer 70. comparative example 1 a piezoelectric elements 300 was formed as in example 1 except that barium 2-ethylhexanoate and titanium 2-ethylhexanoate were not incorporated in the precursor solution, and a compound oxide represented by general formula (1) above in which x, a, and b were those shown in table 2 was used as the piezoelectric layer 70. table-tabl0002 table 2 x a b example 1 0.09 0.19 0.03 example 2 0.13 0.19 0.03 example 3 0.17 0.19 0.03 example 4 0.23 0.19 0.03 example 5 0.29 0.19 0.03 example 6 0.09 0.10 0.03 example 7 0.09 0.15 0.03 example 8 0.09 0.29 0.03 example 9 0.09 0.39 0.03 comparative example 1 0 0.19 0.03 test example 1 for each of the piezoelectric elements of examples 1 to 9 and comparative example 1, a powder x-ray diffraction pattern of the piezoelectric layer was determined at room temperature with a d8 discover x-ray diffractometer manufactured by bruker axs using cukα-rays as an x-ray source. as a result, only peaks attributable to the abo 3 structure and peaks attributable to the substrate were observed in all examples 1 to 9 and comparative example 1, and no other peaks attributable to a heterogeneous phase was observed. as an example of the results, an x-ray diffraction pattern showing the correlation between the diffraction intensity and the diffraction angle 2θ of example 1 is shown in fig. 15 . test example 2 for each of the piezoelectric elements of examples 1 to 9 and comparative example 1, the relationship between the amount of polarization and the electric field (p-e curve) at an applied electric field of 800 kvcm -1 was determined by applying a triangular wave of a frequency of 1 khz at room temperature with an fcf-1a ferroelectric characteristic evaluation system manufactured by toyo corporation using an electrode pattern having a diameter φ of 400 µm. the result of comparative example 1 is shown in fig. 16a , the result of example 1 is shown in fig. 16b , the result of example 2 is shown in fig. 16c , the result of example 3 is shown in fig. 16d , the result of example 4 is shown in fig. 16e , and the result of example 5 is shown in fig. 16f . the result of example 6 is shown in fig. 17a , the result of example 7 is shown in fig. 17b , the result of example 8 is shown in fig. 17d , the result of example 9 is shown in fig. 17e , and the result of example 1 is also shown in fig. 17c . according to the results, as shown in figs. 16a to 17e , examples 1 to 9 and comparative example 1 were ferroelectric materials. more specifically, as shown in figs. 16a to 16f , when a was 0.19, in comparative example 1, the amount of polarization p r was 52 µccm -2 , whereas in each of examples 2 to 5, the amount of polarization p r was in the range of 27 to 4 µccm -2 , which was smaller than that of comparative example 1. in addition, with an increase in x, the amount of polarization p r tended to decrease. when x was 0.29, a p-e loop close to that of a paraelectric material was obtained. according to these results, it became clear that the characteristics of a ferroelectric material were exhibited at least in the range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.29. furthermore, as shown in figs. 17a to 17e , when x was 0.09, with an increase in a, the amount of polarization p r tended to decrease. when a was 0.39, the amount of polarization p r decreased and a p-e loop close to that of a paraelectric material was obtained. according to these results, it became clear that the characteristics of a ferroelectric material were exhibited at least in the range of 0 ≤ a ≤ 0.39. test example 3 for each of the piezoelectric elements of examples 1 to 9 and comparative example 1, the relative dielectric constant of the piezoelectric layer was measured with a 4294a impedance analyzer manufactured by hewlett-packard development company at room temperature (25°c) at a frequency of 1 khz using an electrode pattern having a diameter φ of 500 µm. the results of examples 1 to 4 and comparative example 1 are shown in fig. 18 . the results of example 1 and examples 6 to 8 are shown in fig. 19 . according to the results, as shown in fig. 18 , when x was in the range of 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.23, the piezoelectric layer showed a relative dielectric constant larger than that of comparative example 1. in addition, it was found that the maximum of the relative dielectric constant was present near x = 0.17. similarly, as shown in fig. 19 , relative dielectric constants larger than that of comparative example 1 were shown in the range of 0.10 ≤ a ≤ 0.29. other embodiments embodiments of the invention have been described, but the basic configuration of the invention is not limited to the configuration described above. for example, in the embodiments described above, a single-crystal silicon substrate was exemplified as the channel-forming substrate 10. however, the channel-forming substrate 10 is not particularly limited to this. alternatively, for example, a silicon-on-insulator (soi) substrate, or another material such as glass may also be used. furthermore, the piezoelectric element 300 in which the first electrode 60, the piezoelectric layer 70, and the second electrode 80 are sequentially stacked on the substrate (channel-forming substrate 10) has been exemplified in the embodiments described above. however, the piezoelectric element is not limited thereto. for example, the invention can also be applied to a longitudinal vibration piezoelectric element in which a piezoelectric material and an electrode-forming material are alternately stacked and the resulting stacked structure is expanded and contracted in the axial direction. furthermore, the ink jet recording head of these embodiments constitutes a part of a recording head unit including an ink channel communicating with an ink cartridge and the like, and is mounted on an ink jet recording apparatus. fig. 20 is a schematic view showing an example of such an ink jet recording apparatus. an ink jet recording apparatus ii shown in fig. 20 includes recording head units 1a and 1b each including the ink jet recording head i. cartridges 2a and 2b constituting ink supply units are detachably provided in the recording head units 1a and 1b, respectively. a carriage 3 mounting the recording head units 1a and 1b is provided on a carriage shaft 5 attached to a main body 4 of the apparatus so as to move in a direction of the shaft. the recording head units 1a and 1b eject, for example, a black ink composition and a color ink composition, respectively. when a driving force of a driving motor 6 is transmitted to the carriage 3 through a plurality of gears (not shown) and a timing belt 7, the carriage 3 mounting the recording head units 1a and 1b is moved along the carriage shaft 5. a platen 8 is provided along the carriage shaft 5 in the main body 4. a recording sheet s, such as paper, used as a recording medium and fed by a paper-feeding roller (not shown) or the like is transported while being put around the platen 8. in the embodiments described above, an ink jet recording head has been described as an example of a liquid ejecting head. however, the invention is widely used in overall liquid ejecting heads and can also be applied to liquid ejecting heads that eject a liquid other than ink. examples of the other liquid ejecting heads include recording heads used in an image-recording apparatus such as a printer, coloring-material-ejecting heads used in producing a color filter of a liquid crystal display or the like, electrode-material-ejecting heads used for forming an electrode of an organic el display, a field emission display (fed), or the like, and living-organic-matter-ejecting heads used for producing a biochip. furthermore, the application of the invention is not limited to a piezoelectric element mounted on a liquid ejecting head typified by an ink jet recording head. the invention can also be applied to piezoelectric elements mounted on other devices such as an ultrasonic device, e.g., an ultrasonic generator; an ultrasonic motor; a pressure sensor; and a pyroelectric element such as an infrared (ir) sensor. furthermore, the invention can also be similarly applied to ferroelectric elements such as a ferroelectric memory.
|
192-650-458-738-953
|
EP
|
[
"JP",
"EP",
"US",
"ES",
"CN",
"HU",
"SG",
"PL",
"KR",
"MX",
"RU",
"BR",
"CL",
"AU",
"CA",
"PT",
"ZA",
"DK",
"WO"
] |
F04D15/00,F04B47/02,F04B47/06,F04B49/06,F04D13/08,F04D15/02,F04B49/025
| 2016-05-17T00:00:00 |
2016
|
[
"F04"
] |
method for identifying snoring
|
described herein is a method for stopping a submersible pump when the pump is snoring, wherein the pump is operatively connected to a control unit. the method includes regulating, by way of the control unit, the operational speed of the pump in order to direct an average power of the pump towards a predetermined set level. the method includes determining whether the instantaneous power of the pump is outside a predetermined range, by monitoring at least one of the parameters: power [p], current [i] and power factor [cos ϕ]. the method further includes determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, and stopping the pump due to snoring, by way of the control unit, when the instantaneous power of the pump is determined as being outside the predetermined range at the same time the operational speed of the pump is determined as increasing.
|
a method for stopping a submersible pump when the pump is snoring, wherein the pump is operatively connected to a control unit, the method being characterized by the steps of: - regulating, by means of the control unit, the operational speed of the pump in order to direct an average power of the pump towards a predetermined set level, - determining whether the instantaneous power of the pump is outside a predetermined range, by monitoring at least one of the parameters: power [p], current [i] and power factor [cosϕ], - determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, and - stopping the pump due to snoring, by means of the control unit, when the instantaneous power of the pump is determined as being outside the predetermined range at the same time the operational speed of the pump is determined as increasing. the method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, is performed after an affirmative determination that the instantaneous power of the pump is outside the predetermined range. the method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, is performed by monitoring a trend of change of the operational speed of the pump. the method according to claim 3, wherein the monitoring of the trend of change of the operational speed of the pump is performed by the steps of: - measuring a plurality of instantaneous operational speeds [n1, n2, n3, n4, ...] of the pump during a predetermined period of time [t], - comparing the mutual relationship of each pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2, n2;n3, n3;n4,...], - monitoring the number of times [m] a latter instantaneous operational speed [n2] of a pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2]) is greater than a former instantaneous operational speed [n1] of the pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2], and - confirming that the operational speed of the pump is increasing when the number of times [m] the latter instantaneous operational speed [n2] is greater than the former instantaneous operational speed [n1] is greater than a predetermined threshold, during the predetermined period of time [t]. method according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of instantaneous pump speeds [n1, n2, n3, n4, ...] is equal to or greater than ten. method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the predetermined threshold of the monitored number of times [m] the latter instantaneous operational speed [n2] is greater than the former instantaneous operational speed [n1], is equal to or greater than four. the method according to any of claims 4-6, wherein the predetermined period of time [t] is equal to or greater than two seconds, and equal to or less than five seconds. the method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the step of determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, is performed by monitoring when the instantaneous operational speed of the pump is greater than a predetermined threshold. the method according to any preceding claim, wherein the upper limit of the predetermined range of the instantaneous power of the pump is equal to or greater than a factor 1,02 times the predetermined set level of the average power of the pump. the method according to any preceding claim, wherein the lower limit of the predetermined range of the instantaneous power of the pump is equal to or less than a factor 0,98 times the predetermined set level of the average power of the pump. the method according to any preceding claim, wherein the pump, after it has been stopped due to snoring, is kept inactive a predetermined pause time. the method according to any of claims 1-11, wherein the pump, after it has been stopped due to snoring, is kept inactive until the control unit obtains a start-signal from a level sensor. the method according to any preceding claim, wherein the control unit is constituted by a variable frequency drive [vfd].
|
technical field of the invention the present invention relates generally to the field of methods for controlling the operation of a pump suitable for pumping liquid, such as a submersible sewage/wastewater pump or a submersible drainage pump. the present invention relates more specifically to the field of methods for stopping such a pump when it is identified that the pump is snoring, i.e. when the pump sucks partly liquid and partly air. thus, the present invention is directed towards a submersible pump that is operatively connected to a control unit, the pump being driven in operation by the control unit. such a pump and pumping method is disclosed in document us 2014 0334943 a1 . background of the invention during operation of a submersible pump there is no problem as long as the pump is able to pump liquid, i.e. the inlet of the pump is located below a liquid level. but when the liquid level falls below the inlet of the pump, the pump will start to suck partly liquid and partly air during operation. this phenomenon is called snoring, due to the snoring sound generated by the pump during such conditions. for some applications, such as a pump station comprising a submersible sewage/wastewater pump, the pump is usually stopped by the control unit based on a stop-signal from a level sensor before the liquid level falls below the pump inlet. however, as a safety feature the pump may also be stopped when it is identified that the pump is snoring, which for instance can be the case if the level sensor malfunction. when the pump is snoring the operation of the pump is no longer productive at the same time as the pump continues to use energy, i.e. consumes a lot of energy without generating a liquid output. thereto, the electric motor and other components of the pump might become damaged due to overheating/wear if the pump is left to snore a long period of time. for some applications, such as a submersible drainage/ de-watering pump not having a pump stop level sensor, the pump will generally be active, also when the pump is snoring, until the pump is manually turned off. if the operator of the pump is not observant and the pump is driven too long in a snoring condition, it will cause wear as well as high mechanical stress of the components of the pump, such as impeller, suction cover, seals, electric motor, etc. there are know ways to detect snoring but they are slow and not always reliable. object of the invention the present invention aims at providing an improved method for stopping a submersible pump when it is identified that the pump is snoring. a primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of the initially defined type that in a reliable and rapid way will detect whether the pump is snoring. it is another object of the present invention to provide a method, which makes use of the control unit that is configured to drive the pump in operation to likewise detect snoring. summary of the invention according to the invention at least the primary object is attained by means of the initially defined method having the features defined in the independent claim. preferred embodiments of the present invention are further defined in the dependent claims. according to the present invention, there is provided a method of the initially defined type, which is characterized by the steps of regulating, by means of the control unit, the operational speed of the pump in order to direct an average power of the pump towards a predetermined set level, determining whether the instantaneous power of the pump is outside a predetermined range, by monitoring at least one of the parameters: power [p], current [i] and power factor [cosϕ], determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, and stopping the pump due to snoring, by means of the control unit, when the instantaneous power of the pump is determined as being outside the predetermined range at the same time the operational speed of the pump is determined as increasing. thus, the present invention is based on the understanding that for a pump driven by the control unit in such a way that the average power of the pump is directed towards a predetermined set level, i.e. the pump strive to keep the power at a constant level, by adjusting the operational speed of the pump, both the power of the pump and the operational speed of the pump are quite stable parameters during normal operation, i.e. as long as the pump is pumping liquid. however, when it is determined/identified that the operational speed of the pump is increasing at the same time as the instantaneous power of the pump fluctuates outside a predetermined range, the pump is snoring. thereby the snoring can be detected at an early stage in an effective and easy way, by means of the control unit that monitors/controls the operational speed and power. in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, is performed after it has been determined that the instantaneous power of the pump is outside the predetermined range. according to a preferred embodiment, the step of determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, is performed by monitoring a trend of change of the operational speed of the pump. the operational speed of the pump will be constantly regulated by the control unit, i.e. fluctuate, independently of normal operation or snoring, and when the pump starts to pump air the control unit will compensate by increasing the operational speed of the pump. according to a more preferred embodiment, the monitoring of the trend of change of the operational speed of the pump is performed by the steps of measuring a plurality of instantaneous operational speeds [n1, n2, n3, n4, ...] of the pump during a predetermined period of time [t], comparing the mutual relationship of each pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2, n2;n3, n3;n4, ...], monitoring the number of times [m] a latter instantaneous operational speed [n2] of a pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2]) is greater than a former instantaneous operational speed [n1] of the pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2], and confirming that the operational speed of the pump is increasing when the number of times [m] the latter instantaneous operational speed [n2] is greater than the former instantaneous operational speed [n1] is greater than a predetermined threshold, during the predetermined period of time [t]. further advantages with and features of the invention will be apparent from the other dependent claims as well as from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention the present invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of a pump suitable for pumping liquid, such as a submersible sewage/wastewater pump or a submersible drainage/de-watering pump. the present invention relates to a method for stopping the pump when it is identified that the pump is snoring. according to a first embodiment the pump is stopped directly after it is confirmed that the pump is snoring, and according to a second embodiment the pump is stopped after a predetermined time period has elapsed after it is confirmed that the pump is snoring. the first embodiment is especially useful for the control of a drainage/de-watering pump and the second embodiment is especially useful for a sewage/wastewater pump arranged in a pump station. when the pump in a pump station is allowed to operate a predetermined time period when snoring, grease and other matter accumulated at the liquid surface will be sucked into the pump and transported out of the pump station. the pump is operatively connected to a control unit, and according to a preferred embodiment the control unit is built-in into the pump. the pump is driven in operation by the control unit. in a preferred embodiment the control unit is constituted by a variable frequency drive {vfd] which is configured to regulate the operational speed of the pump, for instance by regulating the frequency hz of the alternating current supplied to the electrical motor of the pump. thus, the control unit is configured to monitor/regulate/control the operational speed of the pump, and the control unit is also configured to monitor the power or average power of the pump. in order to monitor the power of the pump the control unit monitors at least one of the operational parameters: power [p], current [i] and power factor [cosϕ]. according to the invention, the control unit is configured to regulate the operational speed of the pump in order to direct an average power of the pump towards a predetermined set level, in other words the pump and the control unit strive to keep the power of the pump at a constant level by adjusting the operational speed of the pump. thus, during normal operation of the pump the average power is more or less constant. preferably a suitable filter is used when monitoring/evaluating the average power of the pump in order to minimize the frequency of adjustment of the operational speed of the pump. in order to detect snoring of the pump, the control unit is configured to determine whether an instantaneous power of the pump is outside a predetermined range. this is performed by monitoring at least one of the parameters: power [p], current [i] and power factor [cosϕ]. thus, the step of determining whether the instantaneous power is outside a predetermined range may be performed directly by monitoring the power [p] or indirectly by monitoring the current [i] or the power factor [cosϕ]. the monitoring can be performed continuously or intermittently. thereto the control unit is configured to determine whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing. preferably the step of determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing is performed after an affirmative determination that the instantaneous power of the pump is outside the predetermined range. finally, the control unit is configured to stop the pump due to snoring when the instantaneous power of the pump is determined as being outside the predetermined range at the same time the operational speed of the pump is determined as increasing. thus, when the pump sucks partly air and partly liquid the amplitude of the fluctuation of the instantaneous power of the pump will increase, and at the same time the pump has to increase the operational speed in order to maintain the average power at the predetermined set level since for a given operational speed the instantaneous power will decrease when the pump sucks air instead of liquid. according to a preferred embodiment the upper limit of the predetermined range of the instantaneous power of the pump is equal to or greater than a factor 1,02 times the predetermined set level of the average power of the pump, and the lower limit of the predetermined range of the instantaneous power of the pump is equal to or less than a factor 0,98 times the predetermined set level of the average power of the pump. thus, deviations equal to or larger than 2% of the average power are considered as possible symptoms of snoring. thus, an extremely early detection of snoring can be performed. in order to get a more reliable identification of snoring, the factor of the upper limit is equal to 1,03 and preferably equal to 1,04. in order to get a more reliable identification of snoring, the factor of the lower limit is equal to 1,03 and preferably equal to 1,04. it shall be pointed out that if the current [i] or the power factor [cosϕ] are monitored, corresponding factors are used. according to a first embodiment, after the pump has been stopped due to snoring, the pump is kept inactive a predetermined pause time. according to a second embodiment, after the pump has been stopped due to snoring, the pump is kept inactive until the control unit obtains a start-signal from a level sensor. thereafter the pump is once again active until it is stopped manually, due to snoring, by a stop-signal from a level sensor, etc. according to a preferred embodiment the step of determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, is performed by monitoring a trend of change of the operational speed of the pump. preferably the monitoring of the trend of change of the operational speed of the pump is performed by the steps of measuring a plurality of instantaneous operational speeds [n1, n2, n3, n4, ...] of the pump during a predetermined period of time [t], comparing the mutual relationship of each pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2, n2;n3, n3;n4, ...], monitoring the number of times [m] a latter instantaneous operational speed [n2] of a pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2]) is greater than a former instantaneous operational speed [n1] of the pair of adjacent instantaneous operational speeds [n1;n2], and confirming that the operational speed of the pump is increasing when the number of times [m] the latter instantaneous operational speed [n2] is greater than the former instantaneous operational speed [n1] is greater than a predetermined threshold, during the predetermined period of time [t]. as an example, the measured plurality of instantaneous pump speeds [n1, n2, n3, n4, ...] is equal to or greater than ten, preferably equal to or greater than twenty. the predetermined threshold of the monitored number of times [m] the latter instantaneous operational speed [n2] is greater than the former instantaneous operational speed [n1], is equal to or greater than four, preferably equal to or greater than eight, respectively. as an example, the predetermined period of time [t] is equal to or greater than two seconds, and equal to or less than five seconds. according to another preferred embodiment the step of determining whether the operational speed of the pump is increasing, is performed by monitoring when the instantaneous operational speed of the pump is greater than a predetermined threshold. as an example, the threshold of the instantaneous operational speed is equal to or greater than a factor 1,03 times an average operational speed of the pump. thus, an extremely early detection of snoring can be performed. in order to get a more reliable identification of snoring, the factor of the threshold is equal to 1,05. feasible modifications of the invention the invention is not limited only to the embodiments described above, which primarily have an illustrative and exemplifying purpose. this patent application is intended to cover all adjustments and variants of the preferred embodiments described herein, thus the present invention is defined by the wording of the appended claims and the equipment may be modified in all kinds of ways within the scope of the appended claims. it shall also be pointed out that even thus it is not explicitly stated that features from a specific embodiment may be combined with features from another embodiment, the combination shall be considered obvious, if the combination is possible.
|
193-647-722-406-931
|
FR
|
[
"EP",
"DE",
"AT",
"JP",
"FR",
"US",
"ES",
"CA"
] |
A61K8/00,A61K8/02,A61K8/04,A61K8/31,A61K8/30,A61K8/40,A61K8/44,A61K8/67,A61K8/68,A61K8/92,A61K8/96,A61K8/97,A61K8/98,A61Q1/02,A61Q1/14,C07C271/22
| 1990-11-09T00:00:00 |
1990
|
[
"A61",
"C07"
] |
aerosol foam anhydrous cosmetic composition.
|
this composition consists of a propellant and of a fatty phase containing, in combination, at least one cosmetic oil or a mixture of an oil and of a fatty substance and at least one foaming agent, characterised in that the said foaming agent corresponds to the following general formula: <image> in which r denotes a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical containing from 14 to 20 carbon atoms, and r1 denotes an alkyl radical containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms. this composition allows a very stable foam to be obtained.
|
anhydrous cosmetic composition in the form of aerosol for forming a foam, consisting of a propellant and of a fatty phase containing, used in combination, at least one cosmetic oil or a mixture of an oil and of a fatty substance and at least one foaming agent, characterized in that the said foaming agent corresponds to the following general formula: in which r denotes a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical containing from 14 to 20 carbon atoms, and r₁ denotes an alkyl radical containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms. composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the radical r denotes an alkyl radical containing from 16 to 18 carbon atoms and that the radical r₁ denotes an alkyl radical containing from 10 to 16 carbon atoms. composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the alkyl radicals containing from 14 to 20 carbon atoms are chosen from the following: tetradecyl, hexadecyl and octadecyl. composition according to either of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the alkyl radicals containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms are chosen from the following: octyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, hexadecyl, 2-hexyldecyl and isostearyl. composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foaming agent corresponding to the general formula (i) is chosen from: n-hexadecyloxycarbonyl-11-aminoundecanoic acid, n-decyloxycarbonyl-11-aminoundecanoic acid, hexadecyl n-hexadecyloxycarbonyl-11-aminoundecanoate, octadecyl n-hexadecyloxycarbonyl-11-aminoundecanoate and hexadecyl n-decyloxycarbonyl-11-aminoundecanoate. composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fatty phase contains from 20 to 99.95 % and preferably from 25 to 85 % of at least one oil or of a mixture of an oil or of a fatty substance, relative to the total weight of the said phase. composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foaming agent of general formula (i) is present in the fatty phase in a proportion of between 0.05 and 20 % by weight and preferably between 0.2 and 5 % by weight relative to the total weight of the said phase. composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fatty phase additionally contains at least one oil-soluble surface-active agent of the nonionic type. composition according to claim 8, characterized in that the surface-active agent is present in a concentration of between 5 and 60 % by weight relative to the weight of the fatty phase. composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the propellant is present in a concentration of between 1 and 20 % by weight and preferably between 3 and 15 % by weight relative to the total weight of the composition. composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the propellant is chosen from carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, propane, butanes (isobutane), pentane, isopentane, neopentane and their mixtures and from halogenated hydrocarbons chosen from 1,1-difluoroethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, monochlorodifluoromethane, dichlorodifluoromethane, monochlorodifluoroethane and mixtures of the said propellants. composition according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it additionally contains at least one cosmetic ingredient chosen from vitamins, plant or animal extracts, preserving agents and perfumes.
|
technical field the present invention relates to an anhydrous cosmetic composition in the aerosol form for forming a foam, the latter being intended particularly for the removal of face and eye makeup, for skin care, particularly of dry skin, or for hair treatment. background the principal problem encountered in the preparation of foam forming aerosol compositions resides essentially in the fact that, once formed, the foam must have good stability for a certain period of time. it is also appropriate for the foam to be sufficiently stiff and oily when applied. french patent no. 2,157,784 describes an anhydrous aerosol composition containing a foaming agent, a foaming organic liquid, a silicone resin, and a propellant. the goal of this patent is to obtain a foam which is stable but which "breaks easily," and the addition of silicones allows this to be achieved. summary of the invention the present invention provides anhydrous compositions in aerosol form for forming a foam whose foam quality simultaneously has good stability, firmness, and oiliness characteristics. after a number of studies, it has unexpectedly and surprisingly been found that a certain class of compounds derived from n-carboalkyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acids or their esters constitute excellent foaming agents for compositions in the aerosol form. by using these compounds, it is possible to obtain foams with excellent stability over time as well as very good cosmetic properties, particularly of oiliness. because of this improved stability, the products are easy to apply and have a pleasant consistency when used. detailed description of preferred embodiments the present invention, as a novel industrial product, comprises an anhydrous cosmetic composition in aerosol form for forming a foam. the composition is composed of a propellant and an oily phase containing, in combination, at least one cosmetic oil or a mixture of an oil and a fatty substance and at least one foaming agent, said foaming agent having the following general formula: ##str2## wherein r represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical having 14 to 20 carbon atoms, and r.sub.1 represents an alkyl radical having 8 to 18 carbon atoms. according to one particular embodiment, radical r preferably represents an alkyl radical having 16 to 18 carbon atoms and radical r.sub.1 represents an alkyl radical having 10 to 16 carbon atoms. among the alkyl radicals having 14 to 20 carbon atoms, the following examples may be cited in particular: tetradecyl, hexadecyl, and octadecyl, the hexadecyl radical being particularly preferred. of the alkyl radicals with 8 to 18 carbon atoms, the following examples may be cited: octyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, hexadecyl, 2-hexyldecyl, and isostearyl, the decyl and hexadecyl radicals being particularly preferred. of the foaming agents with general formula (i) above, the following examples may be cited in particular: n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acid n-carbodecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acid hexadecyl n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoate octadecyl n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoate, and hexadecyl n-carbodecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoate. most of the n-carboalkyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acids are known, whereas their esters are novel. various methods may be employed to obtain them; one comprises reacting a fatty alcohol (r.sub.1 oh) with an isocyanate of the formula: ##str3## r and r.sub.1 having the same meanings as given above for formula (i). another method that can be used comprises reacting a chloroformate with formula r.sub.1 ococl or an imidazolide with the formula: ##str4## with an amine with the formula: ##str5## where r and r.sub.1 have the same meanings as given above. these two methods, whose objective is the formation of the carbamate function, may be implemented by conventional methods such as those described in "advanced organic chemistry," third edition, ed. jerry, march 1985. the reactions are generally carried out in an organic and/or aqueous solvent medium in the presence of a base, preferably sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or triethylamine. these methods can also be employed starting with the acids of compounds (ii) and (iii) (r=h), in which case the esters are produced by classical methods, particularly by esterification in the presence of the selected alcohol, which may or may not be in excess, and an acid catalyst such as sulfuric acid or p-toluenesulfonic acid, possibly in an organic solvent, preferably an aromatic solvent such as toluene. from the salts of these acids, it is also possible to produce esters by classical methods, in particular by substitution with alkyl halides or sulfates, in an organic solvent medium or by phase transfer. the esters may also be obtained by transesterification from the corresponding methyl and ethyl esters and the desired alcohol. as mentioned above, the anhydrous cosmetic compositions according to the invention contain at least one oil or a mixture of at least one oil and one fatty substance. the oils that can be used in the compositions according to the invention are of plant, animal, mineral, or synthetic origin, of which the following examples may be cited in particular: mineral oils such as paraffin oil, liquid paraffin, and mineral oils with a boiling point between 310.degree. and 410.degree. c.; oils of animal origin such as perhydrosqualene, pig oil, caballine oil, and tortoise oil; plant oils such as sweet-almond oil, calophyllum oil, palm oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, sesame oil, sunflower seed oil, karite oil, safflower oil, copra oil, olive oil, castor oil, and grain germ oils such as wheat germ oil; silicone oils such as polydimethylsiloxane; synthetic esters such as purcelin oil, butyl myristate, isopropyl myristate, cetyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, butyl stearate, hexadecyl stearate, isopropyl stearate, octyl stearate, isocetyl stearate, decyl oleate, hexyl laurate, propylene glycol dicaprylate, and diisopropyl adipate; organic alcohols such as oleic alcohol, linoleic alcohol, linolenic alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, 2-octyldodecanol, and isocetyl alcohol; and esters derived from lanolic acid such as isopropyl lanolate and isocetyl lanolate. the following examples may also be cited: acetylglycerides, octanoates and decanoates of alcohols and polyalcohols such as those of glycol and glycerol, ricinoleates of alcohols and polyalcohols such as that of cetyl alcohol. of the fatty substances that can be used in a mixture with at least one oil, the following examples may be mentioned in particular: mineral waxes such as microcrystalline waxes, paraffin, petrolatum, and vaseline; fossil waxes such as alkerite and montan wax; waxes of animal origin such as beeswax, spermaceti, lanolin wax, lanolin derivatives such as lanolin alcohols, hydrogenated lanolin, hydroxylated lanolin, acetylated lanolin, lanolin fatty acids, and acetylated lanolin alcohol; waxes of plant origin such as candelilla wax, carnauba wax, japan wax, and cocoa butter; hydrogenated oils solid at 25.degree. c. such as hydrogenated castor oil, hydrogenated palm oil, hydrogenated tallow, and hydrogenated cocoa oil; synthetic waxes such as polyethylene waxes and copolymerized polyethylene waxes; fatty esters solid at 25.degree. c. such as propylene glycol monomyristate and myristyl myristate; and silicone waxes such as poly(dimethylsiloxy)stearoxysiloxane. among the waxes, the following may also be cited: cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, mono-, di-, and triglycerides solid at 25.degree. c., stearic monoethanolamide, rosin and its derivatives such as abietates of glycol and glycerol, sucroglycerides and calcium, magnesium, zinc, and aluminum oleates, myristates, lanolates, stearates and dihydroxystearates. according to the invention, the anhydrous cosmetic composition contains 20 to 99.95 wt.%, preferably 25 to 85 wt.%, of at least one oil or mixture of an oil and a fatty substance, relative to the total weight of the oily phase. the concentration of formula (i) foaming agent is generally between 0.05 and 20 wt. % and preferably between 0.2 and 5 wt.% relative to the weight of the oily phase. if it is desirable for the foam, after application, to be eliminatable simply by rinsing with water, the composition must then preferably contain one or more oil-soluble surfactants in a concentration of preferably between 5 and 60 wt.% relative to the weight of the oily phase. preferably, the surfactant is of the nonionic type and, of these, one may cite as examples the polyol and sugar esters, condensation products of ethylene oxide on fatty acids, on fatty alcohols, on long-chain alkylphenols, on long-chain amides, on sorbitan esters, or on polyglycerol fatty alcohols or on lecithins. of these surfactants, those particularly preferred include: sorbitan oleate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan tetraoleate, sorbitan oleate ethoxylated with 40 moles of ethylene oxide, sorbitan trioleate ethoxylated with 20 moles of ethylene oxide, and soy lecithin. the oily phase may also contain various oil-soluble cosmetic ingredients chosen from vitamins, plant or animal extracts, preservatives, fragrances, etc. this oily phase is pressurized with the aid of a propellant representing 1 to 20 wt.% relative to the total weight of the aerosol composition, preferably 3 to 15%. of the propellants usable in the aerosol compositions according to the invention, one may mention in particular as examples: carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, compressed air, nitrogen, liquefiable aliphatic hydrocarbons such as propane and butanes, including isobutane, pentane, isopentane, neopentane and their mixtures. one may also use halogenated hydrocarbons such as 1,1-difluoroethane, dichlorotetrafluoroethane, dichlorodifluoromethane, monochlorodifluoroethane, and monochlorodifluoromethane as well as their mixtures, and in particular a 40:60 mixture of dichlorotetrafluoroethane and dichlorodifluoromethane as well as a 60:40 mixture of monochlorodifluoroethane and monochlorodifluoromethane. the proportion of propellant used is not critical but it determines the density of the foam produced. the higher the proportion of propellant, the lower the density of the foam. in general, foam densities are in the range of approximately 0.02 to approximately 0.20 g/cm.sup.3 and preferably approximately 0.05 to approximately 0.15 g/cm.sup.3. comparative studies in order to demonstrate the properties of compounds with general formula (i) as foaming agents of compositions according to the invention, a comparison has been made between compounds a, b, and c corresponding to general formula j(i) and the reference compound d to g below, as far as both density of the foam after expansion in air and the stability of the foam over time are concerned. ##str6## from each of the above compounds, an aerosol composition with the following composition was prepared: ______________________________________ compound to be studied: 1.5% 2-octyldodecanol 20.0% isopropyl myristate 20.0% sorbitan trioleate ethoxylated with 4.0% 20 moles of ethylene oxide sorbitan oleate ethoxylated with 3.0% 40 moles of ethylene oxide fragrance 0.3% liquid paraffin 51.2% ______________________________________ forty-seven grams of the composition obtained are placed in a one-piece aluminum aerosol container. then, when the container has been closed with a valve fitted with a plunger tube it is pressurized with 3 g of 1,1-difluoroethane. test protocol the compound studied must produce a foam having a density, after expansion in air from an aerosol device, of less than or equal to 0.3 g/cm.sup.3 at 20.degree. c., and must have a stability greater than 30 seconds and more advantageously greater than or equal to 3 minutes. the density of the foam is measured by the following method: 24 hours after pressurization of the aerosols in a room with a temperature controlled to 20.degree. c..+-.1.degree. c., a cylindrical cup graduated heightwise (in 10 graduations) which has previously been weighed under vacuum (let its weight be p.sub.1) is filled with the foam produced by each aerosol. each aerosol can is shaken vigorously before use to emulsify the propellant gas thoroughly. for uniform distribution of the foam in the cup, the aerosol cans are used with a regular, rotating movement. as soon as the foam has finished expanding, the foam brimming over the cup is immediately and rapidly skimmed off with a broad spatula and the cup is re-weighed (let its weight be p.sub.2). the density of the foam is then determined by the following formula: ##equ1## where v is the volume of the cup. for each aerosol can, three density determinations are made and the value obtained is the mean of these three determinations (in g/cm.sup.3). at regular time intervals, the subsidence of the foam is noted by the number of graduation marks visible on the cup. the stability of the foam is rated very good when no graduation is visible before 3 minutes have elapsed and poor when at least one graduation mark appears after 30 seconds. the results obtained are tabulated below: table 1 ______________________________________ compound a b c d e f g density g/cm.sup.3 0.1 0.135 0.142 0.12 0.148 1.112 0.154 ______________________________________ graduations visible after 30 sec 0 0 0 7 3 7 5 45 sec 0 0 0 10 7 9 7 1 min 0 0 0 10 10 10 8 1.5 min 0 0 0 10 10 10 10 2 min 0 0 0 10 10 10 10 3 min 0 0 1 10 10 10 10 ______________________________________ as shown by the results obtained, there is no significant difference in the densities of the foams obtained, except for compound f, but as far as stability is concerned, it can be seen that the foams obtained with compounds a, b and c are particularly stable over time, which is not the case with the foams obtained with reference compounds d to g. examples of methods of preparation of compounds with general formula (i) will now be given for purposes of illustration, with no limitative nature, as well as a few examples of anhydrous cosmetic compositions in the aerosol form. example i preparation of n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acid (formula i) in which r=h and r.sub.1 c.sub.10 h.sub.33) 40.2 g of 11-aminoundecanoic acid (0.2 mole) are dissolved in a mixture of 450 ml acetone and 200 ml of a 1 n sodium hydroxide solution. then, simultaneously, 60.9 g of hexadecyl chloroformate (0.2 mole) and 200 ml of a 1 n sodium hydroxide solution are added. a white precipitate appears gradually in the reaction medium, which is left to agitate for 5 hours. the reaction mixture is then filtered and the white precipitate obtained is rinsed with water. the alkaline salt obtained is centrifuged under vacuum, then dissolved and acidified while hot in 650 ml of acetic acid. upon return to room temperature, a white precipitate appears which is filtered and washed with acetone. the acid obtained is dried under vacuum at 40.degree. c. to constant weight: >79 g (yield.gtoreq.85%). melting point: 100.degree. c..+-.1.degree. c. the .sup.13 c nmr spectrum conforms to the expected structure. ir spectrum: 1538 cm.sup.-1 and 1679 cm.sup.-1 (carbamate). percent analysis: c.sub.28 h.sub.55 no.sub.4 ______________________________________ c % h % n % o % ______________________________________ calc. 71.59 11.80 2.98 13.62 found 71.40 11.84 2.93 13.68 ______________________________________ example ii preparation of n-carbodecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acid (formula 1 in which r=h and r=c.sub.10 h.sub.21). using the same method as described above in example i, and using 44.1 g of decyl chloroformate, 61 g of white crystals are obtained (yield =80%). melting point =91.degree. c. the .sup.1 h nmr spectrum conforms to the expected structure. ir spectrum: 1679 cm.sup.- 1 and 1535 cm.sup.-1 (carbamate). example iii preparation of hexadecyl n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoate (formula i wherein r=c.sub.16 h.sub.33 and r.sub.1 =c.sub.16 h.sub.33) (i) to 5 g of n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acid obtained in example 1 above, 2.7 g of hexadecanol, 300 mg of p-toluenesulfonic acid, and 120 ml of toluene are added. dehydration is effected by azeotropic entrainment for 16 hours; then the reaction medium is evaporated to dryness under vacuum. the white precipitate obtained is chromatographed on a silica column (eluent: methylene chloride). after evaporation of the elution solvent under vacuum, 5.9 g of pure white crystals are recovered (yield -80%). melting point =76.degree. c. the .sup.13 c nmr spectrum conforms to the expected structure. ir spectrum: 1730 cm.sup.-1 (ester) 1685 cm.sup.-1 and 1536 cm.sup.-1 (carbamate). percent analysis: c.sub.44 h.sub.87 no.sub.4 ______________________________________ c % h % n % o % ______________________________________ calc. 76.13 12.63 2.02 9.22 found 75.55 12.75 2.06 9.76 ______________________________________ (ii) to 5 g of sodium carboxylate obtained as an intermediate in example i, 3.4 g of 1-bromohexadecane in 100 ml of acetonitrile is added. after 8 hours' refluxing, the reaction medium is evaporated to dryness. the white precipitate obtained is chromatographed on a silica column (eluent: methylene chloride). after evaporation of the elution solvent under vacuum, 4.6 g (yield: 65%) of pure white crystals identical to those obtained above in (i) are recovered. examples of aerosol compositions example 1 according to the invention, an aerosol foam for makeup removal is prepared by first mixing the following ingredients: ______________________________________ sorbitan oleate 3.0% sorbitan oleate ethoxylated with 2.0% 40 moles of ethylene oxide sorbitan trioleate ethoxylated with 7.0% 20 moles of ethylene oxide isopropyl myristate 20.0% liquid paraffin 67.5% hexadecyl n-carbohexadecyloxy-11- 0.2% aminoundecanoate fragrance 0.3% ______________________________________ next, 95% of the composition obtained is placed in an aerosol container then, when the container has been closed, it is pressurized with 5% 1,1-difluoroethane as propellant. a light foam with very good stability over time (greater than 4 min) is obtained. example 2 according to the invention, an aerosol foam for makeup removal is prepared by first mixing the following ingredients: ______________________________________ sorbitan oleate ethoxylated with 6.0% 40 moles of ethylene oxide sorbitan trioleate ethoxylated with 12.0% 20 moles of ethylene oxide liquid paraffin 51.5% hexadecyl n-carbohexadecyloxy-11- 5.0% aminoundecanoate fragrance 0.5% egg yolk lecithin 5.0% sunflower seed oil 20.0% ______________________________________ next, 95% of the composition obtained is placed in an aerosol container and, once the container has been closed, it is pressurized with the aid of 5%, 1,1-difluoroethane as propellant. the foam obtained is compact, tight, and fine, it is very pleasant in application and is easily eliminated when water is applied to the face. example 3 according to the invention, as aerosol foam for makeup removal is prepared by first mixing the following ingredients: ______________________________________ ethoxylated sorbitan oleate 3.0% sorbitan trioleate 4.0% 2-octyldodecanol 20.0% isopropyl myristate 20.0% n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acid 1.5% fragrance 0.3% liquid paraffin 51.2% ______________________________________ next, 94% of the composition obtained is placed in an aerosol container and, once the container has been closed, it is pressurized with the aid of 6% carbon dioxide as propellant. in this example, n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-aminooundecanoic acid can be replaced by the same quantity of n-carbodecyloxy-11-aminoundecanoic acid. example 4 according to the invention, as aerosol foam for makeup removal is prepared by first mixing the following ingredients: ______________________________________ jojoba oil 10% egg yolk lecithin 10% hexadecyl n-carbohexadecyloxy-11-amino- 20% undecanoate fragrance 0.3% liquid paraffin 57.7% ______________________________________ next, 90% of the composition obtained is placed in an aerosol container and, once the container has been closed, it is pressurized with the aid of 10% butane. example 5 according to the invention an aerosol foam for makeup removal is prepared by first mixing the following ingredients: ______________________________________ liquid paraffin 20% 2-octyldodecanol 30% sorbitan tetraoleate 20% hexadecyl n-carbohexadecyloxy-11- 1% aminoundecanoate fragrance 0.2% isopropyl myristate 28.8% ______________________________________ next, 92% of the composition obtained is placed in an aerosol container and, once the container has been closed, it is pressurized with the aid of 8% 1,1-difluoroethane.
|
194-461-685-429-245
|
JP
|
[
"US",
"JP"
] |
G01B11/00,G01B11/24,G01S7/48,G01S7/481,G01S17/42,G01S17/89,G06K9/00
| 1999-12-27T00:00:00 |
1999
|
[
"G01",
"G06"
] |
three-dimensional shape measuring system
|
a measuring section for measuring a three-dimensional shape of an object by scanning the object, and a display section for displaying information about an area where the scanning has been already completed in accordance with the progress of the scanning are provided. thus, an image for clarifying the area where the scanning has been already completed and an area where the scanning has not been completed yet is displayed, and the progressing status of the scanning can be grasped accurately by a user.
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1 . a three-dimensional shape measuring system comprising: a measuring section for measuring a three-dimensional shape of an object by scanning the object; and a display section for displaying information about an area where the scanning has been completed by the measuring section in accordance with a progress of the scanning. 2 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring section includes: a scanning section for changing a measuring direction; and a distance measuring section for measuring a distance to the object in each measuring direction of the scanning section; and the measuring section measures the three-dimensional shape of the object based on the measured distance. 3 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 2 , wherein the measuring section calculates a distance to each point on the object, based on a flight time of a pulsed light from a transmitting time of a pulsed light to a receiving time of the pulsed light reflected from the object. 4 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring section includes: a scanning section for changing a measuring direction; an imaging section for taking a two-dimensional image of the object in each measuring direction of the scanning section; a detection section for detecting a silhouette of the two-dimensional image; and the measuring section measures the three-dimensional shape of the object based on the detected silhouette. 5 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a monitor imaging section for taking an image of the object; and wherein the display section displays identifiably an area where the scanning has already completed and an area where the scanning has not completed yet based on the image obtained by the monitor imaging section. 6 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 5 , wherein the information is a message image indicating the status of progress of the scanning. 7 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 6 , wherein the message image is an image indicating a degree of progress of the scanning as a percentage. 8 . a three-dimensional shape measuring system comprising: a measuring section for measuring a three-dimensional shape of an object by scanning the object; an imaging section for taking an image including an area to be measured by the measuring section; and a display section for displaying the image taken by the imaging section identifiably with an area where the scanning has already completed and an area where the scanning has not completed yet based on a degree of progress in the measuring section. 9 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 8 , wherein the measuring section includes: a light source; a scanner for scanning the object by deflecting a light from the light source; a sensor for receiving a light deflected by the scanner and reflected from the object; and a calculating section for calculating a distance to each scanning position of the object based on an output of the sensor. 10 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 8 , wherein the measuring section includes: a two-dimensional imaging device; a scanner for changing an imaging direction of the two-dimensional imaging device; an outline generating section for generating an image formed by an outline of each image obtained by the two-dimensional imaging device on each scanning position; and a processing section for generating information with respect to a three-dimensional shape of the object, based on the image generated by the outline generating section. 11 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 8 , wherein the display section displays the three-dimensional shape which is measured. 12 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 8 , wherein the display section displays during the scanning by the measuring section. 13 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 12 , wherein the display section updates display contents a plurality of times during the scanning by the measuring section. 14 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 8 , further comprising an instructing section for instructing a stop of the measurement by the measuring section during measurement. 15 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 14 , further comprising: a storage section for storing a result of a measurement; and a control section for controlling the measuring section to store a result of a measurement already measured when the stop of measuring is instructed by the instructing section. 16 . a three-dimensional shape measuring system comprising: a measuring section for measuring a three-dimensional shape of an object by scanning the object; an instructing section for instructing a stop of measuring by the measuring section; and a storage section for storing the three-dimensional shape measured by the measuring section before the stop of measuring is executed when the stop of measuring is instructed. 17 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 16 , wherein the measuring section scans two-dimensionally the object in an one-way form. 18 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 17 , wherein the measuring section scans spirally the object. 19 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 16 , wherein the scanning of the measuring section is performed by changing a relative position of the measuring section and the object. 20 . the three-dimensional shape measuring system according to claim 19 , wherein the measuring section includes: a rotary base for placing the object; and an imaging device fixed regardless of a rotation of the rotary base; and the imaging device images for measuring the three-dimensional shape of the object in a predetermined period rotating on the rotary base.
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this application is based on japanese patent application no. 369029/1999 filed on dec. 27, 1999, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to a three-dimensional shape measuring system for obtaining a three-dimensional shape data of an object. 2. description of prior art generally, in a three-dimensional shape measuring a shape of an object is measured by scanning the object to be measured. when the measurement is performed by irradiating a light onto the object and by sensing the reflected light, the object must be scanned by the irradiated light. when the measurement is performed by observing the object with changing a viewpoint to the object, a relative position of the object and a measuring apparatus must change variously. this specification refers to scanning of the object in both case of them. for increasing the accuracy of measurement a time duration required for scanning is elongated. as a result of that a measuring time becomes long. the measuring time also depends on a measuring method and a specification of the measuring apparatus. the longer the measuring time, the more either the possibility is increased of entering some other object into the measuring area or of occurring the movement of a whole or a part of the object during the measurement. in such a case, sometimes, the measuring result of the measuring points partly becomes abnormal data. even if the some other object enters into the measuring area, the measurement is not influenced by the object if the object is out of the measuring point which is changing time after time by scanning. also, when the measuring apparatus is moved itself during the measurement, the normal measuring result could not be obtained. in the conventional system, there is a problem that a user could not grasp the progress of the scanning. thus, it is difficult to determine appropriately whether to continue the scanning and whether it is necessary to measure again or not, when a certain obstacle which influences the measuring result is occurred during scanning. thus, the useless measurement or second measurement is often performed. for example, if it can be ensured that the measurement of an important part in the measuring area has been completed when the obstacle is occurred, it can be determined that further measurement is not needed. summary of the invention the object of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly system by which a user can grasp the status of the progress of the scanning accurately. another object of the present invention is to deal with an accident which may occur during the scanning. still another object of the present invention is to preserve the data of the area already scanned, even if the whole scanning of the measuring area has not been completed. according to an embodiment of the present invention, a measuring section for measuring a three-dimensional shape of an object by scanning the object and a display section for displaying information about an area where the scanning has been already completed in accordance with a progress of the scanning. the display section displays the image for clarifying the portion in which the scanning is completed and the portion in which the scanning is not completed within the measuring area. as the identifying form of these portions, there are methods that only the completed portion is displayed in color while the other is displayed in black and white, or the method that the distant image of the completed portion is displayed in accordance with the measurement result, for example. the progress of the scanning or the remaining time may be displayed by the diagram or the character as well as displaying image. therefore, a user can determine on the basis of much more information. since the confirmation of the measured portion can be performed, it is possible for a user to select re-measurement or no further measurement because required data has already been obtained and more measurement is not needed. such a selection is possible when the measuring apparatus is moved during the scanning, for example, when a user accidentally touches the apparatus so that the apparatus is moved a little. as the same, when the measurement is forcibly stopped, the selection whether or not the measured data are to be stored, i.e., to be made available, can be possible. thus, by confirming the measured portion, the scanning can intentionally be stopped. the other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. brief description ofthe drawings fig. 1 is a block diagram of a three-dimensional shape measuring system of an embodiment of the present invention; fig. 2 is a perspective view of the scanning mechanism; figs. 3a and 3b are schematically views of the scanning form; figs. 4a and 4b are schematically views for illustrating the modification example of the imaging light path; fig. 5 is a schematically view of the monitor display according to the present invention; fig. 6 is a schematically view-of the monitor display of the modification example of the scanning order; fig. 7 is a flowchart schematically showing a measuring operation; fig. 8 is a block diagram of a three-dimensional shape measuring system of the other embodiment of the present invention; fig. 9a is a diagram showing an example of the sampling image; fig. 9b is a diagram showing an example of a silhouette image corresponding to each sampling image; and fig. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the monitor display. description of the preferred embodiments referring to fig. 1 , each arrow of solid line indicates a flow of data, and each arrow of broken line indicates a flow of a control signal. the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 includes an optical system 10 for transmitting and receiving the pulsed lights, a scanning mechanism 30 , an optical system 40 for taking a monitor picture, and the input means 70 for various electronic circuit components and for instructing operations. the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 measures the distance by a tof (time of flight) method. the optical system 10 includes a laser light source (a semiconductor laser) 11 , a light projection lens 12 for restricting an angle of spreading light beam, a reflection prism 13 for making an optical path, a light reception lens 14 , and a photo detector (photo diode) 15 . the laser light source 11 emits pulsed lights having a pulse width of approximately 100 ns responding to power supply from the light emission driver 21 . each pulsed light propagates through the light projection lens 12 and the reflection prism 13 so as to enter the scanning mechanism 30 . then the pulsed light is reflected by the deflection mirror 31 and is directed to the outside. the pulsed light after reflected in the outside returns to the deflection mirror 31 and is focused by the light reception lens 14 so as to enter the photo detector 15 . the photo detector 15 outputs a photoelectric conversion signal s 15 having the amplitude corresponding to the received light quantity. the photoelectric conversion signal s 15 is amplified by the signal processing circuit 22 appropriately and sampled by an a/d converter 23 in every constant period so as to be digitized. the received data obtained by the sampling is written in a waveform memory 24 sequentially. the waveform memory 24 can memorize waveforms of the periods each corresponding to the maximum measurable distance. a cpu 61 determines the light reception time point in accordance with the received light data and calculates the time of flight (the light propagating time) from the emission time point to the light reception time point. in the process of determining the light reception time point, a barycenter operation can be used for determining the peak of pulse, so that the resolution can become higher than the method of regarding the maximum value of the data as a peak. the emission time point is determined by starting to memorize the waveform in synchronization with the light emission control. a timing controller 62 for controlling the light emission controls the light emission driver 21 , the a/d converter 23 , and the waveform memory 24 . however, in another method, the peak can be detected by monitoring the actual light emission quantity. in the process of calculating the time of flight, the emission and the reception of the pulsed light are repeated for increasing the number of the sampling for one measuring point so that the measurement accuracy can be increased. the cpu 61 refers to a measurement accuracy map memorized in a memory and gives an instruction to the timing controller 62 and scanner controller 63 corresponding to an accuracy that is set for each measuring point. the cpu 61 calculates the time of flight on the basis of the received light data of the predetermined number. then the cpu 61 calculates the distance data dl corresponding to the distance to the object from the time of flight and the light propagating speed (310 ⁸ m/s) and writes the data into the output memory 25 . the distance data dl is transferred to external equipment (such as a computer) connected via a connector 27 at an appropriate time. at the time the imaging information of the measuring area is added to the distance data dl as a reference data. a data transfer controller 65 is provided for accessing the output memory 25 and an image memory 53 as will be mentioned later. the configuration of the apparatus concerning the output to the outside is not limited to the example. for example, the received light data can be outputted by the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 , and the distance data dl can be determined by an external computer. the output of the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 can be the photoelectric conversion signal s 15 . in addition, there is a variation in which an external apparatus performs the control of the light emission driver 21 . in the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 , the deflection mirror 31 is driven intermittently so as to change the emission direction sequentially in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction per the predetermined angle. each emission direction corresponds to the sampling point (measuring point) in the three-dimensional input. during the period of measuring a distance in one emission direction, the drive of the deflection mirror 31 is stopped temporarily, and the emission direction is maintained. the optical system 40 includes a magnification changeable lens 41 , an infrared cutting filter 42 and a two-dimensional imaging device (such as a ccd or a cmos sensor) 43 and performs shooting in a field of view of the scannable area (the virtual surface). the lens 41 is arranged so that the optical axis of the lens 41 becomes parallel with the emission direction when emitting the pulsed light in the front direction and so that a principal point and the start point of the emission are located on the same plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis. the lens 41 is controlled by the lens controller 64 . the output of the imaging device 43 is digitized by the a/d converter 52 after passing through the signal processing circuit 51 and is temporarily memorized by the monitor image memory 53 . before the scanning is started, imaging of the measuring area is performed continuously in the predetermined interval (for example, several frames/sec, or one main scanning period). the stored contents of the monitor image memory 53 are updated every time of imaging, the current frame (color image) is readout from the monitor image memory 53 and sent to the display data processing section 58 . the display data processing section 58 outputs a frame from the monitor image memory 53 as it is. the frame is converted into the image signal by the d/a converter 54 and displayed by the monitor 55 . at the beginning of the scanning, the cpu 61 sends the start instruction to the timing controller 62 and informs the data-transferring controller 65 of a measuring point (an angular position of the main and sub scanning direction of the deflection mirror). the data-transferring controller 65 controls the display data processing section 58 corresponding to the measuring point. during the scanning, the display data processing section 58 readouts the image corresponding to the progressing step of the scanning from the progressing image display memory 57 , and generates a monitor image based on the frame from the monitor image memory 53 , and outputs the monitor image to the d/a converter 54 . with the monitor image, the portion of the measuring area in which the scanning is completed and the portion in which the scanning is not completed are identified. for example, when the distance image corresponding to the measuring result is displayed, in the display data processing section 58 , the distance image from the progressing image display memory 57 is selected for the portion in which the scanning is completed in the measuring area, and the frame from the monitor image memory 53 is selected for other portions. during the scanning period, either the measuring area may be displayed using the still image frame taken at the beginning of the scanning or by taking repeatedly an image periodically the portion of the monitor images in which the measurement is not completed may be displayed in real time. the user can confirm the measuring area before starting of the measurement by observing the monitor display, and directly grasp the progress of the scanning after the measurement is started. fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the scanning mechanism. the scanning mechanism 30 includes a deflection mirror 31 , a motor 32 for the vertical deflection, a mirror box 33 , a motor 34 for the horizontal deflection and a fixed frame 35 . in the vertical deflection, the mirror box 33 is fixed, and the deflection mirror 31 in the mirror box 33 rotates. the horizontal deflection is performed by rotating the mirror box 33 as a whole. each bottom of the mirror box 33 and the fixed frame 35 has a through hole of a sufficient size for passing the transmission light beam and the reception light beam. in the mirror arrangement shown in fig. 2 , the pulsed light p 1 that entered the deflection mirror 31 from the deflection prism 13 is deflected to the direction corresponding to the angular position of the deflection mirror 31 and is directed to the object q in the outside. the pulsed light p 1 that reached the object q is reflected on the surface of the object. the reflection is a diffusing reflection as long as the surface of the object is not a mirror face. therefore, even if the incident angle of the light is normal to the surface of the object, at least a part of the pulsed light p 2 is directed to the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 . the pulsed light p 2 that returned to the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 is deflected by the deflection mirror 31 , passes through the light reception lens 14 and enters the photo detector 15 . if the main scanning is reciprocating form as shown in fig. 3 a, an object can be scanned efficiently. however, if there is a misregistration of the mirror position due to the rotation direction of the deflection mirror, the one-way form of the main scanning as shown in fig. 3b can reduce a variation of the measurement position. when the optical axis of the monitor imaging is set parallel to the emission direction toward the front side, the point on the monitor image and the assigned point to which the pulsed light is actually projected differ by a distance between the optical axes as shown in fig. 4a . normally, this gap is not concerned substantially. however, if the gap is made as small as possible, a half mirror 45 can be used as shown in fig. 4b so that the optical axis for measuring and the optical axis for imaging are identical to each other in the optical system 40 b. the half mirror 45 is arranged so that the optical length p to the start point of the projection is equal to the optical length q to the principal point. fig. 5 is a schematically view of the monitor display according to the present invention. during the scanning, the progressing status image q 1 is displayed by the monitor 55 . the progressing status image q 1 includes the monitor image 81 utilizing the imaging data, the diagram (bar) 82 and the character string 83 showing the ratio of the measured portion, and the character string 84 showing a remaining time of the scanning. the transmission data of these components are updated at every moment according to the scanning. the monitor image 81 before the scanning is started is a color image taking the measurement area. when the scanning is started, the monitor image 81 displays the result of the measurement on the portion in which the scanning is completed in the measurement area. for example, the result of the measurement is represented by the density distance image which is light at a short distance and dark at a long distance (8 bit; 256 gradation), or by the pseudo color distance image representing from a short distance to a long distance with the red to blue color. the updating interval may correspond to the predetermined number of the measuring points, such as one or the several point, or the predetermined number of the primary scanning lines, such as one line or the several lines. in fig. 5 , the scanned pixel is represented by the dark circle and the other pixel is represented by the white circle. in practice, the distance image is displayed in the dark circled portion of the monitor image 81 . in this example, since the measurement result is displayed in real time as well as the progressing status, a user can observe the progress while confirming the measuring quality. there are methods for displaying identifiably the scanned portion and the other as follows: (1) the color image showing the measuring area is displayed in half tone previously and replaces the scanned portion in a full color image. (2) the image showing the measuring area is displayed in a monochrome (black and white) previously and replaces the scanned portion in a color image. (3) the image showing the measuring area is not displayed (an initial image such as a dark out or a white out is displayed) previously and change the scanned portion in a color image or the distance image based on the measuring result. fig. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the modification of the scanning order. in the fig. 6 , the hatched portion represents the portion in which the scanning is completed. in this example, the scanning is performed spirally from the near center to the outside. generally, since the apparatus is located so that the main portion of an object to be measured is positioned near the center of the measuring area, using the spiral scanning the measuring of important area is completed earlier than the other area. by the monitor image (three images are shown in fig. 6 ) 86 ₁ , 86 ₂ , and 86 ₃ are updated every moment, the progress status of the scanning is confirmed. if the measurement of the important or required portion is completed, the measuring can be stopped (forcibly) and thereby the useless measurement can be omitted. the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 has a function of storing the result of the measurement obtained from the start of the scanning to the stop of the scanning. the update timing of the monitor image 86 may be selected in a predetermined period as the above embodiment or coincide with the changing of the scanning direction. fig. 7 is a flow chart showing the measuring operation schematically. the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 , in response to the start instruction by the input means 70 , after imaging the measuring area and displaying the image data, positions the deflection mirror 31 at the scanning start position (1-4). the cpu 61 displays the progressing status on every scanning of the predetermined number of the measuring point (5, 6). if the cancel operation is not occurred, the displayed monitor image is sequentially updated until the entire scanning is completed (8). when the scanning is completed, the distance data dl temporarily stored in the internal memory is outputted and written onto the output memory 25 as the result of the measurement (9). if the cancel operation is executed during the scanning, the scanning is stop immediately. after the cancel operation, when storing data is instructed, the distance data dl obtained until then by the scanning is stored (10). in the embodiments as described above, the configuration for measuring distance by the time duration from the radiation of the pulsed light until receiving the light pulse, but the measuring method is not limited to this. the present invention can be applied to such as the device for measuring distance based on the triangular surveying by emitting the beam spot light and using a sensor (for example, psd, ccd, and cmos sensor) which can detect the beam reception position. further, the present invention is not only applied to the active method for measuring having a light emitting system, but also applied to the passive method for measuring distance such as the stereo system. next, the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 b for measuring the three-dimensional shape of the object by a shape form silhouette method is described. referring to fig. 8 , an object q is put on the rotary base 131 . the object q is imaged by the optical system 110 from a variety of the direction by rotating the rotary base 131 . the optical system 110 includes a magnification changeable lens 111 , and the two-dimensional imaging device 112 . for example, a ccd sensor, and cmos sensor can be used as the imaging device 112 . the positional relationship of the optical system 110 and the rotating axis of the rotary base 131 is fixed for each time of the measurement and it is known. an output of the imaging device 112 is digitized by the a/d converter 123 through the signal processing circuit 122 , and stored in the scanning image memory 124 . the two-dimensional image stored in the scanning image memory 124 is also called a sampling image or a scanning image. the a/d converter 123 and the scanning image memory 124 execute the process in a predetermined timing based on the control signal from a timing controller 162 . a silhouette detecting processing section 126 extracts only the outline from each sampling image stored in the scanning image memory 124 , and generates a silhouette image. an output memory 125 stores the data in which each silhouette image corresponds to each scanning position. fig. 9a shows examples of the sampling images sf 1 -sf 5 sequentially stored in the scanning image memory 124 while rotating the rotary base 131 . fig. 9b shows the examples of the silhouette images rf 1 -rf 5 corresponding to the sampling images sf 1 -sf 5 , respectively. based on such a large number of the sampling images sf 1 -sf 5 , the three-dimensional shape data of the object can be calculated of the object by using the stereo imaging method, for example. at the start timing of the scanning, the two-dimensional image of the object q, i.e., the first sampling image (initial image) sf 1 stored in the scanning image memory 124 , is stored in the monitor image memory 153 . the initial image sf 1 stored in the monitor image memory 153 is used for displaying the monitor image 81 b to confirm the progressing status of the scanning. fig. 10 shows the example of the monitor image 81 b. the monitor image 81 b shown in fig. 10 is displayed as follows. thus, the end portion of each silhouette image rflrf 5 as shown in fig. 9b should be watched. for example, by the rotating of the rotary base 131 , the right end portion of each silhouette image rf 1 -rf 5 is sequentially changed such as a hair position, a right end position of an eyebrow, an eye position, a nose position. then, vertical lines l 2 , l 3 . . . are displayed on the initial image sf 1 corresponding to the right end portion of each silhouette image rf 1 -rf 5 . for displaying the monitor image 81 b, the display data processing section 158 generates the image to which lines l 2 , l 3 . . . already detected as a silhouette are added on the initial image sf 1 readout from the monitor image memory 153 . the generated monitor image 81 b is displayed as the part of the progress status image, on the monitor 155 . the user can confirm the progressing status of the measuring by observing the monitor image 81 b. the other components of the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 b shown in fig. 8 are the same as those of the three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 . according to the above-described embodiments, a user can grasp the progress status of the scanning accurately. a user can deal with an accident which may occur during the scanning. even if the scanning is not entirely completed in the measuring area, the data of the scanned area can be stored. the compensation for measurement time can be provided. therefore, a user-friendly three-dimensional measuring system can be provided. in the above embodiments, a whole or partial configuration, process contents, order of the process, and so forth of three-dimensional measuring apparatus 1 , 1 b can be modified suitably along with the scope of the present invention.
|
195-440-321-481-994
|
FR
|
[
"FR",
"JP",
"US",
"EP"
] |
A61K8/00,A61K8/42,A61K8/64,A61K8/73,A61K8/89,A61K8/891,A61K8/91,A61K8/97,A61K9/00,A61Q5/06,C08G81/00,C08K5/06,C08L83/10
| 2001-03-13T00:00:00 |
2001
|
[
"A61",
"C08"
] |
aerosol apparatus containing hair composition comprising polysaccharide grafted with polysiloxane
|
<p>problem to be solved: to provide a spraying apparatus having high qualities with regard to spraying, a droplet size, cosmetic characteristics and powdering. <p>solution: the subject apparatus comprises a container containing an aerosol composition which comprises a liquid phase (or fluid) containing at least one fixing material and a propellant, and an aerosol device comprising a means for spraying the aerosol composition, wherein (i) the fixing material is a polymer having polysaccharide skeleton grafted with a part containing at least one polysiloxane and (ii) the propellant is dimethyl ether. <p>copyright: (c)2005,jpo&ncipi
|
1 . an aerosol composition comprising: (a) a liquid phase comprising at least one fixing material in a suitable solvent, the at least one fixing material comprising at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether. 2 . the aerosol composition according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane is grafted to at least one end of the polysaccharide skeleton. 3 . the composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises, as a relative percentage by weight of the composition, from 0.1% to 20% of the at least one polymer. 4 . the composition according to claim 3 , wherein the composition comprises, as a relative percentage by weight of the composition, from 0.5% to 10% of the at least one polymer. 5 . the composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises, as a relative percentage by weight of the composition, from 5% to 90% of dimethyl ether. 6 . the composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises, as a relative percentage by weight of the composition, from 10% to 50% of dimethyl ether. 7 . the composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises at least one additive chosen from: anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants; fragrances; screening agents; preserving agents; proteins; vitamins; ceramides; polymers other than said at least one polymer; and plant, mineral and synthetic oils; and any other additive conventionally used in cosmetic compositions. 8 . the composition according to claim 7 , wherein said at least one additive is chosen from anionic, amphoteric and nonionic fixing polymers other than said at least one polymer. 9 . a method of preparing an aerosol composition, comprising: dissolving, in an organic solvent, (a) a polysaccharide containing carboxyl groups, and (b) a polysiloxane containing an epoxy end group and corresponding to formula (i), for a time and under conditions sufficient to obtain a polysaccharide and polysiloxane mixture: 2 in which: n is an integer between 3 and 500 inclusive, r ₁ , r ₂ , r ₃ , r ₄ and r ₅ are chosen, independently of each other, from monovalent c ₁ , to c ₁₀ hydrocarbons and monovalent c ₁ , to c ₁₀ halohydrocarbons, and ep is 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl )ethyl; heating the mixture to a temperature of between 60 and 200 c. inclusive; reacting the carboxyl groups of the polysaccharide with the epoxy groups of the polysiloxane for a time and under conditions sufficient to form a polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane; and adding a propellant comprising dimethyl ether to the at least one polymer to prepare said composition. 10 . the method according to claim 9 , wherein the polysaccharide (a) is chosen from carboxylic, benzoyl and succinoyl groups. 11 . the method according to claim 10 , wherein the polysaccharide (a) is chosen from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate, carboxymethylethylcellulose, and pullulan acetate phthalate. 12 . the method according to claim 9 , wherein r ₁ , r ₂ , r ₃ , r ₄ and r ₅ are chosen, independently of each other, from methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, c ₃ -c ₈ cycloalkyls, aryl, c ₃ -c ₈ aralkyls, and alkenyl groups. 13 . a cosmetic hair process for fixing and/or holding a hairstyle, comprising: applying to hair, an effective amount of a composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: (a) at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane; and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether. 14 . a method for holding and/or shaping a hairstyle, comprising: applying to the hair, an effective amount of a composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: (a) at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane; and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether. 15 . an aerosol device comprising a container containing an aerosol composition, the composition comprising: (a) a liquid phase comprising at least one fixing material in a suitable solvent, the at least one fixing material comprising at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether.
|
the invention relates to an aerosol composition comprising (a) a liquid phase comprising at least one fixing material in a suitable solvent, the at least one fixing material comprising at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether. the invention also relates to a cosmetic hair process, such as a process for fixing and/or holding the hairstyle by using this aerosol composition, as well as to an aerosol device comprising this composition. among the hair products for shaping and/or holding the hairstyle that are most common on the cosmetics market, mention may be made of spray compositions including a solution, which is usually alcoholic or aqueous, and of one or more materials, generally polymer resins, whose function is to form welds between hairs, also known as fixing materials, mixed with various cosmetic adjuvants. this solution is generally packaged either in a suitable aerosol container pressurized by using a propellant, or in a pump-dispenser bottle. fixing materials are generally fixing polymers, that is to say film-forming polymers that are soluble in water and in alcohol, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, vinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymers, described in u.s. pat. nos. 3,929,735 and 3,770,683, vinyl acetate/crotonic acid copolymers, and anionic or amphoteric acrylic resins. these materials can readily achieve the fixing effect, but after brushing or combing, the hair may have, under the usual lacquering conditions, a stiff appearance and a coarse or even sticky feel, and also a powdered appearance after drying. moreover, the quality of the spraying obtained by using an aerosol device is occasionally insufficient. with certain cosmetic compositions it can be difficult, for example, to adjust the droplet size or the spray flow rate as desired. these drawbacks can be linked to at least one of several parameters, including the nature of the fixing polymer(s), the nature of the welds, and the composition of the propellant gases. to overcome these drawbacks, it is thus possible to act on several parameters without, however, reducing the desired fixing effect. the inventors have now found that by selecting both the fixing polymer and the propellant gas, it is possible to overcome at least one of the various problems mentioned above. a spray of high quality in terms of diffusion and droplet size, cosmetic properties and powdering, can be obtained. one subject of the invention is an aerosol composition comprising (a) a liquid phase comprising at least one fixing material in a suitable solvent, the at least one fixing material comprising at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether. another subject of the invention comprises a method of preparing a composition, comprising dissolving, in an organic solvent, (a) a polysaccharide containing carboxyl groups, and (b) a polysiloxane containing an epoxy end group and corresponding to formula (i), defined below, for a time and under conditions sufficient to obtain a polysaccharide and polysiloxane mixture. the method further comprises heating the mixture to a temperature of between 60 and 200 c. inclusive; reacting the carboxyl groups of the polysaccharide with the epoxy groups of the polysiloxanes for a time and under conditions sufficient to form a polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane; and adding a propellant comprising dimethyl ether to the grafted polymer to prepare said composition. another subject of the invention relates to a cosmetic hair process for fixing and/or holding a hairstyle, comprising applying to hair, an effective amount of a composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: (a) at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether. another subject of the invention relates to the use of this composition for holding and/or shaping the hairstyle, comprising applying to hair, an effective amount of a composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium: (a) at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether. yet another subject of the invention relates to an aerosol device comprising a container containing an aerosol composition, the composition comprising (a) a liquid phase comprising at least one fixing material in a suitable solvent, the at least one fixing material comprising at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, and (b) a propellant comprising dimethyl ether. the at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, in accordance with the present invention, comprises a principal chain formed from polysaccharide(s), onto which is grafted, and also optionally attached to at least one of its ends, at least one group comprising a polysiloxane. the at least one polymer comprising a polysaccharide skeleton grafted with at least one group comprising at least one polysiloxane, in accordance with the present invention, may be obtained according to any means known to those skilled in the art, such as a reaction between: (i) a starting polysiloxane macromer functionalized on the polysiloxane chain; and (ii) at least one polysaccharide, which can be functionalized with a group that is capable of reacting with the functional group(s) borne by the said silicone to form a covalent bond. exemplary polysaccharide grafted polymers are described in u.s. pat. no. 6,066,727, by the company shin-etsu, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein. these are copolymers obtained by reaction between a polysaccharide containing carboxyl groups and a polysiloxane containing an epoxy end group, in an organic solvent, optionally in the presence of a catalyst. in one embodiment, the process for preparing these polymers comprises: (a) dissolving, in an organic solvent, (a) a polysaccharide containing carboxyl groups, and (b) a polysiloxane containing an epoxy end group, and corresponding to formula (i) of a polysiloxane below: in which n is an integer between 3 and 500 inclusive, r ₁ , r ₂ , r ₃ , r ₄ and r ₅ are chosen, independently of each other, from monovalent c ₁ to c ₁₀ hydrocarbons and monovalent c ₁ to c ₁₀ halohydrocarbons, and ep is 2-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyl; and (b) heating this mixture of polysaccharides and polysiloxanes to a temperature between 60 and 200 c. inclusive, so as to make the carboxyl groups of the polysaccharides react with the epoxy groups of the polysiloxanes. exemplary polysaccharides suitable for carrying out step (a) of this process, include polysaccharides containing at least one group chosen from carboxylic, benzoyl and succinoyl groups, such as hydroxypropylmethylcellulose phthalate and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate, and also include carboxymethylethylcellulose, and the polysaccharide pullulan acetate phthalate. r ₁ , r ₂ , r ₃ , r ₄ and r ₅ can be chosen, independently of each other, from methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl groups, c ₃ to c8 cycloalkyl groups such as cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl radicals, aryl groups such as phenyl and tolyl radicals, c ₃ to c ₈ aralkyl groups, such as benzyl and phenethyl radicals, and alkenyl groups, such as vinyl and allyl groups. these monovalent hydrocarbon radicals may optionally be totally and partially substituted, such as with a halogen atom, for example, with chloromethyl and 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl radicals. exemplary organic solvents suitable for performing step (a) of the process, include solvents chosen from ketones, for instance acetone, and cyclohexanone. step (b) can be carried out with stirring, optionally under an inert atmosphere. the composition can comprise, as a relative percentage by weight of the composition, from 0.1% to 20% of grafted polysaccharides, such as from 0.5% to 10% of the grafted polysaccharide. the composition can comprise, as a relative percentage by weight of the composition, from 5% to 90% of dimethyl ether, such as from 10% to 50% of dimethyl ether. the cosmetically acceptable medium can comprise at least one solvent chosen from water and cosmetically acceptable solvents, such as alcohols and water-solvent mixtures. exemplary solvents include c ₁ -c ₄ alcohols, such as ethanol. the composition of the invention may also contain at least one additive chosen from anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants; fragrances; screening agents; preserving agents; proteins; vitamins; ceramides; polymers other than the at least one polymer; and plant, mineral and synthetic oils, and any other additive conventionally used in cosmetic compositions. a person skilled in the art can take care to select the optional compound(s) to be added to the composition according to the invention such that the advantageous properties intrinsically associated with the composition in accordance with the invention are not adversely affected by the envisaged addition. the present invention also relates to an aerosol device containing the composition described herein. the device can be any conventional dispenser for aerosol compositions, such as a pump dispenser, and can include components chosen from a valve, an outlet, a push button, a tube, and other components conventionally used in dispensing aerosols. the compositions in accordance with the invention may be suitable for wet or dry hair, as styling products. the compositions in accordance with the invention may be applied to the skin, the nails, the lips, the hair, the eyebrows and the eyelashes. the invention will be illustrated more fully with the aid of the non-limiting example, which follows. all the percentages are relative percentages by weight relative to the total weight of the composition, and a.m. means active material. example an aerosol composition in accordance with the invention is prepared from the ingredients listed below: cellulose containing silicone grafts 1 3% am water 17% ethanol 45% dimethyl ether 35% 1 hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate containing polydimethylsiloxane grafts, as synthesized in example no. 2 of u.s. pat. no. 6,066,727 by the company shin etsu, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein. 1 hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate containing polydimethylsiloxane grafts, as synthesized in example no. 2 of u.s. pat. no. 6,066,727 by the company shin etsu, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated by reference herein. this composition is sprayed onto european chestnut-brown hair. the hair shows good cosmetic properties in both cases, after drying, and shows little powdering.
|
196-033-371-084-557
|
TW
|
[
"TW",
"US"
] |
B01B1/00,B01D1/22,C23C14/24,C23C14/50,C23C14/14
| 2002-10-25T00:00:00 |
2002
|
[
"B01",
"C23"
] |
evaporation method and equipment for evaporation
|
an evaporation method and an apparatus thereof are disclosed. the evaporation apparatus comprises a rotator, a heater and a source supplying device. the rotator, which is disposed above the central portion of the substrate, can rotate the substrate. an evaporation source is disposed on the heater, and the evaporation region is a circular region. the heater and the source supplying device are disposed below the substrate, wherein the source supplying device provides the evaporation source on the heater along a supply direction. in order to prevent the location of the evaporation source shifts along the supply direction from affecting the uniformity of deposited film, a circular trace is defined and the heater is disposed below the circular trace so that the supplying direction is parallel to the tangential direction of the circular trace.
|
1 . an evaporation method, comprising: providing a substrate, fixing the center of the substrate and rotating the substrate; defining a circular trace by the center of the substrate; providing a heater; providing a source supplying device, wherein the source supplying device supplies an evaporation source to the heater along a supplying direction; disposing the heater and the source supplying device under a point of the circular trace and adjusting the supplying direction of the source supplying device for paralleling the supplying direction and a tangential direction of the point of the circular trace; and heating the evaporation source by the heater for evaporation. 2 . the evaporation method of claim 1 , further comprising disposing a shelter between the source supplying device and the substrate for defining an evaporation region. 3 . the evaporation method of claim 2 , wherein a radius of the evaporation region is substantially similar to that of the circular trace. 4 . the evaporation method of claim 1 , wherein a rotational direction of the substrate is clockwise. 5 . the evaporation method of claim 1 , wherein a rotational direction of the substrate is counterclockwise. 6 . the evaporation method of claim 1 , wherein the evaporation source is aluminum or silver. 7 . an evaporation apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate, the evaporation apparatus comprising: a rotator fixing the center of a substrate and rotating the substrate to define a circular trace; a heater, disposed under a point of the circular trace; and a source supplying device, disposed over the heater, wherein the source supplying device supplies an evaporation source to the heater along a supplying direction and the supplying direction is parallel to a tangential direction of the circular trace. 8 . the evaporation apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a shelter disposed between the source supplying device and the substrate for defining the evaporation region, wherein the shelter has an opening for defining the evaporation region on the substrate. 9 . the evaporation apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the opening is a circular opening. 10 . the evaporation apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a radius of the evaporation region is substantially similar to that of the circular trace. 11 . the evaporation apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the evaporation source is aluminum or silver. 12 . the evaporation apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a rotational direction of the substrate is clockwise. 13 . the evaporation apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a rotational direction of the substrate is counterclockwise. 14 . the evaporation apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the heater is a rectangular loading crucible.
|
cross-reference to related application this application claims the priority benefit of taiwan application serial no. 91125119, filed oct. 25, 2002. background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to an evaporation method and an apparatus thereof, and more particularly to an evaporation method for improving the uniformity of a film deposited at the center of a substrate and an apparatus thereof. 2. description of the related art generally, physical vapor deposition (pvd) includes evaporation and sputtering. both of them are performed by physical deposition. the evaporation deposition is performed by heating deposition material at the saturated vapor pressure thereof. it is usually performed in a vacuum evaporator, which includes an evaporation chamber and a vacuum system. the detailed description of prior art evaporation apparatus is described below. fig. 1 is a schematic showing a prior art evaporation apparatus. referring to fig. 1 , an evaporation apparatus 100 is utilized to deposit metal or the other materials on a substrate 10 , which can be, for example, a glass substrate. the evaporation apparatus 100 comprises a rotator 110 , a heater 120 , a source supplying device 130 and a shelter 140 . the rotator 110 is disposed above the center of the substrate 10 . the rotator 110 can rotate the substrate 10 by the center thereof. the heater 120 is disposed under the substrate 10 . the heater 120 is usually made of refractory material. the heater 120 is connected to a power supply (not shown). when a current or voltage is supplied to the heater 120 , the heater 120 generates heat because of its resistance. the source supplying device 130 is disposed over the heater 120 . the source supplying device 130 supplies an evaporation source 122 to the heater 120 along a supplying direction s. the evaporation source 122 is provided by delivery of metal wires. the shelter 140 is disposed between the substrate 10 and the source supplying device 130 . the shelter 140 has an opening 142 . the opening 142 of the shelter 140 serves to define the evaporation region 124 on the substrate 10 formed by the evaporation source 122 . fig. 2 is a top view showing a prior art evaporation apparatus. referring to figs. 1 and 2 , when the heater 120 heats the evaporation source 122 to the melting point thereof, the evaporation source 122 evaporates and deposits on the substrate 10 . theoretically, the evaporation source 122 provided by the source supplying device 130 is delivered to location a on the heater 120 and the edge of the evaporation region 124 aligns to the center of the substrate 10 . a film is formed on the substrate 10 by rotating the substrate 10 for evaporation. however, the evaporation source 122 provided by the source supplying device 130 is not always delivered to location a; it could be delivered to location b or location c. the evaporation region 124 shifts because of different locations of the evaporation source 122 . as described above, if the evaporation source 122 provided by the source supplying device 130 is delivered to location b of the heater 120 , the evaporations region 124 covers the center of the substrate 10 . if the evaporation source 122 provided by the source supplying device 130 is delivered to location c of the heater 120 , the evaporations region 124 does not cover the center of the substrate 10 . accordingly, different locations of the evaporation source 122 affect the uniformity of the film at the center of the substrate 10 . therefore, the uniformity of the film formed on the substrate becomes worse. summary of the invention accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide an evaporation method and an apparatus thereof for improving the uniformity of a film deposited on a substrate. in order to achieve the object described above, the present provides an evaporation method, which comprises providing a substrate, fixing the center of the substrate and rotating the substrate by a center thereof; defining a circular trace by the center of the substrate; providing a heater; providing a source supplying device, wherein the source supplying device supplies an evaporation source to the heater along a supplying direction; disposing the heater and the source supplying device under a point of the circular trace and adjusting the supplying direction of the source supplying device for paralleling the supplying direction and a tangential direction of the point of the circular trace; and heating the evaporation source by the heater for evaporation. in an embodiment of the present invention, a shelter is disposed between the source supplying device and the substrate for defining an evaporation region. the radius of the evaporation region is substantially similar to that of the circular trace. furthermore, the rotational direction of the substrate can be, for example, clockwise or counterclockwise. in addition, the evaporation source is, for example, aluminum or silver. the present invention provides an evaporation apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate, which comprises: a rotator fixing the center of a substrate and rotating the substrate to define a circular trace; a heater disposed under a point of the circular trace; and a source supplying device disposed over the heater, wherein the source supplying device supplies an evaporation source to the heater along a supplying direction and the supplying direction is parallel to a tangential direction of the circular trace. in an embodiment of the present invention, a shelter is disposed between the source supplying device and the substrate, wherein the shelter has an opening for defining an evaporation region on the substrate. the shape of the opening is, for example, circular. the radius of the evaporation region is substantially similar to that of the circular trace and an edge of the evaporation region is aligned to the center of the substrate. furthermore, the rotational direction of the substrate can be, for example, clockwise or counterclockwise. in addition, the evaporation source is, for example, aluminum or silver. the heater is, for example, a rectangular loading crucible. in order to make the aforementioned and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention understandable, a preferred embodiment accompanied with figures is described in detail below. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a prior art evaporation apparatus. fig. 2 is a top view showing another prior art evaporation apparatus. fig. 3 is a schematic view showing an evaporation apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. fig. 4 is a top view showing an evaporation apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. description of embodiments fig. 3 is a schematic view showing an evaporation apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. referring to fig. 3 , an evaporation apparatus 200 can be utilized to deposit metal or the other materials on a substrate 20 , which can be, for example, a glass substrate. the evaporation apparatus 200 comprises a rotator 210 , a heater 220 , a source supplying device 230 and a shelter 240 . the rotator 210 can fix the center of the substrate 20 . the rotator 210 can rotate the substrate 20 , for example, in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction by the center thereof. the heater 220 is disposed under the substrate 20 . the heater 220 is, for example, a rectangular or any other sharp loading crucible. the heater 220 is usually made of refractory material. the heater 220 is connected to a power supply (not shown). when a current or voltage is supplied to the heater 220 , the heater 220 generates heat because of its resistance. the source supplying device 230 is disposed over the heater 220 . the source supplying device 230 supplies an evaporation source 222 to the heater 220 along a supplying direction s. the evaporation source 222 can be, for example, aluminum or silver. the evaporation source 222 is provided by delivery of metal wires. the shelter 240 is disposed between the substrate 20 and the source supplying device 230 . the shelter 240 has an opening 242 therein, which can be, for example, a circular opening. the opening 242 of the shelter 240 serves to define the evaporation region 224 on the substrate 20 formed by the evaporation source 222 . the evaporation region 224 is, for example, a circular region having a radius r and the edge of the evaporation region 224 is aligned to the center of the substrate 20 . fig. 4 is a top view showing an evaporation apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. referring to fig. 4 , the evaporation apparatus of the present invention defines a circular trace 300 by the center of the substrate 20 . the radius of the circular trace 300 is substantially similar to that of the evaporation region 224 . the heater 220 is disposed under a point of the circular trace 300 and the supplying direction s of the source supplying device 230 is adjusted for paralleling the supplying direction s and the tangential direction of the point of the circular trace 300 . the heater 220 then heats the evaporation source 222 for evaporation. from the descriptions mentioned above, the supplying direction s is parallel to the tangential direction of the point of the circular trace 300 . when the evaporation source 222 provided form the source supplying device 230 is not delivered to location a, but to location b or location c, the edge of the evaporation region 224 aligns to the center of the substrate 20 . therefore, even if the evaporation source 222 is delivered to different locations (a, b or c) on the heater 220 , the edge of the evaporation region 224 still aligns to the center of the substrate 20 . in other word, the delivered location of the evaporation source 222 on the heater 220 will not substantially affect the thickness of a film at the center of the substrate. therefore, the uniformity of the substrate is improved. accordingly, the present invention has at least the following advantages: the evaporation method of the present invention can improve the uniformity of the film deposited on the substrate by modifying the disposition of the source supplying device; and the evaporation apparatus of the present invention can improve the uniformity of the film deposited on the substrate without substantially restructuring the apparatus. although the present invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. rather, the appended claims should be constructed broadly to include other variants and embodiments of the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the field of this art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.
|
198-300-620-551-088
|
US
|
[
"US",
"BE",
"WO"
] |
H04W16/18,H04L12/24,H04W76/10,H04W76/14,G06K17/00,G06Q10/00,H04W4/50,H04L29/06,H04M15/00,H04W4/24,H04W8/24,H04W24/02,H04W28/18
| 2019-08-01T00:00:00 |
2019
|
[
"H04",
"G06"
] |
system, method and apparatus for updating network configuration parameters
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a method in a client device for updating network configuration parameters, the method comprising: establishing a connection between the client device and an access point connected with a set of other client devices; detecting a connectivity event at the client device; generating a configuration verification request containing current network configuration parameters of the client device; transmitting the configuration verification request for delivery to the set of other client devices; responsive to transmitting the configuration verification request, receiving a configuration verification response from a responding one of the other client devices; and responsive to the configuration verification response indicating non-matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device, initiating a network reconfiguration process at the client device to obtain new network configuration parameters.
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1. a method in a client device for updating network configuration parameters, the method comprising: establishing a connection between the client device and an access point connected with a set of other client devices; detecting a connectivity event at the client device; generating a configuration verification request containing current network configuration parameters of the client device; transmitting the configuration verification request for delivery to the set of other client devices connected to the access point; responsive to transmitting the configuration verification request, receiving a configuration verification response from a responding one of the other client devices connected to the access point; and responsive to the configuration verification response indicating non-matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device connected to the access point, initiating a network reconfiguration process at the client device connected to the access point to obtain new network configuration parameters. 2. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: responsive to the configuration verification response indicating matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device, maintaining the current network configuration parameters at the client device. 3. the method of claim 1 , wherein the connectivity event includes the client device roaming to the access point. 4. the method of claim 3 , wherein the configuration verification request includes a roaming indicator. 5. the method of claim 1 , wherein the connectivity event includes a loss of connectivity with a gateway device. 6. the method of claim 5 , wherein the configuration verification response indicates whether the responding device is connected with the gateway device. 7. the method of claim 1 , wherein initiating the network reconfiguration process includes sending a network packet from the client device. 8. the method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a further configuration verification request from a further client device; and determining whether to respond to the further configuration verification request. 9. the method of claim 8 , wherein determining whether to respond to the further configuration verification request includes receiving an instruction to respond from the access point. 10. the method of claim 8 , wherein the determination of whether to respond to the further configuration verification request is based on an association identifier of the client device. 11. the method of claim 8 , further comprising: when determination of whether to respond to the further configuration verification request is affirmative, generating a further configuration verification response by comparing the further configuration verification request to current connectivity conditions at the client device. 12. the method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the configuration verification request includes one of: sending a broadcast frame to the access point to cause the access point to deliver the configuration verification request to the set of other client devices; or sending the configuration verification request directly to the set of other client devices. 13. a client device, comprising: a communications interface; a networking controller interconnected with the communications interface, wherein the networking controller is configured to: establish a connection between the client device and an access point connected with a set of other client devices; detect a connectivity event at the client device; generate a configuration verification request containing current network configuration parameters of the client device; transmit the configuration verification request for delivery to the set of other client devices connected to the access point; responsive to transmission of the configuration verification request, receive a configuration verification response from a responding one of the other client devices connected to the access point; and responsive to the configuration verification response indicating non-matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device connected to the access point, initiate a network reconfiguration process at the client device connected to the access point to obtain new network configuration parameters. 14. the client device of claim 13 , wherein the networking controller is further configured, responsive to the configuration verification response indicating matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device, to maintain the current network configuration parameters at the client device. 15. the client device of claim 13 , wherein the connectivity event includes the client device roaming to the access point. 16. the client device of claim 15 , wherein the configuration verification request includes a roaming indicator. 17. the client device of claim 13 , wherein the connectivity event includes a loss of connectivity with a gateway device. 18. the client device of claim 17 , wherein the configuration verification response indicates whether the responding device is connected with the gateway device. 19. the client device of claim 13 , wherein the networking controller is configured, in order to initiate the network reconfiguration process, to send a network packet. 20. the client device of claim 13 , wherein the networking controller is further configured to: receive a further configuration verification request from a further client device; and determine whether to respond to the further configuration verification request. 21. the client device of claim 20 , wherein the networking controller is further configured, in order to determine whether to respond to the further configuration verification request, to receive an instruction to respond from the access point. 22. the client device of claim 20 , wherein the networking controller is configured to determine whether to respond to the further configuration verification request is based on an association identifier of the client device. 23. the client device of claim 20 , wherein the networking controller is further configured to: when determination of whether to respond to the further configuration verification request is affirmative, generate a further configuration verification response by comparing the further configuration verification request to current connectivity conditions at the client device. 24. the client device of claim 13 , wherein the networking controller is further configured, in order to transmit the configuration verification request, to: send a broadcast frame to the access point to cause the access point to deliver the configuration verification request to the set of other client devices; or send the configuration verification request directly to the set of other client devices. 25. a system, comprising: an access point; and a client device including a communications interface and a networking controller, wherein the networking controller is configured to: establish a connection between the client device and the access point connected with a set of other client devices; detect a connectivity event at the client device; generate a configuration verification request containing current network configuration parameters of the client device; transmit the configuration verification request for delivery to the set of other client devices connected to the access point; responsive to transmission of the configuration verification request, receive a configuration verification response from a responding one of the other client devices connected to the access point; and responsive to the configuration verification response indicating non-matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device connected to the access point, initiate a network reconfiguration process at the client device connected to the access point to obtain new network configuration parameters; wherein the access point is configured to receive the configuration verification request, and to select the responding client device from the set of other client devices connected to the access point.
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background in environments (e.g. warehouses) in which substantial numbers of wireless devices, such as handheld barcode scanners, are deployed, the devices are typically connected to a wireless network deployed within the warehouse. the network may be logically or physically subdivided into a plurality of subnetworks. roaming of the devices amongst the subnetworks can be time-consuming and result in excessive network load. brief description of the several views of the drawings the accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments. fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a communication system fig. 2 is a block diagram of certain components of a wireless client computing device of fig. 1 . fig. 3 is a flowchart of a method of updating network configuration parameters. fig. 4 is a diagram of the system of fig. 1 following roaming of a wireless client computing device. fig. 5 is a flowchart of a method of generating configuration verification responses. skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. for example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. the apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. detailed description examples disclosed herein are directed to a method in a client device for updating network configuration parameters, the method comprising: establishing a connection between the client device and an access point connected with a set of other client devices; detecting a connectivity event at the client device; generating a configuration verification request containing current network configuration parameters of the client device; transmitting the configuration verification request for delivery to the set of other client devices; responsive to transmitting the configuration verification request, receiving a configuration verification response from a responding one of the other client devices; and responsive to the configuration verification response indicating non-matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device, initiating a network reconfiguration process at the client device to obtain new network configuration parameters. additional examples disclosed herein are directed to a client device, comprising: a communications interface; a networking controller interconnected with the communications interface, wherein the networking controller is configured to: establish a connection between the client device and an access point connected with a set of other client devices; detect a connectivity event at the client device; generate a configuration verification request containing current network configuration parameters of the client device; transmit the configuration verification request for delivery to the set of other client devices; responsive to transmission of the configuration verification request, receive a configuration verification response from a responding one of the other client devices; and responsive to the configuration verification response indicating non-matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device, initiate a network reconfiguration process at the client device to obtain new network configuration parameters. further examples disclosed herein are directed to a system, comprising: an access point; and a client device including a communications interface and a networking controller, wherein the networking controller is configured to: establish a connection between the client device and the access point connected with a set of other client devices; detect a connectivity event at the client device; generate a configuration verification request containing current network configuration parameters of the client device; transmit the configuration verification request for delivery to the set of other client devices; responsive to transmission of the configuration verification request, receive a configuration verification response from a responding one of the other client devices; and responsive to the configuration verification response indicating non-matching connectivity conditions at the responding client device, initiate a network reconfiguration process at the client device to obtain new network configuration parameters; wherein the access point is configured to receive the configuration verification request, and to select the responding client device from the set of other client devices. fig. 1 depicts a communication system 100 including a plurality of wireless client computing devices, of which six examples 104 - 1 , 104 - 2 , 104 - 3 , 104 - 4 , 104 - 5 and 104 - 6 are illustrated (collectively referred to as the wireless client computing devices 104 , and generically referred to as a wireless client computing device 104 ). greater or smaller numbers of client devices 104 can be provided in other embodiments, and indeed the number of client devices present in the system 100 at any given time can vary. the wireless client computing devices 104 are also referred to herein simply as devices 104 . the system 100 implements a wireless network, such as a wireless local area network (wlan) enabling the devices 104 to communicate with each other and with other computing devices, either within the wlan or connected to an external network. the system 100 implements the above-mentioned wlan via a plurality of access points (aps) 108 , four examples 108 - 1 , 108 - 2 , 108 - 3 and 108 - 4 of which are shown in fig. 1 . each ap 108 provides an area of coverage within which the devices 104 may establish wireless connections with the aps 108 (illustrated in dashed lines in fig. 1 ). as will be apparent, greater or smaller number of aps 108 may be provided in other embodiments. the aps 108 may be distributed throughout a facility such as a warehouse, an office complex, a campus or the like. the devices 104 may be moved throughout the facility, for example as the operators of the devices travel through the facility. each device 104 may therefore roam between the aps 108 , establishing wireless links with different ones of the aps 108 depending on the current location of the device 104 . in addition, a device 104 may periodically lose connectivity with one or more elements of the system 100 , e.g. due to network congestion, physical obstructions in the vicinity of the device 104 , and the like. roaming and connection losses are referred to generally as connectivity events in the discussion below. the devices 104 , as will be discussed herein in greater detail, perform various actions to adapt to connectivity events and reconfigure local network configuration settings as necessary, while mitigating the impact of such reconfiguration on network infrastructure and on operations of the devices 104 themselves. the aps 108 are configured to deploy a single wireless network, e.g. identified by a common service set identifier (ssid), throughout the facility. however, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the infrastructure supporting the aps 108 may be subdivided into two or more distinct networks, either physically or logically, e.g. to facilitate network management. in the present example, the system 100 implements two distinct virtual local area networks (vlans). in particular, a first vlan is provided via the aps 108 - 1 and 108 - 2 , which are connected to a first gateway 112 - 1 . a second vlan is provided via the aps 108 - 3 and 108 - 4 , which are connected to a second gateway 112 - 2 . additional network components such as switches and wlan controllers are not shown for clarity of illustration. although the aps 108 and/or gateways 112 may be physically interconnected via backend connections and the above-mentioned switches, the implementation of distinct vlans segregates the aps 108 and gateway 112 of the first vlan from the aps 108 and gateway 112 of the second vlan. traffic may therefore only travel between vlans, and between a vlan and an external network 114 (e.g. a wide area network (wan) such as the internet), via a central router 116 . the router 116 may also implement firewall and/or other network management functionality. in addition to segregation of the system 100 into multiple vlans, the system 100 is segregated into multiple subnetworks (also referred to as subnets) in the present example. specifically, of a set of network addresses (e.g. ip addresses) available for assignment to devices within the system 100 , a first subset is employed exclusively within the first vlan, and a second subset is employed exclusively within the second vlan. that is, the gateway 112 - 1 , which in the present example also implements an addressing server (e.g. a dynamic host configuration protocol (dhcp) server), assigns network addresses to the aps 108 - 1 and 108 - 2 as well as any client devices 104 connected thereto from a specific subset of network addresses available system-wide. as a result of the above segregation of the network infrastructure in the system 100 , the network configuration of a device 104 roaming from an ap 108 in the first vlan (and corresponding subnet) to an ap 108 in the second vlan (and corresponding subnet) requires updating for the device 104 to continue communicating with other entities in the system 100 . for example, each device 104 stores various network configuration parameters, including a network address (e.g. an ip address), a subnet mask, and one or more network addresses of the corresponding gateway 112 with which the device 104 is currently associated. for example, the device 104 may store both a media access control (mac) address and an ip address of the relevant gateway 112 . upon roaming to an ap 108 in a different vlan, the device 104 must obtain a new network address and subnet mask, as well as new gateway identifiers. updating of network configuration parameters at a device 104 may be accomplished in various ways. for example, each device 104 may release (i.e. discard) all network configuration parameters upon roaming to a different ap 108 and request new configuration parameters, e.g. by transmitting a dhcp request. when the new ap 108 is in the same vlan and subnet as the previous ap 108 to which the device 104 was connected, however, such a process may be unnecessary and therefore imposes excess load on the network. further, such a process may negatively affect ongoing communication sessions on the device 104 , such as a voice over ip (voip) call between the device 104 and another computing device. as will be discussed in detail below, the devices 104 of the system 100 therefore perform various actions to update network configuration parameters while mitigating the impact of such updates on network load and/or on ongoing communication session at the devices 104 . before discussing the functionality of the devices 104 , certain internal components of the devices 104 will be discussed with reference to fig. 2 . fig. 2 illustrates components of a generic device 104 . that is, each of the client devices 104 in the system 100 include the components shown in fig. 2 , although the client devices 104 may have heterogeneous form factors and implementations of the components shown. the device 104 includes a central processing unit (cpu), also referred to as a processor 200 , interconnected with a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as a memory 204 . the memory 204 includes any suitable combination of volatile memory (e.g. random access memory (ram)) and non-volatile memory (e.g. read only memory (rom), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (eeprom), flash). the processor 200 and the memory 204 each comprise one or more integrated circuits (ics). the device 104 also includes at least one input device, and at least one output device, illustrated in fig. 2 as an input/output device 208 interconnected with the processor 200 . the input device includes any suitable one of, or any suitable combination of, a touch screen, a keypad, a trigger (e.g. to initiate the performance of any encoding task), and the like. the output device includes any suitable one, or any suitable combination of a display (e.g., integrated with the above-mentioned touch screen), a speaker, and the like. the input/output device 208 is configured to receive input and provide data representative of the received input to the processor 200 , and to receive output from the processor 200 and present the output, e.g. via the emission of sound from the speaker, the rendering of visual indications on the display, and the like. the device 104 also includes a communications interface 212 , enabling the device 104 to exchange data with other computing devices, such as the access points 108 . the communications interface 212 includes any suitable hardware (e.g. transmitters, receivers, network interface controllers and the like) allowing the device 104 to communicate, e.g. over the above-mentioned wlan. the components of the device 104 are interconnected by communication buses (not shown), and powered by a battery or other power source, over the above-mentioned communication buses or by distinct power buses (not shown). the memory 204 of the device 104 stores a plurality of applications, each including a plurality of computer readable instructions executable by the processor 200 . the execution of the above-mentioned instructions by the processor 200 causes the device 104 to implement certain functionality, as discussed herein. the applications are therefore said to be configured to perform that functionality in the discussion below. in the present example, the memory 204 of the device 104 stores a communication control application 216 , also referred to herein as the application 216 . the device 104 is configured, via execution of the application 216 by the processor 200 , to detect certain connectivity events and initiate processes for updating a repository 220 of network configuration parameters stored in the memory 204 in response to such events. the device 104 is also configured, via execution of the application 216 , to assist other devices 104 in updating their network configuration parameters following detection of connectivity events at such other devices 104 . in other examples, the processor 200 , as configured by the execution of the application 216 , is implemented as one or more specifically-configured hardware elements, such as field-programmable gate arrays (fpgas) and/or application-specific integrated circuits (asics). the functionality implemented by the application 216 , in conjunction with the network configuration parameters 220 , can also be implemented partially or entirely within the communications interface 212 , e.g. by a controller in the interface 212 (discrete from the processor 200 ). the functionality implemented by the application 216 can also be shared between a controller within the interface 212 and the processor 200 . in general, therefore, the functionality described herein may be said to be implemented by a networking controller, which is implemented by any of the above mechanisms (e.g. the processor 200 alone, a controller of the interface 212 , and the like). turning now to fig. 3 , a method 300 of updating network configuration parameters is illustrated. the method 300 will be described in conjunction with its performance on the system 100 . more specifically, the method 300 as described below is performed by the devices 104 in the system 100 , with reference to the components of each device 104 as illustrated in fig. 2 . at block 305 , the device 104 detects a connectivity event. depending on the nature of the detected connectivity event, the device 104 proceeds to either block 310 or block 315 . specifically, when the connectivity event is a roaming event, in which the device 104 has established a connection with a new ap 108 , the device 104 proceeds to block 310 . fig. 4 illustrates an example performance of a roaming connectivity event detected at block 305 . in particular, the device 104 - 1 has physically moved within the facility relative to the location of the device 104 - 1 shown in fig. 1 . as a result, the device 104 - 1 has initiated a connection 400 with the ap 108 - 3 . following establishment of the connection 400 , the device 104 - 1 is configured to disconnect from the ap 108 - 1 to which the device 104 - 1 was previously connected (via the link 404 ). in other words, the roaming event detected at block 305 may be an event initiated by the device 104 itself. as noted earlier, the ap 108 - 3 is in a different vlan and a different subnet than the ap 108 - 1 . the network configuration parameters of the client device 104 - 1 must therefore be updated returning to fig. 3 , at block 310 the device 104 - 1 generates a configuration verification request containing a roaming indicator. the configuration verification request, in the present example, is a broadcast frame (i.e. a link layer message, corresponding to level 2 of the osi model) addressed to the ap 108 - 3 . the address (e.g. the mac address) of the ap 108 - 3 is available to the device 104 - 1 as a result of the establishment of the connection 400 , enabling the device 104 - 1 to send messages to the ap 108 - 3 despite other network configuration parameters of the device 104 - 1 no longer being valid. that is, the ip address and subnet mask of the device 104 - 1 are no longer valid, and the gateway mac and ip addresses currently stored in the repository 220 are also no longer valid, as they correspond to the gateway 112 - 1 . the configuration verification request includes a broadcast instruction for causing the ap 108 - 3 , upon receipt of the configuration verification request, to broadcast the configuration verification request to all devices 104 connected to the ap 108 - 3 . the configuration verification request also includes certain network configuration parameters of the device 104 - 1 , and a flag indicating that the configuration verification request is sent responsive to completion of a roaming process. returning to fig. 4 , a configuration verification request 408 is illustrated having been sent to the ap 108 - 3 from the device 104 - 1 , and broadcast to each other device 104 connected to the ap 108 - 3 (in this case, to the device 104 - 4 ). as seen in fig. 4 , the request 408 contains a broadcast instruction, as well as a network address (specifically, an ip address) of the device 104 - 1 , a subnet mask and a network address of the gateway 112 - 1 . the network address and subnet, as well as the gateway address, were obtained by the device 104 - 1 from the gateway 112 - 1 while the device 104 - 1 was connected to the ap 108 - 1 , and are therefore no longer valid. the request 408 also includes a roaming indicator, which in the present example is a binary flag, with the value “1” indicating that the device 104 - 1 has roamed to the ap 108 - 3 . the value “0”, in contrast, would indicate that the request 408 is not sent responsive to a roaming event. a wide variety of other roaming indicators may also be employed, including alphanumeric strings, message headers or the like. the content of the configuration verification request when the connectivity event is not a roaming event will be discussed in greater detail below, following the present discussion of the roaming scenario. referring again to fig. 3 , at block 320 , the device 104 - 1 broadcasts the configuration verification request generated at block 310 . in the present example, as noted above, broadcasting is achieved by instructing the ap 108 - 3 to broadcast the request 408 . in other examples, the device 104 - 1 can broadcast the request 408 directly. at block 325 , the device 104 - 1 receives a configuration verification response to the request 408 . the response is generated by one of the other devices 104 connected to the same ap 108 (i.e. the ap 108 - 3 in the present example), and may be transmitted to the device 104 - 1 directly by that other device 104 , or via the ap 108 - 3 . of particular note, the response is not generated by the gateway 112 - 2 or other backend infrastructure. the configuration verification response indicates, in general, whether connectivity conditions at the responding device 104 match those indicated in the configuration verification request 408 . when the verification request 408 was sent responsive to roaming of the device 104 - 1 , as in the present example, the configuration verification response indicates whether the device 104 - 1 is still connected to the same vlan and subnet (that is, whether the ap 108 - 3 to which the device 104 - 1 has roamed is in the same vlan and subnet as the ap 108 - 1 from which the device 104 - 1 has roamed). in other words, the connectivity conditions at the responding device 104 are defined at least by the responding device's subnet mask and gateway address. when the subnet mask and gateway address in the configuration verification request 408 match the subnet mask and gateway address of the responding device 104 , the responding device 104 and the requesting device ( 104 - 1 , in the present example) are both correctly configured to communicate over the same vlan and subnet. generation of the configuration verification response will be discussed in greater detail below. at block 330 , the device 104 - 1 determines whether or not the configuration verification response indicates matching connectivity conditions at the responding device. when the determination is affirmative, the performance of the method 300 ends. as mentioned above, in the roaming scenario the configuration verification response indicates whether the device 104 - 1 is still connected to the same vlan and subnet after the roaming procedure that initiated the performance of the method 300 . when the device 104 - 1 is connected to the same vlan and subnet as previously, the network configuration parameters in the repository 220 remain valid, and no further action is required. such would be the case, for example, if the device 104 - 1 subsequently roamed from the ap 108 - 3 to the ap 108 - 4 . however, when the device 104 - 1 is no longer connected to the same vlan and subnet—that is, when the determination at block 330 is negative—the device 104 - 1 proceeds instead to block 335 and initiates a network reconfiguration process. the performance of block 335 can include, for example, discarding the current network configuration parameters in the repository 220 and sending a network packet (e.g. a dhcp request) to discover the gateway 112 - 2 and obtain a new ip address. turning now to fig. 5 , the generation of the configuration verification response will be described. fig. 5 illustrates a method 500 of generating configuration verification responses, which is performed by each device 104 that receives a broadcast configuration verification request as discussed above. in the present example, therefore, the method 500 is performed by the device 104 - 4 , which is the only other device connected to the ap 108 - 3 . at block 505 , the device 104 - 4 receives the configuration verification request, via the access point 108 - 3 . at block 510 , the device 104 - 4 determines whether to respond to the configuration verification request. as noted above, one of the receiving devices 104 generates the configuration verification response. the devices 104 therefore implement a deterministic selection mechanism to enable a single one of the devices 104 to respond (to avoid flooding of the network). for example, each device 104 can be configured to make the determination at block 510 based on an association identifier (aid) assigned to the device 104 by the ap 108 - 3 . for example, the devices 104 can each store a predetermined responder aid in memory, and the determination at block 510 is whether the device 104 has an aid matching that predetermined responder aid. other mechanisms for performing the determination at block 510 need not rely on the aids of the devices 104 . in further embodiments, the determination at block 510 is made by receiving an instruction from the ap 108 to respond. in other words, in such embodiments the aps 108 select which client device 104 is to respond to configuration verification requests, and instruct that client device 104 to respond. the instruction can be inserted into the configuration verification request itself by the ap 108 , or transmitted as a separate message. when the determination at block 510 is negative, the performance of the method 500 ends. when the determination at block 510 is affirmative, however, as is the case for the device 104 - 4 in the present example, the device 104 - 4 proceeds to block 515 . at block 515 , the responding device (i.e. the device 104 - 4 in this example) determines whether the configuration verification request contains the above-mentioned roaming indicator. when the determination at block 515 is affirmative, as in the case of the request 408 , the responding device 104 proceeds to block 520 . when the determination at block 515 is negative, the responding device 104 proceeds instead to block 525 . blocks 520 and 525 are both assessments of connectivity conditions at the responding device 104 , performed in order to determine whether connectivity conditions at the responding device 104 match the connectivity conditions indicated in the configuration verification request. the assessment at block 520 , corresponding to a request containing a roaming indicator, will be described below. the assessment at block 525 will be described after discussion of the roaming-related assessment. at block 520 , the responding device 104 determines whether at least a subset of the configuration parameters in the verification request match those in the repository 220 of the responding device 104 . thus, in the present example, referring again to fig. 4 , at block 520 the responding device 104 - 4 determines whether the ip address in the request 408 , as modified by the subnet mask in the request 408 , falls within the range of ip addresses assigned to the vlan in which the ap 108 - 3 is located. for example, the ip address and subnet mask in the request 408 can be compared to the ip address and subnet mask in a repository 220 - 4 of the device 104 - 4 . instead of, or in addition to, the above comparison, the device 104 - 4 can determine whether the gateway addresses in the request 408 and the repository 220 - 4 match. when the determination at block 520 is affirmative, the responding device 104 proceeds to block 530 , and sends a configuration verification response indicating matching connectivity conditions. such a response leads to an affirmative determination at block 330 at the requesting device. as will be apparent from fig. 4 , in the present example the determination at block 520 is negative, and the device 104 - 4 therefore proceeds to block 535 . at block 535 the device 104 - 4 sends a configuration verification response to the device 104 - 1 indicating that connectivity conditions at the device 104 - 4 do not match those indicated in the request 408 (i.e. that the device 104 - 1 has moved to a different vlan by roaming to the ap 108 - 3 ). the device 104 - 1 then makes the negative determination at block 330 noted above, and proceeds to block 335 . according to the mechanisms described above, the system 100 enables a roaming device 104 such as the device 104 - 1 to determine whether to initiate a process to update network configuration parameters, while minimizing impact on network infrastructure. for example, the roaming device 104 - 1 is not required to attempt to reach its currently configured gateway 112 - 1 to determine that the gateway 112 - 2 cannot be reached before initiating the update process. the functionality described above also permits the devices 104 to adapt to certain other connectivity events. in particular, returning to block 315 of fig. 3 , if the connectivity event detected at block 305 is the loss of connectivity to a gateway 112 in the absence of roaming, the device 104 generates a configuration verification request that omits the roaming indicator but is otherwise as shown in fig. 4 . the responding device 104 , at block 525 , determines whether the gateway 112 to which the responding device 104 is connected is reachable. for example, the responding device 104 can send an address resolution protocol (arp) request to the relevant gateway 112 . if no response is received, then the determination at block 525 is negative, and the responding device 104 proceeds to block 530 . as noted above, at block 530 the responding device 104 sends a configuration verification response indicating that matching connectivity conditions exist at the responding device and the requesting device 104 . that is, both devices 104 are unable to reach the gateway 112 , and the requesting device 104 does not necessarily need to update configuration parameters. instead, the gateway 112 may simply be offline, in which case requesting updated configuration parameters would be ineffective. when the gateway 112 is reachable by the responding device 104 , however, the determination at block 525 is affirmative and the responding device 104 sends a configuration verification response indicating mismatching connectivity conditions. such a response leads to a negative determination at block 330 and initiation of reconfiguration at the requesting device 104 at block 335 . in the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. however, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings. the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. the invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued. moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has”, “having,” “includes”, “including,” “contains”, “containing” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. an element proceeded by “comprises . . . a”, “has . . . a”, “includes . . . a”, “contains . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. the terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. the terms “substantially”, “essentially”, “approximately”, “about” or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. the term “coupled” as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. a device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed. it will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one or more specialized processors (or “processing devices”) such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors and field programmable gate arrays (fpgas) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the method and/or apparatus described herein. alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (asics), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used. moreover, an embodiment can be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a cd-rom, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a rom (read only memory), a prom (programmable read only memory), an eprom (erasable programmable read only memory), an eeprom (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) and a flash memory. further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ics with minimal experimentation. the abstract of the disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. it is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. in addition, in the foregoing detailed description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. this method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
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000-299-217-723-20X
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US
|
[
"US"
] |
G02B27/30,B01L3/00,G01N15/14,G01N21/05,G01N21/53,G01N21/64
| 2012-05-16T00:00:00 |
2012
|
[
"G02",
"B01",
"G01"
] |
large area, low f-number optical system
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large area, low f-number optical systems, and microfluidic systems incorporating such optical systems, are disclosed. large area, low f-number optical systems may be used to collect light from plurality of micro channels associated with a plurality of flow cytometers. the optical systems may be configured to collect light from a source area having an object lateral length or width within a range of 25 mm and 75 mm, configured to have an f-number within a range of 0.9 to 1.2, and configured to have a working distance within a range of 10 mm to 30 mm.
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1. a large area, low f-number optical system for collecting light from a plurality of micro channels associated with a plurality of flow cytometers, the optical system comprising: a plurality of optical elements disposed along an optical path of the system; and a mounting system for mounting the plurality of optical elements along the optical path, the plurality of optical elements configured to: simultaneously collect light across the plurality of micro channels distributed over a source area having a length or width within a range of 10 mm to 75 mm; and have a working distance between the source area and a first optical element in the plurality of optical elements along the optical path within a range of 10 mm to 30 mm. 2. the optical system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical elements comprises a plurality of non-aspheric lenses. 3. the optical system of claim 1 , wherein the optical system has one to one magnification. 4. the optical system of claim 1 , wherein a magnification of the optical system is within a range of 0.5 to 5. 5. the optical system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical elements comprises an optical filter disposed in the optical path. 6. the optical system of claim 1 , further comprising an array of input apertures disposed in proximity to the source area. 7. the optical system of claim 1 , further comprising an array of output apertures disposed in proximity to an image plane. 8. the optical system of claim 1 , further comprising an array of apertures positioned to filter in a fourier transform plane. 9. the optical system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical elements comprises a first set of optical elements that collects and collimates light and a second set of optical elements that focuses the collimated light. 10. the optical system of claim 9 , wherein the first set of optical elements comprises a first set of lenses, and wherein the second set of optical elements comprises a second set of lenses. 11. the optical system of claim 10 , wherein the first set of lenses and the second set of lenses form an air-spaced achromatic lens pair. 12. the optical system of claim 10 , wherein the first set of lenses comprises seven or more substantially co-axial lenses and the second set of lenses comprises seven or more substantially co-axial lenses. 13. the optical system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow cytometers is associated with a multi-channel sorter. 14. a multi-channel microfluidic system comprising: a receptacle for receiving a multi-channel microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels; one or more light sources for illuminating at least a portion of each microfluidic channel in the plurality of microfluidic channels; an optical system for collecting light from the plurality of microfluidic channels, the optical system comprising: a plurality of optical elements disposed along an optical path of the system; and a mounting system for mounting the plurality of optical elements along the optical path, the plurality of optical elements configured to: simultaneously collect light from the plurality of microfluidic channels distributed over a source area having a length or width within a range of 10 mm to 75 mm; and have a working distance between the source area and a first optical element in the plurality of optical elements along the optical path within a range of 10 mm to 30 mm; and one or more detectors for detecting light output from the optical system. 15. the multi-channel microfluidic system of claim 14 , wherein the microfluidic channels are associated with a plurality of flow cytometers. 16. the multi-channel microfluidic system of claim 14 , wherein the microfluidic system is a particle sorting system that sorts particles in the plurality of microfluidic channels. 17. the multi-channel microfluidic system of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of optical fibers for receiving light from the optical system and transmitting the light to the one or more detectors. 18. the multi-channel microfluidic system of claim 17 , wherein each optical fiber receives light from one microfluidic channel. 19. the multi-channel microfluidic system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more light sources simultaneously illuminates at least a portion of each micro-fluidic channel. 20. the multi-channel microfluidic system of claim 14 , wherein the optical system comprises a long pass filter having an optical density profile selected to attenuate a magnitude of an incident scattered light signal from at least one of the one or more light sources to be comparable to a magnitude of an expected incident fluorescent signal. 21. a method of detecting scattered and/or emitted light by a liquid and/or a particle in a microfluidic system, the method comprising: illuminating the liquid and/or particle with at least one light source; receiving a first light having a first wavelength and a second light having a second wavelength using an optical system having a primary optical path; attenuating the first light such that a magnitude of the attenuated first light is comparable to a magnitude of the second light in the primary optical path; and detecting the attenuated first light and the second light using one or more detectors in the primary optical path. 22. the method of claim 21 , wherein the first light is a scattered source light and the second light is an emitted fluorescent light. 23. the method of claim 21 , wherein the optical system has an optical filter in the primary optical path, and wherein the step of attenuating includes attenuating the first light using the optical filter. 24. the method of claim 21 , wherein the optical system has a leaky filter in the primary optical path, and wherein the step of attenuating includes attenuating the first light using the leaky filter. 25. the method of claim 21 , wherein the step of detecting includes using a single detector.
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related application the present application claims benefit of, and priority to, u.s. provisional patent application no. 61/647,821, filed may 16, 2012, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. background in a system, such as a microfluidic system, that conveys particles through one or more channels, an optical system may be used for monitoring, analyzing or detecting the particles. optical systems may be useful, for example in particle sorting systems, which sort a stream of particles flowing through one or more channels based on a predetermined characteristic. summary embodiments include a large area, low f-number optical system, an optical system for collecting and collimating light from a plurality of micro channels associated with a plurality of flow cytometers, and a multi-channel microfluidic system including such optical systems. an embodiment includes a large area, low f-number optical system for collecting and collimating light from a plurality of micro channels associated with a plurality of flow cytometers. the optical system includes a plurality of optical elements disposed along an optical path of the system, and a mounting system for mounting the plurality of optical elements along the optical path. the optical system is configured to collect light from the plurality of micro channels distributed over a source area having a length or width within a range of about 10 mm to about 75 mm, and to have a working distance between the source area and a first optical element in the plurality of optical elements along the optical path within a range of about 10 mm to about 30 mm. in some embodiments, the optical system is further configured to have a maximum distortion within a range of about 0.005% to about 0.05% for light from all points in the source area. in some embodiments, the optical system is further configured to have an f-number within a range of about 0.9 to about 1.2 for light from all points in the source area. in some embodiments, the plurality of optical elements includes a plurality of non-aspheric lenses. in some embodiments, the optical system is telecentric. the optical system may have about one to one magnification. the magnification tolerances of the optical system may be within a range of about 0.9995 to about 1.0005. the magnification of the optical system may be within a range of about 0.5 to 5. in some embodiments, the optical system is configured such that at least 65% of the energy incident on an image plane emitted by point source in the source area is encircled by a 200 micron diameter circle at the image plane for all points in the source area. the optical system may be configured such that at least 65% of the energy incident on an image plane within a wavelength range of about 540 nm to about 820 nm emitted by a point source in the source area is encircled by a 200 micron diameter circle for all points in the source area. the optical system may be configured such that at least 75% of the energy incident on an image plane within a wavelength range of about 665 nm to about 820 nm emitted by a point source in the source area is encircled by a 200 micron diameter circle for all points in the source area. in some embodiments, a first optical element in the plurality of optical elements disposed along the optical path includes a first lens having a concave surface facing the source area. in some embodiments, the plurality of optical elements includes seven or more substantially co-axial lenses that collect and collimate the light. the plurality of optical elements may include nine or more substantially co-axial lenses that collect and collimate the light. the plurality of optical elements may include fourteen or more substantially co-axial lenses. the plurality of optical elements may include eighteen or more substantially co-axial lenses. in some embodiments, the plurality of optical elements includes an optical filter disposed in the optical path. in some embodiments, the plurality of optical elements includes a grating. in some embodiments, the optical system has a longitudinal chromatic aberration within a range of about −0.350 mm to about 0.350 mm. in some embodiments, the plurality of optical elements includes a plurality of lenses. each lens in the plurality of lenses may include an optical material having an autofluorescence within a range of about 20×-2× less than that of bk7 glass. in some embodiments, the optical system has a transmission within a range of 70% to 99% over a wavelength range of about 350 nm to about 900 nm. in some embodiments, an output relative illumination of the optical system is within a range of about 70% to about 95% for all points in the source area. in some embodiments, the optical system has a resolution within a range of about 20 um to about 260 um. in some embodiments, the optical system has a depth of field within a range of about −250 μm to about 250 μm. in some embodiments, the optical system also includes an array of input apertures disposed in proximity to the source area. the optical system may also include an array of output apertures disposed in proximity to an image plane. in some embodiments, the optical system also includes an array of apertures positioned to filter in the fourier transform plane. in some embodiments, a diameter of each output aperture in the array of output apertures increases with increasing lateral distance between the output aperture and a center of the optical path. a diameter of each output aperture in the array of output apertures may be proportional to a selected encircled energy diameter for a corresponding position in the image plane. in some embodiments, the plurality of optical elements includes a first set of optical elements that collects and collimates light and a second set of optical elements that focuses the collimated light. a last optical element along the optical path in the second set of optical elements may be a lens with a concave surface facing an imaging plane. a distance between a first optical element in the first set of optical elements along the optical path and a last optical element in the second set of optical elements along the optical path may be within a range of about 500 mm to about 800 mm. in some embodiments, the first set of optical elements includes a first set of lenses, and the second set of optical elements includes a second set of lenses. the first set of lenses and the second set of lenses may form an air-spaced achromat lens pair. a last lens along the optical path in the first set of lenses may have a diameter within a range of about 65 mm to about 70 mm, and a first lens along the optical path in the second set of lenses may have a diameter within a range of about 65 mm to about 70 mm. in some embodiments, the first set of lenses includes seven or more substantially co-axial lenses and the second set of lenses includes seven or more substantially co-axial lenses. the first set of lenses may include nine or more substantially co-axial lenses and the second set of lenses may include nine or more substantially co-axial lenses. in some embodiments, the plurality of flow cytometers is associated with a multi-channel sorter. another embodiment includes a large area, low f-number optical system including a plurality of optical elements disposed along an optical path of the system, and a mounting system for mounting the plurality of optical elements along the optical path. the optical system is configured to collect light from a source area having an object lateral length or width within a range of about 25 mm to about 75 mm and have an f-number within a range of about 0.9 to about 1.2 for light from all points in the source area. the optical system is also configured to have a working distance between the source area and a first optical element in the plurality of optical elements closest to the source area within a range of about 10 mm to about 30 mm, and have a maximum distortion within a range of about 0.005% to about 0.05% for light from all points in the source area. in some embodiments, the optical system has a depth of field within a range of about −250 μm to about 250 μm. in some embodiments, the optical system is configured for collecting light from a plurality of micro channels. the micro channels may be associated with a multi-channel sorting system. the micro channels may be associated with a plurality of flow cytometers. in some embodiments, the optical system is configured for simultaneously collecting fluorescent light emitted by a plurality of particles flowing in a plurality of micro channels. an embodiment includes an optical system having a plurality of optical elements disposed along an optical path of the system the plurality of optical elements includes a first set of lenses configured to collect and collimate light from a source area and a second set of lenses disposed along the optical path after the first set of lenses and configured to focus light. the first set of lenses includes: a first meniscus lens in the optical path having a concave surface facing the source area; a first plurality of intermediate lenses positioned in the optical path after the first meniscus lens; and a first biconvex lens positioned in the optical path after the first plurality of intermediate lenses. the second set of lenses includes: a second biconvex lens positioned in the optical path; a second plurality of intermediate lenses positioned in the optical path after the second biconvex lens; and a second meniscus lens positioned in the optical path after the second plurality of intermediate lenses and having a concave surface facing an image plane. the optical system also includes a mounting system for mounting the plurality of lenses along the optical path. in some embodiments, the first plurality of intermediate lenses includes a lens having a concave surface facing the first meniscus lens and the second plurality of intermediate lenses includes a lens having a concave surface facing the second meniscus lens. in some embodiments, the first plurality of intermediate lenses includes 5 or more lenses and the second plurality of intermediate lenses includes 5 or more lenses. the first plurality of intermediate lenses may include seven or more lenses and the second plurality of intermediate lenses may include seven or more lenses. in some embodiments, the first biconvex lens and the second biconvex lens each have a diameter within the range of about 50 mm to about 200 mm. in some embodiments, the optical system is configured to collect light from a source area having an object lateral length or width within a range of about 25 mm to about 75 mm. in some embodiments, the optical system is configured to have an f-number within a range of about 0.9 to about 1.2 for light collected from all points in the source area. in some embodiments, the optical system is configured to have a working distance between the source area and the first meniscus lens within a range of about 10 mm to about 30 mm. in some embodiments, first set of lenses and the second set of lenses form an asymmetrical lens system pair having about one to one imaging. another embodiment includes a multi-channel microfluidic system with a receptacle for receiving a multi-channel microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels and one or more light sources for illuminating at least a portion of each micro-fluidic channel in the plurality of microfluidic channels. the multi-channel microfluidic system includes an optical system in accordance with various embodiments. the multi-channel microfluidic system also includes one or more detectors for detecting light output from the optical system. the microfluidic channels may be associated with a plurality of flow cytometers. the microfluidic system may be a particle sorting system that sorts particles in the plurality of microfluidic channels. in some embodiments, the multi-channel microfluidic system also includes a plurality of optical fibers for receiving light from the optical system and transmitting the light to the one or more detectors. each optical fiber may receive light from one microfluidic channel. the one or more light sources may simultaneously illuminate at least a portion of each micro-fluidic channel. in some embodiments, the optical system includes a long pass filter having an optical density profile selected to attenuate a magnitude of an incident scattered light signal from at least one of the one or more light sources to be comparable to a magnitude of an expected incident fluorescent signal. an embodiment includes a method of detecting fluorescence and light scatter from a liquid and/or a particle in a channel of a microfluidic chip. the method includes illuminating the channel with a light source. the method also includes receiving illumination source light scattered by the liquid and/or particle and fluorescent light emitted from the liquid and/or particle using an optical system having a primary optical path and a long pass filter in the primary optical path. the method includes attenuating the scattered source light using the long pass filter such that a magnitude of the attenuated scattered source light is comparable to a magnitude of the emitted fluorescent light in the primary optical path after the long pass filter. the method also includes detecting the attenuated scattered source light and the emitted fluorescent light using one or more detectors in the primary optical path. brief description of the figures the following is a brief description of the drawings, which are presented for the purposes of illustrating the disclosure set forth herein and not for the purposes of limiting the same. a more complete understanding of the components, processes, and apparatuses disclosed herein can be obtained by reference to the accompanying figures. these figures are intended to demonstrate the present disclosure and are not intended to show relative sizes and dimensions or to limit the scope of the disclosed embodiments. further, like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout. fig. 1 is a perspective view of a microfluidic device with which an exemplary optical system may be employed, in accordance some embodiments. fig. 2 is a bottom view of the microfluidic device of fig. 1 . fig. 3 is a detail view of fig. 2 showing a single sorter. fig. 4 schematically depicts a sorting channel system of the microfluidic device of fig. 1 . fig. 5 schematically depicts a microfluidic system including an optical system for collecting light from micro channels of the microfluidic device depicted in fig. 1 , in accordance with some embodiments. fig. 6 is a perspective view of a chip holder and a microfluidic device, in accordance with some embodiments. fig. 7 is a top view of the chip holder and microfluidic device of fig. 6 . fig. 8 is a bottom view of the chip holder of fig. 6 . fig. 9 schematically depicts a cross-section of a portion of the microfluidic chip depicted in fig. 1 . fig. 10 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary optical system for collecting, collimating, and focusing light from a plurality of flow cytometers, in accordance with some embodiments. fig. 11 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of optical elements of the optical system depicted in fig. 10 , including ray traces. fig. 12 schematically depicts a side cross-sectional view of a plurality of optical elements of the optical system depicted in fig. 11 including an array of input apertures, an array of output apertures, a filter, and a grating, in accordance with some embodiments. fig. 13 schematically depicts a front view of the output apertures of fig. 12 . fig. 14 is a schematic of light intensity versus wavelength for an optical system not including a low pass filter. fig. 15 is a schematic of light intensity versus wavelength for an optical system including an od6 low pass filter. fig. 16 is a schematic of light intensity versus wavelength for an optical system including a filter that partially transmits light of wavelength 532 nm. fig. 17 is a graph of optical density versus wavelength for a 550 nm absorptive glass long pass filter that partially transmits light of wavelength 532 nm, in accordance with some embodiments. fig. 18 is a graph of optical density versus wavelength for a 550 nm step interference filter that partially transmits light of wavelength 532 nm, in accordance with some embodiments. fig. 19 is a perspective view of the optical system depicted in fig. 10 . fig. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the optical system depicted in fig. 19 showing components of the mounting system. fig. 21 is an exploded perspective view of additional mounting components for integrating the optical system into a microfluidic system, in accordance with some embodiments. fig. 22 is a side cross-section view of example optical system a including eighteen lenses. fig. 23 is a side cross-section view of example optical system b including fourteen lenses showing ray traces. fig. 24 is a graph of relative illumination in optical system a for various lateral positions. fig. 25 is a graph of relative illumination in optical system b for various lateral positions in the source area. fig. 26 is a graph of image distortion in optical system a for various lateral positions. fig. 27 is a graph of image distortion in optical system b for various lateral positions. fig. 28 is a graph of the enclosed energy as a function of radius from the spot center for a 550 nm wavelength point source at different lateral positions for optical system a. fig. 29 is a graph of the enclosed energy as a function of radius from the spot center for a 675 nm wavelength point source at different lateral positions for optical system a. fig. 30 is a graph of the enclosed energy as a function of radius from the spot center for an 810 nm wavelength point source at different lateral positions for optical system a. fig. 31 is a graph of the enclosed energy as a function of radius from the spot center for a polychromatic point source at different lateral positions for optical system b. fig. 32 is a graph of spot radius as a function of lateral position for different wavelengths of light in optical system a. fig. 33 is a graph of spot radius as a function of lateral position for different wavelengths of light in optical system b. fig. 34 is a chart of the energy distribution for optical system a for focal shifts in a range of ±50 μm. fig. 35 is a chart of the energy distribution for optical system b for focal shifts in a range of ±50 μm. fig. 36 is a chart of the energy distribution for optical system a for focal shifts in a range of ±700 μm. fig. 37 is a chart of the energy distribution for optical system b for focal shifts in a range of ±700 μm. detailed description embodiments of provide a large area, low f-number optical system for collecting and collimating light from a plurality of micro channels associated with a plurality of flow cytometers, and a multi-channel microfluidic system including the optical system. the present invention is described below relative to illustrative embodiments. those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be implemented in a number of different applications and embodiments and is not specifically limited in its application to the particular embodiments depicted herein. the inventors found that currently available optical systems could not meet the demands of new multi-channel flow cytometry systems developed by the inventors, in which light from multiple particles (e.g., cells) flowing in multiple microfluidic channels distributed over a source area is collected for measurement and detection by a single optical system. for example, shortcomings of various currently available optical systems included: too high an f-number, too short a working distance, too small an object imaging area, insufficient resolution, too much chromatic or spherical aberration, insufficient image flatness, excess autoflourescence from optical elements, insufficient depth of field, insufficient field of view, insufficient transmission of light across the field of view, high cost of aspherical lenses, etc. some embodiments include optical systems that address one or more of the aforementioned shortcomings. some embodiments include a large area, low f-number optical system configured to collect light from a source area having an object lateral length or width within a range of about 25 mm and about 75 mm, configured to have an f-number within a range of about 0.9 to about 1.2, and configured to have a working distance within a range of about 10 mm to 30 mm. the optical system may have a combination of optical features particularly well suited to the detection of particles (e.g., cells) simultaneously and/or asynchronously flowing in multiple micro channels. some embodiments include a large area, low f-number optical system for collecting and collimating light from a plurality of micro channels associated with a plurality of flow cytometers. the optical system may be configured to collect light from the plurality of micro channels distributed over a source area. the optical system may be configured to have an f-number within a range of about 0.9 to about 1.2 for all points in the source area. the optical system may further be configured to have a working distance of between about 10 mm to about 30 mm. some embodiments include a multi-channel microfluidic system that includes a large area, low f-number optical system. the optical system may include a receptacle for receiving a multi-channel microfluidic chip having a plurality of microfluidic channels, and a light source for simultaneously illuminating at least a portion of each micro-fluidic channel in the plurality of microfluidic channels. the microfluidic system may further include a low f-number optical system for receiving and filtering light emitting from the plurality of microfluidic channels and one or more detectors for detecting light output from the optical system. figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a microfluidic device in the form of a microfluidic chip 20 that may be used in conjunction with exemplary embodiments. the microfluidic chip has channels 30 (e.g., micro channels) distributed over a source area 22 that are associated with a plurality of flow cytometers 11 . fig. 3 depicts a single flow cytometer 11 of the chip. the channels 30 may be suitable for conveying a substance, such as particles or cells, therethrough. the channels 30 may be micro channels. the microfluidic chip 20 includes a substrate 21 in which the channels 30 are disposed. the channels transport fluid and/or particles through the microfluidic chip 20 for processing, handling, and/or performing any suitable operation on a liquid sample (e.g., a particle sorting system). as used herein, the term particles includes, but is not limited to, cells (e.g., blood platelets, white blood cells, tumorous cells, embryonic cells, spermatozoa, etc.), synthetic beads (e.g., polystyrene), organelles, and multi-cellular organisms. particles may include liposomes, proteoliposomes, yeast, bacteria, viruses, pollens, algae, or the like. particles may also refer to non-biological particles. for example, particles may include metals, minerals, polymeric substances, glasses, ceramics, composites, or the like. additionally, particles may include cells or beads with fluorochrome conjugated antibodies. as used herein, the term “microfluidic” refers to a system or device for handling, processing, ejecting and/or analyzing a fluid sample including at least one channel having microscale dimensions. the term “channel” as used herein refers to a pathway formed in or through a medium that allows for movement of fluids, such as liquids and gases. the term “microchannel” refers to a channel, preferably formed in a microfluidic system or device, having cross-sectional dimensions in the range between about 1.0 μm and about 500 μm, preferably between about 25 μm and about 350 μm, and most preferably between about 50 μm and about 300 μm. one of ordinary skill in the art will be able to determine an appropriate volume and length of the channel for the desired application. the ranges above are intended to include the above-recited values as upper or lower limits. the channel can have any selected cross-sectional shape or arrangement, non-limiting examples of which include a linear or non-linear configuration, a u-shaped or d-shaped configuration, and/or a rectangular, triangular, elliptical/oval, circular, square, or trapezoidal geometry. a microfluidic device or chip may include any suitable number of channels for transporting fluids. the microfluidic chip may include a disposable cartridge with a closed channel system of capillary size. the microfluidic chip may be any device or chip including channels for flowing a substance, such as particles (e.g., cells) therethrough. for example, the microfluidic chip may include a particle sorting system, such as the particle sorting systems described in u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/179,488, which issued as u.s. pat. no. 6,808,075, and u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/329,008, which issued as u.s. pat. no. 6,976,590, the contents of both patent applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. other suitable microfluidic systems are described in u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/028,852, which issued as u.s. pat. no. 7,179,423, u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/027,484, which published as u.s. patent publication no. 2003-0015425 a1, u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/027,516, which published as u.s. patent publication no. 2002-0197733 a1, and u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/607,287, which issued as u.s. pat. no. 7,211,442, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. a microfluidic particle (e.g., cell) sorting system for a microfluidic chip, in accordance some embodiments, may have a wide variety of applications as a therapeutic medical device enabling cell-based therapies, such as blood transfusion, bone marrow transplants, and/or mobilized peripheral blood implants. embodiments of microfluidic sorting systems may be capable of selecting cells based on intrinsic characteristics as determined by interaction of light with the cells (e.g., scatter, reflection, and/or auto fluorescence) independent of protocols and necessary reagents. a microfluidic system may employ a closed, sterile, disposable cartridge including a microfluidic chip. the microfluidic system may process particles (e.g., cells) at high speeds, and deliver particles (e.g., cells) with high yield and high purity. in the embodiment of figs. 1 and 2 , the microfluidic chip 20 includes an input region 24 in which fluid, and particles (e.g., cells) are input into the microfluidic chip 20 . as shown in fig. 1 , fluid and particles may be input through a first side 28 of the microfluidic chip. particles in channels 30 are detected while flowing through the source area 22 , which may be described as a measurement region. at the source area 22 , individual particles 62 (see fig. 3 ) may be inspected or measured for a particular characteristic, such as size, form, fluorescence intensity, etc. source area 22 may be illuminated through a second side 29 of the microfluidic chip (see fig. 2 ). although microfluidic chip 20 includes twenty-four channels 30 flowing through the source area 22 , one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that microfluidic chip 20 may include more channels or fewer channels flowing through the source area (e.g., such as 2, 4, 8, 24, 36, 72, 144, or 288 channels). as noted above, a microfluidic chip for use with some embodiments may be a sorter. for example, in microfluidic chip 20 , some of the particles flowing in each channel 30 are selectively directed into downstream channels 31 in a sorting region 26 as opposed to downstream channels 32 . the sorting may be accomplished through one or more mechanisms, which may include but are not limited to: mechanical displacement of the particle by deflecting a membrane with a piezo actuator, optical force techniques, dielectric methods, and other suitable sort techniques. for example, in some embodiments a microfluidic chip 20 includes bubble valves for selectively directing particles into micro channels 31 . details of a sorting channel system 11 for a single channel including bubble valves are provided below with respect to fig. 4 . as illustrated by figs. 1 and 2 , the microfluidic chip 20 may include a plurality of sorting channels systems 11 operating in series and/or in parallel on the chip substrate 21 . for example, microfluidic chip 20 includes twenty-four parallel sorting channel systems 11 that perform sorting in sorting region 26 . a microfluidic chip 20 for use with some embodiments may incorporate multiple sorting regions in series. for example, in some embodiments a microfluidic chip includes a second sorting region downstream from the first sorting region. in some embodiments, the second sorting region provides additional sorting based on a predetermined characteristic to increase purity, or provides sorting of particles based on a different predetermined characteristic. in embodiments with a second sorting region, an enrichment region may be provided between the first sorting region and the second sorting region to adjust selected parameters within the fluid containing the particles to be sorted. for example, the enrichment region may remove excess sheath fluid from collected particles after a first sorting process before performing a secondary sorting process. when performing parallel sorting, the microfluidic chip 20 may pass non-selected particles from each sorting channel out of the chip for collection and/or disposal. in some embodiments, the non-selected particles are summed into a single summing channel. in some embodiments, the non-selected particles are not summed into a single summing channel. for example, microfluidic chip 20 separately passes the non-selected particles from each sorting channel 32 to a collector or disposal device located off-chip. an advantage is derived from using a plurality of summing channels for non-selected particles, and/or zero summing channels for the non-selected particles, in that the potential for clogging may be reduced. by reducing the potential for clogging, the efficiency and lifetime of the sorting system may be increased. the microfluidic chip may utilize one or more summing channels for the selected particles from the array of sorting channels for collection of all of the selected particles or for subsequent secondary sorting of the selected particles. in addition, a system that employs the microfluidic chip, or the microfluidic chip itself, may include a sensor for measuring the velocity of one or more particles in a sorting channel to facilitate more accurate sorting. the ability to measure the velocity of particles within the parallel channels allows for the sorting system to have channels of different lengths and spacings while maintaining accurate sorting, and/or to account for variations in particle velocities due to other conditions. in some embodiments, spacing between a plurality of parallel sorting channels in a particle sorting system may be varied in different regions to conserve resources. for example, in a detection region of a chip substrate, parallel sorting channels may be spaced closer together than in a sorting region of a chip substrate. fig. 4 schematically illustrates the sorting functionality associated with a sorting channel system 11 of microfluidic chip 20 . microfluidic chip 20 has a first supply duct 12 for introducing a stream of particles 62 and a second supply duct 13 for supplying a carrier liquid. the first supply duct 12 forms a nozzle 12 a , and a stream of particles 62 is introduced into the flow of carrier liquid. the first supply duct 12 and the second supply duct 13 connect with the channel 30 , which may also be referred to as a measurement duct, that conveys the particles 62 a , 62 b suspended in the carrier liquid. the channel 30 branches into a first branch 31 and a second branch 32 at a branch point 15 . a measurement region 23 is defined in the channel 30 and is associated with a detection and measurement system 76 to sense a predetermined characteristic of particles in the measurement region 23 . the measurement region 23 corresponds to the source area 22 of the microfluidic chip (see also figs. 1 and 2 ). two opposed bubble valves 27 a and 27 b are positioned in communication with the channel 30 and are spaced opposite each other. the bubble valves 27 a , 27 b communicate with channel 30 through a pair of opposed side passages 17 a and 17 b , respectively. liquid is allowed to partly fill these side passages 17 a and 17 b to form a meniscus 18 a , 18 b in each. for each side passage 17 a , 17 b , the corresponding meniscus 18 a , 18 b defines an interface between the carrier liquid and a gas in the reservoir of the associated bubble valve 27 a , 27 b . an external actuator 19 is also provided for actuating the first bubble valve 28 a , which momentarily causes a flow disturbance in the channel 30 to deflect the flow therein when activated by the actuator 19 . the second bubble valve 27 b serves as a buffer for absorbing the pressure pulse created by the first bubble valve 27 a. the first side passage 17 a is hydraulically connected to a compression chamber 25 a in the first bubble valve 27 a , so that if the pressure in compression chamber 25 a is increased, the flow in channel 30 near the side passage is displaced away from first side passage 17 a , substantially perpendicular to the normal flow in the duct. the second side passage 17 b , positioned opposite of the first side passage 17 a is hydraulically connected to a buffer chamber 25 b in the second bubble valve 27 b for absorbing pressure transients. this second side passage 17 b co-operates with the first side passage 17 a to direct the before-mentioned liquid displacement caused by pressurizing the compression chamber 25 a , so that the displacement has a component perpendicular to the normal flow of the particles 62 a , 62 b through the channel 30 . upon pressurizing the compression chamber 25 a , an amount of liquid is transiently discharged from the first side passage 17 a . due to the resiliency of the second side passage 17 b , the pressurized discharge results in a transient flow of the liquid in the channel 30 into the second side passage 17 b . the co-operation of the two side passages 17 a , 17 b and the fluidic structures they interconnect (bubble valves 27 a , 27 b ) causes the flow through the channel 30 to be transiently moved sideways back and forth upon pressurizing and depressurizing of the compression chamber 25 a induced by the external actuator 19 in response to the signal raised by the measurement and detection system 76 . this transient liquid displacement, having a component perpendicular to the normal flow in the channel 30 , can be applied in deflecting particles having predetermined characteristics 62 b to separate them from the remaining particles 62 a in the mixture. as shown, the channel 30 branches at the branch point 15 into two branches 31 , 32 and the flow rates in these branches are adjusted so that the particles normally stream through the second of the two branches 32 . the angle between the branches 31 , 32 is between 0 and 180 degrees, preferably between 10 and 45 degrees. however, the angle can even be 0 degrees, which corresponds to two parallel ducts with a straight separation wall between them. in a suspension introduced by the first supply duct 12 , two types of particles can be distinguished: normal particles 62 a and particles of interest 62 b . upon sensing the predetermined characteristic in a particle 62 b in the measurement region 23 , the detection and measurement system 76 sends a signal to the external actuator 19 . when signaled by the detection and measurement system 76 , the external actuator 19 activates the first actuator bubble valve 27 a to create a flow disturbance in the channel 30 between the side passages 17 a , 17 b . the flow disturbance deflects the particle 62 b having the predetermined characteristic so that it flows down the first branch duct 31 rather than the second branch duct 32 . the detection and measurement system 76 communicates with the actuator 19 , so that when the detection and measurement system 76 senses a predetermined characteristic in a particle, the actuator activates the first bubble valve 27 a to cause pressure variations in the reservoir 25 a of the first bubble valve. conversely, when operating in other sorting modes such as when performing particle enrichment, the sort mechanism may be used to deflect unwanted particles. the activation of the first bubble valve 27 a deflects the meniscus 18 a in the first bubble valve 27 a and causes a transient pressure variation in the first side passage 17 a . the second side passage 17 b and the second bubble valve 27 b absorb the transient pressure variations in the channel 30 induced via the actuator 19 . basically, the reservoir 25 b of the second bubble valve 27 b is a buffer chamber having a resilient wall or containing a compressible fluid, such as a gas. the resilient properties allow the flow of liquid from the measurement duct 14 into the second side passage 24 b , allowing the pressure pulse to be absorbed and preventing disturbance to the flow of the non-selected particles in the stream of particles. for simplicity, in fig. 4 the compression chamber is depicted as first bubble valve 27 a and the buffer chamber is depicted as second bubble valve 27 b ; however, other designs and configurations may be employed for the compression chamber and for the buffer chamber. for example, fig. 3 shows a sorter 11 including a compression chamber 33 opposite a buffer chamber 34 having an elongated structure. fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary microfluidic system 10 , in accordance with some embodiments. the microfluidic system 10 includes receptacle 42 for receiving a microfluidic device, such as microfluidic chip 20 of fig. 1 . in some embodiments, the receptacle 42 receives a microfluidic chip 20 in a holder 80 . figs. 6 through 8 depict a holder 80 for microfluidic chip 20 . particles and fluid may be supplied to the microfluidic chip 20 from a first side 82 of the holder. the microfluidic chip 20 may be illuminated through an aperture 86 defined in a second side 84 of the holder. in some embodiments, multiple apertures may be defined in holder. for example, a multiple aperture configuration may be aligned with a single fluidic channel, which may enable various pulse detection configurations (e.g. velocity measurements, bar coding, etc.). the multiple aperture configuration may be repeated for the different channels forming an array of apertures that matches the configuration of fluidic channel array. in some embodiments, apertures may be in the form of slots configured to extend across multiple fluidic channels. turning again to fig. 5 , the microfluidic system 10 also includes a light source 44 for simultaneously illuminating at least a portion of each of the microfluidics channels 30 (e.g., the portion of each microfluidic channel 30 in the source area 22 ). the light source 44 may be a laser, a diode laser, a monochromatic light source, polychromatic light source, or any combination of the aforementioned. as a non-limiting example, the light source 44 may be a coherent sapphire 488/200 laser, which is a small, air-cooled optical pumped semiconductor (ops) device producing about 200 mw, 2 w, or 5 w with minimal optical noise. as another non-limiting example, a diode pumped solid state (dpss laser may be used, which is capable of generating different wavelengths of light, such as 355 nm at 300 mw or 2 w, or 532 nm at 1 w, 2 w, 5 w, or 10 w for excitation and/or illumination. one skilled in the art will recognize that any suitable light source may be used. in some embodiments, the microfluidic system 10 includes beam shaping optics 46 for producing and forming one or more beams of light 50 . in some embodiments, the one or more beams of light 50 may pass through an optical mask 60 before reaching channel 30 . the optical mask 60 may take the form of an array of pinholes with each pinhole corresponding to a channel 30 . the light admitted through the optical mask 60 intersects one or more particles 62 conveyed through channel 30 producing optical signals 52 , 53 , 54 . examples of optical signals that may be produced in optical particle analysis cytometry or sorting when a light beam intersects a particle include, but are not limited to: optical extinction, angle dependent optical scatter, and fluorescent light. optical extinction refers to the amount of illumination light attenuated by a particle. angle dependent optical scatter refers to the fraction of light that is scattered or refracted at each angle (theta) away from the incident light beam. fluorescent light results from light that is absorbed by molecules in, on, or around the particle and re-emitted at a longer wavelength. the microfluidic system 10 includes an optical system 110 for receiving light 52 emitted from the plurality of micro channels 30 . light 52 emitted from the plurality of micro channels includes light emitting from particles 62 in the micro channels. exemplary embodiments of optical systems and optical characteristics of some exemplary embodiments are described below with respect to figs. 10 through 37 . receptacle 42 or another component of microfluidic system 10 may incorporate one or more stages for positioning the microfluidic chip 20 relative to the optical system 110 . the microfluidic system 10 includes one or more detectors (e.g., photo-detectors 64 ) for detecting light 56 output from the optical system 110 . the light 56 from the optical system may be focused onto optical transmission fibers 66 , which transmit the light 56 to the photo-detectors 64 . the microfluidic system 10 may include a dedicated optical transmission fiber 66 for each channel 30 in the source area of the microfluidic chip 20 . in some embodiments, the microfluidic system may also include an array of in-line optical fiber coupler-splitters 68 to split light 56 from each transmission fiber 66 into multiple output fibers 69 . the photo-detectors 64 may be connected to electronics 70 that control and/or receive signals from the photo-detectors 64 . electronics 70 may also control one or more actuators (e.g., actuator 19 of fig. 4 ) for sorting particles flowing through the channels 30 . a measurement and detection system (e.g., system 76 of fig. 4 ) that sends signals to an actuator 19 (see fig. 4 ) may include the light source 44 , beam shaping-optics 46 , the optical system 110 , the optical coupler-splitter 68 , the photo-detectors 64 and the electronics 70 . the light source 44 may have a suitable wavelength for inducing fluorescence and the optical system may be designed to collect fluorescent light. fluorescent detection is often used in combination with particles that are labeled with a fluorescent marker, (i.e., an attached molecule that upon illuminating with light of a particular first wavelength produces fluorescent light at another particular second wavelength). if the second wavelength of light is detected, the characteristic is sensed and a signal is raised. fluorescent detection can also be performed on intrinsically fluorescent particles. in some embodiments, a microfluidic system may include additional optical systems for collecting and delivering light from the micro channels to detectors. for example, microfluidic system 10 includes a forward scatter system 72 for detecting forward scattering light 53 , and a side-scatter system 74 for detecting light 54 scattering at a 90 degree angle from the incoming light 50 . signals 73 from the forward scatter system 72 and signals 75 from the side scatter system 74 may be transmitted the optical coupler-splitter 68 before being transmitted to the photo-detectors 64 . the one or more scattering systems may yield information on the size and form of the particles. as shown, the incident light 50 is provided at about a 45-degree angle relative to the channel 30 . the forward scatter light extends in the same direction on the opposite side of the channel 30 . as shown, the forward scatter 53 extends at a 45-degree angle from the channel 30 . the side scatter 54 extends about 90 degrees from the incident light, providing the fluorescence optics 58 a cone of mechanical freedom 55 . in some embodiments, the cone of mechanical freedom 55 provides a 90 degree unobstructed view for the detector in between the forward scatter 53 and side scatter 54 . in some embodiments, optical system 110 may be used for the collection of scattered light (e.g., side scatter) from the light source 44 as well as for collection of light emitted from the particles or from the fluid. additional details regarding using optical system 110 for collection of scattered light are provided below with respect to figs. 14 through 16 . the microfluidic system 10 may also include one or more additional optical systems, which may incorporate microscopes, machine vision systems, etc. in some embodiments, the microfluidic system 10 may further include electronic means for measuring electronic properties of the particles. fig. 9 is a detail of a cross-section through part of the microfluidic chip 20 depicted in figs. 1 and 2 containing a pair of micro channels 30 a and 30 b . the cross-section is in a plane that cuts through the micro channels and the pinholes 61 a , 61 b of the mask 60 . the incident light 50 is partly blocked by the mask 60 and narrowed to focused beams 51 a , 51 b defined by each pinhole 61 a , 61 b . the focused beams 51 a , 51 b intersect each microchannel 30 a , 30 b to illuminate the region in which particles 62 a , 62 b are permitted to flow in a conventional core flow. excess stray light is blocked by the mask 60 , which may be a separate part from the microfluidic chip 20 or may be fabricated on the surface of the microfluidic chip by photolithography or other methods known to those skilled in the art of chip fabrication. as shown in fig. 9 , light 51 a , 51 b incident on micro channels 30 a , 30 b is scattered by, absorbed by and/or emitted by particles 62 a , 62 b in the micro channels. the scattered/emitted light 52 from the particles 62 is collected by the optical system 110 (see figs. 10 and 11 ). an object plane 102 of optical system 110 (see fig. 11 ) passes through the micro channels 30 . as illustrated by fig. 9 , particles 62 a , 62 b in different channels 30 a , 30 b may be simultaneously emitting/scattering light that is collected by the optical system 110 (see fig. 11 ) to monitor particle and or fluid flow through a plurality of micro channels simultaneously. although figs. 1-9 depict a microfluidic chip 20 and a microfluidic system 10 for particle (e.g. cell) sorting, one skilled in the art will recognize that exemplary optical systems described herein are not limited to use in sorting systems. exemplary optical systems may be used with other types of microfluidic systems (e.g., microfluidic analysis systems), or any other type of system or application requiring an optical system with a large field of view and a small f-number (e.g., imaging, microarray, sequencing, high throughput screening, other biomedical and diagnostic applications, semiconductor wafer inspection, solar panel inspection, optical display panel imaging, etc.). fields in which embodiments of optical systems may be used include biomedical, metrology, imaging, optical measurements, machine vision, inspection, manufacturing, and quality control. an exemplary optical system 110 for collecting and collimating light from micro channels associated with a plurality of flow cytometers is illustrated in fig. 10 . the optical system 110 includes a plurality of optical elements 151 , 152 , 153 , 154 , 155 , 156 , 157 , 158 , 159 , 186 , 161 , 162 , 163 , 164 , 165 , 166 , 167 , 168 , 169 disposed along an optical path 112 of the system and a mounting system 120 for mounting the plurality of optical elements 151 . . . 169 along the optical path 112 . further detail regarding an exemplary mounting system is described below with respect to figs. 20-22 . fig. 11 shows the behavior of the plurality of optical elements 140 in the optical system 110 using ray tracing. for clarity, the mounting system 120 has been omitted. the plurality of optical elements 140 collects light from a source area 103 at the object plane 102 of the optical system and collimates the light. as shown, the plurality of optical elements 120 may include a first set of optical elements (e.g., lenses) 150 that collects and collimates light from the source area 103 and a second set of optical elements (e.g., lenses) 160 that images the light onto an image plane 108 . as illustrated by optical paths 176 and 177 , light from a central portion of the source area 103 is collected and collimated by the first set of optical elements 150 , and then is focused by the second set of optical elements 160 onto the image plane at 108 . as illustrated by optical paths 178 and 179 light from an edge portion of the source area 103 is collected and collimated by the first set of optical elements 150 , and then is focused by the second set of optical elements 160 onto the image plane at 108 . the first set of optical elements 150 may include a first set of lenses 151 , 152 , 153 , 154 , 155 , 156 , 157 , 158 and 159 , as shown. the second set of optical elements 160 may include a second set of lenses 161 , 162 , 163 , 164 , 165 , 166 , 167 , 168 , and 169 , as shown. although the plurality of optical elements 140 includes a first set of refractive lenses 151 . . . 159 and a second set of refractive lenses 161 . . . 169 , in some embodiments, diffractive or reflective elements (e.g., diffractive elements, reflective optics) may be used instead of some or all of the lenses. the first set of optical elements 150 may include nine or more substantially co-axial lenses that collect and collimate the light, as shown. the second set of optical elements 160 may include nine or more substantially co-axial lenses that focus the collimated light, as shown. in some embodiments, the first set of optical elements and the second set of optical elements may include different numbers of lenses. in some embodiments, the first set of optical elements and the second set of optical elements may each include more or fewer than nine lenses. for example, in some embodiments, the first set of optical elements 150 may include seven or more substantially co-axial lenses that collect and collimate the light. the second set of optical elements may include seven or more substantially co-axial lenses that focus the light. example 2, described below with respect to fig. 23 , includes a first set of seven lenses that collect and collimate light from a source area and a second set of seven lenses that focus the collimated light. in exemplary optical system 110 , the last lens 159 along the optical path in the first set of lenses has a diameter d 159 greater than 60 mm (e.g., between about 65 mm and about 70 mm) and the first lens 161 along the optical path in the second set of lenses has a diameter d 161 greater than 60 mm (e.g., between about 65 mm and about 70 mm). in some embodiments, d 159 and/or d 161 may be greater than 70 mm. in the exemplary optical system 110 , all of lenses 151 . . . 169 are non-aspheric. in other embodiments, some or all of the lenses may be aspherical. in yet further embodiments, some or all of the lenses may be spherical or aspherical. in the exemplary optical system 110 , the first optical element (e.g., lens 151 ) in the first plurality of optical elements disposed along the optical path has a concave surface 171 facing the source area 103 . in the exemplary optical system 110 , the last optical element 169 in the plurality of optical elements 160 disposed along the optical path may have a concave surface 172 facing the image plane 108 . in other embodiments, the first optical element along the optical path may not have a concave surface facing the source area, and last optical element along the optical path may not have a concave surface facing the source area. the optical system 110 may have a combination of optical properties that make it particularly well suited for applications involving the collection and collimation of light from a plurality of micro channels associated with a plurality of flow cytometers. for example, optical system 110 collects light over a relatively large area and has a relatively high numerical aperture/low f-number. the optical system may collect light from a source area 103 having a lateral length or width w sa of at least about 25 mm (e.g., within a range of about 25 mm to about 75 mm). the optical system may have an f-number (n) of less than about 1.2 (e.g., within a range of about 0.9 and 1.2) for light from all portions in the source area. such a low f-number optical system may be particularly useful for low light applications, such as collecting light from fluorescence, luminescence, phosphorescence, scattered light, plasmonic emission, and/or raman emission. a working distance d w between the object plane 102 and the first optical element (e.g., lens 151 ) along the beam path may be greater than 10 mm (e.g., within a range of about 10 mm to about 30 mm). such a large working distance may be particularly useful in a flow cytometry system in which particles that emit or scatter light are separated from the optical system by at least fluid in the channel and a top surface of a microfluidic chip. due to the symmetric nature of the design, the following aberrations may be canceled: distortion, coma, and/or lateral chromatic aberration, within the limits of the fabrication tolerances of the design. lens system 110 may have relatively little longitudinal chromatic aberration and relatively little spherical aberration. for example, in fig. 11 , the first set of lenses 150 and the second set of lenses 1610 may form an air-spaced achromatic lens pair. the lens system 110 may have a longitudinal chromatic aberration within a range of about −0.350 mm and about 0.350 mm. the optical system 110 may have a maximum distortion of less than 0.05% (e.g., within a range of about 0.005% and about 0.05%) for light from all points in the source area, see also explanation of figs. 26 and 27 below. the resolution of the optical system may be relatively high. in some embodiments, the optical system 110 may have a resolution of at least 20 μm (e.g., within a range of about 20 μm to about 260 μm) for light from all points in the source area. for example, see the explanation of figs. 32 and 33 below. the lens system 110 may have relatively high transmission for light from all points in the source area 103 . in some embodiments, the optical system 110 may have a transmission of at least 70% (e.g., within a range of about 70% to about 95%) over a wavelength range of about 350 nm to about 900 nm. further, the output relative illumination may be high for all points in the source area. in some embodiments, the output relative illumination of the optical system 110 may be above 70% (e.g., within a range of about 70% to about 95%) for light from all points in the source area 103 . for example, see the description of figs. 24 and 25 below. the point spread function of the lens system 110 for various points across the source area may be characterized through encircled energy. for all light energy incident on an image plane from a point source located in the source area, the encircled energy of the lens system can be described as a percentage of the total energy incident on the source plane that is encircled by a circle of a specified radius around the centroid of the distribution, (e.g., the percentage of light that falls within a circle of radius 100 μm or diameter 200 μm). alternatively, the encircled energy may be described as a radius (or diameter) of a circle around the centroid of the light distribution that would encircle a specified percentage of the total energy incident on the image plane, (e.g., the radius that encircles 50% of the energy). the encircled energy of the system may depend on the wavelength of the light emitted from the source area. in some embodiments, the lens system 110 may be configured such that at least 65% of the energy incident on the image plane emitted by a point source in the source area is encircled by a 200 micron diameter circle at the image plane for all points in the source area and for a wavelength within the range of about 540 nm to about 820 nm. in some embodiments, the lens system may be configured such that at least 75% of the energy incident on the image plane from a point source in the source area is encircled by a 200 micron diameter circle for all points in the source area and for a wavelength in the range of about 665 nm to about 820 nm. for example, see the description of figs. 28 through 31 below. most or all of the transmissive optical elements (e.g., lenses, filters, gratings) in the plurality of optical elements 140 may include materials having relatively low auto-fluorescence. in some embodiments, each lens in the plurality of optical elements 140 may include a material having an auto-fluorescence within a range of about 20× to about 2× less than bk7 glass. for example, see table 2 below. the lens system 110 may have about one to one magnification. for example, the magnification of the optical system may fall within a range of about 0.9995 to about 1.005. in some embodiments, a variation in the magnification across the lens system may fall within a range of +/−5%. for example, see the description of figs. 32 and 33 below. the lens system may have a relatively small depth of field. in some embodiments, a depth of field of the optical system may be within a range of about −0.250 μm and about 250 μm. for example, see the description of figs. 34-37 below. the optical system may have a relatively short length l s measured as a distance between the first optical element (e.g., lens 151 ) in the first set of optical elements 150 along the beam path 112 and the last optical element (e.g., lens 169 ) in the second set of optical elements 160 along the beam path 112 . for example, the length l s may be less than about to 800 mm (e.g., within a range of about 500 mm to about 800 mm). fig. 12 illustrates additional optical elements that may be included in the optical system 110 . for clarity, mounting system 120 has been omitted. the plurality of optical elements 140 may include one or more diffractive elements, such as a diffraction grating 188 . the diffraction grating 188 (reflective or transmissive) may be placed in between the first set of optical elements 150 and the second set of optical elements 160 . collimated light from the lens assembly first set of optical elements 150 will then be spectrally dispersed by the grating 188 and refocused by the second set of optical elements 160 . the spectrum of the source is distributed in the image plane along the dispersive axis of the grating. although the first set of optical elements 150 and the second set of optical elements 160 share a same central axis 104 as shown, in some embodiments, the second set of optical elements 160 may have a central axis at an angle to the central axis 104 of the first set of optical elements 150 (e.g., when using a transmission or reflection diffraction grating, and/or selectively imaging a non-zero diffraction order). for example, the second set of optical elements 150 may be arranged for imaging first order diffraction spots. the plurality of optical elements 140 may include an optical element 180 defining an array of input apertures 181 , 182 , 183 , 184 , 185 disposed in proximity to the source area 103 . each input aperture 181 . . . 185 may align with a channel 30 in the source area 103 . for illustrative purposes, only five input apertures are depicted even though microfluidic chip 20 includes twenty-four or more (e.g. 72, or 144) channels 30 in the source area. each input aperture 181 . . . 185 may function to reduce the incidence of stray light (e.g., light from sources other than the microchannel) on the first set of optical elements 150 . the plurality of optical elements 140 may include an optical element 190 defining an array of output apertures 191 , 192 , 193 , 194 , 195 disposed in proximity to an image plane 108 . for illustrative purposes, only five input apertures are depicted even though microfluidic chip 20 includes twenty-four or more channels 30 in the source area. the output apertures 191 . . . 195 may function to at least partially block light emitted from points in the source area that are not at the focal plane. the diameter of each output aperture may increase with an increasing lateral distance between the center of the output aperture and the central axis as illustrated by fig. 13 . for example, output aperture 193 , which is not laterally displaced from the central axis 104 , has a diameter d 193 . output aperture 192 , which is displaced from the central axis 104 by a distance l 2 , has a diameter d 192 larger than the diameter of the central output aperture d 193 . similarly, output aperture 194 , which is displaced from the central axis 104 by a distance l 4 , has a diameter d 194 larger than the diameter of the central output aperture d 193 . output aperture 191 , which is displaced from the central axis 104 by a distance l 1 , has a diameter d 191 larger than the diameters of the output apertures with smaller lateral displacements (e.g., d 192 , d 193 , d 194 . similarly, output aperture 195 , which is displaced from the central axis 104 by a distance l 5 , has a diameter d 193 larger than the diameters of the output apertures with smaller lateral displacements (e.g., d 192 , d 193 , d 194 ). in some embodiments, the diameter of each output aperture may be proportional to a selected encircled energy diameter for a corresponding position in the image plane. for example, an output aperture centered at position in the image plane, which corresponds to a particular position in the source area, may be dimensioned to transmit 85% of the energy incident on the image plane from a point source located at the particular position in the source area that emits a specified wavelength or range of wavelengths of light. further details regarding encircled energy for various positions in the image plane for optical systems are described below with respect to figs. 28-31 . in some embodiments, a diameter of each aperture in the array of output apertures is about equivalent. the plurality of optical elements 140 may include one or more filters. for example, a filter 186 may be positioned along the beam path after the first set of optical elements 150 and before the second set of optical elements 160 , as shown. in other embodiments, a filter may be positioned at one or more different locations along the beam path, which may depend on the angle of incidence limitation of the filter. two filters may be positioned at symmetrical locations in the system to maintain optical symmetry of the design. many different types of filters may be included in the optical system (e.g., bandpass, notch, line, lowpass, highpass, cutoff, multi-band, polarizer, holographic, etc.). a filter, such as a long pass filter, may be used to filter out wavelengths of light associated with the light source 44 (e.g., laser) to increase the ratio of the fluorescence signals to the illumination light from the particles or from the fluid. fig. 14 schematically depicts light intensity through optical system 110 without a long pass filter. as shown in fig. 14 , signals 612 a - 612 d associated with fluorescence are several orders of magnitude less than a signal 610 associated with the light source (e.g., laser). the relatively large light source signal 610 can lead to saturation of detectors and optical cross-talk between signals associated with different channels. fig. 15 schematically depicts light intensity through the optical system 110 when a long pass filter having an optical density of 6 or greater for light of the illumination wavelength is used. note that in fig. 15 , the intensity axis has a larger scale. as illustrated, when using a long pass filter having an optical density of 6 or greater for light of the illumination wavelength, the fluorescence signals 612 a - 612 d are no longer overwhelmed by the light source signal 610 . in some embodiments, a partial transmission filter (e.g., a low optical density long pass filter) is used to attenuate the light source signal 610 to an intensity level comparable to the fluorescence signals and transmit sufficient light source signal 610 to allow scattering measurements based on the scattered light source signal 610 . such a partial transmission filter matched to the intensity of the incident light source signal (relative to the incident florescence signal) and wavelength of the light source signal that yields a transmitted light source intensity of the same order of magnitude as one or more transmitted fluorescence light intensities is referred to as a “leaky” filter herein. for example, fig. 16 schematically depicts light intensity through the optical system 110 including a leaky filter (e.g., a long pass optical filter of about od3). the optical density range for a leaky filter will depend on the relative magnitudes of the light source signal and the fluorescence signals of interest. in some embodiments, the optical density of the leaky filter is sufficient for the transmitted light source signal and a transmitted fluorescence signal of interest to be about the same order of magnitude in intensity. figs. 17 and 18 are graphs of optical density versus wavelength for example leaky filters. fig. 17 is a graph of optical density versus wavelength for a 550 nm long pass absorptive glass filter. for a light source with wavelength 532 nm, the filter has an optical density of about 1.7, which drops off rapidly with increasing wavelength. in some embodiments, the optical density of 1.7 attenuates the light source signal to a level suitable for scattering measurements that is also comparable to an expected signal level of the longer wavelength fluorescence. fig. 18 is a graph of optical density versus wavelength for a 550 nm long pass step interference filter. for a light source with wavelength 532 nm, the filter has an optical density of about 3, with a very low optical density for wavelength longer than 550 nm. in some embodiments, the optical density of 3 attenuates the light source signal to a level suitable for scattering measurements that is also comparable to an expected signal level of the longer wavelength fluorescence. although figs. 17 and 18 refer to leaky filters that are long pass filters, other embodiments may employ other types of filters as leaky filters (e.g., notch filters, band pass filters, short pass filters, etc.). turning again to fig. 12 , although the plurality of optical elements 140 is shown including a filter 186 and a transmission grating 188 , in some embodiments, the plurality of optical elements includes a filter, but not a transmission grating. in some embodiments, the plurality of optical elements includes a transmission grating, but not a filter. in some embodiments in which the light from the source area is at least partially coherent light, an array of apertures may be positioned after a first set of optical elements to select one or more fourier components of the light for imaging. in such an embodiment, a second set of optical elements may have some other position, geometry, and/or configuration, or may be omitted. in an exemplary optical system 110 , the first set of optical elements 150 and the second set of optical elements 160 may form an air-spaced achromatic lens pair. however, in other embodiments, a first set of optical elements and a second set of optical elements need not form an achromatic lens pair. for example, in some embodiments, the second set of optical elements may have a different configuration of elements than the first set, may include a different number of optical elements than the first set and/or may include different types of optical elements than the first set. in some embodiments, the optical system may be telecentric. for example, the optical system may be object-space telecentric, image-space telecentric or double telecentric. although exemplary optical system 110 includes a first set of optical elements 150 for collecting and collimating light and a second set of optical elements 160 for focusing the light, in some embodiments, the optical system may only include the first set of optical elements. for example, one or more additional optical systems may be employed for focusing the collimated light (e.g., each channel in the source area may have its own optical system for focusing the collimated light from the first set of optical elements). in some embodiments, the first set of optical elements may collect light, but not collimate the light. figs. 19 through 21 provide additional views of the optical system 110 that illustrate the mounting system 120 . the first set of optical elements 150 (e.g., lenses 151 . . . 159 ) may be mounted together in a first assembly 220 and the second set of optical elements 170 (e.g., lenses 161 . . . 169 ) may be mounted together in a second assembly 240 (see also fig. 10 ). each assembly may maintain the alignment and spacing of the optical elements in the assembly relative to each other. the mounting system 110 may include a backplate 210 to which the first assembly 220 and the second assembly 240 are mounted to maintain the alignment and spacing of the first assembly 220 relative to the second assembly 240 . the mounting system 110 may include various components for mounting the first assembly 220 and the second assembly 240 to the backplate 210 , such as a bottom plate 212 , a top plate 214 , a lower gussett 216 and an upper gussett 218 (see also fig. 10 ). the mounting system 110 may further include one or more components for positioning one or more filters and/or gratings between the first assembly 220 and the second assembly 240 . for example, mounting system 110 includes a v-block 230 , which attaches to the backplate 210 , for positioning a filter mount 232 for the long pass filter 186 between the first assembly 220 and the second assembly 240 (see also fig. 10 ). the mounting system may also or alternatively include components for positioning one or more filters and/or gratings before the first assembly 220 and/or after the second assembly 240 . the mounting system 120 may include various components for blocking stray light. for example, the mounting system 120 may include a light block shield 250 and light block covers 252 , 253 , for blocking stray light between the first assembly 220 and the second assembly 240 . in fig. 10 described above, light blocking components were omitted for clarity. the components in figs. 19 and 20 may be described as an optical assembly stage 200 that collects and collimates light from a source area of a microfluidic chip and focuses the light for imaging (e.g. imaging onto optical fibers). fig. 21 illustrates components that may be included in the mounting system 120 in addition to the optical assembly stage 200 . for example, the mounting system 120 may include an optical backplane 260 for mounting and positioning the optical assembly stage 200 relative to other components of the microfluidic system 10 . the mounting system 120 may include guides 262 , blocks 264 and one or more springs 266 for mounting the optical assembly stage 200 to the optical backplane 260 . a panel cable mount and light block 268 may be also be included in the mounting system 120 . the mounting system 120 may include components for adjusting relative positions between the optical assembly stage 200 and other components of a flow cytometry system. for example, mounting system 120 may include a collection assembly 270 including one or more stages 272 , 274 for adjusting a relative linear position and/or a relative angular position between the channels 30 of the microfluidic chip 20 and the optical system assembly 200 . as to another example, mounting system 120 may include an output assembly 280 including one or more stages 282 , 284 , 286 for adjusting relative linear positions and/or relative orientations between the optical system assembly 200 and a set of optical fibers (not shown). the mounting system 120 may also include components for illuminating the source area. for example, mounting system 120 may include a v-groove mirror 278 for directing light into a source area and v-groove mirror mount 279 . although exemplary optical system 110 is described in the context of a microfluidic sorting system, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that embodiments of optical systems may be employed for any applications requiring a large object area, low f-number optical system. example optical system a an example optical system including eighteen lenses (optical system a) was designed constructed in accordance with some embodiments. the performance of optical system a was evaluated both through modeling and measurements of performance of the optical system. as shown in the cross-sectional view of fig. 22 , optical system a 300 includes a first optical assembly 310 with nine lenses ( 311 . . . 319 ) and a second optical assembly 340 with nine lenses ( 341 . . . 349 ). for evaluation, the first optical assembly 310 and the second optical assembly were separated by a distance d 300 of 149.17 mm. in use, a filter 302 may be positioned between the first optical assembly 310 and the second optical assembly 340 . a total length of the optical assembly l 300 was 695.33 mm. for clarity, mounting components for connecting the first optical assembly 310 , the second optical assembly 340 , and the filter 302 have been omitted from fig. 22 . the properties of each lens, and the arrangement of the lenses with respect to each other, the source area (object), and the image plane, appear below in table 1. all of the surfaces of the lenses in the first optical assembly 310 and the second optical assembly 340 are planar or have spherical curvature. all of the lenses are made of materials having low autofluorescence, e.g., having an autofluorescence levels 20 × to about 2× less than bk7 glass. an entry “n/a” for “material” in table 1 indicates that the “thickness or distance” value is a distance between optical elements. an entry for “material” that is not “n/a” indicates that the “thickness or distance” value is a thickness of an optical component. pyrex is a trademark of corning inc. for clear, low-thermal-expansion borosilicate glass. table 1components of optical system asurface ref.thickness ordiameterno.radius (mm)distance (mm)material(mm)object planen/a0.05seawater65channelinfinity0.75pyrex67surface (cs 1 )cartridgeinfinity26.61n/a67surface (cs 2 )321−68.1006320.80515s-lal1875.9017322−76.6198212.33964n/a92.09734323−65.226039.65448s-tim2896.10586324−1131.9022.346531n/a129.3912325−2928.7938s-lah65138.1891326−102.98250.5n/a146.5246327−1915.28222s-fpl51157.569328−180.53670.3n/a158.9977329214.474629s-fpl51157.898330−391.07750.3n/a156.2838331142.515913s-lah65139.7803332112.974742n/a127.923333−106.23339.65448s-tim28127.5537334691.772211.88346n/a140.2347335−394.969219s-phm52141.9003336−139.95130.482724n/a145.3962337395.624927s-phm52157.5987338−261.782872.09495n/a159.0429302infinity5silica160303infinity72.09495n/a158.9803351261.782827s-phm52158.9176352−395.62490.482724n/a157.5743353139.951319s-phm52146.4676354394.969211.88346n/a143.2976355−691.77229.65448s-tim28141.882356106.233342n/a128.7219357−112.974713s-lah65128.7802358−142.51590.3n/a140.732359391.077529s-fpl51157.9313360−214.47460.3n/a159.4169361180.536722s-fpl51159.63621915.2820.5n/a158.855363102.982538s-lah65147.36433642928.792.346531n/a139.34453651131.9029.65448s-tim28130.264836665.2260312.33964n/a96.3712236776.6198220.80515s-lal1892.2837436868.1006326.9694n/a75.91994image planeinfinityn/an/a65.12292 as indicated by table 1 and shown in fig. 22 , the first lens 311 in the first optical assembly has a concave surface 321 facing the object plane and the last lens 349 in the second optical assembly has a concave surface 368 facing the image plane. the last lens 319 in the first optical assembly has a diameter of about 159 mm and the first lens 341 in the second optical assembly has a diameter of about 159 mm. the materials listed above are offered by the ohara corporation. table 2 below shows the correspondence between glasses offered by the ohara corporation and glasses offered by schott north america, inc., as well as a brief description of the material. detailed optical properties of each material may be found in the corresponding schott optical glass data sheets, which are available through the web site of schott north america, inc. pyrex is a trademark of corning inc. for clear, low-thermal-expansion borosilicate glass. table 2lens materials for optical systems a and bohara typeschott typedescriptions-fpl51n-pk52aphosphate crowns-phm52n-psk53dense phosphate crowns-tim28n-sf8dense flints-tih1n-sf1dense flints-lal18n-lak34lanthanum crowns-lah65n-lasf44lanthanum dense flintnsl-33kf3crown flintpyrexbf33borosilicate example optical system b an example optical system including 14 lenses (optical system b) was designed in accordance with some embodiments. the performance of optical system b was evaluated through modeling. as shown in the cross-sectional view of fig. 23 , optical system b 400 includes a first optical assembly 410 with seven lenses ( 411 . . . 417 ) and a second optical assembly 440 with seven lenses ( 341 . . . 347 ). in fig. 23 , components of the mounting system are omitted for illustrative purposes. a total length l 400 of optical system b 400 is 495.71 mm. in use, a filter may be positioned between the first optical assembly 410 and the second optical assembly 440 . all of the surfaces ( 421 . . . 464 ) of the lenses in the first optical assembly 410 and the second optical assembly 440 are planar or have spherical curvature. all of the lenses are made of materials having relatively low autofluorescence 20×-2× less than bk7 table 3 below includes the properties of each lens, and the arrangement of the lenses with respect to each other, the source area (object) and the image plane. table 3components of optical system bsurface ref.thickness ordiameterno.radius (mm)distance (mm)material(mm)object planen/a0.25n/a65channelinfinity0.7kf3 (schott)65.01284surface (cs 1 )cartridgeinfinity32.2233n/a75.07627surface (cs 2 )421−49.1725.1s-tih176422−80.2955n/a110423−126.928.9s-phm52120424−88.885n/a136425356730s-phm52154426−164.5923.375n/a154427237.930s-phm52144428−258.817.63n/a144429−125.029.2s-t1h1128430−374.75n/a1344313329.2s-t1h1128432123.4126.71n/a120433161.9722.7s-phm52128434−707.720na128451707.722.7s-phm52128452−161.9726.71n/a128453−123.419.2s-t1h1120454−3325n/a128455374.79.2s-t1h1134456125.0217.63n/a128457258.830s-phm52144458−237.923.375n/a144459164.5930s-phm52154460−35675n/a15446188.8828.9s-phm52136462126.95n/a12046380.29525.1s-t1h111046449.1732.701n/a76image planeinfinityn/an/a65.38895 in table 3, an entry “n/a” for “material” indicates that the “thickness or distance” value is a distance between optical elements. an entry for “material” that is not “n/a” indicates that the “thickness or distance” value is a thickness of an optical component. comparison of example optical system a and example optical system b in table 4 below, various optical properties and characteristics of optical system a and optical system b are summarized for comparison. as shown in table 4, both optical system a and optical system b have a low f-number. optical system a has an f-number of 1.01 for light from the center of the source area. optical system b has an f-number of 1.16 for light from the center of the source area. table 4summary of optical propertiespropertyoptical system aoptical system bf-number (center)1.011.16working distance14/2612/30(mm)(center/edge)(center/edge)relative illuminationcenter: 100%center: 92%(center/edge)edge: 78%edge: 100%max distortion (%)0.0005%0.001%encircled energy550 nm: 70-100%550 nm: not calculatedwithin 100 μm675 nm: 100%675 nm: 80-100%diameter spot810 nm: 90-100%810 nm: not calculatedspot size (μm)50 μm, 50% psf: 10-10050 μm, 50% psf: 60-10050 μm, 50% psf50 μm, 90% psf: 20-26050 μm, 90% psf: 140-24090% psf400 μm: 90% psf: 120-360400 μm, 90% psf: 240-340400 μm, 90% psftolerance: 30%tolerance: 15-30%tolerances (%)magnification error0.04%0.04%(%)overall length (mm)660 mm600 mm both optical system a and optical system b have good relative illumination. fig. 24 shows a graph of the relative illumination of optical system a as a function of lateral displacement. as shown, the relative illumination for optical system a falls from 100% at the center to about 78% at the edge. fig. 25 shows a graph of the relative illumination of optical system b as a function of lateral displacement. as shown, the relative illumination for optical system b rises from about 92% at the center to 100% at the edge. figs. 26 and 27 show the theoretical distortion for optical system a and optical system b, respectively, as a function lateral distance. as shown in fig. 26 , the maximum theoretical distortion for optical system a is about 0.0005%. as shown by fig. 27 , the maximum theoretical distortion for optical system b is about 0.001%. the actual distortion is limited by the fabrication tolerances of the design. figs. 28-31 are graphs of fraction of encircled (or enclosed) energy (ece) as a function of radius from the centroid for points in the source area having different lateral distances from the central axis. fig. 28 is a graph of encircled energy for optical system a for light having a 550 nm wavelength. the graph includes ece as a function of radius for points in the source area offset from the central axis by 0.00 mm, 11.38 mm, 22.75 mm, 27.63 mm, and 32.5 mm. as shown by points 512 and 514 , an ece of 50% corresponds to radii falling within a range of about 25-50 μm for point sources with different lateral offsets. as shown by points 516 and 518 , an ece of 90% corresponds to radii falling with a range of about 60-130 μm for point sources with different lateral offsets. as shown by points 520 and 522 , for a radius of 100 μm, the ece ranges from about 70-100%. fig. 29 is a graph of encircled energy for optical system a for light having a 675 nm wavelength. the graph includes ece as a function of radius for points sources offset from the central axis by 0.00 mm, 11.38 mm, 22.75 mm, 27.63 mm, and 32.5 mm. as shown by points 524 and 526 , an ece of 50% corresponds to radii falling within a range of about 15-45 μm for point sources with different lateral offsets. as shown by points 528 and 530 , an ece of 90% corresponds to radii falling with a range of about 30-50 μm for point sources with different lateral offsets. as shown by point 532 , for a radius of 100 μm, the ece is about 100% for point sources with various lateral offsets. fig. 30 is a graph of encircled energy for optical system a for light having an 810 nm wavelength. the graph includes ece as a function of radius for point sources offset from the central axis by 0.00 mm, 11.38 mm, 22.75 mm, 27.63 mm, and 32.5 mm. as shown by points 534 and 536 , an ece of 50% corresponds to radii falling within a range of about 5-25 μm for point sources with different lateral offsets. as shown by points 538 and 540 , an ece of 90% corresponds to radii falling with a range of about 10-800 μm for point sources with different lateral offsets. as shown by points 542 and 544 , for a radius of 100 μm, the ece falls within a range of about 90-100% for point sources with various lateral offsets. fig. 31 is a graph of encircled energy for optical system b for polychromatic light. the graph includes ece as a function of radius from the centroid for point sources offset from the central axis by 0.00 mm, 10.00 mm, 20.00 mm, and 32.50 mm. as shown by points 546 and 548 , an ece of 50% corresponds to radii falling within a range of about 30-50 μm for point sources with different lateral offsets. as shown by points 550 and 552 , an ece of 90% corresponds to radii falling with a range of about 70-120 μm for point sources with different lateral offsets. as shown by points 554 and 556 , for a radius of 100 μm, the ece falls within a range of about 90-100% for point sources with various lateral offsets. fig. 32 is a graph of rms spot size for encircling 68% of the energy from a centroid as a function of offset of the centroid from the central axis for optical system a. the different lines indicate behavior of optical system a for light of different wavelengths: 550 nm, 575 nm, 625 nm, 675 nm, and 810 nm and polychromatic light. fig. 33 is a graph of rms spot size for encircling 68% of the energy from a centroid as a function of offset of the centroid from the central axis for optical system b. the different lines indicate behavior of optical system b for light of different wavelengths: 550 nm, 575 nm, 625 nm, 675 nm, and 810 nm and polychromatic light. figs. 34 and 35 illustrate the focal shift of optical system a and of optical system b, respectively, by showing the how the image changes for objects of various heights displaced from the focal plane through a range of +/−50 μm. in fig. 34 , the bottom row of images illustrates the spot sizes at the image plane for a 600 nm wavelength point source positioned at 50 μm, 37.5 μm, 25 μm, and 12.5 μm behind the focal plane, at the focal plane, and at 12.5 μm, 25 μm, 37.5 μm, and 50 μm in front of the focal plane for optical system a. the middle row of images shows spot sizes for a 22.8 mm tall object at various positions with respect to the focal plane. the top row of images shows spot sizes for a 32.5 mm tall object at various positions with respect to the focal plane. in fig. 35 , the bottom row of images illustrate the spot size at the image plane for 675 nm and 810 nm wavelength point sources positioned at −50 μm, −25 μm, 0 μm, 25 μm and 50 μm with respect to the focal plane for optical system b. the middle row of images shows spot sizes for a 22.8 mm tall object at various positions with respect to the focal plane. the top row of images illustrates the spot sizes for at 32.5 mm tall object at various positions with respect to the focal plane. figs. 36 and 37 illustrate the focal shift of optical system a and of optical system b, respectively, by showing the how the image changes when objects of various heights are displaced from the focal plane through a range of +/−700 μm. in fig. 36 , the bottom row of images illustrates the spot sizes at the image plane for a 600 nm wavelength point source positioned at 700 μm, 525 μm, 350 μm and 175 μm behind the focal plane, at the focal plane, and at 175 μm, 350 μm, 525 μm and 700 μm in front of the focal plane for optical system a. the middle row of images show spot sizes for a 22.8 mm tall object positioned at −700 μm, −525 μm, −35 0μm, 175 μm, 0 μm, 17 5 μm, 350 μm, 525 μm and 700 μm with respect to the focal plane. the top row of images shows spot sizes for a 32.5 mm tall object at various positions with respect to the focal plane. in fig. 37 , the bottom row of images illustrate the spot sizes at the image plane for 675 nm and 810 nm wavelength point sources positioned at −700 μm, −350 μm, 0 μm, 350 μm and 700 μm with respect to the focal plane. the middle row of images shows spot sizes for a 22.8 mm tall object at various positions with respect to the focal plane. the top row of images illustrates the spot sizes for at 32.5 mm tall object at various positions with respect to the focal plane. the present invention has been described relative to illustrative embodiments. because certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. it is also to be understood that the following claims are to cover all generic and specific features of the invention described herein, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between.
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001-032-476-293-703
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US
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[
"US"
] |
F16B13/06
| 1995-02-21T00:00:00 |
1995
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[
"F16"
] |
fail-safe anchor bolt assembly for cracked masonry
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a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly installable in a pre-drilled hole in masonry to fasten a fixture or other object thereto, the assembly remaining securely anchored even should the hole later be enlarged as a result of a crack developed in the masonry. the assembly includes a bolt having a head engageable by a torque tool to turn the bolt and a shank extending from the head loosely encircled by an expansible shell whose normal outer diameter is close to that of the drilled hole. threadably received on the end of the shank adjacent the shell is a wedge nut having a generally conical frustrum shape defining a leading end followed by a leading portion which merges with a compressible trailing portion terminating in a trailing end, the leading portion having a maximum diameter close to the diameter of the drilled hole and the compressible trailing portion having a normal maximum diameter greater than the diameter of the drilled hole. when the assembly is installed in a drilled hole, the leading portion of the nut enters into and acts to expand the shell against the wall of the hole to provide an anchoring force. but should a crack later develop in the masonry resulting in an enlargement of the drilled hole, the trailing portion then enters the shell to further expand it to maintain the anchoring force.
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1. a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly installable in a hole drilled in masonry subject to cracking to fasten an object thereto provided with a mounting hole, said assembly comprising a bolt turnable by a torque tool, said bolt having a head, a threaded stud projecting above the head receivable in the mounting hole of the object, a shank extending below the head, an expansible shell surrounding the shank, and an internally-threaded wedge nut threadably received on the shank and adapted when the bolt is turned to enter into and expand the shell outwardly against the wall of the hole, said wedge nut having a generally conical frustrum shape defining a leading end followed by a leading portion which merges with a compressible trailing portion terminating in a trailing end, said shape being characterized by a substantially uninterrupted transition in diameter which increases progressively from the leading end to the trailing end, said leading portion having a maximum diameter close to the diameter of the drilled hole, said compressible trailing portion having a normal maximum diameter greater than the diameter of the drilled hole whereby: a. when the assembly is driven into the drilled hole, the trailing portion of the wedge nut is then compressed to permit entry therein and to prevent its rotation so that as the bolt is turned by the tool, the non-rotating wedge nut advances axially on the shank to cause the leading portion to enter into and expand the shell outwardly against the wall of the hole to produce an anchoring force to fasten the object to the masonry; and b. should the masonry thereafter develop a crack resulting in enlargement of the drilled hole, the fastened object loading the assembly will then move the trailing portion of the wedge into the shell to further expand it outwardly against the wall of the enlarged hole, this movement of the wedge nut causing a non-interrupted and continuous expansion of the shell as the wedge nut advances into the shell, thereby avoiding an uncontrolled slip of the wedge nut and maintaining the anchoring force fastening the object to the masonry. 2. an assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which the head has at least one flat side whereby it is engageable by the torque tool to turn the bolt. 3. an assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which the stud has a boss formed at its upper end which is engageable by the torque tool to turn the bolt. 4. an assembly as set forth in claim 3, in which the head is a circular flange. 5. an assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which the bolt, the shell and the wedge nut are formed of a non-corrosive metal of high strength. 6. an assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including a collar of a deformable material interposed between the head of the bolt and the shell mounted on the shank of the bolt whereby when the bolt is turned to draw the fastened object tighter against the masonry, the collar is then deformed to permit this action. 7. an assembly as set forth in claim 1, further including a dust cap detachably mounted on the rear end of said wedge nut to prevent dust deposited in the hole in the masonry when the hole is drilled from entering into the wedge nut when the assembly is driven into the drilled hole. 8. an assembly as set forth in claim 7, in which the dust cap is provided with spring fingers adapted to engage the internal thread of the wedge nut to retain the cap in the wedge nut. 9. an assembly as set forth in claim 8, in which the dust cap is molded of synthetic plastic material. 10. an anchor bolt assembly installable in a hole drilled in masonry in which as a result of a drilling action there is deposited on the bottom of the hole a pile of dust formed by masonry particles; said assembly comprising: a. a bolt turnable by a torque tool, said bolt having a head and a shank extending therefrom whose leading portion is threaded; b. an expansible shell surrounding the shank; c. an internally-threaded wedge nut having a generally conical frustum shape received on the leading end of the bolt and adapted when the assembly is inserted in the drilled hole and the bolt is then turned to enter into and expand the shell against the wall of the hole to produce an anchoring force; and d. cap mounted on the rear of the wedge nut and secured to the internal threading of the nut to prevent dust from the pile from entering the wedge nut when the assembly is inserted in the hole. 11. an assembly as set forth in claim 10, in which the cap is provided with spring fingers which engage the internal thread of the wedge nut to retain the cap on the wedge nut, the cap being detachable from the wedge nut when the bolt is turned to advance through the wedge nut.
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background of invention 1. field of invention this invention relates generally to anchor bolt assemblies adapted to fasten fixtures and other objects to masonry, and more particularly to a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly which when installed in a pre-drilled hole in masonry will remain anchored therein even when a crack later develops in the masonry to enlarge the hole. 2. status of prior art it is often necessary to fasten fixtures and other heavy objects to the surface of brickwork, concrete and other forms of masonry. for this purpose, a conventional practice is to make use of an anchor bolt assembly having an expansible shell which serves to securely retain the bolt within the masonry hole. anchor bolt assemblies come in diverse forms, but in all such assemblies, some means are provided to bring about the expansion of an expansible shell or a similar component against the wall of the masonry hole to anchor the assembly therein. thus in the giannuzzi u.s. pat. no. 3,766,819, a bolt whose threaded front end protrudes out of the masonry hole has a waist of reduced diameter adjacent its rear end, the waist being encircled by an expansible shell. the rear end of the bolt has a conical formation such that when during a fastening operation the bolt is slowly withdrawn from the hole by a nut turning on its threaded front end, the rear end cone of the bolt is axially advanced toward and into the shell to expand the shell against the wall of the hole, thereby anchoring the bolt in the masonry. the primary concern of the present invention is with anchor bolt assemblies of the type disclosed in the dempsey u.s. pat. no. 2,988,950 in which a wedge nut is received on the threaded rear end of a headed bolt. when the bolt is turned by a wrench engaging the head, this nut is caused to travel upwardly on the bolt to enter and expand an expansible shell, forcing this shell into tight engagement with the wall of the hole in which the bolt is inserted. one deficiency of bolt anchors of this known type is that under severe vibratory conditions, the bolt may be loosened from the nut, thereby weakening the anchor. the prior giannuzzi u.s. pat. no. 4,195,547 discloses a vibration-proof anchor bolt assembly which is insertable in a hole drilled in masonry for fastening a fixture or other object to the surface thereof, the diameter of the hole being slightly larger than that of the bolt. the bolt is provided with an enlarged head that lies against the fixture and is engageble by a torque tool, the threaded rear section of the bolt being of reduced diameter. the upper portion of the rear section is encircled by an expansible shell which when expanded is forced against the wall of the hole to anchor the bolt therein. received on the lower portion of the rear section is a wedge nut having an upper conical zone, and a lower cylindrical ring zone whose normal diameter is larger than that of the hole, slots being cut into said ring zone to define spring fingers. these fingers are inwardly flexed by the wall of the hole when the assembly is inserted therein, thereby compressing the ring and constricting the internally-threaded bore thereof. when the giannuzzi '547 bolt assembly is fully inserted in the hole and the bolt head is turned by the tool, the wedge nut, whose rotation is arrested by the compressed ring, is axially advanced toward the shell, the conical upper zone of the nut entering the space between the shell and the threaded rear section of the bolt and acting progressively to expand the shell against the wall of the hole until a point is reached where the threaded end of the rear section enters the constricted bore of the compressed ring. the resultant advance of the wedge nut wedges the threaded portion of the bolt between the compressed spring fingers, forcing these fingers outwardly against the hole of the wall, to create pressure between the mating threads which prevents loosening of the bolt under vibratory conditions. when an expansion-type anchor bolt assembly of the prior art type disclosed above is installed in overhead or side wall masonry, the object fastened to the masonry imposes a load on the anchor bolt which seeks to pull it out of the hole drilled in the masonry. it is vital therefore that in such installations the anchor remain effective under anticipated load conditions. should the anchor fail and the object become unfastened from the masonry wall, this could endanger human life or have serious economic consequences. the holding power of an expansion-type masonry anchor of a given size is determined on the basis of a pre-drilled hole of a specified diameter, for when the expansible shell of this anchor is expanded against the wall of the hole by a wedge nut, it is the magnitude of the anchoring force applied by the shell to the wall that is a measure of the holding power of the anchor. the available holding power depends on the maximum diameter of the wedge nut and the thickness of the shell expanded by the wedge nut. if therefore the outer diameter of the shell is about equal to the diameter of the drilled hole and the maximum diameter of the wedge nut is equal to the outer diameter of the shell, then it is the thickness of the shell that determines the degree to which the outer diameter of the shell can be expanded. the holding power of an expansion-type anchor is calculated on the basis of a pre-drilled hole in masonry of a specified diameter, it is being assumed that this diameter has a fixed dimension. however, under actual conditions masonry cannot be trusted to remain free of cracks that alter the dimensions of a hole drilled therein. it is known that in concrete, after an anchor is installed therein, that cracks may form in the concrete as a result of vibration and other forces to which the concrete is subjected. the formation of these cracks is exacerbated by the lateral forces produced by an expanded anchor installed in a hole drilled in the concrete. should a crack in masonry slice through the wall of a hole drilled therein, the hole wall is then divided into separated sections which effectively enlarge the hole. if the cracked hole has an expansion anchor installed therein whose shell is expanded against the wall of the hole, the force of the expanded shell seeks to widen the separation therebetween, thereby further enlarging the drilled hole and loosening the installation. when a hole is enlarged by a masonry crack, the holding force applied by the expanded shell of the anchor to the wall of the hole is weakened, and the bearing load on the bolt of the anchor produced by the object fastened to the concrete may be great enough to pull the anchor entirely out of the enlarged hole. many building officials in the united states and europe are now concerned that masonry anchors installed in pre-drilled holes be capable of supporting the anticipated load even when a crack develops in the masonry. as indicated by the ueatc "technical guide on anchors for use in cracked and non-cracked concrete"(june 1992) published by the british board of agrement, one answer to the problem created by this requirement is to provide undercut anchors which are anchored mainly by a mechanical interlock provided by an undercut in the concrete. undercutting is achieved after drilling the cylindrical hole in the masonry by using a special drill before installing the anchor. this undercutting procedure is a time consuming and costly operation, particularly when hundreds of anchors have to be installed at a given site. moreover anchors of the type adapted for installation in such undercut masonry are more expensive than masonry anchors designed for installation in drilled cylindrical holes. the need exists therefore for an inexpensive anchor bolt assembly for masonry that is quickly installable in a pre-drilled cylindrical hole and is capable of maintaining an object fastened to masonry even when as result of a crack in this masonry the hole is then enlarged. my above-identified copending patent application discloses a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly installable in a hole drilled in masonry subject to cracking to fasten an object thereto. the assembly comprises a bolt turnable by a torque tool having a head and a shank extending therefrom, an expansible shell surrounding the shank, and a wedge nut threadably received on the shank and adapted when the bolt is turned to enter into and expand the shell outwardly against the wall of the hole. the wedge nut has a generally conical frustrum shape defining a leading end followed by a leading portion which merges with a compressible trailing portion terminating in a trailing end, the shape being characterized by a substantially uninterrupted transition in diameter which increases progressively from the leading end to the trailing end. the leading portion has a maximum diameter close to the diameter of the drilled hole, while the compressible trailing portion has a normal maximum diameter greater than the diameter of the drilled hole. when the assembly is driven into the drilled hole, the trailing portion of the wedge nut is then compressed to permit entry therein and to prevent its rotation so that as the bolt is turned by the tool, the non-rotating wedge nut advances axially on the shank to cause the leading portion to enter into and expand the shell outwardly against the wall of the hole to produce an anchoring force to fasten the object to the masonry. should the masonry thereafter develop a crack resulting in enlargement of the drilled hole, the fastened object loading the assembly will then pull the trailing portion of the wedge into the shell to further expand it outwardly against the wall of the enlarged hole, this movement of the wedge nut causing a non-interrupted and continuous expansion of the shell as the wedge nut advances into the shell, thereby avoiding an uncontrolled slip of the wedge nut and maintaining the anchoring force fastening the object to the masonry. a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly of the type disclosed in my copending patent application operates effectively when the drilled hole in which it is installed is substantially free of dust or other particles produced in the course of drilling the hole. it is for this reason that manufacturers of similar anchor bolt assemblies are careful to instruct installers that after drilling a hole in masonry, it must then be blown clean of the drilling dust. yet many installers neglect to follow this practice, as a consequence of which after a hole is drilled, there is then a pile of concrete dust deposited at the bottom of the hole. when therefore the installer taps into the drilled hole, an anchor bolt assembly in which a wedge nut is received on the end of the bolt, and there is a hole of concrete dust at the bottom of the hole, this pile may interfere with a proper installation. in driving the assembly into the drilled hole, the dust in the hole will then be forced up into the open end of the wedge nut. the so driven dust tends to pack tightly into the internal thread of the wedge nut and thereby prevent the threaded tip of the bolt from advancing forward into the compressed portion of the wedge nut. hence one may not be able to properly install the fail-safe anchor bolt assembly should the installer neglect to blow the drilled hole clean before tapping the assembly therein. in a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly of the type disclosed in my copending application, when the assembly is installed in a drilled hole the head of the bolt whose shank goes through the mounting hole in the fixture, then engages the surface of the fixture to fasten it against the masonry. but where the fixture is relatively thick and has a deep mounting hole, a bolt of this type is then not acceptable, for it is then necessary to provide a bolt having a threaded stud extension capable of passing through the deep mounting hole and projecting thereabove to receive a nut. the nut on the exposed end of the stud is then turned to engage the surface of the fixture to tightten the fastening. the need exists therefore for a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly whose bolt includes a stud extension, the bolt being turnable by a torque tool. summary of invention in view of the foregoing, the main object of this invention is to provide a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly which when installed in a hole pre-drilled in concrete or other form of masonry to fasten a fixture or other object to the surface of the masonry, then remains securely anchored in the masonry even should the hole later become enlarged as a result of a crack developed in the masonry. more particularly, an object of this invention is to provide an anchor bolt assembly of the above type having an expansible sleeve which is initially expanded against the wall of the pre-drilled hole by a wedge nut received on the end of the bolt to produce a strong anchoring force, and should the hole later become enlarged as a result of a crack in the masonry, is then further expanded against the wall of the enlarged hole to maintain the anchoring force. a significant advantage of a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention is that it affords long term security and takes into account the possibility that the masonry in which the anchor is installed may crack at some future time, the assembly then compensating automatically for an enlargement in the hole in the masonry resulting from the crack to maintain the anchoring force. yet another object of the invention is to provide an anchor bolt assembly suitable for installation in masonry subject to cracking which is no more expensive to make than a conventional assembly of the expansion type. still another object of the invention is to provide a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly whose wedge nut has a dust cap detachably mounted at the rear of the nut to prevent dust deposited in the drilled masonry hole from entering the wedge nut when the assembly is tapped into the hole. a further object of the invention is to provide an assembly of the above type in which the bolt includes a threaded stud extension making it possible to fasten thick objects to the masonry. briefly stated, these objects are attained by a fail-safe anchor bolt assembly installable in a pre-drilled hole in masonry to fasten a fixture or other object thereto, the assembly remaining securely anchored even should the hole later be enlarged as a result of a crack developed in the masonry. the assembly includes a bolt having a head engageable by a torque tool to turn the bolt and a shank extending from the head loosely encircled by an expansible shell whose normal outer diameter is close to that of the drilled hole. threadably received on the end of the shank adjacent the shell is a wedge nut having a generally conical frustrum shape defining a leading portion having a maximum diameter close to the diameter of the drilled hole and the compressible trailing portion having a normal maximum diameter greater than the diameter of the drilled hole; when the assembly is installed in a drilled hole, the leading portions of the nut enters into and acts to expand the shell against the wall of the hole to provide an anchoring force. but should a crack later develop in the masonry resulting in an enlargement of the drilled hole, the trailing portion then enters the shell to further expand it to maintain the anchoring force. description of drawings for a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: fig. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment of an anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention; the assembly being shown in conjunction with a fixture to be fastened to masonry; fig. 2 is an exploded view of the bolt assembly; fig. 3 is a separate view of the wedge nut of the assembly; fig. 4 illustrates the assembly being tapped into a hole drilled in masonry; fig. 5 shows the installed assembly; fig. 6 is a top view of a cylindrical hole drilled in uncracked concrete; fig. 7 shows the same hole after the concrete has cracked and widened the hole; fig. 8 schematically illustrates the anchor bolt assembly installed in uncracked concrete; fig. 9 schematically illustrates the same anchor after the concrete has cracked; fig. 10 shows, in an exploded view, a second embodiment of an anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention is what the wedge nut is provided with a dust cap and the bolt is provided with a stud extension; fig. 11 is a separate view of the dust cap in relation to the wedge nut; fig. 12 illustrates the manner in which the assembly is tapped into a drilled hole on whose bottom is deposited a hole of concrete dust; fig. 13 illustrates the manner in which the shell of the assembly is expanded against the wall of the hole and how the dust cap is detached from the wedge nut; and fig. 14 illustrates a third embodiment of an anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention in which the bolt is provided with a stud extension on whose upper is a boss engageable by a torque tool. detailed description of invention structure of assembly (first embodiment) referring now to figs. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown one preferred embodiment of an anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention installable in a hole pre-drilled in masonry to fasten an object to the surface of the masonry. the assembly, all of whose load-bearing components are preferably fabricated of steel to satisfy fire code requirements, is constituted by a bolt 10, a deformable collar 11, an expansible shell 12 and a wedge nut 13. deformable collar 11 is fabricated of a lead allow or a plastic material such as nylon which undergoes deformation when subjected to compression. in fig. 1 the assembly is shown positioned above the mounting hole 15 of a fixture 16 to be fastened to a masonry wall m. bolt 10 has an enlarged hexagonal head 10h engageable by a wrench or other torque-producing tool, and a shank 10s extending from the head having a threaded end section 10e of the same diameter. in practice, the assembly may include a metal washer w (omitted in fig. 1), the washer lying under the head of the bolt to engage fixture 16 or whatever other object is to be fastened to the masonry. expansible shell 12 is loosely received on the shank above wedge nut 13, so that a small annular space exists between the shell and the shank. shell 12 includes, at about its midpoint, three circumferentially arranged pear-shaped openings 12z and three longitudinal slots 12s which extend from the lower end of the shell to these openings to create three bendable tines 14 whose outer surface is knurled to provide frictional engagement with the wall of the hole. the normal outer diameter of expansible shell 13 and of collar 11 is slightly smaller than the predetermined diameter of the hole h pre-drilled in the masonry into which the assembly is to be inserted. if, therefore, use is made of a nominal half-inch diameter carbide drill, the hole produced thereby will actually have a 0.530 inch diameter. in that case, the bolt assembly for a hole this size will have a sleeve and collar of 1/2 inch diameter, so as not to interfere with insertion into the hole. the construction of the expansible shell is such that when wedge nut 13 which has a conical frustrum shape and is threadably received on the end section 10e of the bolt shank, is caused when the bolt is turned, to advance axially toward the shell, the leading zone of the nut then enters the small annular space between the shell and the shank. this action forces the bendable tines 14 of the sleeve outwardly against the wall of the masonry hole to produce an anchoring force that holds the assembly in the hole, thereby fastening the fixture or other object to the masonry. the frustrum shape of the nut is geometrically that of a solid cone between two parallel planes cutting the solid. in practice, the core from which the frustrum is formed need not have a rectilinear taper but may have a curvilinear taper. as separately shown in fig. 3, wedge nut 13 which is provided with an internally threaded bore b is effectively divided into a leading zone z.sub.1 whose front end is bevelled to facilitate entry of this zone into the annular space between sleeve 12 and the end section 10e of the shank, and a trailing zone z.sub.3 whose rear end is bevelled to facilitate entry of the nut into the drilled hole when the assembly is inserted therein. the maximum diameter d.sub.1 of the leading zone z.sub.1 approximates the normal outer diameter of sleeve 12, while the greater maximum diameter of the trailing zone z.sub.2 of the nut fractionally exceeds the diameter of the pre-drilled hole in the masonry. hence to insert the assembly into a hole whose diameter is smaller than the maximum diameter of the trailing zone of the wedge nut, the trailing zone must be compressible to reduce its diameter so that the assembly can be tapped into the hole. the trailing end zone z.sub.2 of the wedge nut is rendered compressible by a set of longitudinal slots s.sub.1, s.sub.2, etc., which define flexible spring fingers, whereby when the bolt assembly is tapped into the masonry hole, the fingers are then flexed inwardly to compress this zone to permit entry of the nut into the hole. the compressed nut creates an outward tension applying pressure to the wall of the hole which acts to resist rotation of the wedge nut. the slot configuration illustrated in figures is but one of several possible arrangements. thus in practice one may cut six slots into the nut at 60.degree. intervals therein. installation of assembly referring now to fig. 4, there is shown the first step to be taken when fastening a fixture or other object to the surface of masonry m in which a hole h is to be drilled. we shall assume that the article to be fastened is in the form of fixture 16 having a mounting hole 15 therein which registers with the hole h in the masonry. in the first step, the bolt assembly is placed with the wedge nut thereof directly over the hole in the fixture in axial alignment with the hole in the masonry. since compressible trailing end zone z.sub.2 of wedge nut 13 has a maximum diameter somewhat larger than that of the hole drilled in the masonry, it is necessary to tap the assembly in with a hammer, to thereby compress trailing end zone z.sub.2 to permit insertion of the assembly into the masonry hole. the assembly is tapped into hole h until it is fully inserted therein with head 10h of the bolt lying flush against bracket 16 (or against a washer carried by the bolt). at this point, as shown in fig. 5, the head is engaged by a wrench or other torque-producing tool, and the bolt is turned. the trailing zone z.sub.2 on the wedge nut is compressed by the wall of the masonry hole thereby preventing rotation of the nut as the bolt is turned. as the bolt continues to turn, wedge nut 13 advances axially toward expansible shell 12, and the leading zone z.sub.1 enters the annular space between the shell and the rear section 10e of the bolt shank encircled thereby. the leading end zone z.sub.1 as it advances, expands the shell and forces bendable tines 14 outwardly against the wall of the hole h to develop an anchoring force which determines the holding power of the anchor. it is to be noted that a heavy load imposed on the bolt by an object fastened to the masonry, which would seek to pull bolt 10 out of the hole, would at the same time serve to force the leading zone z.sub.1 of wedge nut 13 further into shell 12 and thereby enhance the anchoring power thereof. in this sense, the load serves to energize the anchor, the heavier the load, the greater the anchoring force. it must be borne in mind that in some instances where, for example, the fixture is of wood and is slightly warped so that it does not lie flat against the masonry wall, it is not enough for the bolt head to lie flush against the fixture; for one must continue to turn the bolt until the head thereof presses the fixture tightly against the wall. collar 11 permits this tightening action, for deformation of this collar allows bolt head 10 to advance forward until it presses fixture 16 tightly against the masonry wall. it will be appreciated that when the same tool is used to turn the bolt in the reverse direction, this serves to unlock the bolt from the nut, and it becomes possible to remove the bolt from the hole without difficulty, leaving the collar, the expansion shell and the wedge nut behind. however, at some future time, the fixture may be re-installed merely by reinserting and tightening the bolt. a second aspect of reusability is that the bolt may be reused in a new assembly by applying a fresh collar, shell and wedge nut thereto. fail-safe operation an anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention, when installed in a hole h pre-drilled in masonry m.sub.1 having a diameter hd, as illustrated in fig. 6, is securely anchored therein by the anchoring force produced by the shell expanded by the leading zone z.sub.1 of the wedge nut. figs. 6 and 8 illustrate a condition in which the masonry m.sub.1 is uncracked; hence the diameter hd of hole h is determined by the diameter of the drill bit drilling the hole. fig. 7 illustrates a condition in which the masonry m.sub.1 in which the hole is pre-drilled becomes subsequently cracked after the anchor bolt assembly has been installed therein. should this crack slice through the hole, the crack c will divide the wall of the hole into two sections which are spaced apart to a degree determined by the nature of the crack, thereby effectively producing an enlarged hole eh of oblong crossection which is wider than hole h in the uncracked masonry and has a diameter ehd. when the hole is uncracked, the anchor bolt assembly as shown in fig. 8 serves to fasten the fixture 16 or other object directly against the surface of masonry m.sub.1, the fixture acting as a load producing a downward force f which seeks to pull the bolt assembly from the hole. force f is resisted by the anchoring force of the bolt assembly on the wall of the hole. but when as shown in fig. 9, masonry m.sub.2 develops a crack c which enlarges the hole, the anchoring force of the installed bolt assembly is weakened to an extent that depends of the size of the enlarged hole eh. the load force f imposed on the bolt 12 of the anchor assembly may then be sufficient to overcome the weakened anchor force, as a consequence of which force f proceeds to withdraw bolt 12 from enlarged hole eh, thereby causing fixture 16 to become displaced from the surface of masonry m.sub.2. then bolt 12, on whose end wedge nut 13 is attached, proceeds to advance outwardly from the enlarged hole eh in the cracked masonry. this movement causes nut 13 to move more deeply into the expanded shell 12, the trailing zone z.sub.2 of the nut then penetrating the expanded shell to further expand it to frictionally engage the wall of the enlarged hole eh and thereby restore and maintain the anchoring force. the greater the extent to which a crack enlarges the hole, the more deeply into shell goes the trailing zone z.sub.2 to outwardly flare the tines 14 of the shell to engage the wall of the enlarged hole to maintain an anchoring force sufficient to prevent the anchor bolt assembly from being pulled out of the enlarged hole by the load imposed thereon. the leading and trailing zones z.sub.1 and z.sub.2 of the wedge nut form part of a common frustrum. consequently there is an uninterrupted transition from the leading zone to the trailing zone when the wedge nut is pulled more deeply into the shell because the drilling hole has become enlarged. should a crack develop in the masonry in which the anchor bolt assembly is installed, the resultant enlarged hole in the masonry activates the assembly, for the load imposed on the bolt of the assembly then pulls the wedge nut more deeply in the shell to further expand if against the wall of the enlarged hole to thereby maintain the anchoring force. while a crack in the masonry will cause the fixture or other anchored load to separate slightly from the surface of the masonry, the fixture will remain fastened to masonry, for the anchoring force is maintained. and by again turning the bolt with a torque tool, one may then tighten the fixture against the surface of the masonry. thus an anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention is a fail-safe assembly, for it is capable of compensating automatically for an enlargement in the size of the hole in masonry in which the assembly is installed as a result of a crack later developed in the masonry. the reason why a conventional expansion type anchor bolt assembly is incapable of affording a fail-safe operation is that its conical wedge nut must have a maximum diameter no greater than the diameter of the drilled hole, so that the nut is receivable therein. when the assembly is inserted in the drilled hole and the bolt is turned to advance the conical nut into the expansible sleeve, the sleeve is then expanded against the wall of the hole to anchor the assembly in the hole. but should a crack later develop in the masonry enlarging the hole and releasing the anchoring force, though the wedge nut will then be pulled by the load on the bolt deeper into the expansible shell, because its maximum diameter is no greater than that of the pre-drilled uncracked hole and is measurably smaller than the size of the enlarged cracked hole, the nut is incapable of further expanding the shell against the wall of the enlarged hole to provide a substantial anchoring force. load displacement curve the smooth, uninterrupted transition from the leading zone to the trailing zone of the wedge nut is due to its conical frustrum geometry in which the diameter of the nut increases progressively in a rectilinear or curvilinear path without any discontinuity. the geometry of the nut and its dimensions play a dimensions play a vital role in the operation of the anchor bolt assembly when the drilled hole in which the assembly is installed, is enlarged as a result of a crack in the masonry. when this crack develops, and weakens the anchoring force, the wedge nut mounted on the threaded end of the bolt is then pulled by the load imposed on the bolt more deeply into the expansible shell to further expand it against the wall of the enlarged hole to restore and maintain the anchoring force. in this action which takes place only when a crack develops in the masonry, the load produced by the object fastened by the anchor bolt assembly against the surface of the masonry, is shifted from this masonry surface to an ultimate position spaced from this surface. the outerward movement of the load from its surface position to the ultimate position, when graphically plotted, produces what is referred to in the veatc technical guide, above identified, as "the load displacement curve." as noted in this technical guide, the criteria for load displacement includes a requirement that "the load displacement curve must show a steady increase." this dictates that the curve running from the position of zero displacement to the ultimate position of the load be a substantially straight line, free of undulation. the technical guide indicates that an increase in displacement which is unsteady, because of "an uncontrolled slip of the anchor" is not acceptable. no uncontrolled slip is encountered with an anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention. when the drilled hole in which the assembly is installed is enlarged as a result of a crack developed in the masonry, the frustrum shaped wedge nut whose diameter increases progressively then proceeds to move more deeply into the shell to further expand it against the wall of the enlarged hole. hence the slip of the anchor is controlled and the resultant load displacement curve exhibits a steady increase, thereby satisfying the criteria for load displacement behavior. an anchor bolt assembly in accordance with the invention does not wait for a crack in the masonry to fully develop before the assembly is activated to cope with the enlarged hole. at the first sign of a developing crack, as the hole begins to enlarge and to weaken the existing anchoring force, the load imposed on the bolt by the fastenened object then proceeds to draw the trailing zone of the wedge nut mounted on the end section of the bolt into the shell to further expand it. as the cracked hole in the masonry grows larger in size, the trailing zone of the wedge nut is drawn more deeply into the shell to further expand it against the wall of the enlarging hole to maintain the anchoring force until the hole reaches its ultimate enlarged size which depends on the nature of the crack, at which point the assembly is again stable and strongly anchored in the enlarged hole. hence at no time is the expanded shell of the assembly disengaged from the wall of the hole and at no time is the anchoring force disabled. second embodiment referring now to figs. 10 and 11 there is shown a second embodiment of an anchor bolt installable in a hole pre-drilled in masonry to fasten an object to the surface of the masonry. the assembly includes a bolt 10a that is the same as bolt 10 shown in fig. 2 except that extending axially from head 10h of the bolt and integral therewith is an externally threaded stud extension 10e. also included in the assembly is a washer w, a deformable collar 11, an expansible sheel 12 and a wedge nut 13, these elements correspond to the elements bearing the same reference characters in fig. 2 and function in the same manner. the purpose of stud extension 10e is for fastening a fixture or other object to a masonry surface in which the fixture has a relatively deep mounting hole. when the assembly is installed in a hole drilled in masonry, the stud extension 10e then projects above the surface of the masonry, and the fixture is placed on the masonry so that the stud extension passes through the mounting hole in the fixture and thereabove. then a nut is applied to the exposed end of the stud extension and turned thereon to engage the surface of the fixture and tighten it against the masonry. the manner in which the assembly shown in fig. 10 is installed in the drilled hole and its fail-safe characteristics are the same as for the assembly shown in fig. 2. however, the assembly shown in figs. 10 and 11 has a feature absent in the fig. 2 assembly, this being a dust cap 17 which is detachably mounted on the rear end of wedge nut 13. dust cap 17 which is molded of synthetic plastic material, such as polyethylene, is provided with a circular array of three short spring fingers a, b and c, making it possible to snap the cap onto the rear of the wedge nut, the fingers engaging the internal thread of the nut. as pointed out, previously when an installer drills a hole in concrete, such as a hole h shown in figs. 12, there is then deposited on the bottom of this hole a pile 18 of concrete dust. and if the installer neglects to blow this dust out of the hole, it will interfere with the proper installation of the assembly unless the wedge nut 13 is shielded from the dust. should the dust enter into the wedge nut, it will pack tightly into its internal threading and make it difficult to turn the bolt so that it advances into the nut. when therefore, as shown in fig. 12, the assembly is tapped by hammer 19 into the hole drilled in masonry, the rigid face of dust cap 17 will then engage and compact the pile 18 of concrete dust and keep the dust away from the interior of the wedge nut 13. and when, as shown in fig. 13, the assembly is fully inserted in the drilled hole, and the bolt is turned by a torque tool engaging head 10h, this action causes shell 12 to expand against the wall of the hole to produce an anchoring force. when the bolt is tightened so that its tip advances through and out of wedge nut 13, the tip then detaches dust cap 17 from the end of the wedge nut. thus the dust cap prevents concrete dust depositing in the drill hole from interfering with a proper installation of the assembly, and it also relieves the installer of the need to blow the dust out of the hole. the fact that the wedge nut is provided with a dust cap does not mean that the installer should not after drilling a hole in masonry, then blow it clean, for this is the desirable practice. but should the installer neglect to follow this practice, the dust cap then serves a useful purpose. third embodiment in the second embodiment shown in fig. 10, in order to be able to engage 10h of the bolt with a torque tool to turn the bolt and expand the shell, it is necessary that head 10h have a hexagonal or other non-circular form. in some application, it is desirable that the head of the bolt below the stud extension be a circular flange, and not hexagonal in form. thus the bolt 10b shown in fig. 14 which is included in an assembly similar to that shown in fig. 10 is provided with a circular flange 10c above which is a cylindrical externally-threaded stud extension 10 on whose upper and is a square boss 10f. hence to turn bolt 10b, one engages boss 10f with a torque tool. while there have been shown preferred embodiments of the fail-safe anchor bolt assembly for cracked masonry in accordance with the invention, it is to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.
|
002-792-992-025-850
|
KR
|
[
"US",
"KR"
] |
H04R29/00,H04R3/12,H04M1/00
| 2005-04-18T00:00:00 |
2005
|
[
"H04"
] |
apparatus and method for controlling audio output of audio system
|
an apparatus and method are disclosed for controlling an audio output of an audio system to prevent a sudden burst of an audio signal through a speaker from startling people near the audio system when an earphone is disconnected from the audio system. by muting an audio output of the audio system when the earphone is disconnected from the audio system, such a sudden burst may be avoided.
|
1 . a method for controlling an audio output of a portable audio device having at least one speaker integrated therein, the method comprising: detecting that an external listening device has been disconnected from the portable audio device; and altering the audio output such that no audio signal is generated from the at least one speaker. 2 . the method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a message indicating that the external listening device has been disconnected. 3 . the method of claim 2 , further comprising no longer altering the audio output when a specific response to the message is received. 4 . the method of claim 3 , further comprising outputting the audio signal to one of the external listening device and the at least one speaker according to the specific response. 5 . the method of claim 1 , further comprising not altering the audio output when the external listening device is connected to the portable audio device. 6 . the method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a message indicating that the external listening device has been connected. 7 . the method of claim 2 , wherein the message is a message requesting whether to output the audio signal to the at least one speaker. 8 . the method of claim 1 , wherein the external listening device is an earplug. 9 . the method of claim 1 , wherein altering the audio output comprises muting the audio output. 10 . a method for controlling an audio output of a portable audio device, the method comprising: detecting that an earphone has been disconnected from the portable audio device; muting the audio output; and displaying a message indicating that the earphone has been disconnected. 11 . the method of claim 10 , further comprising: no longer muting the audio output when a specific response to the message is received; and outputting an audio signal to one of the earplug and at least one speaker integrated into the portable audio device according to the specific response. 12 . the method of claim 10 , further comprising: no longer muting the audio output and outputting an audio signal to the earplug when the earplug is connected to the portable audio device; and displaying a message indicating that the earplug has been connected. 13 . an apparatus for controlling an audio output of a portable audio device having at least one speaker integrated therein, the apparatus comprising: a detecting unit adapted to generate a disconnection signal when an external listening device is disconnected from the portable audio device; and a controller adapted to alter the audio output according to the disconnection signal such that no audio signal is generated from the at least one speaker. 14 . the apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a display unit and wherein the controller is further adapted to generate and display a message on the display unit, the message indicating that the external listening device has been disconnected. 15 . the apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the message is an acknowledgement message that inquires if the user desires to output the audio signal to the at least one speaker. 16 . the apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further adapted to no longer alter the audio output when a specific response to the message is received. 17 . the apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the controller is further adapted to output an audio signal to one of the external listening device and the at least one speaker when the specific response is received. 18 . an apparatus for controlling an audio output of a portable audio device, the apparatus comprising: an earphone jack adapted to receive an earphone; at least one speaker adapted to reproduce an audio signal; a detecting unit adapted to generate a disconnection signal if the earphone is disconnected from the earphone jack; and a controller adapted to mute the audio output according to the disconnection signal, generate and display a message indicating that the earphone has been disconnected and output an audio signal to one of the earphone jack and the at least one speaker according to a specific response to the message received from a user. 19 . the apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising: a converting unit adapted to convert a digital audio signal into an analog audio signal; and a switch adapted to output the analog audio signal to the earphone jack according to a first control signal and output the analog audio signal to the at least one speaker according to a second control signal, wherein the detecting unit is further adapted to generate a connection signal when the earphone is connected to the earphone jack and the controller is further adapted to generate the digital audio signal according to the connection signal and to generate the first control signal and second control signal according to the specific response. 20 . the apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the controller is further adapted to generate the first control signal when the specific response selects the earphone jack and to generate the second control signal when the specific response selects the at least one speaker. 21 . the apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a display unit having a touch pad on a screen adapted to allow the user to enter the specific response.
|
cross-reference to related applications pursuant to 35 u.s.c. § 119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to korean application no. 10-2005-0032092, filed on apr. 18, 2005, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to an audio system and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for controlling an audio output of an audio system. 2. description of the related art in general, an audio system for an mp3 player (mpeg layer 3 player), a cassette player, a mobile communication terminal or a pda (personal digital assistant) includes a speaker and an earphone terminal (earphone jack). when the earphone is disconnected from the audio system, an audio signal is automatically output through the speaker installed in the audio system and when the earphone is connected to the audio system the audio signal is automatically output through the earphone. however, the related art audio system has a problem when the earphone is unintentionally disconnected from the audio system while a user is listening to music through the earphone. if this happens, the audio signal (sound) is automatically output through the speaker, thereby startling people near the speaker and embarrassing the user. therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and method for controlling an audio output of an audio system that prevents a sudden burst of an audio signal from a speaker when an earphone is disconnected from the audio system. the present invention addresses these and other needs. summary of the invention features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. the objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. the invention is directed to provide an apparatus and method for controlling an audio output of an audio system that prevents a sudden burst of an audio signal from a speaker when an earphone is disconnected from the audio system. one object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for controlling an audio output of an audio system that mutes an audio output of the audio system when an earphone is disconnected from the audio system. another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for controlling an audio output of an audio system that informs a user that an earphone has been disconnected from the audio system. in one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an audio output of a portable audio device having at least one speaker integrated therein is provided. the method includes detecting that an external listening device has been disconnected from the portable audio device and altering the audio output such that no sudden burst of an audio signal is generated from the at least one speaker. it is contemplated that the method further includes displaying a message indicating that the external listening device has been disconnected. it is further contemplated that the method further includes no longer altering the audio output when a specific response to the message is received. it is contemplated that the method further includes outputting the audio signal to one of the external listening device and the at least one speaker according to the specific response. it is further contemplated that the method further includes not altering the audio output when the external listening device is connected to the portable audio device. it is contemplated that the method further includes displaying a message indicating that the external listening device has been connected. it is further contemplated that the message is a message requesting whether to output the audio signal to the at least one speaker. it is contemplated that the external listening device is an earplug. it is further contemplated that altering the audio output comprises muting the audio output. in another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an audio output of a portable audio device is provided. the method includes detecting that an earphone has been disconnected from the portable audio device, muting the audio output and displaying a message indicating that the earphone has been disconnected. it is contemplated that the method further includes no longer muting the audio output when a specific response to the message is received and outputting an audio signal to one of the earplug and at least one speaker integrated into the portable audio device according to the specific response. it is further contemplated that the method further includes no longer muting the audio output and outputting an audio signal to the earplug when the earplug is connected to the portable audio device and displaying a message indicating that the earplug has been connected. in another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling an audio output of a portable audio device having at least one speaker integrated therein is provided. the apparatus includes a detecting unit adapted to generate a disconnection signal when an external listening device is disconnected from the portable audio device and a controller adapted to alter the audio output according to the disconnection signal such that no sudden burst of an audio signal is generated from the at least one speaker. it is contemplated that the apparatus further includes a display unit and the controller is further adapted to generate and display a message on the display unit, the message indicating that the external listening device has been disconnected. it is further contemplated that the message is an acknowledgement message that inquires if the user desires to output the audio signal to the at least one speaker. it is contemplated that the controller is further adapted to no longer alter the audio output when a specific response to the message is received. it is further contemplated that the controller is further adapted to output an audio signal to one of the external listening device and the at least one speaker when the specific response is received. in another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling an audio output of a portable audio device is provided. the apparatus includes an earphone jack adapted to receive an earphone, one or more speakers adapted to reproduce an audio signal, a detecting unit adapted to generate a disconnection signal if the earphone is disconnected from the earphone jack and a controller adapted to mute the audio output according to the disconnection signal, generate and display a message indicating that the earphone has been disconnected and output an audio signal to one of the earphone jack and the speakers according to a specific response to the message received from a user. it is contemplated that the apparatus further includes a converting unit adapted to convert a digital audio signal into an analog audio signal and a switch adapted to output the analog audio signal to the earphone jack according to a first control signal and output the analog audio signal to the at least one speaker according to a second control signal, wherein the detecting unit is further adapted to generate a connection signal when the earphone is connected to the earphone jack and the controller is further adapted to generate the digital audio signal according to the connection signal and to generate the first control signal and second control signal according to the specific response. preferably, the controller is further adapted to generate the first control signal when the specific response selects the earphone jack and to generate the second control signal when the specific response selects the at least one speaker. it is further contemplated that the apparatus further includes a display unit having a touch pad on a screen adapted to allow the user to enter the specific response. additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. it is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. these and other embodiments will also become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiments disclosed. brief description of the drawings the accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. features, elements, and aspects of the invention that are referenced by the same numerals in different figures represent the same, equivalent, or similar features, elements, or aspects in accordance with one or more embodiments. fig. 1 is an exemplary view illustrating the construction of a triode earphone plug and a tetrode earphone plug. fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the construction of an apparatus for controlling an audio output of an audio system in accordance with the present invention. fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for controlling an audio output of an audio system in accordance with the present invention. detailed description of the preferred embodiments the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling an audio output of an audio system that mutes an audio output of the audio system when an earphone is disconnected from the audio system, thereby preventing a sudden burst of an audio signal from a speaker. it is contemplated that the present invention may be utilized anytime it is desired to prevent a sudden burst of an audio signal from a speaker when an earphone is disconnected from an audio system. reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. an apparatus and method in accordance with the present invention for controlling an audio output of an audio system such that a sudden burst of an audio signal from a speaker is prevented by muting an audio output of the audio system when an earphone is disconnected from the audio system will be described with reference to figs. 1 to 3 . fig. 1 is an exemplary view showing the construction of a triode earphone plug 10 and a tetrode earphone plug 20 . as illustrated in fig. 1 , the triode earphone plug 10 includes a left audio terminal (ear l), a right audio terminal (ear r) and a ground terminal (gnd), while the tetrode earphone plug 20 includes a left audio terminal (ear l), a right audio terminal (ear r), a ground terminal (gnd) and an external input terminal (mic). an earphone detecting unit detects whether an earphone plug is connected to the audio system, for example via an earphone jack. when the earphone plug is disconnected from the audio system, the audio system automatically mutes an audio signal. additionally, after the audio system automatically mutes the audio signal, the audio signal is output through a speaker according to a user request. furthermore, if the earphone plug is re-connected to the audio system after the audio system automatically muted the audio signal, the audio system automatically outputs the audio signal through the earphone. therefore, when the earphone plug is disconnected from the audio system, the audio output (audio signal) of the audio system is muted to prevent the audio signal from suddenly being output through a speaker and thereby preventing a sudden burst of an audio signal from startling people near the audio system. as illustrated in fig. 2 , the apparatus 100 for controlling the audio output of an audio system in accordance with the present invention includes an earphone detecting unit 103 for generating a disconnection detect signal when the earphone plug (not shown) is disconnected from an earphone jack 104 of the audio system. the apparatus 100 further includes a controller 102 for generating an audio signal and muting the audio signal (audio output) when the disconnection detect signal is received. the controller 102 can generate a message informing that the earphone plug has been disconnected based on the disconnection detect signal and transmit the generated message to a display unit 101 . the display unit 101 displays the message on its screen. when the earphone plug is connected with the earphone jack 104 , the earphone detecting unit 103 generates a connection detect signal and outputs the signal to the controller 102 . the earphone detecting unit 103 can detect whether the earphone plug has been connected with the earphone jack 104 by detecting a signal, for example a vcc signal, a gnd signal or a sound signal output through an earphone detection terminal (not shown) installed within the earphone jack 104 . it is contemplated that various methods may be used to detect that the earphone plug has been connected with the earphone jack 104 . the controller 102 generates a digital audio signal according to a connection detect signal or a user request and outputs the generated digital audio signal to an audio codec 105 . furthermore, the controller 102 generates a first control signal for selecting the earphone jack 104 based on the connection detect signal and outputs the first control signal to a switch 106 . the audio codec 105 converts the digital audio signal into an analog audio signal and outputs the analog signal to the switch 106 . the switch 106 is connected to the earphone jack 104 and a speaker 107 and outputs the analog audio signal to the earphone plug through the earphone jack 104 according to the first control signal of the controller 102 . when the earphone plug is disconnected from the earphone jack 104 , the earphone detecting unit 103 generates a disconnection detect signal and outputs the signal to the controller 102 . the controller 102 then mutes the digital audio signal based on the disconnection detect signal, generates a message indicating that the earphone plug has been disconnected based on the disconnection detect signal and outputs the message to the display unit 101 . the display unit 101 displays the message on its screen. when a response to the message, for example, a signal for selecting the speaker 107 or a signal for selecting the earphone is received from the user, the controller 102 no longer mutes the digital audio signal and outputs the digital audio signal to the audio codec 105 . an lcd (liquid crystal display) or an led (light emitting diode) can be used as the display unit 101 . thereafter, when a response to the message, for example, a signal for selecting the speaker 107 , is received from the user, the controller 102 generates a second control signal for selecting the speaker and outputs the second control signal to the switch 106 . for example, when the user selects a specific item, for example, the speaker 107 , in response to the message using a touch pad (not shown) installed on a screen of the display 101 , the controller 102 outputs the second control signal to the switch 106 . when the connection detect signal is received from the earphone detecting unit 103 while the message is being displayed, the controller 102 generates the first control signal and outputs it to the switch 106 . the switch 106 outputs the analog audio signal from the audio codec 105 to the earphone jack 104 or the speaker 107 according to the first or second control signal. the message indicates whether to output the audio signal to the speaker 107 of the audio system and further indicates selection of the earphone or the speaker. for example, when the speaker 107 is selected by the user, the controller 102 outputs the audio signal through the speaker and when the earphone is selected, the controller 102 assumes that the earphone has been connected again to the earphone jack and outputs the audio signal through the earphone. fig. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for controlling an audio output of the audio system in accordance with the present invention. as illustrated in fig. 3 , the earphone detecting unit 103 checks whether the earphone has been disconnected from the earphone jack 104 (step s 11 ). for example, when the earphone is connected with the earphone jack 104 , the earphone detecting unit 103 generates the connection detect signal (step s 12 ) and outputs the signal to the controller 102 . the controller 102 generates the digital audio signal according to the connection detect signal, and outputs the generated digital audio signal to the audio codec 105 . furthermore, the controller generates the first control signal for selecting the earphone jack 104 based on the connection detect signal and outputs the first control signal to the switch 106 . the audio codec 105 converts the digital audio signal into the analog audio signal and outputs the analog audio signal to the switch 106 . the switch 106 is connected with the earphone jack 104 and the speaker 107 and outputs the analog audio signal to the earphone through the earphone jack 104 according to the first control signal (step s 13 ). when the earphone is disconnected from the earphone jack 104 , the earphone detecting unit 103 generates the disconnection detect signal (step s 14 ) and outputs the disconnection detect signal to the controller 102 . the controller 102 mutes the digital audio signal based on the disconnection detect signal (step s 15 ), generates the message indicating that the earphone has been disconnected (step s 16 ) and outputs the message to the display unit 101 . for example, the controller generates an acknowledgement message such as ‘want to output audio signal through speaker?’ and at the same time mutes the digital audio signal. the display unit 101 displays the message, such as the acknowledgement message, on its screen. if a response to the message is received from the user that is a signal for selecting the speaker 107 (step s 17 ), the controller 102 no longer mutes the digital audio signal output to the audio codec 105 . when the signal for selecting the speaker 107 is received from the user, the controller 102 generates the second control signal for selecting the speaker 107 and outputs the second control signal to the switch 106 . for example, when the user selects a specific item, such as the speaker 107 , in response to the message via the touch pad (not shown) installed on the screen of the display 101 , the controller 102 outputs the second control signal to the switch 106 . the switch 106 outputs the analog audio signal to the speaker 107 based on the second control signal (step s 18 ). when the user selects the earphone in response to the message via the touch pad installed on the screen of the display 101 (step s 17 ), the controller 102 outputs the first control signal to the switch 106 . furthermore, when the connection detect signal is received from the earphone detecting unit 103 while the message is being output, the controller 102 generates the first control signal and outputs it to the switch 106 . the switch 106 outputs the analog audio signal to the earphone jack 104 based on the first control signal (step s 19 ). accordingly, when the earphone is disconnected from the audio system, such as by a mistake of the user, the audio output (audio signal) of the audio system is muted to prevent the audio signal from suddenly being output through a speaker and thereby preventing a sudden burst of an audio signal from startling people near the audio system. the apparatus and method for controlling the audio output of the audio system in accordance with the present invention can be applied to various devices using an audio system, such as a pda (personal digital assistant). as described herein, the apparatus and method for controlling the audio output of the audio system in accordance with the present invention have advantages. for example, when the earphone is disconnected from the audio system, the audio output of the audio system can be muted to prevent a sudden burst of the audio signal through the speaker from startling people near the audio system. furthermore, the user can be informed of the earphone disconnection by displaying a message on the display unit of the audio system. as the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims. therefore, all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims. the foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. the present invention may be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. the description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. in the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structure described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.
|
005-259-118-615-68X
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
F16K11/02,F16K31/64
| 1989-04-21T00:00:00 |
1989
|
[
"F16"
] |
temperature actuated flow control device
|
a flow control device, such as a valve, has a valve body which has a fluid holding chamber therein. an inlet in the valve body couples the chamber to a source of pressurized fluid. an outlet in the valve body couples the chamber to downstream devices such as sprinkler heads. the outlet has an outlet opening which opens to the valve chamber. a collapsible tubing is sealingly attached at a first end to the outlet opening. the collapsible tubing has an opposite end which extends into the chamber. the opposite end of the collapsible tubing has an inlet which opens into the chamber. a mechanism is provided for blocking and unblocking the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing to cause the collapsible tubing to collapse and uncollapse to block and unblock fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet. the mechanism has a piston for insertion into and withdrawal from the inlet of the collapsible tubing to block and unblock the inlet. when the piston is inserted into the inlet of the collapsible tubing, the collapsible tubing collapses around the piston to block fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet. however, the collapsible tubing is not "pinched shut" and thus does not take on a set "pinched shut" shape. thus, when the piston is withdrawn from the inlet, the collapsible tubing uncollapses immediately permitting fluid to flow without delay from the chamber through the outlet.
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1. a flow control device, comprising: a body having sidewalls which define a fluid-holding chamber; inlet means opening into the chamber for supplying a fluid flow into the chamber under a positive pressure; outlet means opening into the chamber and including an outlet opening in the body; a collapsible tubing having one end sealingly attached to the outlet opening and an opposite end extending into the chamber, said opposite end having an inlet; and means for selectively blocking and unblocking the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing to block and unblock fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means wherein blocking the inlet of the collapsible tubing causes a decrease in pressure in the collapsible tubing downstream of the inlet which causes the fluid pressure in the chamber to collapse a portion of the collapsible tubing in the chamber downstream of the inlet, the collapse of the collapsible tubing cooperating in conjunction with the blocking and unblocking means to further block fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means. 2. the flow control device of claim 1 wherein the means for selectively blocking and unblocking the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing includes means for insertion into the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing to block it when inserted and cause the collapsible tubing to collapse around the insertion means, and means for inserting and withdrawing the insertion means into and from the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing. 3. the flow control device of claim 2 wherein the insertion means comprises a piston and the means for selectively blocking and unblocking the inlet of the opposite side of the collapsible tube includes means for moveably mounting the piston in the chamber. 4. the flow control device of claim 3 wherein the inserting and withdrawing means comprises a cam for biasing the piston into the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing when in a first position and means for biasing the piston out of the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing when the cam is in a second position. 5. the flow control device of claim 4 wherein the means for biasing the piston out of the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing when the cam is in the second position comprises a spring. 6. the flow control device of claim 3 wherein the piston is tapered and the collapsible tubing has a tapered bore extending therethrough which conforms with the tapered piston when the piston is inserted in the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing. 7. the flow control device of claim 3 and further comprising means responsive to an increase in temperature for automatically causing the inserting and withdrawing means to withdraw the insertion means from the inlet of the opposite end of the collapsible tubing to allow fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means when the temperature of the flow control device increases beyond a predetermined value. 8. the flow control device of claim 2 wherein the insertion means prevents the collapsible tubing from being completely pinched shut when it is inserted in the collapsible tubing. 9. a flow control device, comprising: a body having sidewalls which define a fluid-holding chamber; inlet means opening into the chamber for supplying a fluid flow into the chamber under a positive pressure; a plurality of outlet means opening into the chamber, each outlet means having an outlet opening in the body; a plurality of collapsible tubings, each collapsible tubing having a first end sealingly attached to the body around one of the outlet openings; each collapsible tubing having an opposite end extending into the chamber, the opposite end having an inlet; means associated with each collapsible tubing for insertion into the inlet of that collapsible tubing to block the inlet to cause a decrease in pressure in that collapsible tubing wherein the fluid pressure in the chamber causes a portion of that collapsible tubing downstream of its inlet to collapse around the insertion means; and means for inserting and withdrawing each insertion means into and from the inlet of its collapsible tubing to selectively block and unblock fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means whose outlet opening the first end of that collapsible tubing is sealingly attached wherein the collapse of each collapsible tubing around its associated insertion means inserted therein cooperates with that insertion means to block fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means to which that collapsible tubing is sealingly attached to the associated outlet opening thereof. 10. the flow control device of claim 9 wherein each insertion means comprises a piston moveably mounted in the chamber and the inserting and withdrawing means comprises means for selectively biasing each piston into the inlet of its associated collapsible tubing and withdrawing it therefrom. 11. the flow control device of claim 10 wherein the means for selectively biasing each piston into the inlet of its associated collapsible tubing and withdrawing it therefrom comprises a spring for each piston which biases it out of the inlet of its associated collapsible tubing and a cam which depending upon its position biases the piston into the inlet of its associated collapsible tubing or allows the spring for that piston to bias it out of the inlet of its associated collapsible tubing. 12. the flow control device of claim 10 wherein each piston is tapered and each collapsible tubing has a tapered bore corresponding to the tapered piston. 13. the flow control device of claim 10 and further comprising means responsive to an increase in temperature for automatically causing the inserting and withdrawing means to withdraw at least one piston from the inlet of its associated collapsible tubing to allow fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means whose outlet opening the first end of that collapsible tubing is sealingly attached when the temperature of the flow control device increases beyond a predetermined value. 14. the flow control device of claim 9 wherein the insertion means prevent the collapsible tubings from being completely pinched shut when they are inserted in the collapsible tubings. 15. a flow control device, comprising: a valve having a valve body with a fluid-holding chamber therein; inlet means opening into the chamber for supplying a fluid flow into the chamber under a positive pressure; outlet means opening into the chamber and having an outlet opening in the body; a collapsible tubing having one end sealingly attached to the outlet opening and an opposite end extending into the chamber, the opposite end having an inlet; a piston moveably mounted in the chamber in spaced relation to the inlet of the collapsible tubing for insertion into and withdrawal from the inlet; a shaft having a cam mounted thereon having a first position where it biases the piston into the inlet of the collapsible tubing to block fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means wherein insertion of the piston into the collapsible tubing causes a pressure decrease in the collapsible tubing downstream of the inlet wherein the fluid pressure in the fluid chamber causes a portion of the collapsible tubing downstream of its inlet to collapse around the piston, the collapse of the collapsible tubing around the piston cooperating in conjunction with the piston to block fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means, the cam having a second position where it permits the piston to be biased out of the inlet of the collapsible tubing by bias means for biasing the piton out of the inlet to unblock fluid flow from the chamber through the outlet means; second bias means for rotating the shaft from a first position to a second position to rotate the cam from its first position to its second position; a temperature sensitive link mechanically coupling the shaft to the body to prevent the shaft from rotating when the temperature to which the flow control device is exposed is less than a predetermined temperature, the link decoupling the shaft and body when the temperature to which the flow control device is exposed reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature which permits the shaft to be rotated by the second biasing means to its second position to pen the valve by permitting the collapsible tubing to uncollapse. 16. the flow control device of claim 15 and further including a handle attached to the shaft for manually rotating the shaft between its first and second position to manually open and close the valve; the temperature sensitive link including the handle having a recess opening toward the valve body, the valve body having a recess opening toward the handle, and a pin received in the recesses in the handle and valve body to prevent the handle from rotating to prevent the shaft from rotating. 17. the flow control device of claim 16 wherein the handle has first and second legs pivotally coupled at one end, one leg being adjacent the valve body and interposed between the valve body and the other leg, the leg adjacent the valve body having the recess of the handle which receives the pin of the temperature sensitive link, and a spring disposed between the first and second legs of the handle to urge them apart which urges the recess in the leg adjacent the valve body onto and over the pin. 18. the flow control device of claim 16 wherein one of said recesses includes temperature sensitive material for holding said pin in place, the temperature sensitive material melting when the temperature to which it is exposed reaches or exceeds the predetermine temperature thereby releasing the pin to allow the shaft to rotate. 19. the flow control device of claim 16 wherein the pin of the temperature sensitive link is formed from temperature sensitive material, the temperature sensitive material melting when the temperature to which it is exposed reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature thereby allowing the shaft to rotate. 20. the flow control device of claim 15 wherein the biasing means comprises a coil spring coupled to the shaft and to the valve. 21. the flow control device of claim 15 wherein the piston prevents the collapsible tubing from being completely pinched shut when it is inserted in the collapsible tubing. 22. a flow control device, comprising: a valve having a valve body which has a fluid-holding chamber therein; inlet means opening into the chamber for supplying a fluid flow into the chamber under a positive pressure; first and second outlet means opening into the chamber and each including an outlet opening in the body; first and second collapsible tubings having first ends sealingly attached to the outlet openings of the first and second outlet means, respectively, each collapsible tubing having an opposite end having an inlet; first and second pistons moveably mounted in the valve body for insertion into and withdrawal from the inlets of the first and second collapsible tubings, respectively; and a shaft extending into the valve body and having a cam mounted thereon within the valve body, the cam having a first position for biasing the first piston into the inlet of the first collapsible tubing to block fluid flow from the chamber through the first outlet means wherein insertion of the first piston into the first collapsible tubing causes a pressure decrease in the first collapsible tubing downstream of its inlet wherein the fluid pressure in the chamber causes the first collapsible tubing to collapse around the first piston, the collapse of the first collapsible tubing around the first piston cooperating in conjunction with the first piston to block fluid flow from the chamber through the first outlet means, the cam when in its first position also allowing the second piston to be biased out of the inlet of the second collapsible tubing by means for biasing the second piston out of the inlet of the second collapsible tubing to unblock fluid flow from the chamber through the second outlet means, the cam having a second position where it biases the second piston into the inlet of the second collapsible tubing to block fluid flow from the chamber through the second outlet means wherein insertion of the second piston in the second collapsible tubing causes a pressure decrease in the second collapsible tubing downstream of its inlet wherein the fluid pressure in the chamber causes the second collapsible tubing to collapse around the second piston, the collapse of the second collapsible tubing around the second piston cooperating in conjunction with the second piston to block fluid flow from the chamber through the second outlet means, the cam when in its second position also allowing the first piston to be biased out of the inlet of the first collapsible tubing by means for biasing the first piston out of the inlet of the first collapsible tubing to unblock fluid flow from the chamber through the first outlet means. 23. the flow control device of claim 22 wherein the first and second pistons are tapered and the first and second collapsible tubings have tapered bores corresponding to the first and second tapered pistons. 24. the flow control device of claim 22 wherein the first and second pistons prevent the collapsible tubings from being completely pinched shut when they are inserted in the collapsible tubings. 25. a flow control device, comprising: a valve having a valve body which has a fluid-holding chamber therein; inlet means opening into the chamber for supplying a fluid flow into the chamber under a positive pressure; first and second outlet means opening into the chamber and each including an outlet opening in the body; first and second collapsible tubings having first ends sealingly attached to the outlet openings of the first and second outlet means, respectively, each collapsible tubing having an opposite end having an inlet; first and second pistons moveably mounted in the valve body for insertion into and withdrawal from the inlets of the first and second collapsible tubings, respectively; a shaft extending into the valve body and having a cam mounted thereon within the valve body, the cam having a first position for biasing the first piston into the inlet of the first collapsible tubing to block fluid flow from the chamber through the first collapsible tubing wherein insertion of the first piston into the first collapsible tubing causes a pressure decrease in the first collapsible tubing downstream of its inlet wherein the fluid pressure in the chamber causes a portion of the first collapsible tubing in the chamber downstream of the inlet of the first collapsible tubing to collapse around the first piston, the collapse of the first collapsible tubing around the first piston cooperating in conjunction with the first piston to block fluid flow from the chamber through the first outlet means, the cam when in its first position also allowing the second piston to be biased out of the inlet of the second collapsible tubing by means for biasing the second piston out of the inlet of the second collapsible tubing to unblock fluid flow from the chamber through the second outlet means, the cam having a second position where it biases the second piston into the inlet of the second collapsible tubing to block fluid flow from the chamber through the second outlet means wherein insertion of the second piston into the second collapsible tubing causes a pressure decrease in the second collapsible tubing downstream of its inlet wherein the fluid pressure in the chamber causes a portion of the second collapsible tubing in the chamber downstream of the inlet of the second collapsible tubing to collapse around the second piston, the collapse of the second collapsible tubing around the second piston cooperating in conjunction with the second piston to block fluid flow from the chamber through the second outlet means, the cam when in its second position allowing the first piston to be biased out of the inlet of the first collapsible tubing by means for biasing the first piston out of the inlet of the first collapsible tubing to unblock fluid flow from the chamber through the first outlet means; a spring coupled to the shaft and to the valve body to rotate the shaft to rotate the cam from its first position to its second position; and a fusible link coupled to the shaft and to the valve body for preventing the shaft from rotating from its first position, the fusible link melting when the temperature to which the valve is exposed reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature which releases the shaft for rotation wherein the spring rotates the shaft to rotate the cam from its first position to its second position to open the valve. 26. the flow control device of claim 25 and further including a handle coupled to the shaft to permit the shaft to be manually rotated between its first and second position to permit the valve to be manually opened and closed. 27. the flow control device of claim 25 wherein the spring comprises a coil spring. 28. the flow control device of claim 26 wherein the handle has a recess opening toward the valve body and the valve body having a recess opening toward the handle, the valve further including a pin received in the recesses for preventing the handle from rotating to prevent the shaft from rotating. 29. the flow control device of claim 28 wherein the fusible link includes one of said recesses having temperature sensitive material therein for securing the pin in place, the temperature sensitive material melting when the temperature to which it is exposed reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature thereby releasing the pin to allow the shaft to rotate. 30. the flow control device of claim 28 wherein the fusible link comprises the pin being formed from temperature sensitive material which melts when exposed to a temperature which reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature to allow the shaft to rotate. 31. the flow control device of claim 25 wherein the first and second pistons prevent the collapsible tubings from being completely pinched shut when they are inserted in the collapsible tubings.
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brief description of the drawings fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a valve constructed in accordance with the invention of u.s. pat. no. 4,884,595; fig. 2 shows a top view (with top cover removed) of an embodiment of a valve constructed in accordance with the invention of u.s. pat. no. 4,884,595; fig. 3 shows a side view, in partial cross-section, of the embodiment of the valve of fig. 2, taken along line 3--3 of fig. 2; fig. 4 shows a top view (with top cover removed) of an alternative embodiment of a valve constructed in accordance with the invention of u.s. pat. no. 4,884,595; fig. 5 shows a close-up view of a portion of the alternative embodiment shown in fig. 4; fig. 6 is a side perspective view, partially broken away, of an embodiment of the invention of u.s. ser. no. 427,255 which has an improved means for automatically opening the valve when the temperature to which the valve is exposed reaches or exceeds a predetermined value; fig. 7 is a side perspective view, partially broken away, of the embodiment of the valve of fig. 3 modified to incorporate the improved automatic opening means of the embodiment of fig. 6; fig. 8 is a side perspective view, partially broken away, of an embodiment of this invention for an improved mechanism for selectively collapsing and uncollapsing the collapsible tubing; and fig. 9 is a section view of a broken away section taken along the line 9--9 of fig. 8. detailed description of the drawings fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a valve 10 constructed in accordance with the invention of u.s. pat. 4,884,595. valve 10 includes a valve body 12 which has side walls 14 which define a fluid holding chamber 16 which receives a flow of pressurized fluid from an inlet 18. inlet 18 is adapted for connecting valve 10 to an upstream source of pressurized fluid (not shown) and, thus, is preferably provided with threads or other appropriate means for connecting to a nipple, union, or other appropriate hardware. inlet 18 has a downstream end 20 which opens into chamber 16 to complete the connection between the upstream source of pressurized fluid and fluid holding chamber 16. the embodiment of valve 10 illustrated in fig. 1 is further provided with outlets 22 and 24 which, for purposes of illustration only, are shown on opposite sides of valve body 12. as with inlet 18, outlets 22 and 24 are provided with nipples, unions, or other appropriate hardware (not shown) to facilitate connection to a downstream device. outlets 22 and 24 may be connected to a variety of downstream devices, including sprinkler heads, plumbing fixtures, wash-down hoses, or other manually or automatically operated valves. valve 10 may also be used as a pilot control valve, in which case outlets 22 and 24 may be connected to the pilot or control inputs of other valves or similar devices. outlets 22 and 24 include respective outlet openings 26 and 28 in side walls 14. sealingly attached or connected to these outlet openings are lengths of collapsible tubing 30 and 32. specifically, tubing 30 is connected at its first end 34 around outlet opening 26, and extends from outlet opening 26 into chamber 16. second end 36 of tubing 30 opens into valve chamber 16 to allow for entry of pressurized fluid. similarly, tubing 32 has a first end 38 which is sealingly connected or attached around outlet opening 28, and extends from outlet 28 into valve chamber 16. second end 40 of tubing 32 opens into valve chamber 16 to admit the high pressure fluid, as indicated by the open arrows in fig. 1. the remaining components of valve 10, as illustrated in fig. 1, are schematically illustrated mechanical devices 42 and 44 which are disposed adjacent locations 46 and 48 of tubings 30 and 32, respectively, and which are used for collapsing tubings 30 and 32 at these locations. tubing 30 is shown in a collapsed or closed state, while tubing 32 is shown in an uncollapsed or opened state. mechanical devices 42 and 44 may be cam operated mechanical members (as illustrated below in connection with the embodiment shown in figs. 2 and 3) or, alternatively, may employ any other suitable means for collapsing the tubing at locations 46 and 48, including electrical solenoids, hydraulic and/or pneumatic operators, or other appropriate mechanical devices. tubings 30 and 32 are formed of a relatively soft synthetic or natural rubber (or functionally equivalent material) having a durometer hardness rating selected for the sizes and types of particles expected in the fluid flow. in a particular application involving a flow of water contaminated with sand and sediments, tubing formed of the synthetic rubber viton having a durometer rating of 60-90 was found to provide acceptable results. proper selection of tubing type and hardness assures that the tubing is relatively easy to collapse at the specified locations. as indicated by the closed arrows in fig. 1, an equal pressure acts on both the inner and outer surfaces of the tubing (i.e., tubing 32) in its uncollapsed state. however, when the tubing is collapsed, for example, at location 46 by device 42, the pressure inside the tube downstream of location 46 decreases. the pressure of the fluid in chamber 16 acts on the outer surface of tubing 30 between location 46 and side wall 14 to further collapse this portion of the tube. thus, a relatively large sealing area 50 is provided by the combined action of device 42 and the pressure of the fluid in fluid chamber 16. since the tubing durometer rating of the tubing can be chosen to assure that the tubing is relatively soft, particles of sand, sediments, or other contaminants in sealed area 50 will be enclosed and encapsulated by the tubing, enabling the valve to completely shut off the flow, notwithstanding the presence of these particles. if necessary, a bleed valve is connected in the downstream circuit (i.e., downstream of opening 26) to assure that pressure is not trapped in the downstream circuit, and that the portion of tubing 30 between location 46 and side wall 14 will be collapsed by the fluid pressure when the pressure in the downstream circuit decreases substantially below that of the fluid in chamber 16. it should be noted that when the tubing is in the uncollapsed condition, there is equal pressure on both the inner and outer surfaces of the tube. consequently, regardless of the pressure that is applied to the inside of chamber 16, the force required to collapse the tubing at locations 46 and 48 remains constant. this is the same force that would be required to collapse the tubing in an unpressurized environment. since all portions of the tube are wholly contained within valve chamber 16, and the tubing is never required to contain the pressure in the chamber, the pressure rating of the tubing is not critical. although the valve illustrated in fig. 1 is shown with a single inlet 18, additional inlets may be provided, if desired. similarly, a single outlet or three or more outlets may be provided as alternatives to the two-outlet configuration shown. fig. 2 shows a top view (with top cover removed) of valve 52 which is constructed in accordance with the invention of u.s. pat. no. 4,884,595. fig. 3 shows a side view, in partial cross-section, of this same valve with top cover and operating handle in place. valve 52 includes a valve body 54 having side walls 56 which define a fluid holding valve chamber 58. a single inlet 60 is provided for connecting fluid holding chamber 58 to an upstream source of pressurized fluid. inlet 60 has a downstream end 62 which opens into chamber 58. valve 52 is further provided with outlets 64 and 66 which are adapted for connection to downstream devices. with reference to fig. 3, outlets 64 and 66 have upstream ends 68 and 70 which open into chamber 58 and which are sealingly connected to first ends 72 and 74, respectively, of collapsible tubing lengths 76 and 78. tubing lengths 76 and 78 extend from openings 68 and 70 into valve chamber 58 which is defined by side walls 56 and cover 84 of valve body 54. cover 84 is attached to side walls 56 by bolts 86, and a seal is effected between side walls 56 and cover 84 by o-ring 88. referring to figs. 2 and 3, a pair of pivotally mounted closure members 90, 92 and 94, 96 are provided on opposing sides of tubing lengths 76 and 78, respectively. closure members 90, 92 and 94, 96 are operated by camming device 98 to collapse tubing lengths 76 and 78 at locations 100 and 102 (fig. 3), either individually or simultaneously (i.e., simultaneously collapsed or uncollapsed), as desired. for purposes of illustration only, tubing length 76 is shown in the collapsed state, while tubing length 78 is shown in the uncollapsed state. as illustrated in fig. 3, cam 98 is controlled by a shaft 104 and handle 106 mechanism. shaft 104 extends through cover 84 and is sealed appropriately by o-ring 108. referring again to fig. 3, when tubing length 76 is collapsed at location 100 by the action of cam 98 and closure members 92, 90, the pressure of the fluid within chamber 58 further collapses that portion of tubing length 76 between location 100 and outlet opening 68, which portion is generally indicated by reference numeral 110. tubing lengths 76 and 78 (and portion 110) can be as long as necessary to provide for an effective and total shut-off of the outlets by the action of cam 98 and the fluid pressure on portion 110 of the collapsible tubing. this arrangement prevents valve leakage or valve clogging, notwithstanding the presence of various types and sizes of contaminants in the fluid flow which is controlled by the valve. fig. 4 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the valve of figs. 2 and 3. for ease of reference, substantially identical structures in figs. 2 and 4 are identified by like reference numerals, with the addition of a prime designation to the numerals of fig. 4. the primary distinctions between the embodiment of fig. 4 and that of figs. 2 and 3 is the mechanism 112 used in the embodiment of fig. 4 to collapse collapsible tubing lengths 76' and 78'. mechanism 112 is schematically illustrated in fig. 5. mechanism 112 comprises an arm 114 which is pivotally mounted near its center point at 116. on one side of pivot 116, arm 114 extends over and adjacent the collapsible tubing, which is identified by reference numeral 118 in fig. 5. on the other side of pivot 116, the other end 115 of arm 114 is biased upwardly by the action of a biasing member which, in this embodiment, comprises coil spring 120. the action of spring 120 urges arm 114 in a clockwise direction around pivot 116 which will cause the collapse of tubing 118 by squeezing the tubing between arm 114 and underlying support 122. when tubing 118 is collapsed, the associated outlet of the valve is considered "closed." to open the valve, a force f is applied as indicated to the portion of arm 114 immediately above spring 120 (i.e., end 115 of arm 114), compressing the spring and raising the portion of arm 114 which lies adjacent tubing 118. when arm 114 is raised, the pressure of the fluid within chamber 58' causes tube 118 to return to the uncollapsed state, thus opening the associated outlet of the valve. an additional feature of the embodiment illustrated in figs. 4 and 5 (which may also be incorporated in other embodiments of the invention of u.s. pat. no. 4,884,595) relates to an arrangement which will allow the outlets of the valve to be opened "automatically" in the event the temperature of the valve increases beyond a selected, predetermined value. this arrangement is especially well-suited for applications in which the valve is to be used in a fire warning or fire control system. it involves the use of a block of low temperature melting point metal 124 as a supporting base for spring 120. if, for instance, the location of the valve is engulfed in flames and the valve cannot be manually, electrically, or otherwise activated, an increase in the temperature of valve body 54' will cause metal base 124 to soften and melt, allowing spring 120 to sink into base 124 causing tubing 118 to revert to the uncollapsed state. the particular material used for base 124 can be selected so as to allow for such "automatic" operation to occur when the temperature of the valve body reaches or exceeds a predetermined value. this particular aspect of the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular configuration of components illustrated in fig. 5, but can be incorporated into other embodiments, as well. a similar feature could, for example, be incorporated into the embodiment shown in figs. 2 and 3 above, or in alternative configurations. however, the arrangement shown in fig. 5, and particularly the use of a low melting point metal to "trigger" the automatic operation of the valve, are preferred features of the invention of u.s. pat. no. 4,884,595 and are thought to offer advantages over other possible designs. it should be noted that force f may be generated by mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, or other means. the terms "fluid" or "fluids" and "medium" or "media" are used interchangeably in this application to refer to the material(s) (in gaseous, liquid or solid form) which constitute a flow to be controlled by a device which incorporates the invention of u.s. pat. no. 4,884,595. referring to fig. 6, another embodiment of a valve which makes use of the principles of the invention of u.s. pat. no. 4,884,595 is shown. this embodiment, which is the subject of u.s. ser. no. 427,255, includes an improved arrangement for opening the valve "automatically" in the event the temperature of the valve increases beyond a selected, predetermined temperature. valve 200 has a valve body 202 and a cover 228 secured to the valve body 202. a plate 208 mounted within valve body 202 separates an upper valve chamber 204 in valve body 202 from a lower valve chamber 206 in valve body 202. a retaining ring 209 holds plate 208 in place against an annular shoulder 211 formed in an inner sidewall of valve body 202. retaining ring 209 is illustratively a monel spring steel retaining ring. an o-ring 210 extends around the perimeter of plate 208 to seal plate 208 to the inner sidewall of valve body 202. cover 228 is secured to valve body 202 by bolts 230. an o-ring 232 is provided to effect a seal between cover 228 and the inner sidewall of the valve body 202. a lower portion 205 of valve body 202 has an inlet port 212 opening to an inlet passage 214 which extends upwardly into the upper valve chamber 204 and opens therein. inlet port 212 is coupled to an upstream source of pressurized fluid (not shown). lower portion 205 of valve body 202 also has a first outlet port 218 which is coupled to downstream devices such as sprinkler heads, plumbing fixtures, wash down hoses, or other manually or automatically operated valves. an outlet passageway 216 connects outlet port 218 to lower valve chamber 206. lower portion 205 of valve body 202 also has a second outlet port 222 which is coupled to a drain (not shown). a second outlet passageway 220 connects outlet port 222 to a downstream end 223 of a length of collapsible tubing 224. an upstream end 225 of collapsible tubing 224 opens into lower valve chamber 206. a second length of collapsible tubing 226 has a downstream end 227 which is received and held in plate 208 and opens into lower valve chamber 206. collapsible tubing 226 extends upwardly from plate 208 into upper valve chamber 204 and has an upstream end 229 which opens into upper valve chamber 204. valve 200 also has a shaft 234. shaft 234 extends downwardly through the center of valve body 202 from above cover 228 through upper valve chamber 204 and into lower valve chamber 206. an o-ring 236 provides a seal between shaft 234 and cover 228. an o-ring 238 provides a seal between shaft 234 and plate 208. shaft 234 has at its lower end a first closure member 240 mounted thereon adjacent collapsible tubing 224. illustratively, first closure member 240 is a rod which extends axially along an outer surface of shaft 234. a first closure stop 242 is mounted in lower valve chamber 206 adjacent collapsible tubing 224 on the opposite side of collapsible tubing 224 from first closure member 240. shaft 234 rotates to move first closure member 240 against and away from first closure stop 242 to selectively collapse and uncollapse collapsible tubing 224 as will be discussed in more detail below. shaft 234 also has a second closure member 244 mounted thereon between cover 228 and plate 208. illustratively, first closure member 244 is a finger which extends radially from shaft 234 adjacent one side of collapsible tubing 226. a second closure stop 246 is mounted in upper valve chamber 204 adjacent collapsible tubing 226 on the opposite side of collapsible tubing 226 from second closure member 244. shaft 234 rotates to move second closure member 244 away from and against second closure stop 246 to selectively uncollapse and collapse collapsible tubing 226 as will be explained in more detail below. a coil spring 247 is affixed to shaft 234 immediately beneath cover 228 and is also affixed to cover 228. illustratively, coil spring 247 is affixed to shaft 234 by a pin 250 and is affixed to cover 228 by a pin 248. coil spring 246 is illustratively a torque wound monel spring. coil spring 247 rotates shaft 234 to open valve 200 in the event the temperature to which valve 200 is exposed exceeds the predetermined temperature as will be explained in more detail below. a handle 252 is affixed to the top of shaft 234. handle 252 has legs 254, 256 which are pivotally coupled to each other at one end thereof at pivot 258. a bolt 260 secures handle 254 to shaft 234. leg 254 of handle 252 has a slot 262 transversely extending through a lower portion thereof. leg 252 has a corresponding slot 263 transversely extending through an upper portion thereof. a lock pin is received in slots 266, 263 of legs 254, 252, respectively. lock pin 266 is secured in place by retaining wire 267. when in place, lock pin 266 prevents manual operation of valve 200 as will be explained below. a chain 268 is attached at one end to pin 266 and at its other end to a pin 270. pin 270 is secured to one side of cover 228. chain 268 prevents lock pin 266 from being lost or stolen when lock pin 266 is removed from slots 262, 263. leg 254 also includes a downwardly opening recess 264 for receiving one end of a spring 274. leg 256 of handle 252 has an upwardly opening recess 265 beneath recess 264 of leg 254 for receiving a second end of spring 274. leg 256 of handle 252 has a downwardly opening recess 278 immediately above an upwardly opening recess 276 in cover 228. a positioning lock pin 272 is received in recesses 276, 278 of cover 228 and leg 256, respectively, and extends therebetween. recess 278 is filled with a temperature sensitive material which melts when the temperature to which valve 200 is exposed reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature. alternatively, positioning lock pin 272 could be made from temperature sensitive material which melts when the temperature to which valve 200 is exposed reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature. as discussed previously, coil spring 247 rotates shaft 234 to open valve 200 when valve 200 is exposed to a temperature which reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature. when valve 200 is assembled, spring 247 is secured to shaft 234 and cover 228. cover 228 is then turned clockwise to set the torque for coil spring 247 and cover 228 is then secured in place. handle 252 is then assembled to shaft 234. at this time, valve 200 will be closed as shown in fig. 6. positioning lock pin 272 is received in recesses 276, 278 of cover 228 and leg 256, respectively, and prevents movement of handle 252 which in turn prevents shaft 234 from rotating. spring 274 urges legs 254, 256 of handle 252 apart to maintain positioning lock pin 272 in recesses 276, 278 of cover 228 and leg 256, respectively. positioning lock pin 272 and recesses 276, 278 comprise a temperature sensitive link which mechanically couples the shaft 234 to the valve body 202 to prevent shaft 234 from rotating when the temperature to which valve 200 is exposed is less than the predetermined temperature and decouples the shaft 234 from the valve body 202 when the temperature to which valve 200 is exposed reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature, thus permitting shaft 234 to rotate and open valve 200. in the closed position of valve 200 as shown in fig. 6, second closure member or finger 244 is forced against second closure stop 246 pinching collapsible tubing 226 shut, thus collapsing collapsible tubing 226. when collapsible tubing 226 is pinched shut, the pressure in upper valve chamber 204 acts on the portion of collapsible tubing 226 downstream of finger 244 to collapse collapsible tubing 226 in the same manner as was discussed with collapsible tubing 30 and 32 of fig. 1. also, when shaft 234 is in the position shown in fig. 6, first closure member 240 will have been rotated away from first closure stop 242 so that collapsible tubing 224 is uncollapsed. lower valve chamber 206 will thus be coupled through collapsible tubing 224, outlet passage 220 and outlet port 222 to a drain (not shown), thus relieving the pressure in lower valve chamber 206. this in turn relieves pressure on the downstream side of collapsible tubing 226 and also relieves the pressure to the downstream devices to which outlet port 218 is coupled. valve 200 can be opened manually or will open automatically when it is exposed to a temperature which reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature. to open valve 200 manually, leg 256 of handle 252 is moved upwardly toward leg 254 of handle 252. this moves recess 278 of leg 256 up off of positioning lock pin 272 so that handle 252 can be rotated to open valve 200. lock pin 266 when in place prevents manual operation of valve 200 by preventing leg 256 of handle 252 from being moved upwardly. illustratively, cover 228 has two recesses 276 located so that positioning lock pin 272 can be moved between them to permit valve 200 to be locked by lock pin 266 in either the open or closed position. illustratively, valve 200 is opened by rotating handle 252 counterclockwise. when handle 252 is rotated counterclockwise, shaft 234 rotates counterclockwise. this forces first closure member 240 against first closure stop 242, pinching collapsible tubing 224 shut. it also rotates second closure member 244 away from second closure stop 246 which uncollapses collapsible tubing 226. when this occurs, pressurized fluid flows from upper valve chamber 204 through collapsible tubing 226 into lower valve chamber 206 and out through outlet passageway 216 and outlet port 218 to the downstream devices (not shown). since first closure member 240 has been forced against first closure stop 242 to pinch collapsible tubing 224 shut, collapsible tubing 224 will be collapsed by the pressure in lower valve chamber 206 in the same manner as discussed with collapsible tubing 30 and 32 of fig. 1. when the temperature to which valve 200 is exposed reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature, valve 200 will open automatically. as shown in fig. 6, valve 200 is in the closed position wherein first closure member 240 has been rotated away from first closure stop 242 and closure member or finger 244 has been forced against second closure stop 246 so that collapsible tubing 226 is collapsed and collapsible tubing 224 is uncollapsed. when the temperature to which valve 200 is exposed reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature, illustratively 400.degree. fahrenheit, the temperature sensitive material in recess 278 in which positioning lock pin 272 is received melts. this frees handle 252 for rotation, thus freeing shaft 234 for rotation. coil spring 247 will then rotate shaft 234 and handle 252 counterclockwise. this opens valve 200 in the same manner as if valve 200 was opened manually as discussed above. fig. 7 shows a modification to the valve of fig. 3 to incorporate the improved arrangement of fig. 6 for "automatically" opening or shifting the valve when the temperature to which the valve is exposed reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature. the same reference numerals used in figs. 3 and 6 will be used to identify like elements in fig. 7. further, only the modifications made to the valve of fig. 3 to incorporate the improved automatic shifting arrangement will be discussed. the valve of fig. 7 is illustratively a three position valve. it has a first open position where outlet 64 is closed and outlet 66 is open, a neutral position where both outlets 64, 66 are closed, and a second open position where outlet 64 is open and outlet 66 is closed. as shown in fig. 7, valve 52 is in its first open position. camming device 98 has actuated closure members 90, 92 to collapse flexible tubing length 76 and has actuated closure members 94, 96 to allow flexible tubing length 78 to uncollapse. handle 106 is rotated, illustratively counterclockwise sixty degrees, to shift valve 52 to its neutral position. camming device 98 will then have actuated closure members 90, 92, 94, 96 to collapse both flexible tubing lengths 76, 78. handle 106 is rotated an additional sixty degrees counterclockwise to shift valve 52 to its second open position. camming device 98 will then have actuated closure members 90, 92 to uncollapse flexible tubing length 76 and will have actuated closure members 94, 96 to collapse flexible tubing length 78. valve 52 is provided with a coil spring 247 affixed to shaft 104 immediately beneath cover 84 which is also affixed to cover 84. illustratively, coil spring 247 is affixed to shaft 104 by a pin 250 and is affixed to cover 228 by a pin 248. handle 106 also has upper and lower legs 254, 256, respectively. positioning lock pin 272 is received in recesses 272, 278 of cover 84 and leg 256, respectively, and extends therebetween. recess 278 is filled with a temperature sensitive material which melts when the temperature to which valve 52 is exposed reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature. alternatively, positioning lock pin 272 could be made from a temperature sensitive material. coil spring 247 "automatically" shifts valve 52 to its second open position when the temperature to which valve 52 is exposed reaches or exceeds the predetermined level. as discussed previously with respect to fig. 6, when the predetermined temperature is reached, the temperature sensitive material in recess 278 melts. this releases positioning lock pin 272 freeing handle 106 for rotation. coil spring 247 then rotates shaft 104 counterclockwise to shift valve 52 to its second open position. fig. 8 shows an improved mechanism 300 for selectively collapsing and uncollapsing the collapsible tubing which can replace such mechanisms in the valves of figs. 3, 6, and 7. the improved mechanism 300 will be described in the context of a modification to the valve of fig. 7. for ease of reference, substantially identical structures in figs. 7 and 8 are identified by like reference numbers. further, only the modifications made to the valve of fig. 7 to incorporate the improved mechanism 300 will be discussed. valve 52 has a valve body 54 having sidewalls 56 and a cover 84. a plate 302 mounted within valve body 54 separates an upper chamber 304 from a lower valve chamber 306 in valve body 54. an o-ring 308 extends around the perimeter of plate 302 to seal plate 302 to the sidewalls 56 of valve body 54. inlet port 60 in valve body 54 couples lower valve chamber 306 to an upstream source of pressurized fluid. inlet 60 has a downstream end 62 which opens into lower valve chamber 306. valve 300 has outlets 64, 66 which are adapted for connection to downstream devices. outlets 64, 66 have upstream ends 68, 70, respectively, which open into lower valve chamber 306 and which are sealing connected to first or lower ends 72, 74, respectively, of collapsible tubings 76, 78. collapsible tubings 76, 78 extend from openings 68, 70, into lower valve chamber 306. as best seen in fig. 9 with reference to collapsible tubing 78, collapsible tubing 78 is illustratively a molded rubber piece. lower end 74 of collapsible tubing 78 has an annular flange 310 extending radially therefrom which has an upwardly projecting lip 312 in spaced relation to the outer surface of collapsible tubing 78. collapsible tubings 76, 78 are held in place in valve 52 by respective sets of retaining rings 314, 316. again referring to fig. 9 with reference to collapsible tubing 78, valve body 54 has a recess 318 at the bottom of lower valve chamber 306 into which the upstream end 70 of outlet 66 opens. the lower end 74 of collapsible tubing 78 is received in recess 318 so that upstream end 70 of outlet 66 opens into a bore 320 of collapsible tubing 78. retaining ring 316, which is illustratively a brass retaining ring, is inserted around collapsible tubing 78 into recess 318. retaining ring 316 is formed to mate with the annular flange 310 with upwardly projecting lip 312 of the lower portion 74 of collapsible tubing 78. retaining ring 316 and recess 318 are illustratively threaded so that retaining ring 316 is threaded into recess 318 and holds collapsible tubing 78 in place. retaining ring 314, which is also illustratively made of brass, is mounted in valve chamber 306 in conventional fashion and surrounds an upper end 324 of collapsible tubing 78 to hold it in place. a second set of retaining rings 314, 316 hold collapsible tubing 76 in place in the same fashion as just described. referring to fig. 8, mechanism 300 also includes pistons 326, 328 mounted in plate 302 above collapsible tubing 76, 78, respectively. pistons 326, 328, are identical so only piston 328 will be described. piston 328 has a head 330 from which a shaft 332 extends downwardly through plate 302. shaft 332 has a tapered distal end 334 and an annular flange 336 around it in spaced relation to distal end 334. a spring 338 is disposed between head 330 of piston 328 and plate 302 around shaft 332 of piston 328. spring 338 biases piston 328 upwardly and flange 336 limits the upward movement of piston 328. mechanism 300 also includes a camming device 340 mounted on shaft 104 at a lower end thereof. camming device 340 illustratively comprises a disc having a downwardly projecting actuating section 342 and a recessed section 344. in operation, when shaft 104 is turned, downwardly projecting actuating section 342 of camming device 340 will contact the head 330 of one of pistons 326, 328, and force that piston downwardly so that the tapered end 334 of that piston is forced into an inlet 346, 348 of the respective collapsible tubing 76, 78. for example, as shown in figs. 8 and 9, downwardly projecting actuating section 342 of camming device 340 has contacted head 330 of piston 328 and forced piston 328 downwardly. this forces tapered end 334 of piston 328 into the inlet 348 of collapsible tubing 78. the pressure differential between lower valve chamber 306 and the bore 320 of collapsible tubing 78 causes collapsible tubing 78 to collapse around tapered end 334 of piston 328 shutting off outlet 66 from the fluid in chamber 306. however, since collapsible tubing 78 collapses around tapered end 334 of piston 328, it is not completely pinched together and thus does not take on a set "pinched shut" shape if maintained in the collapsed condition for a long period of time. outlet 66 is opened to the fluid in chamber 306 when shaft 104 is rotated so that the recessed portion 344 of camming device 340 is above head 330 of piston 328. when this occurs, spring 338 forces piston 328 upwardly which draws tapered end 334 of piston 328 out of the inlet 340 of collapsible tubing 78. immediately upon this happening, since collapsible tubing 78 was never completely "pinched shut," its bore 320 is open. fluid can immediately flow from lower valve chamber 306 through bore 320 in collapsible tubing 78 to outlet 66. illustratively, bore 320 is tapered to conform to tapered end 334 of piston 328. piston 326 collapses and uncollapses collapsible tubing 76 in the same manner. collapsible tubing 76 is shown in the open or uncollapsed condition in fig. 8. from the preceding description of the preferred embodiments, it is evident that the objects of the invention are attained. although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. the spirit and scope of the invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
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005-503-228-672-070
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US
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[
"US"
] |
A63B49/04,A63B53/00,A63B53/06
| 2011-03-25T00:00:00 |
2011
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[
"A63"
] |
game apparatuses
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game apparatus, e.g., a game racquet or a golf club, with selectively variable and maintainable weight distribution, e.g. by moving material (e.g., liquid and/or solid weight members) within or on the apparatus and selectively positioning the weight(s) and maintaining weight position in or on the apparatus; in one aspect, the game apparatus having dual opposed channels for weight members; and in one aspect a set of a plurality of weight members for connection to a game apparatus.
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1. a game apparatus comprising a body with a first portion for holding by hand and a second portion for hitting a ball; the first portion having a first end distal from the second portion and a second end adjacent the second portion; the first portion having a channel therethrough from the first end to the second end; the second portion having a space therein, the second portion having a space opening in communication with the space and with the second end of the first channel of the first portion; weight material movably disposed for movement in and through the first channel and into and from the space of the second portion; said movement including movement from the first end of the first channel, to and through the space opening, and into the space of the second portion; and said movement including movement from the space of the second portion, to and through the space opening, into the first channel, and to the first end of the first channel; and said movement initiated by manipulation of the body to subject the weight material to force that moves the weight material. 2. the game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the weight material is one of liquid, antifreeze, solid member, solid members, solid objects. 3. the game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the force that moves the weight material is a force that results from one of swinging the game apparatus, tilting the game apparatus, and inverting the game apparatus. 4. the game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first portion is one of a handle of a racquet and shaft of a golf club; the second portion is, when the first portion is a handle of a racquet, a head of a racquet; and the second portion is, when the handle is a shaft of a golf club, a head of a golf club. 5. a game racquet comprising a body, part of the body defining a body opening therethrough, the body opening defined by a first side of the body and a second side of the body, the first side opposite the second side, the body having a top, the body opening having a bottom, a plurality of strings over the body opening, dual opposed channels adjacent the body opening comprising a first body channel and a second body channel, the first body channel in the first side and the second body channel in the second side, the first body channel extending within the body from the top of the body to the bottom of the body opening, the second body channel extending within the body from the top of the body to the bottom of the body opening, a weight member is not passable from the first body channel to the body second channel, a first weight member movably disposed within the first body channel, a second weight member movably disposed within the second body channel, movement of each weight member within its respective channel initiated by manipulation of the body to subject the weight material to force that moves the weight material. 6. the game racquet of claim 5 wherein each weight member is one of liquid, antifreeze, solid member, solid members, solid objects. 7. the game racquet of claim 5 wherein the force that moves each weight member is a force that results from at least one of swinging the game racquet, tilting the game racquet, and inverting the game racquet. 8. the game racquet of claim 5 further comprising, a barrier at the top of the body for stopping weight members in each of the first body channel and the second body channel. 9. the game racquet of claim 5 further comprising a handle connected to the body, the handle having a first handle channel in communication with the first body channel, the first weight member movable within the first handle channel and movable from and to the first body channel, and the handle having a second handle channel in communication with the second body channel, the second weight member movable within the second handle channel and movable from and to the second body channel. 10. the game racquet of claim 9 wherein the handle has a lower end and the first handle channel extends to a point within the handle adjacent the lower end of the handle, and the second handle channel extends to a point within the handle adjacent the lower end of the handle. 11. the game racquet of claim 5 further comprising the body having at least one hole for receipt therein of a pin, the at least one hole communicating with a channel of the game racquet, the pin insertable into the at least one hole for limiting movement of a weight member within a channel. 12. the game racquet of claim 11 further comprising the at least one hole comprising a series of spaced apart holes, each hole communicating with one of the first body channel and the second body channel. 13. the game racquet of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of pins, each pin insertable into one of the spaced apart holes. 14. the game racquet of claim 13 further comprising the pins insertable into the holes so that weight members are maintained at multiple desired locations of the body channels. 15. the game racquet of claim 5 wherein the weight members are movable within their respective channels in balanced manner as the game racquet is moved.
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cross-reference to related applications the present invention and application claim priority under the united states patent laws from u.s. application ser. no. 60/860,408 filed nov. 21, 2006 and u.s. application ser. no. 12/312,617 filed may 19, 2009 issued as u.s. pat. no. 7,918,752 on apr. 5, 2011, all said applications and said patent incorporated fully herein for all purposes. this is a continuation-in-part of u.s. application ser. no. 12/312,617. background of the invention 1. field of the invention this invention is directed to game racquets, to game racquets with selectively positionable weight(s), and to racquets with maintenance apparatus for maintaining a weight or weights in a desired position in or on a racquet. 2. description of related art the prior art discloses a wide variety of game racquets and golf clubs. the following u.s. patents—listed simply as examples and not as an exhaustive list—disclose a variety of prior art racquets: u.s. pat. nos. 5,772,540; 5,454,562; 5,322,280; 5,240,247; 5,232,220; 5,219,166; 5,217,223; 5,211,398; 5,197,732; 5,188,260; 5,174,568; 5,172,911; 5,171,011; 5,098,098; 4,984,792; 5,512,574; 4,330,125; 4,340,225; 4,275,885; 4,273,331; 4,182,512; 4,057,250; 4,027,881; 3,931,968; and 3,907,292, all of which are incorporated fully herein for all purposes. brief summary of the invention the present invention discloses, in certain aspects, a game racquet including: a body, part of the body defining a body opening therethrough, the body opening defined by a first side of the body and a second side of the body, the first side opposite the second side, the body having a top, the body opening having a bottom; a plurality of strings over the body opening; dual opposed channels within the body and adjacent the body opening which include a first body channel and a second body channel, the first body channel in the first side and the second body channel in the second side; the first body channel extending within the body from the top of the body to the bottom of the body opening; the second body channel extending within the body from the top of the body to the bottom of the body opening; a weight member is not passable from the first body channel to the body second channel; a first weight member (which may be a single or multiple things) movably disposed within the first body channel; a second weight member (which may be a single or multiple things) movably disposed within the second body channel; movement of each weight member within its respective channel initiated by manipulation of the body to subject the weight material to force that moves the weight material. in certain aspects the manipulation is the swing of a racquet to hit a ball; serving a ball with a racquet; tilting a racquet or a golf club; inverting a racquet or a golf club; or hitting or putting a golf ball with a golf club. in certain aspects, due to the dual opposed channels, weight members move in balanced even fashion on both sides of the racquet; for example, but not limited to, when serving a tennis ball. in certain aspects, such a racquet has a handle connected to the body, the handle having a first handle channel in communication with the first body channel, the first weight member movable within the first handle channel and movable from and to the first body channel; and the handle having a second handle channel in communication with the second body channel, the second weight member movable within the second handle channel and movable from and to the second body channel. such a racquet may also have a lower end and the first handle channel extending to a point within the handle adjacent the lower end of the handle, and the second handle channel extending to a point within the handle adjacent the lower end of the handle. in certain aspects, the present invention discloses a set of weight members for a game apparatus, the set including: a plurality of weight members, each weight member connectable to the game apparatus, each weight member different from the other weight members. the weight members can differ in one or some of the following: weight; density; size; shape; color; volume; and/or marking indicia. the game apparatus may be, but it not limited to, a golf club or a racquet. in certain aspects, the weight members of a set are fixed to a game apparatus with an adhesive or a connector. in other aspects each weight member is releasably connectible to a game apparatus. in certain aspects, the releasable connection is by one of friction fit and snap fit. fig. 2b is a side view of the racquet of fig. 2a . in certain aspects, a weight member or weight members of a set of weight members according to the present invention has a surface and when the weight member is connected to a game apparatus it does not project beyond the surface of the game apparatus. the present invention, in one aspect, discloses a game racquet with a handle portion and a body portion across which are stretched a plurality of strings, the strings connected to the body. the body portion or part thereof is hollow and/or the handle or part thereof is hollow. material (liquid and/or liquid with a solid or solids) and/or one or more movable weight members are movably disposed within a hollow part and are movable, either by hand or when the racquet is swung, tilted or inverted, from one location to another, e.g. to the top of the racquet to change the weight distribution of the racquet during a hit or serve. alternatively, a channel member or a weight member (or plurality thereof) are releasably located on the body of a racquet. a golf club according to the present invention has a hollow channel extending from a club shaft into a space in a club head, a weight member or members and/or liquid in or on the shaft movable to the head. the present invention discloses, in at least certain embodiments, a game racquet with: a body, part of the body defining a body opening therethrough; a plurality of strings across the body opening and connected to the body; an interior channel extending through at least a portion of the body, the interior channel having at least a first part and a second part; weight material (liquid and/or solid member or members) movably disposed in the interior channel for movement between the first part and the second part; and maintenance apparatus adjacent (in and/or on or near) the interior channel for selectively maintaining the weight material in one of the first part and the second part. weight relocation, in certain embodiments, moves (and/or enlarges) a racquet's sweetspot to another location in the racquet, in one aspect to relocate the sweetspot, and in one aspect toward or to the top of the racquet enhancing a player's ability to hit the ball at the sweetspot and/or enhancing the force with which a player hits a ball. after a hit of a ball or a serve, tilting or re-inversion of the racquet results in movement of the liquid or weight(s) moving back to an original position; or in certain embodiments the movable material moves down in a handle, thus decreasing the amount of energy needed to move and swing the racquet in play in certain ways after the serve or after a hit of the ball. in certain aspects, in a racquet or club according to the present invention, movable weights are used which are spherical such as solid spheres, ball bearings or marbles made from a material of desired density to achieve a desired weight (e.g. metal, stone, composite, plastic). in another aspect a lubricant may be used with weight member(s). in another aspect movable weight(s) are configured to conform with an exterior shape or interior shape of a portion or of a hollow portion of a racquet or a club. in another embodiment an amount of a liquid (e.g. but not limited to water, alcohol, oil and antifreeze—or any combination thereof) or a liquid with objects, solids, weights, or particles therein, is movably disposed in part of a hollow body; or in an embodiment in which the handle is hollow, initially in the hollow handle. upon tilting, swinging in an arc, or inversion of the racquet or club, the liquid flows in the hollow part (and/or weight member or members), in one aspect toward the top of the hollow body member of a racquet or to a head of a club, and due to centrifugal force stays there during arcing movement of a hit, drive, or serve. in certain embodiments in which a liquid or a solid movable weight or weights are used, a selectively actuable maintenance apparatus maintains the weight(s) in a desired location (e.g. in a top area of a racquet or in the handle of a racquet) and prevents the repositioning of weight(s) (liquid and/or solid) which have moved from one part to another. with practice, a player can allow less than all of the movable weight to move from one part to another in the body. in another embodiment in which an amount of material (liquid and/or a weight member or members) is in the hollow body and/or hollow handle, the maintenance apparatus is a valve device which allows a player to selectively permit some or all of the material to move from one location to another in or on the racquet. in certain embodiments movable weight members and/or liquid are introducible onto or into a racquet's hollow body and/or handle or into a club shaft through one or more holes or openings; and may be selectively removed therethrough, e.g. after a hit, drive, or serve. in certain aspects a racquet or club according to the present invention has a channel member with a hollow channel therein affixed (permanently or releasably) to a body (e.g. a racquet frame, club shaft, or club head) and weight material (liquid and/or solid member or members) as described herein is movable in the channel member. in one aspect the channel member is tubing (flexible or rigid) with the material therein. in one aspect the tubing is releasably connectable to the body, e.g. with friction fit connectors or clasps, with adhesive, with hook-and-loop releasably cooperating fastener material like velcro (trademark) material, and/or with one or more wrap-around strings, wires, belts, loops and/or straps. the tubing can be sealed permanently or it can have one or more openable or pluggable closures for inserting and/or removing material (liquid and/or a weight member or members). a flexible tubing can be formed to fit a plurality of racquets or clubs with different body shapes or curvatures. any maintenance apparatus disclosed herein can, according to the present invention, be used with any channel member or tubing disclosed herein. in certain embodiments the present invention discloses a golf club with a body with any channel or channel member as described herein for containing material to flow to a head of the golf club upon swinging of the club; and/or with a weight movable in or on club shaft. the present invention discloses, in certain embodiments, a golf club with: a head, the head having an interior space therein; a shaft connected to the head; weight material movably disposed with respect to the shaft for movement between a first position with respect to the shaft and a second position with respect to the shaft. in one aspect, the head has an interior hole, the shaft is hollow, the weight material is within the shaft, and part of the shaft extends into the hole in the head so that the weight material is movable into the interior space in the head. the weight material is liquid or is at least one weight member or a plurality of weight members movably within or secured around the shaft. brief description of the several views of the drawings a more particular description of embodiments of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by references to the embodiments which are shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification. these drawings illustrate certain preferred embodiments and are not to be used to improperly limit the scope of the invention which may have other equally effective or legally equivalent embodiments. fig. 1a is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 1b is a side view of the racquet of fig. 1a . fig. 2a is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 2b is a side view of the racquet of fig. 2a . fig. 3a is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 3b shows the racquet of fig. 3a inverted. fig. 3c is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 3d is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 4a is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 4b is a side view of the racquet of fig. 4a . fig. 4c is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 4d is a side view of the racquet of fig. 4c . fig. 4e is a cross-section view of a weight member and pin for use with the racquet of fig. 4c . fig. 5a is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 5b is a side view of the racquet of fig. 5a . fig. 6 is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 7 is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 7a is an end view of weight member according to the present invention. fig. 7b is an end view of weight member according to the present invention. fig. 7c is an end view of weight member according to the present invention. fig. 8a is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 8b is a front view of a channel member of the racquet of fig. 8a . fig. 8c is a side view of the racquet of fig. 8a . fig. 9 presents cross-section views of items according to the present invention. fig. 10 is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 10a is a side view of a weight member usable with the racquet of fig. 10 . fig. 11 is a side view of a golf club according to the present invention. fig. 12 is a side view of a golf club according to the present invention. fig. 13 is a side view of a golf club according to the present invention. fig. 14a is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 14b is a front view of the racquet of fig. 14a . fig. 14c a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 14d is a front view of the racquet of fig. 14c . fig. 15a is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 15b is a front view of the racquet of fig. 4a . fig. 15c is a front view of the racquet of fig. 15 a. fig. 15d is a front view of a racquet according to the present invention. fig. 16a is a side view of a golf club according to the present invention. fig. 16b is a side view of a weight member of the golf club of fig. 16a . fig. 17a is a side view of a golf club according to the present invention. fig. 17b is a side view of a weight member of the golf club of fig. 17a . fig. 18a is a side view of a golf club according to the present invention. fig. 18b is a side view of a weight member of the golf club of fig. 18a . fig. 19a is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 19b is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 19c is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 20a is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 20b is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 20c is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 21a is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 21b is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 21c is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 22a is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 22b is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. fig. 22c is a side view of a weight member according to the present invention. detailed description of the invention referring now to figs. 1a and 1b , a game racquet has a handle 12 and a body 14 to which are connected and across which are stretched a plurality of strings 13 . the handle 12 is hollow, but in certain embodiments may be solid or partially solid. a plurality of movable weight members 8 are movably disposed in an interior channel 15 (shown in dotted lines) in the body 14 and handle 12 . upon swinging or inversion of the racquet 10 , the weight members 8 move from an interior 16 of the handle 12 to a top 18 of the body 14 . upon arcing movement of the racquet 10 , e.g. during a serve or other movement of the racquet, centrifugal force maintains the weight members at the top 18 of the body 14 . upon tilting or re-inversion of the racquet, the weight members 8 move back down into the interior 16 of the handle 12 . (it is to be understood that any racquet according to the present invention and any racquet described below has strings, e.g. strings like the strings 13 .) referring now to figs. 2a and 2b , a game racquet 20 has a handle 22 and a body 24 to which are connected and across which are stretched a plurality of strings 23 . one or more movable metal ball bearings 28 are movably disposed in an interior channel 25 in the body 24 . upon inversion of the racquet 20 , the ball bearings 28 move to a top 26 of the body 24 . upon arcing movement of the racquet 20 , e.g. during a serve or other swing or movement of the racquet, centrifugal force maintains the ball bearings 28 at the top 26 of the body 24 . weight member(s) such as the ball bearings 28 are introducible into the interior channel 25 and removable therefrom through a hole 27 in the body 24 . the channel 25 may be any desired length and the hole 27 may be located as desired, in one aspect so that the weight members may be located as desired, and in one aspect so that the weight members will not fall out upon inversion of the racquet. upon tilting of the racquet, the weight members move back to the hole 27 for removal from the body 24 . only one weight member 28 may be used. alternatively liquid or liquid with solids is introduced through the hole 27 (and tape or a plug is used to close off the hole 27 ). referring now to figs. 3a and 3b , a racquet 30 according to the present invention has a handle 32 and a body 34 with an interior channel 35 therethrough and strings 31 (shown in fig. 3a ). an amount of liquid 33 is movably disposed in the interior channel 35 . upon inversion of the racquet 30 , the liquid 33 moves from the handle 32 to a top 38 of the body 34 . upon arcing movement of the racquet 30 , e.g. during a serve or other movement of the racquet, centrifugal force maintains the liquid at the top 38 of the body 34 . upon re-inversion of the racquet the liquid moves back down into handle 32 . as may be done with any racquet according to the present invention, the liquid 33 may be replaced with any weight member(s) disclosed herein and/or liquid may be used in combination with weight member(s). as shown in fig. 3c , a racquet 30 a (like the racquet 30 ) has a handle 32 a and a body 34 a with a solid portion at the top and with an interior channel 35 a which extends from the handle 32 a up into a portion of both sides of the body 34 a . upon inversion of the racquet 30 a , liquid and/or weight members in the interior channel 35 a moves from the handle 32 a to abut portions 38 a , 38 b of the solid portion at the top of the body 34 a. as may be the case with any racquet according to the present invention, the solid portion at the top of the body 34 a may be of any desirable extent, e.g. with the portions 38 a , 38 b located as desired; similarly the extent of the interior channel within the handle 32 a may be any desired length—thus affecting how much liquid and/or weight member(s) is/are contained in the racquet and the location of the liquid and/or weight members upon inversion of the racquet. it is within the scope of the present invention to provide a plurality of separate, discrete, distinct interior channels within the handle and/or body of a racquet or in the shaft and/or head of a golf club with liquid and/or weight members in each channel. the channels may be of any desired extent (and, as is true of any racquet or club according to the present invention, any channel may be of any desired diameter or largest dimension). as shown in fig. 3d a racquet 30 d according too the present invention (like the racquet 30 ) has a body 34 d with a handle 32 d . upon inversion of the racquet 30 d , the liquid and/or weight member(s) in interior channels 35 d (in the handle and body) and interior channel 39 d (at the top of the body) moves to the top of the respective channel. liquid and/or weight member(s) in the handle portion of the interior channel 35 d will move to abut solid portions 38 e , 38 f of a solid part 38 d of the body. optionally, either channel 35 d or 39 d may be deleted. referring now to figs. 4a and 4b , a game racquet 40 has a handle 42 and a body 44 across which are stretched a plurality of strings 46 . a movable weight member 48 is movably disposed in an interior channel 45 in the body 44 . a stem 43 connects the weight member 48 to a projection or knob 41 located exteriorly of the body 44 with the stem 43 movable in a slit 49 along the body 44 from a lower point to a top 47 of the racquet 40 to move the weight member within the channel 45 . in another aspect the channel 45 may extend down any distance into the handle 42 , e.g. but not limited to, to its lower extremity if desired. with a friction fit, the stem 43 can be held in position in the slit 49 . at least one, one, two, three, four, five, or more weight members may be used. figs. 4c and 4d show a racquet 40 a (like the racquet 40 ) but with a frame 44 a having a channel 45 a extending from within a handle 42 a to a top of the frame. within the channel 45 a are one, two, three or more weight members 48 a . a pin 49 (see, e.g. pin 49 in fig. 4d ) is insertable into, and removable from, a hole 49 a through the frame (any desired member of holes 49 a may be provided for maintaining the weight members 48 a in a desired location in the channel 45 a ). optionally, as shown in fig. 4e in cross-section, a weight member 48 a may have a recess 48 r sized and located for receipt therein of a pin 49 (extending through a hole in the frame) to hold the weight member 48 a in position in the channel 45 a. referring now to figs. 5a and 5b , a game racquet 50 has a handle 52 and a body 54 across which are stretched a plurality of strings (not shown). a plurality of movable weight members 58 are movably disposed in an interior channel 55 in the handle 52 and the body 54 . upon inversion of the racquet 50 , the weight members 58 move from handle 52 to a top 56 of the body 54 . upon arcing movement of the racquet 50 , e.g. during a swing, serve or other movement of the racquet, centrifugal force maintains the weight members at the top 56 of the body 54 . upon re-inversion of the racquet the weight members move back down into the handle 52 . a stop pin 57 has a shaft 51 which is removably and releasably insertable through a hole 59 . a crossmember 53 facilitates manipulation of the stop pin 57 . the stem 51 protruding into the channel 55 (after the weight members have moved to the top 56 of the racquet 50 ) prevents the weight member(s) (one or more may be used as desired) from moving back into the handle 52 . the stop pin 57 may be selectively removed, e.g. after a serve, to allow the weight members 58 to return to the handle 52 . additional holes 59 may be provided as shown near a yoke 54 a or in the handle 52 for using the pin 57 to maintain the weight member(s) in other locations. referring now to fig. 6 , a game racquet 60 has a handle 62 and a body 64 across which are stretched a plurality of strings (not shown). an amount of liquid 63 is movably disposed in an interior channel 65 in the handle 62 and the body 64 . a valve 70 has a stem 71 which blocks liquid flow in the channel 65 until the stem 71 is turned using a head 73 so that a hole 72 through the stem 71 is aligned with openings 68 and 69 of the channel 65 . the head 73 protrudes exteriorly of the body 64 and facilitates manipulation and rotation of the valve stem 71 . upon inversion of the racquet 60 with the valve 70 open the liquid 63 moves from the handle 62 to a top 66 of the body 64 . upon re-inversion of the racquet 60 the liquids move back down into the handle 62 . such a valve may be located anywhere on the body 64 to maintain liquid in a desired location; and multiple valves may be used. a racquet 70 according to the present invention as shown in fig. 7 has a frame 74 with a handle 72 , a yoke 77 , and a top area 73 . a weight member 78 is connected to the top area 73 . it is within the scope of the present invention to use one, two, three or more weight members 78 and, as shown in outline, to place it or them in other desired locations on the frame 74 . in certain aspects the weight member(s) 78 are permanently formed of or permanently or semi-permanently connected to the frame 74 . in other aspects, the weight member(s) 78 are releasably connected to the frame 74 , e.g. with a friction fit of a grasp member (e.g. the grasp member 75 as shown in fig. 7a ) or with amounts of releasably cooperating hook-and-loop fastener material (e.g. as amounts 79 a , 79 b ); legs 75 a of the grasp member 75 may be deleted in one aspect and the amounts 79 a , 79 b alone releasably holding the weight member(s) in place. in other aspects the weight member(s) 78 are located within the frame 74 . as shown in fig. 7b a weight member 78 b may have a grasp member 75 b with legs 75 c having a shaped portion 75 d shaped to conform to a shape of a racquet body for enhanced holding of the weight member of the body. fig. 70 shows a weight member 78 f with a body 78 g from which a pointed projection 78 h extends. the projection 78 h is received in a corresponding hole 78 k in the frame 74 . the projection 78 h can be so formed and made of such flexible material that pulling on the weight member 78 f releases the weight member 78 f from the hole 78 k. figs. 8a and 8b show a game racquet 80 according to the present invention with a frame 84 , a handle 82 and a yoke area 87 . a hollow tubing member 78 is connected (permanently or releasably) to the frame 84 . any material disclosed herein (liquid and/or weight member or members) is used within the hollow tubing, e.g. material 78 a shown schematically in dotted lines. the tubing member 78 may be permanently formed of or secured to the frame 84 ; or it may be releasably connectible to the frame 84 in any suitable manner, e.g. using the items, materials, and/or connectors used to releasably connect a weight member 78 ( fig. 7a ) to its frame. optionally, the tubing may be of any desired length and may provide, exterior to a racquet body or frame (or club part), any interior channel disclosed herein, including, but not limited to, those of figs. 1a-6 . fig. 9 presents a variety of cross-sectional shapes for any channel disclosed herein, any frame hole, any tubing, any racquet body or frame disclosed herein, and any weight member disclosed herein. with appropriate sizing, any weight member of any cross-sectional shape may be used in any channel of any cross-sectional shape. fig. 10 shows a racquet 100 according to the present invention with a frame 104 , handle 102 , plurality of strings 106 across a frame opening 107 , and a top area 105 . a hole 110 extends through the top area 105 . a weight member (e.g., like the weight member 112 , fig. 10a ), is releasably insertable into the hole 110 . one, two, three or more holes 110 may be used, each with a weight member releasably located therein. fig. 11 shows a golf club 120 according to the present invention with a head 122 to which is connected a club shaft 124 . a weight member 78 p is releasably connected to the head 122 (connected as is any weight member disclosed and discussed herein). a weight member may be connected to any portion of the head 122 and, as shown in dotted lines, to the shaft 124 (and may be located anywhere on the shaft 124 ). fig. 12 shows a golf club 121 according to the present invention with a head 122 connected to a club shaft 123 . an interior channel 128 in the shaft 123 is in communication with an interior space 126 in the head 122 . the space 126 may be any desired shape (including the shapes shown in fig. 9 ). a plurality of weight members 125 are in the space 126 as shown in fig. 12 . upon inversion of the club 121 , the weight members 125 move from the space 126 into the channel 128 to a top end of the channel 128 (which upon inversion of the club becomes the lowermost part of the club). upon swinging of the club to hit a golf ball, the weight members are moved forcefully down the channel 128 back toward the space 126 and then into the space 126 augmenting the force of the head 122 hitting the ball as the head 122 hits the ball. a removable cap 127 selectively closes off the channel 128 . liquid or liquid and weight member(s) may be sued in the channel 128 for movement into the space 126 . a single weight member may be used. fig. 13 shows a golf club 130 according to the present invention with a head 132 to which is connected a club shaft 134 . a hollow tubing member 138 is connected to the shaft 134 . weight members 135 are within the tubing member 138 (only one weight member or two or more may be used). the tubing member 138 may extent only to the head's exterior or optionally, as shown in dotted lines, the tubing member 138 may extend into a hole 139 in the head 132 (and the weight member or members will be movable into and out of the head. the hole in the head 132 may extend to any point in the head so that the tubing member and weight member(s) moving therein can extend anywhere into the head 132 . figs. 14a and 14b show a racquet 140 according to the present invention which has a body 142 with a handle 143 and a top portion 144 that defines an opening 144 a across which are a plurality of strings 146 which are connected to the body 142 . the handle 143 may be solid as shown, or it may be hollow. the top portion 144 has interior opposed channels 148 a and 148 b each of which culminates at the top of the racquet 140 . there is a barrier 141 within the top portion which prevents a weight member in one channel form passing into the other channel at the top of the racquet 140 . weight members 143 a and 143 b , shown schematically, are meant to represent any weight member or weight members disclosed herein, solid, liquid, or solid/liquid combination. upon inversion of the racquet ( fig. 14b ) or swinging of the racquet, the weight members 143 a , 143 b move to the top portion in their respective channels 148 a , 148 b (for example, but not limited to, when the racquet is inverted at the beginning of a serve, when it is swung during a serve, or when it is swung to hit a ball). upon movement of the racquet to at least a slightly upright position, the weight members will return to a position as in fig. 14a . figs. 14c and 14d show a racquet 140 a according to the present invention which is like the racquet 140 described above; but the racquet 140 a has two sets of opposed channels so that weight members are positionable both at or near a top of a racquet and at a point at or near a mid-point of a racquet. it is within the scope of the present invention to provide weight stop members at any desired point on a racquet, including, but not limited to, the points labeled a-f (on either or both sides of a racquet, see fig. 14d ) to stop the movement of a weight member or members to such point(s) during racquet movement. the racquet 140 a has a body 142 a with a handle 143 a and a top portion 144 c that defines an opening 144 b across which are a plurality of strings 146 a which are connected to the body 142 a. the top portion 144 c has interior opposed channels 148 c and 148 d each of which culminates at a top of the racquet 140 a . at this point there is a barrier 141 a within the top portion which prevents a weight member in one channel from passing into the other channel at the top of the racquet. the handle 143 a has interior opposed channels 143 e and 143 f each of which extends partially into the top portion 144 c and each of which culminates at an interior barrier 149 b and 149 d respectively. weight members 147 a , 147 b , 147 c , and 147 d , shown schematically, move in their respective channels and are meant to represent any weight member or weight members disclosed herein, solid, liquid, or solid/liquid combination. upon titling of the racquet with the top thereof below horizontal or upon inversion of the racquet ( fig. 14d ) or swinging of the racquet, the weight members 147 a - 147 d move in their respective channels until they are stopped by their respective barriers. upon movement of the racquet back with the top above horizontal or to an upright position, the weight members, the weight members will return to a position as in fig. 14c . figs. 15a-15c show a racquet 150 according to the present invention which has a body 152 with a handle 153 and a body portion 154 . two opposed channels 151 , 155 extend from the bottom of the handle 153 to the top of the body portion 154 . a barrier 156 closes off each channel 151 , 155 at the top of the body 152 . strings connected to the body 152 span an opening 159 in the body 152 . weight members 157 a , 157 b in the channels 151 , 155 , respectively, are movable from the bottom of the handle 153 to the barrier 156 . as shown in fig. 15b tilting, moving, or swinging of the racquet or swinging of it with sufficient force moves the weight members 157 a , 157 b in their channels (or inversion of the racquet) toward the top of the racquet (and, similarly, toward the bottom of the handle 153 if the racquet it moved, swung, or tilted the other way). as shown in fig. 15c , with sufficient force or tilting, the weight members move to the top of the racquet. a single weight member may be used in each channel or any desired plurality of them. the weight member(s) may be solid, liquid, or liquid with solids therein. it is within the scope of the present invention to provide a barrier, e.g., like the barriers 141 and 156 , in any of the racquets of figs. 1a , 2 a, 3 a, 3 c, and 8 a; and it is within the scope of the present invention to use a barrier at a point below the top point of a racquet (any disclosed herein) such as, but not limited to, the barriers 149 b , 149 d. fig. 15d shows a racquet 150 a like the racquet 150 according to the present invention which has a plurality of removably emplaceable pins 159 which extend through a body 152 a into channels 151 a and 155 a to serve as stops for weight member(s) at different locations in the channels (weight members not shown). optionally, a barrier 156 a is used at a top of the body 152 a. fig. 16a shows a golf club 160 according to the present invention which has a head 161 and a shaft 162 . a weight member 163 (see fig. 16b ) has a stem 164 which is received in a corresponding recess 165 in the head 161 . the stem 164 is held within the recess 165 by a friction fit and/or with adhesive. the top of the head 161 has a curved surface 166 and a bottom surface 167 of the weight member 163 corresponds in shape to the shape of the surface 166 . optionally, a top surface of the weight member 163 is curved in shape so it is aerodynamically efficient. it is within the scope of this invention for the recess 165 to be at any desired location on the head 161 ; and for their to be any desired plurality of recess/weight-member combinations like the weight-member- 163 /recess- 165 combination. also, any weight member disclosed herein with suitable shape may be used as the weight member 163 , and any suitable recess shape may be employed. fig. 17a shows a golf club 170 according to the present invention which has a head 171 and a shaft 172 . a weight member 173 (see fig. 17b ) is within a recess 174 in the head 171 . the weight member 173 is held within the recess 174 by a friction fit and/or with adhesive. the top of the weight member 173 has a curved surface which provides a smooth transition with a top surface 176 of the head 171 . it is within the scope of this invention for the recess 174 to be at any desired location on the body 172 ; and for there to be any desired plurality of recess/weight-member combinations like the weight-member- 173 /recess- 174 combination. also, any weight member disclosed herein with suitable shape may be used as the weight member 173 , and any suitable recess shape may be employed. fig. 18a shows a golf club 180 according to the present invention which has a head 181 and a shaft 182 . a weight member 183 (see fig. 18b ) has a stem 184 with an enlarged end 189 within a recess 185 in the head 181 which has an enlarged portion 188 which corresponds to the enlarged end 189 . the weight member 183 is releasably held within the recess 185 by a snap fit of the enlarged end 189 in the enlarged portion 188 of the recess 185 . it is within the scope of this invention for the recess 185 to be at any desired location on the head 181 ; and for there to be any desired plurality of recess/weight-member combinations like the weight-member- 183 /recess- 185 combination. also, any weight member disclosed herein with suitable shape may be used as the weight member 183 , and any suitable recess shape may be employed. it is within the scope of the present invention to provide a set of a plurality of weight members for a game apparatus, including, but not limited to, a golf club or a racquet. the weight members of the set can differ in shape, weight, volume, size, color, marking indicia, and/or density so that the members are identifiable, can identify things to which they are connected, and/or so that effects of the use of a weight member can be varied as desired with a single game apparatus, including, but not limited to, a single club or racquet. any desired number of weight members may be in the set. figs. 19a , 19 b, and 19 c show, respectively, weight members 190 a , 190 b , and 190 c each of which has the shape shown (side view of a dome-shaped member) and each of which has substantially the same volume. the weight member 190 a is made of material with a first density. the weight member 190 b is made of material with a second density which is greater than the first density. the weight member 190 c is made of material with a third density which is greater than the second density. each weight member in figs. 19a , 19 b, and 19 c has a holding structure 197 for attaching or for releasably attaching the weight member to a part or portion of a club or of a racquet. optionally, the weight members have different markings 191 , 192 , 193 as shown. figs. 20a , 20 b, and 20 c show, respectively, weight members 200 a , 200 b , and 200 c each of which has the shape shown (side view of a dome-shaped member) and each of which has a different volume. the weight members are made of the same material so that the weight member 200 b weighs more than the weight member 200 a and the weight member 200 c weighs more than the weight member 200 a . each weight member in figs. 20a , 20 b, and 20 c has a stem 207 for connecting or for releasably connecting the weight member to a part or portion of a club or of a racquet with a recess corresponding to the shape of the stem. optionally, the weight members have different colored markings 201 , 202 , and 203 . figs. 21a , 21 b, and 21 c show, respectively, weight members 210 a , 210 b , and 210 c each of which has the shape shown (side view of a dome-shaped member) and each of which has a different volume. the weight members are made of the same material so that the weight member 210 b weighs more than the weight member 210 a and the weight member 210 c weighs more than the weight member 210 a . each weight member in figs. 21a , 21 b, and 21 c has a recess 217 a , 217 b , and 217 c , respectively, for connecting or for releasably connecting the weight member to a part or portion of a club or of a racquet with a recess corresponding to the shape of the stem. figs. 22a , 22 b, and 22 c show, respectively, weight members 220 a , 220 b , and 220 c each of which has the shape shown and each of which has the same stem 227 . the weight member 220 a has to top portion 221 which is generally flat (with the shape generally of a flat-headed pin or tack). the weight member 220 b has to top portion 223 which is generally round or curved (with the shape generally of a flat-headed pin or tack. the weight member 220 c has to top portion 225 which is generally concave (and is circular or oval as viewed from above). each weight member in figs. 22a , 22 b, and 22 c has the stem 207 for connecting or for releasably connecting the weight member to a part or portion of a club or of a racquet with a recess corresponding to the shape of the stem. different colored markings 225 , 226 , and 228 are on the weight members. the present invention, therefore, in at least certain embodiments, provides a game racquet with: a body, part of the body defining a body opening therethrough; a plurality of strings across the body opening and connected to the body; an interior channel extending through at least a portion of the body, the interior channel having at least a first part and a second part; weight material movably disposed in the interior channel for movement between the first part and the second part; and maintenance apparatus adjacent the interior channel for selectively maintaining the weight material in one of the first part and the second part. such a game racquet may have one or some (in any possible combination) of the following: the weight material is liquid; the liquid is antifreeze; the weight material is at least one solid member; the at least one solid member is a plurality of solid objects; the body has a first hole, the first hole in communication with the interior channel, and the maintenance apparatus comprises a pin removably inserted into the first hole so that part of the pin projects into the interior channel and maintains the weight material at a desired location in the interior channel; the weight material is a solid member, the solid member having a secondary hole, a portion of the pin projecting into the secondary hole; the body has a second hole, and the pin selectively insertable into the first hole to maintain the weight material in the first part of the interior channel, the pin insertable into the second hole to maintain the weight material in the second part of the interior channel; the weight material is at least one movable weight member, the at least one movable weight member having a body with a stem projecting from the body into the slit, the maintenance apparatus is a slit in the body in communication with the interior channel, and the stem movable in the slit to selectively position the movable weight member in the interior channel at a desired location therein; wherein the at least one movable weight member has a knob exterior of the body, the knob connected to the stem; the weight material is liquid flowable between the first part and the second part, the maintenance apparatus is a valve member with a valve stem, the stem having a flow hole therethrough, and the stem located in the interior channel, the stem rotatable to stop fluid flow in the channel from the first part to the second part and the stem rotatable to selectively allow the liquid to flow through the stem from one of the first part or the second part of the interior channel to the other of the first part of the second part of the interior channel; a head connected to the stem, the head exterior to the interior channel, the head rotatable to rotate the stem; and/or the body is a main body and tubing is connected to the main body, the interior channel extending through the tubing. the present invention, therefore, in at least certain embodiments, provides a body, part of the body defining a body opening therethrough; a plurality of strings over the body opening; at least one hole through the body; a weight member removably secured in the at least one hole. such a game racquet may have one or some (in any possible combination) of the following: the at least one hole is a plurality of holes, including a first hole and a second hole, the first hole spaced apart from the second hole, and the weight member selectively insertable into either the first hole or the second hole; and/or wherein the body has a handle and a top area, the first part of the interior channel is in the handle, and the second part of the interior channel is in the top area. the present invention, therefore, in at least certain embodiments, provides a golf club with: a head, the head having an interior space therein; a shaft connected to the head; weight material movably disposed with respect to the shaft for movement between a first position with respect to the shaft and a second position with respect to the shaft. such a game racquet may have one or some (in any possible combination) of the following: wherein the head has an interior hole, the shaft is hollow, the weight material is within the shaft, and part of the shaft extends into the hole in the head so that the weight material is movable into the interior space in the head; and/or wherein the weight material is at least one weight member movably secured around the shaft.
|
007-415-405-929-889
|
CN
|
[
"US",
"CN"
] |
G11B17/028,G11B17/035,G11B17/043
| 2010-03-31T00:00:00 |
2010
|
[
"G11"
] |
compact disc centering apparatus of compact disc player
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a compact disc centering apparatus of a compact disc player includes carrying rollers which are disposed within a compact disc entry on the opposite sides thereof and a compact disc guiding; a pair of detection rods capable of synchronized rotating, which is disposed between a support plate and the compact disc entry. the apparatus also includes a control device and a trigger device, wherein, an engaging portion is disposed on the control device and extends along the direction in which the control device moves, and an engaged portion is disposed on the trigger device and engages with the engaging portion. when the engaged portion is located in the engaging portion, the contact between the engaging portion and the engaged portion makes the trigger device rotate and stop at a position such that the center of the compact disc is coincident with the center of the support plate. the structure of the compact centering apparatus according to the present invention is extremely simple, which enables the center of the compact disc to stop at a position coincident with the center of the support plate, and the compact disc does not return in the direction toward the compact disc entry even if there exists the effect of a reset spring of the trigger device.
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1 . a compact disc centering apparatus of a compact disc player, comprising: carrying rollers which are disposed within a compact disc entry on the opposite sides thereof and a compact disc guiding; a pair of detection rods capable of synchronized rotating, which is disposed between a support plate and the compact disc entry; a control device which is installed on a side of a base plate and may move in a direction parallel to a path for carrying the compact disc, this movement may actuate an action of a lifting control plate and in turn enable the support plate and the carrying roller to approach/depart from the path for carrying the compact disc; and a trigger device which is installed on the base plate and may swing, under the effect of a second spring, a contact portion on one end of the trigger device having a trend of swinging in the direction toward the compact disc entry, and the trigger device being for actuating an initial movement of the control device such that the control device may be drove by a motor; wherein, an engaging portion is disposed on the control device and extends along a direction in which the control device moves, and an engaged portion is disposed on the trigger device and engages with the engaging portion; or, an engaging portion is disposed on the trigger device and extends along a direction in which the control device moves, and an engaged portion is disposed on the control device and engages with the engaging portion; when the engaged portion is located in the engaging portion, the contact between the engaging portion and the engaged portion makes the trigger device rotate and stop at a position such that the center of the compact disc is coincident with that of the support plate. 2 . the compact disc centering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the engaging portion is a long hole and the engaged portion is a protrusion capable of being embedded in the long hole. 3 . the compact disc centering apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a first slot which is substantially perpendicular to the long hole is disposed on one end of the long hole, and a second slot which is substantially perpendicular to the long hole is disposed on the other end of the long hole, the long hole, the first slot and the second slot form a tabling hole having a shape of letter z. 4 . the compact disc centering apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control device has an upright plate, as well as a top plate and a bottom plate which extend toward the inside from the upper and lower edges of the upright plate, respectively, the top plate has the engaging portion or the engaged portion, the upright plate has a rack and a cam-shaped hole for controlling the lifting of the clamp, and the bottom plate has a first protrusion for actuating the lifting control plate to move. 5 . the compact disc centering apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the lifting control plate is parallel to the carrying roller and has a strip shape, its upright plate has the second cam-shaped groove for actuating the lifting of the carrying roller and the third cam-shaped groove for actuating the lifting of the support plate, its bottom has the first cam-shaped groove, and the first cam-shaped groove cooperates with the first protrusion for actuating the lifting control plate to move along the direction parallel to the axis of the carrying roller. 6 . the compact disc centering apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a pivot changing mechanism of the trigger device, wherein the pivot changing mechanism comprises: a l-shaped arbor hole on the slide plate, the arbor hole having a first middle portion which extends along the moving direction of the slide plate and of which the width is slightly larger than the diameter of the middle axis of the trigger device, as well as two ends, wherein the first end has the same width as the diameter of the middle axis, and a first concave portion is formed on the second end along the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the slide plate moves; and a guiding hole 1 b on the base plate, the guiding hole comprising: a second middle portion extending along the direction in which the slide plate moves, a second concave portion and a third concave portion formed on the two ends of the second middle portion along the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the slide plate moves; wherein when a small diameter compact disc is carried in, the second concave portion and the first end of the arbor hole overlap, the middle axis of the trigger device is embedded in the second concave portion; when a large diameter compact disc is carried in, the slide plate moves toward the compact disc entry under the stirring of the detection rod, such that the third concave portion and the first concave portion overlap, and the middle axis of the trigger device is embedded in the first concave portion under the push of the outer circumference of the compact disc. 7 . a trigger mechanism capable of preventing a center of a compact disc from deviating from a center of a support plate, comprising: a control device which is installed on a side of a base plate and may move in a direction parallel to a path for carrying the compact disc, an engaging portion being disposed on the control device and extending along the direction in which the control device moves; and a trigger device which is adapted to supply the power for an initial movement of the control device and is installed on the base plate through a middle axis, a contact portion to be in contact with an outer circumference of the compact disc being disposed on one end of the trigger device, and an engaged portion for engaging with the engaging portion being disposed on the other end, the trigger device being given, by a second spring, a rotation force which makes the contact portion of the trigger device tend to the direction of the compact disc entry, wherein when the engaged portion is located in the engaging portion, the contact between the engaging portion and the engaged portion makes the trigger device rotate and stop at a position such that the center of the compact disc is coincident with that of the support plate. 8 . the trigger mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the engaging portion is a long hole and the engaged portion is a protrusion capable of being embedded in the long hole.
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field of the invention the present invention relates to a compact disc centering apparatus in a compact disc player, which enables a compact disc carried through a carrying roller to a support plate to be clamped accurately. background of the invention in a compact disc player which carries a compact disc through a carrying roller to a support plate for playing, a trigger device is usually adopted to detect whether the center of the compact arrives the center of the support plate, and actuates a clamp mechanism of the compact disc. one end of the trigger device is given a rotation force pointing to the direction of the compact disc entry under the effect of a spring, and contacts the outer circumference of the compact disc carried in the carrying path, the other end of the trigger device is pushed and rotates under the acting force against the spring, so as to actuate the clamp mechanism finally. the spring of the trigger device mentioned above may function to block the carrying of the compact disc. after the carrying roller is disengaged from the compact disc, the trigger device may return the compact disc carried on the support plate in the direction of the compact disc entry. in this way, there may be an offset between the position of the center of the compact disc and that of the support plate, so that the action of the clamp can not be performed accurately. on the other hand, after the center of the compact disc exceeds the center of the support plate by one millimeter, the outer circumference of the compact disc is in contact with the baffle on the base plate, and accordingly the carrying roller stops the carrying of the compact disc. then, the clamp mechanism is actuated under this condition and performs the clamp action. therefore, the clamp has been always operated in the case that the position of the center of the compact disc is inconsistent with that of the support plate. as a method to solve the problem, a solution is proposed in japanese patent application laid-open no. 2006-48837. in this solution, a second centering mechanism 2 is disposed between the support plate and the carrying roller, and a positioning mechanism 3 is disposed in the rear portion of the support plate. under the combination effect of the second centering mechanism and the compact disc positioning mechanism, the whole circumference of the compact disc carried to the support plate is clamped, thereby keeping the center of the compact disc on the center position of the support plate. the addition of a plurality of parts is required in this solution, which makes the structure complicated. summary of the invention the object of the invention is to provide a compact disc centering apparatus of the compact disc player in which the second centering mechanism and the compact positioning mechanism are not required to be disposed. instead, a simple structure is used to enable the compact disc to be carried to the support plate accurately without an offset. a compact disc centering apparatus of a compact disc player according to the invention includes: carrying rollers which are disposed within a compact disc entry on the opposite sides thereof and a compact disc guiding; a pair of detection rods capable of synchronized rotating, which is disposed between a support plate and the compact disc entry; a control device which is installed on a side of a base plate and may move in a direction parallel to a path for carrying the compact disc, this movement may actuate an action of a lifting control plate and in turn enable the support plate and the carrying roller to approach/depart from the path for carrying the compact disc; and a trigger device which is installed on the base plate and may swing, under the effect of a second spring, a contact portion on one end of the trigger device having a trend of swinging in the direction toward the compact disc entry, and the trigger device being for actuating an initial movement of the control device such that the control device may be drove by a motor; wherein, an engaging portion is disposed on the control device and extends along the direction in which the control device moves, and an engaged portion is disposed on the trigger device and engages with the engaging portion; when the engaged portion is located in the engaging portion, the contact between the engaging portion and the engaged portion makes the trigger device rotate and stop at a position such that the center of the compact disc is coincident with that of the support plate. in the present invention, the engaging portion may also be disposed on the trigger device and extends along the direction in which the control device moves, and the engaged portion is disposed on the control device and engages with the engaging portion. the present invention further provides a trigger mechanism capable of preventing a center of a compact disc from deviating from a center of a support plate, including: a control device which is installed on a side of a base plate and may move in a direction parallel to a path for carrying the compact disc, an engaging portion being disposed on the control device and extending along the direction in which the control device moves; and a trigger device which is adapted to supply the power for an initial movement of the control device and is installed on the base plate through a middle axis, a contact portion to be in contact with an outer circumference of the compact disc being disposed on one end of the trigger device, and the engaged portion for engaging with the engaging portion being disposed on the other end, the trigger device being given, by a second spring, a rotation force which makes the contact portion of the trigger device tend to the direction of the compact disc entry. when the engaged portion is located in the engaging portion, the contact between the engaging portion and the engaged portion makes the trigger device rotate and stop at a position such that the center of the compact disc is coincident with that of the support plate. the structure of the compact centering apparatus according to the present invention is extremely simple in that only an engaging portion is disposed on the control device and extends along the direction in which the control device moves, and an engaged portion is disposed on the trigger device and engages with the engaging portion. in addition, when the engaged portion is located in the engaging portion, the contact between the engaging portion and the engaged portion makes the trigger device rotate and in turn makes the center of the compact disc stop at a position coincident with the center of the support plate. the compact disc carried to the support plate in this manner does not return in the direction of the compact disc entry even if there exists the effect of a reset spring of the trigger device. furthermore, in the present invention, a slide plate is provided with a l-shaped arbor hole and the base plate is provided with a guiding hole, so as to form a pivot changing mechanism of the trigger device. when a large diameter compact disc is carried in, an overlapped part of the l-shaped arbor hole and the guiding hole is changed such that the pivot of the trigger device moves to another position to be adapted to the detection of the position of the large diameter compact disc. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a plan view of the compact disc player according to the present embodiment; fig. 2 is a plan view of the compact disc player according to the present embodiment; fig. 3 is a plan view of the slide plate of the compact disc player; fig. 4 is a side view of the control device of the compact disc player; fig. 5 is a stereogram of the control device of the compact disc player; fig. 6 is a stereogram of the lifting control plate of the compact disc player; fig. 7 is a rear view of the lifting control plate of the compact disc player; fig. 8 is a diagram of the state in which a small diameter compact disc is carried on the support plate; fig. 9 is a diagram of the state in which a small diameter compact disc is carried on the support plate; fig. 10 is a diagram of the state in which a small diameter compact disc is placed on the support plate; fig. 11 is a diagram of the state in which a large diameter compact disc is carried on the support plate; and fig. 12 is a diagram of the state in which a large diameter compact disc is carried on the support plate. detailed description of the embodiments a long hole extending along the direction in which the control device moves is disposed on the control device, and a protrusion to be tabled with the long hole is disposed on the trigger device. the tabling of the long hole and the protrusion makes the end of the trigger device stop at a position such that the center of the compact disc is coincident with that of the support plate. next, the present invention will be further described with reference to figs. 1-12 and the embodiments. fig. 1 is a top plan view of a compact disc player which is provided with a compact disc centering apparatus according to the present invention, and fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof. a compact disc entry 1 a is disposed on the left side of a base plate 1 of the compact disc player and a pair of detection rods 2 , 3 is disposed between the compact disc entry 1 a and a support plate 18 . the pair of detection rods 2 , 3 may be in contact with the outer circumference of the compact disc inserted from the compact disc entry 1 a . in addition, the detection rod 2 on one side is associated with the detection rod 3 on the other side through a connection plate 4 . the linkage may be realized between the detection rods 2 and 3 , i.e., if the detection rod 2 on one side rotates clockwise, then the detection rod 3 on the other side rotates counter-clockwise. in addition, a hook rod 5 is disposed near the detection rod 3 on the other side. this hook rod 5 may keep the detection rods 2 , 3 stop at a position after rotation when a large diameter compact disc is inserted from the compact disc entry 1 a . a first spring 6 is hitched between the connection plate 4 and the base plate 1 . the pair of detection rods 2 , 3 is given a rotation force by the first spring 6 , and the rotation force enable the rotation ends of the pair of detection rods 2 , 3 to rotate toward the direction in which the compact disc entry 1 a is closed. when the compact disc is inserted into the compact disc entry 1 a deviating from the center line of the path for carrying the compact disc, its outer circumference may contact one of the two detection rods. under the pressure of this detection rod, the compact disc in carrying may be regulated gradually to move along the center line of the path for carrying the compact disc. furthermore, the pair of detection rods is also adapted to detect the outer diameter of the compact disc being carried in order to control transition of the positions of the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 , the trigger device 9 and so on, such that both the small and large diameter compact discs can be recognized. the detection rod 2 on one side is connected to the slide plate 7 , and the slide plate 7 is adapted to control the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 to leave the path for carrying the compact disc and the trigger device 9 to change its divot when a large diameter compact disc is carried in. if the detection rod 2 starts to rotate from an initial position, the slide plate 7 moves in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a . the central part of the slide plate 7 , as shown in fig. 3 , has a stirring portion 7 e adapted to stir the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 to rotate. the stirring portion 7 e engages with one end of the rod-like small diameter compact disc guiding 8 . the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 is installed on the base plate 1 and may rotate. two guiding sheets 8 a protruding into the path for carrying the compact disc are disposed on the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 . the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 directs the center of the small diameter compact disc to the position of the center of the support plate 18 through the guiding sheets 8 a . if the slide plate 7 moves in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a , the slide plate 7 makes the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 rotate and in turn makes the guiding sheets 8 a leave the path for carrying the compact disc. the slide plate 7 is also provided with a guiding portion 7 d for determining the moving direction of the slide plate. the slide plate 7 is further provided with a fourth cam-shaped groove 7 f for cooperating with the detection rod 2 to make this slide plate 7 approach or depart from the compact disc entry 1 a when the detection rod 2 is rotating. also, the slide plate 7 has a l-shaped arbor hole 7 a which is tabled with a middle axis 9 a of the trigger device (or trigger arm) 9 . this arbor hole 7 a has a first middle portion extending along the direction in which the slide plate 7 moves and two ends, wherein the first end 7 b has the same width as the diameter of the middle axis 9 a , the first middle portion has a width slightly larger than the diameter of the middle axis 9 a , and at the second end, a first concave portion 7 c is formed along the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the slide plate 7 moves. on the other hand, as shown in fig. 2 , on the top surface of the base plate 1 , a guiding hole 1 b which enables the middle axis 9 a to be tabled is formed in a position overlapped with the arbor hole 7 a . the guiding hole 1 b also has a shape extending along the direction in which the slide plate 7 moves. the guiding hole has a second middle portion extending along the direction in which the slide plate 7 moves. at one end of the second middle portion, a second concave portion 1 c is formed along the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the slide plate 7 moves. at the other end of the second middle portion, a third concave portion 1 d is formed along the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the slide plate 7 moves. the guiding hole 1 b and the l-shaped arbor hole 7 a constitute a pivot changing mechanism of the trigger device 9 . when a small diameter compact disc is carried in, the second concave portion 1 c and the first end 7 b of the arbor hole 7 a overlap, and the middle axis 9 a of the trigger device 9 is embedded in the second concave portion 1 c ; when a large diameter compact disc is carried in, the slide plate 7 moves toward the compact disc entry 1 a under the stirring of the detection rod 2 , such that the third concave portion 1 d and the first concave portion 7 c overlap, and the middle axis 9 a of the trigger device 9 is embedded in the first concave portion 7 c under the push of the outer circumference of the compact disc. one end of the trigger device 9 is provided with a contact portion 9 b which contacts the outer circumference of the compact disc, and the other end is provided with an engaged portion 9 c . in the figure, a cylindrical protrusion is adopted as the engaged portion 9 c . the optical disc moves within the carry path. when its circumference contacts the contact portion 9 b and pushes the trigger device 9 to rotate around the middle axis 9 a , the control device 10 installed on the side of the base plate 1 is pushed in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a . in addition, a second spring 11 is hitched between the trigger device 9 and a clamp arm 12 (i.e., a support device of the clamp), which gives the trigger device 9 b a rotation force pointing to the direction of the compact disc entry. in addition, the trigger device 9 b is approximately disposed at a position in which the trigger device 9 b may rotate at the center of the carry path. when no compact disc is inserted, the middle axis 9 a of the trigger device 9 is tabled with the second concave portion 1 c , the first end 7 b of the arbor hole 7 a on the slide plate 7 is tabled with the middle axis 9 a , and the middle axis 9 a may rotate around the second concave portion 1 c as a center. on the other hand, when a large diameter compact disc is inserted, the slide plate 7 moves in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a , then the middle axis 9 a departs from the second concave portion 1 c of the guiding hole 1 b through the first middle portion of the arbor hole 7 a , and rotates around the engaged portion 9 c as a center. in addition, in the case where the middle axis 9 a rotates around the engaged portion 9 c as a center, if the middle axis 9 a arrives at the first concave portion 7 c and the third concave portion 1 d , the trigger device 9 may rotate around the first and third concave portions 7 c and 1 d as a center. the clamp arm 12 is installed on the base plate 1 through an axis on one end thereof and may rotate freely. the other end of the clamp arm 12 has a clamp 13 . the clamp 13 functions to hold the compact disc carried on the support plate 18 , therefore, there is a plate spring 12 a disposed on the clamp arm 12 , which may give the clamp a push pressure. in addition, clamp arm 12 has a cam slave 12 b which may be tabled with the cam-shaped hole 10 a of the control device 10 . the cam-shaped hole 10 a of the control device 10 is made up of a straight part 10 b extending along the direction in which the control device 10 moves and an inclined part 10 c . when the control device 10 moves to the terminal in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a , the cam slave 12 b is tabled with the inclined part 10 c of the cam-shaped hole 10 a , such that the clamp 13 falls on the support plate 18 . the control device 10 is installed on the side of the base plate 1 and may move approaching or departing from the compact disc entry 1 . as shown in fig. 5 , the control device 10 has an upright plate, as well as a top plate and a bottom plate which extend toward the inside from the upper and lower edges of the upright plate, respectively. the top plate has a tabling hole 10 d which may be tabled with the engaged portion 9 c of the trigger device 9 , the upright plate has a rack 10 h and a cam-shaped hole 10 a for controlling the lifting of the clamp 13 , and the bottom plate has a first protrusion 10 j for actuating the lifting control plate 15 to move. the tabling hole 10 d is made up of an engaging portion (a long hole is adopted here) 10 e extending along the direction in which the control device 10 moves, a first slot 10 f which is substantially perpendicular to one end of the engaging portion 10 e , and a second slot 10 g which is substantially perpendicular to the other end of the engaging portion 10 e . the tabling hole 10 d has a shape of letter z approximately. the engaging portion (i.e., the long hole) 10 e is configured to have a width slightly larger than the diameter of the engaged portion 9 c . the engaging portion 10 e is positioned such that when the control device 10 moves under the force of a motor, the engaged portion 9 c is tabled with the engaging portion 10 e and the contact portion 9 b of the trigger device 9 may push the compact disc to a position in which the center of the compact disc is coincident with that of the support plate 18 . after the control device 10 initially moves in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a under the rotation force of the trigger device 9 , the rack 10 h engages with the gear (not shown in the figure) rotating under the effect of the motor 14 , thus, the control device 10 moves in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a under the power effect of the motor 14 . as shown in fig. 2 , the first protrusion 10 j may be tabled with the first cam-shaped groove 15 a of the lifting control plate 15 . a carrying roller 16 for carrying the compact disc and a roller arm 17 which supports the carrying roller and enables the carrying roller to rotate freely and also may enable the carrying roller to leave the surface of the compact disc freely are installed near the compact disc entry 1 a on the underside of the base plate 1 . the roller arm 17 may rotate freely relative to the base plate 1 . as shown in figs. 2 and 7 , the roller arm 17 is provided with a second protrusion 17 a which is tabled with the second cam-shaped groove 15 b of the lifting control plate 15 . also, a locking sheet 17 b is formed integrally on the roller arm 17 for locking the compact disc entry 1 a when the carrying roller leaves the surface of the compact disc. in this way, when a rotation force of the motor 14 is transmitted to the carrying roller 16 , the compact disc is clamped between the carrying roller 16 and a compact disc guiding plate (which is installed on the other side of the compact disc entry 1 a opposite to the carrying roller, not shown in the figure), and the compact disc is carried to the carrying path along with the rotation of the carrying roller 16 . on the other hand, a beam mechanism 19 having the support plate 18 is configured below the clamp 13 . the beam mechanism 19 is provided with an extraction apparatus 20 for reading the signal of the compact disc on the support plate 18 , one end of which is mounted on the base plate 1 through a rubber baffle 21 , and the other end is mounted on the lifting rod 22 through the rubber baffle 21 . one end of the lifting rod 22 is installed on the base plate 1 through an axis and may rotate freely, and the other end, as shown in fig. 7 , has a third protrusion 22 a which engages with the third cam-shaped groove 15 c of the lifting control plate 15 . as shown in figs. 6 , 7 , the lifting control plate 15 has a strip shape, its upright plate has the second cam-shaped groove 15 b for actuating the lifting of the carrying roller 16 and the third cam-shaped groove 15 c for actuating the lifting of the support plate 18 , and a projecting edge on its bottom has the first cam-shaped groove 15 a , which cooperates with the first protrusion 10 j for actuating the lifting control plate 15 to move along the direction parallel to the axis of the carrying roller. as shown in fig. 2 , the strip-shaped lifting control plate 15 is parallel to the carrying roller 16 . as shown in fig. 2 , the first cam-shaped groove 15 a of the lifting control plate 15 is made up of a short straight part 15 d and a bended part 15 e extending from the short straight part 15 d . the initial movement of the control device 10 may not be blocked when the first protrusion 10 j passes through the straight part 15 d . the bended part 15 e is configured such that when the control device 10 moves under the power effect of the motor, if the first protrusion 10 j moves in the direction of the arrow a and engages with the bended part 15 e , then the control device 10 enables the lifting control plate 15 to move in the direction of the arrow b. as shown in fig. 7 , the second cam-shaped groove 15 b of the lifting control plate 15 is made up of the upper straight part 15 f and the lower straight part 15 g which are parallel to the direction in which the lifting control plate 15 moves, as well as an inclined part which connect the two straight parts 15 f and 15 g . when the second protrusion 17 a is tabled with the upper straight part 15 f , the second cam-shaped groove 15 b turns the roller arm 17 such that the carrying roller 16 rotates to a position in which the carrying roller 16 is in contact with the surface of the compact disc. when the second protrusion 17 a is tabled with the lower straight part 15 f , the roller arm 17 is turned such that the carrying roller 16 rotates to a position in which the carrying roller 16 departs from the surface of the compact disc. the third cam-shaped groove 15 c is also made up of the upper straight part 15 h and the lower straight part 15 j which are parallel to the direction in which the lifting control plate 15 moves, as well as an inclined part which connect the two straight parts 15 h and 15 j . when the third protrusion 22 a is tabled with the upper straight part 15 h , the lifting rod 22 is turned such that the beam mechanism 19 is lifted to a position in which the compact disc may be clamped by the support plate 18 and the clamp 13 . when the third protrusion 22 a is tabled with the lower straight part 15 j , the lifting rod 22 is turned such that the beam mechanism 19 is fallen down and the support plate 18 departs from the path for carrying the compact disc. next, the process for carrying the compact disc will be described. fig. 8 illustrates a state in which the center of a small diameter compact disc 23 is carried to the position of the center of support plate 18 through the guidance of the guiding sheet 8 a . here, the detection rod 2 on one side is located in an initial position and the slide plate 7 may not move in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a . therefore, the middle axis 9 a of the trigger device 9 is tabled with the second concave portion 1 c , and the trigger device 9 rotates from the position indicated by the dot dash line to the position indicated by the solid line around the second concave portion 1 c as a center. on the other hand, the contact portion 9 b of the trigger device 9 pushes back the small diameter compact disc 23 in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a under the pull of the second spring 11 . however, since a carrying force is applied by the carrying roller 16 , the small diameter compact disc 23 will not be pushed back by the effect of the second spring 11 . in addition, since the trigger device 9 has moved to the position indicated by the solid line, the engaged portion 9 c enables the control device 10 to move toward the compact disc entry 1 a . the control device 10 is then pushed from the position indicated by the dot dash line to the position indicated by the solid line. in this way, the power of the motor 14 is transmitted to the control device 10 through the rack 10 h , and the control device 10 starts to move under the power of the motor 14 . fig. 9 illustrates the state in which the control device 10 moves under the power effect of the motor. here, the engaged portion 9 c of the trigger device 9 is tabled in the engaging portion 10 e . the contact portion 9 b of the trigger device 9 prevents the center of the small diameter compact disc 23 subjected to the effect of the carrying force of the carrying roller from exceeding the center of support plate through this tabling. on the other hand, during this period, under the power of the motor, the control device 10 continues to move in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a , the first protrusion 10 j of the control device 10 implements the slip connection with the bended part 15 e of the first cam-shaped groove 15 a (see fig. 2 ), and the lifting control plate 15 starts to move in the direction indicated by the arrow b. the carrying roller 16 starts to depart from the surface of the compact disc due to the movement of the lifting control plate 15 . in addition, the lifting rod 22 lifts the support plate 18 toward the surface of the compact disc. it is well known that a core cylinder 18 a to be tabled with the center hole of the compact disc is formed on the support plate, and this core cylinder 18 a is tabled with the center hole of the compact disc in the state that the support plate 18 is lifted. after the core cylinder 18 a is embedded into the center hole of the compact disc, movement of the compact disc in any direction will be limited by the core cylinder 18 a. fig. 10 illustrates the state after the movement of the control device 10 caused by the effect of the motor ends. here, the engaged portion 9 c of the trigger device 9 is located in the second slot 10 g , the trigger device 9 is pushed by the control device 10 and rotates counter-clockwise around the middle axis 9 a as a center. the contact portion 9 b departs from the outer circumference of the small diameter compact disc due to this rotation. on the other hand, the lifting control plate 15 arrives at the terminal of the movement in the b direction, and the second protrusion 17 a is embedded in the lower straight part 15 g of the second cam-shaped groove 15 b to turn the roller arm 17 , such that the carrying roller 16 departs from the small diameter compact disc 23 . in addition, the third protrusion 22 a of the lifting rod 22 is tabled with the upper straight part 15 h of the third cam-shaped groove 15 c , such that the beam mechanism is lifted to a position in which the small diameter compact disc may be clamped by the support plate 18 and the clamp 13 . furthermore, under the effect of the inclined part 10 c of the cam-shaped hole 10 a of the control device 10 , the clamp arm 12 pushes the cam slave 12 b such that the clamp 13 falls on the support plate 18 . the clamp 13 holds the small diameter compact disc on the support plate 18 through the elasticity of the plate spring 12 a . at this time, the small diameter compact disc 23 may be played. as described above, before the small diameter compact disc 23 is clamped on the support plate 18 by the clamp 13 , since the cylindrical protrusion (i.e., the engaged portion 9 c ) of the trigger device 9 is embedded in the long hole (i.e., the engaging portion 10 e ), the center of the small diameter compact disc 23 subjected to the effect of the carrying force of the carrying roller may be prevented from exceeding the center of the support plate 18 through the contact portion 9 b of the trigger device, and the small diameter compact disc 23 subjected to the effect of the second spring 11 may also be prevented from pushing to the compact disc entry 1 a by the trigger device 9 . fig. 11 illustrates a state in which the center of a large diameter compact disc 24 is carried to the center of support plate 18 . here, the pair of detection rods 2 , 3 is pushed and pressed by a large diameter compact disc 24 so as to rotate largely, and stops at a position after the rotation under the effect of the hook rod 5 . in addition, the slide plate 7 moves in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a along with the rotation of the detection rod 2 . after that, the middle portion of the slide plate 7 engages with one end of the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 , such that the small diameter compact disc guiding 8 rotates and the guiding sheet 8 a leaves the path for carrying the compact disc. also, the middle axis 9 a is allowed to pass through the first middle portion of the arbor hole 7 a on the slide plate 7 , which allows the trigger device 9 to rotate around the engaged portion 9 c as a center. because of this rotation, the middle axis 9 a of the trigger device 9 is tabled with the first concave portion 7 c and the third concave portion 1 d indicated by the dot dash lines, at the same time, the position of the contact portion 9 b backs off largely relative to the case in which the small diameter compact disc is carried in. here, the contact portion 9 b of the trigger device 9 pushes the large diameter compact disc 24 toward the compact disc entry 1 a under the pull of the second spring 11 . however, since a carrying force is applied by the carrying roller 16 , the large diameter compact disc may not be returned by the second spring. in addition, since the trigger device 9 rotates to the position indicated by the solid line, the engaged portion 9 c enables the control device 10 to move in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a , such that the control device 10 is pushed from the position indicated by the dot dash line to the position indicated by the solid line. in this way, the power of the motor 14 is transmitted to the control device 10 through the rack 10 h , and the control device 10 starts to move under the power of the motor 14 . fig. 12 illustrates the state in which the control device 10 moves under the power effect of the motor. here, the engaged portion 9 c of the trigger device 9 is tabled in the engaging portion 10 e . the contact portion 9 b of the trigger device 9 prevents the center of the large diameter compact disc 24 subjected to the effect of the carrying force of the carrying roller from exceeding the center of support plate 13 through this tabling. on the other hand, during this period, the control device 10 continues to move in the direction toward the compact disc entry 1 a under the power of the motor 14 , the first protrusion 10 j of the control device 10 implements the slip connection with the bended part 15 e of the first cam-shaped groove 15 a (see fig. 2 ), such that the lifting control plate 15 starts to move in the direction indicated by the arrow b. the carrying roller 16 starts to depart from the surface of the compact disc due to the movement of the lifting control plate 15 . in addition, the lifting rod 22 lifts the support plate 18 toward the surface of the compact disc. after the core cylinder 18 a of the support plate 18 is embedded into the center hole of the compact disc, movement of the compact disc in any direction will be limited by the core cylinder 18 a . then in the same manner as the small diameter compact disc, the clamp mechanism is started and the large diameter compact disc 24 may be played. in the above embodiment, the engaged portion 9 c —cylinder protrusion is disposed on the trigger device 9 and the engaging portion 10 e —long hole is disposed on the control device 10 . however, it is not limited to this actually. the long hole may also be disposed on the trigger device 9 and the protrusion may be disposed on the control device 10 . in either case described above, when the engaged portion is located inside the engaging portion, the trigger device rotates to a position such that the center of the compact disc is coincident with that of the support plate under the effect of the engaging portion and the engaged portion. therefore, after the compact disc is carried on the support plate, the compact disc may not be returned even if a force pointing to the compact disc entry is applied to the compact disc by the trigger device under the effect of the second spring. also, under the effect of the end of the trigger device, the center of the compact disc carried by the carrying roller will stop at the position which is coincident with the center of the support plate. therefore, the compact disc may be clamped accurately by only using this simple structure in which the engaging portion is disposed on the control device and the engaged portion which engages with the engaging portion is disposed on the trigger device. the control device 10 and trigger device 9 according to the above embodiments constitutes a trigger mechanism. when the compact disc is carried to a position in which the center of the compact disc is coincident with that of the support plate, the trigger mechanism is adapted to start the clamp and the support plate to clamp the compact disc, and enable the carrying roller to depart from the compact disc and in turn leave the path for carrying the compact disc. such configuration of the engaging portion and the engaged portion enables the trigger mechanism to prevent the enter of the compact disc from deviating from the center of the support plate, therefore, the compact disc may be clamped accurately by the support plate and the clamp. such trigger mechanism may be applied to not only the compact disc player according to the above embodiments, but also to other players which adopts the roller to carry the compact disc.
|
007-517-877-848-072
|
US
|
[
"US",
"KR",
"JP",
"EP",
"WO",
"CN"
] |
H04L12/28,H04L12/64,H04L41/0853,H04L41/0893,H04L41/12,H04L67/51,H04L12/24,H04L29/08,G06F13/00,H04Q9/00,H04N21/442
| 2015-02-10T00:00:00 |
2015
|
[
"H04",
"G06"
] |
system and method for aggregating and analyzing the status of a system
|
a state of a system having a plurality of appliances is controlled by using a device discovery process to establish a listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system. the listing of each of the plurality of appliances is then used, with reference to a command and/or protocol database, to configure a software agent to exchange communications, via a one or more communication channels, with each of the plurality of appliances. an action triggering state of at least one of the plurality of appliances is associated with an action. the action is performed when it is determined that a current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances corresponds to the action triggering state.
|
1. a method for controlling a state of a system comprised of a plurality of appliances, the method comprising: using a device discovery process to establish a listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system; using the listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system to identify a corresponding plurality of command code sets wherein each identified one of the plurality of command code sets comprises a collection of commands and system data and a protocol for use in generating an operational signal that will be understood by a particular electronic consumer device; associating within a centralized software agent an action triggering state of at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system with an action to be performed by the centralized software agent; receiving by the centralized software agent, via an external, wireless communication channel between the centralized software agent and the plurality of appliances, a message from the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system, the message having data indicative of a current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances; and causing the centralized software agent to perform the action when it is determined by the centralized software agent that the current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances corresponds to the action triggering state; wherein the action comprises the centralized software agent using a one or more of the identified, plurality of command code sets to generate one or more operational commands for transmission, via the external, wireless communication channel between the centralized software agent and the plurality of appliances, to a target one or more of the plurality of appliances in the system to thereby cause a change in state of the target one or more of the plurality of appliances. 2. the method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the centralized software agent uses the listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system to automatically associate the action triggering state of at least one the plurality of appliances in the system with the action to be performed by the centralized software agent. 3. the method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the centralized software agent causes a display of a user interface having input elements for allowing a user to manually associate the action triggering state of at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system with the action to be performed by the centralized software agent. 4. the method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the device discovery process comprises the centralized software agent receiving from a controlling device configured to command functional operations of each of the plurality of appliances in the system appliance identity data for use in establishing the listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system. 5. the method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the device discovery process comprises the centralized software agent issuing one or more polling requests to retrieve from one or more of the plurality of appliances in the system appliance identity data for use in establishing the listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system. 6. the method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the centralized software agent periodically issues a request, via the external, wireless communication channel between the centralized software agent and the plurality of appliances, to the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system for the message having data indicative of the current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system. 7. the method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of appliance in the system is caused to issue the message having data indicative of the current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system for receipt by the centralized software agent in response to the at least one of the plurality of appliance in the system changing state. 8. the method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the action triggering state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system comprises a location state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system. 9. the method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system comprises a smart phone. 10. a non-transitory, computer readable media having instructions stored thereon for controlling a state of a system comprised of a plurality of appliances, the instructions, when executed by a device, performing steps comprising: using a device discovery process to establish a listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system; using the listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system-to identify a corresponding plurality of command code sets wherein each identified one of the plurality of command code sets comprises a collection of commands and system data and a protocol for use in generating an operational signal that will be understood by a particular electronic consumer device; associating within the device an action triggering state of at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system with an action to be performed by the device acting as a centralized software agent; receiving by the device, via a external, wireless communication channel between the device and the plurality of appliances, a message from the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system, the message having data indicative of a current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances; and causing performance of the action when it is determined that the current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances corresponds to the action triggering state; wherein the action comprises the device using a one or more of the identified, plurality of command code sets to generate one or more operational commands for transmission, via the external, wireless communication channel between the device and the plurality of appliances, to a target one or more of the plurality of appliances in the system to thereby cause a change in state of the target one or more of the plurality of appliances. 11. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 10 , wherein the instructions use the listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system to automatically associate the action triggering state of at least one the plurality of appliances in the system with the action. 12. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 10 , wherein the instructions cause a display of a user interface having input elements for allowing a user to manually associate the action triggering state of at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system with the action. 13. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 10 , wherein the instructions use appliance identity data received from a controlling device configured to command functional operations of each of the plurality of appliances in the system in establishing the listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system. 14. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 10 , wherein the instructions cause the device to issue one or more polling requests to retrieve from one or more of the plurality of appliances in the system appliance identity data for use in establishing the listing of each of the plurality of appliances in the system. 15. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 14 , wherein the instructions cause the device to periodically issue a request, via the external, wireless communication channel between the device and the plurality of appliances, to the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system for the message having data indicative of the current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system. 16. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 10 , wherein the instructions receive from the at least one of the plurality of appliance in the system the message having data indicative of the current state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system when the at least one of the plurality of appliance in the system changes state. 17. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 10 , wherein the action triggering state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system comprises a location state of the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system. 18. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 17 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of appliances in the system comprises a smart phone. 19. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 10 , wherein the plurality of command code sets are stored in the memory of the device. 20. the non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 10 , wherein the plurality of command code sets are stored in a database remotely located from the device.
|
background increasingly, the modern home or business may be populated by a variety of “smart” devices. such devices may include, for example, various items of home entertainment equipment such as tvs, av receivers, cable set top boxes, etc.; intelligent thermostats; lighting control systems; personal activity tracking devices; household and kitchen appliances; security and alarm systems; as well as personal computers, tablets, smartphones, and the like. while such devices are increasingly capable of wireless communication, there is often little or no provision for sharing of information amongst the various devices and systems, or for synergistic cooperation between these devices. summary the following generally describes smart systems that may be found in a home or business environment, and more particularly systems and methods for facilitating aggregation and synergistic use of the operational and status data which may be gathered from the various smart devices forming such a system. to this end an exemplary software agent capable of communication with the various devices forming a system may aggregate, store, and analyze status and functional data available from such devices. various actions may be initiated by the software agent based on this analysis, for example proactive thermostat adjustments, security system setting changes, etc. a better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, properties and relationships of the claimed invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which set forth illustrative embodiments and which are indicative of the various ways in which the principles of the claimed invention may be employed. brief description of the drawings for a better understanding of the various aspects of the systems and methods described hereinafter, reference may be had to the attached drawings in which: fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary system in which the teachings of the subject disclosure may be utilized; fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of a computing device platform upon which an exemplary software agent in keeping with the teachings of the subject disclosure may be implemented; fig. 3 illustrates an exemplary series of steps which may be performed to initially configure an exemplary software agent; and fig. 4 illustrates an exemplary series of steps which may be performed by an exemplary software agent upon receipt of device or system status change data. it will be appreciated that for clarity of illustration, the size of some of the illustrative elements in the above listed figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements, i.e. the elements illustrated in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. detailed description with reference to fig. 1 , an exemplary system of devices in a household may include without limitation a smart thermostat 104 , one or more personal activity monitors 106 , a security system base station 108 , a lighting controller 110 , one or more tablet computers 112 , one or more smart phones 114 , a personal computer 116 , one or more kitchen appliances such as refrigerator 118 , one or more smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors 120 ; a robotic vacuum cleaner 122 , and various entertainment appliances such as for example cable stb 124 and tv 126 . in the exemplary system, these devices may be equipped to communicate wirelessly, for example via an rf signal such as contemplated by rf4ce, zwave, bluetooth, etc.; ultrasonic signal; visible light; etc., as appropriate for the control of each particular appliance, for example or over a wifi network 100 , in order to report status, alarms, fault conditions, etc., and in some cases to receive operational commands. as will be understood, other proprietary wireless or wired networks may also be present, for example between an alarm system base station and its various sensors, between smoke detectors situated at multiple locations in the household, between an hvac system and its smart temperature sensors, between a cable stb and its headend, etc. the exemplary wifi network may be managed by a router and wireless access point 102 , via which access to the internet 140 and remote servers 142 , 144 may also be made available to those devices equipped with appropriate software. however, while the illustrated devices may all be capable of wireless signaling, they may not support full intercommunication amongst themselves. for example, thermostat 104 and personal activity monitor 106 may only be adapted to communicate with specific manufacturer-supplied apps resident on smart phone 112 , alarm base station 108 may only be adapted to communicate with a cloud-based central monitoring facility maintained by the alarm system vendor, etc. it will also be appreciated that the system may provide indirect communication between the wireless access point 102 and desired target appliance via a relay device which is responsive to wireless communications and which may support a plurality of rf protocols and which may communicate to a desired appliance which may contain a software agent. more particularly, the software agent may comprise programming instructions which, when executed on an appliance, such as the exemplary computing-capable device 200 illustrated in fig. 2 , may perform the steps and functions of the methods described herein. computing-capable device 200 may comprise a central processor 201 coupled to a memory system 202 which memory system may comprise one or more of ram memory, rom memory 206 and non-volatile memory 208 . as will be appreciated, some or all of the elements of memory system 202 may take the form of a chip, a hard disk, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, flash memory, and/or the like, and all or portion of the elements of memory system 202 may be physically incorporated within the same ic chip as the central processor 201 and, as such, memory system 202 is shown separately in fig. 2 only for the sake of clarity. computing-capable device 200 may further comprise, as required for a particular purpose, one or more wireless communication interfaces 210 , for example wifi, bluetooth, or the like; one or more wired communication interfaces 212 , for example, ethernet, usb, or the like; a display interface 214 for output to one or more of a led, lcd, computer monitor, tv, etc.; and a user input interface 216 , for connection to for example a keypad, touchscreen, pointing device, remote control, or the like. once again, in some embodiments all or portion of interfaces 210 through 216 may be physically incorporated within the same ic chip as the central processor 201 and, as such, are shown separately in fig. 2 only for the sake of clarity. further, as will become apparent hereafter, in certain embodiments user interface functionality 214 , 216 may be embodied in a physically separate device, for example smart phone 114 or pc 116 and accessed wirelessly by a software agent resident in computing-capable device 200 . for the purposes of this invention, computing-capable device 200 may comprise a separate standalone unit provisioned specifically to provide a platform for the software agent programming, or alternatively, computing-capable device 200 providing the platform for the software agent programming may comprise all or part of an appliance, for example a cable stb 124 , smart phone 114 , pc 116 , or even server 142 . it is also contemplated that in some embodiments software agent functionality may be divided amongst multiple computing-capable devices, for example data capture may be performed locally by a device such as stb 124 , and analysis of such captured data may performed remotely by server 142 . accordingly, in the descriptions that follow it will be understood that the physical platform upon which the disclosed software agent functionality is resident may comprise any of the above forms, or any other convenient configuration, as appropriate for a particular embodiment. turning now to fig. 3 , an exemplary software agent for aggregation of the overall status of the system of fig. 1 may be initialized upon installation on a suitable computing device, as follows. after startup 300 , at step 302 the software agent may perform device discovery in order to establish a listing of all responsive devices in the system. such discovery may comprise polling devices on a network, for example wifi network 100 or any other network, wired or wireless, which may be present in the environment and accessible to the software agent; communicating with a universal remote control or remote control app and/or associated database to ascertain which controllable devices the remote control has been configured to communicate with; soliciting input from a user; etc., all as may be appropriate to a particular configuration. such discovery may also include comparing retrieved device characteristics to a database of such characteristics in order to uniquely identify devices, for example as described in u.s. pat. no. 8,812,629 “system and method for configuring the remote control functionality of a portable device” and/or pending u.s. patent application ser. no. 12/148,444 “using hdmi-cec to identify a codeset,” both of common ownership and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. as devices are identified, the exemplary software agent may further reference a command and/or protocol database, local and/or remote, e.g. on server 142 or 144 , in order to configure itself to effectively communicate with the discovered devices. after discovery is complete, at step 304 the software agent may present a user with a listing of all discovered devices and at step 306 allow the user to select those devices which are to participate in status aggregation. once the participating devices have been identified, at step 308 user input may be solicited to define a series of event/response parameters. in this context, an event/response parameter may comprise the association of a particular system status with an action which is to be taken by the software agent upon the system entering into that status. for convenience, in some embodiments certain event responses may be pre-programmed by default, for example responses to arrival or departure of a user, detection of an intruder, etc. after user entry, and if necessary editing of default responses, is complete, at step 310 the software agent may build a database of event/response parameters for use as will be described hereafter. finally, at step 312 the software agent may ascertain the current status of all configured devices in the system in order to build and populate a system status database, after which at step 314 the software agent enters normal active status as will now be described in conjunction with fig. 4 . as will be appreciated, an exemplary system status database may include not only the operational status of all the devices participating in the system, but also other pertinent data such as user location within or outside the home (determined for example from smart phone 114 (using image capturing, use sensing, device proximity or the like), sensed presence of activity monitor 106 , security system data, image capture date, etc.); date, day of week, and time of day; current weather conditions and forecast (obtained for example from internet server 144 ); times and durations of discounted energy pricing; etc. turning to fig. 4 , at step 402 the actions of an exemplary software agent during normal operation may comprise periodic communication with the devices present in the system in order to track changes in the status of those devices. as will be appreciated, such communication may be software agent or device initiated, i.e., polled or interrupt driven, or a combination thereof, as appropriate for a particular system. upon completion of communication, at step 404 the software agent may determine if any changes in system status have occurred. if not, the periodic communication of step 402 may be repeated. if however a change in system status is detected, at step 406 the exemplary system status database may be updated to reflect the new system status value(s). thereafter, at steps 408 and 410 the updated system status may be compared to the system status entries stored in the event/response database. if no matches are found, the periodic communication of step 402 is repeated. if however a match is found, at step 412 , the action associated with that status event may be performed. thereafter, at step 414 , the software agent may determine if further entries in the event/response database match the current status. if so, step 412 is repeated, if not, the periodic communication of step 402 may be repeated. examples of actions which may be initiated in this manner by an exemplary software agent may include, without limitation: receipt of a communication from a gps-enabled smartphone 114 may indicate that a user is approaching home. an exemplary associated event/response parameter may cause a software agent to issue a command to thermostat 104 to exit energy-saving mode. further, depending on the season and time of day, the exemplary software agent may additionally issue command(s) to lighting controller 110 to turn on one or more lights. receipt of a communication from security system base station 108 may indicate that an intruder has been detected. an exemplary event/response parameter may cause a software agent to issue command(s) to lighting controller 110 to turn both exterior and interior lights on at full brightness. status received from one or more personal activity monitor(s) 106 indicate that all occupants of the home are asleep. an exemplary event/response parameter may cause a software agent to issue commands to tv 126 to power off that device if that device is still powered on; to change thermostat 104 setting to night eco mode; to cause lighting controller 110 to turn off any remaining lights downstairs, and to request security system 108 to enable downstairs motion sensors. in a similar manner, if the reported status from an exemplary personal activity monitor 106 changes from “asleep” to “awake”, an exemplary event/response parameter may cause a software agent to issue a command(s) to security system 108 to disable interior motion sensors. the exemplary software agent of this invention may also act as a conduit to efficiently route device messages to a user in a timely and convenient manner. for example, when a battery-powered alarm system sensor reports a low battery state to security system base station 108 , a battery purchase requirement may be forwarded by the exemplary software agent to smart phone 114 for entry into a location based reminder system such as for example google now. similarly, an “over temperature” status from refrigerator 118 or a “bag full” status from automatic vacuum cleaner 122 may cause an exemplary software agent to forward appropriate messages to smartphone 114 or tablet 116 , or even cause a message to be displayed on tv 126 , depending on the current location of a user as determined by, for example smart phone 114 or personal activity monitor 106 . as will be appreciated, many further event/response scenarios may be supported by the above described exemplary software agent and alternate embodiments thereof. accordingly, it should be understood that the above scenarios and use cases are presented by way of example only, without limitation. while various concepts have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those concepts could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. for example, while the exemplary methods are presented above in the context of a home system, it will be appreciate that the principles disclosed herein may be broadly applied to, for example, offices, factories, theaters, department stores, shopping malls, airports, etc. further, while described in the context of functional modules and illustrated using block diagram format, it is to be understood that, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, one or more of the described functions and/or features may be integrated in a single physical device and/or a software module, or one or more functions and/or features may be implemented in separate physical devices or software modules. it will also be appreciated that a detailed discussion of the actual implementation of each module is not necessary for an enabling understanding of the invention. rather, the actual implementation of such modules would be well within the routine skill of an engineer, given the disclosure herein of the attributes, functionality, and inter-relationship of the various functional modules in the system. therefore, a person skilled in the art, applying ordinary skill, will be able to practice the invention set forth in the claims without undue experimentation. it will be additionally appreciated that the particular concepts disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof. all patents cited within this document are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
|
007-849-251-204-639
|
US
|
[
"WO",
"US"
] |
G05D1/02,A47L11/40,G05D3/12,B25J9/00,G05D1/00,G06F19/00,A47L11/33
| 2009-07-30T00:00:00 |
2009
|
[
"G05",
"A47",
"B25",
"G06"
] |
navigational control system for a robotic device
|
an autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. the controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. the autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. the sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. the processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system.
|
1 . an autonomous cleaning apparatus comprising: a chassis; a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus; a controller in communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus; and a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis having a cleaning pathway providing pneumatic communication with a debris bin, the cleaning head system comprising an agitating brush that throws debris into the debris bin; a debris sensor in communication with the controller and proximate to the cleaning pathway, the debris sensor responsive to debris passing through the cleaning passageway to generate a signal indicative of such passing; wherein the processor directs the drive system to steer the cleaning apparatus in a localized pattern of movement substantially immediately in response to receiving a debris signal generated by the debris sensor; and wherein the debris bin is removable from the cleaning apparatus in response to the debris sensor for dispensing of collected debris. 2 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor steers the cleaning apparatus in a forward direction, turning to cover the location of the debris, in response to the debris signal generated by the debris sensor. 3 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor controls the drive system to execute a pattern of movements to steer the cleaning apparatus toward a debris area corresponding to the debris signal generated by the debris sensor. 4 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor implements a spot cleaning mode in an area in which the cleaning apparatus was operating, substantially immediately in response to receiving a debris signal generated by the debris sensor. 5 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the spot cleaning mode comprises maneuvering the autonomous cleaning apparatus according to a self-bounded area algorithm. 6 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the self-bounded area algorithm comprises a spiraling algorithm at a reduced drive speed. 7 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor implements a high power cleaning mode in response to the debris signal, the high power mode comprising elevating power delivery to the cleaning head system. 8 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon a received debris signal. 9 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor controls one or more operational conditions of the autonomous cleaning apparatus based upon the debris signal. 10 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the debris sensor is disposed along a wall of the cleaning pathway in a location to receive debris thrown by the agitating brush of the cleaning head system for generating respective debris signals. 11 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the debris sensor comprises right and left debris sensors in communication with the controller and disposed along a wall of the cleaning pathway in a location to receive debris thrown by the agitating brush of the cleaning head system for generating respective debris signals; and wherein the processor directs the drive system to turn right in response to the debris signal generated by the right debris sensor and to turn left in response to the debris signal generated by the left debris sensor. 12 . the autonomous cleaning apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the right and left debris sensors are disposed opposite each other and equidistantly from a center axis defined by the cleaning pathway.
|
cross reference to related applications this u.s. patent application is a continuation of, and claims priority under 35 u.s.c. §120 from, u.s. patent application ser. no. 12/512,114, filed on jul. 30, 2009, which is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority under 35 u.s.c. §120 from, u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/682,642, filed on mar. 6, 2007, which is a continuation of u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/341,111, filed on jan. 27, 2006 (now u.s. pat. no. 7,188,000), which is a continuation of u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/661,835, filed sep. 12, 2003 (now u.s. pat. no. 7,024,278), which claims priority under 35 u.s.c. §119(e) to u.s. provisional application 60/410,480, filed on sep. 13, 2002. u.s. patent application ser. no. 12/512,114 is also a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority under 35 u.s.c. §120 from, u.s. patent application ser. no. 12/255,393, filed on oct. 21, 2008, which is a continuation of u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/860,272, filed on sep. 24, 2007 (now u.s. pat. no. 7,459,871), which is a continuation of u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/533,294, filed on sep. 19, 2006 (now u.s. pat. no. 7,288,912), which is a continuation of u.s. patent application ser. no. 11/109,832, filed on apr. 19, 2005, which is a continuation of u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/766,303, filed on jan. 28, 2004. the disclosures of these prior applications are considered part of the disclosure of this application and are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. this u.s. patent application is related to commonly-owned u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/056,804, filed on jan. 24, 2002 entitled “method and system for robot localization and confinement”, u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/320,729, filed on dec. 16 2002, entitled “autonomous floor-cleaning device”, u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/167,851, filed on jun. 12, 2002, entitled “method and system for multi-mode coverage for an autonomous robot”, and u.s. continuation-in-part patent application ser. no. 10/453,202, filed on jun. 3, 2003, entitled “robot obstacle detection system”, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. technical field this disclosure relates to relates to a navigational control system for a robotic device. background robotic engineers have long worked on developing an effective method of autonomous cleaning. this has led to the development of two separate and distinct schemes for autonomous robotic devices: (1) deterministic cleaning; and (2) random cleaning. in deterministic cleaning, where the cleaning rate equals the coverage rate and is, therefore, a more efficient cleaning method than random-motion cleaning, the autonomous robotic device follows a defined path, e.g., a boustrophedon path that is calculated to facilitate complete cleaning coverage of a given area while eliminating redundant cleaning deterministic cleaning requires that the robotic device maintain precise position knowledge at all times, as well as its position history (where it has been), which, in turn, requires a sophisticated positioning system. a suitable positioning system—a positioning system suitably accurate for deterministic cleaning might rely on scanning laser ranging systems, ultrasonic transducers, a carrier phase differential gps, or other sophisticated methods—is typically prohibitively expensive and labor intensive, requiring an involved pre-setup to accommodate the unique conditions of each area to be cleaned, e.g., room geometry, furniture locations. in addition, methods that rely on global positioning are typically incapacitated by failure of any part of the positioning system. one illustrative example of a highly sophisticated (and relatively expensive) robotic device for deterministic cleaning is the roboscrub device built by denning mobile robotics and windsor industries. the roboscrub device employs sonar and infrared detectors, bump sensors, and a high-precision laser navigation system to define the deterministic cleaning path. the navigation system employed with the roboscrub device requires numerous large bar code targets to be set up in various strategic positions within the area to be cleaned, and effective operation of the navigation system requires that at least four of such targets be visible simultaneously. this target accessibility requirement effectively limits the use of the roboscrub device to large uncluttered open areas. other representative deterministic robotic devices are described in u.s. pat. no. 5,650,702 (azumi), u.s. pat. no. 5,548,511 (bancroft), u.s. pat. no. 5,537,017 (feiten et al.), u.s. pat. no. 5,353,224 (lee et al.), u.s. pat. no. 4,700,427 (knepper), and u.s. pat. no. 4,119,900 (kreimnitz). these representative deterministic robotic devices are likewise relatively expensive, require labor intensive pre-setup, and/or are effectively limited to large, uncluttered areas of simple geometric configuration (square, rectangular rooms with minimal (or no) furniture). due to the limitations and difficulties inherent in purely deterministic cleaning systems, some robotic devices rely on pseudo-deterministic cleaning schemes such as dead reckoning. dead reckoning consists of continually measuring the precise rotation of each drive wheel (e.g., using optical shaft encoders) to continually calculate the current position of the robotic device, based upon a known starting point and orientation. in addition to the disadvantages of having to start cleaning operations from a fixed position with the robotic device in a specified orientation, the drive wheels of dead reckoning robotic devices are almost always subject to some degree of slippage, which leads to errors in the calculation of current position. accordingly, dead reckoning robotic devices are generally considered unreliable for cleaning operations of any great duration—resulting in intractable system neglect, i.e., areas of the surface to be cleaned are not cleaned. other representative examples of pseudo-deterministic robotic devices are described in u.s. pat. no. 6,255,793 (peless et al.) and u.s. pat. no. 5,109,566 (kobayashi et al.). a robotic device operating in random motion, under the control of one or more random-motion algorithms stored in the robotic device, represents the other basic approach to cleaning operations using autonomous robotic devices. the robotic device autonomously implement such random-motion algorithm(s) in response to internal events, e.g., signals generated by a sensor system, elapse of a time period (random or predetermined). in a typical room without obstacles, a robotic device operating under the control of a random-motion algorithm will provide acceptable cleaning coverage given enough cleaning time. compared to a robotic device operating in a deterministic cleaning mode, a robotic device utilizing a random-motion algorithm must operate for a longer period of time to achieve acceptable cleaning coverage. to have a high confidence that a random-motion robotic device has cleaned 98% of an obstacle-free room, the random-motion robotic device must run approximately five times longer than a deterministic robotic device having similarly sized cleaning mechanisms and moving at approximately the same speed. however, an area to be cleaned that includes one or more randomly-situated obstacles causes a marked increase in the running time for a random-motion robotic device to effect 98% cleaning coverage. therefore, while a random motion robotic device is a relatively inexpensive means of cleaning a defined working area as contrasted to a deterministic robotic device, the random-motion robotic device requires a significantly higher cleaning time. a need exists to provide a deterministic component to a random-motion robotic device to enhance the cleaning efficiency thereof to reduce the running time for the random-motion robotic cleaning to achieve a 98% cleaning coverage. summary the present disclosure provides a debris sensor, and apparatus utilizing such a debris sensor, wherein the sensor is instantaneously responsive to debris strikes, and can be used to control, select or vary the operational mode of an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning apparatus containing such a sensor. in one aspect of the disclosure, an autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. the controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. the autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. the sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. the processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system. implementations of the disclosure may include one or more of the following features. in some implementations, the processor implements a spot cleaning mode in an area in which the cleaning apparatus was operating, substantially immediately in response to receiving a debris signal generated by the debris sensor. the spot cleaning mode may comprise maneuvering the autonomous cleaning apparatus according to a self-bounded area algorithm. the self-bounded area algorithm may include a spiraling algorithm at a reduced drive speed. in some implementations, the processor implements a high power cleaning mode in response to the debris signal. the high power mode includes elevating power delivery to the cleaning head system. in some implementations, the debris sensor includes a piezoelectric sensor located proximate to a cleaning pathway and responsive to a debris impact thereon to generate a debris signal indicative of such impact. the debris sensor may include a plate, an elastomer pad supporting the plate, and a piezoelectric material and an electrode both secured to the plate. the electrode is in communication with the controller. in some examples, the debris sensor includes a piezoelectric film. in some implementations, the sensor system includes right and left debris sensors in communication with the controller and disposed proximate a cleaning pathway of the cleaning head system for generating respective debris signals. the processor directs the drive system to turn right in response to the debris signal generated by the right debris sensor and to turn left in response to the debris signal generated by the left debris sensor. the right and left debris sensors may be disposed opposite each other and equidistantly from a center axis defined by the cleaning pathway. the bump sensor may include a displaceable bumper attached to the chassis and at least one break-beam sensor disposed on the displaceable bumper. the break-beam sensor is activated upon displacement of the bumper toward the chassis. the obstacle following sensor may include an emitter emitting an emission signal laterally and a detector configured to detect the emission reflected off an obstacle adjacent the cleaning apparatus. the emitter and the detector are configured to establish a focal point. the obstacle following sensor may be disposed on a dominant side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus. in some implementations, the sensor system includes a cliff sensor for generating a cliff signal upon detection of a cliff. the cliff sensor includes an emitter emitting an emission signal downwardly and a detector configured to detect the emission reflected off a surface being traversed by the cleaning apparatus. the emitter and the detector are configured to establish a focal point below the cleaning apparatus. in some examples, the sensor system includes a wheel drop sensor and/or a stall sensor. in another aspect of the disclosure, an autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. the controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. the autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. the sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. the processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system. the processor controls one or more operational conditions of the autonomous cleaning apparatus based upon the debris signal. the processor controls the drive system to execute a pattern of movements to steer the autonomous cleaning apparatus toward a debris area corresponding to the debris signal generated by the debris sensor. in yet another aspect of the disclosure, an autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, a controller in communication with the drive system, and a debris sensor for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris. the controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus. the debris sensor is located along a cleaning passageway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to debris passing through the cleaning passageway to generate a signal indicative of such passing. the processor is responsive to the debris signal to select a pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus. the pattern of movement includes steering the cleaning apparatus toward an area containing debris. in some implementations, the pattern of movement includes spot coverage of an area containing debris. one aspect of the disclosure is an autonomous cleaning apparatus including a drive system operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, a controller in communication with the drive system, the controller including a processor operable to control the drive system to provide at least one pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus; and a debris sensor for generating a debris signal indicating that the cleaning apparatus has encountered debris; wherein the processor is responsive to the debris signal to select an operative mode from among predetermined operative modes of the cleaning apparatus. the selection of operative mode could include selecting a pattern of movement of the cleaning apparatus. the pattern of movement can include spot coverage of an area containing debris, or steering the cleaning apparatus toward an area containing debris. the debris sensor could include spaced-apart first and second debris sensing elements respectively operable to generate first and second debris signals; and the processor can be responsive to the respective first and second debris signals to select a pattern of movement, such as steering toward a side (e.g., left or right side) with more debris. the debris sensor can include a piezoelectric sensor element located proximate to a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris strike to generate a signal indicative of such strike. the debris sensor can also be incorporated into a non-autonomous cleaning apparatus. this aspect of the invention can include a piezoelectric sensor located proximate to a cleaning pathway and responsive to a debris strike to generate a debris signal indicative of such strike; and a processor responsive to the debris signal to change an operative mode of the cleaning apparatus. the change in operative mode could include illuminating a user-perceptible indicator light, changing a power setting (e.g., higher power setting when more debris is encountered), or slowing or reducing a movement speed of the apparatus. a further aspect of the disclosure is a debris sensor, including a piezoelectric element located proximate to or within a cleaning pathway of the cleaning apparatus and responsive to a debris strike to generate a first signal indicative of such strike, and a processor operable to process the first signal to generate a second signal representative of a characteristic of debris being encountered by the cleaning apparatus. that characteristic could be, for example, a quantity or volumetric parameter of the debris, or a vector from a present location of the cleaning apparatus to an area containing debris. another aspect of the disclosure takes advantage of the motion of an autonomous cleaning device across a floor or other surface, processing the debris signal in conjunction with knowledge of the cleaning device's movement to calculate a debris gradient. the debris gradient is representative of changes in debris strikes count as the autonomous cleaning apparatus moves along a surface. by examining the sign of the gradient (positive or negative, associated with increasing or decreasing debris), an autonomous cleaning device controller can continuously adjust the path or pattern of movement of the device to clean a debris field most effectively. another aspect of the disclosure includes a navigational control system that enhances the cleaning efficiency of a robotic device by adding a deterministic component (in the form of a conduct prescribed by a navigation control algorithm) to the random motion of the robotic device generated by predetermined behavioral modes stored in the robotic device. yet another aspect of the disclosure includes a navigational control unit operating under a navigation control algorithm that includes a predetermined triggering event that defines when the prescribed conduct will be implemented by the robotic device. these and other aspects of the disclosure are achieved by means of a navigational control system for deterministically altering movement activity of a robotic device operating in a defined working area, comprising a transmitting subsystem integrated in combination with the robotic device, the transmitting subsystem comprising means for emitting a number of directed beams, each directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern, and a receiving subsystem functioning as a base station that includes a navigation control algorithm that defines a predetermined triggering event for the navigational control system and a set of detection units positioned within the defined working area, the detection units being positioned in a known aspectual relationship with respect to one another, the set of detection units being configured and operative to detect one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting system; and wherein the receiving subsystem is configured and operative to process the one or more detected directed beams under the control of the navigational control algorithm to determine whether the predetermined triggering event has occurred, and, if the predetermined triggering event has occurred transmit a control signal to the robotic device, wherein reception of the control signal by the robotic device causes the robotic device to implement a prescribed conduct that deterministically alters the movement activity of the robotic device. the details of one or more implementations of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. description of drawings fig. 1 is a top-view schematic of an exemplary robotic device having particular utility for use in the navigational control system. fig. 2 is an exemplary hardware block diagram for the robotic device of fig. 1 . fig. 3 is a side view of the robotic device of fig. 1 , showing a debris sensor situated in a cleaning or vacuum pathway, where it will be struck by debris upswept by the main cleaning brush element. fig. 4a is a diagram of a piezoelectric debris sensor and fig. 4b is an exploded diagram of a piezoelectric debris sensor. fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a debris sensor signal processing architecture. figs. 6 and 6 a- 6 c are schematic diagrams of signal processing circuitry for the debris sensor architecture of fig. 5 . fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the debris sensor in a non-autonomous cleaning apparatus. fig. 8 is a flowchart of operating a debris sensor. fig. 9 is a schematic depiction of a navigational control system that comprises a transmitting subsystem and a receiving subsystem. fig. 10 illustrates a polar tessellation of a defined working area in which a robotic device is operating. fig. 11a illustrates the operation of a transmitting subsystem in synchronized operation with the receiving subsystem of a navigational control system. fig. 11b illustrates the operation of the receiving subsystem in synchronized operation with the transmitting subsystem of fig. 5a . fig. 11c illustrates the operation of a transmitting subsystem in synchronized operation with the receiving subsystem of a navigational control system. fig. 11d illustrates the operation of the receiving subsystem in synchronized operation with the transmitting subsystem of fig. 5c . fig. 12a illustrates a navigational control system wherein the transmitting subsystem is integrated in combination with the robotic device and the receiving system functions as a base station mounted against one wall of a defined working area. fig. 12b illustrates the set of transmitting units comprising the transmitting subsystem of the robotic device of fig. 12a and representative directed beams having a predetermined emission patterns. fig. 12c is a schematic illustration of the receiving subsystem of fig. 12a . fig. 13 illustrates a navigational control system wherein the receiving subsystem is integrated in combination with the robotic device and the transmitting subsystem has a distributed configuration. like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. detailed description while the debris sensor of the present disclosure can be incorporated into a wide range of autonomous cleaning devices (and indeed, into non-autonomous cleaning devices as shown by way of example in fig. 7 ), it will first be described in the context of an exemplary autonomous cleaning device shown in figs. 1-3 . fig. 1 is a top-view schematic of an exemplary preferred embodiment of a robotic device 100 having particular utility in combination with a navigational control system 10 according to the present invention. fig. 2 is a block diagram of the hardware of the robot device 100 of fig. 1 . the hardware and behavioral modes (coverage behaviors for cleaning operations; escape behaviors for transitory movement patterns; and safety behaviors for emergency conditions) of the robotic device 100 , which is manufactured, distributed, and/or marketed by the irobot corporation of burlington, mass. under the roomba trademark, are briefly described in the following paragraphs to facilitate a more complete understanding of the navigational control system 10 of the present invention. further details regarding the hardware and behavioral modes of the robotic device 100 can be found in commonly-owned, co-pending u.s. nonprovisional patent application ser. no. 10/167,851, filed 12 jun. 2002, entitled method and system for multi-mode coverage for an autonomous robot, and u.s. nonprovisional patent application ser. no. 10/320,729, filed 16 dec. 2002, entitled autonomous floor-cleaning device. in the following description of the robotic device 100 , use of the terminology “forward”/“fore” refers to the primary direction of motion (forward) of the robotic device (see arrow identified by reference character “fm” in fig. 1 ). the fore/aft axis fa x of the robotic device 100 coincides with the medial diameter of the robotic device 100 that divides the robotic device 100 into generally symmetrical right and left halves, which are defined as the dominant and non-dominant sides, respectively. robotic device the robotic device 100 has a generally cylindrical housing infrastructure that includes a chassis 102 and an outer shell 104 secured to the chassis 102 that define a structural envelope of minimal height (to facilitate movement under furniture). the hardware comprising the robotic device 100 can be generally categorized as the functional elements of a power system, a motive power system, a sensor system, a control module, a side brush assembly, or a self-adjusting cleaning head system, respectively, all of which are integrated in combination with the housing infrastructure. in addition to such categorized hardware, the robotic device 100 further includes a forward bumper 106 having a generally arcuate configuration and a nose-wheel assembly 108 . the forward bumper 106 (illustrated as a single component; alternatively, a two-segment component) is integrated in movable combination with the chassis 102 (by means of displaceable support members pairs) to extend outwardly therefrom. whenever the robotic device 100 impacts an obstacle (e.g., wall, furniture) during movement thereof, the bumper 106 is displaced (compressed) towards the chassis 102 and returns to its extended (operating) position when contact with the obstacle is terminated. the nose-wheel assembly 108 is mounted in biased combination with the chassis 102 so that the nose-wheel subassembly 108 is in a retracted position (due to the weight of the robotic device 100 ) during cleaning operations wherein it rotates freely over the surface being cleaned. when the nose-wheel subassembly 108 encounters a drop-off during operation (e.g., descending stairs, split-level floors), the nose-wheel assembly 108 is biased to an extended position. the hardware of the power system, which provides the energy to power the electrically-operated hardware of the robotic device 100 , comprises a rechargeable battery pack 110 (and associated conduction lines, not shown) that is integrated in combination with the chassis 102 . the motive power system provides the means that propels the robotic device 100 and operates the cleaning mechanisms, e.g., side brush assembly and the self-adjusting cleaning head system, during movement of the robotic device 100 . the motive power system comprises left and right main drive wheel assemblies 112 l, 112 r, their associated independent electric motors 114 l, 114 r, and electric motors 116 , 118 for operation of the side brush assembly and the self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem, respectively. the main drive wheel assemblies 112 l, 112 r are independently mounted in biased combination with the chassis 102 (for pivotal motion with respect thereto) at opposed ends of the transverse diameter (with respect to the fore-aft axis fa x ) of the robotic device 100 and are in a retracted position (due to the weight of the robotic device 100 ) during operation thereof wherein the axes of rotation are approximately coplanar with the bottom of the chassis 102 . if the robotic device 100 is removed from the surface being cleaned, the main wheel assemblies 112 l, 112 r are pivotally-biased to an extended position wherein their axes of rotation are below the bottom plane of the chassis 102 (in this extended position the rechargeable battery pack 110 is automatically turned off by the control module executing one of the safety behavioral modes). the electric motors 114 l, 114 r are mechanically coupled to the main drive wheel assemblies 112 l, 112 r, respectively, and independently operated by control signals generated by the control module as a response to the implementation of a behavioral mode. independent operation of the electric motors 114 l, 114 r allows the main wheel assemblies 112 l, 112 r to be: (1) rotated at the same speed in the same direction to propel the robotic device 100 in a straight line, forward or aft; (2) differentially rotated (including the condition wherein one wheel assembly is not rotated) to effect a variety of right and/or left turning patterns (over a spectrum of sharp to shallow turns) for the robotic device 100 ; and (3) rotated at the same speed in opposite directions to cause the robotic device 100 to turn in place, i.e., “spin on a dime”, to provide an extensive repertoire of movement capability for the robotic device 100 . the sensor system comprises a variety of different sensor units that are operative to generate signals that control the behavioral mode operations of the robotic device 100 . the described robotic device 100 includes obstacle detection units 120 , cliff detection units 122 , wheel drop sensors 124 , an obstacle-following unit 126 , a virtual wall omnidirectional detector 128 , stall-sensor units 130 , and main wheel encoder units 132 , and left and right debris sensors 125 l, 125 r. for the described embodiment, the obstacle (“bump”) detection units 120 are ir break beam sensors mounted in combination with the displaceable support member pairs of the forward bumper 106 . these detection units 120 are operative to generate one or more signals indicating relative displacement between one or more support member pairs whenever the robotic device 100 impacts an obstacle such that the forward bumper 106 is compressed. these signals are processed by the control module to determine an approximate point of contact with the obstacle relative to the fore-aft axis fa x of the robotic device 100 (and the behavioral mode(s) to be implemented). the cliff detection units 122 are mounted in combination with the forward bumper 106 . each cliff detection unit 122 comprises an ir emitter—detector pair configured and operative to establish a focal point such that radiation emitted downwardly by the emitter is reflected from the surface being traversed and detected by the detector. if reflected radiation is not detected by the detector, i.e., a drop-off is encountered, the cliff detection unit 122 transmits a signal to the control module (which causes one or more behavioral modes to be implemented). a wheel drop sensor 124 such as a contact switch is integrated in combination with each of the main drive wheel assemblies 112 l, 112 r and the nose wheel assembly 108 and is operative to generate a signal whenever any of the wheel assemblies is in an extended position, i.e., not in contact with the surface being traversed, (which causes the control module to implement one ore more behavioral modes). the obstacle-following unit 126 for the described embodiment is an ir emitter-detector pair mounted on the ‘dominant’ side (right hand side of fig. 1 ) of the robotic device 100 . the emitter-detector pair is similar in configuration to the cliff detection units 112 , but is positioned so that the emitter emits radiation laterally from the dominant side of the robotic device 100 . the unit 126 is operative to transmit a signal to the control module whenever an obstacle is detected as a result of radiation reflected from the obstacle and detected by the detector. the control module, in response to this signal, causes one or more behavioral modes to be implemented. a virtual wall detection system for use in conjunction with the described embodiment of the robotic device 100 comprises an omnidirectional detector 128 mounted atop the outer shell 104 and a stand-alone transmitting unit (not shown) that transmits an axially-directed confinement beam. the stand-alone transmitting unit is positioned so that the emitted confinement beam blocks an accessway to a defined working area, thereby restricting the robotic device 100 to operations within the defined working area (e.g., in a doorway to confine the robotic device 100 within a specific room to be cleaned). upon detection of the confinement beam, the omnidirectional detector 128 transmits a signal to the control module (which causes one or more behavioral modes to be implemented to move the robotic device 100 away from the confinement beam generated by the stand-alone transmitting unit). a stall sensor unit 130 is integrated in combination with each electric motor 114 l, 114 r, 116 , 118 and operative to transmit a signal to the control module when a change in current is detected in the associated electric motor (which is indicative of a dysfunctional condition in the corresponding driven hardware). the control module is operative in response to such a signal to implement one or more behavioral modes. an ir encoder unit 132 (see fig. 2 ) is integrated in combination with each main wheel assembly 112 l, 112 r and operative to detect the rotation of the corresponding wheel and transmit signals corresponding thereto the control module (wheel rotation can be used to provide an estimate of distance traveled for the robotic device 100 ). the control module comprises the microprocessing unit 135 illustrated in fig. 2 that includes i/o ports connected to the sensors and controllable hardware of the robotic device 100 , a microcontroller, and rom and ram memory. the i/o ports function as the interface between the microcontroller and the sensor units and controllable hardware, transferring signals generated by the sensor units to the microcontroller and transferring control (instruction) signals generated by the microcontroller to the controllable hardware to implement a specific behavioral mode. the microcontroller is operative to execute instruction sets for processing sensor signals, implementing specific behavioral modes based upon such processed signals, and generating control (instruction) signals for the controllable hardware based upon implemented behavioral modes for the robotic device 100 . the cleaning coverage and control programs for the robotic device 100 are stored in the rom of the microprocessing unit 135 , which includes the behavioral modes, sensor processing algorithms, control signal generation algorithms and a prioritization algorithm for determining which behavioral mode or modes are to be given control of the robotic device 100 . the ram of the microprocessing unit 135 is used to store the active state of the robotic device 100 , including the id of the behavioral mode(s) under which the robotic device 100 is currently being operated and the hardware commands associated therewith. referring again to fig. 1 , the side brush assembly 140 is configured and operative to entrain particulates outside the periphery of the housing infrastructure and to direct such particulates towards the self-adjusting cleaning head system. the side brush assembly 140 provides the robotic device 100 with the capability of cleaning surfaces adjacent to base-boards when the robotic device is operated in an obstacle-following behavioral mode. as shown in fig. 1 , the side brush assembly 140 is preferably mounted in combination with the chassis 102 in the forward quadrant on the dominant side of the robotic device 100 . the self-adjusting cleaning head system 145 for the described robotic device 100 comprises a dual-stage brush assembly and a vacuum assembly, each of which is independently powered by an electric motor (reference numeral 118 in fig. 1 actually identifies two independent electric motors—one for the brush assembly and one for the vacuum assembly). the cleaning capability of the robotic device 100 is commonly characterized in terms of the width of the cleaning head system 145 (see reference character w in fig. 1 ). the dual-stage brush assembly and the inlet of the vacuum assembly are integrated in combination with a deck structure, which is pivotally mounted in combination with the chassis 102 and operatively integrated with the motor of the dual-stage brush assembly. in response to a predetermined reduction in rotational speed of the brush assembly motor, the brush assembly motor provides the motive force to pivot the deck structure with respect to the chassis 102 . the pivoting deck structure provides the self adjusting capability for the cleaning head assembly 145 , which allows the robotic device 100 to readily transition between disparate surfaces during cleaning operations, e.g., carpeted surface to bare surface or vice versa, without hanging up. the dual-stage brush assembly comprises asymmetric, counter-rotating brushes that are positioned (forward of the inlet of the vacuum assembly), configured and operative to direct particulate debris into a removable dust cartridge (not shown). the positioning, configuration, and operation of the brush assembly concomitantly directs particulate debris towards the inlet of the vacuum assembly such that particulates that are not swept up by the dual-stage brush assembly can be subsequently ingested by the vacuum assembly as a result of movement of the robotic device 100 . operation of the vacuum assembly independently of the self-adjustable brush assembly allows the vacuum assembly to generate and maintain a higher vacuum force using a battery-power source than would be possible if the vacuum assembly were operated in dependence with the brush assembly. referring now to fig. 3 , in some implementations of a robotic cleaning device, the cleaning brush assembly includes asymmetric, counter-rotating flapper and main brush elements 92 and 94 , respectively, that are positioned forward of the vacuum assembly inlet 84 , and operative to direct particulate debris 127 into a removable dust cartridge 86 . as shown in fig. 3 , the autonomous cleaning apparatus can also include left and right debris sensor elements 125 ps, which can be piezoelectric sensor elements, as described in detail below. the piezoelectric debris sensor elements 125 ps can be situated in a cleaning pathway of the cleaning device, mounted, for example, in the roof of the cleaning head, so that when struck by particles 127 swept up by the brush elements and/or pulled up by vacuum, the debris sensor elements 125 ps generate electrical pulses representative of debris impacts and thus, of the presence of debris in an area in which the autonomous cleaning device is operating. more particularly, in the arrangement shown in fig. 3 , the sensor elements 125 ps are located substantially at an axis ax along which main and flapper brushes 94 , 92 meet, so that particles strike the sensor elements 125 ps with maximum force. as shown in fig. 1 , and described in greater detail below, the robotic cleaning device can be fitted with left and right side piezoelectric debris sensors, to generate separate left and right side debris signals that can be processed to signal the robotic device to turn in the direction of a “dirty” area the operation of the piezoelectric debris sensors, as well as signal processing and selection of behavioral modes based on the debris signals they generate, will be discussed below following a brief discussion of general aspects of behavioral modes for the cleaning device. behavioral modes the robotic device 100 uses a variety of behavioral modes to effectively clean a defined working area where behavioral modes are layers of control systems that can be operated in parallel. the microprocessor unit 135 is operative to execute a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes for any given scenario based upon inputs from the sensor system. the behavioral modes for the described robotic device 100 can be characterized as: (1) coverage behavioral modes; (2) escape behavioral modes; and (3) safety behavioral modes. coverage behavioral modes are primarily designed to allow the robotic device 100 to perform its cleaning operations in an efficient and effective manner and the escape and safety behavioral modes are priority behavioral modes implemented when a signal from the sensor system indicates that normal operation of the robotic device 100 is impaired, e.g., obstacle encountered, or is likely to be impaired, e.g., drop-off detected. representative and illustrative coverage behavioral (cleaning) modes for the robotic device 100 include: (1) a spot coverage pattern; (2) an obstacle-following (or edge-cleaning) coverage pattern, and (3) a room coverage pattern. the spot coverage pattern causes the robotic device 100 to clean a limited area within the defined working area, e.g., a high-traffic area. in a preferred embodiment the spot coverage pattern is implemented by means of a spiral algorithm (but other types of self-bounded area algorithms, e.g., polygonal, can be used). the spiral algorithm, which causes outward spiraling (preferred) or inward spiraling movement of the robotic device 100 , is implemented by control signals from the microprocessing unit 135 to the main wheel assemblies 112 l, 112 r to change the turn radius/radii thereof as a function of time (thereby increasing/decreasing the spiral movement pattern of the robotic device 100 ). the robotic device 100 is operated in the spot coverage pattern for a predetermined or random period of time, for a predetermined or random distance (e.g., a maximum spiral distance) and/or until the occurrence of a specified event, e.g., activation of one or more of the obstacle detection units 120 (collectively a transition condition). once a transition condition occurs, the robotic device 100 can implement or transition to a different behavioral mode, e.g., a straight line behavioral mode (in a preferred embodiment of the robotic device 100 , the straight line behavioral mode is a low priority, default behavior that propels the robot in an approximately straight line at a preset velocity of approximately 0.306 m/s) or a bounce behavioral mode in combination with a straight line behavioral mode. if the transition condition is the result of the robotic device 100 encountering an obstacle, the robotic device 100 can take other actions in lieu of transitioning to a different behavioral mode. the robotic device 100 can momentarily implement a behavioral mode to avoid or escape the obstacle and resume operation under control of the spiral algorithm (i.e., continue spiraling in the same direction). alternatively, the robotic device 100 can momentarily implement a behavioral mode to avoid or escape the obstacle and resume operation under control of the spiral algorithm (but in the opposite direction—reflective spiraling). the obstacle-following coverage pattern causes the robotic device 100 to clean the perimeter of the defined working area, e.g., a room bounded by walls, and/or the perimeter of an obstacle (e.g., furniture) within the defined working area. preferably the robotic device 100 utilizes obstacle-following unit 126 to continuously maintain its position with respect to an obstacle, e.g., wall, furniture, so that the motion of the robotic device 100 causes it to travel adjacent to and concomitantly clean along the perimeter of the obstacle. different embodiments of the obstacle-following unit 126 can be used to implement the obstacle-following behavioral pattern. in a first embodiment, the obstacle-following unit 126 is operated to detect the presence or absence of the obstacle. in an alternative embodiment, the obstacle-following unit 126 is operated to detect an obstacle and then maintain a predetermined distance between the obstacle and the robotic device 100 . in the first embodiment, the microprocessing unit 135 is operative, in response to signals from the obstacle-following unit, to implement small cw or ccw turns to maintain its position with respect to the obstacle. the robotic device 100 implements a small cw when the robotic device 100 transitions from obstacle detection to non-detection (reflection to non-reflection) or to implement a small ccw turn when the robotic device 100 transitions from non-detection to detection (non-reflection to reflection). similar turning behaviors are implemented by the robotic device 100 to maintain the predetermined distance from the obstacle. the robotic device 100 is operated in the obstacle-following behavioral mode for a predetermined or random period of time, for a predetermined or random distance (e.g., a maximum or minimum distance) and/or until the occurrence of a specified event, e.g., activation of one or more of the obstacle detection units 120 a predetermined number of times (collectively a transition condition). in certain embodiments, the microprocessor 135 will cause the robotic device to implement an align behavioral mode upon activation of the obstacle-detection units 120 in the obstacle-following behavioral mode wherein the implements a minimum angle ccw turn to align the robotic device 100 with the obstacle. the room coverage pattern can be used by the robotic device 100 to clean any defined working area that is bounded by walls, stairs, obstacles or other barriers (e.g., a virtual wall unit). a preferred embodiment for the room coverage pattern comprises the random-bounce behavioral mode in combination with the straight line behavioral mode. initially, the robotic device 100 travels under control of the straight-line behavioral mode, i.e., straight-line algorithm (main drive wheel assemblies 112 l, 112 r operating at the same rotational speed in the same direction) until an obstacle is encountered. upon activation of one or more of the obstacle detection units 120 , the microprocessing unit 135 is operative to compute an acceptable range of new directions based upon the obstacle detection unit(s) 126 activated. the microprocessing unit 135 selects a new heading from within the acceptable range and implements a cw or ccw turn to achieve the new heading with minimal movement. in some embodiments, the new turn heading may be followed by forward movement to increase the cleaning efficiency of the robotic device 100 . the new heading may be randomly selected across the acceptable range of headings, or based upon some statistical selection scheme, e.g., gaussian distribution. in other embodiments of the room coverage behavioral mode, the microprocessing unit 135 can be programmed to change headings randomly or at predetermined times, without input from the sensor system. the robotic device 100 is operated in the room coverage behavioral mode for a predetermined or random period of time, for a predetermined or random distance (e.g., a maximum or minimum distance) and/or until the occurrence of a specified event, e.g., activation of the obstacle-detection units 120 a predetermined number of times (collectively a transition condition). a preferred embodiment of the robotic device 100 includes four escape behavioral modes: a turn behavioral mode, an edge behavioral mode, a wheel drop behavioral mode, and a slow behavioral mode. one skilled in the art will appreciate that other behavioral modes can be utilized by the robotic device 100 . one or more of these behavioral modes may be implemented, for example, in response to a current rise in one of the electric motors 116 , 118 of the side brush assembly 140 or dual-stage brush assembly above a low or high stall threshold, forward bumper 106 in compressed position for determined time period, detection of a wheel-drop event. in the turn behavioral mode, the robotic device 100 turns in place in a random direction, starting at higher velocity (e.g., twice normal turning velocity) and decreasing to a lower velocity (one-half normal turning velocity), i.e., small panic turns and large panic turns, respectively. low panic turns are preferably in the range of 45° to 90°, large panic turns are preferably in the range of 90° to 270°. the turn behavioral mode prevents the robotic device 100 from becoming stuck on room impediments, e.g., high spot in carpet, ramped lamp base, from becoming stuck under room impediments, e.g., under a sofa, or from becoming trapped in a confined area. in the edge behavioral mode follows the edge of an obstacle unit it has turned through a predetermined number of degrees, e.g., 60°, without activation of any of the obstacle detection units 120 , or until the robotic device has turned through a predetermined number of degrees, e.g., 170°, since initiation of the edge behavioral mode. the edge behavioral mode allows the robotic device 100 to move through the smallest possible openings to escape from confined areas. in the wheel drop behavioral mode, the microprocessor 135 reverses the direction of the main wheel drive assemblies 112 l, 112 r momentarily, then stops them. if the activated wheel drop sensor 124 deactivates within a predetermined time, the microprocessor 135 then reimplements the behavioral mode that was being executed prior to the activation of the wheel drop sensor 124 . in response to certain events, e.g., activation of a wheel drop sensor 124 or a cliff detector 122 , the slow behavioral mode is implemented to slowed down the robotic device 100 for a predetermined distance and then ramped back up to its normal operating speed. when a safety condition is detected by the sensor subsystem, e.g., a series of brush or wheel stalls that cause the corresponding electric motors to be temporarily cycled off, wheel drop sensor 124 or a cliff detection sensor 122 activated for greater that a predetermined period of time, the robotic device 100 is generally cycled to an off state. in addition, an audible alarm may be generated. the foregoing description of behavioral modes for the robotic device 100 are intended to be representative of the types of operating modes that can be implemented by the robotic device 100 . one skilled in the art will appreciate that the behavioral modes described above can be implemented in other combinations and/or circumstances. debris sensor as shown in figs. 1-3 , in accordance with the present invention, an autonomous cleaning device (and similarly, a non-autonomous cleaning device as shown by way of example in fig. 7 ) can be improved by incorporation of a debris sensor. in the embodiment illustrated in figs. 1 and 3 , the debris sensor subsystem comprises left and right piezoelectric sensing elements 125 l, 125 r situated proximate to or within a cleaning pathway of a cleaning device, and electronics for processing the debris signal from the sensor for forwarding to a microprocessor 135 or other controller. when employed in an autonomous, robot cleaning device, the debris signal from the debris sensor can be used to select a behavioral mode (such as entering into a spot cleaning mode), change an operational condition (such as speed, power or other), steer in the direction of debris (particularly when spaced-apart left and right debris sensors are used to create a differential signal), or take other actions. a debris sensor according to the present invention can also be incorporated into a non-autonomous cleaning device. when employed in a non-autonomous cleaning device such as, for example, an otherwise relatively conventional vacuum cleaner 700 like that shown in fig. 7 , the debris signal 706 generated by a piezoelectric debris sensor 704 ps situated within a cleaning or vacuum pathway of the device can be employed by a controlling microprocessor 708 in the body of the vacuum cleaner 702 to generate a user-perceptible signal (such as by lighting a light 710 ), to increase power from the power system 703 , or take some combination of actions (such as lighting a “high power” light and simultaneously increasing power). the algorithmic aspects of the operation of the debris sensor subsystem are summarized in fig. 8 . as shown therein, a method according to the invention can include detecting left and right debris signals representative of debris strikes, and thus, of the presence, quantity or volume, and direction of debris ( 802 ); selecting an operational mode or pattern of movement (such as spot coverage) based on the debris signal values ( 804 ); selecting a direction of movement based on differential left/right debris signals (e.g., steering toward the side with more debris) ( 806 ); generating a user-perceptible signal representative of the presence of debris or other characteristic (e.g., by illuminating a user-perceptible led) ( 808 ); or otherwise varying or controlling an operational condition, such as power ( 810 ). a further practice of the invention takes advantage of the motion of an autonomous cleaning device across a floor or other surface, processing the debris signal in conjunction with knowledge of the cleaning device's movement to calculate a debris gradient ( 812 in fig. 8 ). the debris gradient is representative of changes in debris strikes count as the autonomous cleaning apparatus moves along a surface. by examining the sign of the gradient (positive or negative, associated with increasing or decreasing debris), an autonomous cleaning device controller can continuously adjust the path or pattern of movement of the device to clean a debris field most effectively ( 812 ). piezoelectric sensor: as noted above, a piezoelectric transducer element can be used in the debris sensor subsystem of the invention. piezoelectric sensors provide instantaneous response to debris strikes and are relatively immune to accretion that would degrade the performance of an optical debris sensor typical of the prior art. an example of a piezoelectric transducer 125 ps is shown in fig. 4a-4b . referring now to fig. 4a-4b , the piezoelectric sensor element 125 ps can include one or more 0.20 millimeter thick, 20 millimeter diameter brass disks 402 with the piezoelectric material and electrodes bonded to the topside (with a total thickness of 0.51 mm), mounted to an elastomer pad 404 , a plastic dirt sensor cap 406 , a debris sensor pc board with associated electronics 408 , grounded metal shield 410 , and retained by mounting screws (or bolts or the like) 412 and elastomer grommets 414 . the elastomer grommets provide a degree of vibration dampening or isolation between the piezoelectric sensor element 125 ps and the cleaning device. in the example shown in fig. 4a-4b , a rigid piezoelectric disk, of the type typically used as inexpensive sounders, can be used. however, flexible piezoelectric film can also be advantageously employed. since the film can be produced in arbitrary shapes, its use affords the possibility of sensitivity to debris across the entire cleaning width of the cleaning device, rather than sensitivity in selected areas where, for example, the disks may be located. conversely, however, film is at present substantially more expensive and is subject to degradation over time. in contrast, brass disks have proven to be extremely robust. the exemplary mounting configuration shown in fig. 4a-4b is substantially optimized for use within a platform that is mechanically quite noisy, such as an autonomous vacuum cleaner like that shown in fig. 3 . in such a device, vibration dampening or isolation of the sensor is extremely useful. however, in an application involving a non-autonomous cleaning device such as a canister-type vacuum cleaner like that shown in fig. 7 , the dampening aspects of the mounting system of fig. 4a-4b may not be necessary. in a non-autonomous cleaning apparatus, an alternative mounting system may involve heat sing the piezoelectric element directly to its housing. in either case, a key consideration for achieving enhanced performance is the reduction of the surface area required to clamp, bolt, or otherwise maintain the piezoelectric element in place. the smaller the footprint of this clamped “dead zone”, the more sensitive the piezoelectric element will be. in operation, debris thrown up by the cleaning brush assembly (e.g., brush 94 of fig. 3 ), or otherwise flowing through a cleaning pathway within the cleaning device (e.g., vacuum compartment 104 of fig. 3 ) can strike the bottom, all-brass side of the sensor 125 ps (see fig. 3 ). in an autonomous cleaning device, as shown in fig. 3 , the debris sensor 125 ps can be located substantially at an axis ax along which main brush 94 and flapper brush 92 meet, so that the particles 127 are thrown up and strike the sensor 125 ps with maximum force. as is well known, a piezoelectric sensor converts mechanical energy (e.g., the kinetic energy of a debris strike and vibration of the brass disk) into electrical energy—in this case, generating an electrical pulse each time it is struck by debris—and it is this electrical pulse that can be processed and transmitted to a system controller (e.g., controller 135 of figs. 1 and 2 or 708 of fig. 8 ) to control or cause a change in operational mode, in accordance with the invention. piezoelectric elements are typically designed for use as audio transducers, for example, to generate beep tones. when an ac voltage is applied, they vibrate mechanically in step with the ac waveform, and generate an audible output. conversely, if they are mechanically vibrated, they produce an ac voltage output. this is the manner in which they are employed in the present invention. in particular, when an object first strikes the brass face of the sensor, it causes the disk to flex inward, which produces a voltage pulse. filtering: however; since the sensor element 125 ps is in direct or indirect contact with the cleaning device chassis or body through its mounting system (see figs. 3 and 4 ), it is subject to the mechanical vibrations normally produced by motors, brushes, fans and other moving parts when the cleaning device is functioning. this mechanical vibration can cause the sensor to output an undesirable noise signal that can be larger in amplitude than the signal created by small, low mass debris (such as crushed black pepper) striking the sensor. the end result is that the sensor would output a composite signal composed of lower frequency noise components (up to approximately 16 khz) and higher frequency, possibly lower amplitude, debris-strike components (greater than 30 khz, up to hundreds of khz). thus, it is useful to provide a way to filter out extraneous signals. accordingly, as described below, an electronic filter is used to greatly attenuate the lower frequency signal components to improve signal-to-noise performance. examples of the architecture and circuitry of such filtering and signal processing elements will next be described in connection with figs. 5 and 6 . signal processing fig. 5 is an exemplary schematic diagram of the signal processing elements of a debris sensor subsystem. as noted above, one purpose of a debris sensor is to enable an autonomous cleaning apparatus to sense when it is picking up debris or otherwise encountering a debris field. this information can be used as an input to effect a change in the cleaning behavior or cause the apparatus to enter a selected operational or behavioral mode, such as, for example, the spot cleaning mode described above when debris is encountered. in an non-autonomous cleaning apparatus like that shown in fig. 7 , the debris signal 706 from the debris sensor 704 ps can be used to cause a user-perceptible light 710 to be illuminated (e.g., to signal to the user that debris is being encountered), to raise power output from the power until 703 to the cleaning systems, or to cause some other operational change or combination of changes (e.g., lighting a user-perceptible “high power” light and simultaneously raising power). moreover, as noted above, two debris sensor circuit modules (i.e., left and right channels like 125 l and 125 r of fig. 1 ) can be used to enable an autonomous cleaning device to sense the difference between the amounts of debris picked up on the right and left sides of the cleaning head assembly. for example, if the robot encounters a field of dirt off to its left side, the left side debris sensor may indicate debris hits, while the right side sensor indicates no (or a low rate of) debris hits. this differential output could be used by the microprocessor controller of an autonomous cleaning device (such as controller 135 of figs. 1 and 2 ) to steer the device in the direction of the debris (e.g., to steer left if the left-side debris sensor is generating higher signal values than the right-side debris sensor); to otherwise choose a vector in the direction of the debris; or to otherwise select a pattern of movement or behavior pattern such as spot coverage or other. thus, fig. 5 illustrates one channel (for example, the left-side channel) of a debris sensor subsystem that can contain both left and right side channels. the right side channel is substantially identical, and its structure and operation will therefore be understood from the following discussion. as shown in fig. 5 , the left channel consists of a sensor element (piezoelectric disk) 402 , an acoustic vibration filter/rfi filter module 502 , a signal amplifier 504 , a reference level generator 506 , an attenuator 508 , a comparator 510 for comparing the outputs of the attenuator and reference level generator, and a pulse stretcher 512 . the output of the pulse stretcher is a logic level output signal to a system controller like the processor 135 shown in fig. 2 ; i.e., a controller suitable for use in selecting an operational behavior. the acoustic vibration filter/rfi filter block 502 can be designed to provide significant attenuation (in one embodiment, better than −45 db volts), and to block most of the lower frequency, slow rate of change mechanical vibration signals, while permitting higher frequency, fast rate of change debris-strike signals to pass. however, even though these higher frequency signals get through the filter, they are attenuated, and thus require amplification by the signal amplifier block 504 . in addition to amplifying the desired higher frequency debris strike signals, the very small residual mechanical noise signals that do pass through the filter also get amplified, along with electrical noise generated by the amplifier itself, and any radio frequency interference (rfi) components generated by the motors and radiated through the air, or picked up by the sensor and its conducting wires. the signal amplifier's high frequency response is designed to minimize the amplification of very high frequency rfi. this constant background noise signal, which has much lower frequency components than the desired debris strike signals, is fed into the reference level generator block 506 . the purpose of module 506 is to create a reference signal that follows the instantaneous peak value, or envelope, of the noise signal. it can be seen in fig. 5 that the signal of interest, i.e., the signal that results when debris strikes the sensor, is also fed into this block. thus, the reference level generator block circuitry is designed so that it does not respond quickly enough to high frequency, fast rate of change debris-strike signals to be able to track the instantaneous peak value of these signals. the resulting reference signal will be used to make a comparison as described below. referring again to fig. 5 , it will be seen that the signal from amplifier 504 is also fed into the attenuator block. this is the same signal that goes to the reference level generator 506 , so it is a composite signal containing both the high frequency signal of interest (i.e., when debris strikes the sensor) and the lower frequency noise. the attenuator 508 reduces the amplitude of this signal so that it normally is below the amplitude of the signal from the reference level generator 506 when no debris is striking the sensor element. the comparator 510 compares the instantaneous voltage amplitude value of the signal from the attenuator 508 to the signal from the reference level generator 506 . normally, when the cleaning device operating is running and debris are not striking the sensor element, the instantaneous voltage coming out of the reference level generator 506 will be higher than the voltage coming out of the attenuator block 508 . this causes the comparator block 510 to output a high logic level signal (logic one), which is then inverted by the pulse stretcher block 512 to create a low logic level (logic zero). however, when debris strikes the sensor, the voltage from the attenuator 508 exceeds the voltage from the reference level generator 506 (since this circuit cannot track the high frequency, fast rate of change signal component from the amplifier 504 ) and the signal produced by a debris strike is higher in voltage amplitude than the constant background mechanical noise signal which is more severely attenuated by the acoustic vibration filter 502 . this causes the comparator to momentarily change state to a logic level zero. the pulse stretcher block 512 extends this very brief (typically under 10-microsecond) event to a constant 1 millisecond (+0.3 ms, −0 ms) event, so as to provide the system controller (e.g., controller 135 of fig. 2 ) sufficient time to sample the signal. when the system controller “sees” this 1-millisecond logic zero pulse, it interprets the event as a debris strike. referring now to the rfi filter portion of the acoustic vibration filter/rfi filter block 502 , this filter serves to attenuate the very high frequency radiated electrical noise (rfi), which is generated by the motors and motor driver circuits. in summary, the illustrated circuitry connected to the sensor element uses both amplitude and frequency information to discriminate a debris strike (representative of the cleaning device picking up debris) from the normal background mechanical noise also picked up by the sensor element, and the radiated radio frequency electrical noise produced by the motors and motor driver circuits. the normal, though undesirable, constant background noise is used to establish a dynamic reference that prevents false debris-strike indications while maintaining a good signal-to-noise ratio. in practice, the mechanical mounting system for the sensor element (see fig. 4 ) is also designed to help minimize the mechanical acoustic noise vibration coupling that affects the sensor element. signal processing circuitry: fig. 6 is a detailed schematic diagram of exemplary debris sensor circuitry. those skilled in the art will understand that in other embodiments, the signal processing can be partially or entirely contained and executed within the software of the microcontroller 135 . with reference to fig. 6 , the illustrated example of suitable signal processing circuitry contains the following elements, operating in accordance with the following description: the ground referenced, composite signal from the piezoelectric sensor disk (see piezoelectric disk 402 of fig. 4 ) is fed into the capacitor c1, which is the input to the 5-pole, high pass, passive r-c filter designed to attenuate the low frequency, acoustic mechanical vibrations conducted into the sensor through the mounting system. this filter has a 21.5 khz, −3 db corner frequency rolling off at −100 db/decade. the output of this filter is fed to a signal pole, low pass, passive r-c filter designed to attenuate any very high frequency rfi. this filter has a 1.06 mhz, −3 db corner frequency rolling off at −20 db/decade. the output of this filter is diode clamped by d1 and d2 in order to protect u1 from high voltage transients in the event the sensor element sustains a severe strike that generates a voltage pulse greater than the amplifier's supply rails. the dc biasing required for signal-supply operation for the amplifier chain and subsequent comparator circuitry is created by r5 and r6. these two resistor values are selected such that their thevenin impedance works with c5 to maintain the filter's fifth pole frequency response correctly. u1a, u1b and their associated components form a two stage, ac-coupled, non-inverting amplifier with a theoretical ac gain of 441. c9 and c10 serve to minimize gain at low frequencies while c7 and c8 work to roll the gain off at rfi frequencies. the net theoretical frequency response from the filter input to the amplifier output is a single pole high pass response with −3 db at 32.5 khz, −100 db/decade, and a 2-pole low pass response with break frequencies at 100 khz, −32 db/decade, and 5.4 mhz, −100 db/decade, together forming a band-pass filter. the output from the amplifier is split, with one output going into r14, and the other to the non-inverting input of u1c. the signal going into r14 is attenuated by the r14-r15 voltage divider, and then fed into the inverting input of comparator u2a. the other signal branch from the output of u1b is fed into the non-inverting input of amplifier u1c. u1c along with u1d and the components therebetween (as shown in fig. 2 ) form a half-wave, positive peak detector. the attack and decay times are set by r13 and r12, respectively. the output from this circuit is fed to the non-inverting input of u2 a through r16. r16 along with r19 provide hysteresis to improve switching time and noise immunity. u2a functions to compare the instantaneous value between the output of the peak detector to the output of the r14-r15 attenuator. normally, when debris is not striking the sensor, the output of the peak detector will be greater in amplitude than the output of the attenuator network. when debris strikes the sensor, a high frequency pulse is created that has a higher amplitude coming out of the front-end high pass filter going into u1a than the lower frequency mechanical noise signal component. this signal will be larger in amplitude, even after coming out of the r14-r15 attenuator network, than the signal coming out of the peak detector, because the peak detector cannot track high-speed pulses due to the component values in the r13, c11, r12 network. the comparator then changes state from high to low for as long as the amplitude of the debris-strike pulse stays above the dynamic, noise generated, reference-level signal coming out of the peak detector. since this comparator output pulse can be too short for the system controller to see, a pulse stretcher is used. the pulse stretcher is a one-shot monostable design with a lockout mechanism to prevent re-triggering until the end of the timeout period. the output from u2a is fed into the junction of c13 and q1. c13 couples the signal into the monostable formed by u2c and its associated components. q1 functions as the lockout by holding the output of u2a low until the monostable times out. the timeout period is set by the time constant formed by r22, c12 and r18, and the reference level set by the r20-r21 voltage divider. this time can adjusted for 1 ms, +0.3 ms, −0.00 ms as dictated by the requirements of the software used by the controller/processor. power for the debris sensor circuit is provided by u3 and associated components. u3 is a low power linear regulator that provides a 5-volt output. the unregulated voltage from the robot's onboard battery provides the power input when required, circuit adjustments can be set by r14 and r12. these adjustments will allow the circuit response to be tuned in a short period of time in a production device of this kind, it is expected that power into, and signal out of the debris sensor circuit printed circuit board (pcb) will be transferred to the main board via shielded cable. alternatively, noise filters may be substituted for the use of shielded cable, reducing the cost of wiring. the cable shield drain wire can be grounded at the sensor circuit pcb side only. the shield is not to carry any ground current. a separate conductor inside the cable will carry power ground. to reduce noise, the production sensor pcb should have all components on the topside with solid ground plane on the bottom side. the sensor pcb should be housed in a mounting assembly that has a grounded metal shield that covers the topside of the board to shield the components from radiated noise pick up from the robot's motors. the piezoelectric sensor disk can be mounted under the sensor circuit pcb on a suitable mechanical mounting system, such as that shown in fig. 4 , in order to keep the connecting leads as short as possible for noise immunity. the debris sensor is not subject to degradation by accretion of debris, but is capable of instantaneously sensing and responding to debris strikes, and thus immediately responsive to debris on a floor or other surface to be cleaned, with reduced sensitivity to variations in airflow, instantaneous power, or other operational conditions of the cleaning device. when employed as described herein, the debris sensor and/or control system enables an autonomous cleaning device to control its operation or select from among operational modes, patterns of movement or behaviors responsive to detected debris, for example, by steering the device toward “dirtier” areas based on signals generated by the debris sensor. the debris sensor can also be employed in non-autonomous cleaning devices to control, select or vary operational modes of either an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning apparatus. in addition, the disclosed signal processing architecture and circuitry is particularly useful in conjunction with a piezoelectric debris sensor to provide high signal to noise ratios. a wide range of modifications and variations of the present invention are possible and within the scope of the disclosure. the debris sensor can also be employed for purposes, and in devices, other than those described herein. navigational control system fig. 9 is a schematic representation of a navigational control system 10 according to the present invention for use in combination with a robotic device 100 to enhance the cleaning efficiency thereof by adding a deterministic component (in the form of a control signal that remotely controls the movement of the robotic device 100 ) to the motion algorithms, including random motion, autonomously implemented by the robotic device 100 . the navigational control system 10 comprises a transmitting subsystem 12 and a receiving subsystem 20 operating under the direction of a navigation control algorithm. the navigation control algorithm includes a definition of a predetermined triggering event. the specific features and characteristics of the transmitting subsystem 12 and the receiving subsystem 20 depend upon whether the particular subsystem is integrated in combination with the robotic device 100 or functions as a “base station” for the navigational control system 10 . broadly described, the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention is operative, under the direction of the navigation control algorithm, to monitor the movement activity of the robotic device 100 within the defined working area. in one preferred embodiment, the monitored movement activity is defined in terms of the “position history” of the robotic device 100 as described in further detail below. in another preferred embodiment, the monitored movement activity is defined in terms of the “instantaneous position” of the robotic device 100 as defined in further detail below. the predetermined triggering event is a specific occurrence or condition in the movement activity of the robotic device 100 . upon the realization of the predetermined triggering event, the navigational control system 10 is operative to generate and communicate a control signal to the robotic device 100 . in response to the control signal, the robotic device 100 is operative to implement or execute a conduct prescribed by the control signal, i.e., the prescribed conduct. this prescribed conduct represents a deterministic component of the movement activity of the robotic device 100 . in the preferred embodiment of the navigational control system 10 based upon position history, the system 10 is configured and operative to create a “tessellation” of any defined working area where the robotic device 100 is to be operated, e.g., a room to be cleaned. tessellate is used herein in the sense that the defined working area is segmented into a set of individual cells, which may or may not be of equal size. for example, fig. 10 exemplarily illustrates the polar tessellation of a defined working area into a set of individual cells c (reference characters bst identify the “base station”) of unequal size. the position of each cell c (in terms of its center) is identified in terms of polar coordinates (r, 0) referenced to the base station bst as the origin (0, 0). a grid map of the cells c comprising the defined working area is stored in memory of the navigation control system 10 . one skilled in the art will appreciate that other coordinate systems, e.g., a planar cartesian coordinate system, can be used by the navigational control system 10 to define the position of individual cells c within the predetermined working area. preferably, the navigational control system 10 is operative to define the size the individual cells c so that the length and width dimensions of an individual cell c are no larger than one-half the width (w) of the cleaning head system 145 of the robotic device 100 (see fig. 1 and corresponding discussion above). the navigational control system 10 is operative to generate a position history of the robotic device 100 within the defined working area in terms of such individual cells c (to minimize the memory requirements for storage of position history). the position history comprises a set of discrete, instantaneous positions (in terms of individual cells c) of the robotic device 100 over a time interval where the time interval is a variable that depends upon the “triggering condition” of the navigation control algorithm implemented by the navigational control system 10 . each discrete instantaneous position of the robotic device 100 is determined by operating the transmitting subsystem 12 to emit a set of directional beams and operating the receiving subsystem 20 to detect one or more of such directional beams and process a signal parameter of the detected beam(s) to determine an absolute bearing parameter and a distance parameter between the transmitting subsystem 12 and the receiving subsystem 20 at a point in time. each pair of bearing, distance parameters establishes a discrete instantaneous position for the robotic device 100 . for the preferred ‘position history’ embodiment, the navigational control system 10 is operative to correlate each discrete instantaneous position to one individual cell c of the grid map. a set of bearing and position pairs, i.e., a set of instantaneous positions, over a time interval defines a set of cells c, which are identified in the receiving subsystem 20 as the position history of the robotic device 100 for the time interval. in the preferred embodiment of the navigational control system 10 based upon the instantaneous position, the system 10 processes each discrete instantaneous position as it is established, under the control of the navigation control algorithm, to determine whether such discrete instantaneous position is the predetermined triggering event defined by the navigation control algorithm. in an advanced embodiment of the navigational control system 10 , the system 10 is additionally configured and operative to determine a travel vector (indicating the direction of motion of the robotic device 100 within an individual cell c or at the discrete instantaneous position) at each point in time. these travel vectors may be stored in memory in conjunction with the corresponding cells c as a component of the position history of the robotic device 100 . the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention is further operative, under direction of the navigational control algorithm, to generate and communicate a control signal to the robotic device 100 whenever the navigational control system 100 realizes the predetermined triggering event. in response to any such control signal, the robotic device 100 is configured and operative to initiate a prescribed conduct. the prescribed conduct comprises the deterministic component added to the random motion movement activity of the robotic device 100 by means of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention. in one preferred embodiment of the invention, the prescribed conduct of the robotic device 100 comprises one or more basic maneuvers such as cw and ccw turns, forward or aft (straight line) movement, slow down, speed up, and stop. the cw and/or ccw turns can be implemented using the turning techniques of the robotic device 100 described above, and the turn angles can be, for example, over a 360° spectrum at predetermined intervals, e.g., 5° or 10°. alternatively, or in addition to, the cw and/or ccw turns can be to a specified azimuthal heading (referenced to the base station as the origin) where the navigational control system 10 is configured and operative so that the travel vector is a determinable variable. of these basic maneuvers, forward (straight line) movement is typically the default maneuver that the robotic device 100 automatically reverts to (implements) once one or more of the other basic maneuvers has been completed. in another preferred embodiment of the invention, the prescribed conduct of the robotic device 100 comprises one or more of the behavioral modes described herein. in yet a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the prescribed conduct of the robotic device 100 comprises a combination of the basic maneuvers and the behavioral modes described herein. the transmitting subsystem 12 is operative to transmit a number of directed beams having a predetermined emission pattern along a specific propagation axis. preferably, the directed beams are planar, i.e., substantially parallel to the surface of the defined working area. in preferred embodiments of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention, the transmitting subsystem 12 is integrated in combination with the robotic device 100 . the transmitting subsystem 12 is configured and operative to functionally emulate an omnidirectional transmission source with respect to the defined working area, i.e., by emitting a plurality of directed beams that cover the defined working area. for these preferred embodiments, the robotic device 100 further includes a receiver unit 16 (see fig. 9 ) configured and operative to receive control signals from the receiving subsystem 20 (see discussion below regarding the transmitting unit 32 of the receiving subsystem 20 ). while the receiver unit 16 is depicted as a dedicated receiving unit for the control signals, it is preferable that the omnidirectional detector 128 (of the virtual wall detection system) described above be adapted to detect and process such control signals. in one preferred embodiment, the transmitting subsystem 12 comprises a conventional mechanical sweeping transmitter, e.g., a laser, that is integrated in combination with a high point of the housing infrastructure of the robotic device 100 so that none of the structural features of the robotic device 100 interfere with the operation thereof. the mechanical sweeping transmitter is configured and operative to emit the plurality of directed beams while concomitantly redirecting (mechanically sweeping) the transmitting element so that each directed beam has a different propagation axis. other features and characteristics of the mechanical sweeping transmitter are described below in terms of individual transmitting units 14 n for ease of description. another preferred embodiment of the transmitting subsystem 12 comprises a set of transmitting units 14 n , where n is an integer defining the number of individual transmitting units comprising the set for the navigational control system 10 , that are integrated in combination with the robotic device 100 about the periphery of its housing infrastructure. each transmitting unit 14 n is configured and operative to emit a directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern along a specific propagation axis. preferably, the transmitting subsystem 12 is configured and operative so that the emitted directed beams are planar. in a basic embodiment of the transmitting subsystem 12 , the transmitting units 14 n are fungible/interchangeable, each operating to emit a directed beam at a common operating frequency. preferably, the common operating frequency for the transmitting units 14 n lies in the infrared range, i.e., about 750 nm to about 1.4×10 4 nm, preferably about 880 nm to about 980 nm, although one skilled in the art will appreciate that other wavelengths, e.g., in the radio frequency range, microwave frequency range, can be used in the practice of the navigational control system 10 of the present invention. preferably, the common operating frequency directed beams emitted by the transmitting units 14 n are periodically modulated, e.g., at 10 khz for 50 msec, off for 300 msec. modulation of the directed beams facilitates detection thereof by the receiving subsystem 20 , i.e., the receiving subsystem 20 is able to readily discriminate between modulated directed beams emitted by the transmitting subsystem 12 and any other electromagnetic radiation sources that may be active in the defined working area, e.g., television remote control units, wireless computer keyboards, microwaves, ambient radiation such as sunlight. for the basic embodiment, it is also preferable that the transmitting units 14 n be sequentially operated so that any transmitting unit 14 n is cycled on for a predetermined period of time and then cycled off, the next (adjacent) transmitting unit 14 n is then cycled on for the predetermined period of time and cycled off, and so forth. operating the transmitting subsystem 12 in the foregoing manner, i.e., modulation of the directed beam, cycling transmitting units 14 n on/off sequentially, minimizes the power requirements of the transmitting subsystem 12 and reduces spurious noise/collateral energy that could adversely impact the functioning of the navigational control system 10 . ordinarily, a navigational control system 10 employing the basic embodiment of the transmitting subsystem 12 , i.e., all transmitting units 14 n are interchangeable-emitting directed beams at a common operating frequency, cannot be used to determine travel vectors for the robotic device 100 because the receiving subsystem 20 cannot differentiate between directed beams emitted by the transmitting units 14 n and therefore cannot identify any particular transmitting unit 14 n . however, the inventors have developed two innovative ways of transmitting and processing directed beams emitted by a transmitting subsystem 12 comprised of interchangeable transmitting units 14 n so that the receiving subsystem 20 can individually identify a specific interchangeable transmitting unit 14 n , and, based upon such identification, establish a travel vector for the robotic device 100 . accordingly, in one enhanced version of the basic embodiment of the transmitting subsystem 12 , interchangeable transmitting units 14 n are operated in a predetermined manner that allows the receiving subsystem 20 to process detected directed beams to identify the directed beam having the highest signal strength, which, in turn, allows the receiving subsystem 20 to identify the interchangeable transmitting unit 14 n that emitted such directed beam. this, in turn, allows the receiving subsystem 20 to determine the orientation and, hence the travel vector, of the robotic device 100 . referring to fig. 11a , the transmitting subsystem 12 is first cycled on so that all transmitting units 14 n emit directed beams for a predetermined synchronization period, as identified by reference character t sy , and then cycled off. the receiver subsystem 20 is operative to detect and process one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting units 14 n and identify the predetermined synchronization period t sy of the transmitting subsystem 12 . this identification allows the receiving subsystem 20 to synchronize operations between the transmitting subsystem 12 and the receiving subsystem 20 by initializing a timing sequence at the end of the predetermined synchronization period t sy (reference character t 0 identifies the initialization of the timing sequence in fig. 11a ). the transmitting subsystem 12 is further operative so that individual transmitting unit 14 n are sequentially cycled on and off at predetermined times with respect to the timing sequence initialization t 0 established by the receiving subsystem 20 . for example, with respect to fig. 11a , which illustrates a transmitting subsystem 12 comprising four transmitting units 14 n (arbitrarily identified as the first transmitting unit 14 1 , the second transmitting unit 14 2 , the third transmitting unit 14 3 , and the fourth transmitting unit 14 4 ), the transmitting subsystem 12 is configured and operative so that each of the transmitting units 14 1 , 14 2 , 14 3 , 14 4 is sequentially cycled on to emit a directed beam that transitions from a zero (0) signal strength to a peak signal strength to a zero (0) signal strength and then cycled off (a saw-tooth transition pattern is exemplarily illustrated in fig. 11 a—one skilled in the art will appreciate that other types of signal strength transition patterns can be used in the practice of the invention described herein, e.g., a ramped signal strength). that is, the first transmitting unit 14 1 is cycled on and transitions to a peak signal strength at time t 1 . the second transmitting unit 14 2 is cycled on as the directed beam from the first transmitting unit 14 1 achieves its peak signal strength at time t 1 . the second transmitting unit 14 2 transitions to a peak signal strength at time t 2 , at which point the first transmitting unit 14 1 has transitioned to a zero (0) signal strength and is cycled off. the third transmitting unit 14 3 is cycled on as the directed beam from the second transmitting unit 14 2 achieves its peak signal strength at time t 2 . the foregoing operating pattern is repeated for the second, third, and fourth transmitting units 14 2 , 14 3 , 14 4 , as applicable, so that at time t 3 the second transmitting unit 14 2 is cycled off, the directed beam emitted by the third transmitting unit 14 3 has achieved its peak signal strength, and the fourth transmitting unit 14 4 is cycled on; and at time t 4 the third transmitting unit 14 3 is cycled off and the directed beam emitted by the fourth transmitting unit 14 4 has achieved its peak strength. the transmitting subsystem 12 is operative to repeat the above-described synchronization—sequential transmission procedure during operation of the navigational control system 12 according to the present invention. in another enhanced version of the basic embodiment of the transmitting subsystem 12 , interchangeable transmitting units 14 n are operated in a different predetermined manner that allows the receiving subsystem 20 to process detected directed beams to identify the directed beam having the highest signal strength, which, in turn, allows the receiving subsystem 20 to identify the interchangeable transmitting unit 14 n that emitted such directed beam. this, in turn, allows the receiving subsystem 20 to determine the orientation and, hence the travel vector, of the robotic device 100 . referring to fig. 11c , the transmitting subsystem 12 is first cycled on so that all transmitting units 14 n emit directed beams for a predetermined synchronization period, as identified by reference character t 12 , and then cycled off. the receiver subsystem 20 is operative to detect and process one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting units 14 n and identify the predetermined synchronization period t 12 of the transmitting subsystem 12 . this identification allows the receiving subsystem 20 to synchronize operations between the transmitting subsystem 12 and the receiving subsystem 20 by initializing a timing sequence at the end of the predetermined synchronization period t sy (reference character t 0 identifies the initialization of the timing sequence in fig. 11a ). the transmitting subsystem 12 is further operative so that individual transmitting unit 14 n are sequentially cycled on and off at predetermined times with respect to the timing sequence initialization t 0 established by the receiving subsystem 20 . for example, with respect to fig. 11c , which illustrates a transmitting subsystem 12 comprising four transmitting units 14 n (arbitrarily identified as the first transmitting unit 14 1 , the second transmitting unit 14 2 , the third transmitting unit 14 3 , and the fourth transmitting unit 14 4 ), the transmitting subsystem 12 is configured and operative so that each of the transmitting units 14 1 , 14 2 , 14 3 , 14 4 is sequentially cycled on to emit a pulsed directed beam have a predetermined pulse width p 1 , p 2 , p 3 , p 4 , respectively, at a predetermined signal strength, and then cycled off. that is, the first transmitting unit 14 1 is cycled on at t 11 (where the first “1” identifies the transmitting unit number and the second “1” indicates that the transmitting unit is cycled on) and cycled off at t 12 (where the “2” indicates that the transmitting unit is cycled off). in a similar manner, the second transmitting unit 14 2 is cycled on at t 21 and cycled off at t 22 , the third transmitting unit 14 3 is cycled on at t 31 and cycled off at t 32 , and fourth transmitting units 14 4 is cycled on at t 41 and cycled off at t 42 . the transmitting subsystem 12 is operative to repeat the above-described synchronization-sequential transmission procedure during operation of the navigational control system 12 according to the present invention. in a more sophisticated embodiment of the transmitting subsystem 12 , the transmitting units 14 n are discrete and identifiable, each transmitting unit 14 n operating at a unique operating frequency to emit a directed beam (which is preferably planar with respect to the surface of the defined working area) having a predetermined emission pattern along a specific propagation axis. these operating frequencies are also preferably modulated to facilitate detection thereof by the receiving subsystem 20 in an environment where other electromagnetic radiation sources are operating. since each directed beam is readily and uniquely identifiable, the receiving subsystem 20 can process detected directed beams in a conventional manner to derive not only the absolute bearing and to the robotic device 100 , but also the travel vector for the robotic device 10 at any particular time. the receiving subsystem 20 of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention comprises a processing unit 22 that includes a microprocessor 24 , a signal processing unit 26 , a memory module 28 , and a set of detection units 30 m . additionally, the receiving subsystem 20 can also include a transmitting unit 32 for those preferred embodiments of the navigational control system 10 wherein the receiving subsystem 20 is operated or functions as the base station for the navigational control system 10 . the memory module 28 comprises ram 28 a and rom 28 b. data relating to the current operation of the robotic device 100 within the defined working area is stored in the ram 28 a. such current operational data can include the grid map of cells c defining the defined working area and the position history of the robotic device 100 within the defined working area for the ‘position history’ embodiment of the navigational control system 10 . stored in the rom 28 b are one or more navigation control algorithms for the navigational control system 10 , a set of one or more control signals associated with each navigation control algorithm, and a signal processing algorithm for converting signals generated by the signal processing unit 26 to one or more sets of instantaneous position parameters, i.e., a bearing, distance pair (and travel vector, if applicable). for the ‘position history’ embodiment of the system 10 , a set of instantaneous position parameters that define the position history of the robotic device 100 , which are correlated with the grid map to identify the cells c comprising the position history. the terminology “navigation control algorithm” as used herein encompasses a set of instructions that: (a) define how the position history or instantaneous position is used by the navigational control system 10 (e.g., counting and comparing cells visited, a true-false determination for cells visited, true-false determination whether the predetermined triggering event has occurred); (b) defines the triggering event or events associated with the use of the position history or the instantaneous position; and (c) identifies the control signal(s) to be implemented when the triggering event is realized. for example, in one representative navigation control algorithm for the ‘position history’ embodiment of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention, the microprocessor 24 is operative to count and store the number of visits to each cell and to compute the total number of visits to cells contiguous to (neighboring) each such visited cell (cell counting). the microprocessor 24 is further operative to compare the total number of neighboring-cell visits as each cell is visited to a threshold value (see, e.g., fig. 10 wherein “c v ” identifies a visited cell and “c c ” identifies the eight (8) cells contiguous to the visited cell c v ). if the total number of neighboring-visits (e.g., fifteen (15) in the example of fig. 10 ) for any visited cell is below the threshold number (the triggering event), the microprocessor 24 is operative to cause a control signal to be communicated to the robotic device 100 . the control signal causes the robotic device 100 to implement one or more behavioral modes specified by the control signal, e.g., a spot coverage pattern as described above. in another representative navigation control algorithm for the ‘position history’ embodiment of the navigational control system 10 of the present invention, one or more cells in the stored grid map are pre-identified (i.e., prior to operating the robotic device 100 ) as “hot spots” in the defined working area. as the robotic device 100 visits any particular cell c, the microprocessor 24 is operative to determine whether the visited cell has been identified as a “hot spot” (true-false determination). if the microprocessor 24 determines that the visited cell c is a “hot spot” (triggering event), the microprocessor 24 is operative to cause a control signal to be communicated to the robotic device 100 via the control signal transmitting unit 32 . reception of the control signal causes the robotic device 100 to implement the prescribed conduct specified by the control signal, e.g., one or more of the basic maneuvers described above and/or a spot coverage pattern or obstacle-following behavioral mode as described above. the foregoing representative examples of navigation control algorithms for the ‘position history’ embodiment of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention are implemented without knowledge of the travel vector of the robotic device 100 , i.e., based solely upon the identification of visited cells by means of the bearing, distance parameters derived by the receiving subsystem 20 . another representative example of a navigation control algorithm for the ‘position history’ embodiment of the navigation control system 10 of the present invention utilizes the travel vector as an element of the position history in issuing a control signal. the microprocessor 24 is operative to count and store the number of times a cell has been visited (cell counting) and further operative to compare this number to the number of times each contiguous (or neighboring) cell has been visited. for this navigation control algorithm, the triggering event is a numerical differential between the number of visits to the currently-visited cell number and the number of visits to each of the neighboring-cells that identifies the neighboring cell or cells that have been least-visited as compared to the currently-visited cell. the triggering event would cause the receiving system 20 to issue a control signal to the robotic device 100 that causes the robotic device 100 to move from the currently-visited cell to the neighboring cell that has been visited least, e.g., by implementing one or more basic maneuvers as described herein. if two or more neighboring cells have been visited least, the control signal would cause the robotic device to move from the currently-visited cell to the least visited neighboring cell that is most compatible with the current travel vector of the robotic device 100 , e.g., minimum travel distance. using fig. 10 as an example wherein “c v ” identifies the currently-visited cell and “c c ” identifies the eight (8) cells contiguous to or neighboring the currently-visited cell c v , the neighboring cells c c that have been visited a single time are the least-visited neighboring cells c c . if the current travel vector for the robotic device 100 is indicated by the reference characters tv, the control signal would cause the robotic device 100 to continue moving in a straight line, i.e., the move forward basic maneuver (or the straight-line behavioral mode) would be executed by the robotic device 100 (if the robotic device 100 was currently operating in some other behavioral mode). one representative navigation control algorithm for the ‘instantaneous position’ of the navigational control system 10 uses elapsed time (either random or predetermined) as the predetermined triggering event to cause the robotic device 10 to move to a predetermined position b in the defined working environment. the microprocessor 24 is operative, upon expiration of the elapsed time (the predetermined triggering event), to determine the instantaneous position (hereinafter identified as “position a”) of the robotic device 100 as described herein. since position a is an unknown variable until the predetermined triggering event is realized, the prescribed conduct, i.e., the basic maneuvers, necessary to move the robotic device 100 from position a to position b are also unknown. once position a has been determined by the navigational control system 10 , the basic maneuvers necessary to move the robotic device 100 from position a to position b are determinable since both position a and position b are known variables (in terms of their known bearing, distance parameter pairs with respect to the receiving subsystem 20 ). a determination of the basic maneuvers that will be implemented by the robotic device 100 can be accomplished by any conventional computational technique. another exemplary navigation control algorithm for the ‘instantaneous position’ embodiment of the navigational control system 10 is a variation of the “hot spot” navigation control algorithm for the ‘position history’ embodiment of the navigational control system 10 . in this illustrative embodiment, both position a and position b are known variables and accordingly, the basic maneuver(s) to move the robotic device 100 from position a to position b are known. in this example, the predetermined triggering event is a true determination that the instantaneous position of the robotic device 100 is equal to position a (position a may be stored in memory 28 as a “zone”—defining some arbitrary area centered about position a—rather than a single point position to increase the probability that the instantaneous position of the robotic device 100 at some time will equal position a). the receiving subsystem 20 comprises a set of detection units 30 m where m is an integer defining the number of individual detection units comprising the set for the navigational control system 10 . the number and positioning of the set of detection units 30 m should be such that as much of the defined working area as possible is within the field-of-view of the receiving subsystem 20 and that the fields-of-view of at least two (but preferably more) detection units 30 m cover the same area within the defined working area. in preferred embodiments of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention, the receiving subsystem 20 functions as a “base station” for the system 10 . in this functional role, the receiving subsystem 20 is a portable, standalone unit that is stationarily positioned within the defined working area, preferably abutting a wall bounding the defined working area (the ‘wall unit’ configuration). alternatively, the receiving subsystem 20 can be positioned within the defined working area distally of the walls bounding the defined working area (the ‘free-standing’ configuration). the receiving subsystem 20 as the base station establishes and, for the ‘position history’ embodiment of the navigational control system 10 , stores the grid map of cells representing the defined working area and represents the origin (0, 0) of the grid map of cells described above. for those embodiments where the receiving subsystem 20 is operated as a wall unit configuration, the individual detection units 30 m have a known spaced-apart relationship and configured and operative to have a 180° field-of-view. for example, fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the receiving subsystem 20 comprising two detection units 30 m (m=2) spaced apart by a known angular distance “φ”. fig. 12c illustrates another embodiment of the receiving subsystem 20 comprising three detection units 30 m (m=3), i.e., 30 12 , 30 23 , 30 13 , having known angular separations identified by “(φ 12 ”, “φ 23 ”, and “(φ 13 ”, respectively. preferred embodiments of the wall unit configuration for the navigational control system 10 include three detection units 30 m to provide absolute bearing data to the robotic device 100 . a minimum of two detection units 30 m are required to provide the necessary signal information for the receiving subsystem 20 . more than three detection units 30 m can be employed to increase the resolution of the receiving subsystem 20 , but at an added cost for each additional detection unit 30 m and associated signal processing circuitry (see fig. 12c which illustrates the representative signal processing circuitry associated with a detection unit 30 m ). for those embodiments where the receiving subsystem 20 is operated as a free-standing configuration, the individual detection units 30 m likewise spaced apart by known angular distances and configured and operative have a field-of-view greater than 180°. a representative embodiment of the receiving subsystem 20 operated as a free-standing base station would comprise four detection units 30 m . the detection units 30 m are configured and operative to detect a parameter of one or more of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting units 14 n , e.g., voltages v representing the relative signal strengths of the detected directed beam(s). in a preferred embodiment, each detection unit 30 m is configured and operative to average the detected signal strength parameter (e.g., voltage) when the detection unit 30 m detects two directed beams simultaneously. the receiving subsystem 20 executes a signal processing algorithm that processes the detected parameters provided by the detection units 30 m , i.e., relative signal strengths of the detected beams, utilizing a conventional technique to determine the absolute bearing between the robotic device 100 and the receiving subsystem 20 . to provide the distance determination capability for the receiving subsystem 20 , the receiving subsystem 20 is preferably calibrated prior to use. this involves positioning the robotic device 100 at a predetermined distance from the receiving subsystem 20 and operating one (or more) of the transmitting units 14 n to emit a directed beam at the receiving subsystem 20 . the parameter of the directed beam detected by the detection units 30 m , e.g., a voltage representing the signal strength of the directed beam as detected, is correlated to the predetermined distance and used to generate a look-up table of signal strength versus distance for the defined working area. this look-up table is stored in the memory module 28 of the receiving subsystem 20 . as the signal strengths of directed beams are detected during operation of the navigational control system 10 , the receiving subsystem 20 uses the detected signal strengths as pointers to the stored look-up table to determine the corresponding distances (between the receiving subsystem 20 and the robotic device 100 ). alternatively, the receiving subsystem 20 could be configured and operative to implement a signal processing algorithm that utilizes the known attenuation characteristics, i.e., signal strength versus distance, of the operating frequency of the directed beams emitted by the transmitting units 14 n . this embodiment presupposes that the transmitting units 14 n are rated and emitting directed beams of known signal strength. for the sophisticated embodiment of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention described above wherein the individual transmitting units 14 n of the transmitting subsystem 12 are operated at a unique operating frequency, the detection units 30 m of the receiving subsystem 20 are configured to scan the set of unique operating frequencies utilized by the transmitting units 14 n . the receiving subsystem 20 is configured and operative to cause the detection units 30 m to sequentially scan through these frequencies during operation of the navigational control system 10 . for the innovative embodiment of the transmitting subsystem 12 described above in connection with fig. 11a , fig. 11b illustrates the operating characteristics of the complementary receiving subsystem 20 . the receiving subsystem 20 is configured and operative to detect the directed beams emitted during the predetermined synchronization period t sy . at the end of the predetermined synchronization period t sy , the receiving subsystem 20 is operative to initiate the timing sequence t 0 . the receiving subsystem 20 is operative to detect the directed beams as described herein. however, the receiving subsystem 20 is further operative to determine the time at which the peak signal strength is detected, see reference character t peak in fig. 11b . the receiving subsystem 20 is further operative to correlate the peak signal strength detection time t peak with the known times at which the signal strength of the directed beam emitted by each transmitting unit 14 n reached its peak to identify the specific transmitting unit 14 n that transmitted the directed beam detected as having the peak signal strength (for the descriptive example presented in figs. 11a , 11 b, the third transmitting unit 14 3 ). for the innovative embodiment of the transmitting subsystem 12 described above in connection with fig. 11c , fig. 11d illustrates the operating characteristics of the complementary receiving subsystem 20 . the receiving subsystem 20 is configured and operative to detect the directed beams emitted during the predetermined synchronization period t sy . at the end of the predetermined synchronization period t sy , the receiving subsystem 20 is operative to initiate the timing sequence t 0 . the receiving subsystem 20 is operative to detect the directed beams as described herein (as exemplarily illustrated by the detected signal pulses dp 1 , dp 2 , dp 3 , dp 4 in fig. 5d ). however, the receiving subsystem 20 is further operative to determine the two highest peak signal strengths of the detected directed beams, see reference characters dp 3 and dp 2 in fig. 11d , which depict the highest and next highest detected signal pulses, and the times at which the two highest strength signals were detected (t 21 and t 31 in fig. 11d ). the signal strength detection times allows the particular transmitting units 14 n on the robotic device 100 to be identified, i.e., transmitting units 14 3 and 14 2 in the example of fig. 11d . the receiving subsystem 20 is then further operative to compute the amplitude ratio of these signal pulses, e.g., dp 3 /dp 2 , and to use such computed amplitude ratio as a pointer to a look-up table that identifies the angular orientation of the identified transmitting units 14 3 , 14 2 , which in turn establishes the travel vector for the robotic device 100 . even though the transmitting units 14 n mounted in combination with the robotic device 100 are interchangeable, the specific location of each individual transmitting unit 14 n on the robotic device 100 is a known quantity. based upon the identification of the transmitting unit 14 n that emitted the directed beam detected by the receiving subsystem 20 , the receiving subsystem 20 can execute rather straightforward geometric calculations, based upon the location of the identified transmitting unit 14 n , to determine the travel vector of the robotic device 100 . when the receiving subsystem 20 functions as the base station, a means is required to communicate the control signal to the robotic device. accordingly, embodiments of the receiving subsystem 20 that operate as a base station further include a transmitting unit 32 (see fig. 9 ). once the navigation control algorithm implemented by the microprocessor 24 has determined the prescribed conduct to be implemented by the robotic device 10 , the microprocessor 24 is operative to select the appropriate control signal to implement such prescribed conduct from the memory module 28 . the microprocessor 24 is then operative to activate the transmitting unit 32 to communicate (by transmitting) the control signal to the receiver unit 16 of the robotic device 100 where the prescribed conduct defined by the control signal is implemented by means of the microprocessing unit 135 . while the robotic device 100 is described (and depicted in fig. 9 ) as being configured to include a dedicated receiver unit 16 for receiving control signals transmitted by the transmitting unit 32 of the receiving unit 20 , it is preferable that the omnidirectional detector 128 (of the virtual wall detection system) be adapted to detect and process such control signals. for those embodiments of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention wherein the receiving unit 20 is integrated in combination with the robotic device 10 , the transmitting unit 32 is not required. rather, the receiving unit 20 of the navigation control system 100 is electrically coupled to the microprocessing unit 135 (via an i/o port) of the robotic device 100 so that the receiving unit 20 can communicate control signals directly to the microprocessing unit 135 . as disclosed above, in preferred embodiments of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention, the receiving subsystem 20 functions as the base station, i.e., the wall unit configuration, and the transmitting subsystem 12 is integrated in combination with the robotic device 100 . one preferred embodiment that is illustrative of the features and functionality of the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention is exemplarily illustrated in figs. 12a-12c . fig. 12a depicts a robotic device 100 operating in a defined working area wa bounded by walls w. a virtual wall unit vwu is positioned in the only entryway to the working area wa and operative to emit a confinement beam cb that confines the robotic device 100 to operations within the working area wa. the transmitting subsystem 12 of the illustrated embodiment of the navigational control system 10 is integrated in combination with the robotic device 100 and comprises a set of transmitting units 14 n (eight (8) for the described embodiment such that n equals the integers 1-8) that are operative to generate a corresponding set of directed beams db n (where n equals the integers 1-8) as illustrated in fig. 11b (only two directed beams db 3 , db 4 are illustrated in fig. 11b ). reference characters ba 1 -ba 8 identify the propagation axes of the directed beams db n emitted by the transmitting units 14 1 - 14 8 , respectively. each transmitting unit 14 n is configured and operative to emit a directed beam db n having a predetermined emission pattern θ n centered about the corresponding beam axis ba n . for the illustrated embodiment, the emission pattern θ n of each directed beam db n is approximately 100°. preferably, the predetermined emission pattern θ n of the directed beams db n is correlated with the number of transmitting units 14 n so that the transmitting subsystem 12 of the navigational control system 10 emulates an omnidirectional transmitting source. an omnidirectional transmitting source is necessary to ensure that one or more of the directed beams db n are detected by the receiving subsystem 20 since the position and orientation of the robotic device 100 in the defined working area (e.g., in terms of its forward motion fm), with respect to the receiving station 20 , is an unknown variable at any particular moment in time. preferably the emission patterns θ n of the directed beams db n overlap. as an examination of fig. 12a , 12 (and in particular fig. 12b ) shows, the directed beams db 3 , db 4 emitted by transmitting units 14 3 , 14 4 , respectively, will be detected by the detection units 30 1 , 30 2 , 30 3 of the receiving subsystem 20 . the detection units 30 1 , 30 2 , 30 3 are operative to detect a parameter representative of the relative signal strengths of the detected beams db 3 , db 4 , e.g., v 1 , v 2 , v 3 , respectively (as disclosed above each detection unit 30 n is operative to average the signal strengths when two directed beams are detected simultaneously). the receiving subsystem 20 is operative to implement the signal processing algorithm to compute the absolute bearing and distance between the receiving subsystem 20 and the robotic device 100 . the receiving subsystem 20 then implements the navigation control algorithm to correlate the computed bearing and distance with one of the cells comprising the grid map of the defined working area wa stored in the memory module 28 , and adds such cell to the position history of the robotic device 100 to update the position history. the receiving subsystem 20 is then operative under the navigation control algorithm to determine if there is a predetermined triggering event associated with this updated position history. if so, the receiving subsystem 20 is operative to select the appropriate control signal, as determined by the navigation control algorithm, and transmit such control signal to the receiver unit 16 of the robotic device 100 using the transmitting system 32 (see fig. 9 ). the microprocessing unit 135 of the robotic device 100 , is operative in response to the reception of the control signal by means of the omnidirectional detector 128 , to implement prescribed conduct, e.g., one or more of the basic maneuvers and/or behavioral modes exemplarily described herein, specified by the control signal. an exemplary embodiment of a navigational control system 10 ′ according to the present invention wherein the transmitting subsystem 12 functions as a base station and the receiving subsystem 20 is integrated in combination with the robotic device 100 is illustrated in fig. 13 . the transmitting subsystem 12 comprises a distributed set of transmitting units 14 n positioned to abut the walls w of the defined working area. as illustrated in fig. 13 , the transmitting subsystem 12 comprises a first transmitting unit 14 1 , a second transmitting unit 14 2 , and a third transmitting unit 14 3 positioned in abutting engagement with adjacent walls w, respectively. each transmitting unit 14 n comprising this distributed set is configured and operative to emit a directed beam having a predetermined emission pattern θ n along a predetermined beam axis db n (db 1 , db 2 , and db 3 in fig. 13 define the predetermined beam axes for the distributed transmitting units 14 1 , 14 2 , 14 3 , respectively) at a unique operating frequency, preferably in the infrared frequency range and preferably modulated as disclosed herein. preferably, each transmitting unit 14 1 , 14 2 , 14 3 is configured and operative to generate a predetermined beam emission pattern θ n that effectively covers the defined working area wa, i.e., θ n is approximately 180° for the distributed transmission subsystem 12 depicted in fig. 13 . the receiving subsystem 20 for the navigational control system 10 ′ preferably comprises a single omnidirectional detection unit 30 which may be of the type described in commonly-owned, u.s. patent application ser. no. 10/056,804, filed 24 jan. 2002, entitled method and system for robot localization and confinement (the virtual wall system summarily described herein). the omnidirectional detection unit 30 is configured and operative to scan through the unique operating frequencies utilized by the distributed transmitting units 14 1 , 14 2 , 14 3 . the omnidirectional detection unit 30 is operative to detect the directed beams db 1 , db 2 , db 3 emitted by the distributed transmitting units 14 1 , 14 2 , 14 3 . the receiving subsystem is configured and operative to process the signals of the detected directed beam to determine the absolute position of the robotic device 100 within the defined working area wa. this absolute position is defined in terms of a cell of the grid map of the defined working area wa. a sequence of absolute positions, determined as described above, identifies a sequence of cells that defines the position history of the robotic device 100 . the receiver subsystem 20 is operative as described above to utilize a navigation control algorithm to determine whether a triggering event has occurred in the position history, and if a trigger event has occurred, the receiver subsystem 20 is operative to communicate the control signal associated with the triggering event/navigation control algorithm to the robotic device 100 . the robotic device 100 is operative, in response to the communicated control signal, to implement the prescribed conduct specified by the control signal. a variety of modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. the navigational control system 10 according to the present invention has been described above as determining and using the instantaneous position (or a sequence of instantaneous positions) of a robotic device as a control parameter for directly altering the movement activity of the robotic device. one skilled in the art will appreciate that the navigational control system according to the present invention can be used for other purposes. for example, the navigational control system of the present invention can be used for correcting errors in movement activity of robotic devices relying upon dead reckoning. it is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
|
009-611-512-824-629
|
US
|
[
"TW",
"KR",
"US",
"WO",
"CN",
"SG"
] |
C23C16/455,C23C16/505,H01J37/32,H01L21/027,H01L21/033,H01L21/3065,H01L21/3213,H01L21/205,H01L21/44,C23C16/00,G03F7/20,H05H1/34,H01L21/67
| 2008-05-15T00:00:00 |
2008
|
[
"C23",
"H01",
"G03",
"H05"
] |
a system and a method for forming semiconductor features
|
an inductively coupled power (icp) plasma processing chamber for forming semiconductor features is provided. a plasma processing chamber is provided, comprising a vacuum chamber, at least one antenna adjacent to the vacuum chamber for providing inductively coupled power in the vacuum chamber, a substrate support for supporting a silicon substrate within the plasma processing chamber, a pressure regulator, a gas inlet for providing gas into the plasma processing chamber, and a gas outlet for exhausting gas from the plasma processing chamber. a gas distribution system is in fluid connection with the gas inlet for providing a first gas and a second gas, wherein the gas distribution system can substantially replace one of the first gas and the second gas in the plasma zone with the other of the first gas and the second gas within a period of less than 5 seconds.
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1 . an inductively coupled power (icp) plasma processing chamber for forming semiconductor features, comprising: a plasma processing chamber, comprising: a vacuum chamber; at least one antenna adjacent to the vacuum chamber for providing inductively coupled power in the vacuum chamber; a substrate support for supporting a silicon substrate within the plasma processing chamber; a pressure regulator for regulating the pressure in the plasma processing chamber; a gas inlet for providing gas into the plasma processing chamber; and a gas outlet for exhausting gas from the plasma processing chamber; and a gas distribution system in fluid connection with the gas inlet for providing a first gas and a second gas, wherein the gas distribution system can substantially replace one of the first gas and the second gas in the plasma zone with the other of the first gas and the second gas within a period of less than 5 seconds. 2 . the icp plasma processing chamber, as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: a confinement mechanism spaced from the substrate support and the vacuum chamber and within the vacuum chamber, wherein the confinement mechanism defines a plasma zone within confinement region extending from the substrate support to the confinement mechanism; and a drive system for moving the confinement mechanism in a direction to surround the wafer allowing for a smaller volume surrounding the wafer as compared to the entire chamber volume. 3 . the icp plasma processing chamber, as recited in claim 2 , further comprising a temperature controller which is able to provide heating and cooling to the substrate support to provide a temperature range of at least −10° c. to 120° c. 4 . the icp plasma processing chamber, as recited in claim 3 , wherein the temperature controller is able to separately heat and cool multiple zones on the substrate and maintain a substrate temperature control of <1° c. 5 . the icp plasma processing chamber, as recited in claim 4 , further comprising: an rf power source electrically connected to the antenna, that provides rf power at a frequency between 13.56 mhz and 100 mhz. 6 . the icp plasma processing chamber, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the vacuum chamber comprises a first region and a second region, and wherein the gas distribution system provides the first gas to the first region and a third gas to a second region, wherein the first gas is different than the third gas. 7 . the icp plasma processing chamber, as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first gas is different from the third gas in that the first gas has a different flow ratio mixture of gases than the third gas. 8 . the icp plasma processing chamber, as recited in claim 7 , wherein the gas distribution system comprises: gas sources that provides a plurality of different gases; a gas flow control system in fluid connection to the gas sources that controls flow rate of the different gases; and a gas switching section in fluid connection with the gas flow control system, which is able to switch between different gases to replace one gas with another gas in less than 5 seconds. 9 . a method for forming semiconductor features, comprising: a) loading a wafer into an inductively coupled plasma (icp) processing chamber, wherein at least one conductive layer and at least one dielectric layer are formed over the wafer and a mask of an organic material is formed over the at least one conductive layer and at least one dielectric layer; b) depositing an inorganic material layer on the organic material mask, comprising: flowing an inorganic material deposition gas into the process chamber; providing a inductively coupled energy to form the inorganic material deposition gas into a plasma, which deposits a layer of inorganic material on the organic material mask; and stopping the flow of the inorganic material deposition gas. 10 . the method, as recited in claim 9 , further comprising forming the inorganic material layer to form inorganic material spacers on sidewalls of the organic material mask. 11 . the method, as recited in claim 10 , wherein the organic layer is photoresist. 12 . the method, as recited in claim 11 , wherein the forming the inorganic material comprises chemically reacting the inorganic material layer to form a different inorganic material spacers on sidewalls of the organic material mask. 13 . the method, as recited in claim 10 , wherein the inorganic material is a silicon containing film, such as sio 2 , sion, sic, sioc, sinc, or si 3 n 4 . 14 . the method, as recited in claim 13 , further comprising removing the organic material mask between the inorganic material spacers. 15 . the method, as recited in claim 10 , further comprising: etching the at least one dielectric layer in the icp plasma processing chamber; and etching at least one conductive layer in the icp plasma processing chamber. 16 . the method, as recited in claim 10 , further comprising removing the inorganic material spacers 17 . the method, as recited in claim 10 , further comprising using a confinement mechanism placed around a region between the wafer and a coil to provide plasma confinement. 18 . the method, as recited in claim 10 , wherein the depositing the inorganic material layer and the forming the inorganic material layer is performed for a plurality of cycles, wherein each cycle has a period of less than 20 seconds.
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background of the invention the present invention relates to the formation of semiconductor devices. during semiconductor wafer processing, features of the semiconductor device are defined in the wafer using well-known patterning and etching processes. in these processes, a photoresist (pr) material is deposited on the wafer and then is exposed to light filtered by a reticle. the reticle is generally a glass plate that is patterned with exemplary feature geometries that block light from propagating through the reticle. after passing through the reticle, the light contacts the surface of the photoresist material. the light changes the chemical composition of the photoresist material such that a developer can remove a portion of the photoresist material. in the case of positive photoresist materials, the exposed regions are removed, and in the case of negative photoresist materials, the unexposed regions are removed. thereafter, the wafer is etched to remove the underlying material from the areas that are no longer protected by the photoresist material, and thereby define the desired features in the wafer. summary of the invention to achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, an inductively coupled power (icp) plasma processing chamber for forming semiconductor features is provided. a plasma processing chamber is provided, comprising a vacuum chamber, at least one antenna adjacent to the vacuum chamber for providing inductively coupled power in the vacuum chamber, a substrate support for supporting a silicon substrate within the plasma processing chamber, a pressure regulator for regulating the pressure in the plasma processing chamber, a gas inlet for providing gas into the plasma processing chamber, and a gas outlet for exhausting gas from the plasma processing chamber. a gas distribution system is in fluid connection with the gas inlet for providing a first gas and a second gas, wherein the gas distribution system can substantially replace one of the first gas and the second gas in the plasma zone with the other of the first gas and the second gas within a period of less than 5 seconds. in another manifestation of the invention, a method for forming semiconductor features is provided. a wafer is loaded into an inductively coupled plasma (icp) processing chamber, wherein at least one conductive layer and at least one dielectric layer are formed over the wafer and a mask of an organic material is formed over the at least one conductive layer and at least one dielectric layer. an inorganic material layer is deposited on the organic material mask, comprising flowing an inorganic material deposition gas into the process chamber, providing an inductively coupled energy to form the inorganic material deposition gas into a plasma, which deposits a layer of inorganic material on the organic material mask, and stopping the flow of the inorganic material deposition gas. these and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the following figures. brief description of the drawings the present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which: fig. 1 is a high level flow chart of a process that may be used in an embodiment of the invention. fig. 2 is a schematic view of a plasma processing chamber that may be used in practicing the invention. fig.'s 3 a-b illustrates a computer system, which is suitable for implementing a controller used in embodiments of the present invention. fig.'s 4 a-h are schematic cross-sectional views of a stack processed according to an embodiment of the invention. fig. 5 is a more detailed flow chart for forming inorganic spacers. fig. 6 is a more detailed flow chart of a process step. fig. 7 shows a preferred embodiment of a gas distribution system. fig.'s 8 a-b are simplified views of a processing system, which provides a more detailed view of an embodiment of a driver for a confinement mechanism. detailed description of the preferred embodiments the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. it will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. in other instances, well known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. to facilitate understanding, fig. 1 is a high level flow chart of a process that may be used in an embodiment of the invention. a wafer is loaded into an inductively coupled plasma (icp) processing chamber (step 104 ). inorganic spacers are formed around an organic material mask (step 108 ). the inorganic spacers may be of an inorganic material such as silicon (si) containing films, such as sio 2 , sion, sic, sioc, sinc, or si 3 n 4 . the organic material layer may be a photoresist material. organic material is removed from between the inorganic spacers (step 112 ). a dielectric layer above the wafer and below the openings between the inorganic spacers is etched (step 116 ). a conductive layer above the wafer and below the openings between the inorganic spacers is etched (step 120 ). the inorganic spacers are stripped (step 124 ). in another embodiment, the inorganic spacers are automatically removed when etching the inorganic or conductive layers, so that a separate stripping is not needed. the wafer is removed from the icp chamber (step 128 ). in various embodiments, the order of the etching the dielectric layer, the etching the conductive layer, and the stripping the inorganic spacers may be in various orders. fig. 2 illustrates a processing tool that may be used in an implementation of the invention. fig. 2 is a schematic view of a plasma processing system 200 , including a plasma processing tool 201 . the plasma processing tool 201 is an inductively coupled plasma (icp) etching tool and includes a plasma reactor 202 having a plasma processing chamber 204 therein. a tcp power controller 250 and a bias power controller 255 , respectively, control a tcp power supply 251 and a bias power supply 256 influencing the plasma 224 created within plasma chamber 204 . the tcp power controller 250 controls the tcp power supply 251 configured to supply a radio frequency signal at 13.56 mhz, tuned by a tcp match network 252 , to a tcp coil 253 located near the plasma chamber 204 . an rf transparent window 254 is provided to separate tcp coil 253 from plasma chamber 204 while allowing energy to pass from tcp coil 253 to plasma chamber 204 . the bias power controller 255 sets a set point for bias power supply 256 configured to supply an rf signal, tuned by bias match network 257 , to a chuck electrode 208 located within the plasma chamber 204 creating a direct current (dc) bias above electrode 208 which is adapted to receive a substrate 206 , such as a semi-conductor wafer work piece, being processed. a gas supply mechanism or gas source 210 includes a source or sources of gas or gases 216 attached via a gas switch 217 , which is able to quickly switch between different gases, to supply the proper chemistry in a proper switching cycle required for the process to the interior of the plasma chamber 204 . in this embodiment, the gas inlet has an inner inlet 287 , closer to the center of the chamber, and outer inlets 289 , further from the center of the chamber. the gas switch is able to provide different gas mixtures to the center and outer zones of the chambers, by providing a different gas mixture to the inner inlet 287 than the gas mixture provided to the outer inlet 289 . a gas exhaust mechanism 218 includes a pressure control valve 219 and exhaust pump 220 and removes particles from within the plasma chamber 204 and maintains a particular pressure within plasma chamber 204 . a temperature controller 280 controls the temperature of a temperature control system provided within the chuck electrode 208 by controlling a heater/cooler supply 284 . the heater/cooler supply 284 is directly connected to a plurality of temperature control elements 285 , so that the heater/cooler supply 284 may individually control multiple zones to allow a temperature control of <1° c. the heater/cooler supply is able to provide heating and cooling from −10° c. to 120° c. the plasma processing system also includes electronic control circuitry 270 . the plasma processing system may also have an end point detector. a movable confinement mechanism 291 is spaced from the substrate support within and the chamber walls within the chamber, where the confinement mechanism defines the plasma zone 224 within the confinement mechanism and extending from the substrate support to the confinement mechanism wall. a drive system 293 is able to move the confinement mechanism to adjust the pressure in the plasma zone. such adjustment may be made during wafer processing. fig.'s 3 a and 3 b illustrate a computer system 300 , which is suitable for implementing a controller for control circuitry 270 used in embodiments of the present invention. fig. 3a shows one possible physical form of the computer system. of course, the computer system may have many physical forms ranging from an integrated circuit, a printed circuit board, and a small handheld device up to a huge super computer. computer system 300 includes a monitor 302 , a display 304 , a housing 306 , a disk drive 308 , a keyboard 310 , and a mouse 312 . disk 314 is a computer-readable medium used to transfer data to and from computer system 300 . fig. 3b is an example of a block diagram for computer system 300 . attached to system bus 320 is a wide variety of subsystems. processor(s) 322 (also referred to as central processing units, or cpus) are coupled to storage devices, including memory 324 . memory 324 includes random access memory (ram) and read-only memory (rom). as is well known in the art, rom acts to transfer data and instructions uni-directionally to the cpu and ram is used typically to transfer data and instructions in a bi-directional manner. both of these types of memories may include any suitable of the computer-readable media described below. a fixed disk 326 is also coupled bi-directionally to cpu 322 ; it provides additional data storage capacity and may also include any of the computer-readable media described below. fixed disk 326 may be used to store programs, data, and the like and is typically a secondary storage medium (such as a hard disk) that is slower than primary storage. it will be appreciated that the information retained within fixed disk 326 may, in appropriate cases, be incorporated in standard fashion as virtual memory in memory 324 . removable disk 314 may take the form of any of the computer-readable media described below. cpu 322 is also coupled to a variety of input/output devices, such as display 304 , keyboard 310 , mouse 312 , and speakers 330 . in general, an input/output device may be any of: video displays, track balls, mice, keyboards, microphones, touch-sensitive displays, transducer card readers, magnetic or paper tape readers, tablets, styluses, voice or handwriting recognizers, biometrics readers, or other computers. cpu 322 optionally may be coupled to another computer or telecommunications network using network interface 340 . with such a network interface, it is contemplated that the cpu might receive information from the network, or might output information to the network in the course of performing the above-described method steps. furthermore, method embodiments of the present invention may execute solely upon cpu 322 or may execute over a network such as the internet in conjunction with a remote cpu that shares a portion of the processing. in addition, embodiments of the present invention further relate to computer storage products with a computer-readable medium that have computer code thereon for performing various computer-implemented operations. the media and computer code may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. examples of tangible computer-readable media include, but are not limited to: magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as cd-roms and holographic devices; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and execute program code, such as application-specific integrated circuits (asics), programmable logic devices (plds) and rom and ram devices. examples of computer code include machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher level code that are executed by a computer using an interpreter. computer readable media may also be computer code transmitted by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing a sequence of instructions that are executable by a processor. examples fig. 4a is a schematic cross-sectional view of a wafer 404 . in this example, the wafer 404 is a silicon wafer, which forms a substrate. a plurality of various layers is formed over the wafer 404 . in this example, a conductive layer 408 is formed over the silicon wafer 404 , an intermediate layer 412 , which can be any kind of film, such as a dielectric, organic or conductive layer, is formed over the conductive layer 408 , and an inorganic dielectric layer 416 is formed over the intermediate layer 412 . an organic material mask 420 formed from photoresist is placed over the dielectric layer 416 . the organic material mask 420 is preferably a photoresist mask. in other embodiments, various combinations of dielectric and conductive layers may be disposed between the organic material mask and the wafer. the wafer 404 is placed in the plasma processing system 200 (step 104 ). inorganic spacers are formed on sides of the organic material mask (step 108 ). fig. 5 is a more detailed flow chart of the forming the inorganic spacers (step 108 ). in this embodiment, such a process comprises performing a plurality of cycles, wherein each cycle comprises deposition phase (step 504 ) for depositing a layer of inorganic material on the organic photoresist mask and a forming phase (step 508 ) for forming the deposited organic layer into spacers. fig. 4b is a schematic view of the stack after a deposition layer 424 has been formed on the organic material mask 420 after a deposition phase. the forming phase may etch back the inorganic layer deposited on horizontal surfaces and forming the sidewalls. in another embodiment, the forming phase may chemically react the deposited inorganic layer to form different inorganic material spacers on sidewalls of the organic material mask. for example, if the deposited layer is silicon, oxygen may be used to form the silicon layer into silicon oxide to provide silicon oxide spacers. fig. 6 is a more detailed flow chart of a process that may be used in some of the processes steps or phases. for example, the deposition phase 504 would comprise flowing a process gas into the process chamber (step 604 ), providing inductively coupled energy to form the process gas into a plasma (step 608 ), and stopping the flow of the process gas (step 612 ). in this example, the process gas would be a deposition gas to deposit an inorganic material. similarly, the forming phase would also provide a process gas, use inductively coupled energy to form the process gas into a plasma, and then stop the flow of the process gas. during this phase the process gas may be an etch gas. the deposition gas is different than the forming gas, which is why flow of the deposition gas is stopped before the forming phase. fig. 4c is a view after the formation of the inorganic spacers 428 is completed. an example recipe for using a single step to form the inorganic material spacers provides a pressure of 10 mtorr. the rf power at 13.56 mhz is provided at a power of 200 watts. no bias voltageis provided. a process gas of 0.5 sccm sih 4 , 100 sccm ar, and 10 sccm o 2 is provided. in another example, a plurality of cycles is provided with a depositon phase and a forming phase, which in this example is an oxidation phase. for the deposition phase a pressure of: 10 mtorr is provided. the rf power at 13.56 mhz is provided at a power of 200 watts. no bias voltage is provided. a process gas of 0.5 sccm sih 4 , 100 sccm ar, and 10 sccm o 2 is provided for 1 second to a few seconds and then stopped. for the forming phase, which is an oxidation step a pressure of 50 mtorr is provided. the rf power at 13.56 mhz is provided at a power of 200 watts. no bias voltage is provided. a process gas of 40 sccm o 2 is provided for 4 seconds, and then stopped. the deposition and forming phases are preferably repeated more than 4 times, where the number of cycles depends on the desired shape. in this example, it is desirable to switch between the deposition phase and the forming phase in less than 5 seconds, where the switching replaces in the entire plasma zone the deposition phase gas with the forming phase gas in less than 5 seconds. more preferably, one gas may be replaced with another gas in the entire plasma zone in less than 1 second. preferably, each phase, the deposition phase and the forming phase, of a cycle has a period of less than 10 seconds. preferably, each cycle has a period that is less than 20 seconds. more preferably, each cycle has a period that is less than 5 seconds. it may also be desirable to provide different gases to different zones in the chamber. for example, providing different gas ratios at the center zone of the chamber compared to peripheral zones of the chamber. such gas switching systems that supply different gas ratios to different zones are described for a capacitively couple plasma system in us patent application publication 2007/0066038 a1, entitled “fast gas switching plasma processing apparatus,” by sadjadi et al., and which is incorporated by reference for all purposes. this fast switching allows the period of each cycle to be as small as 0.5 seconds. in this example, the organic material between the inorganic spacers is etched away, possibly by using a stripping process to remove the organic material (step 112 ). this may be accomplished by providing a process gas (step 604 ), providing an inductively coupled energy to form the process gas into a plasma (step 608 ), and then stopping the process gas (step 612 ). an example of a process gas for removing the organic material would be oxygen. fig. 4d is a schematic view, after the organic material has been stripped. in an example recipe for this stripping process a pressure of 50 mtorr is provided. the rf power at 13.56 mhz is provided at a power of 200 watts. no bias voltageis provided. a process gas of 100 sccm o 2 is provided. since in this example the dielectric layer 416 is on top, the dielectric layer 416 is etched first (step 116 ). in this example, a single process is used for the dielectric etch. in other embodiments a cyclical process with at least two phases may be used for the dielectric etch. in this example, a process gas is flowed into the process chamber (step 604 ). an inductively coupled energy is used to form the process gas into a plasma (step 608 ). the flow of the process gas is stopped (step 612 ). fig. 4e is a schematic view after the dielectric layer is etched. in this embodiment the dielectric layer 416 may comprises at least one of any silicon containing films such as sio 2 , si 3 n 4 , sic, sion, sioc, or organic films such as amorphous carbon, pr or derivatives of these films. in an embodiment, where the dielectric layer is sio 2 , an example recipe for the etching the dielectric layer would provide a chamber pressure of 10 mtorr. the rf power at 13.56 mhz is provided at a power of 200 watts. a 200 volt bias voltage is provided. a process gas of 110 sccm chf 3 and 30 sccm he is provided. in this embodiment, the intermediate layer 412 is then etched (step 120 ). fig. 4f is a view after the intermediate layer has been etched. in this embodiment the intermediate layer may be an inorganic dielectric material such as a silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride based material, or an organic layer, or a conductive layer. in another embodiment, the intermediate layer etch may use a plurality of cycles, where each cycle has at least two phases. in this embodiment, a conductive layer etch is performed on the conductive layer 408 (step 116 ). such an etch may be performed in multiple steps in a cycle or in a single step. fig. 4g is a view after the conductive layer etch. an example of conductive layers would be polysilicon, w, and tungsten silicide. for a polysilicon conductive layer, an example of a conductive layer etch would provide a pressure of 2 mtorr. the rf power at 13.56 mhz is provided at a power of 1000 watts. a 200 volt bias voltage is provided. a process gas of 20 sccm hbr and 20 sccm o 2 is provided. if some of the inorganic spacers remain after the etching is completed, the inorganic spacers may be etched away (step 124 ). in such a process, a process gas is provided into the icp chamber. an icp power is supplied to form the process gas into a plasma, which removes the inorganic spacers. the process gas is then stopped. fig. 4h is a view after the inorganic spacers have been removed. a sample recipe for removing the inorganic spacers provides a pressure of 100 mtorr. the rf power at 13.56 mhz is provided at a power of 100 watts. no bias voltageis provided. a process gas of 5 sccm cf 4 is provided. in another embodiment, the removal of the inorganic spacers may use a plurality of cycles where each cycle has at least two phases. the wafer 404 is then removed from the icp chamber (step 128 ). therefore, in this embodiment the formation of the inorganic spacers on the sidewalls of the organic material mask, the dielectric layer etching, the conductive layer etching, the removal of the organic material mask, and the removal of the inorganic sidewall spacers were all done in situ in the icp chamber. fig. 7 shows a preferred embodiment in which the gas distribution system 210 includes gas sources 216 and a gas switch 217 , where in this example the gas switch 217 comprises a flow control section 704 , and a gas switching section 708 in fluid communication with each other. the gas distribution system 210 is preferably controlled by the controller 270 , which is connected in control communication to control operation of the gas sources 216 , flow control section 704 and gas switching section 708 . in the gas distribution system 210 , the gas sources 216 can supply different gases, such as first and second process gases, to the flow control section 704 via respective first and second gas lines 712 , 716 . the first and second gases can have different compositions and/or gas flow rates from each other. the flow control section 704 is operable to control the flow rate, and optionally also to adjust the composition, of different gases that can be supplied to the switching section 708 . the flow control section 704 can provide different flow rates and/or chemistries of the first and second gases to the switching section 708 via gas passages 720 , 724 and 728 , 732 , respectively. in addition, the flow rate and/or chemistry of the first gas and/or second gas that is supplied to the plasma processing chamber 204 can be different for an inner zone and an outer zone of the icp chamber. accordingly, the flow control section 704 can provide desired gas flows and/or gas chemistries across the substrate, thereby enhancing substrate processing uniformity. in the gas distribution system 210 , the switching section 708 is operable to switch from the first gas to the second gas within a short period of time to allow the first gas to be replaced by the second gas in a single zone or multiple zones, e.g., the inner zone and the outer zone, while simultaneously diverting the first gas to the by-pass line, or vice versa. the gas switching section 708 preferably can switch between the first and second gases without the occurrence of undesirable pressure surges and flow instabilities in the flow of either gas. if desired, the gas distribution system 210 can maintain a substantially constant sequential volumetric flow rate of the first and second gases through the plasma processing chamber. the switching section 708 , flow control section 704 , and gas sources 216 described in detail in u.s. patent application publication number 2007/0066038 a1, mentioned above, may be used in this embodiment of the invention. fig. 8a is a simplified view of the processing system 200 , which provides a more detailed view of an embodiment of a driver 293 for the confinement mechanism 291 . in fig. 8a , the confinement mechanism 291 is in a raised position. in this embodiment, the confinement mechanism 291 comprises three rings 292 with two gaps 294 between the rings 292 . in the position shown in fig. 8a , the confinement mechanism 291 provide maximum confinement. plasma and other gases must pass through the gaps 294 and the gap between the top of the chamber and the top of the confinement mechanism, in order to be exhausted, which increases confinement and pressure in the plasma zone. in this embodiment, a drive mechanism 293 turns a worm screw drive. 295 , which causes a translation motion of the confinement mechanism 291 . in this example, the driver 293 lowers the confinement mechanism 291 , which increases the gap between the top of the chamber and the top of the confinement mechanism, which lowers the resistance for gas passing from the plasma zone to the exhaust system. fig. 8b is the simplified view of the processing system 200 , after the driver 293 has completely lowered the confinement mechanism 291 . in other embodiments depending on the distance of travel, in this case about 10 cm, other mechanisms such as cam systems driven by a stepper motor could be used for the driver mechanism. in another embodiment the gaps between the rings may be adjustable. in such a configuration, the rings making the confinement mechanism may be independently moved with respect to each other. the adjustment of the confinement mechanism regulates pressure and confinement volume. in an embodiment of the invention, either the stripping or the deposition of an inorganic material layer on the organic material layer may also comprise a plurality of cycles which at least two phases per cycle. the modifications to the icp system allow the formation of an inorganic layer and inorganic spacers on an organic layer in fast gas switching mode of phase times ˜1 sec. the modifications may also allow in situ etching of the conductor, inorganic dielectric, and organic layers in a single icp processes chamber. in some embodiments, the modifications may also allow in situ etching of a silicon layer in the icp process chamber. such modifications to provide such abilities are not believed to be obvious from the prior art. while this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and various substitute equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. it should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. it is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and various substitute equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
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011-391-042-450-860
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US
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[
"US"
] |
A47C7/44,A47C7/40,A47C7/46
| 2017-12-05T00:00:00 |
2017
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[
"A47"
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compliant backrest
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a backrest includes a frame having a pair of laterally spaced upright members connected with longitudinally spaced upper and lower members. a flexible shell has opposite sides coupled to the upright members and upper and lower portions coupled to the upper and lower members. the shell includes first and second slots extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the shell inboard of locations where the shell is connected to the upright members, and one or more third slots extending laterally along the lower portion of the shell above a location where the shell is connected to the lower member. terminal ends of the one or more third slots are spaced apart from lower terminal ends of the first and second slots. in other embodiments, the shell is a three-dimensional molded component having a plurality of openings. in various embodiments, the slots and/or openings provide different levels of compliance to the backrest.
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1 - 24 . (canceled) 25 . a backrest comprising: a peripheral frame defining a central opening and comprising a pair of laterally spaced upright members connected with longitudinally spaced upper and lower members; and a flexible shell comprising opposite sides coupled to the upright members and upper and lower portions coupled to the upper and lower members, wherein the shell comprises a molded component having a three-dimensional shape in an non-loaded configuration, wherein the shell has a forwardly facing convex shape along a vertical centerline and a forwardly facing concave shape along a horizontal centerline in the non-loaded configuration, wherein the shell further comprises a plurality of openings arranged in an area overlying the central opening, and wherein the shell has flush front and rear surfaces in the area overlying the central opening, wherein the plurality of openings comprises a matrix of openings providing independent lateral and longitudinal expansion of the shell relative to the frame. 26 . the backrest of claim 25 wherein the shell material has a young's modulus e≥100,000 psi. 27 . the backrest of claim 26 wherein the shell comprises first and second elongated slots extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the shell inboard of locations where the shell is connected to the upright members; and one or more third slots extending laterally along the lower portion of the shell above a location where the shell is connected to the lower member. 28 . the backrest of claim 25 wherein the matrix of openings comprises a plurality of first openings having a first shape and a plurality of second openings having a second shape different than the first shape, wherein the first and second openings are arranged in an alternating pattern in both a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction. 29 . the backrest of claim 28 wherein the first shape is a laterally oriented dog-bone shape and the second shape is a longitudinally oriented dog-bone shape. 30 . the backrest of claim 25 wherein the shell has different thicknesses in different regions of the area defined by the plurality of openings. 31 - 39 . (canceled) 40 . a backrest comprising: a frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced upright members; and a flexible shell comprising opposite sides coupled to the upright members, wherein the shell comprises: first and second slots extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the shell inboard of locations where the shell is connected to the upright members; and a plurality of openings arranged between the first and second slots, wherein the plurality of openings comprises a matrix of openings adapted to allow lateral expansion of the shell. 41 - 42 . (canceled) 43 . the backrest of claim 40 wherein the flexible shell comprises a molded component having a three-dimensional shape in an non-loaded configuration, wherein the shell has a forwardly facing convex shape along a vertical centerline and a forwardly facing concave shape along a horizontal centerline in the non-loaded configuration 44 . the backrest of claim 40 wherein the shell has flush front and rear surfaces in an area defined by the plurality of openings. 45 . the backrest of claim 44 wherein the shell has different thicknesses in different regions of the area defined by the plurality of openings. 46 . the backrest of claim 40 wherein the peripheral frame further comprises longitudinally spaced upper and lower members connected with the pair of upright members so as to define a central opening therebetween, wherein the flexible shell comprises upper and lower portions coupled to the upper and lower members. 47 . the backrest of claim 46 wherein the matrix of openings is adapted to provide longitudinal expansion of the shell. 48 . the backrest of claim 40 wherein the plurality of openings comprise a plurality of first openings having a first shape and a plurality of second openings having a second shape different than the first shape, wherein the first and second openings are arranged in an alternating pattern in both a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction. 49 . the backrest of claim 48 wherein the first shape is a laterally oriented dog-bone shape and the second shape is a longitudinally oriented dog-bone shape. 50 . the backrest of claim 40 wherein the shell comprises a ring-like peripheral edge portion surrounding the plurality of openings. 51 . the backrest of claim 40 wherein the first and second slots each have a length greater than ⅓ of an overall length of the shell. 52 . the backrest of claim 51 wherein at least ½ of the length of each of the first and second slots is disposed beneath a laterally extending centerline of the shell. 53 . the backrest of claim 40 further comprising an auxiliary body support member having end portions engaging the shell, wherein the auxiliary body support member is moveable along a surface of the shell as the end portions are moveable along the first and second slots. 54 . the backrest of claim 53 wherein the auxiliary body support member is disposed against and is moveable along a forwardly facing body support surface of the shell. 55 . the backrest of claim 40 wherein the shell material has a young's modulus e≥100,000 psi.
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this application is a continuation of u.s. application ser. no. 16/208,206, filed dec. 3, 2018, which application claims the benefit of u.s. provisional application no. 62/594,885, filed dec. 5, 2017 and entitled “compliant backrest,” and the benefit of u.s. design application nos. 29/628,523; 29/628,526; 29/628,528; and ser. no. 29/628,527, each also filed dec. 5, 2017, including that the entire disclosure of each of the foregoing applications is incorporated herein by reference. field of the invention the present application relates generally to a backrest, and in particular to a compliant backrest, and various office furniture incorporating the backrest, together with methods for the use and assembly thereof. background chairs, and in particular office chairs, are typically configured with a backrest having one or more body support surfaces. the support surfaces may be made of various materials, including for example and without limitation foam, elastomeric membranes or plastic shells. foam materials may limit air circulation and often do not provide localized support. elastomeric membranes, and other similar materials, typically lie flat when not loaded, must be tensioned and do not provide good shear resistance. conversely, backrests configured with plastic shells, supported for example by peripheral frames, typically do not provide a comfortable body-conforming support surface. summary the present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing in this section should be considered to be a limitation on those claims. in one aspect, one embodiment of a backrest includes a peripheral frame defining a central opening. the frame has a pair of laterally spaced upright members connected with longitudinally spaced upper and lower members. a flexible shell has opposite sides coupled to the upright members and upper and lower portions coupled to the upper and lower members. the shell includes first and second slots extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the shell inboard of locations where the shell is connected to the upright members, and one or more third slots extending laterally along the lower portion of the shell above a location where the shell is connected to the lower member. the terminal ends of the one or more third slots are spaced apart from lower terminal ends of the first and second slots, with first and second bridge portions defined between the terminal ends of the third slot and the lower terminal ends of the first and second slots. in another aspect, one embodiment of a method for supporting the body of a user in a chair includes leaning against a backrest and moving a portion of the shell adjacent the first, second and third slots relative to the frame. in another aspect, one embodiment of the backrest includes a shell including a molded component having a three-dimensional shape in a non-loaded configuration. the shell has a forwardly facing convex shape along a vertical centerline and a forwardly facing concave shape along a horizontal centerline in the non-loaded configuration. the shell further includes a plurality of openings arranged in an area overlying the central opening. the shell has flush front and rear surfaces in the area overlying the central opening. the plurality of openings is configured in one embodiment as a matrix of openings providing independent lateral and longitudinal expansion of the shell relative to the frame. in another aspect, one embodiment of a method for supporting the body of a user in a chair includes leaning against a backrest, laterally expanding the shell across the matrix of openings, and longitudinally expanding the shell across the matrix of openings independent of the laterally expanding the shell. in another aspect, the shell has various structures and devices for providing different levels of compliance, including means for providing macro compliance and means for providing micro compliance. the various embodiments of the backrest and methods provide significant advantages over other backrests. for example and without limitation, the openings and slots provide compliance in the backrest, allowing it to move and conform to the user during use, even when bounded by a peripheral frame. at the same time, the openings provide excellent air circulation. the slots also serve to guide, and allow pass through of, an auxiliary body support member, for example and without limitation a lumbar support, which may be moved along a forwardly facing body support surface of the shell, but with a user interface disposed along the rear of the backrest in addition, the backrest may be configured with a three-dimensional contour in a non-loaded configuration, while maintaining the ability to move and adapt to the user when loaded. the foregoing paragraphs have been provided by way of general introduction, and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims presented below. the various preferred embodiments, together with further advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. brief description of the drawings figs. 1a-c are front perspective views respectively of a chair having a backrest with an upholstered front surface, a backrest including an auxiliary body support member without an upholstered front surface and a backrest without a lumbar or upholstered front surface. fig. 2 is a side view of the chair shown in figs. 1a-1c . figs. 3a-c are front views respectively of a chair having a backrest with an upholstered front surface, a backrest including an auxiliary body support member without an upholstered front surface and a backrest without a lumbar or upholstered front surface. figs. 4a-c are rear views respectively of a chair having a backrest with an upholstered front surface, a backrest including an auxiliary body support member without an upholstered front surface and a backrest without a lumbar or upholstered front surface. figs. 5a and b are top views respectively of a chair having a backrest with and without an upholstered front surface. fig. 6 is a bottom view of the chair shown in figs. 1a-c . figs. 7a and b are rear and front perspective views of a primary frame. figs. 8a and b are rear and front perspective views of a secondary frame. fig. 9 is an enlarged partial view of an interface between a backrest shell, secondary frame and auxiliary body support member. fig. 10 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a flexible shell. fig. 11 is a rear view of the shell shown in fig. 10 . fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view taken along line 12 of fig. 11 and showing a shell connector. fig. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the shell, secondary frame and upholstery. fig. 14 is a schematic drawing of one embodiment of a matrix of openings incorporated into flexible shell. fig. 15 is an enlarged partial view of one embodiment of a matrix of openings incorporated into the flexible shell. fig. 16 is a partial rear perspective view of the auxiliary body support assembly. figs. 17a and b are exploded front and rear perspective views of one embodiment of a backrest. fig. 18 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of a backrest. fig. 19 is a schematic side view of the shell deflecting in response to a load (f) being applied to a body support surface thereof. fig. 20 is a partial front view of one embodiment of the shell. fig. 21 shows schematic rear and cross-sectional views of the shell deflecting in response to a load (f) being applied to a body support surface thereof. fig. 22 is a partial, perspective view of an auxiliary body support member. fig. 23 is a perspective view of a user interface handle. fig. 24 is a partial perspective view of the user interface coupled to the auxiliary body support member. fig. 25 is a partial rear view of the auxiliary body support member secured to the frame. fig. 26 is a view of an alternative hole pattern incorporated into the central region of the shell. fig. 27 is a perspective view showing a cover being applied to a shell having an auxiliary body support assembly coupled thereto. fig. 28 is a top upper perspective view of a chair, displaying its ornamental design features. fig. 29 is a top plan view thereof. fig. 30 is a bottom plan view thereof. fig. 31 is a rear elevation view thereof. fig. 32 is a front elevation view thereof. fig. 33 is a right side elevation view thereof. fig. 34 is a left side elevation view thereof. fig. 35 is a rear lower perspective view thereof. fig. 36 is a top upper perspective view of a backrest, displaying its ornamental design features. fig. 37 is a top plan view thereof. fig. 38 is a bottom plan view thereof. fig. 39 is a rear elevation view thereof. fig. 40 is a front elevation view thereof. fig. 41 is a right side elevation view thereof. fig. 42 is a left side elevation view thereof. fig. 43 is a rear lower perspective view thereof. fig. 44 is a top upper perspective view of a chair, displaying its ornamental design features. fig. 45 is a top plan view thereof. fig. 46 is a bottom plan view thereof. fig. 47 is a rear elevation view thereof. fig. 48 is a front elevation view thereof. fig. 49 is a right side elevation view thereof. fig. 50 is a left side elevation view thereof. fig. 51 is a rear lower perspective view thereof. fig. 52 is a top upper perspective view of another backrest, displaying its ornamental design features. fig. 53 is a top plan view thereof. fig. 54 is a bottom plan view thereof. fig. 55 is a rear elevation view thereof. fig. 56 is a front elevation view thereof. fig. 57 is a right side elevation view thereof. fig. 58 is a left side elevation view thereof. fig. 59 is a rear lower perspective view thereof. fig. 60 is a top upper perspective view of yet another backrest, displaying its ornamental design features. fig. 61 is a top plan view thereof. fig. 62 is a bottom plan view thereof. fig. 63 is a rear elevation view thereof. fig. 64 is a front elevation view thereof. fig. 65 is a right side elevation view thereof. fig. 66 is a left side elevation view thereof. fig. 67 is a rear lower perspective view thereof. detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments it should be understood that the term “plurality,” as used herein, means two or more. the term “longitudinal,” as used herein means of or relating to a length or lengthwise direction 2 , for example a direction running from the bottom of a backrest 6 to the top thereof, or vice versa, or from the front of a seat 8 to the rear thereof, or vice versa. the term “lateral,” as used herein, means situated on, directed toward or running in a side-to-side direction 4 of a chair 10 , backrest 6 or seat 8 . in one embodiment of a backrest disclosed below, a lateral direction corresponds to a horizontal direction and a longitudinal direction corresponds to a vertical direction. the term “coupled” means connected to or engaged with whether directly or indirectly, for example with an intervening member, and does not require the engagement to be fixed or permanent, although it may be fixed or permanent. the terms “first,” “second,” and so on, as used herein are not meant to be assigned to a particular component so designated, but rather are simply referring to such components in the numerical order as addressed, meaning that a component designated as “first” may later be a “second” such component, depending on the order in which it is referred. it should also be understood that designation of “first” and “second” does not necessarily mean that the two components or values so designated are different, meaning for example a first direction may be the same as a second direction, with each simply being applicable to different components. the terms “upper,” “lower,” “rear,” “front,” “fore,” “aft,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “right,” “left,” and variations or derivatives thereof, refer to the orientations of the exemplary chair 10 as shown in figs. 1a-6 , with a user seated therein. the term “transverse” means non-parallel. chair: referring to figs. 1a-6 , a chair 10 is shown as including a backrest 6 , a seat 8 and a base structure 12 . in one embodiment, the base structure 12 includes a leg assembly 14 , a support column 16 coupled to and extending upwardly from the leg assembly and a tilt control 18 supported by the support column. the leg assembly may alternatively be configured as a fixed structure, for example a four legged base, a sled base or other configuration. in one embodiment, the support column may be height adjustable, including for example and without limitation a telescopic column with a pneumatic, hydraulic or electro-mechanical actuator. the leg assembly 14 includes a plurality of support legs 22 extending radially outwardly from a hub 24 surrounding the support column. ends of each support leg may be outfitted with a caster, glide or other ground interface member 20 . the tilt control 18 includes a mechanism for supporting the seat 8 and backrest 6 and allowing for rearward tilting thereof. a pair of armrests 26 are coupled to the tilt control structure, base and/or backrest support structure. it should be understood that the chair may be configured without any armrests on either side. various user interface controls are provided to actuate and/or adjust the height of the seat, the amount of biasing force applied by the tilt control mechanism and/or other features of the chair. various features of the chair, including without limitation the base, seat and tilt control are disclosed in u.s. pat. nos. 7,604,298 and 6,991,291, both assigned to steelcase inc., the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. backrest frame assembly: the backrest 6 includes a frame assembly 30 including a primary frame 32 and a secondary frame 34 . both of the primary and secondary frames are configured as peripheral frames, each having a pair of laterally spaced upright members 36 , 42 connected with longitudinally spaced upper members 40 , 46 and lower members 38 , 44 . as shown in figs. 4b and 18 , the lower member 38 of the primary frame is configured as a cross-piece connecting the two uprights 36 . the uprights 36 extend below the cross-piece 38 and transition laterally inwardly and longitudinally forwardly, where end portions 48 thereof are joined at a vertex to define a support member 50 , which is coupled to the tilt control 18 . it should be understood that, in other embodiments, the frame may be configured as a unitary member, and may configured as a homogenous ring-like frame. it also should be understood that the frame may be connected to a static structure, rather than a tilt control, and may be provided as a component of a chair, sofa, stool, vehicular seat (automobile, train, aircraft, etc.), or other body supporting structure. referring to figs. 4a-c , 7 a- 8 b, 17 a and b, the secondary frame 34 is nested in the primary frame 32 with a rear surface 52 of the upright members 42 and upper member 46 of the secondary frame overlying a front surface 54 of corresponding upright member 36 and upper member 40 of the primary frame. the lower member 44 of the secondary frame has a c-shaped cross section that surrounds the lower member 38 (cross-piece) of the primary frame, with a rear wall 56 of the secondary frame overlying and covering a rear surface 58 of the lower member of the primary frame. the upright members are secured with a plurality of fasteners 60 , shown as being positioned at three longitudinally spaced locations 61 along each upright. the fasteners 60 may include for example mechanical fasteners such as screws, snap-fit tabs, christmas tree fasteners, rivets and other know devices. the lower member 44 of the secondary frame has forwardly extending upper and lower flanges 62 , 64 . the lower flange 64 is secured to the bottom of the lower member 38 of the primary frame with a plurality of fasteners 66 , shown at two laterally spaced locations 63 . the fasteners may include for example mechanical fasteners such as screws, snap-fit tabs, christmas tree fasteners, rivets and other known devices. the upper flange 62 and rear wall 56 have an uninterrupted, smooth surface so as to provide a pleasing and finished aesthetic. likewise, the uprights 36 and upper member 40 of the primary frame 32 each define channels having forwardly extending flanges coupled to rear walls, all with an uninterrupted, smooth surface so as to provide a pleasing and finished aesthetic. the upper member 46 of the secondary frame has a rearwardly extending flange 68 that overlies a forwardly extending flange 70 of the upper member of the primary frame. the overlying flanges 68 , 70 are secured with a plurality of fasteners 72 , shown at two laterally spaced locations 65 . the fasteners may include for example mechanical fasteners such as screws, snap-fit tabs, christmas tree fasteners, rivets and other known devices. in other embodiments, the frames 32 , 34 may be bonded, for example with adhesives, may be secured with a combination of adhesives and mechanical fasteners, may be over molded, or co-molded as a single component. the uprights of the primary frame have a pair of cutouts, or relief spaces 74 , formed immediately above the cross-piece, with the secondary frame having opposite boss structures 76 , which are received in the cutouts and help locate and stabilize the frame members relative to each other. the secondary frame 34 has three key-hole slots 78 arranged along each of the uprights. in one embodiment, the key-hole slots are positioned adjacent to, but spaced from, the locations 61 receiving fasteners securing the frames 32 , 34 . each key-hole slot is configured with an enlarged opening 80 , having a generally rectangular shape, and a finger opening 82 extending downwardly from the enlarged opening. the finger opening is narrower in width than the enlarged opening but shares and defines a common side edge 84 . the key-hole slot defines a corner flange 86 , which interfaces with a shell connector as explained in more detail below. referring to fig. 8b , the secondary frame 34 has a longitudinally extending through slot 88 formed along a portion of each upright thereof. in one embodiment, the through slots are positioned in a lower half of each upright. a cavity 90 is formed on the front side of the through slots, with a pair of slide surfaces 92 formed on each side of the slot. in addition, a longitudinally extending slot 94 is disposed through an outboard one of the slide surfaces adjacent the slots 88 . the slot 94 is shorter in length than the slots 88 . in an alternative embodiment, the frame, including one or both of the primary and secondary frame members, may be configured with only a pair of laterally spaced uprights, for example without an upper or lower member, or with only a lower member, or alternatively with a pair of uprights connected with a laterally extending cross brace that may not define a corresponding member that is secured to a shell as further explained below. shell: referring to figs. 3c, 4c, 10-14 , a flexible shell 100 is shown as including a molded component having and maintaining a three-dimensional shape in a non-loaded configuration. a “non-loaded” configuration is defined as a configuration where no external loads are being applied to the shell other than gravity. in one embodiment, the three-dimensional shape includes the shell having a forwardly facing convex shape taken along a vertically or longitudinally extending centerline v cl of the shell, and a forwardly facing concave shape taken along a horizontally or laterally extending centerline h cl . in one embodiment, the shell is preferably made of polypropylene. in other embodiments, the shell may be made of nylon, abs, pet or combinations thereof. the shell may have a variable thickness (front to back), for example including and between 1.50 mm and 6.00 mm, or more preferably including and between 2.5 mm and 4.5 mm, which results in various regions of the shell being stiffer than others. in one embodiment, the shell has a thickness of about 4.5 mm along the apex of the lumbar region, and a thickness of about 2.5 mm along the outer edges of a central region. the stiffer a region is the less it deflects in response to a load being applied thereto, for example with a pusher pad or block (e.g., 1 square inch in surface area) applying a load (e.g., 30 to 40 lbf) against a front surface of the shell. the shell has a central region 102 configured with a plurality of openings 150 and a ring-like peripheral edge portion 104 , including opposite side portions 106 and lower and upper portions 108 , 110 , surrounding the central region. while the shell has a three-dimensional curved configuration defining the central region, the central region has flush front and rear surfaces 112 , 114 , meaning the region is generally curvi-planar, or defined by a plurality of smooth curves, but is free of any local protuberances and is smooth or uniform across the length or height thereof. put another way, the shell does not have any discrete or local structures that extend transfer to a tangent taken at any point of the curved surface. the surfaces are also free of any repetitive oscillations or undulations, with a single concave and/or convex curve contained within the width and height of the central region, configured for example as a ½ cycle sinusoidal wave. it should be understood that the surface may have a compound convex and concave shape, but will not contain more than one of either shape in a preferred embodiment. referring to figs. 10, 11 and 15 , the shell, and in particular the central region, is configured with a network of webs or strips 157 , 159 that define the openings there between. for example, as shown in fig. 15 , the network includes a plurality of longitudinally extending strips 157 that intersect a plurality of laterally extending strips 159 and define the openings 150 there between. in one embodiment, the strips 157 , 159 are each configured as sinusoidal or undulating waves formed within the curviplanar/curved surface of the shell, which is the cross-section of the shell defined by and including all midpoints of the thickness of the shell. in one embodiment, the strips 157 , 159 are arranged such that adjacent longitudinal strips 157 and adjacent lateral strips 159 are offset ½ wave length, such that the adjacent longitudinal strips, and adjacent lateral strips, undulate toward and away from each other to define the openings 150 as further described below. in this way, the strips 157 are non-linear between the lower and upper portions 108 , 110 , and the strips 159 are non-linear between the opposite side portions 106 . under a load, the non-linear strips tend to straighten, allowing for the shell to expand when the load (e.g. normal) is applied to the front surface thereof. in contrast to linear strips, which need to stretch to provide such expansion, the non-linear strips achieve this expansion through a geometric arrangement. it should be understood that the phase “non-linear” refers to the overall configuration of the strips between the upper and lower portions, or between the side portions. as such, a strip may be non-linear even though it is made up of a one or more linear segments, as shown for example in fig. 14 . front surfaces 161 , 163 and rear surfaces 165 , 167 of the strips define the front and rear surfaces 112 , 114 of the shell. in various embodiments, as noted above, the strips have a thickness including and between 1.50 mm and 6.00 mm, or more preferably including and between 2.5 mm and 4.5 mm defined between the front and rear surfaces 112 , 114 . the strips have a width w (see fig. 15 ) including and between 1.00 mm and 4.00 mm, and in one embodiment a width of 2.5 mm. in one embodiment, the webs or strips each have the same width w. in other embodiments, the webs or strips have different widths. in either case, the webs or strips may have a uniform thickness, or may have variable thicknesses. the shell 100 is shear resistant, meaning it does not deform locally in response to the application of shear forces applied over a distance, as would a fabric or elastomeric membrane. in one embodiment, the young's modulus of the shell material is e≥100,000 psi. as shown in figs. 9-12 , a plurality of connectors 116 , shown as three, are formed on the rear surface of the side portions 106 . the connectors are configured with a side wall 118 , a longitudinally extending flange 120 having an outwardly turned lip 122 and an end wall or stop member 124 connecting the side wall and flange so as to define a three-sided cavity 126 . the connectors interface with the key-hole slots on the secondary frame to secure the shell to the secondary frame. specifically, the connectors are inserted through the enlarged opening 80 , with the secondary frame and shell then being moved longitudinally relative to each other such that the lip 122 first engages and rides over the corner flange 86 until the flanges 120 , 86 are overlying and the side wall 118 is disposed in the finger opening 82 and engages an edge of the corner flange 86 . the interface between the connector 116 and corner flange 86 connects the shell and secondary frame in a non-rotationally fixed relationship, meaning the peripheral edges of the shell and secondary frame are prevented from being rotated relative to each other, for example about a longitudinally extending axis. it should be understood that in one embodiment, the shell may only be attached to the uprights of the frame, meaning the upper and lower portions of the shell remain free of any connection to the frame. in one embodiment, the shell 100 also includes a flange 128 extending rearwardly from the lower portion 108 and a pair of bosses 130 arranged on the upper portion 110 . the flange 128 of the lower portion overlies and is secured to the flange 64 of the lower member secondary frame and the lower member 38 of the primary frame with the fasteners 66 at locations 63 . the flange includes a pair of tabs 47 (see figs. 10 and 27 ) that overlie the flange 64 . likewise, the pair of bosses 130 extend through openings 132 in the upper member 46 of the secondary frame and are engaged by the same plurality of fasteners 72 securing the flanges 68 , 70 of the primary and secondary frames as described above. in this way, the upper and lower portions 110 , 108 of the shell are non-rotationally fixed to the upper and lower members 46 , 40 , 44 , 38 of the secondary and primary frames. it should be understood that in an alternative embodiment, the shell may only be attached to the uprights of the frame, meaning the upper and lower portions of the shell remain free of any connection to the frame. the shell also includes a rib 115 that extends rearwardly around the periphery of the rear surface as shown in figs. 10, 13 and 20 . the rib 115 helps mask the gap between an edge of the shell and the frame uprights 36 , for example in an embodiment where a cover is not disposed around the shell (see, e.g., fig. 13 but without the cover 204 ). as shown in figs. 3c, 11 and 18 , the shell has first and second slots 134 extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the sides 106 of the peripheral edge portions inboard of the locations where the shell is connected to the upright members of the secondary frame, i.e., laterally inboard of the connectors 116 . the first and second slots 134 have a length (l) greater than ⅓ of the overall length (e.g., height (h)) of the shell, with at least ½ of the length of each of the first and second slots being disposed beneath a laterally extending centerline (h cl ) of the shell. the slots have a width of about 3-20 mm, and preferably 4 mm. in one embodiment, one or more of the slots may be configured as a thin slit, which may appear closed. in one embodiment, lower terminal end portions 136 of the first and second slots extend laterally outwardly from the first and second slots 134 , and have a curved shape, shown as an upwardly facing concave shape. in other embodiments, shown in fig. 18 , the slots are substantially liner and do not include any laterally extending portion. the slots may have a variable width, as shown for example in fig. 18 , with a wider portion, shown at an intermediate location, accommodating the pass through of a portion of an auxiliary body support member. upper and lower portions of the slot have a narrower width. the shell has one or more third slots 138 , 138 ′, 138 ″ extending laterally along the lower portion of the shell above a location where the shell is connected to the lower member of the secondary and/or primary frames, or above the rearwardly extending flange 128 . in an alternative embodiment, the third slot may be located, and extend laterally along, the upper portion of the shell below the location where the shell is connected to the upper member of the secondary and/or primary frames. in yet another embodiment, the shell may include third and fourth slots in the lower and upper portions respectively. or, in the embodiment where the shell is attached only to the uprights, the third (and fourth) slots may be omitted. in one embodiment, shown in fig. 11 , the third slot 138 extends continuously across the width of the lower portion of the shell between the slots 134 . alternatively, as shown in fig. 20 , the third slot includes two outer slots 138 ′ and an intermediate slot 138 ″, separated by bridge portions 137 . the bridge portions increase the stiffness of the lower portion. as such, it should be understood that the third slot may be formed from a plurality of discrete slots positioned end-to-end, with landing or bridge portions separating the slots. the lateral outermost discrete slots, making up the third slot, have terminal ends 144 . in the embodiment of fig. 11 , the third slot has an intermediate portion 140 extending across a width of the shell beneath the central region 102 and between opposite side portions 106 of the peripheral edge portion. in one embodiment, the third slot, whether a continuous slot or formed with a plurality of discrete slots, has the same curvature as the bottom edge 142 of the shell, with the third slot having an upwardly oriented concave curvature. the third slot may have other configurations, and may be linear for example. the third slot, whether a continuous slot or a plurality of end-to-end discrete slots, has opposite terminal ends 144 that are spaced apart from, and in one embodiment positioned below, the lower terminal ends 136 of the first and second slots, with the shell having first and second bridge portions 146 defined between the terminal ends of the third slot and the terminal ends of the first and second slots. as shown in fig. 18 , the terminal ends of the third slot 138 are positioned below, but slightly laterally inboard of the first and second slots 134 to define the bridge portions 146 . the first and second bridge portions 146 extend between the central region 102 and the portions of the outer peripheral edge portions that are anchored to the frame. the first and second bridge portions 146 function as hinges, permitting the central region 102 to rotate relative to the portion of the peripheral edge portion anchored to the frame. referring to figs. 9, 10, 11, 14 and 15 , the plurality of openings 150 in the central region 102 are arranged between the first and second slots 134 and above the third slot 138 . the plurality of openings are arranged in a matrix of openings in one embodiment that permits or provides lateral and longitudinal expansion of the backrest. in one embodiment, and best shown in fig. 15 , the plurality of openings includes a plurality of first openings 152 having a first shape 160 and a plurality of second openings 154 having a second shape 162 different than the first shape, with the openings 152 , 154 and shapes 160 , 162 defined by the offset strips 157 , 159 . it should be understood that two openings having the same configuration, but which are rotated relative to each other, or are arranged in different orientations, are considered to have “different” shapes. conversely, openings of proportionally different sizes, but with the same configuration and orientation are considered to be the “same” shape. the first and second openings 152 , 154 are arranged in an alternating pattern in both a lateral direction (rows 156 ) and a longitudinal direction (columns 158 ). in one embodiment, the first shape 160 is a laterally oriented dog-bone shape and the second shape is a longitudinally oriented dog-bone shape, both defined with enlarged end portions and a constricted mid portion, with the end portions having concave boundaries, or end surfaces, facing one another. in this way, the first openings 152 , and interaction between the webs or strips 157 , 159 , allow for longitudinal expansion of the central region in response to a load (f) being applied, for example by a user (u), while the second openings 154 , and interaction between the webs or strips 157 , 159 , allow for lateral expansion of the central region, as shown in figs. 19 and 21 , for example moving inwardly. in particular, the strips 157 , 159 may straighten slightly to allow for the expansion. the dog-bone configuration of the first and second shapes may be identical, but with different orientations. in one embodiment, the size of the first and second shapes may vary across the width and height, or lateral and longitudinal directions, of the central region. it should be understood that while the overall three-dimensional shape of the shell, and in particular the central region, changes in response to the load applied by the user, the longitudinal and lateral expansion of the central region occurs within the curvi-planar surface defined by the central region. referring to fig. 14 , an alternative embodiment of a matrix of openings includes a plurality of nested star shaped openings 170 defined by webs or strips of material. in one embodiment, the opening is a hexagram star shape, with the bottom vertex 172 of each opening being inverted so as to nest with (or define) the top vertex 174 of an underlying opening. the matrix of openings also provides for independent lateral and longitudinal expansion. the longitudinal strips defining the openings 170 , including non-linear side portions 175 formed from a pair of linear segments having a concave configuration, may be continuous. non-linear lateral strips 177 , defining the top and bottom of the openings 170 , also are formed from linear segments (shown as four) defining the top and bottom vertices 174 , 172 and horizontal legs. the lateral strips arranged between the longitudinal strips are vertically offset and may be defined as not continuous, or may share a leg of the longitudinal strips and be defined as continuous. the longitudinal and lateral strips, while non-linear, are made up of linear segments. referring to fig. 18 , in yet another embodiment, the matrix is configured with alternating columns 176 , 178 of openings having first and second shapes 180 , 182 defined by non-linear webs or strips of material, with the first shape 180 being a hybrid hour-glass or dog bone shape having upper and lower upwardly opening concave boundaries, and the second shape 182 being a hybrid hour-glass or dog bone shape with an upper and lower downwardly opening concave boundaries. expressed another way, the openings have the same configuration, but are rotated 180° relative to each other. the longitudinal strips may be continuous, while lateral strips arranged between the longitudinal strips are vertically offset and not continuous, or defined another way, share portions of the longitudinal strips and are continuous. in yet another embodiment, shown in fig. 26 , a plurality of openings 184 have the same shape, shown as an hour-glass shape, as opposed to alternating first and second shapes. various structures configured with such a pattern of openings is further disclosed in u.s. publication no. 2015/0320220 to eberlein, assigned to steelcase inc., the entire disclosure of which, including the various patterns of openings, is hereby incorporated herein by reference. again, the longitudinal strips may be continuous, while lateral strips arranged between the longitudinal strips are offset and not continuous, or are continuous while including portions of the longitudinal strips. referring to figs. 19 and 21 , the shell 100 is configured with spaced apart first and second slots 134 defining a structure that provides macro-compliance in a lateral direction 4 , while the shell configured with a third slot 138 (and/or fourth slot) defines a structure for providing macro-compliance in a longitudinal direction 2 . moreover, the shell is configured with a matrix m of first and second openings having different shapes providing for micro-compliance in the longitudinal and lateral directions respectively. the terms macro and micro convey relative amounts of compliance, with the structures providing macro compliance allowing for a greater amount of expansion than the structures providing micro compliance. for example and without limitation, the third slot 138 provides or allows for some amount of longitudinal expansion el1>½d, while the matrix of openings provides or allows for some amount of longitudinal expansion el2<½d. likewise, the first and second slots in combination provide or allow for some amount of lateral expansion e lt1 =δw(1/n) where n<2, and the matrix of openings m provides or allows for some amount of lateral expansion e lt12 =δw(1−1/n). auxiliary support member: referring to figs. 1b, 3b, 4b, 9, 16, 17a and b, an auxiliary support assembly 200 is shown as being moveable along the front, body facing surface 112 of the shell. the assembly includes a laterally extending support member, which may contact the front surface directly, or may have a substrate dispose there between. the auxiliary support member, which may be located in the lumbar region of the backrest and serve as a lumbar member, includes a laterally extending belt 202 , which may be padded. a cover or upholstery member 204 , such as a fabric cover, extends over and covers the auxiliary support member and front body facing surface of the shell. the cover 204 is secured to the shell 100 over the body support member as shown in figs. 13 and 27 . in one embodiment, shown in fig. 27 , a plurality of plastic strips 206 are sewn to the edges of the cover (e.g., fabric), for example along the opposite sides and upper and lower portions thereof. the cover is wrapped around the edges of the shell, and the strips 206 are connected to the side portions 106 and upper and lower portions 110 , 108 of the shell, for example with fasteners 215 such as staples, or with adhesive, or combinations thereof. in one embodiment, shown in fig. 27 , a lower strip 209 is configured as a j-strip, or has a j-shaped cross section, which engages a lower edge of the shell flange. the strip has a pair of slits 211 that may be disposed over the tabs 47 to hold the strip 209 in place and help locate the cover 204 relative to the shell. in addition, the strips 206 are disposed on the inside of the ridge 115 , which also helps locate the cover 204 relative to the shell, prior to securing the strips to the shell with fasteners. in one embodiment, the auxiliary support member includes a carrier frame 210 , shown in figs. 17a and b as a c-shaped frame. a pad 212 , which may be contoured, is coupled to a front, body facing surface of the frame, for example with mechanical fasteners, adhesives, or combinations thereof. in another embodiment, shown in fig. 22 , the belt 202 may include a rearwardly extending tab 214 , or insert portion, which in turn has a flange 225 extending laterally from an end of the tab. the flange has ear portions 208 extending from a top and bottom thereof, and a slot formed in middle region. the tabs 214 on opposite sides of the belt are inserted through the slots 134 in the shell. a handle 220 has a grippable portion, or rearwardly extending block 222 that is disposed and slides along a lateral inboard surface of the secondary frame uprights 42 . the block is visible to the user, and includes a front surface 228 that slides along the rear surface 114 of the shell. the handle includes a second rearwardly extending portion 224 , or leg/flange, laterally spaced from the block and defining a channel 230 there between. adjacent flanges of the primary and secondary frame upright portions are disposed in the channel 230 , with the flange 224 extending through the slot 88 from front to back. a spring 232 , shown as a leaf spring, has end portions 234 coupled to opposite edges of the flange, with a central portion 236 engaging an inner surface of the primary frame upright portion, which is configured with detents 235 . the flange 224 has a convex shape, with a pair of runners 240 that slide along a surface of the secondary frame. the handle further includes a laterally extending flange 242 with an opening 244 , or slot, formed therein. the tab 214 of the belt extends through the opening 244 , with the flange 225 engaging the flange 242 . in this way, the belt is coupled to the laterally spaced handles. the handle includes one or more detents, or protuberances, which engage indentations in the frame, or vice versa, to help locate the handle and belt at predetermined vertical locations. in one embodiment, the spring 232 , or central portion 236 , interfaces with bumps 235 on the frame. if the auxiliary body support member is not being used, a cover member 250 , shown in fig. 16 , is disposed in and over the cavity 90 of the secondary frame so as to lie flush with the front surface of the secondary frame. the cover includes a tab 252 that is inserted through the slot 94 in the secondary frame and engages the frame. the cover extends over the cavity and provides an aesthetic appearance when the lumbar is not installed on the backrest. operation: the backrest may be configured with or without an auxiliary body support member. if configured without a body support member, the cover member 250 is disposed over the cavity. if configured with a body support member and assembly, the user may grasp the pair of grippable portions 222 of the handle and move the body support member, or belt 202 , longitudinally, or vertically up and/or down along the front, body-facing support surface of the shell, to a desired position. stops (e.g., upper and lower portions of the slot in the secondary frame) provide upper and lower limits for the adjustment of the body support member, while longitudinally spaced indentations/detents interface with the detents/spring and identify predetermined longitudinal positions for the auxiliary body support member. the user may sit in the chair and lean against the backrest 6 . if configured with a tilt control 18 , the user may tilt the backrest rearwardly as they apply a force to the backrest. the backrest may be incorporated into static furniture, including fixed back chairs, sofas, and the like, as well as various vehicular seating applications. as the user applies a force to the backrest, the shell 100 may deform from its unloaded three-dimensional configuration to a loaded configuration. in one embodiment, the deformation of the shell includes moving a portion of the shell adjacent and inboard of the first and second slots 134 . the deformation may also include moving a portion of the shell adjacent and above the third slot 138 . for example, as shown in fig. 19 , the force f applied by the user u may cause the shell to flatten, with a change d in overall height of the center region. the value of d may be attributed to the macro compliance associated with the third slot, or the micro compliance associated with the matrix of openings. with respect to the latter, the first openings 152 , due to their shape 160 , or orientation, and the non-linear configuration of the strips, may be enlarged in the longitudinal direction 2 , thereby expanding the shell across the matrix of openings in the longitudinal direction. at the same time, as shown in fig. 21 , the backrest may experience a greater concave curvature in response to the load f applied by the user across the width of the central region of the backrest. again, the change in width δw may be attributed to the macro compliance associated with the first and second slots 134 , or the micro compliance associated with the matrix of openings. with respect to the latter, the second openings 154 , due to their shape 162 , or orientation, and the non-linear configuration of the strips, may be enlarged in the lateral direction 4 , thereby expanding the shell across the matrix of openings in the lateral direction. it should be understood that, due to the configuration of the matrix of openings in some of the embodiments ( fig. 15 ), the micro compliance in the longitudinal and lateral directions are independent, meaning that an expansion in one of the longitudinal and lateral directions 4 , 2 does not necessarily correspond to, or create a proportional expansion (or contraction) in the other of the longitudinal or lateral directions. rather, the matrix of openings allows the lateral and longitudinal expansion and/or contraction to operate independently in response to the load applied by the user. at the same time, the shell provides excellent shear resistance. the central region may be tuned to provide more or less stiffness in different regions thereof, for example by varying the size of the openings or thickness of the shell. during this operation, the shell may be firmly and fixedly attached to the frame along the sides, top and bottom, for example in a non-rotational relationship, even while the center region above the third slot and inboard of the first and second slots is able to move and rotate. figs. 28-35 show different views of a chair 10 including a backrest 6 that has an upholstered front face as well as an auxiliary support assembly 200 with handles 220 , where these views highlight aesthetic design features of the chair with this backrest configuration. figs. 36-43 show different views of a backrest 6 that includes an upholstered front face and the auxiliary support assembly 200 with handles 220 , where these views highlight aesthetic design features of the chair with this backrest configuration. figs. 44-51 show different views of a chair 10 including a backrest 6 that has an exposed web, where these views highlight aesthetic design features of the chair with this backrest configuration. figs. 43-59 and 60-67 , respectively, show views of two different configurations of a backrest 6 that includes an exposed web, where these views highlight aesthetic design features of the chair with this backrest configuration. it should be appreciated that the backrest embodiments including each of the different embodiments' respective frame assembly 30 , auxiliary support assembly 200 , and handles 220 , as well as other components of the illustrated chair 10 embodiments may be configured with a number of ornamental appearances that differ from those shown herein while still providing the functions claimed herein. although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. as such, it is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting and that it is the appended claims, including all equivalents thereof, which are intended to define the scope of the invention.
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011-862-313-182-983
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US
|
[
"US"
] |
G06F13/36
| 1994-04-18T00:00:00 |
1994
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[
"G06"
] |
split transaction protocol for the peripheral component interconnect bus
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a computer system including the peripheral component interconnect (pci) bus, including the lock# and stop# signals and also having an extra sideband signal for supporting posted read transactions. the extra sideband signal, referred to as post#, is used in conjunction with the lock# and stop# signals defined in the pci specification to implement the posted read. a posting target that determines that its read cycle is a long latency read, where the pci bus should be released for non-exclusive accesses in the interim, asserts the stop# and post# signals to disconnect or retry the master and initiate a posted read. the master asserts the lock# signal in response to lock the posted target for the posted read, and then rearbitrates the pci bus to other masters. other masters may then access the pci bus and perform non-exclusion access in the interim, while the posted target fetches the requested data. masters requiring locked cycles or access to the posted target are disconnected or retried, or the cycle is otherwise aborted. eventually, the original posting master regains control of the pci bus, re-asserts the locked access and retrieves the data from the posted target.
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1. a computer system, comprising: a peripheral component interconnect bus including a lock signal, a stop signal and a post signal, said peripheral component interconnect bus for performing read and posted read cycles; a posting target coupled to said peripheral component interconnect bus, comprising: means for detecting a read cycle on said peripheral component interconnect bus accessing said posting target; means coupled to said detecting means and said peripheral component interconnect bus for asserting said stop and post signals to convert said read cycle to a posted read cycle; means coupled to said peripheral component interconnect bus for retrieving data requested during said posted read cycle and for providing the data on said peripheral component interconnect bus; and means for monitoring said lock signal, wherein if said lock signal is asserted in response to said assertion of said post signal during said posted read cycle, and if said lock signal is negated and reasserted during a subsequent read cycle, said retrieving and providing means asserts the retrieved data on said peripheral component interconnect bus; and a posting master coupled to said peripheral component interconnect bus; comprising: means for executing read cycles on said peripheral component interconnect bus; and means coupled to said peripheral component interconnect bus for detecting the assertion of said stop and post signals during a read cycle and for asserting said lock signal, wherein if said stop and post signals indicate said posted read cycle, said posting master asserts said lock signal and releases said peripheral component interconnect bus, and wherein said posting master subsequently executes said subsequent read cycle during which said posting master negates and then reasserts said lock signal and retrieves the data from said peripheral component interconnect bus. 2. the computer system of claim 1, wherein said posting target further comprises: a buffer for holding data; and posting logic coupled to said buffer, wherein if the data requested by said posting master is in said buffer during a read cycle, said posting target provides the data on said peripheral component interconnect bus and does not assert said stop and post signals. 3. the computer system of claim 1, wherein said posting target further comprises: an address latch and comparator circuit, wherein said posting target latches an address provided on the peripheral component interconnect bus during a read cycle, and if said lock signal is not asserted in response to said posting target asserting said stop and post signals during said read cycle, said address latch and comparator circuit compares addresses asserted during subsequent read cycles on said peripheral component interconnect bus, and if a match occurs during a subsequent read cycle and said posting target has retrieved the requested data, said posting target provides said retrieved data on said peripheral component interconnect bus during said subsequent read cycle when said match occurred. 4. a method of performing posted read cycles in a computer system including a peripheral component interconnect bus, the peripheral component interconnect bus including a lock signal, a stop signal and a sideband post signal, the computer system further including at least one peripheral component interconnect bus master and at least one peripheral component interconnect target coupled to the peripheral component interconnect bus, said method comprising the steps of: a master executing a first read cycle on the peripheral component interconnect bus; a target decoding the read cycle and asserting the stop and post signals to post the read cycle, and then retrieving the data requested by the master during the read cycle; the master asserting the lock signal to lock the target if the post and stop signals are asserted during the first read cycle; the master releasing the peripheral component interconnect bus in response to the read cycle being posted; the master subsequently re-gaining control of the peripheral component interconnect bus and executing a second read cycle; the master negating and reasserting the lock signal during the second read cycle; and the target monitoring the lock signal after posting the first read cycle, and providing the retrieved data on the peripheral component interconnect bus during the second read cycle if the lock signal is negated and reasserted. 5. the method of claim 4, wherein the target further includes buffers and posting logic, further comprising the steps of: during said decoding step, the posting logic determining if the buffer holds the requested data; and if the buffer holds the requested data, providing the data on the peripheral component interconnect bus after said decoding step and preventing the assertion of the stop and post signals. 6. the method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of: the target further monitoring the lock signal after said step of asserting the stop and post signals; latching an address provided during the first read cycle; the target comparing addresses provided on the peripheral component interconnect bus with the latched address during subsequent read cycles if the lock signal is not asserted in response to the posting of the first read cycle, and providing the data on the peripheral component interconnect bus if a match occurs and if the target has retrieved the requested data.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to a split transaction protocol for the peripheral component interconnect bus using only one sideband signal. 2. description of the related art in many computer systems to date, a processor bus connects the processor to memory and usually to a second level (l2) cache to comprise a central processing unit (cpu) subsystem. the processor bus interfaces with input-output (i/o) device, such as a disk controller, cd-rom, video and graphics cards, local area networks (lans), to name a few, through an expansion bus, such as an extended industry standard architecture (eisa), industry standard architecture (isa), or microchannel bus. in spite of the high processor speeds, system performance is often limited by the speed of the much slower i/o devices because of the speed at which the processor can transmit or receive data to and from those devices. to improve data flow and to better utilize the high clock rates of the newer processors, developers have turned to the local bus. a local bus resides logically between the processor bus and the expansion bus, connecting the buses through bridge circuitry. a number of standards have been developed, including vesa's (video equipment standard association) vl-bus, intel corporation's pci (peripheral component interconnect), and apple computer company's quickring. for example, with a pci bus, the cpu subsystem interfaces with the pci bus through a pci bridge. also often directly connected to pci bus are audio, video, graphics, scsi, and lan subsystems. further, an expansion bus chip set forms the bridge circuitry connecting the pci bus to the standard expansion bus. the pci bus is a physical interconnect mechanism intended for use between highly integrated peripheral controller components and processor/memory systems. the intent was originally to standardize a local bus on which a large variety of input/output (i/o) components can directly connect together without glue logic. further, the pci bus was intended as a standard interface at the component level in much the same way that isa, eisa or micro channel is a standard interface at the board level. pci was not intended to replace standard expansion buses, which have, so far, remained the primary means of adding expansion boards when necessary. nonetheless, the currently implemented version includes pci connectors for receiving pci compatible boards. many of the i/o functions traditionally coupled through the expansion bus have migrated or will soon migrate to the pci bus. in discussing pci, a few conventions will be observed. a signal name in all capital letters indicates a defined bus signal. for example, clk and ad[31..00], respectively, represent the pci clock signal and the 32 pci address-data signals. these signals are physically asserted active high. the pci specification defines some signals as active low following the special signal type definitions of pci. these signals' physical lines are indicated in their negated state by being followed by a pound (#) sign. for example, when two pci defined signals frame# and devsel# go low, the signals are considered asserted initiating a frame and a device select, respectively. these conventions are consistent with the description of pci found in the peripheral component interconnect (pci) revision 2.0 specification, production version, revision 2.0, apr. 30, 1993, .copyrgt.1993 pci special interest group, which is hereby incorporated by reference. according to the pci specification, pci provides an exclusive access mechanism, which allows non-exclusive accesses to proceed in the face of exclusive accesses. this is referred to as a resource lock. this allows subsequent pci bus masters to hold a resource lock on a slave or target device across several instructions or accesses without interfering with non-exclusive, real time data transfers, such as video. a hardware lock is indicated by a signal referred to as lock#, which indicates an atomic operation that may require multiple transactions to occur. therefore, in a resource lock, exclusivity of an access is guaranteed by the target device and not by excluding all other masters or agents from accessing the pci bus. according to the current pci specification, if a pci master performs a read to a target device which requires a substantial amount of time to complete the read cycle, the pci bus is dedicated to that access until the data is returned. in the interim, the pci bus is essentially idle. the target device could assert a disconnect or retry to indicate to the master that it is unable to perform the read within the latency requirements of the pci bus. however, if no other devices require the bus, thrashing of the master-target might occur where the master keeps interrupting the target on several subsequent transactions until the data is finally available. also, the master is unable to distinguish the normal disconnect or retry where the target is unable to perform the operation, from the long latency case where the operation simply takes more time. locking the device is not desirable for just any case, since the device may be performing other transactions, such as an eisa bus master, and thus may simply be unable to handle the request at that time. locking the target in that case may cause a fatal error. when a target device is locked, and another master attempts to access that target, the currently locked target will respond by asserting a retry or disconnect transaction to prevent the access. furthermore, the lock# signal is normally supposed to be released if a retry is signaled before a data phase has completed. therefore, there are no mechanisms for allowing the master to release the bus for other non-exclusive accesses during a read to a long latency device, so that all other devices must wait while the bus is essentially idle. it is desired to provide a mechanism to allow non-exclusive accesses to proceed during a read to a long latency device. summary of the present invention in a computer system implemented according to the present invention, an extra "sideband" signal is included for implementing a posted read to a long latency device, otherwise referred to as a split transaction, so that other, non-conflicting accesses may be performed on the pci bus. the present pci specification leaves open the opportunity for product specific function/performance enhancements via sideband signals. a sideband signal is loosely defined as any signal not part of the pci specification that connects two or more pci compliant agents, and has meaning only to those two agents. in the current scheme, the stop# signal is used as either a disconnect or retry mechanism. the stop# signal may be asserted during a normal cycle or at any point in a burst cycle to stop the current cycle and retry it from that point in a later access. the pci slave, generally referred to as a resource or a target of the access, asserts the stop# signal when it is unable to satisfy the present request, or is otherwise busy performing other duties. the new sideband signal, referred to as post#, is used in conjunction with the presently defined lock# and stop# signals for the pci bus to implement the split transaction capability. the split transaction capability according to the present invention may be implemented by all or any subset of the devices coupled to the pci bus. traditional devices not supporting posted reads are not affected and need not be aware of the sideband post# signal. recall that a pci bus master may assert the lock# signal to lock a pci target, so that the locked target may not be accessed by other masters until the lock# signal is removed. if an exclusive access is initiated by a bus master and the posting target "knows" that the access will require a long latency read operation, the target may activate the stop# and post# signals to initiate a posted read. this is the first portion of a split transaction. the master, if it supports split transactions according to the present invention, detects the post# and stop# signals asserted indicating that the read is to be posted. the pci posting master then asserts the lock# signal to lock the posting target and rearbitrates the pci bus to allow other non-exclusive accesses to occur. although this late assertion of the lock# signal otherwise violates the pci specification, this use is understood between posting devices and does not conflict with other devices, so that compatibility is maintained. the posting target expects the lock# asserted and monitors it during the posted read. if the lock# signal is not asserted by the master in response to the post# signal, the target knows that the master does not support posting. the target may then ignore the request, but preferably latches the address and performs the posted read anyway in case the aborted master subsequently tries to read the same address again. once the data is retrieved, the posting target compares new addresses with the posted read address, and provides the data immediately if a match occurs. however, if the posting target is accessed again and the addressed do not match, the posted data may be lost. the posting target will abort the posted read if the lock# signal is negated, indicating that the posting master no longer needs the data. if the lock# signal is asserted in response to the assertion of the post# signal, the posted read is commenced and the target retrieves the requested data. another master gaining access to the pci bus during the posted may not perform locked cycles. if it attempts to do so, it will be retried and the access will be aborted. this is also true for read posting, so that another post operation is not allowed while one post operation is in progress. any masters attempting to access the locked target will also be aborted, since that device is busy handling the posted read. eventually, the original posting master regains access to the pci bus and accesses the posting device to retrieve the requested data. the posting master indicates it is the original master by negating and reasserting the lock# signal during the address phase, to re-assert the lock cycle according to the pci specification. since the target performing the posted read is locked, only non-exclusive accesses are allowed in the interim. typically, the main memory controller would receive most of the non-exclusive accesses during the posted read, since it is not usually a long latency device. in this manner, significant time savings are achieved since the pci bus is freed to perform other task during long latency read cycles. brief description of the drawings a better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a prior art computer system in which the present invention can be incorporated, including a cpu subsystem, a standard expansion bus and a peripheral component interconnect (pci) local bus; figs. 2a and 2b are block diagrams showing a pci posting master and a posting target, respectively, according to the present invention; figs. 3a-3d show timing diagrams illustrating the initiation of a posted read cycle, a non-exclusive access by another master, a retried access by another master attempting to access the posted target, and the completion of the posted read cycle, respectively; and figs. 4a and 4b show timing diagrams illustrating other variations of a posting target initiated termination and posted read according to the present invention. detailed description of the preferred embodiment referring now to fig. 1, a block diagram of a computer system according to the present invention is shown, including a cpu subsystem 20, a standard expansion bus 50 and a pci local bus. the system shown in fig. 1 is only one example of a computer system using a pci bus implemented according to the present invention, although many other configurations are possible. the cpu subsystem 20 is connected to a pci bridge 22, which is further connected to a pci bus 24. the pci bridge 22 provides a low latency path through which the cpu subsystem 20 may directly access pci devices mapped anywhere in the memory or i/o address spaces. the pci bridge 22 also provides a high bandwidth path allowing other pci masters direct access to the main memory. as will be described more fully below, the pci bridge 22 is implemented as a posting master device according to the present invention for purposes of illustration. the cpu subsystem 20 preferably comprises a microprocessor 21, a second level (l2) cache 23 and a main memory 25, all connected through a common bus 27, which is, in turn, connected to the pci bridge 22. the cpu subsystem 20 and processor bus 27 preferably operate at a clock frequency of 33 mhz or more. the pci bus 24 preferably operates at a clock speed of between 20-33 mhz as defined by the pci specification. the pci bus 24 includes a plurality of connectors, preferably up to five or six, for receiving individual components or board-level plug-in i/o functions. in fig. 1, an audio/video (a/v) option card 26 is shown connected to the pci bus 24, where the a/v card 26 includes a motion video 30 and an audio device 28 both connected to the pci bus 24. memory, such as dynamic random access memory (dram) 32, is connected to the motion video 30. in a similar manner, a scsi disk controller 34 is connected to the pci bus 24 and a plurality of hard disks 36 are connected to the pci bus 24 through the scsi controller 34. also, a local area network (lan) 38, such as the ethernet or token-ring topology, for example, is connected to the pci bus 24. a graphics card 42 is connected to the pci bus 24, and a monitor 44 is connected to the graphics card 42, which includes a frame buffer 46 for holding data for the graphics card 42. an expansion bus chip set (ebcs) 48 is connected to the pci bus 24, and also to a standard expansion bus 50, which may be the industry standard architecture (isa) or the extended isa (eisa) bus, although the present invention is not limited to any particular type of expansion bus. the ebcs 48 preferably serves as a posting target which supports split transaction capability according to the present invention. finally, several expansion bus i/o boards 52 are connected to the standard bus 50 as known to those skilled in the art. although only one posting master and one posting slave is shown, being the pci bridge 22 and ebcs 48, respectively, it is understood that all or any subset of the devices connected to the pci bus 24 could support split transactions according to the present invention. this is due to the fact that for all intents and purposes, a split transaction capability according to the present invention is transparent to the basic pci compatible devices and does not affect their operation. the various components connected to the pci bus 24 act as either masters or slaves or both. typical combined masters and slaves on the pci bus 24 are the cpu subsystem 20, the scsi controller 34, the lan 38 the a/v card 26 and the ebcs 48, with the graphics card 42 typically being just a slave. as will be described more fully below, a pci master asserts its individual request signal and receives a corresponding grant signal from a pci arbitrator (not shown). the pci arbitrator may be a separate component on the pci bus 24, or could be located within the pci bridge 22 or the ebcs 48. once a master receives its grant signal, it takes control of the pci bus 24 when it is next available. referring now to fig. 2a, a single block diagram of several of the signals and pins of the pci bridge 22 is shown, which includes the capability to perform posting read functions according to the present invention. the pci bridge 22 includes the required signals and pins according to the pci specification, and may include one or more of the optional signals depending upon the particular design of the computer system. the pci bridge 22 also includes cycle generation logic 60 for executing read cycles on the pci bus 24 and posting detection logic 62 for detecting the assertion of the stop# and post# signals during a read cycle and for asserting the lock# signal. not all of the signals will be fully described, although those signals necessary for full disclosure of the present invention are described. the 32-bit address and data signals are multiplexed on the same pci signals ad[31::0] for the 32-bit option, where these address/data signals are generally referred to as the ad signals. the 32-bit bus command and byte enable signals c/be#[3::0] are multiplexed on the same pci signals, which define the bus command during the address phase and the byte enables for the data phase of each transaction. a parity bit provides even parity across the ad and the c/be# signals. for 64-bit transfers, optional data pins d[63::32], byte enables be#[7::4], a 64-bit parity signal par64, a request signal req64# and acknowledge ack64# signal would be included, although these additional signals are not necessary for purposes of the present invention. several interface control signals are defined for transactions between masters and slaves. it is noted that the pci bridge 22 may act as a master or a slave device depending on the transaction. for purposes of the present invention, the pci bridge 22 will serve as a master of the pci bus 24 to allow the microprocessor 21 or the l2 cache 23 to retrieve data from the ebcs 48 in a posted read transaction, and to load the data into the main memory 25. also, the scsi controller 34 will act as a master and the pci bridge 22 as the slave, so that the scsi controller 34 can transfer data to main memory 25 during the posted read. a cycle frame signal, referred to as frame#, is driven by the current master to indicate the beginning and duration of an access. when the frame# signal is negated, the transaction is in the final data phase. a target ready signal, referred to as trdy#, indicates the current target device's ability to complete the current data phase of the transaction. an initiator ready signal, referred to as irdy#, indicates the bus master's ability to complete the current data phase of the transaction. the trdy# and irdy# signals are used in conjunction, where a data phase is completed on any clock cycle where both the trdy# and irdy# signals are sampled asserted. during a read cycle, the trdy# indicates that valid data is present on the ad signals and the irdy# signal indicates the bus master is prepared to accept the data. during a write cycle, the trdy# signal indicates the target device is prepared to accept data and the irdy# signal indicates that valid data is present on the ad signals. wait cycles are inserted until both irdy# and trdy# signals are asserted together. a signal referred to as stop# indicates that the current target is requesting the present bus master to stop the current transaction. a signal referred to lock# is typically used to indicate an atomic operation that may require multiple transactions to complete. a posting master according to the present invention uses the lock# signal to lock the posting target during a posted read to prevent other masters from interfering with the posted read transaction. however, non-exclusive transactions between other masters and targets may proceed. the lock# signal will be described more fully below. a device select signal, referred to as devsel#, indicates that a device has decoded the address asserted by a master on the ad signals as the target of the current access. as an input, the devsel# signal indicates to the master whether any device on the pci bus 24 has been selected. to implement arbitration on the pci bus 24, pci bus masters each include a request signal referred to as req# and a grant signal referred to as gnt#. a master asserts its req# signal to the arbitrator to request use of the pci bus 24. this is a point-to-point signal, so that every bus master has its own req# signal. correspondingly, each master receives its gnt# signal which is asserted by the arbitrator to the bus master to indicate that access to the pci bus 24 has been granted. this is also a point-to-point signal so that every master has its own gnt# signal. although there are a plurality of req# and gnt# signals, only one of each is generically referred to indicate the present master. the pci posting master bridge 22 also includes an extra sideband signal, referred to as post#, for implementing split transactions according to the present invention. finally, system signals including clk and rst are included. the clk signal is the clock signal for the pci bus 24, which is preferably a square wave operating between 20-33 mhz. the rst signal is asserted to reset the device as known to those skilled in the art. referring now to fig. 2b, a simple block diagram is shown of the signals and pins of the ebcs 48 according to the present invention for purposes of illustration. the ebcs 48 generally includes the same signals on the pci bus 24 as the pci posting master 22 since it acts as both a master and a slave. the ebcs 48 preferably includes data interface logic 56 for retrieving and providing data to the pci bus 24 and buffers 41 for temporarily holding data for read and write operations, including data retrieved during a posted read. the ebcs 48 may be implemented to always post read transactions if all read transactions are long latency. as the ebcs 48 is attached to the slower expansion bus 50, this is the primary reason it is preferred to be a posting slave. the ebcs 48 includes cycle decode logic 52 for detecting read cycles from devices attached to the pci bus 24 and monitoring logic 58 for monitoring the lock# signal. the ebcs 48 preferably includes posting logic 43, which determines whether the requested data is immediately available, such as already loaded in the buffers 41, or whether the data must be fetched requiring a posted read transaction. cycle conversion logic 54 is coupled to the cycle decode logic 52 and the pci bus 24 for asserting the stop# and post# signals to convert a read cycle into a posted read cycle. also, although not required, the ebcs 48 preferably includes an address latch buffer and comparator circuit 45 for latching addresses and comparing the latched address to subsequent addresses appearing on the ad signals. the purpose for the latch and comparator circuit 45 will be described more fully below. it is understood that any of the devices coupled to the pci bus 24 could be implemented with posting target capabilities, including the scsi controller 34, the lan controller 38, the graphics card 42, or the a/v card 26, since any of these devices may require a significantly long period of time to complete a read by the current master. the ebcs 48 is used to demonstrate any of these devices performing a posted read. in the preferred embodiment, although the ebcs 48 is shown as performing posted target functions, it is also a pci posting master. thus, the ebcs 48 includes all of the signals shown in fig. 2a of the pci bridge 22, but also includes the buffers 41, the posting logic 43 and the address latch buffer and comparator circuit 45. for purposes of the present invention, the ebcs 48 provides data to be loaded into the main memory 25 upon request by the microprocessor 21 or the l2 cache 23, where the pci bridge 22 serves as the master. referring now to figs. 3a-3d, a series of timing diagrams are shown illustrating the initiation of a posted read by the pci bridge 22 to the ebcs 48, a non-exclusive transaction during the posted read, a blocked access by another master attempting to access the locked ebcs 48, and the completion of the posted read, respectively. the clk cycle is shown first to indicate the synchronized timing of each of the transactions. timing events are referred to in time by a number prefixed by the letter t, where the numbers representing sequential points of time are generally incremented by two after one-half clk cycle has elapsed. in fig. 3a, a first clk cycle is initiated at a time t0 and the pci bridge 22 asserts the frame# signal and asserts an address on the ad signals to begin the address phase one-half clk cycle later at a time t2. the c/be# signals are asserted by the pci bridge 22 to indicate a read operation. although all the signals defining the cycle are not shown, the read is a burst read where a single address phase is followed by multiple data phases. the address phase occurs at the initiation of the second clk cycle at a time t4, while the frame# signal is asserted and the address is asserted on the ad signals. since the lock# signal is not asserted during the address phase while the frame# signal is asserted, the present transaction is considered exclusive. subsequently, at a time t6 during the second clk cycle, the ad signals are no longer driven and the irdy# signal is asserted by the pci bridge 22 indicating that it is ready to begin the first data phase. however, the trdy# signal is not asserted at time t6 forcing a wait cycle, since the ebcs 48 is not ready for the data phase. at a time t8, the third clk cycle begins where the data phase is initiated. during the third clk cycle at a time t10, the ebcs 48 has decoded the address and asserts the devsel# signal indicating that it is the selected device. also, by this time, the ebcs 48 has determined that at least some of the data required for the bursted read is located within the buffers 41. thus, the selected target ebcs 48 asserts the trdy# signal and also places a first data set on the ad signals. note that since the data set was readily available in the buffers 41, posting is not yet necessary. at a time t12, the fourth clk cycle begins while the first data set is available, and the irdy# and trdy# signals are asserted simultaneously indicating that the current data phase is to be completed. subsequently, at a time t14 during the fourth clk cycle, the ebcs 48 asserts a second set of data on the ad signals. however, the posting logic 43 detects at this time that more data is being requested by the burst, so that a long latency read will be required since it does not have the last data set readily available. an example of such an interrupted burst sequence is an eisa bus controller (within the ebcs 48), which performs line prefetches from an i/o device 52 on the expansion bus 50 (which would be an eisa bus in this example) in response to a read cycle by a pci master to the i/o device 52. the prefetching function of retrieving subsequent lines of data in anticipation of future reads improves system performance. if the eisa bus controller runs out of prefetched data in the middle of the burst cycle, where data located past the prefetched line boundary is required by the pci master and is not located in the buffers 41, the eisa bus controller must interrupt the burst sequence with a disconnect or retry. an eisa bus controller implemented according to the present invention would thus post a read in the middle of the burst sequence. in most situations, however, the posted read would be a single read cycle. the interrupted burst cycle is shown and described for full disclosure. therefore, if the ebcs 48 always posts, or if the requested data is not readily available in the buffers 41 and the posting logic 43 indicates a posted read, the ebcs 48 asserts the stop# and post# signals at time t14 indicating a disconnect and posted read. nonetheless, since the ebcs 48 is able to complete the current data phase, it keeps the trdy# and devsel# signals asserted. one half clk cycle later, at a time t16, the pci bridge 22 latches the second data set, but also detects the stop# and post# signals asserted. at a time t18, the pci bridge 22 asserts the lock# signal in response to the post# signal, and also negates the frame# signal in response to the stop# signal. the ebcs 48 negates the trdy# and devsel# signals indicating it cannot complete another data cycle. at a time t20, the pci bridge 22 detects the trdy# signal negated indicating no more data transfers, and subsequently negates the irdy# signal at a time t22. also at time t22, the ebcs 48 negates the stop# and post# signals to complete the transaction. the ebcs 48 also detects the lock# signal asserted at time t20, so that it now begins performing the posted read. in the interim period between the figs. 3a and 3b, an arbitration cycle occurs where the scsi controller 34 is granted control of the pci bus 24. referring to fig. 3b, the new cycle begins at a time t30 at the assertion of the clk signal, and the scsi controller 34 asserts the frame# signal low one-half clk cycle later at a time t32. since the lock# signal remains asserted, this is a non-exclusive access. the scsi controller 34 asserts an address on the ad signals, and asserts the c/be# signals indicating a read cycle. all potential targets, including the pci bridge 22 and the ebcs 48, detect the address at a time t34 and begin decoding. at a time t36, the address is de-asserted, and the scsi controller 34 asserts the irdy# signal low indicating it is prepared to read data. also, the scsi controller 34 negates the frame# signal, so that only one data cycle is requested. at a time t38, decoding by the targets continues, and the pci bridge 22 detects that the operation is a read of the main memory 25 by the scsi controller 34. thus, at a time t40, the pci bridge 22 asserts the devsel# signal low indicating it is the selected pci target. since the pci bridge 22 is unable to perform the read immediately and is retrieving the requested data from the main memory 25, it does not yet assert the trdy# signal, forcing a wait state. several wait states may occur at this time. eventually, at a time t44, the pci bridge 22 asserts the trdy# signal and asserts data on the ad signals. at a time t46, the scsi controller 34 retrieves the requested data, and the cycle is completed at a time t48 when the irdy# signal is negated. also, the pci bride 22 negates the trdy# and devsel# signals at time t48. note that the lock# signal remains asserted throughout the transaction, so that the ebcs 48 remains locked while performing its posted read. in the interim period between figs. 3b and 3c, another arbitration cycle occurs where the a/v card 26 is granted control of the pci bus 22. referring to fig. 3c, the first clk cycle begins at a time t50, where the frame# signal and a new address is asserted on the ad signals. it is noted that the lock# signal continues to be asserted by the pci bridge 22 throughout the cycle, indicating that it retains control of the ebcs 48. the second clk cycle begins at a time t54, where the address asserted on the ad signals is sampled by prospective target devices. during the second clk cycle at a time t56, the a/v card 26 negates the frame# signal indicating a single data cycle, and also asserts the irdy# signal low at time t56 indicating its readiness to begin the data phase. at a time t58, the third clk cycle begins while the a/v card 26 is asserting the irdy# signal. at a time t60 during the third clk cycle, the locked target ebcs 48 decodes the address asserted at time t24 and asserts the devsel# signal as well as the stop# signal to indicate a retry to the a/v card 26. a retry is indicated by asserting the stop# signal and keeping the trdy# signal negated, since the ebcs 48 is locked by the pci bridge 22. no data transfer occurs. the fourth clk cycle begins at a time t62, where the a/v card 26 detects the stop# signal asserted and the trdy# signal negated, so that the entire cycle is subsequently terminated at a time t64. the irdy#, stop# and devsel# signals are negated by the a/v card 26 and the ebcs 48 at time t64. arbitration again occurs during the time indicated between figs. 3c and 3d, where the pci bridge 22 regains control of the pci bus 24. referring now to fig. 3d, a new cycle begins at time t70 during a first clk cycle, where the frame# signal is asserted and an address is asserted on the ad signals at a time t72. it is noted that the address is not necessarily required since the burst cycle is intended to finish up where it left off. however, since other devices are performing decode at this time, the asserted address assures that another device does not mistakenly get addressed and attempt the cycle. the pci bridge 22 negates the lock# signal while the frame# signal is asserted to indicate a continuing exclusive access. thus, when the pci bridge 22, as original master, is granted access to the pci bus 24, it starts another exclusive access to the original target ebcs 48 that it previously locked. the frame# signal is detected asserted and the lock# signal is detected negated at a time t74, where the prospective target devices latch in the address asserted on the ad signals and begin decoding. during the second clk cycle at a time t76, the frame# signal is deasserted to indicate the last data phase of the retried burst sequence, and the lock# signal is again asserted by the pci bridge 22 to reestablish the lock. the pci bridge releases the address signals and asserts the irdy# signal indicating that it is ready for the data phase. the third clk cycle begins at a time t78, and during the third clk cycle at a time t80 the locked target ebcs 48 accepts and responds to the request by asserting the devsel# and trdy# signals, and provides the final data set on the ad signals. the data is detected by the pci bridge 22 at a time t82 at the beginning of the fourth clk cycle, while the trdy# and irdy# signals are asserted. at a time t84, the cycle is completed, so that the pci bridge 22 negates the irdy# signal and the ebcs 48 negates the trdy# and the devsel# signals indicating the end of the data cycle. it is noted that at time t84, the pci bridge 22 takes one of two actions with respect to the locked ebcs 48 as indicated by two possible states of the lock# signal. if the pci bridge 22 determines that it has completed its exclusive access, it negates the lock# signal to release the locked ebcs 48 for access by other bus masters. otherwise, if the pci bridge 22 requires continued exclusive access of the locked ebcs 48, it keeps the lock# signal asserted. referring back to fig. 3a, it is noted that if the lock# signal is not detected asserted by the ebcs 48 at time t20, then the master requesting the data does not support split transactions according to the present invention. nonetheless, the master is forced to disconnect since the ebcs 48 asserted the stop# signal. if the latch and comparator circuit 45 is provided in the ebcs 48, it latches the address at time t4 and the target attempts to perform the read anyway. however, exclusive accesses may occur in the interim possibly even to the ebcs 48, since the lock# signal is not asserted. this may result in loss of the posted data. if the data is retrieved without interruption and if the original master again attempts the access, the ebcs 48 provides the retrieved data if the latched address is the same as the new address. referring now to figs. 4a and 4b, two timing diagrams are shown illustrating a couple of different target initiated terminations and posted read operations according to the present invention. the ebcs 48 posting target determines whether or not data is transferred after the stop# signal is asserted. data transfer takes place on every cycle where both the irdy# and the trdy# signals are asserted, independent of the state of the stop# signal. if the ebcs 48 can, it performs one more data transfers before terminating by asserting the trdy# and stop# signals at the same time as was shown in fig. 3a. fig. 4a shows a slightly different disconnect situation, where data is transferred after the stop# signal is asserted. the ebcs 48 declares its intent to do another data transfer by having the trdy# signal asserted at the time the stop# signal is asserted. the timing diagram shown in fig. 4b illustrates the case in which data is not transferred at all after the stop# signal is asserted because the trdy# signal is deasserted. this is an example of a retry transaction, which is a special case of the disconnect. referring now to fig. 4a, a time t90 indicates a current transaction in progress while the frame# signal is asserted by the a posting master, such as the pci bridge 22. the master is not ready for data transfer, as indicated by the irdy# signal negated at time t90. also, the target has already been selected as indicated by the devsel# signal asserted. subsequently, at a time t92 during the first clk cycle, the target indicates a disconnect by asserting the trdy# and stop# signals simultaneously. furthermore, the target indicates a posted read by asserting the post# signal at time t92 concurrently with the assertion of the stop# signal, indicating that the target is performing a long latency read and wishes to release the pci bus 24 for non-exclusive accesses in the interim. the posting master detects the stop# and post# signals asserted at a time t94 at the beginning of the second clk cycle. subsequently, at a time t96 during the second clk cycle, the posting master negates the frame# signal in response to the stop# signal, and also asserts the lock# signal in response to the post# signal being asserted. however, since the irdy# signal is asserted at time t96 while the trdy# and stop# signals are also asserted, one last data transfer occurs before the cycle is completed. the transaction ends at a time t99 when the irdy# signal is negated by the master and the trdy#, stop#, devsel# and post# signals are negated by the posting device. the posting master then gets off the pci bus 24 and arbitrates it to other masters to allow them to perform non-exclusive accesses in the interim while the target is retrieving the data for the posted read. referring now to fig. 4b, a posted read is indicated where no data transfer occurs, illustrating a retry transaction. in this case, the frame# signal is asserted during the cycle at a time t100, although the trdy# signal remains negated. the target asserts the stop# and the lock# signals at time t102 to indicate a posted read, which is detected by the posting master at a time t104. in this example, the negation of the frame# signal is delayed until a time t110, which is when the irdy# signal could be asserted by the master. also, the lock# signal is asserted at a time t110 to lock the target. at a time t112, the target detects the frame# signal negated and subsequently negates the stop#, devsel# and post# signals at a time t114. the master also negates the irdy# signal at time t114 and the cycle ends. again, since the read is posted by the target, the posting master rearbitrates the pci bus 24 for access by other masters for non-exclusive accesses. meanwhile, the target continues its access to retrieve the data requested by the posting master. subsequently, the posting master gains control of the pci bus 24 and retrieves its data, as shown in fig. 3c. while a long latency read is posted, the pci bus 24 is locked so that only non-exclusive accesses are allowed. targets other than the one locked and performing the posted read are allowed to be non-exclusively accessed by any new bus master that gets on the pci bus 24. however, no reads may be posted while the pci bus 24 is locked. other masters might be allowed to queue posted writes to the locked target if that particular target can handle it. otherwise, the locked target activates the stop# signal to cause the master to retry its access at a later time. any reads to a locked target are forced to be retried at a later time. the main memory controller 25 is the natural focus of most non-cpu pci masters, so that it should receive the bulk of the non-exclusive accesses during the posted read interim period. further, the posting device continually monitors the lock# signal and the frame# signal to determine whether the posting master is still interested in the data. if ever the lock# signal is negated while the frame# signal is negated and a target is performing a posted read, the posted read is aborted. this indicates that the posting master has lost interest, or perhaps that the cpu subsystem 20 has been backed off and its retry sequence does not match. one particular problem is how a cpu subsystem 20 would be able to snoop a pci master to main memory 25 access while the cpu is in an active cycle waiting for its posted read to be serviced. a first solution is that the cpu subsystem 20 must be backed off to allow snoops to be checked by the cpu's l2 cache 23. the back off of the cpu subsystem 20 is not fatal for the pci bridge 22, but it would have to hold off retrying the pci cycle until the cpu subsystem 20 had retried the pending cycle. if the retried cpu access does not match up with the data to be returned by the pci retry cycle, then the pci bridge 22 must deactivate the lock# signal and abort the posted read cycle. another potential solution is that the cpu subsystem 20 would not have to snoop the master to memory 25 accesses because a software device driver would enforce coherency, making sure that the l2 cache 23 does not have any contents that matched what the pci masters would access. this is valid as long as there are not multiple cpus on a single pci bus 24, and if the pci non-cpu masters have a memory access pattern that is predictable. the foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape, materials, components, circuit elements, wiring connections and contacts, as well as in the details of the illustrated circuitry and construction and method of operation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
|
012-204-189-814-69X
|
JP
|
[
"EP",
"CN",
"JP",
"US",
"WO"
] |
F25B6/04,F25B1/00,F25B13/00,F25B31/00,F25B41/00,F25B41/04,F25B41/06,F25B43/00,F25B33/00
| 2014-03-17T00:00:00 |
2014
|
[
"F25"
] |
refrigeration cycle device
|
an object of the present invention is to provide a safe and advanced refrigeration cycle apparatus that can prevent refrigerant that may cause disproportionation from being placed under the condition of serial reactions even when the refrigerant is used for the refrigeration cycle apparatus. a refrigeration cycle apparatus operating with standard composition refrigerant that is a zeotropic refrigerant mixture containing at least first refrigerant and second refrigerant having a higher boiling point than the first refrigerant at the same pressure, the refrigeration cycle apparatus including a main circuit in which a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a second heat exchanger are sequentially connected, and a component separation circuit connected to the main circuit, the first refrigerant having a property of disproportionation, the component separation circuit being configured to separate and store, from the main circuit, mixed refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a higher composition ratio than in the standard composition refrigerant in an operation of a separation-storage mode separating the components of the standard composition refrigerant.
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a refrigeration cycle apparatus operating with standard composition refrigerant configured as a zeotropic refrigerant mixture containing at least first refrigerant and second refrigerant having a higher boiling point than the first refrigerant at a same pressure, the refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising a main circuit in which a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a second heat exchanger are sequentially connected, and a component separation circuit connected to the main circuit, the first refrigerant having a property of disproportionation, the component separation circuit being configured to separate and store, from the main circuit, mixed refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a higher composition ratio than in the standard composition refrigerant in an operation of a separation-storage mode separating components of the standard composition refrigerant. the refrigeration cycle apparatus of claim 1, wherein the component separation circuit is configured to pass the mixed refrigerant through the main circuit in an operation of a release mode returning components of the main circuit to the standard composition refrigerant, the mixed refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having the higher composition ratio and being separated and stored from the main circuit in the separation-storage mode. the refrigeration cycle apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein the component separation circuit includes a refrigerant rectifier configured to separate the mixed refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having the higher composition ratio than in the standard composition refrigerant in an operation of the separation-storage mode, and a refrigerant reservoir configured to store the mixed refrigerant separated by the refrigerant rectifier. the refrigeration cycle apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the separation-storage mode is activated at least when the compressor has a high discharging temperature or a high discharging pressure. the refrigeration cycle apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the separation-storage mode is activated at least for a predetermined time before the compressor is stopped. the refrigeration cycle apparatus of any one of claims 3 to 5 as dependent on claim 2, wherein in the release mode, a connecting position for passing the mixed refrigerant through the main circuit is located on a suction pipe of the compressor, the mixed refrigerant being stored in the refrigerant reservoir and containing the first refrigerant having the higher composition ratio. the refrigeration cycle apparatus of any one of claims 3 to 5 as dependent on claim 2, wherein in the release mode, a connecting position for passing the mixed refrigerant through the main circuit is located midway in a compression stroke of the compressor, the mixed refrigerant being stored in the refrigerant reservoir and containing the first refrigerant having the higher composition ratio. the refrigeration cycle apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first refrigerant is hfo1123 and the second refrigerant contains at least one of r32, hfo1234yf, and hfo1234ze.
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technical field the present invention relates to a refrigeration cycle apparatus in which a zeotropic refrigerant mixture is used as working refrigerant. background art low-gwp refrigerants have been recently developed to suppress the influence of global warming. conventionally used r410a is a refrigerant with good performance but has a gwp (global warming potential) of about 2000. thus, r410a has been replaced with r32 having a gwp one third that of r410. r32 is a good-performance refrigerant with physical properties relatively similar to those of r410a and has a gwp of about 600. to achieve lower gwps, fluoropropene (hfo) refrigerants such as hfo1234yf have been developed. however, such a refrigerant has a high boiling point with low performance and thus keeping the same performance as that of the related art may cause many technical problems resulting in high cost. accordingly, a refrigeration cycle apparatus has been proposed in which a low-gwp refrigerant (e.g., hfo1123) having a low boiling point is used (see patent literature 1). it is known that hfo1123 (low-temperature boiling refrigerant) having good performance (capability) less affects the ozone layer since chlorine atoms are not included in the composition and less affects global warming since it has a double bond and short atmospheric lifetime. moreover, the combustion is classified as rank 2l (low flammability) by ashrae, achieving safety. furthermore, even mixed refrigerant of hfo1123 and refrigerants such as hc, hfc, hcfo, cfo, and hfo can partially achieve the advantage. citation list patent literature [patent literature 1] wo2012/157764 summary of invention technical problem it is known that hfo1123 (cf2 = chf) is a refrigerant of good performance but may cause disproportionation (autolytic reaction) under specific conditions. disproportionation is a chemical reaction of at least two molecules of the same kind into at least two different kinds of products. the disproportionation is expressed as the following chemical reaction: cf2 = chf → (1/2)c 4 + (3/2)c + hf + (heat of reaction) this reaction is caused by applying local energy to refrigerant. further, serial reactions may disadvantageously occur at high temperatures and high pressures. the present invention has been made to overcome the problem. an object of the present invention is to provide a safe and refrigeration cycle apparatus with good performance that can prevent refrigerant that may cause such disproportionation from being placed under the condition of serial reactions even when the refrigerant is used for the refrigeration cycle apparatus. solution to problem a refrigeration cycle apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention is a refrigeration cycle apparatus operating with standard composition refrigerant configured as a zeotropic refrigerant mixture containing at least first refrigerant and second refrigerant having a higher boiling point than the first refrigerant at a same pressure, the refrigeration cycle apparatus comprising a main circuit in which a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and a second heat exchanger are sequentially connected, and a component separation circuit connected to the main circuit, the first refrigerant having a property of disproportionation, the component separation circuit being configured to separate and store, from the main circuit, mixed refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a higher composition ratio than in the standard composition refrigerant in an operation of a separation-storage mode separating components of the standard composition refrigerant. advantageous effect of invention the refrigeration cycle apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention has a zeotropic refrigerant mixture of the low-boiling first refrigerant that is likely to cause disproportionation alone and the high-boiling second refrigerant. the composition separation circuit separates and stores, from the main circuit, the mixed refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a higher composition ratio than in the standard composition refrigerant in the separation-storage mode. thus, refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle apparatus contains high boiling components (second refrigerant) having a high composition ratio, thereby suppressing disproportionation. brief description of drawings [ fig. 1] fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to a first embodiment. [ fig. 2] fig. 2 is a temperature-composition diagram of a zeotropic refrigerant mixture at a high pressure, an intermediate pressure, and a low pressure in the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the first embodiment. [ fig. 3] fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to a second embodiment. [ fig. 4] fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to a third embodiment. description of embodiments embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. the following configurations are merely exemplary and thus a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the configurations. detailed structures are optionally simplified or omitted. moreover, redundant and similar explanations are optionally simplified or omitted. first embodiment the configuration of a refrigeration cycle apparatus will be first discussed below. fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to a first embodiment. as shown in fig. 1 , the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the first embodiment has a refrigeration cycle including a compressor 1, a first condenser 2, a liquid separator 3, a second condenser 4, a refrigerant heat exchanger 5, a first expansion valve 6, and an evaporator 7 that are sequentially connected via a refrigerant pipe serving as a main passage 8. a gas outlet 3a provided to an upper part of the liquid separator 3 is connected to the second condenser 4. a liquid outlet 3b provided to a lower part of the liquid separator 3 is connected to the compressor 1 via a bypass 9. the bypass 9 is connected to an intermediate pressure part (an intermediate pressure between a high pressure and a low pressure, will be referred to as a medium pressure) in a compression chamber. the bypass 9 has a second expansion valve 10 and the refrigerant heat exchanger 5. the high-pressure (high temperature) side of the refrigerant heat exchanger 5 is connected between the second condenser 4 and the first expansion valve 6 on the main passage 8 while the medium-pressure (medium temperature) side of the refrigerant heat exchanger 5 is connected between the second expansion valve 10 and the compressor 1 on the bypass 9. working refrigerant for the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the first embodiment is a zeotropic refrigerant mixture containing first refrigerant and second refrigerant. at high temperatures and high pressures, the first refrigerant is likely to cause disproportionation by a certain amount of energy applied thereto. the second refrigerant is less likely to cause disproportionation under the same conditions as the first refrigerant (or does not cause disproportionation under the same conditions). in other words, the first refrigerant is likely to cause disproportionation under the same specific conditions (high temperatures and high pressures) as a pressure and a temperature where the second refrigerant does not cause disproportionation. moreover, the second refrigerant has a higher boiling point (is less likely to evaporate) than the first refrigerant at the same pressure. the first refrigerant receives the certain amount of energy mainly in the compressor. an electrical path to a motor is placed in an atmosphere of refrigerant that may apply the electric energy of the electrical path to the refrigerant through a short circuit or electric leakage. in the compressor, frictional heat is constantly generated from a compression unit, a sliding unit, a bearing, and other components and is applied as energy to the refrigerant. energy is particularly likely to be supplied to the refrigerant when the motor is damaged by any cause, though such energy supply can occur under a normal situation in operation of the compressor. for example, the first refrigerant may be hfo1123 and disproportionation needs to be expected. the second refrigerant may be, for example, r32, hfo1234yf, hfo1234ze, and other refrigerants. generally, refrigerating machine oil in refrigerant contains an addition agent. the first refrigerant contains monocyclic monoterpenoid as a reaction inhibitor. the monocyclic monoterpenoid is, for example, limonene. it is known that the first refrigerant with a molar ratio of 70% or less is likely to suppress reactions. furthermore, the second refrigerant may be of two or more kinds of refrigerant. however, the second refrigerant needs to have a higher boiling point than the first refrigerant. the operation of refrigerant will be discussed below. refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1 is high-temperature high-pressure gas refrigerant that is condensed into two-phase refrigerant with a high pressure through heat exchange with water or air in the first condenser 2. gas refrigerant separated in the liquid separator 3 is discharged from the gas outlet 3a, flows into the second condenser 4, and then is condensed again into high-pressure liquid refrigerant through heat exchange with water or air. the liquid refrigerant discharged from the second condenser 4 flows into the refrigerant heat exchanger 5 and is further cooled into a subcooled liquid state through heat exchange with medium-pressure two-phase refrigerant passing through the bypass 9, and then the refrigerant is decompressed into low-pressure two-phase refrigerant by the first expansion valve 6. the refrigerant evaporated into low-pressure gas refrigerant through heat exchange with air or water in the evaporator 7 and then is sucked into the compressor 1 again. the liquid refrigerant separated in the liquid separator 3 is discharged from the liquid outlet 3b, is decompressed by the second expansion valve 10, is heated and evaporated into medium-pressure gas refrigerant in the refrigerant heat exchanger 5, and then is sucked into the compressor 1. refrigerant passing through the main passage 8 will be referred to as main refrigerant of the present invention while refrigerant passing through the bypass 9 will be referred to as bypass refrigerant. the operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the embodiment will be described below. in the configuration of the refrigeration cycle apparatus, two-phase refrigerant flowing into the liquid separator 3 is separated into gaseous and liquid phases. since the first refrigerant has a lower boiling point than the second refrigerant (is more likely to be evaporated), the first refrigerant has a high composition ratio in the gaseous phase and has a low composition ratio in the liquid phase to the refrigerant mixture. thus, in the main passage 8 from the second condenser 4, the first expansion valve 6, and the evaporator 7 to the compressor 1, the first refrigerant that is a low temperature boiling component has a high composition ratio. low boiling temperature refrigerant typically has good performance and thus yields the performance of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the first embodiment. moreover, liquid refrigerant discharged from the liquid separator 3 passes through the bypass 9 where the first refrigerant has a low composition ratio, and then the refrigerant is sucked into the compressor 1. in the compressor 1, the main passage 8 and the bypass 9 join to mix the refrigerant of the bypass 9, in which the first refrigerant has a low composition ratio, with the refrigerant of the main passage 8. thus, the first refrigerant at the joint and the subsequent passage has a smaller composition ratio than in the main passage 8. referring to fig. 2 , the states of refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle apparatus will be described below. fig. 2 is a temperature-composition diagram of the zeotropic refrigerant mixture at a high pressure, an intermediate pressure, and a low pressure in the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the first embodiment. in the case of the zeotropic refrigerant mixture, as shown in fig. 2 , the temperature-composition diagram forms lens shapes, each having an upper saturated gas line and a lower saturated liquid line. the diagram shows the pressures and temperatures of each part of the refrigeration cycle apparatus. gas refrigerant a having a high pressure at the outlet of the compressor 1 is placed in a partially condensed state b in the first condenser 2 and then is separated into gas refrigerant c and liquid refrigerant d in the liquid separator 3. the gas refrigerant c containing a large amount of first refrigerant (low temperature boiling component) is condensed into liquid in a state e by the second condenser 4 and is subcooled to a state f by the refrigerant heat exchanger 5. after that, the refrigerant is decompressed to a low-pressure two-phase state g by the first expansion valve 6. the liquid refrigerant d containing a large amount of the second refrigerant (high boiling temperature component) separated in the liquid separator 3 is decompressed to an intermediate pressure in a state h by the second expansion valve 10. the refrigerant h at the intermediate pressure exchanges heat with the refrigerant e containing a large amount of the first refrigerant (low temperature boiling component), at the refrigerant-refrigerant heat exchanger is evaporated at a higher temperature in a state i, and then injected into the compressor 11 through the bypass 9. the refrigerant flowing with the two-phase state g from the first expansion valve 6 is evaporated in the evaporator 7 into a superheated gas state m, is sucked into the compressor 1, and is compressed to an intermediate-pressure gas state j. although a state in the compressor 1 is not shown, the gas refrigerant in the state j is mixed with the refrigerant i, which is introduced from the bypass 9, into gas refrigerant in a state k, and then is compressed into outlet refrigerant a of the compressor 1. as shown in fig. 2 , a refrigerant state line (c → e → f → g → m → j) of the main passage 8 forms a high-performance refrigeration cycle where a low temperature boiling component (first refrigerant) has a high composition ratio. on a refrigerant state line (d → h → i) of the bypass 9, the low temperature boiling component (first refrigerant) has a low composition ratio. the refrigerant is joined to the refrigerant of the main passage 8 in the compressor 1, thereby reducing the composition ratio of the first refrigerant in the compressor 1 (j → k). the advantage of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described below. at high temperatures and high pressures, the first refrigerant may continuously cause disproportionation by a certain amount of energy applied thereto. in the compressor 1, the refrigerant reaches a high temperature and a high pressure and is likely to cause local energy in the sliding unit, a power receiving unit, a motor, and other components, requiring maximum safety in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. in the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the first embodiment, the first refrigerant is a low boiling temperature refrigerant that is likely to cause disproportionation when used alone, and the first refrigerant is mixed with the second refrigerant, which is a high-temperature boiling refrigerant, into the zeotropic refrigerant mixture. thus, the composition ratio of the first refrigerant can be reduced in the compressor where the refrigerant is particularly likely to cause disproportionation, and disproportionation can be suppressed by reducing the partial pressure of the first refrigerant, thereby achieving the high-performance refrigeration cycle apparatus. since the refrigerant of the bypass 9 is returned to the intermediate pressure part in the compressor 1, the input of the compressor 1 can be reduced. this effect is greater than the effect of simply mixing another refrigerant with the first refrigerant to reduce the partial pressure of the first refrigerant (according to a filler composition ratio) and suppress reactions. since the first refrigerant is a low boiling temperature refrigerant, discharge gas may have a high temperature as a physical property. the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio in the compressor 1 can suppress the temperature of discharged gas. this can improve the reliability of the compressor 1 and suppress reactions. the bypass 9 may be connected to the suction pipe of the compressor 1. with this configuration, the compressor 1 has a low pressure shell or a high pressure shell. in either case, the first refrigerant can have a low composition ratio to the whole refrigerant mixture around a glass terminal or the motor, effectively preventing reactions. moreover, the opening degree of the second expansion valve 10 may be increasesed with increase of a temperature and a pressure in the compressor 1 or discharged refrigerant (the probability of reactions). this can reduce the composition ratio of the first refrigerant in the compressor 1 to suppress disproportionation. if water or air that exchanges heat with refrigerant has a high temperature in the first condenser 2 and the second condenser 4, a refrigerant temperature (the saturation temperature of a condensing pressure) increases in each of the condensers. at this time, the first refrigerant (e.g., hfo1123) has a low critical temperature and thus the outlet of the second condenser 4 is unlikely to be subcooled. however, subcooling can be provided by the refrigerant heat exchanger 5 and thus the disadvantage of refrigerant having a low critical temperature can be overcome. during an operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the first embodiment, liquid refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio is present in the first condenser 2 and the liquid separator 3. when the refrigeration cycle apparatus is restarted from this state after being stopped, the refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio can be reliably supplied to the compressor 1 from the liquid separator 3 through the bypass 9. the refrigerant containing the first refrigerant at a low composition ratio to the refrigerant mixture is supplied to the compressor 1 that is damaged at startup and thus is likely to generate local energy. this suppresses disproportionation. similarly, the opening degree of the second expansion valve 10 at the start of the compressor 1 is set larger than that during a normal operation (e.g., a maximum opening degree), thereby further suppressing disproportionation of the first refrigerant at startup. alternatively, before the refrigeration cycle apparatus is stopped, the opening degree of the second expansion valve 10 is set smaller than that during a normal operation, allowing the liquid separator 3 to retain a large amount of liquid refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio. thus, the refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio can be reliably supplied to the compressor 1 at the next restart. refrigerant prone to cause reaction like the first refrigerant of the first embodiment is likely to react with a foreign matter to form a reaction product (sludge). thus, an air conditioning system may be used in which heat is exchanged with water or brine acting as a heating medium in the heat exchangers of the refrigeration cycle apparatus and the heating medium is transported to the load-side heat exchanger (chiller or secondary loop system). in such an air conditioning system, the pipes of the refrigeration cycle apparatus are not constructed on-site, thereby considerably saving control, for example, control of foreign matters for refrigerant, moisture control, and air control. this can suppress the reaction of the first refrigerant. in the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the first embodiment, the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant are mixed. three or more kinds of refrigerant may be mixed instead. in this case, the first refrigerant needs to belong to a low temperature boiling component. in this composition, the refrigerant of the main passage contains the first refrigerant having a high composition ratio, whereas the refrigerant of the bypass contains the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio, thereby achieving the same effect of suppressing reactions. second embodiment the configuration of a refrigeration cycle apparatus will be first described below. the working refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to a second embodiment is identical to that of the first embodiment and thus differences in configuration will be discussed below. fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the second embodiment. the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the second embodiment has a refrigeration cycle including a compressor 11, an oil separator 12, a four-way valve 13, an exterior heat exchanger 14, an exterior expansion valve 15, interior expansion valves 16, interior heat exchangers 17, the four-way valve 13, and an accumulator 18 that are sequentially connected. the interior expansion valves 16 and the interior heat exchangers 17 are connected in parallel. a gas outlet 12a of the oil separator 12 is connected to the four-way valve 13. an oil return port 12b of the oil separator 12 is connected to a compressor 1 via a bypass 19. the bypass 19 has a constriction 20. the working refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle apparatus is a zeotropic refrigerant mixture of first refrigerant and second refrigerant as in the first embodiment. the action of refrigerant will be discussed below. a cooling operation will be first discussed below. the four-way valve 13 in fig. 3 is operated while being connected as indicated by solid lines. refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows as high-temperature high-pressure gas refrigerant into the oil separator 12 along with a portion of refrigerating machine oil in the compressor 11. the refrigerant in the oil separator 12 is separated into gas refrigerant and refrigerating machine oil. the gas refrigerant passes through the four-way valve 13 and is condensed into high-pressure liquid refrigerant through heat exchange with water or air in the exterior heat exchanger 14 (condenser). the liquid refrigerant is decompressed into low-pressure two-phase refrigerant at least in one of the exterior expansion valve 15 and the interior expansion valve 16. subsequently, the refrigerant is evaporated into low-pressure gas refrigerant through heat exchange with air or water in the interior heat exchangers 17 (evaporators), passes through the four-way valve 13 and the accumulator 18, and then is sucked into the compressor 1 again. the refrigerating machine oil separated in the oil separator 12 passes through the bypass 19 and the constriction 20 from the oil return port 12b and then is sucked into the compressor 11. a heating operation will be discussed below. the four-way valve 13 in fig. 3 is operated while being connected as indicated by broken lines. refrigerant discharged from the compressor 11 flows as high-temperature high-pressure gas refrigerant into the oil separator 12 along with a portion of refrigerating machine oil in the compressor 11. the refrigerant in the oil separator 12 is separated into gas refrigerant and refrigerating machine oil. the gas refrigerant passes through the four-way valve 13 and is condensed into high-pressure liquid refrigerant through heat exchange with water or air in the interior heat exchangers 17 (condensers). the liquid refrigerant is decompressed into low-pressure two-phase refrigerant at least in one of the exterior expansion valve 15 and the interior expansion valve 16. subsequently, the refrigerant is evaporated into low-pressure gas refrigerant through heat exchange with air or water in the exterior heat exchanger 14 (evaporator), passes through the four-way valve 13 and the accumulator 18, and then is sucked into the compressor 1 again. the refrigerating machine oil separated in the oil separator 12 passes through the bypass 19 and the constriction 20 from the oil return port 12b and then is sucked into the compressor 11. the operations of the expansion valves will be discussed below. the interior expansion valve 16 properly adjusts a flow rate of refrigerant for each indoor unit (according to the load of the indoor unit). the opening degree of the interior expansion valve 16 is adjusted according to a difference between the temperature of sucked room air and a set temperature, the degree of superheat of refrigerant at the outlet of the evaporator (= evaporator outlet refrigerant temperature - evaporating temperature) during a cooling operation, the degree of superheat of refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser (= condensing temperature - condenser outlet refrigerant temperature) during a heating operation, or other indexes of heat exchanger performance. the exterior expansion valve 15 adjusts the opening degree (the control of the opening degree will be specifically discussed later) to predetermined opening degrees for respective operating conditions or adjusts the opening degree such that an intermediate pressure between the interior expansion valve 16 and the exterior expansion valve 15 reaches a predetermined medium pressure (saturation temperature). the operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the embodiment will be described below. in the oil separator 12, flowing gas refrigerant and refrigerating machine oil are separated from each other. at this point, the first refrigerant has a lower boiling point (is more likely to evaporate) than the second refrigerant and thus the first refrigerant has a low composition ratio in refrigerant dissolved in refrigerating machine oil. this allows the first refrigerant that is a low temperature boiling component to have a high composition ratio in a main passage 21 passing through the four-way valve 13, the exterior heat exchanger 14, and the interior heat exchangers 17. low boiling temperature refrigerant typically has good performance and thus improves the performance of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the second embodiment. moreover, refrigerating machine oil circulates through the compressor 11, the oil separator 12, the bypass 19, and the compressor 11 and forms a large proportion in the compressor 11. refrigerating machine oil discharged from the oil return port 12b of the oil separator 12 and refrigerant dissolved in refrigeration oil are sucked into the compressor 1 through the bypass 19 with the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio. the main passage 21 and the bypass 19 join at the suction pipe of the compressor 11 to mix the refrigerant of the bypass 19, in which the first refrigerant has a low composition ratio, with the refrigerant of the main passage 21. thus, the first refrigerant at the joint and the subsequent passage has a smaller composition ratio than in the main passage 21. the effect of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described below. a certain amount of energy applied to the first refrigerant at high temperatures and high pressures may continuously cause disproportionation. in the compressor 11, the refrigerant reaches a high temperature and a high pressure and is likely to cause local energy in a sliding unit, a power receiving unit, a motor, and other components, requiring maximum safety in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. in the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the second embodiment, the configuration can reduce the composition ratio of the first refrigerant in the compressor 11, reduce the partial pressure of the first refrigerant, and suppress chain reactions. since the bypass 19 joins to the suction pipe of the compressor 11, the composition ratio of the first refrigerant can be reduced around a glass terminal and a motor for the compressor 11 having a low-pressure or high-pressure shell, thereby effectively preventing reactions. if the opening degree of the constriction 20 can be adjusted like the expansion valve, the opening degree of the constriction 20 is increased when a high temperature and a high pressure occurred in the compressor 11 or the discharged refrigerant (a reaction is likely to occur). thus, the composition ratio of the first refrigerant in the compressor 11 is reduced to suppress disproportionation. the composition ratio of the first refrigerant in the compressor 11 is reduced only on the condition that disproportionation is likely to occur. this can reduce an unnecessary bypass of refrigerating machine oil from the oil separator 12 and improve the performance of the refrigeration cycle apparatus. during an operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the second embodiment, liquid refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio is dissolved in refrigerating machine oil in the oil separator 12 and the compressor 11. at the restart of the refrigeration cycle apparatus having been stopped from this state, the refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio is reliably supplied from the oil separator 12 to the compressor 11 through the bypass 19. the refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio is supplied to the compressor 11 that is likely to be damaged at startup to generate local energy, thereby suppressing reactions. similarly, the opening degree of the constriction 20 at the startup of the compressor 11 is set larger than that of a normal operation (e.g., a maximum opening degree), thereby further suppressing disproportionation of the first refrigerant at the startup. the control of the opening degree of the exterior expansion valve 15 will be described below, which increases required amounts of refrigerant during a cooling operation. during a cooling operation, connecting pipes among the exterior heat exchanger 14 acting as a condenser, the exterior expansion valve 15, and the interior expansion valves 16 contain liquid refrigerant and refrigerant (high-density refrigerant) having a low degree of dryness, which substantially determines a required amount of refrigerant. during a heating operation, connecting pipes among the interior heat exchangers 17 acting as condensers, the exterior expansion valve 15, and the interior expansion valves 16 contain liquid refrigerant and refrigerant (high-density refrigerant) having a low degree of dryness, which substantially determines a required amount of refrigerant. typically, a required amount of refrigerant differs between a cooling operation and a heating operation and a difference in required amount is retained as surplus refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. in the case of surplus refrigerant in a passage from the outlet of the evaporator to the compressor 11 (e.g., in the accumulator), liquid refrigerant contains the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio and thus the first refrigerant in circulating refrigerant has a high composition ratio. hence, the target value of the exterior expansion valve 15 is set to reduce surplus refrigerant. this can reduce the amount of surplus refrigerant and the composition ratio of the first refrigerant circulating the main passage 21, thereby suppressing the reaction of refrigerant. for example, when the opening degree of the exterior expansion valve 15 is reduced during a heating operation, an intermediate pressure increases (higher density) in pipes between the exterior expansion valve 15 and the interior expansion valves 16, thereby increasing a required amount of refrigerant. conversely, when the opening degree is increased, an intermediate pressure decreases (lower density) in pipes between the exterior expansion valve 15 and the interior expansion valves 16, thereby reducing a required amount of refrigerant. when the opening degree of the exterior expansion valve 15 is increased during a cooling operation, an intermediate pressure increases (higher density) in pipes between the exterior expansion valve 15 and the interior expansion valves 16, thereby increasing a required amount of refrigerant. conversely, when the opening degree is reduced, an intermediate pressure decreases (lower density) in pipes between the exterior expansion valve 15 and the interior expansion valves 16, thereby reducing a required amount of refrigerant. even when the opening degree of the exterior expansion valve 15 is changed, the opening degree of the interior expansion valve 16 is independently adjusted, thereby supplying a proper flow rate of refrigerant to each indoor unit according to a load. thus, the control target value of the exterior expansion valve 15 is properly set during a cooling operation and a heating operation. this can increase a required amount of refrigerant in the pipes having an intermediate pressure in the refrigeration cycle apparatus, and reduce surplus refrigerant. in the following explanation, the total internal volume of the exterior heat exchanger is larger than that of the interior heat exchanger. in this case, the exterior heat exchanger acting as a condenser during a cooling operation contains a larger amount of refrigerant than the interior heat exchanger acting as a condenser during a heating operation. to prevent the occurrence of surplus refrigerant (an equal amount of refrigerant required in cooling and heating), a density (pressure) in the pipes between the exterior expansion valve and the interior expansion valves needs to be reduced during a cooling operation and needs to be increased during a heating operation. in other words, the opening degree of the exterior expansion valve is reduced during a cooling operation and is increased during a heating operation to keep constant a required amount of refrigerant during cooling and heating. the target of control may be the opening degree of the exterior expansion valve. moreover, a pressure sensor may be provided to detect a pressure at a position between the exterior expansion valve and the interior expansion valve, a temperature sensor may be provided to calculate the saturation pressure of the sensor with a controller, and a pressure target value may be determined to operate the opening degree of the exterior expansion valve such that a required amount of refrigerant is kept constant during cooling and heating. in the case where the amount of surplus refrigerant cannot be adjusted only by the exterior expansion valve 15, the degree of subcooling at the outlet of the condenser is increased or reduced to adjust the amount of refrigerant in the condenser. this can increase an adjustment range and reliably reduce surplus refrigerant. the expansion valve is adjusted to increase a required amount of refrigerant circulating through the refrigeration cycle apparatus, and surplus refrigerant is reduced between the outlet of the evaporator and the compressor 11 (including the interior of the compressor). this prevents an increase in the composition ratio of the first refrigerant in the compressor 11 to suppress reactions. third embodiment the configuration of a refrigeration cycle apparatus will be first described below. the working refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to a third embodiment is identical to that of the first embodiment and thus differences in configuration will be discussed below. fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the third embodiment. as shown in fig. 4 , the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the third embodiment includes a compressor 30, a four-way valve 31, a user-side heat exchanger 32, a subcooler 33, an expansion valve 34 acting as a first decompression device, and a heat-source-side heat exchanger 35. these components are sequentially connected via refrigerant pipes and are stored in a refrigeration cycle unit 100. a component separation circuit includes a refrigerant rectifier 40 acting as a component separating unit, a refrigerant reservoir 41 for retaining refrigerant, a first cooler 42, a second cooler 43, a capillary tube 44 acting as a second decompression device, a capillary tube 45 acting as a third decompression device, a first solenoid valve 46 acting as an on-off valve, a second solenoid valve 47, and a third solenoid valve 48. the first cooler 42 and the refrigerant reservoir 41 are shaped like rings connected to the upper part of the refrigerant rectifier 40. these components are stored in a component separation unit 200. the refrigeration cycle unit 100 and the component separation unit 200 are connected via three pipes: a first pipe 50, a second pipe 51, and a third pipe 52 and are configured to change the composition ratio of refrigerant circulating through a refrigerant circuit. the refrigeration cycle apparatus contains a zeotropic refrigerant mixture of standard composition with a specific composition ratio, the zeotropic refrigerant mixture containing two components: a low temperature boiling component (e.g., hfo1123) serving as first refrigerant and a high boiling temperature component (e.g., hfo1234yf) serving as second refrigerant. the refrigerant rectifier 40 contains a filler for increasing the contact area of gas and liquid. the discharge-side pipe of the compressor 30 connects the compressor 30 and the four-way valve 31 and connects to the lower part of the refrigerant rectifier 40 via the first pipe 50 passing through the first solenoid valve 46 and the capillary tube 44. the outlet side of the user-side heat exchanger 32 is connected to a pipe connecting the first cooler 42 and the refrigerant reservoir 41, via the second pipe 51 passing through the second solenoid valve 47. furthermore, the suction side pipe of the compressor 30 and the lower part of the refrigerant rectifier 40 are connected via the third pipe 52 passing through the third solenoid valve 48 and the capillary tube 45. the refrigeration cycle apparatus and the component separation circuit stored in the refrigeration cycle unit 100 and the component separation unit 200, respectively, are connected via the first pipe 50, the second pipe 51, and the third pipe 52. when the component separation unit 200 is connected to the existing refrigeration cycle unit 100, the existing refrigeration cycle unit 100 is not considerably changed and the number of connections is small, facilitating the subsequent connection. moreover, in the component separation circuit, the refrigerant rectifier 40 is connected to the high-pressure side and the low-pressure side of the refrigeration cycle apparatus via the capillary tube 44 acting as a second decompression device and the capillary tube 45 acting as a third decompression device, allowing the refrigerant rectifier 40 to operate with an intermediate pressure. thus, a difference between liquid composition and gas composition is larger (more zeotropic) than in a high-pressure operation, thereby increasing separation efficiency (proportionate to a concentration difference between liquid and gas). the operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus configured thus according to the third embodiment is exemplified by a heat-pump water heater. in the heat-pump water heater, the user-side heat exchanger 32 is driven as a water heat exchanger and the heat-source-side heat exchanger 35 is driven as air heat exchanger. in this case, the heat-source-side heat exchanger 35 is operated as an evaporator and the user-side heat exchanger 32 is operated as a condenser. cold water flowing as a heated medium into the user-side heat exchanger 32 is heated into warm water by latent heat of refrigerant condensation and then is supplied to a hot water storage tank or other tanks. air flowing as a cooled medium into the heat-source-side heat exchanger 35 is cooled by latent heat of refrigerant vaporization and then is discharged to outside air or other atmospheres. in the heat-pump water heater, the refrigeration cycle apparatus is operated at night and water is supplied by a pump (not shown) to the water heat exchanger of the user-side heat exchanger 32 from the hot water storage tank (not shown) containing supplied tap water, and then the water is heated to boil in the hot water storage tank. a user mixes the hot water from the hot water storage tank with feed water (tap water) and uses the mixed water at an appropriate temperature. the amount of hot water in the hot water storage tank decreases as the amount of used water increases. the tank is not replenished with water (fed with water) in the daytime before reaching a drought water level. at a drought water level, hot water at about 55 degrees c is stored in the hot water storage tank with circulating refrigerant having the standard composition or a small amount of hot water at 70 degrees c is stored with a composition ratio of an increased amount of the second refrigerant (high boiling temperature component). these conditions are properly selected to reheat the water. in the following operation, the composition ratio of refrigerant is changed (corresponding to the separation-storage mode of the present invention) or the composition ratio of refrigerant is returned to the standard composition (corresponding to the release mode of the present invention) in the refrigeration cycle apparatus of the third embodiment. in the water heater of the present embodiment, the composition of refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle apparatus can be changed. for example, the composition ratio of the second refrigerant (high boiling temperature component) is increased to suppress an increase in pressure, allowing hot water supply. moreover, the composition ratio of the first refrigerant (low temperature boiling component) is returned to the standard composition of the refrigeration cycle apparatus, thereby improving low-temperature heating capability. for example, for quickly raising a water temperature at the start of hot water supply, the circulating refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle apparatus with the standard composition improves the low-temperature hating capability. when the hot water storage tank reaches a certain temperature (e.g., 55 degrees c), the composition ratio of the second refrigerant (high boiling temperature component) of the circulating refrigerant is increased to heat water to a high temperature (e.g., 70 degrees c). after that, the temperature of water in the hot water storage tank is kept. to compensate for a temperature decrease caused by a thermal loss from a high temperature (e.g., 70 degrees c), the refrigeration cycle apparatus can be operated with the composition ratio of increased second refrigerant (high boiling temperature component). an operation of changing the composition ratio of refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle apparatus (separation-storage mode) will be first discussed below. in the separation-storage mode during hot water supply, an operation is performed to increase high boiling temperature components (second refrigerant) in the composition of refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. the four-way valve 31 connected as indicated by solid lines connects the discharging part of the compressor 30 and the inlet part of the user-side heat exchanger 32 and connects the outlet part of the heat-source-side heat exchanger 35 and the suction part of the compressor 30. the first solenoid valve 46 of the first pipe 50 and the third solenoid valve 48 of the third pipe 52 are opened while the second solenoid valve 47 of the second pipe 51 is closed. at this point, high-pressure gas refrigerant from the compressor 30 partially passes through the first solenoid valve 46, is decompressed to an intermediate pressure in the capillary tube 44 acting as the second decompression device provided at the inlet of the lower part of the refrigerant rectifier 40, and then the gas refrigerant flows into the lower part of the refrigerant rectifier 40 and partially rises in the refrigerant rectifier 40. on the upper part of the refrigerant rectifier 40, rising refrigerant steam flows into the first cooler 42 and is cooled into condensate liquid by low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant flowing out of the capillary tube 45 acting as the third decompression device connected to the lower part of the refrigerant rectifier 40. the condensed and liquefied refrigerant flows into the refrigerant reservoir 41 and is stored therein. a flow of liquid refrigerant is gradually accumulated in the refrigerant reservoir 41 and liquid refrigerant overflowing the refrigerant reservoir 41 flows into the upper part of the refrigerant rectifier 40 as reflux to the refrigerant rectifier 40. in this state, rising steam refrigerant and falling liquid refrigerant come into gas-liquid contact and move heat and substances in the refrigerant rectifier 40. so-called rectification gradually increases low temperature boiling components (first refrigerant) in steam refrigerant rising in the refrigerant rectifier 40 and gradually increases low temperature boiling components (first refrigerant) in liquid refrigerant stored in the refrigerant reservoir 41. subsequently, refrigerant containing a large amount of rectified high boiling temperature components (second refrigerant) flows from the lower part of the refrigerant rectifier 40. the two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant having an intermediate pressure flows into the second cooler 43 and is liquefied therein, is decompressed into low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant through the capillary tube 45 acting as the third decompression device, and is returned to the second cooler 43. the refrigerant completely liquefies, in the second cooler 43, the two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant (subcooling state) having flown from the lower part of the refrigerant rectifier 40, and then is cooled into low-pressure two-phase (or steam) refrigerant. subsequently, the low-pressure two-phase (or steam) refrigerant flows into the first cooler 42, cools and liquefies the refrigerant steam of the first refrigerant (low temperature boiling component) flowing out of the refrigerant rectifier 40, passes through the third pipe 52, and then flows into the inlet part of the compressor 30. this reduces low temperature boiling components (first refrigerant) and high boiling temperature components (second refrigerant) in the composition of refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. an operation of returning, to the standard composition, the composition ratio of refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle apparatus (release mode) will be discussed below. in the release mode, the four-way valve 31 connected as indicated by solid lines connects the discharging part of the compressor 30 and the inlet part of the user-side heat exchanger 32 and connects the outlet part of the heat-source-side heat exchanger 35 and the suction part of the compressor 30. the first solenoid valve 46 of the first pipe 50 is closed while the second solenoid valve 47 of the second pipe 51 and the third solenoid valve 48 of the third pipe 52 are opened. high-pressure gas refrigerant discharged from the compressor 30 passes through the four-way valve 31 and is condensed and liquefied into high-pressure liquid refrigerant in the user-side heat exchanger 32 acting as a condenser. the refrigerant is partially subcooled in the subcooler 33, is decompressed into low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant by the expansion valve 34, and then flows into the heat-source-side heat exchanger 35 acting as an evaporator. the refrigerant is evaporated in the heat-source-side heat exchanger 35 and is sucked into the compressor 30 again through the four-way valve 31. the other part of the high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the user-side heat exchanger 32 passes through the second solenoid valve 47 of the second pipe 51, flows into the refrigerant rectifier 40 and the second cooler 43 through the refrigerant reservoir 41, is decompressed into low-pressure two-phase gas-liquid refrigerant in the capillary tube 45 acting as the third decompression device, and is sucked into the compressor 30 through the third pipe 52. specifically, the first solenoid valve 46 is closed, the second solenoid valve 47 and the third solenoid valve 48 are opened, high-pressure liquid refrigerant flowing out of the user-side heat exchanger 32 causes refrigerant containing a large amount of high boiling temperature components (second refrigerant) in the refrigeration cycle apparatus to press liquid refrigerant containing a large amount of low temperature boiling components in the refrigerant reservoir 41 from the lower part of the refrigerant reservoir 41, and returns the refrigerant containing a large amount of low temperature boiling components (first refrigerant) into the refrigeration cycle apparatus, thereby returning the composition ratio of refrigerant to the standard composition. the effect of the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described below. with this configuration, in the separation-storage mode, the refrigerant reservoir 41 stores liquid refrigerant containing a larger amount of low temperature boiling components (first refrigerant) than the refrigerant stored with the standard composition in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. the refrigerant can circulate with the composition ratio of a large amount of high boiling temperature components (second refrigerant) in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. refrigerant containing predetermined high boiling temperature components (second refrigerant) with a high composition ratio can suppress an increase in pressure on the high-pressure side during hot water supply, enabling hot water supply. furthermore, a pressure increase on the high-pressure side is likely to cause disproportionation in the zeotropic refrigerant mixture but a reduction in the composition ratio of low boiling temperature refrigerant (first refrigerant) suppresses the probability of disproportionation. in the composition ratio of refrigerant in the component separation unit 200, the composition of low boiling temperature refrigerant (first refrigerant) increases. however, the component separation unit 200 does not have a sliding unit or a power receiving unit that is provided in the compressor 30 and thus the first refrigerant is placed under the conditions that disproportionation is unlikely to occur, thereby achieving safety. subsequently, refrigerant contains predetermined high boiling temperature components (second refrigerant) having a high composition ratio in the refrigeration cycle apparatus, and then the first solenoid valve 46 and the third solenoid valve 48 are closed to perform an operation with a fixed composition ratio of the refrigerant. when low-temperature water is warmed at the start of usage of a water heater, high thermal capability is necessary. in this case, an operation is performed after the composition ratio of refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle apparatus is returned to the standard composition (filler composition) from the state of a large amount of high boiling temperature components (second refrigerant) in the release mode. in the water heater, the composition ratio of refrigerant is adjusted by the component separation unit 200 according to a change of the temperature of supplied hot water. as in the first embodiment, the interior of the compressor 30 or the pressure or temperature of discharged refrigerant is measured. when a high temperature or a high pressure is measured (reaction is likely to occur), the component separation unit 200 can be operated in the separation-storage mode. on the condition that disproportionation is likely to occur in the working refrigerant, the first refrigerant is stored in the refrigerant reservoir 41, and refrigerant containing the second refrigerant having a high composition ratio is supplied to the suction side of the compressor 30. this can suppress the composition ratio of the first refrigerant in the compressor 30 and reduces disproportionation. for a predetermined time before the compressor 30 of the refrigeration cycle apparatus is stopped, the first solenoid valve 46 and the third solenoid valve 48 are opened and the component separation unit 200 is operated in the separation-storage mode. thus, liquid refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a high composition ratio is stored in the refrigerant reservoir 41 and the refrigerant containing the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio is supplied to the compressor 30 that is damaged at restart and is likely to generate local energy, thereby reliably preventing disproportionation. subsequently, the release mode is performed in response to a stable operation of the refrigeration cycle apparatus after the lapse of a certain time period from startup, and the composition ratio of the refrigerant of the refrigeration cycle apparatus is returned to the standard composition, thereby achieving thermal capability. the third pipe 52 is connected to the suction pipe of the compressor 30. with this configuration, in either of the case where the compressor 30 has a low pressure shell or the case where it has a high pressure shell, the first refrigerant can have a low composition ratio to the whole refrigerant mixture around a glass terminal or the motor, effectively preventing reactions. moreover, the connecting portion of the third pipe 52 injects the refrigerant midway in a compression stroke of the compressor 30, thereby reducing the composition ratio of the first refrigerant particularly at a high-pressure part in the compression stroke. in the refrigeration cycle apparatus of the third embodiment, the configuration can reduce the composition of the first refrigerant near the refrigeration cycle unit 100 in the refrigeration cycle apparatus, reduce the partial pressure of the first refrigerant, and suppress the chain disproportionation of the first refrigerant. in the third embodiment, the water heater was described as an example. the refrigeration cycle apparatus is applicable to an air conditioner, a chiller, and other devices. in the refrigeration cycle apparatus according to the third embodiment, the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant are mixed. three or more kinds of refrigerant may be mixed instead. in this case, the first refrigerant needs to belong to a low temperature boiling component. in this composition, the refrigerant of the main passage contains the first refrigerant having a high composition ratio, whereas the refrigerant of the bypass contains the first refrigerant having a low composition ratio, thereby achieving the same effect of suppressing reactions. the first to third embodiments were described above. the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and at least some of the embodiments can be combined. for example, the component separation unit 200 of the third embodiment can be used for the refrigeration cycle apparatus of the first or second embodiment to adjust the composition ratio of the first refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. moreover, the refrigeration cycle apparatus for the refrigeration cycle unit 100 of the third embodiment may be replaced with the refrigeration cycle apparatus of the first or second embodiment to constitute an air conditioning system. reference signs list 1 compressor 2 first condenser 3 liquid separator3a gas outlet 3b liquid outlet 4 second condenser (corresponding to a third heat exchanger of the present invention) 5 refrigerant heat exchanger 6 first expansion valve 7 evaporator 8 main passage 9 bypass 10 second expansion valve 11 compressor 12 oil separator 12a gas outlet 12b oil return port 13 four-way valve 14 exterior heat exchanger 15 exterior expansion valve (corresponding to a third expansion valve of the present invention) 16 interior expansion valve 17 interior heat exchanger 18 accumulator 19 bypass 20 constriction 21 main passage 30 compressor 31 four-way valve 32 user-side heat exchanger 33 subcooler 34 expansion valve 35 heat-source-side heat exchanger 40 refrigerant rectifier 41 refrigerant reservoir 42 first cooler 43 second cooler 44 capillary tube 45 capillary tube 46 first solenoid valve 47 second solenoid valve 48 third solenoid valve, 50 first pipe 51 second pipe 52 third pipe 100 refrigeration cycle unit 200 component separation unit
|
012-324-408-238-220
|
US
|
[
"US",
"JP"
] |
G03B27/72,H01L21/027,G03F7/20,H01J40/14,H01L31/00
| 2006-02-28T00:00:00 |
2006
|
[
"G03",
"H01"
] |
lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method and energy sensor
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an energy sensor, e.g. as part of a transmission image sensor comprises: a radiation-sensitive detector arranged to receive a pulsed radiation beam and to generate a current in response thereto; a circuit equivalent to an rc network connected across the radiation-sensitive detector; and an analog to digital converter connected across a resistive component of the circuit and arranged to output digital samples measuring the voltage across the resistive component at a sampling rate that is greater than the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed radiation beam.
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1 . a lithographic apparatus having sensor system comprising: a radiation-sensitive detector arranged to receive a pulsed radiation beam and to generate a current in response thereto; a circuit equivalent to an rc network connected across the radiation-sensitive detector; and an analog to digital converter connected across a resistive component of the circuit and arranged to output digital samples measuring voltage across the resistive component at a sampling rate that is greater than a pulse repetition rate of the pulsed radiation beam. 2 . the apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sampling rate is greater than 5 times the pulse repetition rate. 3 . the apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sampling rate is greater than 10 times the pulse repetition rate 4 . the apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sampling rate is greater than 20 times the pulse repetition rate 5 . the apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sampling rate is greater than 50 times the pulse repetition rate 6 . the apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation sensitive detector has an equivalent resistance rs and an equivalent capacitance cp, and the sampling rate f satisfies the following inequality: f>n (1/( rscp )) where n is a positive real number greater than 1. 7 . the apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein n is greater than 50. 8 . the apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the circuit has an equivalent resistance ri and an equivalent capacitance ci and the sampling rate f satisfies the following inequality: f>p (1/( rici )) where p is a positive real number greater than 1. 9 . the apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein p is greater than 50. 10 . the apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a digital signal processor connected to the analog to digital converter to receive the digital samples and configured and arranged to calculate therefrom a measure of the energy of a pulse of the radiation beam. 11 . apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation beam is electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of less than or equal to about 365 nm. 12 . apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation-sensitive detector is part of a transmission image sensor system. 13 . apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation sensitive detector is part of an interferometric aberration sensor. 14 . a device manufacturing method using a lithographic apparatus which has a radiation-sensitive detector arranged to receive a pulsed radiation beam and to generate a current in response thereto connected to a circuit equivalent to an rc network, the method comprising: digitally sampling the voltage across a resistive component of the circuit at a sampling rate that is greater than the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed radiation beam. 15 . a method according to claim 14 , wherein the sampling rate is greater than 5 times the pulse repetition rate. 16 . a method according to claim 14 , wherein the sampling rate is greater than 10 times the pulse repetition rate. 17 . a method according to claim 14 , wherein the sampling rate is greater than 20 times the pulse repetition rate. 18 . a method according to claim 14 , wherein the sampling rate is greater than 50 times the pulse repetition rate. 19 . a method according to claim 14 wherein the radiation sensitive detector has an equivalent resistance rs and an equivalent capacitance cp, and the sampling rate f satisfies the following inequality: f>n (1/( rscp )) where n is a positive real number greater than 1. 20 . the apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein n is greater than 50. 21 . a method according to claim 14 , wherein the circuit has an equivalent resistance ri and an equivalent capacitance ci and the sampling rate f satisfies the following inequality: f>p (1/( rici )) where p is a positive real number greater than 1. 22 . the apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein p is greater than 50. 23 . an energy sensor comprising: a radiation-sensitive detector arranged to receive a pulsed radiation beam and to generate a current in response thereto; a circuit equivalent to an rc network connected across the radiation-sensitive detector; and an analog to digital converter connected across a resistive component of the circuit and arranged to output digital samples measuring the voltage across the resistive component at a sampling rate that is greater than the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed radiation beam.
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field the present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus, to device manufacturing methods using lithographic apparatus, and energy sensors. background a lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. a lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ics). in that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the ic. this pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. in general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the “scanning”-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. it is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate. in device manufacturing methods using lithographic apparatus, it is important to ensure that the correct amount of energy (dose) is delivered to the substrate. an incorrect dose causes variation of linewidth and other imaging errors. conversely, control of dose level can often be used for fine control of linewidth or critical dimension. to enable dose control it is desirable to measure the power output of the radiation source, ideally as close as possible to the substrate. this is particularly important when a pulsed light source, such as an excimer laser, is used as the relationship between input to the light source is complex and may depend on history and factors not under direct control. many lithographic apparatus divert a known fraction of the projection beam, e.g. using a part silvered mirror, in the illumination system to an energy sensor. this therefore measures the power output of the radiation source and the effects of the illumination system upstream of the energy sensor during an exposure. downstream effects can be predicted, based on calibration measurements taken using an energy sensor at substrate level when no exposure is taking place. as well as dose control, various measurement and metrology processes carried out in lithographic apparatus require a measurement of the power of the radiation source. for example, in a process to align the substrate table to a mask, a sensor known as a transmission image sensor (tis), which comprises a photodiode covered by a grating, mounted on the substrate table is scanned through the aerial image of a corresponding grating pattern on the mask. the output of the sensor is a periodically varying signal which, along with a position signal, can be used to determine the positional relationship of the substrate table and the mask pattern to a high degree of accuracy. when using a pulsed radiation source, it is desirable to remove the influence of any variation in source output from pulse to pulse. an additional sensor is provided adjacent the tis to measure the pulse energy. the additional sensor comprises a photodiode connected to a rc network, or equivalent, which is sampled at a fixed time delay after the laser is fired. the resultant voltage measurement is used to normalize the signal from the tis to eliminate source variations. however, the present inventors have determined that this arrangement does not always give a correct measurement of the energy of a pulse. it is therefore desirable to provide an improved method for determining the pulse energy of a pulsed radiation beam. according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a lithographic apparatus having sensor system comprising: a radiation-sensitive detector arranged to receive a pulsed radiation beam and to generate a current in response thereto; a circuit equivalent to an rc network connected across the radiation-sensitive detector; and an analog to digital converter connected across a resistive component of the circuit and arranged to output digital samples measuring the voltage across the resistive component at a sampling rate that is greater than the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed radiation beam according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided device manufacturing a method using a lithographic apparatus which has a radiation-sensitive detector arranged to receive a pulsed radiation beam and to generate a current in response thereto connected to a circuit equivalent to an rc network, the method comprising: digitally sampling the voltage across a resistive component of the rc network at a rate that is greater than the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed radiation beam. according to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an energy sensor comprising: a radiation-sensitive detector arranged to receive a pulsed radiation beam and to generate a current in response thereto; a circuit equivalent to an rc network connected across the radiation-sensitive detector; and an analog to digital converter connected across a resistive component of the circuit and arranged to output digital samples measuring the voltage across the resistive component at a sampling rate that is greater than the pulse repetition rate of the pulsed radiation beam. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 depicts a lithographic apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. fig. 2 depicts the substrate stage of the apparatus of fig. 1 . fig. 3 depicts a transmission image sensor. fig. 4 depicts a voltage output from an rc network sampled at one point in time. fig. 5 depicts a sensor according to an embodiment of the invention. fig. 6 depicts a voltage output from an rc network sampled at multiple points in time. detailed description fig. 1 schematically depicts a lithographic apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention. the apparatus comprises: an illumination system (illuminator) il configured to condition a radiation beam b (e.g. uv radiation or duv radiation); a support structure (e.g. a mask table) mt constructed to support a patterning device (e.g. a mask) ma and connected to a first positioner pm configured to accurately position the patterning device in accordance with certain parameters; a substrate table (e.g. a wafer table) wt constructed to hold a substrate (e.g. a resist-coated wafer) w and connected to a second positioner pw configured to accurately position the substrate in accordance with certain parameters; and a projection system (e.g. a refractive projection lens system) ps configured to project a pattern imparted to the radiation beam b by patterning device ma onto a target portion c (e.g. comprising one or more dies) of the substrate w. the illumination system may include various types of optical components, such as refractive, reflective, magnetic, electromagnetic, electrostatic or other types of optical components, or any combination thereof, for directing, shaping, or controlling radiation. the support structure supports, i.e. bears the weight of, the patterning device. it holds the patterning device in a manner that depends on the orientation of the patterning device, the design of the lithographic apparatus, and other conditions, such as for example whether or not the patterning device is held in a vacuum environment. the support structure can use mechanical, vacuum, electrostatic or other clamping techniques to hold the patterning device. the support structure may be a frame or a table, for example, which may be fixed or movable as required. the support structure may ensure that the patterning device is at a desired position, for example with respect to the projection system. any use of the terms “reticle” or “mask” herein may be considered synonymous with the more general term “patterning device.” the term “patterning device” used herein should be broadly interpreted as referring to any device that can be used to impart a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section such as to create a pattern in a target portion of the substrate. it should be noted that the pattern imparted to the radiation beam may not exactly correspond to the desired pattern in the target portion of the substrate, for example if the pattern includes phase-shifting features or so called assist features. generally, the pattern imparted to the radiation beam will correspond to a particular functional layer in a device being created in the target portion, such as an integrated circuit. the patterning device may be transmissive or reflective. examples of patterning devices include masks, programmable mirror arrays, and programmable lcd panels. masks are well known in lithography, and include mask types such as binary, alternating phase-shift, and attenuated phase-shift, as well as various hybrid mask types. an example of a programmable mirror array employs a matrix arrangement of small mirrors, each of which can be individually tilted so as to reflect an incoming radiation beam in different directions. the tilted mirrors impart a pattern in a radiation beam which is reflected by the mirror matrix. the term “projection system” used herein should be broadly interpreted as encompassing any type of projection system, including refractive, reflective, catadioptric, magnetic, electromagnetic and electrostatic optical systems, or any combination thereof, as appropriate for the exposure radiation being used, or for other factors such as the use of an immersion liquid or the use of a vacuum. any use of the term “projection lens” herein may be considered as synonymous with the more general term “projection system”. as here depicted, the apparatus is of a transmissive type (e.g. employing a transmissive mask). alternatively, the apparatus may be of a reflective type (e.g. employing a programmable mirror array of a type as referred to above, or employing a reflective mask). the lithographic apparatus may be of a type having two (dual stage) or more substrate tables (and/or two or more mask tables). in such “multiple stage” machines the additional tables may be used in parallel, or preparatory steps may be carried out on one or more tables while one or more other tables are being used for exposure. the lithographic apparatus may also be of a type wherein at least a portion of the substrate may be covered by a liquid having a relatively high refractive index, e.g. water, so as to fill a space between the projection system and the substrate. an immersion liquid may also be applied to other spaces in the lithographic apparatus, for example, between the mask and the projection system. immersion techniques are well known in the art for increasing the numerical aperture of projection systems. the term “immersion” as used herein does not mean that a structure, such as a substrate, must be submerged in liquid, but rather only means that liquid is located between the projection system and the substrate during exposure. referring to fig. 1 , the illuminator il receives a radiation beam from a radiation source so. the source and the lithographic apparatus may be separate entities, for example when the source is an excimer laser. in such cases, the source is not considered to form part of the lithographic apparatus and the radiation beam is passed from the source so to the illuminator il with the aid of a beam delivery system bd comprising, for example, suitable directing mirrors and/or a beam expander. in other cases the source may be an integral part of the lithographic apparatus, for example when the source is a mercury lamp. the source so and the illuminator il, together with the beam delivery system bd if required, may be referred to as a radiation system. the illuminator il may comprise an adjuster ad for adjusting the angular intensity distribution of the radiation beam. generally, at least the outer and/or inner radial extent (commonly referred to as σ-outer and σ-inner, respectively) of the intensity distribution in a pupil plane of the illuminator can be adjusted. in addition, the illuminator il may comprise various other components, such as an integrator in and a condenser co. the illuminator may be used to condition the radiation beam, to have a desired uniformity and intensity distribution in its cross-section. the radiation beam b is incident on the patterning device (e.g., mask ma), which is held on the support structure (e.g., mask table mt), and is patterned by the patterning device. having traversed the mask ma, the radiation beam b passes through the projection system ps, which focuses the beam onto a target portion c of the substrate w. with the aid of the second positioner pw and position sensor if (e.g. an interferometric device, linear encoder or capacitive sensor), the substrate table wt can be moved accurately, e.g. so as to position different target portions c in the path of the radiation beam b. similarly, the first positioner pm and another position sensor (which is not explicitly depicted in fig. 1 ) can be used to accurately position the mask ma with respect to the path of the radiation beam b, e.g. after mechanical retrieval from a mask library, or during a scan. in general, movement of the mask table mt may be realized with the aid of a long-stroke module (coarse positioning) and a short-stroke module (fine positioning), which form part of the first positioner pm. similarly, movement of the substrate table wt may be realized using a long-stroke module and a short-stroke module, which form part of the second positioner pw. in the case of a stepper (as opposed to a scanner) the mask table mt may be connected to a short-stroke actuator only, or may be fixed. mask ma and substrate w may be aligned using mask alignment markers m 1 , m 2 and substrate alignment markers p 1 , p 2 . although the substrate alignment markers as illustrated occupy dedicated target portions, they may be located in spaces between target portions (these are known as scribe-lane alignment markers). similarly, in situations in which more than one die is provided on the mask ma, the mask alignment markers may be located between the dies. the depicted apparatus could be used in at least one of the following modes: 1. in step mode, the mask table mt and the substrate table wt are kept essentially stationary, while an entire pattern imparted to the radiation beam is projected onto a target portion c at one time (i.e. a single static exposure). the substrate table wt is then shifted in the x and/or y direction so that a different target portion c can be exposed. in step mode, the maximum size of the exposure field limits the size of the target portion c imaged in a single static exposure. 2. in scan mode, the mask table mt and the substrate table wt are scanned synchronously while a pattern imparted to the radiation beam is projected onto a target portion c (i.e. a single dynamic exposure). the velocity and direction of the substrate table wt relative to the mask table mt may be determined by the (de-)magnification and image reversal characteristics of the projection system ps. in scan mode, the maximum size of the exposure field limits the width (in the non-scanning direction) of the target portion in a single dynamic exposure, whereas the length of the scanning motion determines the height (in the scanning direction) of the target portion. 3. in another mode, the mask table mt is kept essentially stationary holding a programmable patterning device, and the substrate table wt is moved or scanned while a pattern imparted to the radiation beam is projected onto a target portion c. in this mode, generally a pulsed radiation source is employed and the programmable patterning device is updated as required after each movement of the substrate table wt or in between successive radiation pulses during a scan. this mode of operation can be readily applied to maskless lithography that utilizes programmable patterning device, such as a programmable mirror array of a type as referred to above. combinations and/or variations on the above described modes of use or entirely different modes of use may also be employed. the apparatus also comprises an alignment sensor as, which may be mounted at the measurement station of a dual stage apparatus, which is used to detect alignment markers printed on a substrate w and also fixed markers (fiducials) provided on the substrate table. this can be seen in fig. 2 , which shows four alignment markers p 1 -p 4 printed on the substrate and two fixed markers tis 1 and tis 2 provided on the substrate table wt. the substrate table may also have on it a sensor ia for an interferometric system that measures properties of the projection system, e.g. aberrations, and sensors for other systems that involve detection of a property of an image projected by projection system pl. by scanning the substrate table wt under the alignment sensor as whilst keep track of its movements using the displacement measurement system if, the positions, shown by dashed arrows, of the substrate markers p 1 -p 4 relative to the fixed markers tis 1 , tis 2 can be determined. further details of an off-axis alignment system that can be used in such a process are given in ep 0 906 590 a, which document is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. the fixed markers tis 1 and tis 2 have integrated into them an image sensor that can be used to determine the location of an image of a mask marker by scanning the image sensor through the aerial image. thus the relative position of the image of the mask marker and the fixed markers can be determined and the previously obtained relative positions of the substrate markers allow the substrate to be positioned at any desired position relative to the projected image with great accuracy. the image sensors are shown in fig. 3 . each image sensor comprises seven photo-sensitive detectors 11 to 17 . three of the photo-sensitive detectors, 11 - 13 , are covered by an opaque, e.g. chrome, layer into which are etched gratings with lines extending in the x direction whilst three others 15 - 17 are similar but the lines of the gratings extend in the y direction. the remaining photo-sensitive detector 14 has no covering and is used for capture and/or normalization, as discussed below. as the photo-sensitive detectors are scanned through aerial images of gratings corresponding to those provided over the detectors, the outputs of the detectors will fluctuate as bright parts of the aerial images and the apertures of the gratings etched in the opaque layer move into and out of registration. known signal processing techniques can be used to determine when the center of the marker is aligned with the center of the aerial image. by scanning the sensor through the marker at different positions along the z axis, the plane of best focus can be detected by detecting the level at which the fluctuations in the outputs of the detectors have the greatest amplitude. the central, uncovered detector 14 can be used to find a coarse position for the gratings in the aerial image in a known capture procedure and can also be used to normalize the signals from the grating detectors to remove fluctuations due to changes in the output of the illumination system il, e.g. due to source power variations. the various photo-sensitive detectors 11 - 17 may comprise photo-diodes, or other photo-sensitive components covered by a conversion layer. the conversion layer absorbs the incident radiation and emits in response radiation of a longer wavelength. in this way, components sensitive to visible light can be used to detect radiation of shorter wavelength and at the same time are protected from damage by the higher energy photons of the shorter wavelength radiation. as mentioned above, conventionally the central detector 14 is connected to an rc network, or equivalent, which is sampled at a predetermined time t sample after the radiation source so is fired. this time is determined so as to correspond as closely as possible to the peak of the energy pulse, as illustrated in fig. 4 , and it is assumed that the resultant measured voltage v sample is related to the total energy of the pulse. however the present inventors have determined that the measured voltage v sample is not sufficiently reliably related to the pulse energy. fluctuations in the laser energy release profile, jitter in the laser firing and jitter in the timing of the sampling circuitry can affect the relationship between v sample and total pulse energy. according to an embodiment of the present invention, the output of the photosensitive detector is sampled at a plurality of different times during a pulse of the radiation source, to give a more accurate measure of the pulse energy. preferably, the output is sampled at least 5 times, preferably at least 10 times, preferably least 20 times during a pulse. alternatively, the sampling frequency is at least 5 times, at least 10 times, at least 20 times, or at least 50 times the pulse repetition frequency. as shown in fig. 5 , this can be arranged by connecting the photo-sensitive detector 14 , which may for example be a photodiode with an inherent capacitance cp and resistance rs, to a circuit that is equivalent to an rc network, represented in the figure by capacitance ci and resistance ri. the voltage across resistance ri is sampled by analog to digital converter (adc) 20 , which is clocked by clock 21 at a suitable frequency f, for example at least 20 mhz, at least 30 mhz, at least 50 mhz, at least 100 mhz. it is desirable that the sampling frequency f satisfy the following inequalities: f>n (1/( rscp )) (1) f>p (1/( rici )) (2) where n and p are positive real numbers greater than 1 and preferably greater than 5, greater than 10, greater than 20 or greater than 50. thereby, the voltage across the rc network is sampled at a plurality of points during each pulse of the radiation source. the voltage that is sampled is proportional to the number of charge pairs generated in the photodiode, hence also to the number of photons falling on the photodetector in a predetermined period and the momentary intensity of the radiation beam. the total pulse energy is derived by digital processing of the samples output by adc 20 , for example by numeric integration. this is done by digital signal processor (dsp) 22 , which may be a dedicated integrated circuit. to increase accuracy further, it is possible to sample the voltage across the rc network when the radiation source is off, either between pulses or when it is off for longer periods such as between exposures, to determine the thermal photodetector current, which is then subtracted from measurements of the pulse energy. if the pulse repetition rate and amplitude of the radiation source is particularly high, compared to rscp and rici, such that charge generated during one pulse has not completely drained away before the next pulse, this can be predicted and the predicted effect on pulse energy subtracted digitally. although the invention has been described herein applied to a normalization detector forming part of a transmission image sensor system, it will be appreciated that the invention can be used with any other sensor or sensor system that is used to measure the energy of a pulse, such as for example an energy sensor in the illumination system of a lithographic apparatus, an interferometric aberration sensor, a stray light sensor, a slit uniformity sensor, a relative polarization sensor, an apodization sensor, an absolute polarization sensor, an image quality sensor, or a wavefront aberration sensor. although specific reference may be made in this text to the use of lithographic apparatus in the manufacture of ics, it should be understood that the lithographic apparatus described herein may have other applications, such as the manufacture of integrated optical systems, guidance and detection patterns for magnetic domain memories, flat-panel displays, liquid-crystal displays (lcds), thin-film magnetic heads, etc. the skilled artisan will appreciate that, in the context of such alternative applications, any use of the terms “wafer” or “die” herein may be considered as synonymous with the more general terms “substrate” or “target portion”, respectively. the substrate referred to herein may be processed, before or after exposure, in for example a track (a tool that typically applies a layer of resist to a substrate and develops the exposed resist), a metrology tool and/or an inspection tool. where applicable, the disclosure herein may be applied to such and other substrate processing tools. further, the substrate may be processed more than once, for example in order to create a multi-layer ic, so that the term substrate used herein may also refer to a substrate that already contains multiple processed layers. although specific reference may have been made above to the use of embodiments of the invention in the context of optical lithography, it will be appreciated that the invention may be used in other applications, for example imprint lithography, and where the context allows, is not limited to optical lithography. in imprint lithography a topography in a patterning device defines the pattern created on a substrate. the topography of the patterning device may be pressed into a layer of resist supplied to the substrate whereupon the resist is cured by applying electromagnetic radiation, heat, pressure or a combination thereof. the patterning device is moved out of the resist leaving a pattern in it after the resist is cured. the terms “radiation” and “beam” used herein encompass all types of electromagnetic radiation, including ultraviolet (uv) radiation (e.g. having a wavelength of or about 365, 355, 248, 193, 157 or 126 nm) and extreme ultra-violet (euv) radiation (e.g. having a wavelength in the range of 5-20 nm), as well as particle beams, such as ion beams or electron beams. the term “lens”, where the context allows, may refer to any one or combination of various types of optical components, including refractive, reflective, magnetic, electromagnetic and electrostatic optical components. while specific embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be appreciated that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as described. for example, the invention may take the form of a computer program containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions describing a method as disclosed above, or a data storage medium (e.g. semiconductor memory, magnetic or optical disk) having such a computer program stored therein. the descriptions above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. thus, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention as described without departing from the scope of the claims set out below.
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015-959-832-284-726
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JP
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[
"US"
] |
C04B35/117,C04B35/18
| 1998-11-27T00:00:00 |
1998
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[
"C04"
] |
ceramic member resistant to halogen-plasma corrosion
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the present invention is to provide ceramic members for being used as members constituting a processing chamber for etching or cleaning semiconductor substrates or wafers by halogen plasma. a ceramic member includes at least 10% by volume of a compound of yttrium-aluminum-garnet (yag) phase and not more than 90% by volume of at least an oxide phase selected from aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide and aluminum nitride. particularly, the ceramic member contains yttrium within a range of 35 to 80 mole % in terms of yttrium oxide y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } and aluminum within a range of 20 to 65 mole % in terms of aluminum oxide al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } to form a mixture of yag phase with yttria phase, producing ceramic material having high corrosion resistance to halogenous gas and its plasma. such ceramic material may be well applicable to members to be exposed by the halogen plasma, for example, a chamber wall, a wafer stage, a clamp ring, a shower head, which are used in systems for etching and cleaning semiconductor wafers. a ceramic member of the invention can also be composed of yag and alumina or aluminum nitride, showing high thermal conductivity enough to prevent a deposit of the reaction products of halide over the whole members in the chamber by external heating.
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1. a ceramic member having a resistance to halogen plasma, comprising not less than 10% by volume of a phase of yttrium-aluminum-garnet and not more than 90% by volume of at least a phase of aluminum oxide, which is formed of a sintered material containing as a main component any one of a combination of both crystalline phases of yttrium oxide and yttrium-aluminum-garnet, a combination of both crystalline phases of aluminum oxide and yttrium-aluminum-garnet, wherein the sintered material contains zirconium oxide as a secondary component; 2. the ceramic member according to claim 1 , wherein the sintered material includes cerium oxide in an amount sufficient to stabilize said zirconium oxide. 3. the ceramic member according to claim 1 , wherein the ceramic member shows a thermal-shock resistance temperature t of not less than 100 c. 4. the ceramic member according to claim 1 , wherein a mean grain size of yttrium-aluminum-garnet is not more than 10 m. 5. the ceramic member according to claim 1 , wherein a porosity of the sintered material is not more than 0.2%. 6. a ceramic member having a resistance to halogen plasma, comprising not less than 10% by volume of a phase of yttrium-aluminum-garnet and not more than 90% by volume of at least a phase of aluminum oxide, which is formed of a sintered material containing as a main component any one of a combination of both crystalline phases of yttrium oxide and yttrium-aluminum-garnet, a combination of both crystalline phases of aluminum oxide and yttrium-aluminum-garnet, wherein the sintered material contains cerium oxide as a secondary component;
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background of the invention 1. the field of the invention the present invention relates to a ceramic member which exhibits high corrosion resistance to halogenous-corrosive gases or plasma thereof. more particularly, the present invention relates to such a corrosion-resistant ceramic member used in a system utilizing halogen plasma for producing semiconductor devices. 2. prior art recently, there have been developed systems utilizing halogen plasma, for example, for plasma processing including plasma dry etching or plasma coating adopted in production processes of semiconductor devices, and for discharge lamps, metal halide lamps and the like. with respect to a plasma process for producing semiconductor devices, a large variety of high-reactive halogenous-corrosive gases, containing fluorine, chlorine, etc. have been used for the etching and cleaning of semiconductor substrates. since these gases and plasma thereof corrode members in the processing systems, the members used in these purposes require high corrosion resistance to halogenous plasma. fig. 1 shows an example of a processing chamber used for halogen-plasma etching or cleaning systems for producing semiconductor devices. this chamber includes a chamber wall 1 , with a high frequency induction coil 6 arranged on the outside of the chamber to generate plasma. a shower head 2 is fixed at the upper portion inside the chamber wall 1 to supply a gas mixture containing a halogen gas into the chamber, and a lower electrode 4 , or a stage, is arranged at the lower portion in order to fix and mount a wafer 5 to be processed thereon. furthermore, a clamp ring 3 for fixing the wafer 5 is mounted on the lower electrode. except for work pieces such as the semiconductor wafer to be processed, the members such as chamber wall 1 , shower head 2 and clamp ring 3 have been made of corrosion-resistant material such as quartz, stainless steel, alumina or the like. also, there have been utilized sintered materials of alumina or aluminum nitride, and materials obtained by coating these ceramic sintered materials with a ceramic film of silicon carbide (see jp(b)-5-53872, jp(a)3-217016 and jp(a)8-91932). however, quartz glass conventionally used is drastically consumed in halogen plasma because of poor corrosion resistance thereto. particularly, quartz glass is etched by fluorine or chlorine plasma on the surface. quartz glass, which is often required to be high in transparency, is easily hazed into white on the surface by the plasma, then, losing its transparency. a member made of a metal such as stainless steel has also low corrosion resistance to halogen plasma, then causing the problem that the wafer while being processed is contaminated by generation of metal halide particles attended with the corrosion. sintered materials of aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride, or ceramic materials obtained by coating this sintered material with a ceramic film of silicon carbide is higher in corrosion resistance to halogenous plasma as compared with quartz glass or corrosion-resistant metals. however, when they are exposed to plasma, halides are evaporated and consumed from surfaces of the aluminum-based sintered material or from between grain boundaries in the material, resulting in gradually developing corrosion of the ceramic material. this is because aluminum halide formed from the material reacting with halogenous plasma has a low melting temperature. in dry etching or cleaning processes, also, ceramic material members have another problem of generating, by corrosion, particles which cause open or short circuit of metal wiring parts or interconnections on a semiconductor device, thereby deteriorating the device characteristics. these particles result from corroding the members, such as an inner wall, a clamp ring, etc., which constitute the inner portions of the halogenous plasma treating chamber, by halogenous-corrosive gases and their plasma. the particle compound is evaporated by corrosion reaction of an component in the material with halogen plasma, and is repeatedly accumulated onto the inner wall of the chamber made of a high corrosion-resistant material. therefore, for the purpose of preventing the evaporated halide from accumulating as a deposit onto the chamber inner wall, the halide is evaporated and discharged by heating the chamber outer wall using infrared lamps. therefore, not only high heat resistance, but also high thermal conductivity is required to members used in the chamber. the present inventors have found that rare-earth-containing compounds form halides with a high melting point and high corrosion resistance even if the halide is produced as a result of reaction with the halogenous-corrosive gas or plasma thereof, then, proposing the rare-earth-containing compounds as members for plasma processing systems which are used for production of semiconductors (see japanese patent publications (a)10-45467 and (a)10-236871). however, since the rare-earth-containing compounds such as yttria y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } and yttrium-aluminum-garnet (yag), which are considered to be suited for practical use, have low thermal conductivity of 10 w/mk or less, heat quantity added is not distributed uniformly all over the wall even when heating outside the chamber wall for the purpose of preventing the halide deposition from accumulating onto the chamber inner wall, thus obtaining only a local effect of preventing halide deposition. a proposal has been made to improve the corrosion resistance and heating uniformity by forming a thin film made of a rare-earth-containing compound on the surface of a substrate having high thermal conductivity such as conventional aln substrate; however, there arose a problem that the thin film is peeled off on heating the substrate due to a difference in thermal expansivity between the substrate and thin film. also, the outer wall of the chamber is often heated rapidly to high temperatures using lamps for preventing halide accumulation onto the chamber inner wall, and therefore thermal-shock resistance, together with the corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity, is required to ceramic members used as such parts inside the chamber. summary of the invention an object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic member having high corrosion resistance to halogenous gas and plasma thereof. another object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic member having thermal conductivity enough to prevent accumulation of a deposit over the whole member by external heating. still another object of the present invention is to improve the thermal-shock resistance of the ceramic member in the use under high temperature in halogen plasma. a ceramic member in the present invention is provided to contain not less than 10% by volume of a phase of an oxide compound of a rare earth metal and aluminum, in other words, a double oxide of rare earth metal oxide and aluminum oxide, and at least one oxide phase selected from aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide and aluminum nitride as the main balance. in the ceramic member of the invention, the oxide compound of rare earth metal and aluminum is preferably yttrium-aluminum-garnet (hereinafter referred to as yag). the oxide compound may have another structure of millet or perobskite composed of yttrium and aluminum. a ceramic member of the present invention contains a phase of yag of not less than 10% by volume and a phase of yttrium oxide as the main balance, wherein the amount of yttrium in ceramic member is within a range of 35 to 80 mole % in terms of yttrium oxide and the amount of aluminum is within a range of 20 to 65 mole % in terms of aluminum oxide in the ceramic member, thereby, improving corrosion resistance of the ceramic member with respect to halogen plasma, and also increasing sintering performance significantly to obtain dense sintered material. the ceramic member of the present invention may includes, as a main crystalline phase, a single yag single phase, or a mixed phase of the yag phase and an alumina phase, or a mixed phase of the yag phase and an yttria phase, and contains zirconium oxide or cerium oxide. the addition of zirconia or ceria into the ceramic material containing the yag phase improves the thermal-shock resistance without impairing the corrosion resistance. in the present invention, a thermal-shock resistance requires not less than 100 c. as thermal-shock resistance temperature t defined hereinafter. zirconium oxide is present as a phase between the grain boundaries of the main crystalline, which phase preferably contains cerium oxide as a stabilizer, whereby zirconia to be added is stabilized to form a tetragonal crystalline structure by cerium. in the present invention, cerium oxide may be independently added to a single phase of yag to improve the relative density of the yag sintered material to 99% or more, and the resulting yag sintered material can exhibits high corrosion resistance even when exposed to halogen plasma. in a ceramic member of the present invention, the volume of a compound of rare earth metal oxide and aluminum oxide is preferably within a range of 10 to 60% and the balance may be aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride. this ceramic member employs a structure of the ceramic body where the compound phase of rare earth metal oxide and aluminum oxide, especially, yag phase, is dispersed in the form of grains in a matrix of aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride within the above range, thereby, realizing a ceramic member which exhibits high corrosion resistance to halogen plasma and has high thermal conductivity of not less than 20 w/mk due to aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride matrix, so as effectively to prevent accumulating the particle deposit by heating. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view showing an inner structure of a chamber made of a corrosion-resistant ceramic member, the chamber being used in an etching or cleaning system of a semiconductor device. best mode for carrying out the invention in the rie system and the ecr system utilizing microwave, as well as an etching or cleaning system, as shown in fig. 1 , halogenous gases converted into plasma are utilized. in the present specification, halogenous gases include fluoric gas such as sf _{ 6 } , cf _{ 4 } , chf _{ 3 } , clf _{ 3 } , nf _{ 3 } , c _{ 4 } f _{ 8 } and hf; chlorinous gas such as cl _{ 2 } , hcl and bcl _{ 3 } ; and bromic gas such as br _{ 2 } , hbr and bbr _{ 3 } . these gases are utilized for etching or cleaning substrates or wafers after converting into plasma. also, to remove organic matters such as resist used for processing wafers, ashing of combusting organic matters on the wafer surface by introducing a o _{ 2 } gas is conducted. when microwave or radio frequency is introduced under an atmosphere where these halogenous-corrosive or oxygen gasses are used, these gases are converted into plasma. to further enhance the etching effect, plasma is generated sometimes by introducing inert gases such as ar, together with the halogenous-corrosive gases. utilization of ion bombardment to etching is particularly increased by utilization of high-density plasma. the ceramic member of the present invention further comprises any other members to be exposed to plasma or ion bombardment, such as focus ring, shield ring and deposition-preventing plate, in addition to the above chamber parts. a system for generating plasma by microwave comprises parts such as microwave-introducing window. according to the present invention, a ceramic member to be exposed to these halogenous-corrosive gases or plasma thereof is made of ceramics containing a double oxide of rare earth metals and aluminum, thereby enhancing the corrosion resistance to halogen gas converted into plasma. as the double oxide of rare earth metals and aluminum, for example, a phase of double oxide of yttrium oxide and aluminum oxide is utilized. the double oxide includes garnet (y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } ), nonoclinic (y _{ 2 } alo _{ 9 } ) or perobskite structures. this phase of double oxide is contained in the amount of not less than 10% by volume, and one member selected from aluminum oxide, yttrium oxide and aluminum nitride is contained as the balance. particularly, yttrium-aluminum-garnet (hereinafter referred to as yag) is preferably utilized and, in this case, a yag phase is preferably contained in ceramics in the amount of not less than 10% by volume. yag constituting a crystalline phase of a ceramic sintered material reacts with a fluorine gas to form yf _{ 3 } exclusively, or reacts with a chlorine gas to form ycl _{ 3 } exclusively. since the melting point of these halides (yf _{ 3 } has a melting point of 1152 c., and yc13 has a melting point of 680 c.) is higher than that of halides produced by a conventional reaction with quartz glass, an alumina sintered material or an aluminum nitride sintered material (sif _{ 4 } has a melting point of 90 c., sicl _{ 4 } has a melting point of 70 c., alf _{ 3 } has a melting point of 1040 c., and alcl _{ 3 } has a melting point of 178 c.), a stable halide is formed on the surface when exposed to halogenous-corrosive gases or plasma, thereby to prevent further proceeding of the corrosion, thus exerting the corrosion resistance. for this reason, the corrosion resistance of the ceramic member of the present invention to halogen converted into plasma can be further improved by increasing the content of yttrium oxide. as described above, an increase in ratio of the component capable of increasing the melting point of the halide formed by the reaction with the halogenous-corrosive gases or plasma, thereby making it possible to improve the corrosion resistance. however, since the capability of sintering is very small when using yttria alone, it is impossible to obtain a dense sintered material having high porosity. therefore, the corrosion resistance to halogen plasma of ceramics of yttria is lower than that expected. embodiment 1 in a first embodiment, a ceramic member is formed of a mixed structure of a yag phase and an yttria phase. in the ceramic member, this structure increases the melting point of a halide formed by reacting the yag and yttria phases with halogen plasma, and, at the same time, can improve the capability of sintering so as to densify a sintered material to the porosity of not more than 2%, then, both improving corrosion resistance of the sintered material. in this embodiment, the sintered material is preferably a composition comprising 35-80 mole % of yttrium oxide and 20-65 mole % of aluminum oxide. the chemical composition of yag satisfy the following expressions: 0.365x _{ y } 0.385; and 0.615x _{ a } 0.635; where x _{ y } is a mole fraction of yttria in the sintered material and x _{ a } a mole fraction of alumina in the same. if yttria content is less than 35 mole %, a yttria phase is absent in the ceramic sintered material and the amount of alumina phase increases, and therefore, the ceramic sintered material is liable to be corroded by halogenous-corrosive gases or plasma thereof. on the other hand, it the content of yttrium oxide exceeds 80 mole %, the amount of the yttria phase increases thereby to drastically deteriorate the capability of sintering. therefore, a dense sintered material having a comparative density of not less than 99% can not be obtained by sintering under normal pressure. such a sintered material must be densified by using hip (hot isostatic pressing), whereby the cost is increased. to enhance the corrosion resistance of the ceramic sintered material constituting the ceramic member, the total content of both yag and yttria crystalline phases as a main component is preferably not less than 99% by weight, preferably not less than 99.5% by weight, and the porosity is not more than 0.2%, particularly not more than 0.1%. when the total content of both crystalline phases is less than 99% by weight, a grain boundary phase formed of impurities is liable to be corroded. removal of the grain boundary phase due to corrosion depends on the degree of proceeding or the corrosion, and separates main crystalline granules on the surface of the sintered material, thereby to generate particles floated in a processing atmosphere and to accelerate erosion of the material itself. such a component of impurities contains sio _{ 2 } , cao, na _{ 2 } o and fe _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } and the corrosion is caused by the fact that the melting point of the halide produced by the reaction between these impurities and halogenous-corrosive gases is not so high. thus, the amount of these impurities is preferably controlled to 1% by weight or less based on 100% by weight as the total weight of the sintered material composed of yttria and yag as a main component. the amount of these impurities is controlled to 1% by weight or less by using high-purity alumina and yttria as a starting material and preventing inclusion of impurities in the production process. the reason why the porosity of the ceramic sintered material is controlled to 0.2% or less is as follows. that is, when pores are present, edges of pores are liable to be corroded and, when the porosity exceeds 0.2%, proceeding of the corrosion is accelerated. the crystalline phase of the ceramic sintered material can be decided by the x-ray diffraction technique. the contents of crystalline phase in the ceramic sintered material are decided by icp emission spectrochemical analysis or fluorescent x-ray analysis. the porosity can be determined by the archimedean method. example 1 a ceramic sintered material comprising crystalline phases of yttria and yag as a corrosion-resistant member of the present invention as well as quartz glass, an alumina sintered material having a purity of 99.5% by weight and an alumina sintered material having a purity of 99.9% by weight as a conventional corrosion-resistant member were prepared respectively, and then the corrosion resistance when exposed to plasma under fluorine and chlorine-corrosive gases was examined. in these tests, each of corrosion-resistant members of the present invention and conventional corrosion-resistant members was formed into pieces having a diameter of 30 mm and a thickness of 3 mm and then lapped to obtain samples with a mirror surface. each of these samples was mounted lo a rie (reactive ion etching) system and, after exposing to plasma in a sf _{ 6 } gas atmosphere and a cl _{ 2 } gas atmosphere for 3 hours, an etching rate per 1 minute was calculated from a weight loss before and after processing. a numerical value of the etching rate is shown by a relative comparison, assuring that the etching rate of the alumina sintered material having a purity of 99.9% by weight is a unit. the corrosion-resistant member of the present invention was made of a material having a purity of 99.5% by weight, which contains each of various crystalline phases. the characteristics and results of the respective samples are as shown in table 1. as a result, nos. 2 to 6 as the corrosion resistance member of the present invention had excellent corrosion resistance to any corrosive gases such as cl _{ 2 } gas and sf _{ 6 } gas as compared with conventional corrosion-resistant members. it has been found that, as the content of yttria in the present invention becomes higher than 35 mole %, the resulting member tends to exhibit better corrosion resistance. however, as shown in nos. 1 and 2, the etching rate begins to decrease until the content reaches 80 mole % as the upper limit. this is because pores increase by lowering of the capability of sintering and bonding of granules is also lowered. table 1 composition of crystalline phase ceramic sintered as main component specific material (mole %) of ceramic etching rate al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } sintered material cl _{ 2 } sf _{ 6 } 1 0 100 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } 0.41 1.43 2 20 80 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 0.18 0.04 3 34 66 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 0.19 0.06 4 40 60 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 0.21 0.04 5 50 50 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 0.24 0.06 6 55 45 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 0.26 0.06 7 65 35 yag 0.30 0.09 8 80 20 al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 0.51 0.24 9 alumina (99.5%) al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } 1.25 0.52 10 alumina (99.5%) al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } 1.00 1.00 11 quartz glass sio _{ 2 } 4.6 18.26 example 2 an influence of the purity (content of main crystalline phases) for the corrosion-resistant member was tested under the same conditions as in example 1. in the tests, ceramic sintered materials composed of crystalline phases of yttria and yag, which have the purity described in table 2, were produced, respectively, using those having a composition wherein a molar ratio of alumina to yttria is 55:45. the characteristics and results of the respective samples are as shown in table 2. a numerical value of the etching rate is shown by a relative comparison when the etching rate of the sintered material having a purity of 90% by weight is 1. as a result, the samples had excellent corrosion resistance to any corrosive gases such as cl _{ 2 } gas and sf _{ 6 } gas by controlling the purity to 99% by weight or more. it is seen from the etching rate change to sf _{ 6 } , that the etching rate can be decreased noticeably by controlling the purity to 99% or more by weight. table 2 purity of yttria specific etching rate yag (% by weight) cl _{ 2 } sf _{ 6 } 1 99.99 0.44 0.11 2 99.9 0.48 0.11 3 99.5 0.59 0.11 4 99.0 0.68 0.28 5 95.0 0.89 0.61 6 90.0 1.00 1.00 example 3 using the ceramic sintered material in sample no. 3 listed in table 2, the corrosion resistance when the porosity is changed by controlling the firing temperature was determined under the same conditions as in example 1. the characteristics and results of the respective samples are as shown in table 3. a numerical value of the etching rate is shown by comparison when the etching rate of the sintered material having a purity of 90% by weight is 1. as a result, by controlling the porosity to 0.2% or less, the samples had excellent corrosion resistance to any corrosive gases such as cl _{ 2 } gas and sf _{ 6 } gas. as is apparent from the etching rate to sf _{ 6 } , the etching rate can be decreased noticeably by controlling the porosity to 0.2% or less. table 3 etching rate (relative) porosity (%) cl _{ 2 } sf _{ 6 } 1 0.0 0.42 0.01 2 0.1 0.46 0.03 3 0.2 0.51 0.03 4 0.5 0.74 0.49 5 1 1.00 1.00 as described above in detail, the corrosion resistance to plasma can be particularly improved by forming the corrosion-resistant ceramic member of the present invention, which is to be exposed to halogenous-corrosive gasses or their plasma, using a sintered material containing both crystalline phases of yttria and yag, controlling the purity to 99% by weight or more, and controlling the porosity to 0.2% or less. embodiment 2 in the second embodiment of the present invention, a sintered material of a single yag phase is used exclusively as a ceramic member and a trial of further densifying a yag sintered material is made by adding cerium oxide as a sintering agent to the sintered material. yag sintered material has general characteristics which are summarized in table 4, and has particularly high deflective strength, rigidity and insulating properties. table 4 measuring method items data and conditions bulk density 4.55 g/cm ^{ 3 } deflective strength 250 mpa four-point bending strength vickers hardness 12 gpa young's modulus 280 gpa ultrasonic pulse method thermal expansion 7.8 k ^{ 1 } room temperature coefficient to 400 c. inherent volume >1 10 ^{ 14 } cm room temperature resistivity >1 10 ^{ 14 } cm at 300 c. 2 10 ^{ 12 } cm at 500 c. dielectric constant 11 at 1 mhz dielectric loss 3 10 ^{ 4 } at 1 mhz however, a sufficiently high densified material must be produced by sintering to exhibit above mechanical characteristics of yag. in this embodiment of the present invention, an attempt of densifying the sintered material is made by adding a small amount of cerium oxide to a single yag sintered material. cerium oxide is preferably added within a range of 3 ppm to 10000 ppm by weight into yag material, to enhances a relative density of the yag sintered material to 99% or more, and, at the same time, reduces voids exposed to the surface, thereby improving the corrosion resistance to halogen plasma of the ceramic members. when the content of cerium oxide is less than 3 ppm by weight, an effect of densifying yag sintered material is not exhibited and, therefore, the relative density can not be enhanced to 99% or more. on the other hand, when the content of cerium oxide is larger than 1.0% by weight, cerium oxide reacts with aluminum oxide which is left in ceramics as the unreacted component, during sintering, to form cerium aluminate in the forms of particles. the cerium aluminate particles can fall off the material surface during halogen plasma processing, resulting in a source for generating pores opening on the surface which accelerate the corrosion in the plasma. it is preferable to control the mean grain size of the yag crystal to 10 m or less so as to obtain the relative density to 99% or more of the yag sintered material. when the mean grain size of the yag crystal exceeds 10 m, gaps are formed between the yag crystal grains on sintering, thereby increasing the amount of pores and, therefore, the relative density can not be controlled to 99% or more. in this case, the occupied by voids that are exposed with respect to the surface of the yag sintered material can not be controlled to 0.3% or less and, therefore, corrosive wear due to halogenous gases or its plasma is accelerated. as the mean grain size of the yag crystal may be smaller than 2 m, the amount of the grain boundary phase in the yag sintered material tends to be increased, and therefore, the corrosion resistance is lowered by the unreacted, residual component of aluminum oxide and impurities such as silicon oxide and cerium aluminate, which are present in the grain boundary phase. the mean grain size of the yag crystal is preferably controlled within a range of 2 to 10 m. in the yag ceramics, a mole fraction x _{ y } of yttrium oxide and a mole fraction x _{ a } of aluminum oxide must be within the above limited range so as to produce the yag crystal. however, it is difficult to control the mole fractions of yttrium oxide and aluminum oxide within the above range. the content of yttrium larger than the above range produces an yttria phase in the ceramics of yag. on the other hand, excess of aluminum beyond the above range can produce an aluminum oxide phase in the yag ceramics. a small amount of the alumina phase produced in the grain boundary deteriorates the corrosion resistance. as described above, even the component of impurities such as silicon oxide, cerium aluminate present in the grain boundary phase reduces the corrosion resistance. preferably, these unreacted components and impurities are reduced in a level as smaller as possible. to this end, an intensity peak ratio i _{ a } /i _{ y } in x-ray diffraction may be not more than 0.005, where i _{ y } is a main diffraction peak intensity of yag and i _{ a } is a main diffraction peak intensity of the major components other than yag. in the yag sintered material, the crystalline phase constituting the ceramic member of the present invention can be determined by x-ray diffraction. the content of the components can be determined by icp mass spectrometric analysis. the mean grain size can be determined by the code method. the occupied area ratio of pores which are present on the surface of the yag sintered material means a proportion of the area occupied by pores with respect to unit area of the surface of the yag sintered material. in measuring the occupied area rates of pores to the surface, micrographs of the sampling areas in the surface of the yag sintered material are taken by using scanning electron microscopy (magnification: 1000), to determine the ratio of the sum area of pores existing in the micrographic viewing area, to said viewing. a method of producing the ceramic member in this second embodiment will be described below. first, aluminum hydroxide powders and an yttrium compound solution are mixed in a predetermined proportion to form a precipitate, which is then fired at a temperature of 700 to 1500 c. to combine yag powders. to produce yag material, yttrium oxide and aluminum oxide are mixed to prepare the composition of both oxides within the above proper range represented by mole fractions. then, the resulting yag powder and a dispersant is charged with deionized water in a mixing mill, mixed uniformly using high-purity alumina balls or zirconia balls, and then ground until the mean grain size is attained to 0.5-2 m to prepare a slip. the resulting slip is formed by molding or tape forming process using a doctor blade. alternatively, the slip is sprayed and granulated using a spray-dryer to produce powders. the resulting granulated may be filled into dies to shape desired compacts by die press. the powder maybe rubber pressed, injection molded or near-net formed to compacts, and later may be machined to give predetermined shapes. the resulting formed compacts may be fired in an air environment at 1600 to 1800 c. the firing temperatures lower than 1600 c. will result in insufficient capability of sintering the compacts. on the other hand, the firing at temperatures exceeds 1800 c. introduces abnormal grain growth of the yag crystals, allowing the amount of pores in the yag sintered material to increase. this, thereby, makes it impossible to control the occupied area of pores, which are present on the surface of the yag sintered material, to 0.3% or less. accordingly, the firing may be conducted at a temperature within a range of 1600 to 1800 c. to densify the yag sintered material constituting the corrosion/plasma-resistant ceramic member, the resulting formed material may also be subjected to hot isostatic press (hip) in an inert gas atmosphere under pressure within a range of 1000 to 2000 atm. example 4 corrosion/plasma-resistant ceramic members made of yag sintered materials having different contents of cerium oxide were prepared and a test of examining the degree of corrosive wear on exposure to plasma under a fluorine or chlorine halogen gas was conducted. in this test, each of corrosion/plasma-resistant ceramic members was formed into plates having a size of 20 mm20 mm3 mm in thickness and then lapped to obtain samples with a mirror surface. each of these samples was mounted to a reactive ion etching (rie) system and, after exposing to plasma under fluoric gas (a mixture of cf _{ 4 } gas: 20 sccm, chf _{ 3 } gas: 40 sccm and ar gas: 60 sccm) and chlorine gas (cl _{ 2 } gas: 100 sccm) for 3 hours, an etching rate per 1 minute was calculated from a weight loss before and after processing. a numerical value of the etching rate was represented as a relative value assuming that the etching rate of a conventional yag sintered material containing no cerium oxide is unit. the characteristics and results of the respective samples are as shown in table 5. table 5 etching rate content of relative (relative) ceria density mean grain cl _{ 2 } fluoric no. (ppm) (%) size (m) gas gas 1 0.7 97.4 1.6 1.00 1.00 2 1.7 97.8 1.8 0.96 1.02 3 3.1 99.2 2.2 0.77 0.78 4 3.7 99.8 2.3 0.75 0.71 5 6.0 99.8 2.3 0.78 0.74 6 100 99.8 2.4 0.77 0.74 7 1000 99.8 2.3 0.78 0.75 8 10000 99.8 2.3 0.78 0.77 9 15000 99.8 3.2 1.02 0.98 10 6.0 99.6 5.0 0.11 0.59 11 6.0 99.3 6.0 0.19 0.70 12 6.0 99.1 9.5 0.23 0.73 13 6.0 98.2 11.5 0.47 0.80 alumina 1.75 2.38 as apparent from the results, the samples nos. 3 to 8 wherein the addition of cerium oxide within a range of 3 to 10000 ppm by weight can improve the relative density of the yag sintered material to 99% or more and the resulting yag sintered material has better corrosion/plasma resistance than that of a conventional yag sintered material even when exposed to plasma under any halogenous gas. example 5 samples wherein the content of cerium oxide is 6 ppm and an intensity peak ratio (i _{ a } /i _{ y } ) of a main intensity peak (i _{ y } ) of yag to a main intensity peak (i _{ a } ) of the components other than yag is changed were prepared and the same lest as in example 1 was conducted. the characteristics and results of the respective samples are as shown in table 6. table 6 mean occupied main content relative grain surface ratio peak etching rate of ceria density size of voids ratio cl _{ 2 } fluorine no. (ppm) (%) (m) (%) i _{ a } /i _{ y } gas gas 1 6.0 95.8 1.2 1.20 0.007 0.56 0.46 2 6.0 99.3 1.6 0.12 0.006 0.53 0.41 3 6.0 99.8 2.3 0.02 0.005 0.46 0.31 4 6.0 99.6 5.0 0.11 0.003 0.35 0.25 5 6.0 99.3 6.0 0.19 0 0.45 0.34 6 6.0 99.1 9.5 0.28 0.001 0.45 0.31 7 6.0 98.2 11.5 0.38 0.002 0.58 0.45 8 alumina 1.00 1.00 as is apparent from the results, the resulting yag sintered material has better corrosion/plasma resistance than that a conventional yag sintered material even when exposed to plasma under any halogenous gas by controlling the intensity peak ratio (i _{ a } /i _{ y } ) to 0.005 or less. as described above, according to the corrosion/plasma-resistant ceramic member of the present invention, there can be obtainedexcellent corrosion/plasma resistance wherein corrosive wear hardly occurs even when exposed to plasma under fluorine or chlorine halogenous gases by forming an yttrium-aluminum-garnet sintered material containing 3 to 10000 ppm of cerium oxide. therefore, when using the corrosion/plasma-resistant ceramic members of the present invention as a member to be exposed to halogenous gases or plasma of a film forming or etching system, the number of maintenance or exchange of the members can be markedly reduced, thereby enhancing the productivity of a film forming or etching process in which the processing system uses the members according to this third embodiment embodiment 3 in the third embodiment, zirconia is contained in the grain boundary of a ceramic material containing an yttrium-aluminum-garnet phase and/or an yttria phase or an alumina phase, thereby enhancing the thermal-shock resistance. zirconium oxide is preferably contained in the amount of 0.05 to 5.0% by weight in the sintered material. because a zirconia phase prevents propagation of cracking, occurred in ceramics on thermal shock, at the grain boundary between mixed phases of yttria and yag. describing in detail, zirconia in the sintered material may present in the form of a tetragonal system, and this zirconia phase absorbs propagation energy of cracking by causing a phase transformation from a tetragonal zirconia into a monoclinic system due to thermal shock. to stabilize the zirconia phase in the form of the tetragonal system, cerium oxide is preferably used as a stabilizer. although a stabilizer for stabilizing zirconia may be yttrium oxide or calcium oxide, but yttrium oxide as the stabilizer does not exert an stabilizing effect on zirconia because a large amount of yttria is used in the sintered material of the present invention. on the other hand, calcium oxide is low in corrosion resistance to halogen plasma. cerium oxide stabilizes the tetragonal phase of zirconia most effectively. it is preferably to control the amount of zirconia oxide to 5.0% by weight or less in the sintered material. when the amount is larger than the limit value, the ceramic member is liable to be corroded by halogenous-corrosive gases or plasma because zirconia itself has poor corrosion resistance. when cerium oxide is added to zirconia in the amount of not less than 1% by weight, zirconia between grain boundaries of the yag can be partially stabilizing. the addition of ceria prevents thermal deterioration of the zirconia phase in the ceramic member heated to a temperature of 100 to 200 c. by using heating lamps. a example of the method of producing a corrosion-resistant ceramic member according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. first, aluminum hydroxide powders and an yttrium compound solution are mixed in a predetermined ratio to form a precipitate, which is then temporarily fired at a temperature of 700 to 1500 c. to combine yag powders. the resulting yag powders and a dispersant are charged in the deionized water in a pot mill and mixed uniformly using high-purity alumina balls in the mill, and then ground until the mean grain size becomes 0.5-2 m to prepare a slip or paste. the resulting slip is formed by molding or tape forming process with a doctor blade. alternatively, the slip is dried and granulated using a spray-dryer to produce powders and a die is filled with the resulting granulated, and then the powders are formed by die press, rubber press, injection molding or near net forming process. at this time, the resulting formed material may also be machined to give a predetermined shape. in such way, lowering of the capability of sintering due to an increase in amount of yttria is covered by refining and homogenization of the starting materials, thereby making it possible to sinter under pressure at a firing temperature of 1600 to 1850 c. the reason why the firing temperature is within a range of 1600 to 1850 c. is as follows. that is, when the firing temperature is lower than 1600 c., the degree of sintering is insufficient. on the other hand, if the firing temperature is higher than 1850 c., grain growth occurs. in any case, the porosity of the sintered material can not be densified to 0.2% or less. thereby a corrosion-resistant member containing yttria and yag as a main crystalline phase can be obtained. to further densify the member, the porosity may be controlled to nearly 0% by subjecting the ceramic sintered material to hot isostatic pressing (hip) in an inert gas atmosphere at a pressure of 1000 to 2000 atm. example 6 a ceramic sintered material comprising a mixed phase of yag containing 5000 rpm of zirconia and 50 ppm by weight of ceria and yttria and a mixed phase of yag and alumina and a ceramic sintered material comprising yag as a main crystalline phase wherein the amount of zirconia and ceria is changed, as a corrosion-resistant member of the present invention, and quartz glass, an alumina sintered material having a purity of 99.5% by weight, an alumina sintered material having a purity of 99.9% by weight and yag containing no zirconia and ceria, as a conventional corrosion-resistant material, were prepared and the corrosion resistance on exposure to plasma under fluorine or chlorine corrosive gases was examined. in this test, each of corrosion-resistant members of the present invention and conventional corrosion-resistant members was formed into pieces having a diameter of 30 mm and a thickness of 3 mm and then lapped to obtain samples with a mirror surface. each or these samples was mounted to a rie system and, after exposing to plasma in a sf _{ 6 } gas atmosphere and a cl _{ 2 } gas atmosphere for 3 hours, an etching rate per 1 minute was calculated from a weight loss before and after processing. a numerical value of the etching rate is shown by a relative comparison when the etching rate of the alumina sintered material having a purity of 99.9% by weight is 1. the characteristics and results of the respective samples are shown in table 7. samples nos. 2 to 8 had excellent corrosion resistance to any corrosive gasses such as cl _{ 2 } gas and sf _{ 6 } gas as compared with conventional corrosion-resistant members. it has been found that, as the content of yttria becomes higher, the resulting member tends to exhibit better corrosion resistance. however, since the sample no. 1 containing only yttria is not dense and has a large porosity such as 5%, the corrosion resistance is deteriorated. the samples nos. 9 to 12 had excellent corrosion resistance to any corrosive gases such as cl _{ 2 } gas and sf _{ 6 } gas as compared with conventional corrosion-resistant members. when the amount of zirconia exceeds 50000 ppm, as is recognized in the sample no. 13, the corrosion resistance to the sf _{ 6 } gas is lowered to the same level as that of alumina as the same no. 15 that is not within the scope of the present invention. table 7 composition of ceramic amount of sintered secondary material main crystalline component etching rate (mole %) phase of ceramic (ppm) (relative) no. al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } sintered material zro _{ 2 } ceo _{ 2 } cl _{ 2 } sf _{ 6 } 1 0 100 y _{ 2 } o _{ 2 } 5000 50 0.41 1.43 2 20 80 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 5000 50 0.18 0.04 3 34 66 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 5000 50 0.19 0.06 4 40 60 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 5000 50 0.21 0.04 5 50 50 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 5000 50 0.24 0.06 6 55 45 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 5000 50 0.26 0.06 7 65 35 yag 5000 50 0.30 0.09 8 80 20 al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yag 5000 50 0.51 0.24 9 65 35 yag 100 5 0.31 0.10 10 65 35 yag 500 5 0.31 0.11 11 65 35 yag 10000 100 0.35 0.13 12 65 35 yag 50000 500 0.45 0.18 13 65 35 yag 70000 700 0.67 0.45 14 65 35 yag 0 0 0.30 0.09 15 alumina al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } 1.25 0.52 (99.5%) 16 alumina al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } 1.00 1.00 (99.9%) 17 quartz glass sio _{ 2 } 4.60 18.26 example 7 the thermal-shock resistance of the corrosion-resistant member of the present invention was examined. in this test, samples (in size of 3440 mm) for deflection test were made by using sintered materials nos. 9 to 14 listed in table 7 and, after heating to a predetermined temperature, the specimens were put in water and the thermal-shock resistance was evaluated by the presence or absence of cracking occurred on the surface of the sintered material. the presence or absence of cracking was judged by using a detecting solution and a difference in maximum temperature at which cracking does not occur was taken as a thermal-shock resistance temperature t. the test results of the respective samples are as shown in table 8. that is, the thermal-shock resistance of the samples nos. 10 to 12 of the present invention was improved as compared with the sample no. 14 wherein zirconia and ceria are not added. the effect requires the addition of not less than 500 ppm of zirconia and not less than 5 ppm of ceria, as recognized in the samples nos. 9 and 10. as the amount increases, the thermal-shock resistance is further improved. the thermal-shock resistance of the sample no. 13 is improved by an increase in microcracks due to an increase in amount, however, the corrosion resistance is drastically deteriorated, to the contrary, as shown in table 7. therefore, the amount of zirconia is preferably not more than 50000 ppm and that of ceria is preferably not more than 500 ppm. now the test was conducted by using yag as the main crystalline phase, and the results having the same mechanism are obtained with respect to a ceramic sintered material composed of any mixed phase of the other yag and yttria or alumina. table 8 composition of main ceramic crystalline amount of thermal- sintered phase of secondary shock material ceramic component resistance (mole %) sintered (ppm) temperature no. al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } material zro _{ 2 } ceo _{ 2 } t ( c.) 9 65 35 yag 100 5 80 10 65 35 yag 500 5 100 11 65 35 yag 5000 50 130 12 65 35 yag 50000 500 200 13 65 35 yag 70000 700 220 14 65 35 yag 0 0 80 example 8 using a ceramic sintered material in the sample no. 7 described in table 7, the corrosion resistance was examined by controlling the firing temperature to change the porosity under the same conditions as in example 6. a numerical value of the etching rate is shown by a relative comparison, assuming the etching rate of the alumina sintered material having a purity of 99.9% by weight is unit. the characteristics and results of the respective samples are as shown in table 9. that is, corrosion-resistant member having a grain size of not more than 10 m and a porosity of not more than 0.2% as the sintered material of the present invention had excellent corrosion resistance to any corrosive gases such as cl _{ 2 } gas and sf _{ 6 } gas as compared with a conventional corrosion-resistant members. now the test was conducted by using yag as the main crystalline phase, and the results having the same mechanism (corrosion proceeds from the edge of voids) are obtained with respect to a ceramic sintered material composed of any mixed phase of the other yag and yttria or alumina. table 9 etching porosity of grain size rate no. yag (%) (m) cl _{ 2 } sf _{ 6 } 1 0.0 6.0 0.30 0.09 2 0.1 7.5 0.36 0.09 3 0.2 9.8 0.41 0.10 4 0.5 11.2 0.74 0.49 5 1 14.7 0.98 0.72 16 alumina (99.9%) 1.00 1.00 as described above, regarding the corrosion-resistant ceramic member of the present invention, the corrosion resistance is improved by composing a corrosion-resistant member, that is to be exposed to halogenous-corrosive gases or plasma, of a sintered material composed a compound of yttria and alumina, a main crystalline phase being composed of yag (yttrium-aluminum-garnet) or yag and alumina, or yag and yttria. the thermal-shock resistance is improved by containing zirconia as a secondary component in an amount of 500 to 50000 ppm and, furthermore, the corrosion resistance to plasma is improved by controlling the grain size to 10 m or less and controlling the porosity to 0.2% or less. embodiment 4 in a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a ceramic member is composed of 10-60% by volume of a crystalline rare-earth-containing compound phase and a matrix containing at least one member of aluminum oxide and aluminum nitride. as the crystalline rare-earth-containing compound phase, for example, a rare earth element-aluminum double oxide phase and a crystalline phase of a rare earth element oxide and the above matrix component, thereby to obtain a ceramic sintered material wherein such a compound phase is dispersed in the above matrix. as the rare earth element, yttrium is particularly selected and a double oxide phase of a crystalline rare earth element and aluminum oxide is utilized. in this embodiment, the ceramic matrix contains at least one of alumina and aln as main component; whereby, the thermal conductivity of the ceramic matrix is controlled to 20 w/mk or more, and preferably 30 w/mk or more. when aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride is generally used as the member, alf _{ 3 } and alcl _{ 3 } are produced on the surface by contact with halogen plasma. the melting point of alf _{ 3 } is 1040 c., but alcl _{ 3 } has a low melting point such as 178 c. and sublimation property. therefore, formation and sublimation of the reaction product and deposition thereof onto the surface of the member are drastically found out in halogen plasma and, furthermore, it is very difficult to remove alf _{ 3 } deposited onto the surface. the ceramic member maybe externally heated to prevent accumulation of such a deposit, but the reaction with the halogen gas and sublimation proceed, resulting in severe surface consumption of the member. in this fourth embodiment, the rare earth oxide reacts with halogen plasma to form a stable compound phase having a high melting point as described above. accordingly, when a predetermined amount or more of a double oxide of rare earth oxide is dispersed in the ceramic matrix, the ceramic matrix having high temperature conductivity is protected by such a stable compound. in use, even when heating to high temperature in case where the reaction product accumulated on the surface of the ceramic member is evaporated by external heating, the compound, obtained by the reaction between the rare-earth-containing compound and halogen plasma, is not evaporated or deteriorated because the compound has a high melting point and is stable. even if the corrosion proceeds, the corrosion does not proceeds due to peel off or elimination of the reacted surface thin film, because a double oxide phase containing a crystalline rare earth oxide is uniformly dispersed in the matrix. by composing the rare-earth-containing compound of a group consisting of a rare earth element-aluminum double oxide and a crystalline compound of a rare earth element oxide and the above matrix component, there can be exerted the following effect. that is, the adhesion with the matrix is enhanced and the rare-earth-containing compound is uniformly dispersed in the ceramic sintered material, thereby to maintain or improve the thermal conductivity of the ceramic matrix. as the rare-earth-containing compound phase, for example, an yttrium-aluminum double oxide (e.g. garnet type of y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } , nonoclinic type of y _{ 2 } alo _{ 9 } , perobskite type, etc.) and an yttrium-aluminum double oxinitride can be utilized. as the yttrium-aluminum double oxide, for example, yag can be preferably utilized. it has been generally conducted to form a grain boundary phase by adding, as a sintering agent, a rare-earth-containing compound such as yttria in the above matrix component. however, when the sintering agent is added in a conventional amount, only the rare-earth-containing compound is scattered in the grain boundary to the matrix phase that is reacted with plasma and evaporated, and a satisfactory effect is not exerted on an improvement in corrosion resistance. this embodiment makes it possible to markedly improve the corrosion resistance with maintaining the high temperature conductivity of not less than 20 w/mk by utilizing yag as a rare-earth-containing compound and controlling the content of a yag phase in ceramics to 10 to 60% by volume, preferably 30 to 60% by volume, more preferably 25 to 55% by volume. when the content of the yag phase is smaller than 10% by volume, this compound is exclusively present as a grain boundary phase of the matrix. therefore, a protective film is not formed in case of contact with corrosive gases or plasma and the effect of improving the corrosion resistance can not be expected. as the corrosion of the matrix proceeds, only a scattered or localized yag phase is remained to form particles, sometimes. the thermal conductivity of the yag phase itself is about 10 w/mk. when the content of the yag phase exceeds 60% by volume, the rare-earth-containing compound is continuous in the ceramic matrix and, therefore, the corrosion resistance is markedly improved. however, the whole thermal conductivity is lowered and does not reach 20 w/mk or more and, therefore, effective prevention of deposition due to heating can not be expected. regarding the content of the rare-earth-containing compound, including yag, in case where both of an improvement in corrosion resistance and high thermal conductivity of not less than 20 w/mk are attained, the content of the rare-earth-containing compound preferably varies depending on the kind of ceramics and rare earth elements that constitute the matrix. in case of the rare earth element having a small ionic radius, for example, the content is preferably decreased, slightly. in case of the rare earth element having a large ionic radius, for example, the content is preferably increased, slightly. for example, regarding the element having a small ionic radius, such as y, er, yb or the like, the rare-earth-containing compound is liable to take a garnet structure having a comparatively high thermal conductivity. therefore, when using alumina as the ceramic matrix, the content is preferably within a range of 25 to 55% by volume, and more preferably from 35 to 50% by volume. when using aln, the content is preferably within a range of 30 to 60% by volume, and more preferably from 40 to 55% by volume. when using la, ce or nd having a large ionic radius as the rare earth element, the rare-earth-containing compound is liable to take a perobskite structure having a comparatively low thermal conductivity. therefore, when using alumina as the ceramic matrix, the content is preferably within a range of 25 to 50% by volume, and more preferably from 35 to 40% by volume. when using aln, the content is preferably within a range of 30 to 55% by volume, and more preferably from 35 to 45% by volume. it is necessary that the rare-earth-containing compound dispersed in ceramics is crystalline. the thermal conductivity in the substance depends mainly on the propagation of phonon. when the crystallizability is lowered, phonone is scattered at the defect portion and the thermal conductivity is lowered. also in the ceramic member of this embodiment, the porosity of ceramics is preferably controlled to 0.2% or less, particularly 0.1% or less, so as to enhance the corrosion resistance as described above. when pores are present, abnormal discharge occurs at the edge portion of pores and corrosive gases are retained in the pores exposed to the surface and, therefore, the ceramic member is liable to be corroded at the vicinity of the pores. on the other hand, when the porosity exceeds 0.2%, proceeding of the corrosion is liable to be accelerated. the sintered material according to the present invention is applied to the member to be exposed to halogenous-corrosive gases, or plasma or ion sputter thereof. due to excellent corrosion resistance and heating, heat is uniformly distributed over the whole member, thereby to exert an effect on prevention of accumulation of the reaction product. this ceramic member can be produced, for example, by the following procedure. ceramic materials for forming a ceramic matrix are mixed with a predetermined amount of one or more rare earth element oxides. at this time, rare earth element oxides and alumina may be added and, for example, a double oxide of rare earth element oxides such as yag, yam and the like and alumina may also be added. in case where the ceramic matrix is alumina, purified water or an organic solvent such as alcohol is used as a solvent. if necessary, paraffin wax and pva are added as a binder. the mixed materials are granulated, formed and then optionally subjected to green machining and removal of binder. the formed material thus obtained is normally fired in an air, or a non-oxidizing atmosphere according to the property of rare earth elements added, at a temperature within a range of 1400 to 1800 c. in the case of aln, organic solvents such as alcohol, toluene and the like are used as the solvent. similar to the case of alumina, a binder is optionally added and the mixed material is granulated, formed and then worked. in case where removal of the binder is required, the formed material is preferably processed in a vacuum or a nitrogen atmosphere. the formed material is fired in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature within a range of 1500 to 1900 c. when the formed material is fired at 1800 c. or more, firing is preferably conducted in an atmosphere under pressure so as to prevent decomposition of aln. the compact or formed material may be machined into a predetermined shape after firing under pressure. the ceramic member can also be formed by making assembly parts and bonding them using a conventional procedure. furthermore, the ceramic member is subjected to hot isostatic press, thereby making it possible to reduce the porosity. the ceramic member according to the present invention can be applied to a member constituting the inside of an etching system shown in fig. 1 . when using the ceramic member of the present invention to the portion to be exposed to halogenous gases or plasma thereof, such as inner wall of chamber 1 and clamp ring 2 , the ceramic member exhibits excellent corrosion resistance and plasma resistance and can be used for a markedly long period of time, thereby making it possible to reduce maintenance and number of exchange of parts and to improve the productivity. furthermore, the ceramic member of the present invention can be preferably used in the portion to be used in the inside of a film forming system and the portion to be exposed to halogenous-gases or plasma in other technical fields. example 9 using an alumina material having a purity of 99.9%, y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } having a purity of 99.9%, yb _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } and ceo _{ 2 } were added in a predetermined amount. in the case of aln, using a material having a purity of 99.9% and an oxygen content of 0.2%, y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } having a purity of 99.9%, yb _{ 2 } o and ceo _{ 2 } were added in a predetermined amount in the same manner, and then al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } (purity: 99.9%) required to form a crystalline phase was added. in the case of sio _{ 2 } , using an amorphous material having a purity of 99.99%, y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } , yb _{ 2 } o and ceo _{ 2 } (and al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } required to form a rare-earth-containing compound crystalline phase) were added in a predetermined amount in the same manner. to these powdered materials, paraffin wax as a binder was added, followed by mixing in a ball mill using ipa as a solvent, drying, granulation and further pressing. the formed material was degreased in a vacuum. then, alumina was fired in an air (in nitrogen for ceo _{ 2 } -added formed material) at 1500 to 1750 c., aln was fired in nitrogen at 1700 to 1800 c. under pressure, and sio _{ 2 } was fired in a reducing atmosphere at 1400 to 1500 c., thereby to produce ceramics having a porosity of not more than 1%. the crystalline phase in ceramics was identified by the x-ray powder diffraction technique. the content of the rare-earth-containing compound crystalline phase was determined from a calibration curve which was previously made by subjecting a mixed system of a ceramic matrix and a rare-earth-containing compound crystal to x-ray diffraction analysis. the thermal conductivity was measured by laser flash method and the porosity was determined by the archimedean method. regarding the etching rate, the etching rate on exposure to fluorine or chlorine plasma was evaluated. the evaluation procedure is as follows. that is, each of ceramics was formed into pieces having a diameter of 20 mm and a thickness of 1 mm and then mirror-finished to obtain samples. using a rie (reactive ion etching) system, a plasma etching test was conducted in a fluoric gas (cf _{ 4 } ) or chlorine gas (cl _{ 2 } ) atmosphere and then an etching rate per 1 minute was calculated from a weight loss before and after subjecting to the test. the presence or absence of particles was examined in the following procedure. that is, each of ceramics was formed into a disc having a diameter of 8 inch and a thickness of 2 mm and one surface was mirror-finished. after subjecting to plasma etching process, the etched surface was contacted with a si virgin wafer of 8 inch and the unevenness of the contacted surface of the si wafer was detected by laser scattering, and then the number of particles having a size of not less than 0.3 m was counted by using a particle counter. the parameter in the etching test was as follows: gas flow of 100 sccm, etching pressure of 5 pa, rf output of 1.0 w/cm ^{ 2 } and etching time of 5 hours. table 10 thermal content of firing matrix conductivity species of disperse phase temperature no. phase (w/mk) disperse phase (% by volume) ( c.) 1 al _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } 33.0 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 5 1750 2 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 12 1700 3 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 30 1800 4 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 30 1575 5 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 30 1550 6 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 30 1500 7 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 55 1600 8 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 65 1600 9 y _{ 2 } alo _{ 9 } 15 1650 10 y _{ 2 } alo _{ 9 } 35 1600 11 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 40 1650 12 cealo _{ 3 } 30 1600 13 aln 90.0 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 5 1850 14 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 12 1800 15 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 30 1750 16 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 30 1725 17 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 30 1700 18 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 55 1700 19 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 65 1700 20 yalon 15 1750 21 yalon 35 1750 22 y _{ 3 } al _{ 5 } o _{ 12 } 40 1700 23 cealo _{ 3 } 30 1800 24 slo _{ 2 } 0.2 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } .2slo _{ 2 } 20 1450 25 y _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } .2slo _{ 2 } 60 1400 26 yb _{ 2 } o _{ 3 } .2slo _{ 2 } 20 1450 27 cealo _{ 3 } 30 1500 thermal conductivity cf _{ 4 } plasma cl _{ 2 } plasma of ceramic porosity etching particle etching particle no. (w/mk) (%) (nm/min (number/8 in.) (nm/min) (number/8 inch.) 1 28.0 0.1 7.5 50 7.9 40 2 27.0 0.1 4.2 28 4.7 25 3 25.0 0.0 2.5 17 2.2 16 4 25.0 0.1 2.7 18 2.3 17 5 24.0 0.3 3.5 19 3.2 19 6 20.0 1.0 4.0 28 4.5 27 7 20.0 0.1 2.2 18 2.2 15 8 15.0 0.1 2.1 42 1.8 40 9 28.0 0.1 4.5 26 4.1 24 10 25.0 0.1 2.9 23 2.9 20 11 25.0 0.1 2.7 22 2.1 16 12 21.0 0.1 2.7 24 2.4 19 13 65.0 0.1 7.1 85 7.5 77 14 60.0 0.1 4.8 29 4.4 26 15 52.0 0.1 2.4 28 1.8 24 16 58.0 0.2 2.6 27 2.5 24 17 52.0 0.5 3.3 29 3.1 27 18 31.0 0.1 2.1 25 2.6 21 19 19.0 0.1 2.4 48 2.9 44 20 69.0 0.1 4.4 27 4.0 24 21 61.0 0.1 2.5 24 2.4 23 22 59.0 0.1 2.1 27 1.9 20 23 48.0 0.1 2.2 25 2.1 21 24 0.3 0.0 55.0 68 25.0 55 25 4.0 0.0 24.0 170 12.0 130 26 0.3 0.0 68.0 53 23.0 48 27 0.2 0.0 37.0 140 18.0 96 as is apparent from the results of table 10, all samples no. 2 to 7, 9 to 12, 14 to 18 and 20 to 23 as the ceramic material of the present invention maintained the thermal conductivity of not less than 20 w/mk and had high corrosion resistance of not more than 5 nm/min. to any of chlorinous gas and chlorinous plasma. the samples nos. 3-6 or 15-17 exhibited particularly high corrosion resistance of not more than 3 nm/min. to any of fluorine and chlorine plasmas in case where the porosity is not more than 0.2%. in the case of the samples nos. 1 and 13 wherein the content of the rare-earth-containing compound is smaller than a predetermined amount, the ceramic matrix could not be protected from corrosive plasma and the corrosion proceeded. on the other hand, when the content of the rare-earth-containing compound exceeds 60% by volume like the samples nos. 8 and 19, the thermal conductivity of the ceramic matrix is drastically inhibited and the thermal conductivity of ceramics was lowered to 20 w/mk or less. in case where the ceramic matrix is sio _{ 2 } having low corrosion resistance, the effect of improving the corrosion resistance is poor even if the rare-earth-containing compound is added and the thermal conductivity of sio _{ 2 } itself is smaller than 30 w/mk. therefore, the thermal conductivity of ceramics containing the rare-earth-containing compound-dispersed therein was not larger than 20 w/mk. as described above in detail, regarding the member constituting the chamber for production of a semiconductor in the present invention, the corrosion resistance of the member to be exposed to halogenous-corrosive gases or plasma thereof is improved and the thermal conductivity is maintained at a fixed level or higher by dispersing a predetermined amount of a crystalline rare-earth-containing compound in a high temperature-conductive ceramic matrix, thereby enhancing the effect of preventing a deposit from accumulating. furthermore, the corrosion resistance to plasma can be improved by controlling the porosity to 0.2% or less.
|
016-654-054-933-732
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
A47G9/02,A41D11/00
| 2009-05-06T00:00:00 |
2009
|
[
"A47",
"A41"
] |
swaddle accessory
|
a swaddle accessory to restrain an infant or child's arms has a single panel that is both wide and long enough to wrap entirely both of the infant's arms, hook and loop fasteners to secure the arm restraints and pockets to contain the hands to prevent them from breaking out of a swaddle made from a receiving blanket or other swaddle device.
|
1. a swaddle accessory for an infant, child or other person comprising: a back panel having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front surface and a rear surface; a left arm restraint having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front surface and a rear surface, said left arm restraint extending from the left side of the back panel; a right arm restraint having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front surface and a rear surface, said right arm restraint extending from the right side of the back panel; a first pair of complementary attachment components carried respectively on the rear surface of the left arm restraint and the rear surface of said back panel, said first pair of attachment components being releasably interengaged with said left arm restraint extending between the chest and left arm and wrapped about the left arm of the infant, child or other person to restrain the left arm; and a second pair of complementary attachment components disposed respectively on the rear surface of the right arm restraint and the rear surface of said back panel, said second pair of complementary attachment components being releasably interengaged with said right arm restraint extending between the chest and right arm and wrapped around the right arm of the infant child or other person to restrain the right arm. 2. the swaddle accessory of claim 1 wherein said first and second pairs of complementary attachment components further comprises: at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel; at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint; and at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint. 3. the swaddle accessory of claim 2 further comprising: at least one hook and loop fastener located on the front surface of the left arm restraint for attaching the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint to the rear panel in situations where the left arm restraint covers the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel preventing the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint from being directly fastened to the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel. 4. the swaddle accessory of claim 2 further comprising: at least one hook and loop fastener located on the front surface of the right arm restraint for attaching the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint to the rear panel in situations where the right arm restraint covers the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel preventing the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint from being directly fastened to the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel. 5. the swaddle accessory of claim 2 further comprising: at least one loop fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint that engages the at least one hook fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint when the left arm restraint is folded in half; and at least one loop fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint that engages the at least one hook fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint when the right arm restraint is folded in half. 6. a swaddle accessory for an infant, child or other person comprising: a back panel having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front surface and a rear surface; a left arm restraint having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front surface and a rear surface, said left arm restraint extending from the left side of the back panel; a right arm restraint having a bottom edge, a top edge, a left edge, a right edge, a front surface and a rear surface, said right arm restraint extending from the right side of the back panel; at least one hook and loop fastener located and exposed on the rear surface of the back panel; at least one hook and loop fastener located and exposed on the rear surface of the left arm restraint and being releasably interengaged with said at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel with said left arm restraint extending between the chest and left arm of the infant, child or other person and wrapped around the left arm to restrain the left arm; and at least one hook and loop fastener located and exposed on the rear surface of the right arm restraint and being interengaged with said at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel with said right arm restraint extending between the chest and right arm of the infant, child or other person and wrapped about the right arm to restrain the right arm. 7. the swaddle accessory of claim 6 further comprising: at least one hook and loop fastener located on the front surface of the left arm restraint for attaching the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint to the rear panel in situations where the left arm restraint covers the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel preventing the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint from being directly fastened to the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel. 8. the swaddle accessory of claim 6 further comprising: at least one hook and loop fastener located on the front surface of the right arm restraint for attaching the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint to the rear panel in situations where the right arm restraint covers the least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel preventing the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint from being directly fastened to the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel. 9. the swaddle accessory of claim 6 further comprising: at least one loop fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint that engages the at least one hook fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint when the left arm restraint is folded in half; and at least one loop fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint that engages the at least one hook fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint when the right arm restraint is folded in half. 10. the swaddle accessory of claim 1 in which said first pair of complementary connecting components are interengaged and said second complementary pair of connecting components are interengaged such that said rear surfaces of said left and right arm restraints face and directly interengage said rear surface of said back panel. 11. the swaddle accessory of claim 6 in which said at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the left arm restraint and the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the right arm restraint are releasably interengaged with the at least one hook and loop fastener located on the rear surface of the back panel such that the rear surfaces of the left and right arm restraints face and directly engage the rear surface of said back panel.
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cross reference to related applications this is a continuation of application ser. no. 12/773,821 filed may 4, 2010, now u.s. pat. no. 7,954,187 which claims the benefit of u.s. provisional patent application no. 61/175,835, filed may 6, 2009. the patent application identified above is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. this is a continuation of application ser. no. 12/773,821 filed may 4, 2010, now u.s. pat. no. 7,954,187 which application claims the benefit of u.s. provisional patent application no. 61/221,059, filed jun. 28, 2009. the patent application identified above is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. field of the invention the present invention relates to a restraining device for the arms of an infant or child and, more particularly, to an arm restraint device used in conjunction with swaddling. background of the invention swaddling of infants has been practiced for thousands of years. swaddling consists of the wrapping or binding of an infant with a blanket or other swaddling device. there are several benefits of and reasons to swaddle an infant. swaddling keeps an infant warm and it allows a caregiver to handle and carry an infant more easily. it is believed that swaddling comforts the infant and allows them to sleep more soundly. the snugness or the swaddle may remind them of the confinement of the womb and provide comfort. swaddling with the arms bound also helps prevents an infant from waking due to their startle reflex. pressure across the abdominal and chest area is thought to relieve colic. swaddling has been used more recently in the calming of older children that may have special needs. the suggested positioning for an infant to sleep to reduce the risk of sids is on their back. some infants do not tolerate sleeping on their back well unless they are swaddled. the preferred method of swaddling is to keep the infant's arms at their sides. the problem is that parents are gifted or purchase receiving blankets and swaddle devices that aren't able to keep the infant's arms in the preferred position (at their sides), therefore making their swaddling efforts useless. once they get their arms up by their chest or mouth, their rooting reflex kicks in and can interrupt their sleep. older children are much stronger and can break out of a blanket or swaddle easily. another problem with not being able to keep the infant's arms at their sides is that they can work loose a blanket or swaddle device and it may migrate over their face causing a risk of suffocation, or strangulation. also, swaddling can pose a risk to an infant if they are wrapped too tight to inhibit normal breathing. although most infants are only swaddled for 3-4 months, some require swaddling well past that age to sleep more soundly. older babies are stronger and are much harder to keep from breaking out of their swaddle. infants in a hospital setting sometimes need their arms immobilized to prevent them from inadvertently pulling out tubes, iv's or disconnecting other medical monitoring devices an ideal execution of swaddling would provide a way to keep the infant's arms fixed at their sides. there are several patented swaddling devices in the prior art that have built-in arm restraints to attempt to keep the infant from breaking out of his swaddle. the arm restraints are permanently attached to the swaddle. unfortunately, receiving blankets and the current swaddle devices do not properly contain an infant's arms. a mother may have a favorite blanket that she would like to use due to the feel, color, texture of the blanket, it matches the baby's bedding, etc, but a baby can break out of a receiving blanket easily. those swaddle devices that attempt to contain the infant's arms have arm restraints that are part of the swaddle and the parents wanting to swaddle their infant effectively have limited options in choosing what they wrap their baby in. in addition, the arm restraints are lacking in function. either they are a pre-formed sleeve or pocket that is extremely difficult to insert an infant's arm through, or they are lacking any fasteners (such as hook and loop) to keep the arm restraint in place and inescapable for a wiggly infant, or they fail to keep the infant's arms in the preferred position, at their sides. the present invention remedies the defects of known swaddles and receiving blankets by providing an easy to use swaddling accessory that keeps the infant's arms in the preferred position, at their sides, and can be used with any receiving blanket or swaddling device. if a parent has a receiving blanket or swaddle device that they are particularly fond of, the present invention allows them to swaddle their infant in that blanket or swaddle properly and effectively. the relevant prior art includes the following references: pat. no.inventorissue/publication date7,587,769mcdermottsep. 15, 20097,181,789gattenfeb. 27, 20077,043,783gattenmay 16, 20066,868,566gattenmar. 22, 20056,393,612thach et al.may 28, 20025,129,406magnusen et al.jul. 14, 1992 summary of the invention a preferred embodiment of the present invention has a single panel that can be made from fabric or material that is both wide and long enough to wrap entirely both of the infant's arms. there is a piece of hook at each end that attaches to loop in the center and on the back side of the panel at the infant's back. there is loop at one end for overlap when wrapping the arms of smaller infants. pieces of loop are adjacent to the hook at the panel ends for laundry tabs. seams are made at the bottom edge to make pockets to contain the infant's hands. to swaddle an infant using the present invention, the panel is laid with the loop at the center and on the back side down. the infant is placed with his back where the loop is located on the opposite side of the panel and with his armpits even with the top edge of the panel. the arm adjacent to the end of the panel that has the loop for overlap is wrapped first by raising the infant's arm and bringing up the end of the panel between the arm and chest. the arm is brought down to his side and the end of the panel is wrapped around the outside of the arm and the hook is attached to the loop at his back. the other arm is wrapped the same way. once the infant's arms are restrained, the infant can be swaddled in a receiving blanket or swaddle device. when an infant's arms are restrained by the present invention, a receiving blanket or swaddle device preferred by the parent can be used without the infant breaking out and waking himself. some benefits of the present invention may be obtained with a simplified embodiment consisting of using only a panel of fabric or other material that is long and wide enough to wrap the infant's arms. it would be advantageous to provide hook and loop at the ends of the panel with loop in the center at the back. it would also be advantageous to provide additional loop at the ends of the panel as laundry tabs. when washing the accessory, the hook and loop laundry tabs are attached to protect other items in the washer from being snagged by the hook. it would further be advantageous to provide pockets to contain the hands from coming out the bottom edge of the panel when wrapped. brief description of the drawings a complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which: fig. 1 is a plan front view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; fig. 2 is a plan rear view of the embodiment of fig. 1 ; fig. 3 is a plan front view of the embodiment of fig. 1 with the infant placed on it; fig. 4 is a plan front view of the embodiment of fig. 1 and an infant with both of the infant's arms secured by the arm restraints; fig. 5 is a top view of the embodiment of fig. 1 and an infant with both of the infant's arms secured by the arm restraints; fig. 6 is a view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention without pockets for the infant's hands; and fig. 7 is a view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention without pockets for the infant's hands or any hook and loop fasteners. for purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the figures. description of the preferred embodiment fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention having a back panel 100 , a loop panel 101 , a left arm restraint 104 , a strip of loop on the left arm restraint 102 , a strip of hook on the left arm restraint 103 , a pocket for the left hand 107 , a right arm restraint 110 , a strip of loop on the right arm restraint 111 , a strip of hook on the right arm restraint 112 , loop for overlap of the left arm restraint 102 and a pocket for the right hand 108 . in this embodiment, the back panel 100 is long enough to cover the infant's arms from shoulder to beyond the fingertips and wide enough to wrap both of the infant's arms. it can also be made long enough and wide enough to secure the arms of older and larger children or a person of any size. the parts of the present invention are made from sheet material, usually fabric and hook and loop fasteners. many fabrics known in the art may be used, depending on the desired characteristics such as elasticity, warmth, weight, breathability, stain resistance, absence of allergens, visual appeal and other factors. the present invention may be made of a single material or parts may be made of different materials. flexible, non-fabric materials may also be used to provide special characteristics. the right arm restraint 110 extends from the back panel 100 and is long enough to wrap once from between the infant's right arm and chest and outward over the infant's arm with the excess attaching to the loop panel 101 on the back side of the back panel 100 with a strip of hook on the right arm restraint 112 . the left arm restraint 104 extends from the back panel 100 and is long enough to wrap once from between the infant's left arm and chest and outward over the infant's arm with the excess attaching to either the loop panel 101 on the back side of the back panel 100 or the loop for overlap of the left arm restraint 104 with a strip of hook on the left arm restraint 103 . the right arm restraint 110 and the left arm restraint 104 may be separate pieces sewn, bonded, electrically welded, or attached by other means known in the art to the back panel 100 , or the left arm restraint 104 , the right arm restraint 110 and the back panel 100 may be of a single, continuous piece of material. the position of the loop for overlap of the left arm restraint 109 may be reversed in any embodiment of the present invention without impairing the utility of the invention. at the end and on the back side of the right arm restraint 110 there is a strip of hook on the right arm restraint 112 that attaches to the loop panel 101 on the back side of the back panel 100 . adjacent to the strip of hook on the right arm restraint 112 , there is a strip of loop on the right arm restraint 111 than can be attached to the strip of hook on the right arm restraint 112 to act as a laundry tab to protect other items being laundered at the same time. at the end and on the back side of the left arm restraint 104 there is a strip of hook on the left arm restraint 103 that attaches to the loop panel 101 on the back side of the back panel 100 . adjacent to the strip of hook on the left arm restraint 103 , there is a strip of loop on the left arm restraint 102 than can be attached to the strip of hook on the left arm restraint 103 to act as a laundry tab to protect other items being laundered at the same time. at the center and on the back side of the back panel 100 there is a loop panel 101 that is used to secure the right aim restraint 110 and the left arm restraint 104 . many other fabrics or materials may be used instead or in addition to perform as loop to secure the right arm restraint 110 and the left arm restraint 104 . the loop panel 101 is long and wide enough allow the left arm restraint 104 and the right arm restraint 110 to secure the arms of various sized infants, older children or a person of any size. on the front side and at the end of the right arm restraint 110 , there is loop for overlap of the left arm restraint 104 . in the case of a smaller infant, the right arm restraint 110 when wrapped around the infant's right arm and attached to the loop panel 101 at the back panel 100 , may have such excess that it uses the entire loop panel 101 . the loop for overlap of the left arm restraint 104 provides a place for the strip of hook on the left arm restraint 103 to attach to when the infant's left arm is wrapped. many other fabrics or materials may be used instead or in addition to perform as loop to provide a place for the overlapping of the left arm restraint 104 to attach to. the pocket for the left hand 107 is made by attaching together the bottom edge of panel 106 from the fold or end point of pocket for the left hand 201 when the present invention is wrapped to the start point of pocket for the left hand 202 shown in fig. 5 . the pocket for the left hand 107 keeps the infant's left hand contained so that he may not wiggle his hand out the bottom of the left arm restraint 104 and break out of his swaddle. the pocket for the right hand 108 is made by attaching together the bottom edge of panel 106 from the fold or end point of pocket for the right hand 204 when the present invention is wrapped to the start point of pocket for the right hand 203 shown in fig. 4 . the pocket for the right hand 108 keeps the infant's right hand contained so that he may not wiggle his hand out the bottom of the right arm restraint 110 and break out of his swaddle. it should be noted that some of the benefits of the present invention may be obtained with a simplified version consisting only of the back panel 100 , the right arm restraint 110 and the left arm restraint 104 . however, the addition of the strip of hook on the right arm restraint 112 , the strip of hook on the left arm restraint 103 , the loop panel 101 at the back of the back panel 100 , the loop for overlap of the left arm restraint 104 , the pocket for the left hand 107 and the pocket for the right hand 108 allows a caregiver or parent to secure the infant's arms so that they are unable to break out of the receiving blanket or swaddle device they are swaddled in. fig. 2 shows a plan rear view of the embodiment of fig. 1 . a pocket for the left hand 107 is made by attaching a portion of the front of the bottom edge of panel 106 to the back of the bottom edge of panel 106 from the end point of pocket for the left hand 201 to start point of pocket for the left hand 202 . a pocket for the right hand 108 is made by attaching a portion of the front of the bottom edge of panel 106 to the back of the bottom edge of panel 106 from the end point of pocket for the right hand 204 to start point of pocket for the right hand 203 . fig. 3 shows the position of the infant when placed on the preferred embodiment of the present invention. the infant is placed such that his armpits are even with the top edge of panel 105 and centered horizontally on the back panel 100 with his arms along his sides and his hands placed inside the pockets 107 , 108 . fig. 4 and fig. 5 illustrate a preferred method for employing the present invention. fig. 4 shows an infant lying on the back panel 100 with his armpits aligned with the top edge of panel 105 , his arms along his sides and his hands placed inside the pockets 107 , 108 . his right arm is restrained by wrapping the right arm restraint 110 around the right arm by bringing the right arm restraint 110 up between his chest and arm and wrapping the right arm restraint 110 outward over the right arm and attaching the strip of hook on the right arm restraint 112 (not visible) to the loop panel 101 (not visible) on the back side of the back panel 100 . the right hand is contained inside the pocket for the right hand 108 . fig. 5 shows an infant lying on the back panel 100 with his armpits aligned with the top edge of panel 105 , his arms along his sides, and how his left arm is restrained by wrapping the left arm restraint 104 around the left arm by bringing the left arm restraint 104 up between his chest and arm and wrapping the left arm restraint 104 outward over the left arm and attaching the strip of hook on the left arm restraint 103 either to the loop panel 101 on the back side of the back panel 100 . the left hand is contained inside the pocket for the left hand 107 . the right arm is restrained by wrapping the right arm restraint 110 around the left arm by bringing the left arm restraint 104 up between his chest and arm and wrapping the right arm restraint 110 outward over the right arm and attaching the strip of hook on the left arm restraint 112 either to the loop panel 101 on the back side of the back panel 100 . the right hand is contained inside the pocket for the right hand 108 . both arms are now restrained and the parent can swaddle their infant or child in whichever receiving blanket or swaddle device they prefer without the infant being able to break out of his swaddle. fig. 6 shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention without the pocket for the left hand 107 or the pocket for the right hand 108 . fig. 7 shows a simplified embodiment of the present invention without hook and loop fasteners or pockets for the hands. since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention. having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by letters patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.
|
017-650-242-790-343
|
US
|
[
"US"
] |
F28D15/04,F28D1/02,F28D21/00
| 2018-01-19T00:00:00 |
2018
|
[
"F28"
] |
vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module
|
a vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module includes: at least one evaporator having a first chamber inside, which containing a first working medium; at least one evaporator tube body having a first end, a second end and a condensation section positioned, the first and second ends communicating with the first chamber of the at least one evaporator to form a loop of the first working medium; at least one heat exchanger having a heat exchange chamber, a first face and a second face for the condensation section of the evaporator tube body to attach to; and at least one heat sink tube body, which communicating with the heat exchange chamber of the at least one heat exchanger and the at least one heat sink to form a loop of the second working medium.
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1. a vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module comprising: at least one evaporator having a first chamber inside, a first working medium contained in the first chamber; at least one evaporator tube body having a first end, a second end, and a condensation section positioned between the first and second ends, the first and second ends in fluid communication with the first chamber of the at least one evaporator to form a loop of the first working medium; at least one heat exchanger having a heat exchange chamber inside, a first face, and a second face with the condensation section of the evaporator tube body directly attached to the first or to the second face; a heat sink; at least one heat sink tube body in fluid communication with the heat exchange chamber of the at least one heat exchanger and with the heat sink, and a second working medium, the heat sink tube body serving as a loop for the second working medium to flow through. 2. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one evaporator tube body further has a vapor section in adjacency to the first end and a liquid section in adjacency to the second end, the condensation section being connected between the vapor section and the liquid section. 3. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of claim 2 , further comprising a capillary structure disposed in the liquid section. 4. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger has at least one recess corresponding to the at least one evaporator tube body, the condensation section of the at least one evaporator tube body being inlaid in the at least one recess. 5. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, the at least one heat sink tube body including a first heat sink tube body and a second heat sink tube body, the at least one heat sink including a first heat sink and a second heat sink, the first heat sink tube body communicating with the first heat sink, the second heat sink tube body communicating with the second heat sink, the condensation section of the at least one evaporator tube body being inlaid in the recess of the first heat exchanger and the recess of the second heat exchanger. 6. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second face of the first heat exchanger and the first face of the second heat exchanger are correspondingly attached to each other. 7. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the at least one evaporator includes a first evaporator and a second evaporator, the at least one evaporator tube body including a first evaporator tube body and a second evaporator tube body, the first and second ends of the first evaporator tube body communicating with the first chamber of the first evaporator, the first and second ends of the second evaporator tube body communicating with the first chamber of the second evaporator, the at least one heat exchanger further including a third heat exchanger, the at least one heat sink tube body further including a third heat sink tube body, the at least one heat sink further including a third heat sink, the third heat sink tube body communicating with the third heat sink and the third heat exchanger. 8. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the at least one recess of the first heat exchanger includes a first recess and a second recess, the first and second recesses being respectively disposed on the first and second faces of the first heat exchanger, the condensation section of the first evaporator tube body being inlaid in the second recess and the at least one recess of the second heat exchanger, the condensation section of the second evaporator tube body being inlaid in the first recess and the at least one recess of the third heat exchanger. 9. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first face of the first heat exchanger and the second face of the third heat exchanger are correspondingly attached to each other. 10. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one heat sink is a water-cooling radiator having a second chamber and a pump, the at least one heat sink tube body having a third end and a fourth end, the third and fourth ends communicating with the second chamber, the pump and the heat exchange chamber to form the loop of the second working medium. 11. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the at least one evaporator includes a first evaporator and a second evaporator, the at least one evaporator tube body including a first evaporator tube body and a second evaporator tube body, the first and second ends of the first evaporator tube body communicating with the first chamber of the first evaporator, the first and second ends of the second evaporator tube body communicating with the first chamber of the second evaporator. 12. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least one recess includes a first recess and a second recess, the condensation section of the first evaporator tube body being inlaid in the second recess, the condensation section of the second evaporator tube body being inlaid in the first recess. 13. the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger is a water-cooling head.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates generally to a heat dissipation field, and more particularly to a vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module, in which the heat exchange area is minified and the heat transfer path is shortened to enhance the heat exchange efficiency. 2. description of the related art it is known that a fan and radiating fins are often used to dissipate heat. however, the performance of the current electronic apparatuses has become higher and higher so that the electronic components in the electronic apparatuses for processing signals and operation will generate more heat than the traditional electronic components. therefore, vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer technique has been applied to those products or environments with high heat flux to dissipate the heat. according to the theory of phase change, the heat flux can reach over 50 w/cm 2 without extra electrical power. therefore, the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer technique has the advantages of heat transfer and energy saving. the current vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer techniques include loop heat pipe (lhp), capillary porous loop (cpl), two-phase loop thermosyphon (lts), etc. the device of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer technique generally includes an evaporator and a heat sink connected with each other via a tube body to form a closed loop. through the tube body, the heat is transferred from the evaporator to the remote end heat sink so as to dissipate the heat. however, the heat sink of the current vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer technique is cooled by a fan. the fan for cooling the heat sink necessitates a larger heat exchange area so that a larger internal space of the system will be occupied. also, the heat transfer path of the conventional tube body is longer so that the working medium in the tube body can hardly quickly flow back. this leads to poor heat exchange efficiency. it is therefore tried by the applicant to provide a vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module, which can fully utilize the internal space of the system to satisfy the heat exchange requirement of the heat sink and surpasses the heat exchange efficiency of the fan. summary of the invention it is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module, in which the heat exchange area is minified and the heat transfer path of the vapor tube and the condensation tube is shortened. it is a further object of the present invention to provide the above vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module, which can enhance the heat exchange efficiency. to achieve the above and other objects, the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention includes: at least one evaporator having a first chamber inside, a first working medium being filled in the first chamber; at least one evaporator tube body having a first end, a second end and a condensation section positioned between the first and second ends, the first and second ends communicating with the first chamber of the at least one evaporator to form a loop of the first working medium; at least one heat exchanger having a heat exchange chamber inside, the at least one heat exchanger further having a first face and a second face for the condensation section of the evaporator tube body to attach to; and at least one heat sink tube body. the heat sink tube body communicates with the heat exchange chamber of the at least one heat exchanger and at least one heat sink. the heat sink tube body serves as a loop of a second working medium for the second working fluid to flow through. according to the design of the present invention, a heat exchanger is disposed on the condensation section of the evaporator tube body or multiple heat exchangers are stacked and assembled. in addition, through the heat sink tube body, the heat is quickly transferred to the heat sink to dissipate the heat. in this case, the heat exchange area is minified and the heat transfer path is shortened to enhance the heat exchange efficiency. brief description of the drawings the structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: fig. 1a is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 1b is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the to vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 1c is a sectional view of the evaporator and the evaporator tube body of the first embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 1d is a sectional view of the heat exchanger and the heat sink tube body of the first embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 2a is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 2b is a perspective assembled view of the second embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 3a is a perspective exploded view of a third embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 3b is a perspective assembled view of the third embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 3c is a top view of the third embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; fig. 4a is a perspective exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention; and fig. 4b is a perspective assembled view of the fourth embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. detailed description of the preferred embodiments please refer to figs. 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d . fig. 1a is a perspective exploded view of a first embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. fig. 1b is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. fig. 1c is a sectional view of the evaporator and the evaporator tube body of the first embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. fig. 1d is a sectional view of the heat exchanger and the heat sink tube body of the first embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. according to the first embodiment, the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention includes at least one evaporator, at least one evaporator tube body, at least one heat exchanger, at least one heat exchanger tube body and at least one heat sink. in this embodiment, there are, but not limited to, one evaporator 1 , one evaporator tube body 2 , one heat exchanger 3 , one heat exchanger tube body 4 and one heat sink 5 . in practice, some modifications of this embodiment can be made to achieve the same effect. the evaporator 1 has a first chamber 11 inside. a first working medium is contained in the first chamber 11 . the first working medium is a liquid with high specific heat coefficient. the evaporator 1 is attached to a heat source (not shown) to absorb heat from the heat source. in this embodiment, the evaporator 1 is, but not limited to, a rectangular plate body. in a modified embodiment, the evaporator 1 can be alternatively a tubular evaporator with a diameter larger than that of the evaporator tube body 2 . the shape or configuration of the evaporator 1 of the present invention is not limited. the evaporator tube body 2 has a first end 21 , a second end 22 and a condensation section 23 . the first and second ends 21 , 22 are respectively positioned at two opposite ends of the evaporator tube body 2 . the first and second ends 21 , 22 communicate with the first chamber 11 to form a loop of the first working medium. the condensation section 23 is positioned between the first and second ends 21 , 22 . the evaporator tube body 2 further has a vapor section 24 and a liquid section 25 . the vapor section 24 is adjacent to the first end 21 . the liquid section 25 is adjacent to the second end 22 . the condensation section 23 is connected between the vapor section 24 and the liquid section 25 . in this embodiment, a capillary structure 26 is, but not limited to, disposed in the liquid section 25 . in a modified embodiment, the interior of the liquid section 25 can be alternatively free from the capillary structure 26 . in this embodiment, the evaporator tube body 2 is, but not limited to, a circular tube. in a modified embodiment, the evaporator tube body 2 can be alternatively a flat tube. the heat exchanger 3 has a heat exchange chamber 31 , a first face 32 , a second face 33 , a water inlet 35 and a water outlet 36 . the first and second faces 32 , 33 are respectively disposed on two opposite faces of the heat exchanger 3 for the condensation section 23 of the evaporator tube body 2 to attach to. the condensation section 23 of the evaporator tube body 2 is selectively attached to the first face 32 or the second face 33 . in this embodiment, the condensation section 23 of the evaporator tube body 2 is, but not limited to, attached to the second face 33 of the heat exchanger 3 . alternatively, the condensation section 23 of the evaporator tube body 2 can be attached to the first face 32 . the heat sink tube body 4 has a third end 41 and a fourth end 42 . the third and fourth ends 41 , 42 are respectively disposed at two opposite ends of the heat sink tube body 4 . the heat sink tube body 4 communicates with the heat exchange chamber 31 of the heat exchanger 3 and the heat sink 5 . the heat sink tube body 4 serves as a loop of a second working medium for the second working fluid to flow through. the second working medium is a liquid with high specific heat coefficient. in this embodiment, the heat sink tube body 4 is, but not limited to, a circular tube. in a modified embodiment, the heat sink tube body 4 can be alternatively a flat tube. the heat sink 5 has a second chamber 51 and a pump 52 . the heat sink tube body 4 communicates with the heat exchange chamber 31 of the heat exchanger 3 through the water inlet 35 and water outlet 36 of the heat exchanger 3 . in addition, the heat sink tube body 4 communicates with the second chamber 51 and the pump 52 of the heat sink 5 through the third and fourth ends 41 , 42 to form the loop of the second working medium. in this embodiment, the heat sink 5 is a water-cooling radiator as shown in figs. 1a and 1b in a partially sectional state. in this embodiment, the heat sink tube body 4 is a water-cooling tube. the pump 52 is, but not limited to, disposed in adjacency to the third end 41 of the heat sink tube body 4 . in a modified embodiment, the pump 52 can be alternatively disposed in adjacency to the fourth end 42 of the heat sink tube body 4 . in this embodiment, the heat exchanger 3 has at least one recess 34 corresponding to the evaporator tube body 2 . the condensation section 23 of the evaporator tube body 2 is, but not limited to, inlaid in the at least one recess 34 . in a modified embodiment, the heat exchanger 3 has a plane surface and the condensation section 23 of the evaporator tube body 2 is attached to the plane surface of the heat exchanger 3 . in another modified embodiment, the condensation section 23 of the evaporator tube body 2 is inlaid in the recess 34 of the heat exchanger 3 in flush with the outer surface of the heat exchanger 3 . in this embodiment, the heat exchanger 3 is a water-cooling head. in a preferred embodiment, the first working medium in the first chamber 11 is heated to the boiling point and evaporated into a vapor-phase first working medium. the vapor-phase first working medium passes through the first end 21 into the vapor section 24 . then the vapor-phase first working medium flows through the vapor section 24 to the condensation section 23 . the condensation section 23 absorbs the heat of the vapor-phase first working medium and heat-exchanges with the heat exchanger 3 . the vapor-phase first working medium in the condensation section 23 is condensed into a liquid-phase first working medium. the liquid-phase first working medium is absorbed by the capillary structure 26 of the liquid section 25 to flow through the second end 22 back into the first chamber 11 of the evaporator 1 . in a modified embodiment, the liquid section 23 is free from the capillary structure 26 and the liquid-phase first working medium is pushed by gas pressure to flow through the second end 22 back into the first chamber 11 of the evaporator 1 . the heat exchanger 3 absorbs the heat of the condensation section 23 of the evaporator tube body 2 . the second working medium is driven by the pump 52 to flow from the second chamber 51 of the heat sink 5 through the third end 41 of the heat exchanger tube body 4 and flow from the water inlet 35 into the heat exchange chamber 31 . the second working fluid absorbs the heat of the heat exchanger 3 and flows from the water outlet 36 through the fourth end 42 back into the second chamber 51 . the heat sink 5 absorbs the heat of the second working medium to dissipate the heat by way of radiation. according to the design of the present invention, the heat of the evaporator 1 is collectively transferred to the heat exchanger 3 . then the heat of the heat exchanger 3 is transferred through the heat sink tube body 4 to the heat sink 5 to dissipate the heat. therefore, the heat exchange area can be minified. also, the heat transfer path can be shortened, whereby the first and second working media can quickly flow back to enhance the heat exchange efficiency. please now refer to figs. 2a and 2b . fig. 2a is a perspective exploded view of a second embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. fig. 2b is a perspective assembled view of the second embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. also referring to figs. 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d , the second embodiment is partially identical to the first embodiment in structure and function and thus will not be redundantly described hereinafter. the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the at least one heat exchanger includes a first heat exchanger 3 and a second heat exchanger 3 a. the at least one heat sink tube body includes a first heat sink tube body 4 and a second heat sink tube body 4 a. the at least one heat sink includes a first heat sink 5 and a second heat sink (not shown). the first heat sink tube body 4 communicates with the first heat sink 5 . the second heat sink tube body 4 a communicates with the second heat sink. the structure and assembling relationship of the second heat sink tube body 4 a and the second heat sink are identical to the structure and assembling relationship of the heat sink tube body 4 and the heat sink 5 as shown in fig. 1b . in this embodiment, the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 is, but not limited to, attached to the second face 33 of the first heat exchanger 3 and the first face 32 a of the second heat exchanger 3 a. alternatively, the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 can be attached to the first face 32 of the first heat exchanger 3 and the second face 33 a of the second heat exchanger 3 a. still alternatively, the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 can be attached to the first face 32 of the first heat exchanger 3 and the first face 32 a of the second heat exchanger 3 a. still alternatively, the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 can be attached to the second face 33 of the first heat exchanger 3 and the second face 33 a of the second heat exchanger 3 a. the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 is inlaid in the recess 34 of the first heat exchanger 3 and the recess 34 a of the second heat exchanger. accordingly, the second face 33 of the first heat exchanger 3 and the first face 32 a of the second heat exchanger 3 a are correspondingly attached to each other. according to the above arrangement, the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 can heat-exchange with the first and second heat exchangers 3 , 3 a at the same time. the first and second heat exchangers 3 , 3 a absorb the heat of the condensation section 23 . the second working medium flows through the first and second heat sink tube bodies 4 , 4 a to carry away the heat and flow back to the first and second heat sinks. therefore, the heat exchange area is minified and the heat transfer path is shortened to enhance the heat exchange efficiency. please now refer to figs. 3a, 3b and 3c . fig. 3a is a perspective exploded view of a third embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. fig. 3b is a perspective assembled view of the third embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. fig. 3c is a top view of the third embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. also referring to figs. 2a and 2b , the third embodiment is partially identical to the second embodiment in structure and function and thus will not be redundantly described hereinafter. the third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that the at least one evaporator includes a first evaporator 1 and a second evaporator 1 a. the at least one evaporator tube body includes a first evaporator tube body 2 and a second evaporator tube body 2 a. the at least one heat exchanger further includes a third heat exchanger 3 b. the at least one heat sink tube body further includes a third heat sink tube body 4 b. the at least one heat sink further includes a third heat sink (not shown). the first and second ends 21 , 22 of the first evaporator tube body 2 communicate with the first chamber 11 of the first evaporator 1 . the first and second ends 21 a, 22 a of the second evaporator tube body 2 a communicate with the first chamber (not shown) of the second evaporator 1 a. the third heat sink tube body 4 b is connected to the third heat sink. the structure and assembling relationship of the third heat sink tube body 4 b and the third heat sink are identical to the structure and assembling relationship of the heat sink tube body 4 and the heat sink 5 as shown in fig. 1b . in this embodiment, the condensation section 23 a of the second evaporator tube body 2 a is attached to the first face 32 of the first heat exchanger 3 and the second face 33 b of the third heat exchanger 3 b. in addition, in this embodiment, the at least one recess of the first heat exchanger 3 includes a first recess 341 and a second recess 342 . the first and second recesses 341 , 342 are respectively formed on the first and second faces 32 , 33 of the first heat exchanger 3 . the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 is inlaid in the second recess 342 and the at least one recess 34 a of the second heat exchanger 3 a. the condensation section 23 a of the second evaporator tube body 2 a is inlaid in the first recess 341 and the at least one recess 34 b of the third heat exchanger 3 b. accordingly, the first face 32 of the first heat exchanger 3 and the second face 33 b of the third heat exchanger 3 b are correspondingly attached to each other. according to the above arrangement, the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 heat-exchanges with the first and second heat exchangers 3 , 3 a. also, the first heat exchangers 3 heat-exchanges with the second heat exchanger 3 a. the condensation section 23 a of the second evaporator tube body 2 a heat-exchanges with the first and third heat exchangers 3 , 3 b. also, the first heat exchangers 3 heat-exchanges with the third heat exchanger 3 b. the first and second heat exchangers 3 , 3 a absorb the heat of the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 . the first and third heat exchangers 3 , 3 b absorb the heat of the condensation section 23 a of the second evaporator tube body 2 a. the second working medium flows through the first, second and third heat sink tube bodies 4 , 4 a, 4 b to carry away the heat to flow back to the first, second and third heat sinks. therefore, the heat exchange area is minified and the heat transfer path is shortened to enhance the heat exchange efficiency. please now refer to figs. 4a and 4b . fig. 4a is a perspective exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. fig. 4b is a perspective assembled view of the fourth embodiment of the vapor-liquid phase fluid heat transfer module of the present invention. also referring to figs. 1a and 1b , the fourth embodiment is partially identical to the first embodiment in structure and function and thus will not be redundantly described hereinafter. the fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the at least one evaporator includes a first evaporator 1 and a second evaporator 1 a . the at least one evaporator tube body includes a first evaporator tube body 2 and a second evaporator tube body 2 a. the first and second ends 21 , 22 of the first evaporator tube body 2 communicate with the first chamber 11 of the first evaporator 1 . the first and second ends 21 a, 22 a of the second evaporator tube body 2 a communicate with the first chamber (not shown) of the second evaporator 1 a. in this embodiment, the first evaporator tube body 2 is, but not limited to, attached to the second face 33 of the heat exchanger 3 and the second evaporator tube body 2 a is, but not limited to, attached to the first face 32 of the heat exchanger 3 . alternatively, the first evaporator tube body 2 can be attached to the first face 32 of the heat exchanger 3 . still alternatively, the first and second evaporator tube bodies 2 , 2 a are both attached to the first face 32 or the second face 33 . in this embodiment, the at least one recess includes a first recess 341 and a second recess 342 . the condensation section 23 of the first evaporator tube body 2 is, but not limited to, inlaid in the second recess 342 , while the condensation section 23 a of the second evaporator tube body 2 a is, but not limited to, inlaid in the first recess 341 . in a modified embodiment, the heat exchanger 3 has a plane surface and the condensation sections 23 , 23 a of the first and second evaporator tube bodies 2 , 2 a are attached to the plane surface of the heat exchanger 3 . in another modified embodiment, the condensation sections 23 , 23 a of the first and second evaporator tube bodies 2 , 2 a are inlaid in the first and second recesses 341 , 342 of the heat exchanger 3 in flush with the outer surface of the heat exchanger 3 . according to the above arrangement, both the first and second evaporator tube bodies 2 , 2 a heat-exchange with the heat sink 3 . the heat exchanger 3 absorbs the heat of the condensation sections 23 , 23 a. the second working medium flows through the heat sink tube body 4 to carry away the heat and flow back to the first and second heat sinks. therefore, the heat exchange area is minified and the heat transfer path is shortened to enhance the heat exchange efficiency. the present invention has been described with the above embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in such as the form or layout pattern or practicing step of the above embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.
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018-098-206-290-579
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US
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[
"US"
] |
G06F3/033,G06F3/045
| 1984-12-24T00:00:00 |
1984
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[
"G06"
] |
electrographic touch sensor having reduced bow of equipotential field lines therein
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a resistor electrode type touch sensor having reduced bow of equipotential lines in the sensor and simplified construction. orthogonal electrical fields are produced on a resistive surface so as to give coordinates of a selected position. overlying, but spaced from, the resistive surface is an optional flexible conductive pick-off sheet facing the resistive surface which will contact the resistive surface when touched at a selected position. other elements are described to obtain signals corresponding to the coordinates of a selected point. electrodes of a selected effective length and spacing to substantially eliminate the bow of equipotential fields produced in the resistive surface are located along selected paths proximate the edges of the resistive surface and attached thereto. each electrode is connected to a selected connection point along a resistance element along each edge of the resistive to provide selected voltages to the resistive surface. each resistance element is made up of at least one resistance unit between each electrode connection point, and each unit has a pair of space-apart conductive lines applied to the resistive layer. for a given value of the resistive surface, the value of the resistance unit is determined by the length and width of any gaps between the conductive lines.
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1. a position touch sensor having resistive electrodes which provides a linear output response over an enhanced proportion of the surface area of said sensor by reducing the bow of equipotential lines along edges of said sensor, which comprises: a resistive surface having a selected substantially uniform resistivity throughout said surface, said resistive surface defining perimeter edges; a resistance element having a non-uniform resistance value per unit length positioned proximate each of said perimeter edges of said resistive surface for providing orthogonal electrical fields on said resistive surface, each of said resistance elements having opposite ends joined to proximate ends of adjoining resistance elements; a plurality of electrodes positioned on, and electrically connected to, said resistive surface along a preselected symmetrical path proximate each perimeter edge of said surface, said electrodes each being electrically connected to selected connection points along said resistance elements and having a selected spacing and an effective length along said path; wherein each said resistance element has at least one resistance unit interposed between adjacent selected connection points for said electrodes, each said resistance unit formed by a pair of lines of conductive material being in electrical contact with said resistive surface and space apart a selected distance and overlapping a selected length whereby said resistance unit has a resistance value established by said resistivity of said resistive surface and by said selected separation distance and said overlap length; and wherein said length and spacing of said electrodes are selected to produce a selected voltage gradient at each of said electrodes to compensate for any cumulative voltage drop along said resistance element perpendicular to current flow in said resistive surface during operation of said sensor when said orthogonal fields are introduced into said resistive surface whereby said bow is reduced. 2. the sensor of claim 1 further comprising means for deriving output signals corresponding to coordinates of a selected point on said resistive surface. 3. the sensor of claim 1 wherein said lines of conductive material on said resistive surface are substantially parallel to said perimeter edges of said resistive surface. 4. the sensor of claim 2 wherein said means for deriving output signals comprises a circuit means connected to said ends of said resistance elements to introduce orthogonal electrical fields on said resistive surface and a conductive means for contacting said resistive surface at said selected point to obtain voltage signals from said resistive surface at said point. 5. the sensor of claim 4 wherein said conductive means is a conductive flexible pickoff sheet uniformly spaced from said resistive layer and further comprises means for preventing inadvertent contact between said pickoff sheet and said resistive layer but permitting intentional contact at said selected point. 6. the sensor of claim 3 wherein said resistive surface has a resistivity of about 200 ohms per square, said lines of conductive material in contact with said resistive layer are spaced apart about 0.020 inch and overlap a distance of about 0.4 inch whereby said each resistive unit has a resistance value of about ten ohms between adjacent of said connection points for said electrodes. 7. a position touch sensor having resistive electrodes which provides a linear output response over an enhanced proportion of the surface area of said sensor by reducing the bow of equipotential lines along edges of said sensor, which comprises: a resistive layer having a selected substantially uniform resistivity of about 200 ohms per square throughout said surface, said resistive surface defining perimeter edges; a resistance element having a non-uniform resistance value per unit length positioned proximate each of said perimeter edges of said resistive surface for providing orthogonal electrical fields on said resistive surface, each of said resistance elements formed from a plurality of serially-connected resistance units with a connection point between each unit, each resistance unit formed by a pair of conductive lines substantially parallel to said perimeter edges of said resistive surface and being in electrical contact with said resistive surface, said lines spaced apart a selected distance of about 0.020 inch and overlapping a selected length of about 0.4 inch whereby said resistance unit has a resistance value of about 10 ohms established by said resistivity of said resistive surface and by said selected separation distance and said overlap length, each said resistance element having opposite ends joined to proximate ends of adjoining resistance elements; a plurality of electrodes positioned on, and electrically connected to, said resistive surface along a preselected symmetrical path proximate each perimeter edge of said surface, said electrodes having a selected spacing and an effective length along said path, said length and spacing of said electrodes selected to produce a selected voltage gradient at each of said electrodes to compensate for any cumulative voltage drop along said resistance element perpendicular to current flow in said resistive surface during operation of said sensor when said orthogonal fields are introduced into said resistive surface whereby said bow is reduced; circuit means connected to said ends of said resistance elements to introduce orthogonal electrical fields on said resistive surface; and conductive means for contacting said resistive surface at a selected point to obtain output voltage signals from said resistive surface at that point. 8. the sensor of claim 7 wherein said conductive means is a conductive flexible pickoff sheet uniformly spaced from said resistive layer and further comprises means for preventing inadvertent contact between said pickoff sheet and said resistive layer but permitting intentional contact at said selected point. 9. a position touch sensor having resistive electrodes provides a linear output response over an enhanced proportion of the surface area of said sensor by reducing the bow of equipotential lines along edges of said sensor, which comprises: a resistive layer having a substantially uniform resistivity of about 200 ohms per square throughout said surface, said resistive surface defining perimeter edges; a resistance element having a non-uniform resistance value per unit length positioned proximate each of said perimeter edges of said resistive surface for providing orthogonal electrical fields on said resistive surface, each of said resistance elements formed from a plurality of serially-connected resistance units with a connection point between each unit, each resistance unit formed by a pair of conductive lines substantially parallel to said perimeter edges of said resistive surface and being in electrical contact with said resistive surface, said lines spaced apart a distance of about 0.020 inch and overlapping a length of about 0.4 inch whereby said resistance unit has a resistance value of about 10 ohms established by said resistivity of said resistive surface and by said selected separation distance and said overlap length, each said resistance element having opposite ends joined to proximate ends of adjoining resistance elements; a plurality of electrodes positioned on, and electrically connected to, said resistive surface along a preselected symmetrical path proximate each perimeter edge of said surface, said electrodes having a selected spacing and an effective length along said path, said length and spacing of said electrodes selected to produce a selected voltage gradient at each of said electrodes to compensate for any cumulative voltage drop along said resistance element perpendicular to current flow in said resistive surface during operation of said sensor when said orthogonal fields are introduced into said resistive surface whereby said bow is reduced; circuit means connected to said ends of said resistance elements to introduce orthogonal electrical fields on said resistive surface; and a conductive flexible pickoff sheet uniformly spaced from said resistive layer and further comprises means for preventing inadvertent contact between said pickoff sheet and said resistive layer but permitting intentional contact at said selected point.
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disclosure of the invention according to the present invention, there is provided a sheet (or layer) of resistive material having a highly uniform resistivity. this sheet may be either transparent or opaque and is formed using conventional technology. positioned along and adjacent to this sheet at each edge thereof is a resistance element by which potentials are applied to the sheet via electrodes. the sheet is provided with a single line of a plurality of contact electrodes connected to selected positions along the resistive element along each edge, with the size and spacing of these contact electrodes chosen to provide a voltage gradient along the line to achieve a selected degree of linearity of the response throughout a major area of the device. specifically, the effective voltage gradient along the line of electrodes is selected to counteract the bow in electrical field lines that otherwise would exist due to voltage drop along the resistive element. in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the resistance element is formed by depositing simple overlapping patterns of conductive material in contact with the resistive material between each point of connection to an electrode to achieve a selected resistance value between these points. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is an exploded view of a device constructed according to the present invention. fig. 2 is a drawing illustrating one embodiment of the application of electrodes of selected varying lengths and spacing to achieve the present invention. fig. 3 is a drawing illustrating the enhancement of the active area of a sensor as achieved with the present invention contrasted with typical sensors of the prior art. figs. 4-4a are a drawing illustrating another embodiment of a resistive element for use with the sensor of fig. 1. figs. 5-5a are a drawing illustrating still another embodiment of a resistive element for the present invention, this being a modification of the embodiment of fig. 4. figs. 6-6a are a drawing illustrating another embodiment of a resistive element/electrode configuration of the present invention. detailed description of the invention referring now to fig. 1, shown therein is an exploded view of a device for accomplishing the above-stated objects. it will be recognized that the thickness (or height) of the components has been exaggerated for purposes of illustration. a uniform resistive surface or layer 10 is applied to a suitable substrate 12. the substrate may be, for example, planar (as shown) or can be contoured to match the face of a curved object, such as a conventional video display screen. the substrate can have any perimeter configuration, e.g., rectangular (as shown) or a configuration to match the configuration of a video display which would include being "substantially rectangular". if the resultant product is to be an opaque sensor, the resistive coating is typically applied by screening a resistive ink, by spraying a resistive paint upon the substrate, or may be a volume conducting sheet such as rubber or plastic. the substrate can typically be rigid plastic, glass, various types of printed circuit board materials, or a metal having a previously applied insulating layer. furthermore, various plastic materials can be utilized in the form of flexible sheets and supported upon a suitable hard surface material. in such opaque units, the resistive surface typically can have a sheet resistivity between about 10 and 10,000 ohms per square and be applied within a variation of uniformity of about one percent and twenty-five percent, depending upon the positional accuracy requirements of the device. alternatively, the resistive surface 10 on substrate 12 can be substantially transparent. for such a device, the resistive layer is typically a semiconducting metal oxide as represented by indium-tin oxide. this type of surface and substrate are described in more detail in u.s. pat. no. 4,220,815, issued sept. 2, 1980, which patent is incorporated herein by reference. typically, this resistive layer has the same range of resistivity as in the opaque sensor described above. the substrate for the transparent sensor is, accordingly, a transparent material such as glass. spaced above the resistive coating is a contact or pickoff sheet 13, typically a flexible film 14 having a conductive coating 16 on the underside of the film. if the resultant device is to be transparent, the conductive coating must also be transparent. this transparency requirement does not necessarily apply to a device that is considered an opaque sensor. the flexible film can either be a rigid-like plastic, such as polyester or polycarbonate, or it can be elastomeric. the conductive coating 16 has sufficient flexibility to compliment the flexible film and typically has a sheet resistivity less than about 1,000 ohms per square. while the embodiment depicted in fig. 1 utilizes the contact sheet 13, the present invention is not limited to this means for contacting the resistive surface 10. for example, any conducting element, such as a conducting stylus can be used. this is particularly the case when the resistive surface is sufficiently durable as to withstand damage from such contact. also, a capacitive or resistive pickup system can be used as with a user's finger or an appropriate probe. the contact sheet, as shown, does prevent any damage to the resistive surface particularly when produced by an ink applied to the surface. also, it is the most practical means for contacting the resistive surface when the device is to be contacted by a user's finger. typically the conductive coating 16 on the pickoff sheet is separated from the resistive surface by means whereby accidental contact therebetween cannot occur. these means do permit, however, intentional contact at a particular point using a preselected pressure applied at that point. preferably, the separating means is a plurality of small dots or islands 18 of insulation as described in the aforementioned pat. no. 4,200,815. alternately, fibers, insulating lines, or other separating means can be used (see, for example, u.s. pat. no. 3,798,370). it will be recognized by those versed in the art that the conductive coating 16 and the resistive coating can be separated solely by an air gap. spaced along each edge of the resistive coating 10 is a resistance element 20 used for applying potentials to the resistive layer so as to create orthogonal electric fields therein. this resistance element can be continuous, as shown in figs. 1 and 2, or formed of discrete discontinuous units connected in series as shown in figs. 4 and 5. as known to those versed in the art, the value of this resistance element depends upon the resistivity of the coating. generally the value in ohms per foot is about 0.65 times the resistivity of the resistivity in ohms per square, and thus can vary from about 6.5 to 6500 ohms per foot for the above-cited resistivity. the resistance element in the embodiment of figs. 1 and 2 is wire made up of four components 22, 24, 26, and 28. adjacent ends of each wire component are joined at or near the corners of the resistive coating, as at 30. each of these corners is provided with an electrical lead, such as 32, whereby the device is connected to conventional circuitry 34 which provides the voltage to the resistance element 20 and which processes information from the device. the elements of this circuitry are well known to those versed in the art. along selected paths adjacent each edge of the resistive coating 10, and in contact therewith, are a plurality of electrodes of conductive material, as at 36. the spacing and effective length of the electrodes along each path is chosen so as to achieve varying effective voltage gradients in the resistive coating 10 proximate the electrodes 36 to compensate for the voltage drop along the resistive element. accordingly, the effective voltage gradients in the coating decrease progressively from corners toward the center of each path as the voltage drop increases along the resistive element 20. these effects (voltage gradient and voltage drop) are made to balance each other so that a substantially straight equipotential field line exists along a line defining the edges of the active region (having .+-.0.1 inch or better linearity) which will be in close proximity to the electrodes of the sensor. the voltage gradient differences obtained by this construction occur substantially in the area between the electrodes and the edge of the active area. the effective voltage gradients are a function of the effective length (effective length facing active area) and the spacing of the electrodes. if electrodes of equal effective lengths are used, the spacing is greatest toward the corners of the sensor and substantially less toward the center of each edge. for fabrication simplicity, namely to reduce the number of connections to the resistive element, electrodes can be lengthened toward the center without significantly departing from the ideal. thus, in fig. 2, such variation in electrode length is illustrated. as shown, the electrodes closest to the corners have a smaller length dimension (effective length), while those more removed from the corners have a longer dimension. also, the spacing between electrodes is selected to achieve the desired effective voltage gradients, and thus the desired linear response in the operational area of the sensor. typically the spacing nearest the corners is the largest, with the spacing decreasing toward the center line of each side. although substantially rectangular electrodes are illustrated, other configurations (e.g., oval, circular, etc.) are suitable, particularly if the electrodes are small in size. these electrodes 36 are individually connected by a lead, as at 38, to the aforementioned resistor element 20 along the corresponding edge. specific voltage application to each of the electrodes is achieved by the selection of the connection point of the lead 38 on the resistor element 20 such that the desired voltage drop along the resistive element is compensated and the increased effective operative area of the sensor is achieved. it should be understood that an identical array of electrodes is placed along the opposite edge of the resistive layer, although only one such array is shown in fig. 1. an electrode array is also applied to the other opposite edges, this array being identical if the device is square. these electrodes typically are physically attached to the resistive surface 10 as by depositing a conductive material, e.g., silver in the appropriate pattern. furthermore, the device includes an electrode such as at 40, whereby the conductive layer 16 of the aforementioned pickoff sheet 13 can be connected through lead 42 to appropriate external circuitry (as within circuitry 34) for use with the device. the pickoff sheet 13 is typically joined to the remainder of the device with an insulative adhesive frame 44 or the like. referring now to fig. 2, shown therein is an electrode configuration for specifically achieving positional accuracy of about .+-.0.1 inch throughout the entire active region that closely approaches the electrodes. this unit was constructed to produce an active area of thirteen (13) inches diagonally. its purpose was for utilization on a thirteen (13) inch (diagonal) video display screen. as shown, the resistive coating 10 had a rectangular configuration for use in this application. the specific sheet resistivity of this coating for this embodiment was about 200 ohms per square. spaced near the edges of the resistive coating 10 was a resistance element 20 of nichrome wire of about 2.3 mils diameter, which wire had a linear resistance of about 130 ohms per foot. as indicated previously in fig. 1, the sections of resistance wire were joined at the corners of the unit as at junction 30. it will be recognized by persons skilled in the art that the resistance value of the elements immediately adjacent the corners can be adjusted to obtain the proper linearity in the corners of the active area. this adjustment is not shown in this figure. the resistance element 20 was made up of the segments 22, 24, 26, and 28. applied to the resistive coating 10 were a plurality of electrodes 36 positioned and sized so as to be symmetrical about the center lines of the sides of the unit. each of these electrodes was connected with a lead 38 to the appropriate segments of the resistance element 20, (e.g., 22). four sizes (lengths) of electrodes were utilized in this embodiment. these electrodes are designated a, b, c, and d in the drawing. as stated above, electrodes of uniform length can be used; however, the elongated electrodes approximates a similar result and reduces the number of connections to the resistive element. the dimensions of these specific electrodes and their approximate spacing (for the 13 inch unit) are shown in the following table. in addition, the approximate spacing of the electrical leads connecting each of the electrodes to the resistance element 20 are also shown in the table. ______________________________________ a (length) = 0.06 inches k = 3.8 inches b (length) = 0.1 inches m = 0.5 inches c (length) = 0.1 inches n = 1.0 inches d (length) = 0.5 inches o = 1.25 inches e = 0.06 inches p = 0.8 inches f = 0.06 inches q = 1.65 inches g = 0.06 inches r = 2.75 inches h = 0.45 inches s = 5.0 inches i = 1.3 inches t = 0.9 inches j = 2.5 inches u = 1.2 inches ______________________________________ a touch sensor constructed utilizing the electrode configuration identified above was tested for determining positional accuracy (linearity). the unit was constructed as generally illustrated in fig. 1. the conductive layer of the pick-off sheet had a resistivity of 300 ohms per square in this particular embodiment. it was determined that the resultant sensor had a positional accuracy of about .+-.0.1 inch throughout the entire active or operational region of the sensor, with the active area approaching the electrodes. the result may be contrasted with results using the bowed orientation of electrodes as set forth in the aforementioned u.s. pat. no 3,798,370. in that construction and using the resistances discussed herein, there would have been a bow in the electrode configuration of about 1.75 inches in the long dimension of the sensor and almost a one-inch bow in the shorter dimension. the amount of bow is proportional to the ratio of the resistance of the wire (or its equivalent) divided by the resistance of the sheet, multiplied by the square of the length of the side. thus, for the same size of total sensor structure of the prior art it would have an effective active area of only about eight inches diagonally instead of the thirteen inches as demonstrated by the present invention. this comparison is illustrated in fig. 3. the active area of the present invention is indicated by the dashed line 46. without this invention, there would be a bow as indicated at 48, and the active area would be defined by the dashed rectangle 50. as indicated above, the number of the electrodes utilized along an edge of a sensor is generally proportional to the length of that edge, and to the resistivity of the resistive element. the specific length, number and spacing is selected to compensate for the voltage drop along the resistive element during operation of the sensor. thus, the actual values (number, length, spacing) are dependent upon the specific resistance of the resistive element used to produce the fields in the sensor. as shown in fig. 1 and discussed above, the resistance element to which the electrodes are connected in one embodiment is in the form of a uniform wire having a resistance (ohms per foot) approximately 0.65 times the resistivity (ohms per square) of the resistive layer. the use of this wire produces a satisfactory sensor. it does, however, make the manufacture of the sensor more difficult than is desired. for example, the wire must be fastened to the substrate and each electrode must be securely fastened (soldered) to the wire at the selected positions. when a change in the resistivity of the resistive coating is made, wire of a different resistance per unit length is required. one method of fabrication of the invention to overcome the problem associated with using a wire is to use an array of discontinuous conductive lines in contact with the resistive layer or element. the resistance value for such an array is determined by the value of the resistive layer and by the length and spacing of a gap between the conductive lines. for conductive lines that overlap, for example, the resistance value per unit length (for a given resistivity) is established by the ratio of the distance across the gap divided by the length of mutual overlap. the frequency of the pattern of discrete units affects the total resistance along an edge of the sensor. a large number of patterns of conductive lines are potentially useful. one of the objects of the invention is to minimize the space taken up by the resistance element along each edge of the sensor, and yet obtain the desired value of unit resistance relative to the resistivity of the resistive coating. also, the choice must permit sufficiently accurate resistance values within the bounds of ease of fabrication. for these and other fabrication reasons, a resistance element for the edge of the sensor of the configurations shown in figs. 4 and 5 was developed. referring first to fig. 4, shown therein is resistance element 20' which is referred to as the "y" or "pitchfork" configuration, spaced around the perimeter of the sensor. this configuration produces the lowest resistance along the line with the greatest gap for reproducibility. the total resistance element 20' is made up of the four segments 22', 24', 26'and 28' in a manner similar to fig. 1. the adjacent corners of the segments are joined as at 52. appropriate trace leads 54, 56, 58, 59 connect the corners to a connector 60. pin 61 of the connector 60 is connected to the contact sheet (not shown) spaced above the resistive layer 10. within each of these resistance element segments, there is a plurality of identical discontinuous units 62 (except at the center as will be discussed) made up of conductive material applied (as with screen techniques) to the layer of resistive material 10. each unit has a center portion substantially perpendicular to the perimeter edge of the resistive layer and two legs extend in one direction and one leg extends in an opposite direction, with the legs being substantially parallel to the edge. the two legs of one unit are interleaved with the single leg of the adjacent unit. the resistance produced for each unit is a function of the spacing 64 between facing legs 66 of the y, the overlapping length 68 of the legs (see insert of fig. 4) and the value of resistivity of the resistive coating. in a typical configuration, the width of each leg 66 is 0.02 inch, the spacing 64 between legs within each unit 62 is 0.02 inch, and the repetition pattern is 0.5 inch, with 0.03 inch spacing (in direction of the legs) between legs of adjacent unit. with this pattern applied to a resistive coating of 200 ohms/square, the linear resistance of a resistance segment (along one edge) is about 11 ohms/inch. an important feature is that the linear resistance of the resistance segment varies properly in relationship to the resistivity of the coating such that once a proper relationship is established, the linear resistance will automatically become correct for whatever resistivity is chosen for the coating 10. in order for the resistance element 20' to have symmetry along each edge (a desirable but not critical property), a specially constructed central unit 62' is provided. the spacings between the legs and the width of the legs is identical to the other units. when the repetition pattern for the other units is 0.5 inch, the central unit 62' has a length of about 0.8 inch. since the total width of the resistance element is only about 0.1 inch, a very small border is utilized for the elements to produce orthogonal electrical fields in the resistive coating 10. furthermore, this border is easily covered with a bezel of a video display, and the absence of a bow in equipotential lines enables essentially all of the visible area to be the active area of the touch sensor. as in the previously described embodiment, electrodes 36 are joined by a connector 38 to the resistance element 20'. the effective length and spacing of the electrodes, and the positions of their attachment to the resistance element, compensate for voltage drop along the resistance element perpendicular to current flow in the resistive layer 10 and thereby substantially eliminate any bow in equipotential lines generated in the resistive coating. the structure illustrated in fig. 4 is more easily fabricated than that of the embodiment using a wire for the resistance element. the discontinuous resistance element 20', the electrodes 36 and the connectors 38 can all be placed on the surface of the resistive coating 10 in a single step by any suitable method, such as screen printing because they are all conductive. even the lead traces 54, 56, 58 and 59 can be applied in the same manner. the only solder steps are those needed join the traces to the connector 60. alternatively, all of the conductive portions (e.g., electrodes 36, connector 38, components for the resistance elements, and the lead traces) can be applied to the substrate and the resistive coating 10 then applied. there may be instances where the close spacing and size (0.02 inch) of the legs of resistance element units 62, 62' cannot be controlled accurately by screen printing such as on curved surfaces. in those instances, the embodiment illustrated at 20" in fig. 5 can be used. this is referred to as the "e" configuration. typically all of the gaps 64' are increased to 0.03 inch, this size being more controllable under adverse conditions. the individual unit 62a has five interlocking legs 66'; three in one direction and two in the other. in order to obtain the same unit resistance as in the embodiment of fig. 4, the length 68' of the legs is shortened whereby the repeat pattern is 0.36 inch. as with the embodiment of fig. 4, the correct linear resistance is automatically produced on any value of resistivity of the coating. the total width of a resistance element of this configuration is only about 0.22 inch. in either of the embodiments of figs. 4 or 5, the resistive coating located between the resistance elements 22', 22" and the electrodes may affect the potential on any specific electrode. a method of preventing undesirable current flow between the resistance elements 20' or 20" to electrodes is to form a line of discontinuity, where there is no resistive coating, between the resistance elements and the electrodes. as illustrated at 70 in the enlarged portion of fig. 4, this produces a central resistive area 10a and a peripheral resistive area 10b, preferably both having the same resistivity. this can be accomplished by either not depositing any resistive coating along that line or removing the coating after application. in either case, the connectors 38 span the line so as to connect the electrodes 36 to the resistance elements 20', 20". in the touch sensors of the above-cited u.s. pat. no. 4,664,655, as stated therein, the wire resistance elements that border the resistive surface have a uniform resistance per unit length, typically about 6.5 to 6500 ohms per foot for a resistive surface value of 10 to 10,000 ohms per square. the electrodes are then connected to the resistance wire at specific locations in order to derive proper potentials for creating equipotential lines of the sensor. similarly, the structures called for in the above-cited patent application ser. no. 870,848 produce a substantially uniform resistance per unit length, typically about eleven ohms per inch. these "y" and "e" configurations are overlapping conductive strips in contact with the resistive layer. due to the size of these structures, e.g. about a 0.25 to 0.5 inch repeat pattern, there are several sub-units between points of connection to the electrodes. the resistance produced for each unit is a function of the length and the spacing between facing legs of the overlapping construction and the resistive value of the resistive coating. since the "y" and "e" patterns of conductive legs are normally applied by screen-printing techniques, the artwork necessary to accomplish this must be very accurate so as to achieve the uniform resistance per unit length. this is further complicated by the requirement that the legs must be narrow so that the resistance elements will occupy a minimum space along the edges of the sensor. it has now been realized that, contrary to conventional practice, a uniform resistance per unit length (to produce a linear voltage drop) is not necessary to achieve proper operation of touch sensors described in this cited art. all that is required is a specific total resistance between connection points for the electrodes. accordingly, close tolerances for the artwork needed for the screen printing of the resistance element components are relaxed. this further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the drawing of figs. 6 and 6a. shown in fig. 6 is a portion of a sensor which, except for the embodiment of the resistance element, is conventional technology as taught in the cited u.s. pat. no. 4,661,655 and patent application ser. no. 870,848. some of the components are enlarged in order to properly distinguish them in this drawing. this is particularly true in fig. 6a. components that are the same as in the other embodiments are distinguished by the same numerals, and components that perform the same function but are different in construction are identified with a triple prime. a resistive surface 10 extends substantially over the entire sensor. positioned along the edges are resistance elements 22'" and 24'" (the other edges would have corresponding resistance elements). conductive electrodes 36 are positioned along each edge, with each electrode being joined to an adjacent resistance element with a conductive connector or lead 38. as in the other embodiments, the spacing and effective lengths of the electrodes 36 are selected to produce a voltage gradient at each electrode to compensate for any voltage drop that occurs along the resistance elements 22'", etc., perpendicular to current flow in the resistive surface 10. within each of the resistance elements (22'", 24'", etc.) there are a plurality of discontinuous units 72, with one such unit between each electrode lead 38. each of these units are formed by a pair of overlapping conductive legs as at 74, 76. these legs overlap a length, l, and are space apart a distance, d, (see fig. 6a). the resistance produced for each unit 72 is a function of the spacing, d, the overlap length, l, and the resistance value of the resistive coating 10. there is no critical location for the unit 72 between each electrode lead 38 as long as the resistance value of each unit 72 is correct. fine tuning of the resistance value of each unit can be achieved by shortening or lengthening one or both of the legs to change the overlap length, l. this is easily accomplished by changing the artwork used for screen printing techniques. through the use of this construction the fabrication of touch sensors is significantly simplified. although the present preferred embodiment of a resistance element is illustrated in fig. 6 for a rectangular touch sensor, it is also applicable to a circular touch sensor as shown and described in patent application ser. no. 049,268 filed may 13, 1987. in a typical touch sensor embodying the preferred form of resistance element, the resistive surface has a resistivity of about 200 ohms per square. in order to produce, for example, a resistance of about 10 ohms between adjacent points for the connection of electrodes, the selected spacing, d, between the conductive legs 74, 76 is typically about 0.020 in. the overlap length, l, is typically about 0.4 in. in all of the figures, the electrodes along each edge are shown as being aligned in a straight path. this is only, however, a most general construction. an alternate convex path can be used to match, for example, the aforementioned curvature along the edges of a conventional computer video display. with such a convex path of electrodes, such electrodes would be hidden behind the bezel of the display. the effective voltage gradient would be adjusted in the same manner to provide an enlarged linear area. from the foregoing, it may be seen that a position sensitive device has been achieved having increased positional accuracy (linearity) over a greater portion of a device of given size. this permits the simplified fabrication of a smaller device for a given area of uniform sensitivity. although only certain specific embodiments are described herein, it will be recognized by persons versed in the art that the teachings contained herein will permit the fabrication of other devices which will perform as described. for example, the present invention is applicable for use on the sensor described in copending patent application (having a common assignee) ser. no. 710,080 filed mar. 11, 1985, for which an issue fee has been paid. also, as stated above, the embodiments described herein can use means other than a contact sheet for obtaining signals related to the x and y coordinates of a selected point. furthermore, the method of eliminating or reducing bowed equipotential lines at the perimeter of the active area of the sensor will be understood by persons skilled in the art upon a consideration of this description. accordingly, this invention is limited only by the claims and equivalents of the claims that are appended hereto.
|
023-167-654-337-657
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US
|
[
"US",
"EP",
"CN"
] |
H02J9/06,H02M5/42,G06F1/26,G06F1/30,H02J3/08,H02J9/00
| 2014-02-21T00:00:00 |
2014
|
[
"H02",
"G06"
] |
redundant uninterruptible power supply systems
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a system is provided. the system includes a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (upss), a ring bus, at least one load electrically coupled to the plurality of upss and the ring bus, and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of upss. the controller is configured to calculate a phase angle for each ups of the plurality of upss, wherein the phase angle is calculated relative to a common reference angle, and control operation of each ups based on the respective calculated phase angles.
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1. a system comprising: a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (upss) electrically coupleale to at least one load; a ring bus electrically coupleable to the at least one load; and a controller communicatively coupled to said plurality of upss, said controller configured to: calculate a phase angle for each ups of said plurality of upss, wherein the phase angle is calculated relative to a common reference angle; and control operation of each ups based on the respective calculated phase angles by gradually adjusting a phase angle of each ups using a slow power transfer algorithm to prevent transient oscillations. 2. a system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of chokes such that one choke of said plurality of chokes is electrically coupled between each ups and said ring bus. 3. a system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said controller is further configured to control operation of each ups in accordance with a swapping-in algorithm that facilitates adding an additional ups to said system during operation of said system. 4. a system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said controller is further configured to control operation of each ups in accordance with a swapping-out algorithm that facilitates removing one of said plurality of upss from said system during operation of said system. 5. a system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said controller is further configured to control operation of each ups in accordance with a no load algorithm that facilitates operating said system upon removal of a local load that was previously electrically coupled to one of said plurality of upss. 6. a system in accordance with claim 1 , where to calculate a phase angle for each ups, said controller is configured to utilize a look up table that stores values calculated from a two-dimensional relationship between the phase angle and power supplied by a ups. 7. a system in accordance with claim 1 , where to calculate a phase angle for each ups, said controller is configured to calculate the phase angle using where δ is the phase angle, asin is the arcsin function, p_full_load is a predetermined power that can be supplied by said ups, p_local_load is a power to be delivered to a local load electrically coupled to said ups, ω is a frequency of power output by said ups, l is the inductance of a choke electrically coupled between said ups and said ring bus, and v is the root mean square of a voltage output by said ups. 8. a controller for controlling a power supply system that includes a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (upss), a ring bus, and at least one load electrically coupled to the plurality of upss and the ring bus, said controller comprising: a processor; and a memory device communicatively coupled to said processor, said memory device storing executable instructions configured to cause said processor to: calculate a phase angle for each ups of the plurality of upss, wherein the phase angle is calculated relative to a common reference angle; and control operation of each ups based on the respective calculated phase angles by gradually adjusting a phase angle of each ups using a slow power transfer algorithm to prevent transient oscillations. 9. a controller in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said executable instructions are configured to further cause said processor to control operation of each ups in accordance with a swapping-in algorithm that facilitates adding an additional ups to the power supply system during operation of the power supply system. 10. a controller in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said executable instructions are configured to further cause said processor to control operation of each ups in accordance with a swapping-out algorithm that facilitates removing one of the plurality of upss from the power supply system during operation of the power supply system. 11. a controller in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said executable instructions are configured to further cause said processor to control operation of each ups in accordance with a no load algorithm that facilitates operating the power supply system upon removal of a local load that was previously electrically coupled to one of the plurality of upss. 12. a controller in accordance with claim 8 , wherein to calculate a phase angle for each ups, said executable instructions are configured to cause said processor to calculate the phase angle using a look up table that stores values calculated from a two-dimensional relationship between the phase angle and power supplied by a ups. 13. a controller in accordance with claim 8 , wherein to calculate a phase angle for each ups, said executable instructions are configured to cause said processor to calculate the phase angle using where δ is the phase angle, asin is the arcsin function, p_full_load is a predetermined power that can be supplied by the ups, p_local_load is a power to be delivered to a local load electrically coupled to the ups, ω is a frequency of power output by the ups, l is the inductance of a choke electrically coupled between the ups and the ring bus, and v is the root mean square of a voltage output by the ups. 14. a controller in accordance with claim 8 , wherein to calculate a phase angle for each ups, said executable instructions are configured to cause said processor to calculate each phase angle such that each phase angle is no greater than 9° and no less than −9°. 15. a method of controlling a power supply system that includes a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (upss), a ring bus, and at least one load electrically coupled to the plurality of upss and the ring bus, the method comprising: calculating, using a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of upss, a phase angle for each ups of the plurality of upss, wherein the phase angle is calculated relative to a common reference angle; and controlling operation of each ups based on the respective calculated phase angles by gradually adjusting a phase angle of each ups using a slow power transfer algorithm to prevent transient oscillations. 16. a method in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising controlling operation of each ups in accordance with a swapping-in algorithm that facilitates adding an additional ups to the power supply system during operation of the power supply system. 17. a method in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising controlling operation of each ups in accordance with a swapping-out algorithm that facilitates removing one of the plurality of upss from the power supply system during operation of the power supply system.
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background the field of the invention relates generally to uninterruptible power supplies, and more particularly, to implementing uninterruptible power supplies in a ring bus architecture. robust power systems enable supplying power to one or more loads. such power systems may include combinations of generation, transport, rectification, inversion and conversion of power to supply energy for electronic, optical, mechanical, and/or nuclear applications and loads. when implementing power systems and architectures, practical considerations include cost, size, reliability, and ease of implementation. in at least some known power systems, one or more uninterruptible power supplies (upss) facilitate supplying power to a load. upss facilitate ensuring that power is continuously supplied to one or more critical loads, even when one or more components of a power system fail. accordingly, upss provide a redundant power source. upss may be utilized in a number of applications (e.g., utility substations, industrial plants, marine systems, high security systems, hospitals, datacomm and telecomm centers, semiconductor manufacturing sites, nuclear power plants, etc.). further, upss may be utilized in high, medium, or low power applications. for example, upss may be used in relatively small power systems (e.g., entertainment or consumer systems) or microsystems (e.g., a chip-based system). in at least some known power systems, different power sources, such as separate upss, may interfere with one another. if the power sources are not synchronized with one another, they may begin to override one another, causing oscillations or other undesirable effects, and impacting power delivered to one or more loads. brief description in one aspect, a system is provided. the system includes a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (upss), a ring bus, at least one load electrically coupled to the plurality of upss and the ring bus, and a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of upss. the controller is configured to calculate a phase angle for each ups of the plurality of upss, wherein the phase angle is calculated relative to a common reference angle, and control operation of each ups based on the respective calculated phase angles. in another aspect, a controller for controlling a power supply system is provided. the power supply system includes a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (upss), a ring bus, and at least one load electrically coupled to the plurality of upss and the ring bus. the controller includes a processor, and a memory device communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory device storing executable instructions configured to cause the processor to calculate a phase angle for each ups of the plurality of upss, wherein the phase angle is calculated relative to a common reference angle, and control operation of each ups based on the respective calculated phase angles. in yet another aspect, a method of controlling a power supply system is provided. the power supply system includes a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (upss), a ring bus, and at least one load electrically coupled to the plurality of upss and the ring bus. the method includes calculating, using a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of upss, a phase angle for each ups of the plurality of upss, wherein the phase angle is calculated relative to a common reference angle, and controlling operation of each ups based on the respective calculated phase angles. brief description of the drawings fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary power supply system. fig. 2 is a simplified diagram of the system shown in fig. 1 . fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary load sharing algorithm that may be used with the system shown in figs. 1 and 2 . fig. 4 is a logic diagram of an exemplary load sharing algorithm that may be used with the system shown in figs. 1 and 2 . fig. 5 is a logic diagram of an exemplary load sharing algorithm that may be used with the system shown in figs. 1 and 2 . fig. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating hot swapping an uninterruptible power supply (ups) into a power system. fig. 7 is a logic diagram of an exemplary load sharing algorithm that may be used when hot swapping a ups into a power system as shown in fig. 6 . fig. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating hot swapping out a ups from a power system. detailed description exemplary embodiments of an uninterruptible power supply system are described here. a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies arranged in a ring bus configuration and configured to supply power to at least one load. a control device is communicatively coupled to the plurality of uninterruptible power supplies. using a load sharing algorithm, the control device calculates a phase angle of output voltage for each uninterruptible power supply. the control device controls the uninterruptible power supplies such that each uninterruptible power supply operates at its respective calculated phase angle to supply power to the at least one load. in various embodiments, the load sharing algorithm includes steps for a slow power transfer, a load loss condition, and hot swapping an uninterruptible power supply in or out of the uninterruptible power supply system. fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary redundant isolated-parallel (ip) uninterruptible power supply (ups) system 100 . in the exemplary embodiment, system 100 includes a plurality of upss 102 arranged in a ring architecture, or parallel architecture, as described herein. specifically, system 100 includes a first ups 104 , a second ups 106 , a third ups 108 , and a fourth ups 110 in the exemplary embodiment. alternatively, system 100 may include any number of upss 102 that enable system 100 to function as described herein. in the exemplary embodiment, system 100 is a three wire system. alternatively, system 100 may be a four wire system (i.e., a system including a neutral wire to each load). in the exemplary embodiment, upss 102 are static double conversion upss (i.e., true on-line system systems). both static and rotary upss may require droop control techniques for both voltage and frequency. in some cases, droop control for frequency alone may be sufficient. in some embodiments, droop control techniques are adapted depending on whether a load is linear or non-linear. system 100 facilitates providing power to one or more loads 120 . under normal operation, one or more utilities 122 function as a power source and provide power to loads 120 . utilities 122 may provide alternating current (ac) or direct current (dc) power to system 100 . in the event that power from utilities 122 fails to reach loads 120 (e.g., due to a failure of utility 122 and/or devices between utility 122 and loads 120 ), system 100 utilizes upss 102 to keep power flowing to loads 120 , as described herein. in the exemplary embodiment, system 100 includes a first load 124 , a second load 126 , a third load 128 , and a fourth load 130 . alternatively, system 100 may include any number of loads 120 that enable system 100 to function as described herein. each load 120 is electrically coupled between an associated ups 102 and a ring bus 132 . specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, each load 120 is coupled to ring bus 132 via an associated load circuit breaker 134 . further, ring bus 132 includes a plurality of ring bus circuit breakers 136 . in the event that any segment of ring bus 132 fails or is shut down, the architecture of system 100 ensures that power is still able to reach loads 120 . notably, the architecture shown in fig. 1 is merely exemplary. for example, in some embodiments, loads 120 may be coupled directly to ring bus 132 or may be coupled between upss 102 . further, system 100 may include additional upss 138 coupled directly to ring bus 132 . in the exemplary embodiment, each ups 102 is electrically coupled between an input switchgear 140 and an output switchgear 142 . input switchgears 140 are electrically coupled to paralleling switchgears 144 , which are in turn electrically coupled to utility 122 through an associated transformer 146 . in the exemplary embodiment, each paralleling switchgear 144 is also electrically coupled to one or more grounds 148 . switchgears 140 , 142 , and 144 include may include local circuits, remote synchronization circuits, and/or software to facilitate attenuating disturbances, interference, and/or crosstalk on ring bus 132 to provide clean power to loads 120 . in the exemplary embodiment, each output switchgear 142 is electrically coupled directly to an associated load 120 , and coupled to ring bus 132 through an associated choke 150 (e.g., an inductor). in system 100 , without proper synchronization, upss 102 may interfere with one another and/or start to override one another, causing oscillations or other undesirable effects. accordingly, in the exemplary embodiment, a controller (not shown in fig. 1 ) controls operation upss 102 . more specifically, the controller controls a phase angle, δ, of an output voltage of each ups 102 , as described herein. the phase angle δ is calculated relative to a common reference angle, θ. this common reference may be taken from different sources. for example, the common reference may be a common utility input voltage from utility 122 or a common ip bus voltage from ring bus 132 . fig. 2 is a simplified diagram of system 100 . as shown in fig. 2 , a controller 200 is communicatively coupled to each of first ups 104 , second ups 106 , third ups 108 , and fourth ups 110 . although a single controller 200 is shown in fig. 2 , alternatively, a separate controller may control the operation of each ups 102 . controller 200 may include its own power system (not shown) such as a dedicated energy source (e.g., a battery). in some embodiments, controller 200 is coupled to a substitute controller (not shown) that may be used in the event that controller 200 fails. controller 200 may control power distribution and management of system 100 over a relatively large geographic area. in the exemplary embodiment, controller 200 is implemented by a processor 202 communicatively coupled to a memory device 204 for executing instructions. in some embodiments, executable instructions are stored in memory device 204 . alternatively, controller 200 may be implemented using any circuitry that enables controller 200 to control operation of upss 102 as described herein. for example, in some embodiments, controller 200 may include a state machine that learns or is pre-programmed to determine information relevant to which loads 120 require power. for example, controller 200 may dynamically determine what power resources will be needed and at what performance level and environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, time of day, etc.) those power resources will need to operate. controller 200 may perform dynamic monitoring to determine whether a given load 120 is satisfied with the power delivered, and whether delivered power is free of harmonics, transients, etc. in some embodiments, dynamic monitoring may include tracking resource usage to determine how much current or voltage should be delivered. controller 200 may also monitor and/or control rapidity (i.e., bandwidth) and inverter capability (e.g., overload, reactive power, active power) to facilitate ensuring reliability of system 100 and minimizing performance degradation of upss 102 . controller 200 may also include a state machine scheduler configured to selectively activate and deactivate power resources, set voltage and current levels, and/or take power saving actions (e.g., reducing current delivery). controller 200 may also track characteristics (e.g., static allocation of power) of system 100 to determine whether one or more components of system 100 should be put on standby or whether power should be diverted. in the exemplary embodiment, controller 200 performs one or more operations described herein by programming processor 202 . for example, processor 202 may be programmed by encoding an operation as one or more executable instructions and by providing the executable instructions in memory device 204 . processor 202 may include one or more processing units (e.g., in a multi-core configuration). further, processor 202 may be implemented using one or more heterogeneous processor systems in which a main processor is present with secondary processors on a single chip. as another illustrative example, processor 202 may be a symmetric multi-processor system containing multiple processors of the same type. further, processor 202 may be implemented using any suitable programmable circuit including one or more systems and microcontrollers, microprocessors, reduced instruction set circuits (risc), application specific integrated circuits (asic), programmable logic circuits, field programmable gate arrays (fpga), and any other circuit capable of executing the functions described herein. in the exemplary embodiment, processor 202 causes controller 200 to operate upss 102 , as described herein. in the exemplary embodiment, memory device 204 is one or more devices that enable information such as executable instructions and/or other data to be stored and retrieved. memory device 204 may include one or more computer readable media, such as, without limitation, dynamic random access memory (dram), static random access memory (sram), a solid state disk, and/or a hard disk. memory device 204 may be configured to store, without limitation, application source code, application object code, source code portions of interest, object code portions of interest, configuration data, execution events and/or any other type of data. as shown in fig. 2 , upss 102 and loads 120 are electrically coupled to one another through chokes 150 and ring bus 132 . each ups 102 includes a rectifier 206 , an inverter 208 , and a dc capacitor 210 in the exemplary embodiment. further, each load 120 is electrically coupled in parallel with an output capacitor (not shown), and each ups 102 is electrically coupled in series with an inductor (not shown), in the exemplary embodiment. each inductor and an associated output capacitor form an lc filter, and the phase angle δ is a phase angle of the output voltage of a ups 102 as measured across the output capacitor. further, a bypass switch 212 is coupled in parallel with each choke 150 . closing bypass switch 212 causes power flow to bypass an associated choke 150 . a switch, or contactor, 220 is electrically coupled between each choke 150 and ring bus 132 . contactor 220 can be selectively opened and closed to electrically disconnect and connect an associated ups 102 from ring bus 132 . in fig. 2 , all contactors 220 are closed. loads 120 can receive power from a local ups 102 (e.g., first load 124 receiving power from first ups 104 ) and from other upss 102 through choke 150 . accordingly, in the event that a local ups 102 fails, a load 120 can receive power from other upss 102 . in the exemplary embodiment, controller 200 , and more specifically processor 202 , calculates an output voltage phase angle δ for each ups 102 , and controller operates each ups 102 at the calculated phase angle δ. specifically, the output voltage of a given ups 102 can be represented as √{square root over (2)}*v nominal sin(ωt+δ), where v nominal is the voltage of ups 102 , ω is the frequency of ac power delivered by ups 102 (e.g., 2π*60 hertz), and t is time. to share power between upss 102 through chokes 150 , the phase angle δ for each ups 102 may be calculated using a variety of load sharing algorithms, as described herein. in the exemplary embodiment, the load sharing algorithms are designed to facilitate equal sharing of power by upss 102 . further, using the load sharing algorithms described herein, the phase angle δ for each ups 102 is calculated using only local load information (e.g., the phase angle δ for first ups 104 is calculated using load information for first load 124 ). although several exemplary load sharing algorithms are described herein, those of skill in the art will appreciate that load sharing algorithms not specifically described herein are within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. in one example, the phase angle δ is retrieved from a look up table (e.g., on memory device 204 ) of stored values for a given load sharing algorithm. to reduce the amount of stored values while still providing sufficient granularity, memory device 204 may include a read only memory (rom) circuit having course values (e.g., every 20 degrees) and subdivisions of fine values (e.g., sub-degrees within each 20 degree range). fig. 3 is a diagram 300 illustrating one exemplary load sharing algorithm for calculating the phase angle δ. the algorithm may be performed, for example, using controller 200 . in the diagram 300 of fig. 3 , for a given ups 102 , the x-axis represents the power to be delivered to the local load 120 associated with ups 102 , and the y-axis is the corresponding phase angle δ for the output voltage of ups 102 . accordingly, if ups 102 does not include an associated load 120 , it will try to supply a maximum power to ring bus 132 , and in doing so, control the phase angle δ to be +9°. the direction and magnitude of power from a given ups 102 to ring bus 132 is governed by the following equation 1: where p_ups is the power from the given ups 102 to ring bus 132 , v 1 is the voltage of the given ups 102 , v 2 is the voltage of ring bus 132 , δ is the phase angle between v 1 and v 2 , and x is an effective inductive impedance of the choke 150 associated with the given ups 102 . this equation applies to three-phase systems as well. accordingly, in the embodiment shown in fig. 3 , the phase angle δ varies linearly with p_local_load (i.e., ω, l, and v are substantially constant. further, in this embodiment, δ is limited to plus or minus 9°. that is, δ for a given ups 102 can not be set greater than +9° or less than −9° in the exemplary embodiment. this facilitates high resolution and sensitivity of inverter control, while avoiding relatively large phase angle variations when load 120 is bypassed to ring bus 132 . alternatively, δ may be limited to other values (e.g., plus or minus 10°) that enable system 100 to function as described herein. the phase angle δ values obtained using diagram 300 may be stored in a look up table, for example, on memory device 204 . in an alternative exemplary embodiment, the phase angle δ for each ups 102 is calculated according to the following equation 2: where ω is the frequency of ac power delivered by ups 102 , ω is the inductance of choke 150 , p_local_load is the power to be delivered to the local load 120 associated with ups 102 , v is the root mean square (rms) of the ac voltage output by ups 102 , p_full_load is the maximum power that can be supplied by ups 102 , and asin is the arcsin function. the phase angle δ may be calculated from equation 2 using, for example, controller 200 . fig. 4 is a logic diagram of a slow power transfer algorithm 400 that may utilize a look up table based on diagram 300 or equation 2 to calculate the phase angle δ. slow power transfer algorithm 400 may be performed, for example, using controller 200 . slow power transfer algorithm 400 facilitates reducing oscillations in system 100 . specifically, if controller 200 merely calculates the phase angles δ and controls upss 102 to operate at the calculated phase angles δ substantially instantaneously, upss 102 may rapidly change phase angles δ in a relatively short period of time, which may introduce transient oscillations into system 100 . accordingly, slow power transfer algorithm 400 varies the phase angle δ slowly to facilitate a smooth transition to the calculated phase angles δ. in slow power transfer algorithm 400 , p_local_load is provided to a phase angle calculation block 402 . using p_local_load, phase angle calculation block 402 calculates the phase angle δ (using, e.g., the look up table based on diagram 300 or equation 2). a limiting block 404 limits the phase angle δ to avoid extreme values. for example, limiting block 404 may limit the phase angle δ to no greater than 9° and no less than −9°. a first product block 406 multiplies the phase angle δ by a division factor 408 . in the exemplary embodiment, division factor 408 is 0.1. alternatively, division factor 408 may be any value that enables slow power transfer algorithm 400 to function as described herein. a zero-order hold block 409 holds the value from first product block 406 for a predetermined hold time (e.g., 1 millisecond (ms)). a moving average block 410 then calculates a moving average over a predetermined time period (e.g., 10 ms). a second product block 412 multiplies the value from moving average block 410 by a multiplication factor 414 . in the exemplary embodiment, multiplication factor 414 is 10 (i.e., the inverse of division factor 408 ). alternatively, multiplication factor 414 may be any value that enables slow power transfer algorithm 400 to function as described herein. the final value generated by second product block 412 is the phase angle δ to which the associated ups 102 is ultimately set. accordingly, slow power transfer algorithm 400 gradually transitions upss 102 between calculated phase angles δ. fig. 5 is a logic diagram of an alternative load sharing algorithm 500 that may utilize a look up table based on diagram 300 or equation 2 to calculate the phase angle δ. unless otherwise noted, load sharing algorithm 500 is substantially similar to slow power transfer algorithm 400 (shown in fig. 4 ). load sharing algorithm 500 may be performed, for example, using controller 200 (shown in fig. 2 ). load sharing algorithm 500 accounts for a situation when no load 120 is present for a given ups 102 , and follows a no load logic path 502 when no load 120 is present. for example, a load 120 may suddenly and/or unexpectedly be removed from ups 102 . accordingly, load sharing algorithm 500 may be referred to as a no load algorithm. when all or a substantial amount of load 120 is suddenly removed, a dc voltage of a dc input capacitor of an inverter increases. accordingly, load sharing algorithm 500 provides a value of the dc voltage, dc_link 1 , to a software reset-set (sr) flip-flop block 504 . if the dc voltage is below a predetermined threshold voltage, flip-flop block 504 is reset at 0°. when flip-flop block 504 outputs 0°, a switch block 506 selects a slow power transfer logic path 508 , and the logic proceeds identical to slow transfer power algorithm 400 . if the dc voltage is above the predetermined threshold voltage, flip-flip block 504 is set to 1°. when flip-flop block 504 outputs 1°, switch block 506 selects no load logic path 502 , and excludes slow power transfer logic path 508 . for no load logic path 502 , a summing block 510 sums the 1° output of flip-flop block 504 with the output of limiting block 404 . the final value generated by summing block 510 is the phase angle δ to which the associated ups 102 is ultimately set. system 100 also facilitates hot swapping one or more upss 102 in and/or out of system 100 . that is, system 100 facilitates swapping upss 102 in and out of system 100 during operation of system 100 . fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a system 600 that illustrates hot swapping in third ups 108 . that is, system 600 initially includes first ups 104 and second ups 106 , but not third ups 108 . unless otherwise noted, system 600 is substantially similar to system 100 (shown in figs. 1 and 2 ). to swap in third ups 108 , contactor 220 associated with third ups 108 is closed to electrically couple third ups 108 to ring bus 132 . at the moment that switch is closed, it is desirable that no power flows through the choke 150 associated with third ups 108 . to prevent power flow, the voltage on either side of choke 150 associated with third ups 108 should be the same in phase and in frequency. fig. 7 is a logic diagram of an alternative load sharing algorithm 700 that may utilize a look up table based on diagram 300 or equation 2 to calculate the phase angle δ. unless otherwise noted, load sharing algorithm 700 is substantially similar to load sharing algorithm 500 (shown in fig. 5 ). load sharing algorithm 700 may be performed, for example, using controller 200 (shown in fig. 2 ). load sharing algorithm 700 facilitates swapping in a ups, such as third ups 108 . accordingly, load sharing algorithm 700 may also be referred to as a swapping-in algorithm. specifically, when a ups is swapped in, the phase angle δ is not calculated using phase angle calculation block 402 . instead, the phase angle δ is set at a predefined angle for a predetermined period of time. specifically, when the ups is swapped in by closing contactor 220 , a predefined angle block 702 provides a predefined phase angle, c, to a switch block 704 , and first product block 406 takes the predefined phase angle c from switch block 704 . in the exemplary embodiment, the predefined phase angle c is set equal to a phase angle of the voltage on ring bus 132 . accordingly, when the ups is swapped in, there is no voltage across associated choke 150 , and no power flows through choke 150 . a timer block 706 controls when switch block 704 switches between supplying predefined phase angle c to first product block 406 and supplying the phase angle δ output by limiting block 404 to first product block 406 . specifically, after a predetermined period of time, switch block 704 switches from supplying predefined phase angle c to first product block 406 to supplying the phase angle δ output by limiting block 404 to first product block 406 . accordingly, after the predetermined period of time expires, the phase angle δ for the swapped-in ups is calculated using phase angle calculation block 402 . fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a system 800 that illustrates hot swapping out first ups 104 in accordance with a swapping-out algorithm. unless otherwise noted, system 800 is substantially similar to system 100 (shown in figs. 1 and 2 ). system 800 initially includes first ups 104 and second ups 106 . to facilitate swapping out first ups 104 , system 800 includes a maintenance switch 802 (which is the same as bypass switch 212 (shown in fig. 2 )) electrically coupled in parallel with the choke 150 associated with first ups 104 , a state switch module (ssm) 804 electrically coupled between first ups 104 and associated choke 150 , and a contactor 806 electrically coupled in parallel with ssm 804 . in the exemplary embodiment, ssm 804 is a bi-directional thyristor module, capable of flowing current in either direction and capable of switching significantly faster than contactor 806 . alternatively, ssm 804 may be any switching device that enables system 800 to function as described herein. before swapping out first ups 104 , maintenance switch 802 is open, ssm 804 is open (i.e., not activated), and contactor 806 is closed. to begin the swapping out procedure, a default load sharing algorithm (such as load sharing algorithm 500 (shown in fig. 5 )) is disabled. with the load sharing algorithm disabled, a phase angle of the voltage on ring bus 132 is measured, and first ups 104 is made synchronized in phase and frequency with the voltage on ring bus 132 . with first ups 104 operating at the same phase angle and magnitude as the voltage on ring bus 132 , no power flows through associated choke 150 . at this point (i.e., without power flowing through associated choke 150 ), maintenance switch 802 is closed. this connects first load 124 to ring bus 132 , bypassing associated choke 150 . to remove first ups 104 , the following sequence is performed: (i) ssm 804 is closed (i.e., activated), (ii) contactor 806 is opened, and (iii) ssm 804 is deactivated (i.e., opened). because ssm 804 is capable of faster switching than contactor 806 , utilizing ssm 804 enables disconnecting first ups 104 from system 800 relatively quickly. as compared to at least some known power systems, the systems and methods described herein facilitate synchronizing a plurality of upss such that the plurality of upss do not interfere with or override one another. using a load sharing algorithm, a control device calculates a phase angle for each ups. the control device controls the upss such that each ups operates at its respective calculated phase angle to supply power to at least one load. the load sharing algorithm may include steps for a slow power transfer, a load loss condition, and swapping a ups in or out of the system. exemplary embodiments of systems and methods for uninterruptible power supplies are described above in detail. the systems and methods are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein but, rather, components of the systems and/or operations of the methods may be utilized independently and separately from other components and/or operations described herein. further, the described components and/or operations may also be defined in, or used in combination with, other systems, methods, and/or devices, and are not limited to practice with only the systems described herein. the order of execution or performance of the operations in the embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein is not essential, unless otherwise specified. that is, the operations may be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified, and embodiments of the invention may include additional or fewer operations than those disclosed herein. for example, it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular operation before, contemporaneously with, or after another operation is within the scope of aspects of the invention. although specific features of various embodiments of the invention may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. in accordance with the principles of the invention, any feature of a drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing. this written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. the patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
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023-183-734-824-586
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EP
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B60C9/00,B60C9/08,B60C9/18,D07B1/06,D07B1/16,D07B1/00,D02G3/02
| 2000-12-01T00:00:00 |
2000
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[
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steel cord for reinforcing off-the-road tires and conveyor belts
|
a steel cord comprises a metal core strand and adjacent layer of steel elements. between the metal core strand and adjacent layer of steel elements, a polymer layer with a minimum thickness of more than 0.02 mm is provided. these steel cords are to be used to reinforce off-the-road tires or conveyor belts.
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claims 1. a steel cord to be used to reinforce rubber tires and/or conveyor belts, said steel cord comprising a metal core strand and at least one adjacent layer of steel elements around said metal core strand, characterized in that said metal core strand is coated with a polymer material, said polymer material having a minimum thickness, said minimum thickness being more than 0.02mm. 2. a steel cord as in claim 1 , wherein said polymer material being thermoplastic polymer. 3. a steel cord in claim 1 or 2, wherein said polymer material is polyethyleneterephtalate 4. a steel cord as in claim 1 to 3, wherein said minimum thickness is more than 0.035mm. 5. a steel cord in claim 1 to 4, wherein said steel elements providing said adjacent layer of steel elements are steel cords. 6. a steel cord as in claim 1 to 5, wherein said polymer material is extruded round said metal core strand. 7. a method to provide a steel cord as in claims 1 to 6, comprising the steps of - providing a metal core strand; - providing a layer of polymer material round said metal core strand; - providing one or more additional adjacent layers of steel elements. 8. a method to provide a steel cord as in claim 7, wherein said polymer layer is extruded round said metal core strand. 9. a method to provide a steel cord as in claim 7 or 8, wherein said polymer material is provided round said metal core strand with thickness more than 0.05mm. 10. use of a steel cord as in claim 1 to 6 as reinforcement of an off-the- road tire. 11. use of a steel cord as in claim 1 to 6 as reinforcement of a conveyor belt.
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steel cord for reinforcing off-the-road tires and conveyor belts field of the invention. the present invention relates to steel cords, and more in particular to steel cords adapted to be used to reinforce rubber tires, especially off- the-road tires and conveyor belts. background of the invention. in steel cord applications for rubber reinforcement in general, there is a tendency to the use of higher tensile strength cords, making use of higher tensile strength steel filaments. for off-the-road tires and conveyor belts, a steel cord comprising different layers of steel elements are used. one or more layers of steel elements surround a steel cord, which is called "metal core strand". these steel elements may be steel cords or strands, so providing e.g. a typical off-the-road steel cord construction 7x(3+9). the elements may also be steel filaments, so providing concentric layered cords, e.g. 3+9+15 . the use of high tensile strength steel filaments for these types of steel cord have, however, a disadvantage. a higher loss of tensile strength is noticed due to the twisting step or steps during transformation of the steel filaments into stands, multi-strands or concentric layered cords, when such high tensile strength steel filaments are used. when strands, multi-layered strands or concentric layered cords are subjected to an axial load, the different filaments of these strands or cords exercise radial forces to each other. they, so-to-say clamp each other. it was found that the higher the tensile strength of the filament, the larger the loss of tensile strength under simultaneous radial and axial load. this explains the fact that the higher the tensile strength of the filament, the larger the loss of tensile strength due to the twisting steps used to transform the filaments into a strand or concentric layered cord. further, the more complex the construction of the multi-strands or concentric layered cords, the larger the loss of tensile strength. especially when the twisting directions of the different layers are different. e.g. a metal core strand twisted in z-direction, a first layer of steel filaments twisted around this metal core strand in s-direction and a second layer twisted around both underlying layer and metal core strand again in z-direction. as a result, the use of high tensile strength steel filaments usually result in moderate or normal levels of tensile strength and breaking load of the provided steel cord or strand, whereas the use of high tensile strength steel elements would suggest higher tensile strengths and breaking loads for the steel cord or strand. an attempt to reduce this loss of tensile strength has been made by providing steel cords comprising high tensile strength steel filaments, which allow full rubber penetration. however, the results were not fully adequate. summary of the invention. the object of the invention is to reduce the loss of tensile strength or breaking load of high tensile steel cords, adapted to be used to reinforce rubber tires, especially off-the-road tires, or conveyor belts. a steel cord, according to the present invention, comprises one or more layers of steel elements twisted round a metal core strand. these steel elements may be steel filaments, or steel strands. one or more layers of steel elements may be twisted around the metal core strand, using the same or a different twisting direction and/or angle. different steel filament diameters or strand constructions may be used to provide the steel cord as subject of the invention. the steel cord as subject of the invention may be a so-called compact cord, a multi-strand construction or a concentric layered construction. a steel cord according to the present invention is characterized in that a layer of polymer material is provided between the metal core strand and at least one layer of steel elements, which is twisted around this metal core strand, wherein the thickness of the polymer material is more than 0.02mm. filaments which are used to provide the different steel elements of the steel cord as subject of the invention preferably have a tensile strength larger than 2000n/mm 2 , preferably more than 2500 n/mm 2 and most preferably more than 2800 n/mm 2 . diameters of the filaments which are used to provide the different steel elements of the steel cord as subject of the invention are less than 0.8mm, preferably between 0.15 and 0.6 mm, most preferably between 0.175 and 0.35mm. a steel cord according to the present invention is characterized in that a layer of polymer material is provided between the metal core strand and at least one layer of steel elements, which is twisted around this metal core strand. this layer of polymer material separates the metal core strand and the adjacent layer of steel elements from each other. the polymer layer prevents to a large extent the existence of contacts and contact points between the filaments of the metal core strand and filaments of the adjacent layer of steel elements. the minimum thickness of the polymer layer between metal core strand and adjacent layer of steel elements is to be more than 0.02 mm, preferably more than 0.035mm, most preferably more than 0.05 mm., e.g. more than 0.1 mm. this minimum thickness is measured through following procedure: - the cord is radially cut on at least 5 different places, the cut edges are polished and the cross sections of the cord are photographed; for each cross section, the minimum distance between metal core strand and each steel element of the layer of steel elements is measured. this is done by measuring the distance between the filament of the steel element, which is closest to the metal core strand, and the filament of the metal core strand, which is closest to the steel element. an average distance is calculated of these minimum distances; - the minimum thickness of the polymer layer is calculated as the average of at least 5 average distances, resulting out of at least 5 different radial cross sections. such minimum thickness is obtainable by providing a layer of polymer material around the metal core strand, before the adjacent layer of steel elements is twisted around this core layer. to obtain best results, the minimum thickness of the polymer layer, provided around the metal core strand before twisting the adjacent layer of steel elements is minimum 0.05 mm, most preferably more than 0.1 mm. the thickness is measured as the optical diameter difference coated/non coated strand or filament, divided by 2. a smaller thickness of the polymer layer before twisting the adjacent layer of steel elements results in frequent local contact points between metal core strand and adjacent steel elements, which is probably caused by the specific diameters of the filaments used. one may assume, without having a proven theory supporting this assumption, that when thinner layers of polymer material is used, the fine filaments used to provide the adjacent layer or the strands, present in the adjacent layers may cut through the polymer layer during twisting of the steel cord as subject of the invention. during twisting, the adjacent steel elements move radial inwards, towards the metal core strand. the steel elements are so-to-say pressed in the polymer layer. when the layer is too thin before twisting the adjacent layer of steel elements, the polymer layer may be locally pushed away, or so-to-say 'cut' by the high local radial stresses upon the polymer layer. preferably, the adjacent layer of steel elements is twisted around the metal core strand in the opposite direction of the twisting direction of the metal core strand. when the metal core strand has a 's'-twisting direction, the adjacent layer of steel elements preferably are twisted around the metal core strand in 'z' -direction, after providing a polymer layer round the core layer. such steel cord constructions benefits most from the improvement of breaking load and tensile strength due to the application of the polymer material, as subject of the invention. it is clear that the polymer layer may not be too thick neither. a too thick layer of polymer material between metal core strand and adjacent layer of steel elements would make the steel cord as subject of the invention unstable and not useful for the reinforcement of off- the-road tires and conveyor belts. even more, a thick coating increases the cord diameter, so a thicker layer of rubber is required to embed the cords, which also increases the cost. the minimum polymer layer between metal core strand and adjacent layer of steel elements may not exceed 0.120 mm. steel cords as subject of the invention increases the breaking load of the steel cord with at least 3% , compared to a steel cord with identical construction and steel elements providing the steel cord, but without polymer layer. a breaking load increase of more than 5% may even be obtained. steel cords as subject of the invention with a breaking load more 1500 mpa or even more than 2000 mpa are preferred and benefits most from the reduction of tensile strength loss due to the twisting steps during construction of the steel cord. steel cords as subject of the invention preferably, but not restrictively have a construction known as 7x(3+9), 7x(3+9+15), 3+9+9x3, 7x7, 7x19 or 19+8x7. steel alloys used to provide steel cords as subject of the invention preferably have a carbon content between 0.70% and 1.10%, a manganese content between 0.40% and 0.70%, a silicon content between 0.10% and 0.40%, a maximum sulfur content of 0.03%, a maximum phosphorus content of 0.03%. micro-alloying with particular elements such as chromium, nickel, vanadium, boron, cobalt, copper, molybdenum etc. is not excluded for amounts ranging from 0.01 % to 0.50%. preferably a thermoplastic polymer material is used to provide the layer of polymer material, such as polyethyleneterephtalate (pet), polyamide (pa), polyester (pes), polypropylene (pp), polyvinylchloride (pvc), polytetrafluoethylene (ptfe) or polyethylene (pe) or copolymers thereof. preferably polyethyleneterephtalate (pet) is used. the polymer material may be provided in different ways, however, preferably, the polymer material is extruded around the metal core strand. a person skilled in the art understands that, when a steel cord as subject of the invention comprises a metal core strand and two or more layers of steel elements, according to the present invention different layers of polymer material may be provided between the different layers of steel elements. around a metal core strand, which may consist on its own of a layered construction, a first layer of polymer material may be provided. one or more layers of steel elements are twisted around this metal core strand with polymer layer. a second layer may be provided around this combination of metal core strand, first layer of polymer material and adjacent layers of steel elements. additional layers of steel elements are provided around this second layer of polymer material. alternately, more layers of polymer material and steel elements may be provided. identical thickness' of polymer material are to be used as described above. the steel cords as subject of the invention may be used to reinforce off- the-road tires or conveyor belts. they combine the use of high tensile strength steel filaments, while compensating the loss of tensile strength and breaking load, due to the twisting operations. brief description of the drawings. the invention will now be described into more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein figure 1 shows schematically a cross section of a steel cord multi-strand construction according to the present invention figure 2 is a detail of figure 1 - figure 3 shows schematically the different steps to provide a steel cord construction as subject of the invention as shown in figure ! figure 4 to 8 show schematically a cross section of alternative embodiments of steel cords as subject of the invention. description of the preferred embodiments of the invention. a preferred steel cord as subject of the invention is shown in figure 1 , being a 7x(3+9)+1 construction. the steel cord comprises a metal core strand 11 , comprising twelve steel filaments 12, being three steel filaments of a diameter 0.245, twisted in z direction with a step 6.3, round which nine identical steel filaments 12 are twisted in z direction with step 12.5. six steel elements 13, comprising three steel filaments of a diameter 0.245, twisted in s direction with a step 6.3, round which nine identical steel filaments are twisted in s direction with step 12.5, are twisted around this metal core strand 11 with a laylength of 28 mm, so providing an adjacent layer of steel elements 13. steel filaments comprised in these steel elements 13 are referred to hereafter as steel filaments 14. the steel cord as subject of the invention further comprises a binding filament 15, being 0.20 mm twisting around the metal core strand and layer of steel elements with a laylength of 5 mm in s direction. according to the present invention, a polymer layer 16 is provided between metal core strand 11 and steel elements 13. pet was used to provide a preferred embodiment. a steel alloy comprising 0.82%c + 0.5% mn was used to provide all steel filaments 12 and 14. detail a of figure 1 is shown in figure 2. the minimum distance 21 between steel filaments 12 of the metal core strand and steel filaments 14 of the adjacent layer of steel elements, is measured as shown in figure 2. such minimum distance 21 was measured for each steel element 13 of the adjacent layer of steel elements. for the embodiment of figure 1 , the average distance is the average of the six minimum distances between the metal core strand 11 and each steel element 13. a minimum thickness was measured by making an average of at least 5 average distances of 5 different radial cross sections of the present embodiment of the invention. the embodiment as shown in figure 1 may be provided by the steps as shown in figure 3. a metal core strand (3+9), indicated in figure 3 as 11 , is provided using known techniques during first step 3a. in a next step 3b, a polymer layer 16 is provided around this metal core strand 11. preferably, this polymer layer is extruded around the metal core strand. the thickness of the polymer material 31 is preferably more than 0.05mm, most preferably more than 0.11 mm. during the next step 3c, six steel elements 13, being (3+9) constructions are twisted around the polymer layer 16. additionally, a wrapping filament 15 may be provided by step 3d. four different embodiments of the present invention, based on a 7x(3+9)+1 cord, having a different pet layer around the core stand (3+9) were compared with a reference 7x(3+9)+1 cord. as shown in table i underneath, the breaking load increased with more than 5% for the embodiments of the present invention. table i a person skilled in the art understands that similar results may be obtained by using different filament diameters, steel alloys and polymer material. other constructions are shown in figures 4 to 8. figure 4 shows schematically a radial cross section of a 19+(8x7) construction. a metal core strand 41 , comprising nineteen steel filaments, is surrounded by a layer of eight steel elements 42, each steel element comprising 7 steel filaments. between the metal core strand and the layer of steel elements, a layer of polymer material 43 is provided. figure 5 shows schematically a radial cross section of a 7x19 construction. a metal core strand 51 , comprising nineteen steel filaments, is surrounded by a layer of six steel elements 52, each steel element comprising 19 steel filaments. between the metal core strand and the layer of steel elements, a layer of polymer material 53 is provided. figure 6 shows schematically a radial cross section of a 7 x (3+9 +15) construction. a metal core strand 61 , being a concentric layered cord of type (3+9+15), is surrounded by a layer of six steel elements 62, each steel element being a concentric layered cord of type (3+9+15). between the metal core strand and the layer of steel elements, a layer of polymer material 63 is provided. figure 7 shows schematically a radial cross section of a 7x7 construction. a metal core strand 71 , comprising seven steel filaments, is surrounded by a layer of six steel elements 72, each steel element comprising seven steel filaments. between the metal core strand and the layer of steel elements, a layer of polymer material 73 is provided. figure 8a shows schematically a concentric layered cord, having a metal core strand 81 , being a cord of type (3+9), which is surrounded by a layer of fifteen steel elements 82, each steel element being a steel filament. between the metal core strand and these fifteen filaments, a polymer layer 83 is provided. alternatively, as shown in figure 8b, a metal core strand 84 of three filaments may be coated by a first polymer layer 85, after which a first layer of nine steel elements 86 is twisted around this coated metal core strand. a second layer of fifteen steel elements 87 surround this first layer of nine steel elements. a second layer of polymer material 88 may be provided between first layer of steel elements 86 and second layer of steel elements 87, as shown in figure 8c.
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025-792-949-708-300
|
JP
|
[
"US",
"JP"
] |
H04N5/91,G11B20/10,H04N5/44,H04N7/173
| 2005-02-02T00:00:00 |
2005
|
[
"H04",
"G11"
] |
image recording apparatus
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an image recording apparatus comprising: a receiving unit to receive a broadcast signal pertaining to a predetermined broadcast; a recording unit to record video data composed of sound data and image data, both based on a received broadcast signal; detection unit to detect an end of the predetermined broadcast based on the received broadcast signal; timer unit to time a detection time for which the detection means continues detecting of the end of the broadcast; judgment unit to judge whether the detection time timed by the timer unit has reached a predetermined elapsed time or not; and record erasing unit to stop recording the video data in the recording unit and to erase the video data having been recorded in the recording unit while the timer means has been timing the predetermined elapsed time, when the judgment means judges that the detection time has reached the predetermined elapsed time.
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1 . an image recording apparatus, comprising: a receiving unit to receive a broadcast signal pertaining to a predetermined broadcast; a recording unit to record video data composed of sound data and image data, both based on the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit; a sound output unit to output a sound based on the sound data; an image display unit to display an image based on the image data; detection unit to detect an end of a predetermined broadcast according to the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit based on a fact that no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal, or a fact that the sound data in the broadcast signal is a sound signal having a specific frequency and the image data in the broadcast signal is an image signal for displaying a specific image, or a fact that a rate of a variation of the sound based on the sound data in the broadcast signal is within a predetermined range and a rate of a variation of the image based on the image data in the broadcast signal is within a predetermined range; timer unit to time a detection time for which the detection unit continues to detect the end of the broadcast; judgment unit to judge whether the detection time timed by the timer unit has reached a first elapsed time or not, and to judge whether the detection time has reached a second elapsed time or not; and record erasing unit to stop an output of the sound based on the sound data from the sound output unit when the judgment unit judges that the detection time has reached the first elapsed time, and then to stop a display of the image based on the image data on the image display unit, to stop recording the video data in the recording unit and to erase the video data having been recorded in the recording unit while the timer means has been timing a predetermined elapsed time when the judgment means subsequently judges that the detection time has reached the second elapsed time. 2 . an image recording apparatus-comprising: a receiving unit to receive a broadcast signal pertaining to a predetermined broadcast; a recording unit to record video data composed of sound data and image data, both based on a broadcast signal received by the receiving unit; detection unit to detect an end of the predetermined broadcast based on the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit; timer unit to time a detection time for which the detection means continues detecting of the end of the broadcast; judgment unit to judge whether the detection time timed by the timer unit has reached a predetermined elapsed time or not; and record erasing unit to stop recording the video data in the recording unit and to erase the video data having been recorded in the recording unit while the timer means has been timing the predetermined elapsed time, when the judgment means judges that the detection time has reached the predetermined elapsed time. 3 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising: a sound output unit to output a sound based on the sound data; and an image display unit to display an image based on the image data, wherein the judgment unit judges whether the detection time timed by the timer unit has reached a first elapsed time or not, and judges whether the detection time has reached a second elapsed time or not; and the record erasing unit stops an output of the sound based on the sound data from the sound output unit when the judgment unit judges that the detection time has reached the fist elapsed time, and then stops a display of the image based on the image data on the image display unit and stops recording the video data in the recording unit, and erases the video data having been recorded in the recording unit while the timer unit has been timing the predetermined elapsed time, when the judgment unit subsequently judges that the detection time has reached the second elapsed time. 4 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal. 5 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that the sound data is a sound signal having a specific frequency and a fact that the image data is an image signal for displaying a specific image. 6 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that a rate of a variation of a sound based on the sound data is within a predetermined range and a fact that a rate of a variation of an image based on the image data is within a predetermined range. 7 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the receiving unit receives an electric program guide and the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on the electric program guide. 8 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the recording unit includes a first recording medium and a second recording medium; the recording unit records the video data in the first recording medium when the detection unit does not detect the end of the broadcast, and stops recording in the first recording medium to record the video data in the second recording medium when the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast; and the recording unit records the video data recorded in the second recording medium while the timer unit has been timing in the first recording medium when the detection unit judges that the detection time did not reach the predetermined elapsed time. 9 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal. 10 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that the sound data is a sound signal having a specific frequency and a fact that the image data is an image signal for displaying a specific image. 11 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that a rate of a variation of the sound based on the sound data is within a predetermined range and a fact that a rate of a variation of the image based on the image data is within a predetermined range. 12 . an image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the receiving unit receives an electric program guide and the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on the electric program guide. 13 . the image recording apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the recording unit includes a first recording medium and a second recording medium; the recording unit records the video data in the first recording medium when the detection unit does not detect the end of the broadcast, and stops recording in the first recording medium to record the video data in the second recording medium when the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast; and the recording unit records the video data recorded in the second recording medium while the timer unit has been timing in the first recording medium when the detection unit judges that the detection time did not reach the predetermined elapsed time.
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background of the invention 1. field of the invention the present invention relates to an image recording apparatus. 2. description of related art there has been conventionally a broadcast receiving apparatus such as a television receiver, which receives a broadcast signal of a tuned channel and outputs video and audio corresponding to the broadcast signal of the channel. there is known a broadcast receiving apparatus which monitors a synchronization signal of a receiving broadcast signal and judges that the broadcast of a tuned channel has ended to display a “sandstorm screen” based on the fact that the synchronization signal is not detected to automatically tune another channel which matches the taste of a user (see, for example, jp 2003-18484a). moreover, there is an image recording apparatus which receives a broadcast signal of a desired channel and at the same time records the video and the like corresponding to the broadcast signal of the channel. there has been also known an image recording apparatus which stops image recording based on the detection of a broadcast end signal indicating the end of the broadcast of a tuned channel and a change of the screen to the “sandstorm screen” or a “color bar screen” according to the state of the receiving broadcast signal during the image recording of user's desired video or the like (see, for example, jp 2003-319315a). however, in case of the technique disclosed in the jp 2003-18484a, because a channel is rapidly changed automatically by tuning another channel based on the non-detection of any synchronization signals in a broadcast signal, broadcasts are sometimes changed to the broadcast of an undesired channel when false detection exists in the detection of the synchronization signals, and a broadcast of a channel contrary to the user's wish is sometimes performed. that is, when the video and the like based on the broadcast signal received by the broadcast receiving apparatus are being recorded by image recording equipment, the image recording of the broadcast of an undesired channel is performed. moreover, in case of the technique disclosed in the jp 2003-319315a, because image recording is made to be rapidly stopped based on the detection of a broadcast end signal, the technique has a problem of a stop of image recording contrary to the user's wish owing to a false detection of the broadcast end signal. summary of the invention it is an object of the present invention to provide an image recording apparatus capable of performing the image recording of the video pertaining to a desired broadcast without recoding any unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast. according to a first aspect of the invention, an image recording apparatus comprises: a receiving un it to receive a broadcast signal pertaining to a predetermined broadcast; a recording unit to record video data composed of sound data and image data, both based on the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit; a sound output unit to output a sound based on the sound data; an image display unit to display an image based on the image data; detection unit to detect an end of a predetermined broadcast according to the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit based on a fact that no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal, or a fact that the sound data in the broadcast signal is a sound signal having a specific frequency and the image data in the broadcast signal is an image signal for displaying a specific image, or a fact that a rate of a variation of the sound based on the sound data in the broadcast signal is within a predetermined range and a rate of a variation of the image based on the image data in the broadcast signal is within a predetermined range; timer unit to time a detection time for which the detection unit continues to detect the end of the broadcast; judgment unit to judge whether the detection time timed by the timer unit has reached a first elapsed time or not, and to judge whether the detection time has reached a second elapsed time or not; and record erasing unit to stop an output of the sound based on the sound data from the sound output unit when the judgment unit judges that the detection time has reached the first elapsed time, and then to stop a display of the image based on the image data on the image display unit, to stop recording the video data in the recording unit and to erase the video data having been recorded in the recording unit while the timer means has been timing a predetermined elapsed time when the judgment means subsequently judges that the detection time has reached the second elapsed time. thereby, in the image recording apparatus, when the ended state of the predetermined broadcast has been continuously detected for the time equivalent to the first elapsed time from the detection of the end of the predetermined broadcast at the time of recording the video data in the recording unit which data is based on the broadcast signal pertaining to the predetermined broadcast received by the receiving unit, first, it is possible to stop the outputting of the sound based on the sound data from the sound output unit. then, when the ended state of the broadcast has been continuously detected for the time equivalent to the longer second elapsed time, the display of the image based on the image data on the image display unit is stopped, and the recording of the video data in the recording unit is stopped. then, the unnecessary video data having been recorded in the recording unit during, for example, the second elapsed time, which is the predetermined elapsed time, can be erased from the recording unit. accordingly, by stopping the outputting of the sound from the sound output unit when the image recording apparatus has continuously detected the ended state of the broadcast for the time equivalent to the first elapsed time, the image recording apparatus performs the warning indicating that the image recording apparatus does not receive the broadcast signal of the predetermined broadcast, and it becomes possible to prevent the output of, for example, unpleasant noise sounds in the “sandstorm screen”, which is unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast. moreover, when the image recording apparatus has been continuously detecting the ended state of the broadcast for the time equivalent to the second elapsed time, it is possible to stop the recording of the video data to the recording unit, and to erase the unnecessary video data from the recording unit which data has been recorded in the recording unit during the predetermined elapsed time. that is, in comparison with the conventional apparatus, which rapidly stops the image recording at the time of detecting the end of a broadcast, the image recording apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention can decrease the generation of the malfunction of the stop of image recording in the case where the detection of the end of the broadcast is a false detection, and can suitably perform the image recording of the video pertaining to the desired broadcast. moreover, by erasing the recorded unnecessary video data based on the predetermined elapsed time, the recording of the unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast can be prevented. consequently, it is possible to perform image recording by recording desired video and the like in the recording unit over a longer period. in particular, the image recording apparatus takes the following criteria of judgment for detecting the end of the predetermined broadcast according to the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit: no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal; the sound data in the broadcast signal is the sound signal having the specific frequency, and the image data in the broadcast signal is the image signal indicating the specific image; and the rate of the variation of the sound based on the sound data in the broadcast signal is within the predetermined rate range, and the rate of the variation of the image based on the image data in the broadcast signal is within the predetermined rage range. here, because the state in which no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal indicates that the broadcast waves are in the state of being stopped and corresponds to the state in which the predetermined broadcast has ended and the “sandstorm screen” is displayed, the image recording apparatus is configured to delete the video data from the recording unit after the recording for a certain fixed time in the recording unit in the state in which the predetermined broadcast has ended and the “sandstorm screen” is displayed. consequently, it is possible not to record the “sandstorm screen”, which is unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast, in the recording unit in the image recording apparatus. moreover, the state in which the sound data in the broadcast signal is the sound signal having the specific frequency and the image data in the broadcast signal is the image signal to display the specific image indicates that the broadcast wave is a broadcast wave for an electric wave test, and corresponds to the state in which a “color bar screen” or a “monoscope screen” is displayed after the end of the predetermined broadcast. consequently, in the state in which the predetermined broadcast has ended and the “color bar screen” or the “monoscope screen” is displayed in the image recording apparatus, the image recording apparatus is configured to delete the video data from the recording unit after the recording for a certain fixed time in the recording unit. consequently, it is possible to configure the image recording apparatus not to record the “color bar screen” and the “monoscope screen”, which are unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast, in the recording unit. moreover, the state in which the rate of the variation of the sound based on the sound data in the broadcast signal is within the predetermined rate range and the rate of the variation of the image based on the image data in the broadcast signal is within the predetermined rate range indicates the state in which almost no changes of the sound and the image exist, and corresponds, for example, the state in which the image of a scene peripheral to a broadcasting station in the state in which a still sound is output or there are no sounds. consequently, the image recording apparatus is configured delete the video data from the recording unit after the recording for a certain fixed time in the recording unit in the state in which the predetermined broadcast has ended and the image recording apparatus is in the state of displaying the “image of the scene peripheral to the broadcasting station.” consequently, it is possible not to record the “image of the scene peripheral to the broadcasting station”, which is the unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast, in the recording unit in the image recording apparatus. according to a second aspect of the invention, an image recording apparatus comprises: receiving unit to receive a broadcast signal pertaining to a predetermined broadcast; a recording unit to record video data composed of sound data and image data, both based on a broadcast signal received by the receiving unit; detection unit to detect an end of the predetermined broadcast based on the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit; timer unit to time a detection time for which the detection means continues detecting of the end of the broadcast; judgment unit to judge whether the detection time timed by the timer unit has reached a predetermined elapsed time or not; and record erasing unit to stop recording the video data in the recording unit and to erase the video data having been recorded in the recording unit while the timer means has been timing the predetermined elapsed time, when the judgment means judges that the detection time has reached the predetermined elapsed time. thereby, in the image recording apparatus, when the ended state of the predetermined broadcast has been continuously detected for the time equivalent to the predetermined elapsed time from the detection of the end of the predetermined broadcast at the time of recording the video data in the recording unit which data is based on the broadcast signal pertaining to the predetermined broadcast received by the receiving unit, it is possible to stop the recording of the video data in the recording unit, and to erase the unnecessary video data recorded in the recording unit during the predetermined elapsed time from the recording unit. consequently, in comparison with the conventional apparatus, which rapidly stops the image recording at the time of detecting the end of a broadcast, the image recording apparatus of the present aspect of the present invention can decrease the generation of the malfunction of the stop of image recording in the case where the detection of the end of the broadcast is a false detection, and can suitably perform the image recording of the video pertaining to the desired broadcast. moreover, by erasing the recorded unnecessary video data based on the predetermined elapsed time, the recording of the unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast can be prevented. consequently, it is possible to perform image recording by recording desired video and the like in the recording unit over a longer period. preferably, the image recording apparatus further comprises: sound output unit to output a sound based on the sound data; and an image display unit to display an image based on the image data, wherein the judgment unit judges whether the detection time timed by the timer unit has reached a first elapsed time or not, and judges whether the detection time has reached a second elapsed time or not; and the record erasing unit stops an output of the sound based on the sound data from the sound output unit when the judgment unit judges that the detection time has reached the fist elapsed time, and then stops a display of the image based on the image data on the image display unit and stops recording the video data in the recording unit, and erases the video data having been recorded in the recording unit while the timer unit has been timing the predetermined elapsed time, when the judgment unit subsequently judges that the detection time has reached the second elapsed time. thereby, in the image recording apparatus, when the ended state of the predetermined broadcast has been continuously detected for the time equivalent to the first elapsed time from the detection of the end of the predetermined broadcast at the time of recording the video data in the recording unit which data is based on the broadcast signal pertaining to the predetermined broadcast received by the receiving unit, first, it is possible to stop the outputting of the sound based on the sound data from the sound output unit. then, when the ended state of the broadcast has been continuously detected for the time equivalent to the longer second elapsed time, the display of the image based on the image data on the image display unit is stopped, and the recording of the video data in the recording unit is stopped. then, the unnecessary video data having been recorded in the recording unit during, for example, the second elapsed time, which is the predetermined elapsed time, can be erased from the recording unit. accordingly, by stopping the outputting of the sound from the sound output unit when the image recording apparatus has continuously detected the ended state of the broadcast for the time equivalent to the first elapsed time, the image recording apparatus performs the warning indicating that the image recording apparatus does not receive the broadcast signal of the predetermined broadcast, and it becomes possible to prevent the output of, for example, unpleasant noise sounds in the “sandstorm screen”, which is unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast. then, when the image recording apparatus has been continuously detecting the ended state of the broadcast for the time equivalent to the second elapsed time, it is possible to stop the recording of the video data to the recording unit, and to erase the unnecessary video data from the recording unit which data has been recorded in recording unit during the predetermined elapsed time. thereby, the image recording of the video pertaining to the desired broadcast can be suitably performed, and it is also becomes possible not to record unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast in the recording unit. preferably, the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal. thereby, the detection means can detect the end of the broadcast based on the fact that no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal. here, because the state in which no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal indicates that the broadcast waves are in the state of being stopped and corresponds to the state in which the predetermined broadcast has ended and the “sandstorm screen” is displayed, the video data of the “sandstorm screen” is deleted after having been recorded for a certain fixed time in the state in which the predetermined broadcast has ended and the “sandstorm screen” is displayed in the image recording apparatus. consequently, it is possible not to record the “sandstorm screen”, which is unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast, in the recording unit in the image recording apparatus. preferably, the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that the sound data is a sound signal having a specific frequency and a fact that the image data is an image signal for displaying a specific image. thereby, the detection means can detect the end of the broadcast based on the fact that the sound data is the sound signal having the specific frequency, and the fact that the image data is the image signal displaying the specific image. here, the state in which the sound data in the broadcast signal is the sound signal having the specific frequency and the image data in the broadcast signal is the image signal to display the specific image indicates that the broadcast wave is a broadcast wave for an electric wave test, and corresponds to the state in which a “color bar screen” or a “monoscope screen” is displayed after the end of the predetermined broadcast. consequently, in the state in which the predetermined broadcast has ended and the “color bar screen” or the “monoscope screen” is displayed in the image recording apparatus, the video data of the “color bar screen” and the “monoscope screen” is deleted from the recording unit after having been recorded for a certain fixed time. consequently, it is possible to configure the image recording apparatus not to record the “color bar screen” and the “monoscope screen”, which are unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast, in the recording unit. preferably, the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on a fact that a rate of a variation of a sound based on the sound data is within a predetermined range and a fact that a rate of a variation of an image based on the image data is within a predetermined range. thereby, the detection means can detects the end of the broadcast based on the fact that the rate of the variation of the sound based on the sound data is within the predetermined rate range, and on the fact that the rate of the variation of the image based on the image data is within the predetermined rate range. here, the state in which the rate of the variation of the sound based on the sound data in a broadcast signal is within the predetermined rate range and the rate of the variation of the image based on the image data in the broadcast signal is within a predetermined rate range indicates the state in which almost no changes of the sound and the image exist, and corresponds, for example, the state in which the image of a scene peripheral to a broadcasting station in the state in which a still sound is output or there are no sounds. consequently, in the state in which the predetermined broadcast has ended and the “image of the scene peripheral to the broadcasting station” is displayed in the recording apparatus, the video data of the “image of the scene peripheral to the broadcasting station” is deleted from the recording unit after the recording for a certain fixed time. consequently, it is possible not to record the “image of the scene peripheral to the broadcasting station”, which is the unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast, in the recording unit in the image recording apparatus. preferably, the receiving unit receives an electric program guide and the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast based on the electric program guide. thereby, the detection means can detect a time when all of the programs are not broadcast as the end of the broadcast from the information of the broadcast time of each program listed in an epg. in the state in which all of the programs are not broadcast in the selected broadcasting station, the video data of the received video is deleted from the recording unit after the recording thereof for the certain fixed time. consequently, the recorded data of the unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast can be made not to be recorded in the recording unit. preferably, the recording unit includes a first recording medium and a second recording medium; the recording unit records the video data in the first recording medium when the detection unit does not detect the end of the broadcast, and stops recording in the first recording medium to record the video data in the second recording medium when the detection unit detects the end of the broadcast; and the recording unit records the video data recorded in the second recording medium while the timer unit has been timing in the first recording medium when the detection unit judges that the detection time did not reach the predetermined elapsed time. thereby, because the recording of the video data in the first recording medium is stopped when the end of the broadcast is detected, no unnecessary video is recorded in the first recording medium. on the other hand, even if the detection of the end of the broadcast is a false detection, because the recorded data recorded on the second recording medium is recorded on the first recorded medium, the video is not broken. consequently, it is possible to prevent the first recording medium from being overwritten with video. brief description of the drawings the present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the appended drawings which given by way of illustration only, and thus are not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention, and wherein; fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the principal part of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention; and fig. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the image recording processing of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. detailed description of the invention in the following, an embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention is described in detail by reference to the attached drawings. fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the principal part of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention. as shown in fig. 1 , the image recording apparatus 100 is provided with a receiving unit 10 receiving a broadcast signal, a recording unit 20 recording video data based on a broadcast signal received by the receiving unit 10 , a sound output unit 30 outputting a sound based on sound data in video data, an image display unit 40 displaying an image based on image data in the video data, a control unit 50 controlling the operation of each unit mentioned above, and the like. the receiving unit 10 is, for example, antenna equipment. the receiving unit 10 receives a broadcast signal, and sends out the received broadcast signal to the control unit 50 . the recording unit 20 is composed of, for example, a digital versatile disk (dvd) recorder or a hard disk drive (hdd) recorder, and records video data composed of sound data and image data, both based on the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit 10 . the sound output unit 30 is, for example, speaker equipment, and outputs a sound based on the sound data based on the broadcast signal received by the receiving unit 10 or the sound data of the video data recorded in the recording unit 20 . the image display unit 40 is, for example, liquid crystal display equipment, and displays an image or video which is based on the image data based on a broadcast signal received by the receiving unit 10 or the image data of the video data recorded in the recording unit 20 . the control unit 50 is provided with, for example, a cpu. the control unit 50 performs the integrated control of the operation of each unit pursuant to various control programs for the image recording apparatus stored in a not shown rom or the like in obedience to an operation input signal input from a not shown input unit, or in obedience to set data or the like set beforehand, and stores a processing result of the integrated control into a work area in a not shown ram. then, the control unit 50 controls the operation of each unit constituting the image recording apparatus 100 . furthermore, the control unit 50 converts a broadcast signal received by the receiving unit 10 into sound data and image data, both are digital data, and functions as image recording control means for performing recording in the recording unit 20 . moreover, the control unit 50 functions as detection means for detecting an end of a predetermined broadcast based on a broadcast signal received by the receiving unit 10 . in particular, the control unit 50 as the detection means detects the end of a broadcast based on the fact that no synchronization signals are included in the broadcast signal of the broadcast. here, the state in which no synchronization signals are included in a broadcast signal indicates a stopped wave state of any broadcast waves, and corresponds to the state in which a predetermined broadcast has ended and a “sandstorm screen” is displayed. moreover, the control unit 50 as the detection means detects the end of a broadcast based on the fact that sound data is a sound signal having a specific frequency, and the fact that image data is an image signal displaying a specific image. here, the state in which the sound data in a broadcast signal is the sound signal having the specific frequency and the image data in the broadcast signal is the image signal displaying the specific image indicates that the broadcast wave is a broadcast wave for an electric wave test, and corresponds to the state in which a “color bar screen” or a “monoscope screen” is displayed after the end of a predetermined broadcast. moreover, the control unit 50 as the detection means detects the end of a broadcast based on the fact that the rate of a variation of the sound based on sound data is within a predetermined rate range and the fact that the rate of a variation of the image based on image data is within a predetermined rate range. here, the state in which the rate of a variation of the sound based on sound data in a broadcast signal is within a predetermined rate range and the rate of a variation of the image based on image data in the broadcast signal is within a predetermined rate range corresponds to a state in which the image of a scene peripheral to a broadcasting station is displayed with a background music (bgm) flowing still or without any sounds in a state in which almost no changes of the sound and the image occur although any broadcast waves are not in the stopped wave state or the broadcast wave is not the one for the electric wave test. then, if a vehicle or a person passes around a broadcasting station, then the movement thereof becomes a variation of the image. that is, because the rate of the variation of a sound of a bgm is smaller than that of a sound at the time of an ordinary broadcast, and because the rate of the variation of the image of a scene peripheral to a broadcasting station is smaller than that of the image at the time of an ordinary broadcast, the end of a broadcast is set to be detected when the rate of the variation of a sound based on the broadcast signal to a reference value of the variation of a sound which has been set beforehand is 10% or less and the rate of the variation of the image based on the broadcast signal is 10% or less. incidentally, the value of the 100% of a variation, which is set as the reference value, is set by performing the previous measurement and the previous detection of variations of sounds and images at the time of ordinary broadcasts. incidentally, the methods by which the control unit 50 as the detection means detects the stopped wave state of broadcast waves, the broadcast wave which is the broadcast wave for an electric wave test, and the sound based on a broadcast wave which is an bgm and an image based on the broadcast wave which is the image of a scene peripheral to a broadcasting station are known techniques, and accordingly the methods are not described in detail here. moreover, the control unit 50 as the detection means detects the end of a broadcast based on the information on an electric program guide (epg). here, the epg means a program table of ground wave television broadcasting, satellite broadcasting and the like, which are delivered by an electric wave, the internet and the like. the control unit 50 detects a time when all of the programs are not broadcast as an end of the broadcasts based on the information of the broadcast time of each program listed in the epg received by the receiving unit 10 . moreover, the control unit 50 functions as timer means for timing a detection time for which the control unit 50 as the detection means continues detecting the end of the broadcasts. moreover, the control unit 50 functions as judgment means for judging whether the detection time timed by the control unit 50 as the timer means has reached a predetermined elapsed time or not. in particular, the control unit 50 as the judgment means judges whether the detection time has reached a first elapsed time (for example, five minutes), which is a relatively short time, or not, and whether the detection time has reached a second elapsed time (for example, ten minutes), which is relatively long time, or not. incidentally, the settings pertaining to the predetermined elapsed time, the first elapsed time and the second elapsed time are made to be able to be set at arbitrary times, and the setting times are made to be set by being stored in not shown storage means such as an eeprom. moreover, the control unit 50 functions as record erasing means for stopping the recording of video data in the recording unit 20 and for erasing the video data recorded in the recording unit 20 while the control unit 50 as the timing means has been timing the predetermined elapsed time when the control unit 50 as the judgment means judges that the detection time has reached the predetermined elapsed time. in particular, the control unit 50 as the record erasing means stops the output of the sound based on the sound data from the sound output unit 30 when the control unit 50 as the judgment means judges that the detection time has reached the first elapsed time. then, the control unit 50 as the record erasing means stops the display of the image based on the image data on the image display unit 40 and stops the recording of the video data in the recording unit 20 when the control unit 50 as the judgment means judges that the detection time has reached the second elapsed time. furthermore, the control means 50 as the record erasing means erases the video data recorded in the recording unit 20 while the control unit 50 as the timer means has been timing the predetermined elapsed time (the second elapsed time). next, an example of the recording processing of video data based on a broadcast signal in the image recording apparatus 100 is described based on the flowchart shown in fig. 2 . first, by the depression of a not shown main switch in the image recording apparatus 100 , the image recording apparatus 100 receives a broadcast signal pertaining to the predetermined broadcast according to a selected channel or the like through the receiving unit 10 (step then, the control unit 50 converts the received broadcast signal into sound data and image data, both being digital data, and records the video data composed of the sound data and the image data in the recording unit 20 to perform the image recording of video (step s 102 ). incidentally, the sound based on the sound data is output from the sound output unit 30 , and the image or the video based on image data is displayed on the image display unit 40 at the time of the image recording processing. after that, the control unit 50 monitors the end of a predetermined broadcast, and judges whether the end of the broadcast has been detected or not (step s 103 ). then, when the control unit 50 judges that the end of the broadcast has not been detected (step s 103 ; no), the control unit 50 returns its processing to step s 101 . on the other hand, when the control unit 50 judges that the end of the broadcast has been detected (step s 103 ; yes), the control unit 50 starts a timer, and times the detection time during which the control unit 50 continues the detection of the end of the broadcast (step s 104 ). after that, the control unit 50 judges whether the detection time has reached a time point when five minutes have elapsed, which is a first elapsed time (n 1 ), or not (step s 105 ). then, when the control unit 50 judges that the detection time has not reached the time point when five minutes have elapsed, which is the first elapsed time, (step s 105 ; no), the control unit 50 judges whether the control unit 50 continues the detection of the end of the broadcast or not (step s 106 ). when the control unit 50 judges that the control unit 50 continues detecting the end of the broadcast (step s 106 ; yes), the control unit 50 returns its processing to step s 105 . on the other hand, when the control unit 50 judges that the control unit 50 does not continue detecting the end of the broadcast (step s 106 ; no), the control unit 50 advances its processing to step s 117 . on the other hand, when the control unit 50 judges that the detection time has reached at the time point when five minutes have passed, which is the first elapsed time, (step s 105 ; yes), the control unit 50 stops the output of the sound from the sound output unit 30 (sound muting) (step s 107 ), and displays a warning message indicating the fact that the reception of the broadcast signal pertaining to the predetermined broadcast has not been performed on the image display unit 40 (step s 108 ). after that, the control unit 50 judges whether the control unit 50 has reached at a time point when ten minutes have elapsed, which is the second elapsed time (n 2 ), (has reached at a time point when further five minutes have elapsed from the first elapsed time) or not (step s 109 ). then, when the control unit 50 judges that the detection time has not reached the time point when ten minutes have elapsed, which is the second elapsed time, yet (step s 109 ; no), the control unit 50 further judges whether the control unit 50 continues detecting the end of the broadcast or not (step s 110 ). when the control unit 50 judges that the control unit 50 continues detecting the end of the broadcast (step s 110 ; yes), the control unit 50 returns its processing to step s 109 . on the other hand, when the control unit 50 judges that the control unit 50 does not continue detecting the end of the broadcast (step s 110 ; no), the control unit 50 advances its processing to step s 115 . on the other hand, when the control unit 50 judges that the detection time has reached the time point when ten minutes have elapsed, which is the second elapsed time, (step s 109 ; yes), the control unit 50 stops the display of the image on the image display unit 40 (image muting) (step s 111 ), and stops the performing of the image recording of recording the video data in the recording unit 20 (step s 112 ). incidentally, at step s 111 , the control unit 50 may display a black background or a blue background on the image display unit 40 in place of the image muting. after that, the control unit 50 goes back to the time point before ten minutes, which is the time point when the control unit 50 has begun detecting the end of the broadcast and is the second elapsed time, and the control unit 50 erases the video data for the ten minutes from the recording unit 20 (step s 113 ). then, the control unit 50 turns off the power supply of the image recording apparatus 100 (step s 114 ), and ends the image recording processing. at step s 115 , the control unit 50 erases the display of the warning message on the image display unit 40 (step s 115 ), and after that, returns the image recording apparatus 100 so as to output a sound from the sound output unit 30 (step s 116 ). then, the control unit 50 advances its processing to step s 117 . at step s 117 , the control unit 50 resets the timer (detection time=0 minute), and returns its processing to step s 101 . in such a way, the image recording apparatus 100 according to the present invention is configured to stop image recording when the recording apparatus 100 has detected the end of the predetermined broadcast and has continued detecting the end of the broadcast for the time equivalent to the predetermined elapse time (the detection time) at the time of performing the image recording of the video pertaining to the desired broadcast and the like. consequently, in comparison with the prior art, by which the image recording is rapidly stopped when the end of a broadcast is detected, the times of the malfunction of the stop of image recording in the case when the end of the broadcast is caused by a false detection can be decreased, and the image recording of the video pertaining to the desired broadcast can be suitably performed. then, the unnecessary video data (such as the “sandstorm screen”, the “color bar screen”, the “monoscope screen”, the “image of the scene peripheral to the broadcasting station”, and the like) recorded in the recording unit 20 as the image recording during the predetermined elapsed time set as an interval for judging whether the end of the broadcast has been caused by the false detection or not can be erased from the recording unit 20 based on the predetermined elapsed time. consequently, no recording of unnecessary video after the end of the broadcast is performed. thereby, desired video and the like can be recorded in the recording unit 20 for a longer period by performing the image recording thereof. in particular, when the recording unit 20 is the one of the type in which the dvd and the hdd are used together, the recording and the image recording of the video and the like in the recording unit 20 can be performed by changing them to each of the dvd and the hdd. for example, first, the image recording of video (video data) is made to be performed to the dvd, and when the end of a broadcast is detected, the recording unit 20 is switched to the hdd, which is a buffer, to perform the image recording of the video (video data). then, when the end of a broadcast is detected by a false detection, the video (video data) is moved from the hdd to the dvd, and then the image recording to the dvd is resumed. on the other hand, when the end of the broadcast has continued being detected for the predetermined time, unnecessary video (video data) recorded on the hdd is erased. because no unnecessary video is recorded on the dvd in such a recording system, no desired video is recorded by overwriting unnecessary video on the dvd. consequently, because video and the like can be recorded in the state with few noises on the dvd, and because the dvd is not used for the image recording of unnecessary video, the prolongation of lives of media such as the dvd can be achieved. incidentally, although the example of the dvd and the hdd as the recording unit 20 has been described in the embodiment described above, the present invention is not limited to such a recording unit, and a video cassette recorder (vcr) may be used as the recording unit. in case of using the vcr as the recording unit, in order to erase the unnecessary video data recorded in the recording unit 20 as image recording during the predetermined elapsed time, the video cassette is rewound for the predetermined elapsed time, and the video of the unnecessary video data is erased. moreover, although the output of a sound from the sound output unit 30 is first stopped at the time when the first elapsed time (n 1 =five minutes) has come and the image display on the image display unit 40 is secondly stopped to stop the image recording at the time when the second elapsed time (n 2 =ten minutes) has come in the embodiment described above, the present invention is not limited to such a way. both of the outputs of the sound and the image may be simultaneously stopped to stop the image recording at the time when the predetermined elapsed time has come. moreover, although the embodiment described above is configured to erase the video data in order to erase unnecessary video having been recorded without any intention of recording for making the part be in the unrecorded state, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. the unnecessary video data may be erased by overwriting the unnecessary video data with desired video. moreover, it is needless to say that concrete constructional details and the like can be suitably modified in addition. the entire disclosure of japanese patent application no. 2005-025954 filed on feb. 2, 2005, including description, claims, drawings and summary are incorporated herein by reference.
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025-847-484-773-959
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US
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2019
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methods and systems for remote identification, messaging, and tolling of aerial vehicles
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an aircraft tolling system uses tolling tags that are configured for attachment to aerial vehicles. the tolling tags include a data format that can be used by any and all aerial vehicles. the system detects and tracks aerial vehicles in a monitored airspace, and receives data from the aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace. the data include unique identifiers for each of the aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace. the system and device determine operators for the aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace based on a database of aerial vehicle and operator associations, access accounts in the database associated with each of the operators, and apply charges to the accounts associated with each of the operators in response to the reception of the unique identifiers of the aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace.
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1. an aircraft tolling system comprising: a first computer processor; a first computer memory coupled to the first computer processor; at least one second computer processor; at least one second computer memory coupled to the at least one second computer processor; and at least one housing containing the at least one second computer processor and the at least one second computer memory; wherein the at least one housing is configured for attachment to at least one aerial vehicle; wherein the at least one second computer processor is operable to transmit tolling data to the first computer processor; wherein the tolling data identify the at least one aerial vehicle; and wherein the tolling data comprise a common format that is utilized by the at least one aerial vehicle within a monitored airspace. 2. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1, wherein the first computer processor is operable for: detecting and tracking the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace; receiving the tolling data from the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace, the tolling data comprising unique identifiers for the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace; determining operators for the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace based on a database of aerial vehicle and operator associations; accessing accounts in the database associated with each of the operators; and applying charges to the accounts associated with each of the operators in response to the reception of the unique identifiers of the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace. 3. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1, wherein the at least one aerial vehicle comprises an unmanned aircraft system (uas). 4. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the tolling data to the first computer processor comprises use of a wireless network or a radio frequency (rf) signal. 5. the aircraft tolling system of claim 4, wherein the rf signal comprises a long-range rf signal. 6. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second computer processor comprises a global positioning system (gps) processor; and wherein the gps processor determines location, heading, and velocity data for the at least one aerial vehicle. 7. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1, wherein the first computer processor is operable for: initiating an enforcement action against the at least one aerial vehicle in response to the at least one aerial vehicle having been determined to lack authorization to enter the monitored airspace or having failed to provide requisite identification information; ascertaining a type of the at least one aerial vehicle that is a potential subject of the enforcement action; determining appropriate enforcement actions based on the type of the at least one aerial vehicle and payload of the at least one aerial vehicle; and executing one or more of levying fines against the operators, destroying or jamming the at least one aerial vehicle, disarming video capabilities of the at least one aerial vehicle, forcibly downing the at least one aerial vehicle, causing a forced hovering of the at least one aerial vehicle in a column of the monitored airspace, causing a radio frequency (rf) jamming of the at least one aerial vehicle, causing an overriding of control signaling being supplied to the at least one aerial vehicle, and implementing new missions for the at least one aerial vehicle to fly to an area for capture and recovery. 8. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1, comprising a cost model, wherein the cost model comprises one or more of a financial cost structure and a non-financial cost structure; wherein the non-financial cost structure comprises temporal access restrictions to the monitored airspace such that the operators are allocated amounts of airspace access credits for given airspaces; and wherein the aircraft tolling system debits the airspace access credits of the operators when the aerial vehicles associated with the operators access the given airspaces. 9. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1, wherein the first computer processor is operable for leveraging telemetry data comprising one or more of locations, headings, and speeds of the at least one aerial vehicle; and using the data on the locations, the headings, and the speeds of the at least one aerial vehicle to facilitate directional reception of telemetry signaling of the at least one aerial vehicle. 10. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1, wherein the charges applied to the accounts associated with each of the operators are based on one or more of durations of time that the at least one aerial vehicle is present in the monitored airspace, a surge pricing during a peak airspace congestion time, a fine levied against an unauthorized vehicle, and a difference between operators based on an agreement with the tolling enforcement agency. 11. the aircraft tolling system of claim 1 , wherein the charges applied to the accounts associated with each of the operators are based on a tiered pricing model such that different altitudes and different geographic regions within the monitored airspace are subject to different costing schedules. 12. an aircraft tolling device comprising: a first computer processor; a first computer memory coupled to the first computer processor; and a housing containing the first computer processor and the first computer memory; wherein the housing is configured for attachment to an aerial vehicle; wherein the first computer processor is operable to transmit tolling data to a second ground-based computer processor; wherein the tolling data identify the aerial vehicle; and wherein the tolling data comprise a common format that is utilized by the aerial vehicle and other aerial vehicles within the monitored airspace. 13. the aircraft tolling device of claim 12, wherein the second ground-based computer processor is operable for: detecting and tracking at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace; receiving data from the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace, the data comprising unique identifiers for the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace; determining operators for the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace based on a database of aerial vehicle and operator associations; accessing accounts in the database associated with each of the operators; and applying charges to the accounts associated with each of the operators in response to the reception of the unique identifiers of the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace. 14. the aircraft tolling device of claim 13, wherein the transmission of the tolling data to the second ground-based computer processor comprises use of a wireless network or a long-range radio frequency (rf) signal. 15. the aircraft tolling device of claim 13, wherein the second ground-based computer processor is operable for: initiating an enforcement action against the at least one aerial vehicle in response to the at least one aerial vehicle having been determined to lack authorization to enter the monitored airspace or having failed to provide requisite identification information; ascertaining a type of the at least one aerial vehicle that is a potential subj ect of the enforcement action; determining appropriate enforcement actions based on the type of the at least one aerial vehicle and payload of the at least one aerial vehicle; and executing one or more of levying fines against the operators, destroying or jamming the at least one aerial vehicle, disarming video capabilities of the at least one aerial vehicle, forcibly downing the at least one aerial vehicle, causing a forced hovering of the at least one aerial vehicle in a column of the monitored airspace, causing a radio frequency (rf) jamming of the at least one aerial vehicle, causing an overriding of control signaling being supplied to the at least one aerial vehicle, and implementing new missions for the at least one aerial vehicle to fly to an area for capture and recovery. 16. the aircraft tolling device of claim 13, wherein the second ground- based computer processor comprises a cost model, wherein the cost model comprises one or more of a financial cost structure and a non -financial cost structure; wherein the non-financial cost structure comprises temporal access restrictions to the monitored airspace such that the operators are allocated amounts of airspace access credits for given airspaces; and wherein the aircraft tolling system debits the airspace access credits of the operators when the aerial vehicles associated with the operators access the given airspaces. 17. the aircraft tolling device of claim 13, wherein the second ground- based computer processor is operable for leveraging telemetiy data comprising one or more of locations, headings, and speeds of the at least one aerial vehicle; and using the data on the locations, the headings, and the speeds of the at least one aerial vehicle to facilitate directional reception of telemetry signaling of the at least one aerial vehicle. 18. the aircraft tolling device of claim 13, wherein the charges applied to the accounts associated with each of the operators are based on one or more of durations of time that the at least one aerial vehicle is present in the monitored airspace, a surge pricing during a peak airspace congestion time, a fine levied against an unauthorized vehicle, and a difference between operators based on an agreement with the tolling enforcement agency. 19. the aircraft tolling device of claim 13, wherein the charges applied to the accounts associated with each of the operators are based on a tiered pricing model such that different altitudes and different geographic regions within the monitored airspace are subject to different costing schedules. 20. a process for monitoring at least one aerial vehicle in a monitored air space comprising: transmitting data from the at least one aerial vehicle to a computer processor; and receiving the data at the computer processor; wherein the at least one aerial vehicle comprises an aerial vehicle computer processor; wherein the aerial vehicle computer processor is contained in a housing; wherein the housing is configured for attachment to the at least one aerial vehicle; wherein the data comprise one or more of identification data, messaging data, and tolling data; and wherein the data comprise a common format that is utilized by the at least one aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace.
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methods and systems for remote identification, messaging, and tolling of aerial vehicles claim of priority [0001] this patent application claims the benefit of priority to u.s. application serial no. 16/668,888, filed october 30, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. technical field [0002] embodiments described herein generally relate to the monitoring and controlling of air traffic, and more particularly, to the detection, regulation, and tolling of aerial vehicles (e.g., manned or unmanned) to manage air congestion and collect revenue. related applications [0003] the present application is related to u. s. provisional application serial no. 62/683,421, filed on june 11, 2018, and u.s. application no. 16/438,297, filed on june 11, 2019, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. background [0004] automated aerial vehicles are finding increasing usefulness in civilian applications. for instance, unmanned aerial vehicles (uavs) are used for a variety of aerial photography and videography tasks, cartography, transportation of goods and people (e.g., air taxis), package delivery, agricultural work such as crop dusting and inspection, traffic monitoring and control, and various law- enforcement and security uses. [0005] with increasing use of automated aerial vehicles comes an increasing need for safety and congestion management. however, different drone manufacturers and models use different broadcast methods, and there is currently no standardization for drone telemetry or identification. that is, many drone platforms could be operating in the same airspace and each could use different telemetiy / broadcast / identification methods, which makes drone id and tolling difficult. [0006] while electronic toll collection and automated vehicle identification exist for current toll roads, most use visual or rfid methods for collecting tolling information. however, these methods are too short range to support collecting tolls from aircraft. brief description of the drawings [0007] in the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. some embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings. [0008] fig. 1 is a high-level diagram illustrating a system for facilitating airspace tolling according to some examples. [0009] fig. 2 is a lower-level diagram illustrating a system for facilitating airspace tolling according to some examples. [0010] fig. 3 is another high-level diagram illustrating a system for facilitating airspace tolling according to some examples. [0011] figs. 4a, 4b, and 4c are a block diagram of operations and features in a system for facilitating airspace tolling according to some examples. [0012] fig. 5 is a block diagram of a computer architecture upon which one or more embodiments can execute. detailed description [0013] aspects of the embodiments are directed to systems and methods for facilitating airspace tolling. in the present context, airspace tolling refers to regulation of access to airspace with the use of a cost model. the cost model may include a financial cost structure, a non-financial cost structure (e.g., temporal access to the airspace), or both. while described in the context of airspace tolling and using examples of aerial vehicles, it should be appreciated that the methods and apparatus disclosed herein can be extended to maritime tolling and thus should be considered to be within the scope of the disclosure. [0014] more specifically, an embodiment relates to a platform-agnostic aircraft system toll tag that can be used with, for example, manned or unmanned aerial vehicles. for discussion purposes, in the following, an unmanned aircraft system (uas) is considered as an example. however, the methods and apparatus described herein can be used for tolling of manned aerial vehicles as well. the toll tag is low powered, generic, and can be mounted on any small uas to transmit platform identification and telemetry data in a configurable, common format via radio frequency or a wireless network (e.g., cellular or wifi), thereby enabling drone identification and tolling by airspace controllers. unlike roadway tolling that occurs over a distance measured in terms of feet, this transmission of the platform identification and telemetry data occurs over a distance measured in kilometers. in an embodiment, the toll tag is a bolt-on appliance for commercial and civilian uas vendors and operators. the toll tag is long range, low weight, low power, and low cost. [0015] according to aspects of the embodiments, airspace tolling may provide a source of revenue as delivery and transport methods utilize airspace. in some aspects, airspace tolling may reduce class g airspace congestion. additionally, some aspects facilitate the management of private or corporate airspace use. [0016] aspects of the embodiments may be implemented as part of a radio- based or wireless network-based detection and communications platform integrated, or interfaced, with a computing platform. the detection, communication, and computing platforms may be implemented as one physical machine, or may be distributed among multiple physical machines, such as by role or function, or by process thread in the case of a cloud-computing or distributed model. in various embodiments, certain operations may be configured to run in virtual machines that in turn are executed on one or more physical machines. it will be understood by persons of skill in the art that features of the present subject matter may be realized by a variety of different suitable machine implementations. [0017] fig. l is a high-level diagram illustrating a system for carrying out airspace tolling operations according to some aspects of the embodiments. detection and tracking subsystem 102 utilizes detection and ranging technology, such as radio-frequency (rf) based detection, to monitor a volume of airspace for the presence of an aircraft such as an unmanned aircraft system (uas), an unmanned air vehicle (uav), and/or an automated aerial vehicle. a variety of suitable detection techniques may be employed, including techniques that have been developed for detection and tracking of aircraft (e.g., scanning industrial, scientific, and medical (ism) frequency bands for uav rf activity). in some embodiments, detection and tracking subsystem 102 may further include, for example, sensors including image sensors to supplement aerial vehicle detection. in some, but not necessarily in all embodiments, smaller radars operating with specific frequency bands may be deployed for detection of small uavs such as delivery drones. for example, in one implementation, a low power x-band radar may be utilized for detecting aerial vehicles at low altitudes. the toll tag may interact with the detection and identification subsystem by transmitting identification, telemetry, and other data in a common configurable format that may support tolling operations and/or remote uas identification and messaging. in some embodiments, these data may be transmitted over radio-frequency (rf) or wireless networks (e.g. cellular or wifi). [0018] detection of the aircraft in the airspace facilitates and initiates operations to identify the aircraft. to this end, detection of the aircraft may facilitate operation of identification subsystem 104 to receive telemetry signaling from the detected aircraft. for example, tracking of the aircraft by detection and tracking subsystem 102 may provide information on the approximate location, heading, and speed of the aircraft, which may be used to facilitate directional reception of telemetry signaling of the aircraft by identification subsystem 104. accordingly, identification subsystem 104, on receiving telemetry signaling from the detected estimated location of the aircraft, may associate emitted unique identifying information (e.g., a global unique identifier (quid)) broadcast by the aircraft, with the detected aircraft. [0019] account retrieval subsystem 106 includes a database, or an interface to access a database, of aerial vehicle operators and their respective associations with identifiers of specific aerial vehicles. such a database may be maintained by a third party, such as a governmental agency (e.g., the federal aviation administration (faa), or a private entity). [0020] in addition, account retrieval subsystem 106 includes a computation engine configured to determine an aerial vehicle operator of the detected and identified aerial vehicle, and to retrieve a transaction account established for that aerial vehicle operator. [0021] in a related embodiment, account retrieval subsystem 106 may determine whether the aerial vehicle or the operator of the aerial vehicle is authorized, or authorizable, to access the airspace. for example, an authorized aerial vehicle may be permitted to enter the airspace and may have an account established in which there is sufficient credit to permit the access. an authorizable aerial vehicle may have an account established by its operator, but the account may lack credits at the current time. nonetheless, the account may be in good standing and credits may be obtained via a transaction. an unauthorized vehicle is one whose operator is unknown, lacks an account, or is associated with an account that is in bad standing, or which has entered restricted airspace (for which fines or penalties may be levied against the operator), for example. [0022] transaction subsystem 108 is configured to process financial or non- financial transactions for accounts of aerial vehicle operators. for instance, transaction subsystem 108 may add a charge to the financial account of the aerial vehicle operator of the detected and identified aerial vehicle, in response to the detection and identification by the detection and identification subsystems 102, 104. [0023] as an example of a non-financial transaction, an aerial vehicle operator may be allocated a certain amount of airspace access credits for a given airspace. accordingly, in response to an instance in which an aerial vehicle belonging to that operator accesses that airspace, the operator’s airspace access credits may be debited. [0024] the airspace access may be measurable in terms of duration that an aerial vehicle uses the airspace. in a related example, the airspace access may be subdivided spatially. for example, different altitudes within an airspace may be subject to different costing schedules. airspace may also be subject to surge charging during periods of known peak activity or high congestion. accordingly, tiered pricing models may be employed in various toll zones according to some embodiments. [0025] in some embodiments, enforcement subsystem 110 is included. enforcement subsystem 110 may operate in response to unauthorized access of an airspace, whether by an aerial vehicle of a known operator that lacks access rights (e.g., due to lack of access credits or having an account in bad standing), by a rogue aerial vehicle of unknown provenance, or by a vehicle entering restricted airspace. enforcement subsystem 110 may notify a law enforcement entity to take appropriate action in response to an unauthorized access of the airspace. in other examples, enforcement subsystem 110 may take actions to disrupt the operation of the unauthorized aerial vehicle (e.g., using rf jamming or overriding of the control signaling being supplied to the unauthorized aerial vehicle). in a related example, enforcement subsystem 110 accesses vehicle- identification information to ascertain the type of aerial vehicle that is the potential subject of enforcement action, and it determines the most appropriate enforcement actions taking into account the vehicle type, payload type, and other factors, so that enforcement may be accomplished safely, thus avoiding harm to people and property. [0026] fig. 2 is a lower-level diagram illustrating a system 200 for facilitating airspace tolling according to some examples. the system includes an unmanned aircraft system (uas) 210, and can include a communication interface 212, such as a usb/serial interface. through the interface 212, the uas 210 may transmit identification, telemetry, or other relevant data to a microcontroller 220. the identification data are received at a communication interface such as a usb/serial interface 224 of the microcontroller 220. the microcontroller 220 further includes a processor for executing software 221, and data storage 222. a power supply 250 provides power to the microcontroller 220. the power supply can be dedicated to the system 200, or the power supply can be part of the uas 210, whereby the microcontroller uses the same power source that is used to power the uas itself. the power supply is normally a low-powered, light weight battery. [0027] a global positioning system (gps) can be associated with the microcontroller 220. such gps can include an antenna 240, a (ps module 230, and an associated communication interface, such as a serial interface 231 for transmitting data received from gps satellites to the microcontroller 220. the gps module 230 processes the gps data to determine the location, heading, and velocities of the uas within a particular monitored airspace. in another embodiment, the microcontroller 220 processes some or all the gps data. [0028] after processing the uas and/or gps data, the microcontroller 220 transmits data via communication interface, such as serial interface 223 to a wireless communication module 260 (via associated serial interface 262), such as a radio transceiver or wireless/cellular network device. the transmitted data may be received at wireless antenna module 270 associated with a tolling station. the wireless communication module 260 may consist of a long-range radio frequency (rf), wireless network, and/or cellular network communication module. [0029] the system 200, and in particular the software running on the microcontroller 220, standardizes drone telemetry for drone identification, tolling, and airspace management purposes. the system 200 takes into account three dimensional, temporal, and non-linear methods for generating the telemetry. the tolling tag can be a bolt-on appliance for government, commercial, and civilian uas vendors and operators. [0030] the range for detection of the system 200, and in particular the tolling tag, may be up to approximately 10km over radio frequency (rf). in other embodiments, specifically those using wireless or cellular networks, detection of the system 200 may occur wherever such networks are available. the tolling tag may transmit drone identification, telemetry, drone class, drone size, and drone configuration in a configurable, common format. in some embodiments, aerial vehicles of a first type (e.g., transportation drones) use a first type of common message format while aerial vehicles of a second type (e.g., delivery drones) use a second type of common message format. the different types of formats may be optimized for different types of vehicles given that the packet size, number of bits, etc. may vary for different types of vehicles based on the tolling information being communicated. [0031] in certain embodiments, the tolling systems disclosed herein may use optical transmitters and receivers (at the respective transmitting and receiving devices) for the transmission and reception (respectively) of the tolling data. in such embodiments, the identification, telemetry, class/type, size, and configuration information associated with a given aerial vehicle may be encoded in an optical signal. such embodiments are well suited in environments and regions where a reasonably clear line of sight is achievable between the aerial vehicles transmitting the tolling data and the receiving tolling station. [0032] fig. 3 is another high-level diagram illustrating a system for facilitating airspace tolling according to some examples. fig. 3 illustrates an unmanned air vehicle (uav) 305, to which is attached a tolling tag appliance 310. the tolling tag appliance 310 transmits a wireless tolling data signal to receiver 313, which is associated with a tolling station 315. the tolling station 315 transmits tolling data to (a) tolling server(s) 320. alternatively, the tolling tag appliance may transmit tolling data directly to the tolling server via a wireless or cellular network using cell tower 316. [0033] figs. 4a, 4b, and 4c are another diagram illustrating a system for carrying out airspace tolling operations according to some aspects of the embodiments. figs. 4a, 4b, and 4c include process blocks 410-496. though arranged substantially serially in the example of figs. 4a, 4b, and 4c, other examples may reorder the blocks, omit one or more blocks, and/or execute two or more blocks in parallel using multiple processors or a single processor organized as two or more virtual machines or sub-processors. moreover, still other examples can implement the blocks as one or more specific interconnected hardware or integrated circuit modules with related control and data signals communicated between and through the modules. thus, any process flow is applicable to software, firmware, hardware, and hybrid implementations. [0034] referring now to figs. 4a, 4b, and 4c, in an embodiment, as indicated at 410, an aircraft tolling system includes a ground-based computer processor and a ground-based memory that is coupled to the ground-based computer processor. at 420, the aircraft tolling system detects and tracks aerial vehicles in a monitored airspace. a toll tag global positioning processor (gps) determines location, heading, and velocity data for an aerial vehicle in the monitored airspace, which makes it easier to detect and track the aerial vehicle. as indicated at 422, the aerial vehicles can include unmanned aircraft systems (uass). at 430, the aircraft tolling system receives data from the aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace. these data include unique identifiers for each of the aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace. at 440, the aircraft tolling system determines the operators of aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace based on a database of aerial vehicle and operator associations. at 450, the aircraft tolling system accesses accounts in the database associated with each of the operators, and at 460, the tolling system applies charges to the accounts associated with each of the operators in response to the reception of the unique identifiers of the aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace. [0035] block 470 discloses that the aircraft tolling system further includes many second computer processors and second computer memories that are coupled to the second computer processors. these second computer processors and computer memories are each contained within their own housings (471). as indicated at 472, each of the housings are attached to one of the aerial vehicles, and as further indicated at 473, the second computer processors transmit tolling data to the ground-based computer processor. the transmission of the tolling data to the ground-based computer processor may be executed with a radio frequency (rf) signal, and in a particular embodiment, a long-range rf signal (473a). alternatively, the transmission of tolling data may be executed over a wireless network (e.g. cellular or wifi). these tolling data identify specific aerial vehicles (474). the tolling data further include a common format that is utilized by the specific aerial vehicles within the monitored airspace (475). that is, all the aerial vehicles that are within the monitored airspace use the same common format so that the aircraft tolling system can more easily detect and track all the aerial vehicles in the monitored airspace for tolling and other purposes. [0036] operations 480-483 describe how the aircraft tolling system implements an enforcement action against aircraft. at 480, the tolling system, and in particular the ground-based computer processor, initiates an enforcement action against one or more of the aerial vehicles in response to the one or more aerial vehicles having been determined to lack authorization to enter the monitored airspace or having failed to provide requisite identification information. at 481, the tolling system ascertains the types of the aerial vehicles that are a potential subject of the enforcement action. at 482, the tolling system determines appropriate enforcement actions based on the types of the aerial vehicles and payloads of the aerial vehicles. as indicated at 483, these enforcement actions can include one or more of levying fines against the operators, destroying or jamming one or more or the aerial vehicles, disarming video capabilities of one or more of the aerial vehicles, forcibly downing one or more of the aerial vehicles, causing a forced hovering of one or more of the aerial vehicles in one or more columns of the monitored airspace, causing a radio frequency (rf) jamming of one or more of the aerial vehicles, causing an overriding of control signaling being supplied to one or more of the aerial vehicles, and implementing new missions for one or more of the aerial vehicles to fly to one or more areas for capture and recovery. [0037] as indicated at 485, the aircraft tolling system can include a cost model. the cost model can include a financial cost structure and/or a non-financial cost structure. the non-financial cost structure can include temporal access restrictions to the monitored airspace such that the operators are allocated amounts of airspace access credits for given airspaces. then, the aircraft tolling system debits the airspace access credits of the operators when the aerial vehicles associated with the operators access the given airspaces. [0038] as indicated at 490, the aircraft tolling system, and in particular the ground-based computer processor, leverages telemetry data. the telemetry data include locations, headings, and/or speeds of the aerial vehicles. at 491, the tolling system uses the data on the locations, the headings, and the speeds of the aerial vehicles to facilitate directional reception of telemetry signaling of the aerial vehicles. [0039] as indicated at 495, the charges applied to the accounts associated with each of the operators are based on one or more of durations of time that the aerial vehicles are present in the monitored airspace, a surge pricing during a peak airspace congestion time, a fine levied against an unauthorized vehicle, and a difference between operators based on an agreement with the tolling enforcement agency. at 496, the charges applied to the accounts associated with each of the operators are based on a tiered pricing model such that different altitudes and different geographic regions within the monitored airspace are subject to different costing schedules. [0040] in some embodiments, one or more enforcement actions may be temporarily applied, e.g., in a reversible manner, until a confirmation can be made regarding the aerial vehicle. for example, rather than immediate destruction or jamming of the aerial vehicle upon detection of lack of authorization to enter into the monitored airspace (or failure to provide authentication credentials), the enforcement subsystem may temporarily disarm the video capability or restrict/confine the movement of the aerial vehicle, and may attempt subsequent authentication attempts. if a subsequent attempt for authentication is successful, the disabled video capability of the aerial vehicle may be re-enabled. [0041] in some embodiments, tolls may be generated based on tag identifiers making a distinction between commercial vehicles, recreational vehicles, municipal/service use vehicles, size, weight, number of motors, noise, and speed. various features of the embodiments described herein provide an ability to tie in telemetry and carrier characteristics that allows tolling based on altitude of the vehicle or a use case (e.g., different classes of air space), etc. for example, lower altitudes may be more desirable for delivery applications because of the need to repeatedly return to the earth’s surface for the delivery of packages. as another example, an aerial vehicle flying at 10,000 feet may pay $1, where those flying at 5,000 feet may pay $2. this essentially carves up the air space into sectors that can be differentiated due to the telemetry being sent from the drone. the 10,000 foot range listed is for detection and the directions are dependent on the antenna selected for the implementation. some could be omni-directional and provide full coverage, while others may want directional coverage. this could also be scaled up if areas have higher congestion. [0042] in some implementations, the tolling mechanism described herein is non-linear "cell'vgrid based and geofenced based. in general, airspace is a much larger space (e.g., relative to ground space/areas subject to tolling) and objects can pass through at many angles. depending on how tolling stations are setup, certain zones can be skipped. for example, in one scenario one aerial vehicle could go from zone 1 to zone 2 to zone 3, whereas a different aerial vehicle may just go from zone 1 to zone 3. [0043] the tolling method and system described herein can allow for objects that are static and that are not passing through an airspace to be tolled. for example, a uas just moving vertically without significant x/y axis movement to cross into other stations detection radius. any flights in the toll zone, even if they are not actively moving through the toll zone, can still be charged a toll. [0044] some features of the tolling system allow tolling based on a duration of time a vehicle stays in the monitored airspace. this ensures those that stay in the toll zone longer will pay for the total time. this is not the case with other types of tolling, e.g., ground vehicle tolling examples, which do not take into account the time duration. this could also be scaled up if areas have higher congestion. [0045] detection of untagged items may provide good metrics for coverage and whether additional or reduced number of stations are desirable. the metrics could also be good for determining pricing models for tolls/rates for their use cases. metrics can also be used to validate / verify information; for example, 30 deliveries listed at depot, but tolling only showed 25. [0046] compared to tolling systems for cars, the detection range for use in airspace tolling systems described herein is much larger. for example, in some embodiments, using rf for communication, the expected range is up to 10km. the range may also extend in all directions. in other embodiments, utilizing cellular or other wireless networks for communication, tolling data may be transmitted wherever such networks are available. [0047] fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a computing and communications platform 500 in the example form of a general-purpose machine on which some or all of the system of fig. 1 may be carried out according to various embodiments. in certain embodiments, programming of the computing platform 500 according to one or more particular algorithms produces a special-purpose machine upon execution of that programming. in a networked deployment, the computing platform 500 may operate in the capacity of either a server or a client machine in server-client network environments, or it may act as a peer machine in peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environments. computing platform 500, or some portions thereof, may represent an example architecture of computing platform or external computing platform according to one type of embodiment. [0048] example computing platform 500 includes at least one processor 502 (e.g., a central processing unit (cpu), a graphics processing unit (gpu) or both, processor cores, compute nodes, etc.), a main memory 504 and a static memory 506, which communicate with each other via a link 508 (e.g., bus). the computing platform 500 may further include a video display unit 510, input devices 512 (e.g., a keyboard, camera, microphone), and a user interface (uq navigation device 514 (e.g., mouse, touchscreen). the computing platform 500 may additionally include a storage device 516 (e.g., a drive unit), a signal generation device 518 (e.g., a speaker), and a rf-environment interface device (rfeid) 520. [0049] the storage device 516 includes a non-transitory machine-readable medium 522 on which is stored one or more sets of data structures and instructions 524 (e.g., software) embodying or utilized by any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. the instructions 524 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 504, static memory 506, and/or within the processor 502 during execution thereof by the computing platform 500, with the main memory 504, static memory 506, and the processor 502 also constituting machine-readable media. [0050] while the machine-readable medium 522 is illustrated in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” may include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more instructions 524. the term “machine-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any tangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure or that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying data structures utilized by or associated with such instructions. the term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media. specific examples of machine-readable media include nonvolatile memory, including but not limited to, by way of example, semiconductor memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory (eprom), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (eeprom)) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and cd-rom and dvd- rom disks. [0051] rfeid 520 includes radio receiver circuitry, along with analog-to- digital conversion circuitry, and interface circuitry to communicate via link 508 according to various embodiments. various form factors are contemplated for rfeid 520. for instance, rfeid may be in the form of a wideband radio receiver, or scanning radio receiver, that interfaces with processor 502 via link 508. in one example, link 508 includes a pci express (pcie) bus, including a slot into which the nic form-factor may removably engage. in another embodiment, rfeid 520 includes circuitry laid out on a motherboard together with local link circuitry, processor interface circuitry, other input/output circuitry, memory circuitry, storage device and peripheral controller circuitry, and the like. in another embodiment, rfeid 520 is a peripheral that interfaces with link 508 via a peripheral input/output port such as a universal serial bus (usb) port. rfeid 520 receives rf emissions over wireless transmission medium 526. rfeid 520 may be constructed to receive radar signaling, radio communications signaling, unintentional emissions, or some combination of such emissions. [0052] examples, as described herein, may include, or may operate on, logic or a number of components, circuits, or engines, which for the sake of consistency are termed engines, although it will be understood that these terms may be used interchangeably. engines may be hardware, software, or firmware communicatively coupled to one or more processors in order to carry out the operations described herein. engines may be hardware engines, and as such engines may be considered tangible entities capable of performing specified operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain manner. in an example, circuits may be arranged (e.g, internally or with respect to external entities such as other circuits) in a specified manner as an engine. in an example, the whole or part of one or more computing platforms (e.g., a standalone, client or server computing platform) or one or more hardware processors may be configured by firmware or software (e.g, instructions, an application portion, or an application) as an engine that operates to perform specified operations. in an example, the software may reside on a machine-readable medium. in an example, the software, when executed by the underlying hardware of the engine, causes the hardware to perform the specified operations. accordingly, the term hardware engine is understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, specifically configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily (e.g, transitorily) configured (e.g, programmed) to operate in a specified manner or to perform part or all of any operation described herein. [0053] considering examples in which engines are temporarily configured, each of the engines need not be instantiated at any one moment in time. for example, where the engines comprise a general-purpose hardware processor configured using software; the general-purpose hardware processor may be configured as respective different engines at different times. software may accordingly configure a hardware processor, for example, to constitute a particular engine at one instance of time and to constitute a different engine at a different instance of time. [0054] the above detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. the drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments that may be practiced. these embodiments are also referred to herein as “examples.” such examples may include elements in addition to those shown or described. however, also contemplated are examples that include the elements shown or described. moreover, also contemplated are examples using any combination or permutation of those elements shown or described (or one or more aspects thereof), either with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect to other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein. [0055] publications, patents, and patent documents referred to in this document are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, as though individually incorporated by reference. in the event of inconsistent usages between this document and those documents so incorporated by reference, the usage in the incorporated reference^) are supplementary to that of this document; for irreconcilable inconsistencies, the usage in this document controls. [0056] in this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” in this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “a or b” includes “a but not b,” “b but not a,” and “a and b,” unless otherwise indicated. in the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-english equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” also, in the following claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, or process that includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim. moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to suggest a numerical order for their objects. [0057] the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. for example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with others. other embodiments may be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. the abstract is to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. it is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. also, in the above detailed description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. however, the claims may not set forth every feature disclosed herein as embodiments may feature a subset of said features. further, embodiments may include fewer features than those disclosed in a particular example. thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with a claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein is to be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
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